Looking Forward to Their Next Success

Konoha.

Inside a secret room in the Hokage Building, all members of Team 3 and the Third Hokage were gathered.

Not long after they handed in their mission, Neji informed Might Guy that he had preliminary research results. He could allow Rock Lee to control a small portion of his Chakra, enough at least to perform the Three Body Technique.

That was how this scene came about.

After learning of this, the Third Hokage directly had Might Guy gather Team 3. The entire process would be conducted here to prevent any leaks.

The details had already been explained, so they would now begin the procedure directly.

Rock Lee sat cross-legged, his fit upper body bare, while Neji prepared the equipment and the materials for the tattoo.

"Lee, are you ready?"

Neji held a needle, his face covered by a mask and goggles. He wore gloves and a white lab coat. With his face hidden, he gave off the rather frightening impression of a doctor.

"I'm ready!"

"Come on!"

Determination shone from beneath Rock Lee's thick brows. He did not particularly care whether he could use ninjutsu.

But he could not let down Neji's research, Teacher Might Guy's expectations, or Lord Hokage's expectations.

"You're getting a dragon tattoo, right?"

"That's right!"

"Very well. Then I won't hold back!"

Neji lightly pinched Rock Lee's upper body, putting on a show as he felt over the necessary Chakra points. Then the large needle descended.

Rock Lee's face twitched slightly, but Neji moved quickly. A great dragon slowly began to appear across Rock Lee's upper body.

The Third Hokage watched, a faint gleam flashing through his eyes. Chakra points, Sealing Jutsu.

The path Neji tattooed was like drawing Sealing Jutsu directly onto the human body. No wonder he needed Sealing Jutsu.

As for the effects of Chakra points, he himself only had a limited understanding.

"Might Guy, you have a fine group of students!"

"Lord Hokage, I haven't really taught them much."

Faced with the Third Hokage's praise, Might Guy felt rather embarrassed. Other than teaching the three Taijutsu, he truly could not teach them much else.

The Third Hokage merely smiled gently. "They are all good children. They will be Konoha's future."

"If Neji succeeds this time, I will grant him access to more research materials."

"Thank you on Neji's behalf, Lord Hokage!"

The Third Hokage nodded slightly and looked at the gradually completed tattoo. It was an intimidating dragon tattoo.

But its eyes had not been added, and Neji did not seem to intend to give them their final touch.

Though imposing, it resembled a lifeless object. It lacked the vividness of the Dragon and Tiger tattoo on Neji's own body.

As time passed, Neji completed the final claw. A four-clawed dragon appeared across Rock Lee's upper body, covering nearly all of it.

In this world, four claws were the highest they deserved. Hardly anyone here was qualified for anything higher, aside from himself.

Even Emperor Kaido had only four claws!

Merely a Four-Clawed Flood Dragon!

The Five-Clawed Golden Dragon was beyond their reach.

"Done! Lee, stand up and try circulating your Chakra."

Neji stepped aside. Rock Lee slowly rose to his feet and looked down at the dragon's head over his chest, its body coiling across nearly his entire body.

He clenched his fist slightly. It seemed that he could now mobilize a small amount of the Chakra within him. Unlike before, it was no longer a chaotic blind bull that refused to obey his commands.

When he had trained in the Eight Gates, he had relied on the training method to leave an opening at the location of the gate he needed to open, allowing all his Chakra to rush against it.

"How does it feel, Rock Lee? Can you mobilize the Chakra in your body?" Neji asked.

The others also looked at Rock Lee expectantly. Whether the experiment had succeeded depended on whether he could use ninjutsu.

"I think I can sense a tiny bit of Chakra that I can control. I've never felt this before."

Rock Lee closed his eyes and felt the flow of Chakra within his body. Strands of Chakra seemed to respond to his call.

"Try using the Clone Technique from the Three Body Technique. You still remember the hand seals, right?"

He remembered!

Of course he remembered. After extracting Chakra for the first time, he had tried countless times to use ninjutsu.

He had desperately kept trying. Everyone else succeeded, but he alone had failed.

In the end, his teachers concluded that he would never be able to use ninjutsu and that his Chakra control was extremely weak.

After training for so long, he had only mastered water-walking and wall-walking. He still could not successfully use ninjutsu.

Clone Technique: this was a basic ninjutsu taught at the Ninja Academy and required only three hand seals.

Rock Lee was extremely familiar with those three seals: Goat—Snake—Tiger.

Rock Lee steadily formed the three seals with his hands. Bang! A clone appeared, lying prone on the ground.

Rock Lee froze, while Tenten and Neji began to laugh. Of course, it was not mocking laughter, but laughter of goodwill.

Neji patted Rock Lee on the shoulder. "Congratulations. Starting today, you can use ninjutsu, even if it's only the most basic Three Body Technique!"

As the most basic and simplest techniques, the Three Body Technique was extremely practical. It consumed very little Chakra and was also used most frequently.

Tenten happily walked over and gave Rock Lee's shoulder a firm pat.

"I'm jealous just watching this. Maybe I'll get a tattoo someday too!"

Smiling, Tenten said it as a joke, but Neji beside her revealed a mysterious smile as well.

"Perhaps Tenten really will need me to tattoo one for her. After all, according to the materials Lady Tsunade left behind, fine-tuning Chakra can allow someone to retain Eternal Youth."

Tenten's eyes immediately lit up. Eternal Youth was a temptation no woman could refuse.

She immediately grabbed Neji with both hands and repeatedly asked, "Really? Can it really be done?"

"It may be possible in the future. We're still missing quite a lot of information. Perhaps this could be an additional benefit of tattoos being able to heal."

"That's wonderful! If it works, you have to tattoo one on me. Looks like I need to think carefully about what I want."

As the three happily messed around, a sharp gleam flashed through the Third Hokage's eyes. Eternal Youth?

Lady Mito had been the same in the past, and Tsunade, who inherited her Yin Seal, was the same.

Had Neji's research already reached this stage?

This child's talent truly was formidable. The security level of his research materials needed to be raised.

From now on, Neji's files would be divided into two parts. The files concerning his research and these tattoos would only be accessible to the Hokage.

Having silently made that decision, the Third Hokage watched the three celebrating and smiled gently.

"Might Guy, tell Neji that most of the materials will be opened to him. He may also examine some of the notes Tsunade left behind."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Might Guy paused, about to call Neji over, but the Third Hokage interrupted him.

"There's no need. Let them keep celebrating. Don't disturb them. I have other matters to attend to, so this old man won't keep you company."

"I'm looking forward to their next success!"

Might Guy watched the Third Hokage leave. Meanwhile, Neji, who was fooling around with Tenten, curled his lips into a slight smile.

The goal has been achieved!