Water Style: Heavenly Cry! Spit!

Konoha's outskirts, cemetery.

Jueming held a bundle of wildflowers and soon arrived before two gravestones.

These were the graves of his birth parents in this world.

Though he had never met them, since he had become their child, the proper rites still had to be observed.

He placed the wildflowers down.

Pressing his palms together, he murmured under his breath.

A moment later, Jueming left the two graves and headed elsewhere.

"Grave of Nawaki Senju."

Nawaki Senju's life was inscribed upon the gravestone.

He was the grandson of Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, and also Mito Uzumaki's grandson.

He was my grandson too.

Jueming stared at the gravestone of Nawaki Senju, who had died at the age of twelve.

Mito Uzumaki stood in the Mental Space, quietly gazing at the gravestone in remembrance.

Memories flowed through her mind as scene after scene flashed by...

Jueming focused his attention, sinking into the Mental Space as he looked at Mito Uzumaki's sorrowful face.

She was beautiful. Even when she was sad, she was still a sight to behold.

Jueming thought.

Once I revive Mito Uzumaki and give her a good beating, I'll probably get to see that expression again...

He then shifted his gaze.

"You're here to visit a grave too?"

Jueming looked aside. Senju Takeshi was also offering flowers.

"!"

Senju Takeshi, who had likewise been immersed in grief... suddenly turned his head, his eyes bloodshot.

He was getting worked up. He was about to change.

Jueming watched him and thought, The world really is becoming more and more unstable.

It seemed better to graduate early and become an official ninja.

Being away year-round and fighting enemies was still better than staying home and facing all sorts of mutant little monsters.

After Jueming left.

Senju Takeshi clenched his fists.

"I'm unwilling... I'm so unwilling..."

he muttered.

"Why is Senju Jueming so outstanding? Why can't the outstanding one be me?"

As his chest rose and fell, Senju Takeshi quickly took out a medicine bottle and swallowed some pills, barely managing to calm himself down.

Not long after, at the Senju Clan Ancestral Hall.

The Great Elder first paid his respects, then turned back to look at the three of them.

When his gaze passed over Jueming, satisfaction flashed through his eyes.

"Jueming, you performed very well this time. You brought honor to our Senju Clan."

At the Great Elder's praise for Jueming.

Senju Sayuri remained expressionless.

Meanwhile, Senju Takeshi clenched his teeth, his eyes full of resentment.

Sayuri ranked among the best in neighboring Class 2.

For a girl to achieve that was already impressive.

But compared to her...

Senju Takeshi recalled that he had only placed in the middle ranks in this Monthly Exam.

"Next, I'll teach you the ninjutsu of our clan."

The Great Elder nodded.

Just as he had said before.

He prepared to pass down the Senju Clan's skills to the three of them.

Very soon.

The Great Elder taught Sayuri and Senju Takeshi a set of Ninja Body Fist techniques.

After the two left, the Great Elder prepared to give Jueming some private instruction.

"As the top scorer of the Monthly Exam, I believe you, Jueming, are qualified to learn true 'ninjutsu.'"

The Great Elder stroked his beard.

Then, he took out a scroll and spread it open.

"Will you learn Water Style or Earth Style?"

Sayuri and Senju Takeshi stepped outside.

The former left without a word.

Senju Takeshi stopped and looked back at the ancestral hall.

Clearly, the Great Elder intended to give that bastard Senju Jueming special treatment and teach him stronger techniques alone.

"Damn it..."

He clenched his fists, his eyes filled with resentment.

But all he could do was leave.

"Choose Water Style."

Within the Mental Space, Mito Uzumaki guided him.

The scroll the Great Elder had taken out listed many techniques.

They were primarily Water Style and Earth Style.

These were the most common affinities within the Senju Clan, especially Water Release Affinity.

During the Warring States Period.

One reason the Senju Clan had been able to contend with the Uchiha Clan.

Was that Water Style generally countered the Uchiha Clan's Fire Style.

This was especially true of the brothers Tobirama Senju and Hashirama Senju.

Their Water Style Ninjutsu was extremely formidable.

Of course, after awakening Wood Release, Hashirama Senju rarely used Water Style.

But that did not change the fact that Wood Release: Bloodline Limit = Water Release Affinity + Earth Release Affinity.

Before he used Wood Release, Hashirama Senju undeniably deserved his title as a master of Water Style.

"Why choose Water Style?"

Jueming looked through the scroll.

"I think Earth Style: Beheading Operation looks pretty good."

The rows of ninjutsu were all basic D-rank techniques.

But they were still far stronger than the E-rank Three Body Technique the Ninja Academy would soon teach.

A ninjutsu's rank represented its difficulty to learn.

It also represented its power.

After all, no idiot would invent an S-rank ninjutsu with only E-rank power.

Nor could anyone invent an E-rank ninjutsu with S-rank power.

The rank of a ninjutsu necessarily came with aptitude requirements.

Aside from certain people favored by fate and born with absurd advantages, ordinary ninja had to follow this principle.

You could only learn it if your aptitude was sufficient.

If your aptitude was insufficient, you could not learn it. Forcing yourself to learn and use it could get you killed. Such cases were common, not rare.

"Earth Style: Beheading Operation is indeed good, but it doesn't fit your tactics."

Mito Uzumaki reasoned with him.

"Your fighting style leans toward direct confrontation, not sneaking around in hiding."

Earth Style: Beheading Operation required one to hide first before launching a surprise attack from underground.

She had also noticed that Jueming possessed an extremely strong ability to fight head-on.

Not just anyone could take a punch from Asuma, who had the Sarutobi Clan bloodline, or withstand kunai attacks from his peers.

After thinking it over carefully, it would not be bad to pair it with Hashirama's traits.

Thus.

Under Mito Uzumaki's guidance, Jueming set his sights on a ninjutsu called "Water Style: Heavenly Cry."

Water Style: Heavenly Cry, E-rank.

Training method: Spit.

<Tobirama Senju's note: I invented this ninjutsu. It is remarkably effective against the Uchiha Clan.>

Jueming: "..."

So he was supposed to spit at the Uchiha Clan.

The Second Hokage sure had lofty ambitions.

"Don't underestimate this ninjutsu."

Mito Uzumaki's tone was serious.

"Back then... Tobirama killed quite a few Uchiha Clan ninja with this technique."

"Oh?"

The moment Jueming heard that, he was intrigued.

An E-rank ninjutsu could kill people?

Judging by ninjutsu ranks.

The minimum rank generally required to kill was C-rank.

For example, the Sarutobi Clan's C-rank Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.

Or the Uchiha Clan's C-rank Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique.

Anything below that depended on luck.

E-rank was the lowest rank of ninjutsu, mostly consisting of support functions. Under normal circumstances, it could not kill anyone.

Jueming asked, "How did the Second Hokage manage it?"

"It was simple."

Mito Uzumaki revealed the secret of "Water Style: Heavenly Cry."

What Tobirama Senju excelled at most was showing weakness.

He frequently played dead in battle against his opponents.

The moment his opponent believed they had won was precisely the moment Tobirama Senju struck back.

Lying on the ground and feigning death in all sorts of poses, he would suddenly raise his head and spit out "Water Style: Heavenly Cry."

It would directly blind the opponent or pierce through their throat.

Without any effort at all, he would claim victory in battle.