"Sure."
Kyoichi did not refuse.
Exchanging secret techniques was common among ninjas.
Of course.
Secret techniques passed down through a family were generally not shared with outsiders. Such exchanges usually involved self-created techniques, like Jiraiya's hair technique.
Needle Jizo was highly practical, so there was no reason to refuse.
He explained the principles and methods of the Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods, then went into detail about some of the localized effects he had developed through skin breathing--
Enhanced legs, increasing speed.
Enhanced hands for forming hand seals.
He even wanted to achieve one-handed hand seals eventually, allowing ninjutsu and Sword Technique to be used together.
Jiraiya listened, fascinated.
After all, he was one of the Sannin and had accumulated an immense amount of knowledge. Combined with his foundation in skin breathing, he quickly learned the localized enhancement--in fact, this was the effect Jiraiya coveted most.
Compared to the orthodox Seven Heavenly Breathing Methods, he preferred the localized stimulation of the Activation Technique.
After conducting some tests...
Jiraiya said, "This technique is incredibly useful. Although it has an S-rank learning difficulty, I think it could be slightly promoted as a learnable forbidden technique."
"Really? I was actually thinking of lowering the learning difficulty further..."
"Difficult. Very difficult!"
Jiraiya knew what Kyoichi intended.
If this technique could be reduced to A-rank difficulty, many Jonin and elite Chunin would have a chance to master it, greatly increasing their survival rate on the battlefield.
However, stimulating cells was delicate work in itself.
Without sufficient chakra control, mastering it was impossible. Skin breathing, which Kyoichi was currently researching, was even more difficult. No matter how much it was simplified, it could never reach A-rank difficulty.
Kyoichi could only sigh regretfully.
"Now it's my turn to teach you. My technique is called Needle Jizo..."
With hand seals and chakra extraction techniques involved, the ninjutsu was not difficult to learn.
Kyoichi mastered it very quickly.
However, he was curious about what Jiraiya's original motivation had been when creating this technique.
Was he afraid of getting beaten if he peeked?
He could not figure it out.
After exchanging secret techniques, Jiraiya bid Kyoichi farewell, then gave a sly grin and left.
There was no telling whether he would "get lost" again.
Kyoichi shook his head.
The Sannin really were...
Each had their own peculiar interests.
He glanced at the System Panel.
[Completed 'Secret Technique' Exchange] [Evaluation: Average] [Reward: Seal Fire Seal]
Average?
Kyoichi was surprised at first, but then he understood why.
Jiraiya had not needed him to teach him at all. In truth, after Kyoichi explained the principles, Jiraiya had already learned how to use the Activation Technique. He had merely felt embarrassed about freeloading directly.
That was why the system had classified it as an "exchange" rather than teaching, and why the evaluation was not particularly high.
However.
The Seal Fire Seal could even seal Amaterasu, making it highly practical in its own right--if the Fourth Raikage had known the Seal Fire Seal, would he have needed to cut off his arm?
This showed that drawing inferences from one example was still useful.
He had also obtained Needle Jizo himself, while the Seal Fire Seal was practically free. Besides, Sealing Jutsu were all extremely valuable and had very high learning difficulties. Learning even one was absolutely worthwhile.
With that thought, his mind cleared instantly.
As for Jiraiya...
His righteous self could not tolerate such behavior.
After leaving the woods, he ran into a female teacher from the Ninja Academy and casually mentioned that someone had been lurking suspiciously nearby.
Before long.
A scream rang out, followed by a burst of cursing.
Kyoichi gave a light cough, left the area, and hid his accomplishments from sight.
After a long while.
Jiraiya appeared in front of Kyoichi with a resentful look.
"Little Kyoichi, I'd only just hidden myself when someone showed up right behind me. You definitely sold me out!"
"Lord Jiraiya, I didn't. Someone just happened to pass by. By the way, I heard you almost died because of this when you were younger?"
Kyoichi chuckled.
Jiraiya gnashed his teeth, and the two understood each other without saying anything.
However, when he thought about this brat's identity...
His whole body shuddered.
If Tsunade found out that he had almost brought Kyoichi along to do that sort of thing, she would beat him half to death.
"Sigh, I'm just the sort of person who gets lost easily. Look at the misunderstanding this caused. You really can't drink this alcohol. Ahem, I'm leaving, I'm leaving."
Jiraiya coughed awkwardly, then decisively left.
After returning to the village, he suddenly remembered.
Why did the name Kanda Kyoichi sound so familiar?
Minato's letters had mentioned many times a talented junior whom he greatly admired, someone full of strange and ingenious ideas who was especially capable when it came to education. That person seemed to be Kyoichi as well.
"Minato is still too young."
Jiraiya sighed.
This kid looked pure and harmless, but cutting him open revealed nothing but black. He was exactly like Orochimaru.
Of course.
Jiraiya did not think there was anything wrong with Kyoichi as a person.
He was creative, passionate about the village, and willing to share many techniques to help Konoha grow stronger.
He had also learned a bit about what was happening at the Ninja Academy.
Kyoichi had done very well.
For nothing else, the graduates from this year were definitely the highest-quality class overall among those who had graduated in recent years. Their foundation in ninjutsu was extremely solid, and they would soon be able to integrate into Genin teams.
The training camp was another excellent idea.
Many things were not difficult, but no one would think of them. Many of Kyoichi's ideas were precisely of this sort.
In Jiraiya's eyes, Kyoichi and Orochimaru were the same kind of person.
Kyoichi did not know that Jiraiya thought so highly of him. After parting with Jiraiya, he went straight to the Hokage Building to fulfill his promise and submit the Activation Technique's interim results.
As a result.
He ran into the Third Hokage. Before he could even mention the technique, the Third Hokage brought up a troublesome matter.
"After Asuma returned, he told me that he wanted to take B-rank missions to train himself. Did you put him up to this, you brat?"
"Misunderstanding!"
Kyoichi coughed repeatedly after hearing that.
That Asuma guy had really gone and caused a ruckus?
He had only been joking!
"Enough, enough. Don't pretend. I know you're capable, and Asuma has improved greatly as well. He's become much more mature in every respect. Take a look at this first..."
The Third Hokage took out a mission scroll.
Kyoichi was stunned for a moment.
There really was a mission?
He took it and read through it for a while. His expression gradually grew solemn.
The mission location was the Land of Rivers!
This was information provided by the bandits they had captured.
Those people had originally been wandering samurai from the Land of Rivers.
Although they had made a living through robbery even in the Land of Rivers, they generally did not dare come to the Land of Fire. Recently, however, many ninjas had appeared in the Land of Rivers and begun purging the unruly bandits, forcing this group to flee to the Land of Fire.
The northern part of the Land of Rivers, ninjas...
Akatsuki?
Kyoichi thought of this possibility.
He said solemnly, "Lord Hokage, this isn't a B-rank mission, is it?"
A mission like this could be raised to A-rank or even S-rank at any moment.
Shisui and the others might not be able to handle it.
He was not as reckless as Kakashi, who had known the true circumstances of the Land of Waves mission yet insisted on completing it alone with his subordinates. If White had not held back, Naruto and Sasuke would have been in serious danger.
"Of course not."
The Third Hokage nodded, then paused before saying, "Minato's team departed for the Land of Rivers the day before yesterday to carry out a C-rank mission. Although it should not be very dangerous, you should still go and support them. This is Minato's Kunai."
"This mark is the Flying Thunder God?"
"Yes. If they encounter danger, Minato can teleport everyone to your side. The Anbu are currently deployed in other countries, and we simply don't have enough manpower, so you're the only ones who can complete this mission. The village will cover the payment."
The Third Hokage sighed.
The Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Lightning all needed to be monitored. Just now, Orochimaru had come over and, after discussing Kyoichi's words, said that the eastern Land of Water also needed people sent there.
The great war had only just ended. Where could they find so many people?
"I understand. I'll set out immediately."
Before you continue