The Test

Noticing how tense Shiraishi Yoshijo was, Takemoto Shuichi raised a hand and knocked him on the head.

"Kid, I've seen every Ninjutsu and Secret Technique in your clan. Why do you think Eisawa asked me to be your teacher?"

Had he seen all their Secret Techniques?

Shiraishi Yoshijo blinked at his kind uncle. That was quite different from what he'd been told about how their Secret Techniques couldn't be shared.

"Enough. Uncle Shuichi isn't an outsider. He's the best person to teach you."

Shiraishi Eizawa finally spoke.

After carefully examining the scroll, Takemoto Shuichi smiled. "Lightning-Water chakra, Eisawa. You really know how to pick them."

"You're the only one in the whole clan who can teach Yoshijo."

Clan? Hearing that word left Shiraishi Yoshijo stunned.

Weren't there only two of them left? Was this old man also part of the Shide Clan?

Seeing Shiraishi Yoshijo's startled expression, Takemoto Shuichi froze for a moment, then turned and asked, "Eisawa, you haven't told him anything?"

"I only told him a few things about the old days. I haven't told him about the clan."

Takemoto Shuichi fell silent. After a long pause, he asked, "Yoshijo, do you believe those Ninja Butterflies are your family?"

Before Shiraishi Yoshijo could answer, the old man said heatedly, "I'll never believe that nonsense about Ninja Butterflies being family. People can't turn into butterflies."

Shiraishi Yoshijo was a little bewildered. He could only rub his nose and laugh awkwardly.

He couldn't exactly agree in front of his uncle, even though he thought the same way.

But who exactly was this Takemoto Shuichi? How did he know about all this?

Shiraishi Eizawa spoke up. "Uncle Shuichi, let's not bring up the past. We split off, so we're two separate clans now."

Then he turned to Shiraishi Yoshijo. "Long before Konoha was founded, your grandfather split the clan because of a clan member's suicide. Anyone whose family had suffered a suicide became part of the branch clan."

Takemoto Shuichi picked up the thread. "Your grandfather was a man of resolve. None of the clan leaders before him dared to do something like that. I know he didn't believe in the Ninja Butterflies either, but he was the clan leader. What a shame."

"So Uncle Shuichi's clan and ours are actually the same clan?"

"They're two separate clans now. They no longer have the Secret Technique passed down to them. Of course, by blood, we're still one clan. That's something the other shinobi clans don't know."

Takemoto Shuichi nodded. "In fact, our clan took in some of your other clansmen. No matter how brutal the First Shinobi World War was, it couldn't wipe out an entire large clan. That was also part of your grandfather's plan."

"Uncle Shuichi, please stop. You should focus on how he ought to train."

Takemoto Shuichi frowned at Shiraishi Eizawa. "He has to know about these things. One day, these clans will depend on him to secure a voice in the village. Otherwise—"

"I know. He's still young." Shiraishi Eizawa cut Takemoto Shuichi off rather bluntly.

Shiraishi Yoshijo mulled it over. The information contained in just those few sentences was staggering.

It seemed his days ahead wouldn't be easy. After thinking it over, Shiraishi Yoshijo decided to test the waters.

"Grandpa Shuichi, I plan to work at the hospital after I graduate."

"At the hospital?"

Takemoto Shuichi's expression darkened. "Eisawa, you never told me about this. It's not what your father said. Could it be that you—"

"Uncle Shuichi, could you please not talk about that? He really is still too young. I'm begging you."

Shiraishi Eizawa cut Takemoto Shuichi off again, lowering his head with a pleading look in his eyes.

Shiraishi Yoshijo curled his lip. You really think I'm a little kid? I've already figured out a lot from this much.

The Shide Clan definitely had more than just him and his uncle. They were all hiding in the background, planning to use him as a tool.

He had no idea what kind of schemes that ill-intentioned grandfather of his had set up for him. Even dead, someone who'd led a clan through a chaotic age couldn't let anyone rest easy.

Just like Uchiha Madara.

In the end, Takemoto Shuichi gave in to Shiraishi Eizawa.

"All right, Yoshijo. You've already completed your Water Walking and tree-climbing training. Now try gathering Chakra around your body, like this."

As Takemoto Shuichi spoke, sparks began to flicker over his body.

Was this Lightning Release shape transformation?

Shiraishi Yoshijo did as he was told, and sparks began to flicker over his body too.

"Hold that state and see how long you can keep it up."

Just maintaining that state consumed a lot of Chakra. The electricity around Shiraishi Yoshijo had vanished after half a minute.

Takemoto Shuichi froze. "You can't keep it up any longer?"

Shiraishi Yoshijo answered honestly. "I'm out of Chakra."

Takemoto Shuichi: "..."

"With that little Chakra, you'd barely qualify as a Genin. You want to graduate early? Fine. Let's see your Taijutsu. Attack me."

Taijutsu was Shiraishi Yoshijo's biggest weakness.

Shiraishi Yoshijo charged in, swinging his fists. To his surprise, Takemoto Shuichi didn't even dodge. He just stood there and let Yoshijo punch him.

Takemoto Shuichi: "Didn't you eat? Put some strength into it!"

He really hadn't eaten. Shiraishi Yoshijo punched the old man again.

Takemoto Shuichi remained expressionless. "Back up a few steps. Get a running start and put everything you've got into it."

Are you a human punching bag?

Shiraishi Yoshijo grumbled to himself as he retreated farther, then threw all his strength into a punch against Takemoto Shuichi.

Takemoto Shuichi didn't budge an inch. His expression darkened.

"What Ninjutsu do you know?"

"I only know the Three Basic Techniques."

Takemoto Shuichi took a deep breath, then looked at Shiraishi Eizawa, his eyes full of reproach.

To be honest, even Shiraishi Eizawa couldn't bear to watch Shiraishi Yoshijo's awful performance.

He could only stammer, "I didn't know he was this bad. He said today that he wanted to graduate early, so I thought..."

Takemoto Shuichi was a senior, after all. He didn't simply turn and walk away.

"I'll teach you a Lightning Release Ninjutsu. Watch closely."

Takemoto Shuichi began forming Hand Seals, deliberately moving slowly so Shiraishi Yoshijo could see each one.

"Lightning Release: Scattered Needle Technique."

One after another, Lightning Senbon shot from his hands, pierced a tree, and disappeared into the ground.

"This is one of the simpler C-rank Lightning Release Ninjutsu. Give it a try."

He'd memorized the Hand Seals, but he'd already used up his Chakra. How was he supposed to perform a Ninjutsu now?

Shiraishi Eizawa held out his hand. Shiraishi Yoshijo blinked, unsure what he meant.

"Did you forget?"

"What?"

Shiraishi Eizawa's expression darkened. "I told you two years ago that we can absorb Chakra. Have I been too good to you? Is that why you've forgotten everything I taught you?"

At the reminder, Shiraishi Yoshijo quickly took his hand and began absorbing Chakra.

Honestly, he'd always thought this side-character ability was useless, and had long since forgotten about it.

But now, it seemed it might actually be useful for training.

After replenishing his Chakra, he began forming Hand Seals.

"Lightning Release: Scattered Needle Technique!"

A few Lightning Senbon shot from his hand and stuck into a tree.

There was no way his Ninjutsu could match Takemoto Shuichi's. Takemoto Shuichi had fired at least several hundred Lightning Senbon, while Yoshijo hadn't even managed ten.

Seeing Shiraishi Yoshijo successfully perform the Ninjutsu, Takemoto Shuichi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Not bad. You learned to perform the Ninjutsu on your first try. That's a pass."

A pass?

Shiraishi Yoshijo's expression darkened. He'd known for a long time that he lacked talent, but facing the truth still left him disappointed.

He closed his eyes and carefully felt the flow of Chakra through his body, then formed the Hand Seals again.

"Lightning Release: Scattered Needle Technique!"

This time, it was much more powerful than before. Dozens of Senbon shot into the tree and disappeared.

Takemoto Shuichi stared at him in surprise, a delighted look on his face.

Shiraishi Yoshijo was still unsatisfied. The Scattered Needle Technique normally required eight Hand Seals, and he thought he might be able to cut three.

"Lightning Release: Scattered Needle Technique!"

He performed the Scattered Needle Technique with only five Hand Seals. It was more powerful still, nearly a hundred Lightning Senbon shooting toward the tree in a dense swarm.

Because Shiraishi Yoshijo had deliberately controlled them, almost all of the hundred Lightning Senbon struck the same spot, punching a hole through the trunk.

After using the Ninjutsu, Shiraishi Yoshijo felt that not a drop of Chakra remained in his body. His head spun, and his steps felt unsteady.

"Uh-oh. I've overdrawn my Chakra."

As soon as Shiraishi Yoshijo said that, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

After carrying him back to his room, Shiraishi Eizawa came out and saw Takemoto Shuichi still hunched over the hole made by the Lightning Senbon, peering at it.

"Uncle Shuichi, what's wrong?"

"Look at this hole. Yoshijo fired almost all the Lightning Senbon into the same spot. Do you know what that means?"

Shiraishi Eizawa answered, "Chakra control at least on an elite Jonin's level."

"Exactly. I'm amazed. The boy is mediocre in every other way, but his Chakra control is hard to believe for a child who's only just learned Water Walking and tree climbing."

After saying this, Takemoto Shuichi's face took on a regretful look. "With Chakra control like that, he'd absolutely be a Ninjutsu genius. It's just..."

"He has too little Chakra."

Shiraishi Eizawa named Shiraishi Yoshijo's biggest problem at once.

Takemoto Shuichi nodded. An eight-year-old wouldn't have much Chakra to begin with, but not this little.

A normal Genin could keep up the body-discharge test for at least two minutes, and wouldn't faint after performing just two C-rank Ninjutsu.

Although Shiraishi Yoshijo had used the technique three times, the first attempt had barely consumed any Chakra.

At that thought, Takemoto Shuichi seemed to realize something. "Eisawa, you haven't already started Yoshijo on raising Butterfly Seeds, have you?"

Shiraishi Eizawa rubbed his nose, his guilty eyes darting around.

Seeing his expression, Takemoto Shuichi immediately understood and flew into a rage. "It's always been done at ten. He's only eight. Are you trying to get him killed?"

"Actually, we started two years ago..."

"What!"

Takemoto Shuichi's eyes narrowed. He pointed at Shiraishi Eizawa, unable to say a word, staring at him as if he were a monster.

For a moment, neither of them knew what to say.