Yin Seal

In a situation where he was pressing his advantage, Diamond Smash was more suitable than Eagle Stomp.

After all, Eagle Stomp offered much more room for maneuver.

If he really used Diamond Smash enhanced with Superhuman Strength, he might actually stomp Mikoto to death.

Facing Shuji's kick, Mikoto, who had yet to regain her balance, simply gave up on trying to steady herself.

She rolled along the ground, evading Shuji's kick while also regaining her footing.

The next moment, the two began to exchange blows.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Dull thuds rang out as fists and feet collided.

It was during this exchange that Mikoto keenly noticed that Shuji's strength, speed, and even reaction time had clearly dropped somewhat.

Pressing her lips together, Mikoto continued her unceasing assault without saying a word.

Finally...

"You win."

Looking at the blade tip stopped before him, Shuji pressed his lips together and spoke to Mikoto.

As the battle here came to an end, the battle between the Shadow Clones also stopped.

"Mm."

Yet there was not the slightest trace of joy on Mikoto's face.

From beginning to end, Shuji had never used Tenketsu Striking.

Even without him using Tenketsu Striking, she had not been his match.

Later on... he had even begun holding back during their exchange...

Honestly, if she had not begged Shuji to let her win this time, Mikoto would never have known that the gap between them was actually so great...

And such a victory, rather than being a victory, was more like humiliation.

But even if it was humiliating, she had been the one to ask for it, hadn't she?

Shuji stepped back half a pace, Mikoto sheathed her sword, and the two formed the Seal of Reconciliation before leaving the field.

"Sigh..."

Watching the scene before him, Nawaki sighed helplessly.

Hiashi, who had been about to challenge Nawaki, froze upon hearing that and looked at him in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"You wouldn't understand the Senju family's affairs..."

Nawaki glanced at Hiashi and replied dejectedly.

From now on, Mikoto would probably be his opponent in taijutsu class.

But he was no match for Mikoto at all.

When the time came, he, a member of the Senju Clan, would lose to Mikoto of the Uchiha Clan.

Sigh...

Nawaki could already imagine how Tsunade would beat him up.

"Teacher, I challenge Nawaki!"

As Nawaki's words fell, Hiashi opened his mouth as he looked at him. In the end, he merely cursed Nawaki silently a couple of times before rising to address Minami Saho.

Who would want to understand your Senju family's affairs...

After receiving the teacher's approval, Nawaki and Hiashi stepped onto the field.

There was nothing to say between the two of them. Neither had any intention of holding back.

Every move targeted a vital point.

You grabbed my neck, and I locked your throat.

You jabbed at my eyes, and I clawed at your mouth.

For a time, they fought fiercely, locked in an exceptionally tense battle.

Over the past year, Hiashi had already become capable of applying Tenketsu Striking in actual combat.

He performed a set of Gentle Fist techniques with impressive skill, even forcing Nawaki onto the defensive for a time.

Of course, Nawaki had not slacked off either. Aside from Superhuman Strength, he had also begun learning Water Release.

Combined with the Senju Clan's physique, Nawaki's strength was not to be underestimated.

In the end, Hiashi was the one who lost.

It could not be helped. The gap between Hiashi and Nawaki was mainly one of raw strength.

This gap showed in their usual training. Setting aside whether either of them slacked off, Nawaki's physique alone allowed him to train longer than Hiashi.

Gradually, Nawaki's strength naturally came to steadily surpass Hiashi's.

After the two left the field, taijutsu class continued.

Hinagiku fought Hizashi, and Hizashi won.

Sarutobi fought Shimura, and Sarutobi won.

After taijutsu class ended, Shuji returned to the Senju residence with Nawaki.

"Teacher, you're back rather early today."

Entering Tsunade's study, Shuji looked at her and said with a light smile.

"Mm, I've been waiting for you for a while."

Tsunade slowly opened her eyes at those words. A trace of unhidden exhaustion flashed through them, and her voice was slightly hoarse as well.

"What... happened to you?"

Shuji froze at the sight and looked at Tsunade in surprise.

"Nothing."

Tsunade shook her head, sat up straight, then took a scroll from a drawer and handed it to Shuji.

After fighting for an entire day and night at the Konoha Casino, from last night through today, Tsunade had suffered a double blow to both body and spirit.

As compensation, Tsunade received an IOU large enough to keep her running around for the village for half a year...

"This is the next technique you need to master: the S-rank medical Sealing Technique, the Yin Seal."

"The Yin Seal?"

Taking the scroll Tsunade handed him, Shuji raised his head and looked at her.

"Mm. The Yin Seal is mainly a Sealing Technique for storing Chakra. Once you learn it, with practice, you can maintain eternal youth and keep your body functioning at its peak by releasing Chakra at a low output."

Tsunade nodded and briefly explained the effects of the Yin Seal to Shuji.

"I'll definitely learn it."

Shuji nodded firmly at those words.

Shuji did not know whether men could learn the Yin Seal, but since Tsunade had given him this technique, he definitely had a chance of mastering it.

At the very least, his gender would not prevent him from learning it.

And the Yin Seal's various effects were quite appealing to Shuji.

Eternal youth and maintaining bodily functions at their peak were sufficiently tempting to anyone.

Moreover, the Strength of a Hundred Technique that followed the Yin Seal could make up for the lack of a powerful healing technique in Shuji's Nen Energy system.

As for whether using the Strength of a Hundred Technique would affect one's lifespan...

Not to mention whether lifespan would still matter when death was at one's doorstep.

Once one broke through to become a Nen Emperor, one could command nature's life energy.

Though Shuji still did not quite understand what kind of realm that was, that was what the inheritance said, at least.

"Mm. It'll be enough if you master this technique before graduating from the Ninja Academy."

Tsunade nodded and said to Shuji.

For an S-rank ninjutsu like this, one needed an extremely high level of relevant knowledge, Chakra control, and learning ability.

Shuji's talent was excellent, but he had only barely acquired the qualifications to learn the Yin Seal.

If he wanted to truly master this technique, Shuji still had plenty of room to improve.

"Two years. At most, I'll master this technique within two years."

Shuji lightly shook his head and said to Tsunade.

As the young master of the Hyuga Main Family and Tsunade's disciple, while both the Hyuga and Senju Clans were at the height of their power, Shuji could freely display his talent without worrying about threats from within.

"Ah... how confident. If you can master this technique within two years, I'll teach you another S-rank ninjutsu."

Tsunade smiled and nodded at Shuji.