After Nara Shikaisuke settled the terms with Natsuki, he left with the list of medicinal ingredients Natsuki had given him.
Between the Red Healing Potion: Blood of God and the Stamina Recovery Potion, Natsuki chose to research the former first.
The former required Hashirama Cells or White Zetsu cells, while the latter required Tailed Beast Chakra and Hero Water.
In terms of difficulty, the former was simpler.
Hashirama Cells were readily available; Konoha only needed to agree.
Hero Water was difficult to obtain.
Especially since Konoha and Takigakure were allies, making it inappropriate to simply seize it.
And even if they tried, it would be difficult. Takigakure was the only small ninja village besides the Five Great Villages that possessed a Tailed Beast and a Jinchūriki.
Tailed Beast Chakra was difficult to obtain as well.
The current Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Uzumaki Mito, was in poor health. It would be best to wait until Uzumaki Kushina became the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Though Hashirama Cells were precious, Konoha had conducted two Hashirama Cell experiments in the original story.
One had been led by Hiruzen Sarutobi and was entirely legitimate.
However, too many of the volunteer ninja had died, and it was eventually shut down.
The other had been led by Shimura Danzō, with Orochimaru participating, and had been conducted in secret.
Because they had been even more unscrupulous, their Hashirama Cell experiment had yielded results, producing a Wood Release ninja: Yamato.
At this stage, the second Hashirama Cell experiment definitely had not begun.
After all, Orochimaru had not yet gone rogue and partnered with Shimura Danzō.
But the first Hashirama Cell experiment might have already ended, or it might still be underway.
"What a pity."
Natsuki was too young to qualify for contact with the Hashirama Cell experiment.
But he could prepare in advance.
That was to create an incomplete version of the Red Healing Potion: Blood of God without Hashirama Cells.
Nara Shikaisuke returned home.
He opened the prescription Natsuki had given him and began reading it.
The medicinal ingredients listed on it could all be considered extraordinarily valuable.
In all of Konoha, only the Nara Clan could afford to provide them.
Of course, Natsuki had also added four more medicinal ingredients to confuse matters.
"Father."
Nara Shikaku walked in.
"How did you do on this Final Exam?"
Seeing him, Nara Shikaisuke smiled.
"First place."
Nara Shikaku answered.
"Well done."
Nara Shikaisuke nodded, then said, "This winter break, I have a task for you. Go learn Natsuki's Shadow Secret Technique from him."
"Huh?"
Nara Shikaku instinctively raised his head, his face full of surprise.
What did he mean by having him learn the Shadow Secret Technique from Natsuki?
Natsuki was even a year younger than him.
And wasn't the Shadow Secret Technique exclusive to the Nara Clan? Why did he have to learn it from Natsuki?
"Natsuki created two Shadow Secret Techniques himself."
Nara Shikaisuke explained, "I've already made a deal with him. He'll teach you both Shadow Secret Techniques."
Natsuki was still too young, after all.
If adult ninja like Nara Shikaisuke learned from him, it would be far too conspicuous—or simply too embarrassing.
After some thought, he decided to have Nara Shikaku learn from him instead.
He was only a year older than Natsuki, so he could pretend to be his friend and train alongside him.
"...?"
For a moment, Nara Shikaku did not know what to say.
He was a genius himself, but could the gap between geniuses really be this vast?
Natsuki, who was a year younger than him, had already created Shadow Secret Techniques that even the Nara Clan valued?
It sounded like utter fantasy.
"Yes, Father."
Nara Shikaku came back to his senses and immediately agreed.
The next day.
At Orochimaru's residence, there was one more person besides Nawaki and Natsuki: Nara Shikaku.
Nara Shikaku was highly intelligent and understood his place clearly, so he kept an extremely low profile.
Unless he encountered a problem, he would not disturb Natsuki. He simply trained silently by himself in a corner.
Natsuki also confirmed one of his suspicions: he could teach his abilities to others.
That was only natural.
After all, the abilities from the Character Template had all been localized. Fundamentally speaking, they were simply ninjutsu.
Natsuki received his initial payment from Nara Shikaisuke.
Enough medicinal ingredients to make ten doses of the Red Healing Potion: Blood of God.
Natsuki did not rush to try making them.
His pharmaceutical skill was still lacking.
Halfway through winter break, Uzumaki Kushina, who had gone to visit the Uzumaki Clan, returned to Konoha.
At that moment, something happened that shocked the Ninja World.
Hanzo of Amegakure declared war on Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Konoha at the same time.
His reason was that the three great villages had fought in the Land of Rain for years, bringing unimaginable disaster and losses to the country.
As the military force of the Land of Rain, Amegakure intended to drive all three villages completely out of the Land of Rain.
Konoha's conference room.
A jonin meeting was promptly convened.
"Hanzo truly doesn't know his place!"
Shimura Danzō said with a livid face, "Konoha must take the initiative and make him understand the gap in strength!"
"There's no need to take the initiative."
Jiraiya said gravely, "If we make preparations and wait for them at full strength, we can keep our losses to a minimum."
"I disagree!"
Shimura Danzō objected, "Amegakure and Hanzo are merely petty clowns. Only a swift battle can display Konoha's might!"
"Though Amegakure is a small ninja village, Hanzo must not be underestimated."
Jiraiya frowned.
"Are you afraid of Hanzo?"
Shimura Danzō snorted and asked.
"Enough. I didn't call you here to argue."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped their quarrel, then looked toward Utatane Koharu and the others. "What do you think?"
"The Land of Rain is currently a three-way melee. If Konoha rashly joins in, we may end up being besieged."
Tsunade immediately said, "I support Jiraiya's proposal."
Upon hearing that, Jiraiya immediately gave her a suggestive grin.
But Tsunade ignored him.
"That is indeed highly possible."
Hokage Advisor Homura spoke up. "Konoha is the strongest, and therefore the most likely to provoke the wariness of the other ninja villages."
The other Hokage Advisor, Utatane Koharu, nodded in agreement as well.
"Very well."
Hiruzen Sarutobi concluded, "Konoha will make preparations first and remain still for now."
"To be safe, we can first send someone to the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain."
Tsunade suggested.
"I can go!"
Shimura Danzō immediately said.
With Tsunade and the others stating their positions, taking the initiative had become impossible.
But he could turn the impossible into possible by stirring up trouble at the border and provoking war ahead of time.
The reason Shimura Danzō wanted war was because his Root could develop through it.
In war, intelligence warfare was the most important.
But the Anbu alone did not have nearly enough manpower, so Root would have to be involved as well.
Then he would have plenty of room to act.
"Sakumo will go."
Hiruzen Sarutobi gave him a look and said decisively.
He knew exactly what Shimura Danzō was thinking.
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
A young ninja with white hair rose to his feet.
He was Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of Konoha and Hatake Kakashi's father.
The next day, Natsuki also received news that Hanzo of Amegakure had declared war, but it had nothing to do with him for the time being.
Given his age and status, Konoha would not send him to the battlefield unless things became truly desperate.
Time passed into January.
Just when Natsuki thought winter break would end like this, Orochimaru accepted a mission for them.
"The target of this mission is a group of Rogue Ninja operating along the southeastern coast of the Land of Fire."
Orochimaru explained, "According to intelligence, their leader is a deserter from Kirigakure, a Special Jonin skilled in Water Release."
Natsuki's spirits immediately rose.
Tanjiro Kamado's third template ability required him to defeat three Sword Technique or Water Release chunin and Special Jonin respectively.
After two semesters of effort, he had already completed two-thirds of the objective. Only the last two Special Jonin remained.
"Sensei, can we bring Kushina along?"
Remembering that Uzumaki Kushina had previously said she wanted to go on missions, Natsuki asked.
"I can bring her along, but only if Tsunade agrees."
Orochimaru said softly.
Before you continue