Sannin Critique

Akashi Uchiha: ...

As everyone knows, the last person to be criticized is always the one with the biggest problems!

"Akashi, your performance just now was the worst... Aren't you from the Uchiha clan? Haven't you already awakened your eyes? Why were you constantly rushing in to attack while trying to pin me down? Is that how you use the taijutsu of the Uchiha clan?" Jiraiya pointed out the biggest issue.

Indeed, Akashi lowered his head.

He still needed to practice...

Akashi had indeed fought chaotically just now; once he got anxious, he kept launching reckless attacks, failing to land a single "counterattack"!

"And the genjutsu you used... for a technique like the False Surroundings Technique, the less confident you are in making the opponent fall for it, the more you need to craft an illusion that closely resembles the real environment. You suddenly switched my senses completely—were you afraid I wouldn't notice?" Jiraiya continued his lecture.

Jiraiya looked at the three of them and concluded: "You have truly disappointed me. You want to become genin like this? You are completely unqualified. I'll give you one last chance this afternoon... Akashi, your performance was the worst, so no lunch for you!"

Half an hour later...

At the Third Training Ground, Akashi Uchiha was sealed in place by Jiraiya using the Earth Style: Rock Pillar Technique, unable to move. Ranwu and Minato were nearby, and they had been allowed to eat.

However, Ranwu had no appetite, seemingly struck by the recent criticism.

Meanwhile...

"You're quite brave, kid... How do you plan to criticize me? Hmm?"

Akashi and the others couldn't see the distance, but Jiraiya was having his ear twisted by the great princess of Konoha, while a pale, long-haired man stood nearby, watching the spectacle.

That's right, Tsunade and Orochimaru had actually been watching from the shadows.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch... let go, let go..." After Jiraiya was released following his plea, he muttered, "It's the ear again... I'll develop a technique to protect my ears sooner or later..."

As Jiraiya spoke, he rubbed his ear, and his hand brushed against his white hair, suddenly making him think of something.

"Besides, you shouldn't have taught Ranwu the Strength of a Hundred, right?" Jiraiya insisted.

"Of course I didn't teach her! Although that little girl has asked me about the chakra usage for the Strength of a Hundred recently, I only taught her some techniques for controlling chakra...

"But the Strength of a Hundred was a secret technique developed by my grand-uncle for me; perhaps she discovered the training method from the records he left behind," Tsunade said, shaking her head helplessly.

Jiraiya was right earlier; the fighting style of the Strength of a Hundred might look crude and brute-force, but in reality, it was completely different from typical explosive taijutsu!

The Strength of a Hundred required extremely high control over chakra, needing a large amount of chakra to circulate through the body at high speeds with effortless precision to form a polarized force. If the control was insufficient, it would end up damaging the user instead.

Generally, medical ninjas capable of performing surgery did not possess the control required to master the Strength of a Hundred. It could be said that every ninja who possessed the Strength of a Hundred was definitely a top-tier medical ninja...

"Speaking of which, you two... Sarutobi-sensei asked you to be jonin instructors, but you kept making excuses, leaving me to do all the hard work. Now, why are you suddenly rushing over to watch the fun?" Jiraiya asked with dissatisfaction.

"Don't put it that way. I just don't like mediocrity. I think I could take over the instruction of this Minato Namikaze," Orochimaru said with a sinister tone.

"Don't even think about it!" Jiraiya immediately retorted.

"Isn't this the worst batch you've ever led?" Orochimaru said calmly.

"It's also the best batch!" Jiraiya countered.

Tsunade spoke up then: "Indeed, I didn't expect the young people today to be this impressive."

"We should be the young ones, right..." Jiraiya grumbled.

Indeed, the strength of Minato Namikaze, Ranwu, and Akashi Uchiha had actually surprised Jiraiya greatly.

Although he had known Minato Namikaze was a genius and had observed him before making his choice, today Jiraiya realized that his previous assessment of Minato Namikaze had been too low.

"Just ten years old, only one day out of the Ninja Academy, and without any Kekkei Genkai or special abilities—this yellow-haired kid already has strength not inferior to an average jonin... No wonder even Orochimaru is tempted," Tsunade remarked while looking in the direction of the three.

"You slippery snake, give it up! Minato is a gentle, sunny, kind... good kid, clearly different from you!" Jiraiya took the opportunity to put Orochimaru down.

However, Orochimaru wasn't angry; instead, he said sinisterly: "Hmm, that's exactly why he needs my guidance... To force himself to 'fit in' at the end was truly unseemly."

"Hey, slippery snake, stay away from my students," Jiraiya glared at him, speaking with some seriousness.

Of course, Jiraiya could see that the fundamental reason for Minato Namikaze's final "reckless charge" was that there was no chance of winning and the mission couldn't be completed. But even so, Minato had more elegant ways to end it; he only chose that path to look after his two companions, which led to everyone rolling into the Starch Syrup Capturing Field...

"Hahaha, aren't they still unqualified? How did they become your students already?" Tsunade teased with a laugh.

"This is my teaching method!" Jiraiya declared confidently.

"It's not just your Minato Namikaze; Ranwu is also quite good. Although she isn't as masterful with the shape transformation of Water Style as my grand-uncle, she is skilled in the nature transformation of Water Style chakra," Tsunade advocated for Ranwu.

"Hmm, I can see that..." Jiraiya recalled the earlier "Starch Syrup Capturing Field."

This type of ninjutsu that alters the nature of chakra was not just about mastering Water Style chakra transformation; it turned "water" formed from normal chakra into a substance resembling syrup, a feat that required deep proficiency in nature transformation to execute.

Although the training difficulty was only C-rank, it was clear that Ranwu's nature transformation for the "Starch Syrup Capturing Field" was already quite advanced, something an average ninja couldn't achieve.

"According to my observations, people who are good at chakra nature transformation are generally more fickle," Orochimaru said, sharing his research findings in an unpleasant tone.

"No one will think you're a mute if you don't speak!" Tsunade glared at him.

Orochimaru didn't go mute, however, and continued: "Conversely, ninjas who are good at chakra shape transformation are more independent and love to reason... This is probably the aptitude more suited for a Hokage."

The First's Wood Style and the Second's Water Style both belonged to extensions that emphasized shape transformation.

Jiraiya then remembered Minato Namikaze's "Wind Style: Gale Palm" from earlier...

Seeing that Tsunade and Orochimaru had moved past the topic, Jiraiya specifically added: "Actually, that Uchiha kid is also good... Although his strength is still lacking for now, since he just awakened his eyes, the next month will be a period of rapid growth for him."

"Hmm? Isn't it just awakening his eyes?" Tsunade felt that she couldn't yet see any talent in Akashi beyond the abilities brought by the "awakened eyes."