Qingyu paused while wiping his face.
A surge of heat welled up from deep within his body without warning.
His chakra pathways were expanding at a pace even he could clearly feel.
He could feel his chakra reserves rapidly climbing.
His already vast chakra reserves, which far exceeded those of his peers, leaped up another level at that moment.
His heartbeat was steady and powerful, each contraction pumping blood throughout his body. He could feel his pulse throbbing at his fingertips.
With every breath, his lungs expanded more smoothly than before.
At this level of chakra, Qingyu estimated that he might already have the reserves of a Kakashi.
He already possessed both Senju and Uchiha bloodlines. Now that the purity of his Senju bloodline had increased, the balance between the two had tilted somewhat to one side, but there was no rejection at all.
On the contrary, the strengthening of his Senju bloodline seemed to have given his body a thicker, sturdier foundation, providing the Yin Release power brought by his Uchiha bloodline with a more stable platform.
He was practically stepping on his own foot and soaring straight into the sky.
Aside from the obvious increases in chakra, recovery ability, and endurance, Qingyu sensed another change.
His Sharingan was faintly heating up.
Shaking his head, Qingyu lowered his stance, gathered chakra into his right fist, and unleashed it the instant he punched.
The moment his fist struck the wooden post, a duller, heavier boom than any before exploded through the yard.
A fist-sized dent appeared in the center of the post, cracks spreading outward from it.
Qingyu withdrew his fist, looked at the deep indentation, then at the back of his hand.
Tsunade's eyelid twitched as she watched from behind.
That punch had been far more powerful than she had expected.
Had this brat suddenly figured something out or what?
When it was time to eat, Qingyu washed the wood splinters from his hands and face and sat down at the dining table.
Shizune had gone to help at Konoha Hospital today, leaving only Qingyu and Tsunade at home.
Tsunade leaned over the table, pressing her heavy, almost indecently ample bosom against its surface.
She poked at the rice in her bowl with chopsticks in her right hand, while her left elbow rested on the table and her palm supported her chin. Her brown-gold eyes studied Qingyu across the spread of dishes.
"How are you improving so quickly?"
Qingyu picked up a piece of meat and placed it in his bowl, answering without changing expression.
"I don't know either. I just kept training, and it turned out like this."
Tsunade stared at him for several seconds. Seeing that the brat did not seem to be brushing her off, she could only sigh.
She could only attribute it to Qingyu's unique talent.
The Senju and Uchiha bloodlines had fused perfectly within him. Each bloodline complemented the other's strengths, producing a freak with greater potential than either clan alone.
Thinking that although the Senju clan had disbanded, it still had a successor, Tsunade suddenly found herself in a much better mood.
She reached out with her chopsticks, picked up the largest piece of braised pork from the plate, and placed it in Qingyu's bowl.
"Eat more. Training Strength of a Hundred consumes a lot. If you don't put on weight, your bones won't be able to take it."
Qingyu lowered his head to look at the glistening piece of braised pork in his bowl, then looked up at Tsunade.
Tsunade had already resumed poking at the rice in her bowl as though that had merely been an absentminded gesture.
Qingyu smiled.
Tsunade truly cared about him.
It was just that Qingyu did not know how long this filial devotion of his would last, or whether it would eventually change.
Ninja Academy.
In the blink of an eye, another semester was nearing its end.
Qingyu and Kakashi stood only a few meters apart, each holding his own weapon.
Kakashi drew the short blade from his back, while Qingyu unsheathed his katana.
"Qingyu, this time, I specifically learned a new Water Release Ninjutsu from my father."
Kakashi's tone carried a rare hint of confidence. This new Ninjutsu clearly gave him plenty of assurance.
"What Ninjutsu?"
Qingyu asked casually.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Kakashi spun his short blade in a flourish.
Seeing Kakashi's confident expression, Qingyu suddenly felt a little curious.
Ever since the second month after enrollment, Kakashi had never beaten him again.
After losing first place, Kakashi had not been discouraged. Instead, he only grew more determined with every setback, challenging Qingyu at intervals with newly learned Ninjutsu or sword techniques.
Though he lost every time, each match showed Qingyu something new.
That was why Qingyu had always been willing to spar with Kakashi.
Kakashi's field of leeks was simply too fertile. Aside from traits, copying Ninjutsu was also something he could not pass up.
The two formed the Seal of Confrontation and each stepped back several paces to open the distance.
Kakashi was the first to begin forming Hand Seals. His fingers moved so quickly they nearly left afterimages, one seal after another completed in an instant.
As Qingyu watched his Hand Seals, they began to look more and more familiar.
After all, there were only a handful of Ninjutsu that required so many Hand Seals.
Qingyu had already guessed what Ninjutsu it was.
One second before Kakashi completed his final Hand Seal, Qingyu moved as well.
His hands also began forming seals, but unlike Kakashi, he formed only four.
As the four Hand Seals fell into place, dense moisture began filling the air.
Two streams of water rose simultaneously from behind them, coiling through the air and gathering into the shapes of dragons.
The two water dragons took shape at the same time, scales and claws flying as waterlight flowed over them. Then they roared and lunged at each other.
Boom.
The two water dragons collided fiercely in midair, exploding into spray like a sudden torrential downpour.
The surrounding spectators all retreated several steps. The splashing mist refracted a faint rainbow beneath the sunlight.
Kakashi stood frozen in place, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"How do you know that jutsu too?"
To learn Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu, he had practiced with his father for quite some time before achieving his current level.
He had wanted to surprise Qingyu with it, but Qingyu had not only used the exact same jutsu, he had also formed forty fewer Hand Seals.
"How can you form Water Dragon Bullet... so quickly?"
Hearing Kakashi's confusion, Qingyu smiled faintly.
Only honest people like Kakashi and Kisame Hoshigaki would form their Hand Seals one by one.
Qingyu casually flicked the water droplets from his blade and explained in an even tone.
"I learned the Second's simplified version. Lord Tobirama thought forty-four seals wasted too much time, so he optimized the technique and reduced it to four seals."
Kakashi fell silent.
He knew the Second was universally acknowledged as a master of Water Release. Simplifying a technique would be genius for anyone else, but for Senju Tobirama, it was only natural.
Kakashi simply had not expected Qingyu to know that jutsu as well.
Cries of astonishment rose from the crowd around the Training Ground.
"Water Dragon Bullet? Isn't that a B-rank Ninjutsu? When did the two of them learn it?"
"Qingyu only formed four seals... Did I count wrong, or did he really only use four?"
Inside the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was also closely watching the battle.
"This boy has something of my former glory."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed with feeling.
Such learning ability was practically identical to his own in his youth.
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