Monster!

Akimichi Denji attempted to circulate his chakra according to the principles.

Yet he found that his chakra would either dissipate or descend into total chaos.

Condensing all the chakra in his body into a single point was incredibly difficult. It was like a general commanding an army, requiring absolute obedience and the ability to strike exactly where directed.

The difficulty of this secret technique was even higher than that of the Taotie Technique.

Was it truly impossible after all?

Akimichi Denji sighed.

Tsunade smiled smugly as she watched Akimichi Denji.

It seemed she would have to bring out her world-shaking wisdom.

Tsunade had been relaxed and comfortable, right up until Akimichi Denji threw another punch; the sound of the wind roared, tearing through the air with a sharp crack.

Her expression shifted.

"It doesn't seem that hard."

Akimichi Denji looked toward Tsunade.

Tsunade, finding it hard to believe, extended her palm: "Punch me."

Akimichi Denji raised his hand, landing a Strength of a Hundred strike against Tsunade's palm.

Tsunade's body swayed from the force, causing a turbulent, surging motion.

Although the power wasn't immense, that sense of explosive release was undoubtedly the Strength of a Hundred.

The look Tsunade gave Denji became complicated.

She had only intended to tease the boy, never expecting to be hoist with her own petard.

She had practiced the Strength of a Hundred herself, which was why she understood its terrifying nature all the more. Unlike ordinary E-rank ninjutsu, the Strength of a Hundred was a genuine forbidden technique.

Without specialized instruction, there was a risk of life-threatening injury, yet Akimichi Denji had managed to use it proficiently the very next second after merely glancing at the training scroll right under her nose.

If she hadn't been certain that the training method for the Strength of a Hundred had been in her possession the entire time, she would have suspected that Akimichi Constellation had taught him this secret technique in advance.

Akimichi Denji simply stared at Tsunade. His eyes seemed to ask, had she forgotten something?

Tsunade scratched her head: "Since that's the case, I'll reluctantly take you on as my disciple."

Akimichi Denji had never seen someone so thick-skinned, but he didn't press the issue; after all, he had already profited. One could even say it exceeded his expectations.

If he kept harping on the joke she had made, he would only be lowering himself.

However, he would make a mental note of this debt and ensure Tsunade paid it back in the future.

He bowed respectfully to Tsunade in the traditional manner of taking a master, saying earnestly: "Master."

In the ninja world, the master-disciple relationship was an extremely special bond, sometimes even rivaling that of brothers.

Even someone as ruthless as Orochimaru had not killed his disciple, Mitarashi Anko, while executing the Konoha Crush plan.

By taking Tsunade as his master today, he had secured the greatest backing in Konoha—the legitimate Hokage lineage. No one could question him as a spy from the Land of Rain, and the voices within his clan questioning his Akimichi bloodline would finally fade away.

Tsunade nodded in satisfaction, affectionately ruffling Akimichi Denji's hair as she said: "Get up. I'm not that rigid. Just act normally around me from now on."

She was very pleased with this newly acquired disciple. Despite his young age, he was remarkably calm during their brief interaction.

Is this the precociousness unique to geniuses? she wondered. If Nawaki had been a bit more mature back then, perhaps he wouldn't have...

She shook her head, dispelling the thoughts in her mind, and spoke to Denji with a serious expression: "However, even though you are clever, do not practice the Strength of a Hundred alone for now. I will make time to teach you personally."

"The Strength of a Hundred is a dangerous technique; if practiced improperly, it could lead to disability. Although your master is quite skilled in medical ninjutsu, treatment would ultimately delay your training progress."

Even though he had the system panel to prevent any danger, Akimichi Denji still nodded, accepting the concern: "Understood, Master."

"But you really are a monster!" Tsunade recalled the Strength of a Hundred punch he had just thrown and couldn't help but be shocked. Interested, she asked: "How long have you been practicing Akimichi secret techniques?"

Akimichi Denji hesitated for a moment before saying: "I just learned it yesterday; it took me one night."

Tsunade's eyes widened: "You reached this level in just one night? Your digestion speed is several times faster than an ordinary person's—is the Akimichi Clan's secret technique that powerful?"

Akimichi Denji replied: "My digestion speed is five times faster; I made some improvements to it."

Tsunade: What do you mean you learned a secret technique in one night and then made some improvements to it? Are you even human?

She continued to ask: "But your chakra reserves don't seem to be very high yet."

She was worried that while Akimichi Denji had high talent for ninjutsu, his chakra pool was shallow.

Akimichi Denji answered readily: "I only learned how to refine chakra the day before yesterday."

Tsunade was completely numb.

She was curious about how many more surprises this disciple had in store, and she remembered the source of his medical prowess—that strange Kekkei Genkai.

Since he was already her disciple, there was no harm in seeing the Kekkei Genkai.

"Use your Kekkei Genkai and show me."

Akimichi Denji followed her instructions, his fist covered in a layer of Scorch Release light.

"Attack me."

Akimichi Denji hesitated at this moment.

Seeing the hesitation in Akimichi Denji, it seemed he was afraid of hurting her.

Tsunade gave a disdainful smile.

Even if you are a monster who only learned to refine chakra two days ago, what kind of harm could you possibly cause me? I am one of the Sannin, long renowned throughout the ninja world; a genin against an elite jonin, the advantage is mine.

She said contemptuously, "It's fine, come at me."

Giving Tsunade a strange look, Akimichi Denji gathered his strength, "Then here I come."

He planted his feet and twisted his hips, delivering a straight punch toward Tsunade's palm.

The moment they made contact, a sizzling, crackling sound erupted.

Tsunade let out a cry of surprise: "So hot."

She looked at her hand, which had been fair and smooth, now slightly charred as if it had been brutally ravaged.

Tsunade clenched her palm weakly, but felt no sensation; she understood that the cells had already undergone necrosis.

She channeled the Mystical Palm Technique, and her hand returned to its fair and tender state, but had she not been a medical ninja, she might have truly been injured and lost the use of this hand.

Akimichi Denji was not surprised by this; ninjas in the ninja world were all creatures with high attack power but low defense.

Although the power of ninjutsu was infinitely vast, they themselves were beings who could be easily killed by a single kunai.

With his Scorch Release, even a jonin would not dare let him get close enough to attack at will.

Unless it was an Uchiha piloting a Susanoo, that would be a different story.

Tsunade looked at Akimichi Denji, but her heart was surging with turbulent waves and crashing tides.

What a monster; it would be one thing if his physique was strong and his life energy abundant, but his talent for ninjutsu was also this formidable, and he already possessed a Kekkei Genkai capable of harming a jonin.

However, she soon felt relieved; such a monster was her student, she had struck gold.

Tsunade pulled Akimichi Denji into a hug, excitedly ruffling his hair.

Akimichi Denji only felt those mountain peaks pressing against his face, nearly unable to breathe, on the verge of suffocating to death.

After a long while, feeling like he was about to drown, Tsunade released Denji.

"I must teach you as soon as possible."

Tsunade's eyes were bright and piercing as she said to Akimichi Denji:

"From now on, after school, I will go to the Akimichi Clan to teach you."

"You are not allowed to go to the Akimichi Clan after school!"