A wistful look flickered in Hyuga Hinata's pale eyes. She knew things weren't as her father had said.
His claim that "it's normal to have your own ideas" was just a change of tune after hearing that Denji had been taken on as an apprentice.
She had her own ideas, but Hiashi had never accepted them. In the Hyuga Clan, she was always compared to Hyuga Neji, making Hiashi feel that the Main House had lost to the Branch House and bringing shame upon him.
It was the high-pressure environment over the years that had made her so reserved.
Everything had changed because of Denji. She had been grounded because of him, but she had also been rescued because of him.
Thank you, Denji-kun. You've helped me once again without even realizing it.
When Hyuga Hinata showed little reaction, Hyuga Hiashi revealed his plan. "I intend to congratulate Denji on being taken on as Lady Tsunade's apprentice. Since you and Denji are good friends, you can come with me tomorrow."
"Ding! Hyuga Hinata's wish [Grounding Order] has been fulfilled. Wish Point +1."
Denji stared blankly at the panel notification that had suddenly popped up. It looked like Hyuga Hinata's grounding had been lifted, but what did that have to do with him? He couldn't make heads or tails of it, so he simply put it out of his mind.
Tsunade noticed he was distracted and grew a little annoyed. "Didn't I tell you? You've only just started training Strength of a Hundred, and you're not very proficient yet. Don't go using it recklessly when I'm not around, or you'll get hurt."
Her words were scolding, but there was concern behind them.
As soon as she finished speaking, she reached out and examined Akimichi Denji's limbs.
"Let me see if you're hurt."
Her slender fingers glowed faintly as they moved over Akimichi Denji's body. Apparently still worried, she even slipped them beneath his clothes to check his internal organs.
But the results surprised her.
"I can't find anything wrong," Tsunade said, astonished.
"I controlled my strength when I threw the punches," Akimichi Denji explained.
A flicker passed through Tsunade's eyes. "I controlled my strength" didn't explain it. Beginners at Strength of a Hundred had poor control and often injured themselves badly.
That was why Strength of a Hundred was classified as a forbidden technique.
Besides, she'd heard that Akimichi Denji had used Strength of a Hundred in a fight against two children his age, and neither of them had suffered serious injuries. That proved he'd been completely in control while using it.
Tsunade said, "Let's test how well you've mastered Strength of a Hundred."
"Strength of a Hundred at one times."
"Strength of a Hundred at maximum power."
The test results astonished Tsunade. Akimichi Denji seemed to have mastered Strength of a Hundred completely.
She'd originally planned to train him in Strength of a Hundred today, but it looked like there wasn't much left to teach him.
Was this what a monster was?
Tsunade looked at Akimichi Denji. With an apprentice like him, she wasn't sure whether she should feel fortunate or inferior.
She put on a serious face. "Not bad. I trained just as quickly back in the day. You've got decent talent."
"Now that you've learned Strength of a Hundred, you should focus on Taijutsu. Combining Strength of a Hundred with Taijutsu will help you make better use of your strength."
Akimichi Denji listened closely to Tsunade's explanation. This was exactly what he wanted. His fight with Sasuke had made it clear that raw strength wasn't enough; he needed Taijutsu to match it.
"I'll teach you the Senju Style Taijutsu. It dates back to the Warring States Period and was refined and passed down by my great-granduncle." Tsunade's eyes took on a faraway look. "If your physique can overpower your opponent, you can make the most of our Senju Style Taijutsu. It focuses on overwhelming the opponent with strength, using broad, powerful movements."
Akimichi Denji wasn't surprised.
The great-granduncle Tsunade mentioned was the First, Senju Hashirama. He was famous for Wood Release, but few people knew how strong he was. At the root of it was the powerful life force of Hashirama Cells. That was also why Hashirama's Wood Release was completely different in power from anyone else's.
Tsunade assumed a stance and demonstrated the technique, her chest swaying like butterflies in flight.
Akimichi Denji eagerly absorbed every detail of her movements.
"Have you got it?" Tsunade asked.
He chose not to spend any points yet. He wanted to try learning it himself first.
Akimichi Denji looked at his panel. Senju Style Taijutsu had appeared in the skills section. Since it didn't involve chakra flow, it was listed under skills.
[Skill: Senju Style Taijutsu (Unlearned).]
He awkwardly copied the stance, his movements clumsy and unfamiliar.
Tsunade repeatedly guided his hands and adjusted his posture.
Seeing Akimichi Denji's clumsy movements and slack stance, Tsunade smiled. Now this was normal.
Akimichi Denji had learned Strength of a Hundred in an instant, which had genuinely startled her.
Now, seeing him train in Taijutsu like this, she could tell he was just a child—a fledgling ninja.
It seemed Akimichi Denji's talent for Taijutsu was a little worse than his talent for ninjutsu. Tsunade considered this, but it was a good thing. At least his strengths weren't reversed. He could make up for a lack of Taijutsu talent with hard work, but without talent for ninjutsu, there was little he could do but sigh in regret. Otherwise, he'd turn into a green-suited Might Denji.
As Tsunade taught him, she occasionally brushed against Akimichi Denji by accident.
Akimichi Denji wasn't affected at all. He was completely immersed in the world of Taijutsu.
The sky gradually darkened.
"That's enough. We can train more later. Let's go eat first." Tsunade called a halt.
Akimichi Denji thought it over, then said, "I made plans to go eat with some classmates. I'll come back after we're done."
Tsunade didn't refuse. She supported Akimichi Denji keeping in touch with his classmates. In her eyes, friendships made at the Ninja Academy were precious.
After saying goodbye to Tsunade, Akimichi Denji headed to the barbecue restaurant they'd chosen as their meeting place. Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Uzumaki Naruto, Akimichi Choji, Inuzuka Kiba, and the others were already gathered there.
"Sorry. Lady Tsunade kept training me until now."
Akimichi Denji pushed aside the curtain and came in.
Yamanaka Ino said, "Come on in. We saved you a seat."
She pointed to the empty spot beside her. She'd saved it especially for him.
Akimichi Denji sat down. Yamanaka Ino smiled to herself. With Hyuga Hinata absent today, she was going to make her move.
Uzumaki Naruto said, "Let's hurry up and start grilling. I'm starving. Ino made us wait for you."
"Why don't we have a contest to see who can grill the best?" Yamanaka Ino suggested.
Nobody objected.
Each person at the barbecue restaurant had their own grill, so they wouldn't get in one another's way.
Akimichi Choji had been waiting eagerly. He piled a heap of meat onto his grill all at once.
"Behold my skills!" Uzumaki Naruto rolled up his sleeves.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Nara Shikamaru glanced at him. He'd seen what Naruto had eaten for lunch: either spoiled or undercooked.
"How hard can it be? You just put meat on the grill!"
Akimichi Choji chuckled.
After a while, everyone's food was ready. Naruto stared in disbelief at the charred meat on his plate. How had this happened?
Akimichi Denji wasn't surprised. It was perfectly normal for Naruto to be bad at cooking. Nobody in Konoha sold him ingredients, so all he could eat was instant noodles.
Inuzuka Kiba laughed. "Wasn't it supposed to be easy?"
Akimichi Denji took the meat off Akimichi Choji's grill. He'd grilled plenty of it, and he put some into Naruto's bowl.
"If you burned it, don't eat it."
Akimichi Choji watched as his older brother took away his meat. He wanted to protest, but remembered his big brother's Strength of a Hundred and silently shut his mouth.
"You should learn to cook too," Yamanaka Ino said crossly.
"This doesn't taste as good as Denji's cooking," Naruto said regretfully as he tasted the barbecue.
His eyes lit up. "Why don't you teach me how to cook, Denji-kun?"
Yamanaka Ino punched him. "In your dreams!"
"Denji-kun is busy. Didn't you see him go study with Teacher Tsunade after class?"
Akimichi Denji looked at the wish that had appeared above Uzumaki Naruto's head. "I don't mind. Teaching you one meal won't take much time."
Uzumaki Naruto made a triumphant gesture and looked smugly at Yamanaka Ino.
Yamanaka Ino hesitated for a moment, then said, "Maybe I should learn too. I'm not very good at cooking either."
Akimichi Denji didn't mind. Teaching one person or two was the same to him.
"Come to my house on the weekend. I'll teach you both myself."
Yamanaka Ino happily showed off her grilled meat.
The Wish Point hadn't come through yet. It looked like he'd have to teach them before he could collect it.
"Denji-kun, can you make food for dogs?" Inuzuka Kiba suddenly asked.
"What do you mean?" Yamanaka Ino asked, displeased.
"He means Inuzuka Kiba's Ninja Dog," Nara Shikamaru explained.
The Inuzuka Clan was a clan of ninja who fought alongside Ninja Dogs. Nearly all their strength came from the Ninja Dogs who shared their lives.
"You don't have a contract with a Ninja Dog yet, do you?" Yamanaka Ino asked.
"No, but I want to build a strong bond with mine, so I thought I'd learn to make dog food in advance."
Like the other clans, the Inuzuka Clan only began teaching its secret techniques after its children entered the Ninja Academy. Most didn't learn them until their second year. The Inuzuka Clan also waited until the second year to form a contract with a Ninja Dog, so Inuzuka Kiba hadn't contracted with Akamaru yet.
It was fine. He still had Shikamaru.
Akimichi Denji's thoughts wandered. That reminded him of summoning beasts. Most seasoned ninja had their own summoning beasts, but he didn't have a preference yet.
For now, Ninja Dogs seemed like a good choice. His sensory abilities were lacking, and a Ninja Dog could make up for that weakness.
He'd ask Tsunade what she thought later.
After all, Tsunade's summoning beast was Katsuyu, from one of the Three Great Summoning Lands.
When they finished eating, everyone left. Yamanaka Ino sent the other children ahead, then walked alongside Akimichi Denji.
"Thank you, Denji-kun, for agreeing to teach me how to cook."
Don't mention it. I'm only doing it for the Wish Points. Akimichi Denji kept the words to himself.
Night spread like ink, soaking the rooftop garden of the Yamanaka Clan.
The flower beds, bustling by day, sank into shadow. Only a few golden jasmines whispered in the darkness, while clusters of red balsams glowed like frozen flames.
Yamanaka Ino looked at the flowers and asked, "Aren't the flowers in our clan beautiful?"
Akimichi Denji nodded. He was a fitness fanatic, but he knew a little about plants too. For instance, curcumin and the root of the field mustard plant could help fight inflammation.
"The flowers are nice."
"What about me?" Yamanaka Ino smiled slyly, tilting her head and leaning toward him.
"You're nice too, Ino," Akimichi Denji replied without hesitation.
Yamanaka Ino's pretty face flushed red. Against the nearby scarlet balsams and golden jasmines, she looked even more bashful.
"Does this flower look like you?" Yamanaka Ino plucked a balsam and held it beside Akimichi Denji's fiery red hair.
What a weirdo. How could a flower look like a person? Akimichi Denji glanced at Yamanaka Ino.
"That yellow flower looks like you too."
Akimichi Denji didn't know the flower's name.
"You mean the golden jasmine? Thank you, Denji-kun!" Yamanaka Ino answered with a smile.
Akimichi Denji said nothing, thinking Yamanaka Ino was a little silly. He'd clearly been mocking her.
Mrs. Yamanaka was already waiting by the door.
She smiled. "Thank you for bringing Ino home, Akimichi. Sorry for the trouble."
"No problem."
After saying goodbye to Ino, he returned to the Senju Ancestral Home. Tsunade had already started drinking, and her face was slightly flushed.
"You're back." She stood and sniffed him. "You had barbecue?"
Akimichi Denji nodded and pulled a Military Ration Pill out of his sleeve, swallowing it.
"Still hungry?"
Akimichi Denji explained, "I burn a lot of energy every day. It's even worse after training in the Taotie Technique."
Tsunade accepted his explanation and laughed heartily. "Come on, kid. Let's fight."
"Just like that?" Akimichi Denji looked up in confusion. He hadn't even learned many moves yet.
"Taijutsu is best trained in actual combat."
Tsunade gave him a sidelong look and smiled. But with her face so flushed, Akimichi Denji couldn't help wondering if she was already drunk.
Still, a real fight was just what he wanted.
Under the moonlight, their bodies clashed as they fought, each impact ringing out with a heavy thud.
A wild grin spread across Akimichi Denji's face. He was enjoying himself.
This was the kind of fight he truly wanted.
He held nothing back. Strength of a Hundred at maximum power surged through him, his fists roaring through the air.
Astonishment filled Tsunade's eyes. It was hard to imagine that a six-year-old child could hit with such destructive force.
Her eyes brightened. She wanted to see just how far Denji could go.
"Too slow!"
"Lower your hips. Keep your stance steady."
"Didn't you just eat? Why are you so limp?"
"Put some force into it!"
"Faster! Throw your punches faster!"
She never stopped talking.
Akimichi Denji's punches landed one after another. He didn't need to worry about hurting Tsunade; even if he did, she could heal herself with Medical Ninjutsu.
This is amazing, absolutely amazing. This is exactly how it should feel.
Akimichi Denji threw punch after powerful punch, and the Senju Style Taijutsu entry on his panel quietly changed.
[Skill: Senju Style Taijutsu (Unlearned) -> (Learned)]
Much later, Akimichi Denji lay on the ground, sweat on his face and a satisfied smile on his lips.
Exhilarating!
Looking at the panel notification that he had learned Senju Style Taijutsu, he felt he had a fair bit of talent for Taijutsu after all.
Tsunade looked at Akimichi Denji in astonishment. The kid seemed even more monstrous than she was, despite her own Strength of a Hundred.
Other people trained in Strength of a Hundred; Tsunade had been born with it. That was likely another result of inheriting Senju Hashirama's unusual physique.
But the Akimichi Clan didn't have that sort of ability. Their physiques were stronger than ordinary people's, but she'd never heard of anyone in the clan having such terrifying strength. At most, they were good at taking a beating.
She nodded. "Your talent for Taijutsu isn't as good as your talent for ninjutsu, but it's still quite respectable."
Akimichi Denji didn't answer.
"Are we training like this again tomorrow?"
Tsunade rubbed the spot where Denji had struck her with the Strength of a Hundred. That kid hadn't held back at all. She said, not in the least pleased, "We'll see how I feel."
He went back inside. Watching Tsunade's retreating figure, Akimichi Denji thought back to how she'd only trained him today because she'd been drinking. What if he got her a bottle of really good liquor?
All the alcohol in the ninja world was Japanese sake. He'd paid attention to it, and it wasn't very strong, with little variety in its flavor.
He could definitely learn from the experts in other worlds and try making distilled liquor.
If he got Tsunade drunk before she trained him, the results might be even better.
Before you continue