A Super Genius?

The moon was climbing high.

"Phew, if you can't do it, take a break."

With her arms crossed, Tsunade complained inwardly, exhausted from demonstrating the technique over and over:

It's already so late. There's no way you can master an S-rank Sealing Jutsu in a single day.

But she didn't dare urge him to hurry.

She was afraid of disturbing Uchiha Xiu!

After all, this was an intensive training method involving the brain. The slightest mistake could be disastrous. If something went wrong... the Fifth Hokage might become an idiot, or, more likely, suffer severe damage to his existing chakra pathways.

Meanwhile,

Uchiha Xiu remained standing in the middle of the spacious courtyard, motionless beneath his long, slanting shadow.

What a monster. His chakra reserves are no less than mine, a direct descendant of the Senju Clan. Maybe he could even rival the Second Hokage? And he has Wood Release, with the same ability to absorb as the First's. That Yamato in Anbu can't compare.

His recovery ability was even more ridiculous.

With nothing else to do, Tsunade idly wondered, Could he have awakened Wood Release on his own by combining Earth Release and Water Release, then harmonizing them with his powerful Yang Release?

The golden-haired big sister's imagination was running wild.

"Phew..."

The mark on his forehead flashed. Uchiha Xiu opened his eyes, sighed, and murmured to himself:

"Almost there."

"..."

Why was it always that same line? Tsunade, who'd been keeping him company in this prison, wore an exasperated expression.

"Kid, are you sure you're all right? Even if you recover quickly, you can't rapidly repair the strain on your mind at the cellular level. Why not rest for the night and try again tomorrow morning?"

Her voice was tinged with concern.

"This time, I really am almost there."

"You're doing it again? Suit yourself!"

Uchiha Xiu glanced at the proud, buxom blonde and added, "Why don't you go rest first? Surely you don't think I'd stoop to stealing things from the old Senju Compound just because I'm the Hokage."

"Sigh... Fine, I'll keep watch. If the Fifth Hokage gets too impatient and damages his brain, I can treat him right away."

Under the moonlight, Tsunade's sharp tongue emerged along with her displeased expression. "Two Hokage dying within ten days, and if you count the Fourth Hokage, who died young, outsiders will start saying the Hokage Position is cursed..."

She didn't finish.

The medical ninja had suffered one blow of fate after another before leaving Konoha, and now she stopped herself, her expression turning dejected.

"Cursed..."

"In the Ninja World, everyone has their own misfortunes."

Noticing what was wrong, Uchiha Xiu set aside his thoughts and said considerately, "All the gold from that batch went to the village treasury. I still have over two million ryo in personal savings, from royalties. I can give you two million."

"Really?"

Tsunade, who hadn't gambled in days, sprang back to life. "Hehe, Fifth Hokage, once things have settled down in the village, want to go on a winning streak with me?"

Young and rich.

With a partner like him at the gambling table, she'd never have to worry about running out of money again!

"No." Uchiha Xiu shook his head.

With Yellow Heaven as his witness, in his previous life he'd been an exemplary pillar of society. He'd always been dead set against gambling and drugs!

"Fine. You're no fun," Tsunade said, pursing her lips.

Second stage—here I come!

With the help of his captain's authority, Uchiha Xiu had easily broken through to the second stage of the Gene Lock. Once again, he entered that special state.

His muscles, blood, nerves, and five senses were all greatly enhanced beyond their previous limits. His control over certain energy flows within his body advanced another step.

Since I said I was almost there, I'm not just putting on a brave face in front of a woman.

"I suspect mastering the Yin Seal will also help me unlock the third stage of the Gene Lock, since it's closely connected to the brain."

Time was like a wild donkey: once it started running, it wouldn't stop.

The moon set and the sun rose.

At last!

Just as dawn was breaking, Tsunade, who had been propping up her head and yawning, saw an extremely tiny, faintly glowing purple diamond appear in the center of Uchiha Xiu's forehead.

One second... two seconds... five seconds...

It had already lasted longer than ever before.

A tiny point of light, perfectly steady, shone brightly!

The Strength of a Hundred Seal pulsed faintly with his steady breathing. It no longer faded away.

"Monster."

While Tsunade marveled at him, Uchiha Xiu slowly opened his eyes. His Sharingan had already faded.

Granted, his face was a little pale after maintaining intense concentration and carefully controlling his chakra for so long, but he was exceptionally pleased.

Excellent. I'm stronger again.

Stronger with each passing day, and the improvement was obvious.

"Congratulations. The seal has fully formed. You've taken the hardest step. Now you just need to rest and keep storing chakra in it once you wake up."

This time, Tsunade didn't make a snide remark or act coy. She simply stated the facts:

"I thought that even with my help, stabilizing the foundation of the seal within ten days would make you a super genius. But your chakra control and mental strength seem to be even greater than Grandmother's."

Surpassing Uzumaki Mito?

The princess who had traveled thousands of miles to Konoha with a vast fortune and all kinds of advanced Sealing Jutsu, and married into the village.

"Thank you for your guidance. You've worked hard."

Uchiha Xiu spoke solemnly and touched the faint purple glow between his brows. Then he changed the subject:

"You must be hungry. What do you want to eat?"

Tsunade thought for a moment. "Ichiraku Ramen. We'll eat, then come back and sleep. I'm exhausted. I haven't had a single meal since I returned to the village and attended the meeting with the higher-ups."

"Let's go!"

The two of them left the old Senju Compound, which most people had long since forgotten.

On the way,

Tsunade shared everything she'd learned and experienced with Uchiha Xiu, who was about to head off to war.

She'd forged her own path with the technique: by releasing the chakra stored in the Yin Seal, she could cover her body with the Cursed Seal and regenerate from injuries automatically. By finely adjusting her chakra, she could also maintain her youth and keep her body in peak condition.

It greatly strengthened the effects of ninjutsu and could be considered a pseudo-Senjutsu!

Combined with the Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth, it formed a body capable of regenerating without pause—in other words,

the ultimate combat-oriented Medical Ninjutsu.

"I'd rather use it purely as a chakra reservoir, then capture a Tailed Beast from the Land of Earth to strengthen myself further."

"What?" Tsunade asked in surprise.

At the meeting, this guy had only said he wanted to free the Tailed Beasts and destroy Iwagakure's ability to wage war. He hadn't said he planned to go after their most prized possession!

"The three great Ninja Wars have repeatedly proven that the First was completely wrong to distribute the Tailed Beasts, these nuclear weapons, among the various nations in the hope that strategic deterrence would prevent war."

"Instead, it only escalated the conflict."

"Now I'm going to take them back, starting with one."

Tsunade didn't understand what he meant by "nuclear weapons," but she understood the rest and didn't argue.

After a moment of silence, the princess of the Land of Fire said quietly, "Then prove to me—and everyone else—that you can do better than the First."

"But don't weaken them too much. Otherwise, the other nations will get wary and might form an alliance to attack Konoha, no matter the cost or old grudges. The Tailed Beasts are the most precious things those people have."

"Besides, that Akatsuki you mentioned is also coveting their power."