Guidance? No, You're the One Teaching Me!
In the Yamanaka Clan the Land of Wind, Sasori of the Red Sands looked at Chiyo lying on the stone bed, his gaze dim.
He held the medicine and the knife in his hand, but hesitated to make the cut.
even.
His hands were trembling, making it difficult for him to hold the knife steadily.
"Eternal art..."
Scorpion looked at his hand, smiled silently, and said, "Grandma, how pitiful. You don't deserve eternal life."
He remained silent for a long time, then wiped his eyes and left the Cave.
After a moment, Scorpion manipulated the puppet to bring over a pile of wood, and then he began to carve.
Scorpion is indeed a genius.
Even ordinary wooden puppets can be made with great skill, and he has completely captured the essence of Chiyo's appearance.
His eyes dimmed.
"Father, mother, grandmother—the puppets are all here."
After finishing, he looked into the Cave.
Following that, using medicine to skillfully preserve her body, they placed Chiyo in a coffin, and after making thorough preparations to prevent insects and ants, Sasori buried her in this unknown place.
On the way back from the Land of Fire.
A strange emotion flickered in Shikaku's eyes, and he unconsciously quickened his pace until he reached Kyohiko's side.
They already know the process.
but.
He still had some doubts.
"Kyohiko."
"Yes, Shikaku- senpai."
Kyohiko slowed down and turned his head to look at Nara Shikaku, who was catching up.
The Shikaku father and son are known for their high intelligence. The current Shikaku may not be as shrewd as his later self, but he is still very sharp and must have noticed something was wrong.
After all, Chiyo's actions to retrieve the body were rather insane.
Sure enough, Shikaku said, "Kyohiko, I heard Minato describe the scene before, and there's a question I haven't been able to figure out. I'd like to discuss it with you."
"Chiyo's affair?"
"Hmm, why was she so eager to retrieve the body, and why did she insist on keeping it intact?"
Shikaku asked.
The reason I asked Kyohiko...
He had a gut feeling that Kyohiko might already have a guess!
As an observer who was directly present at the scene, Kyohiko had the best perspective, and his intelligence was beyond doubt; he was certainly able to observe things that Minato could not.
"I'm also puzzled. If I had to name a possibility, it would be..."
"Resurrection Technique!"
Shikaku chimed in, revealing Kyohiko's conjecture.
Obviously.
He had similar thoughts.
Immediately, Shikaku sighed softly, "The situation was too critical at the time, and with Amegakure ninjas present, you didn't have many options, otherwise..."
The situation at the time was described in great detail by Minato.
Everyone had been traveling continuously without much rest, and then they went through a fierce battle with Sasori, which greatly depleted their Chakra.
Kakashi and Guy were surrounded and in imminent danger.
Having used forbidden Taijutsu twice, Kyohiko is now unable to move.
For the sake of his comrades, Minato didn't want to fight Chiyo and the Chiyo head-on, but he couldn't help but feel regretful that Sasori of the Red Sands might return to Sunagakure...
"Having one more scorpion might not be a bad thing."
Kyohiko answered.
Shikaku paused, puzzled, and said, "Why? He's a genius puppeteer from Sunagakure, and he's only thirteen or fourteen years old, about five years older than you. If he were to return to Sunagakure, he would be a major threat to Konoha."
"He is a researcher of Human Puppet, and a genius like Sasori would never give up his research. Sunagakure, but it will also have some negative effects."
Kyohiko explained.
Human Puppet.
This thing, like the Impure World Reincarnation, is a forbidden technique that desecrates corpses, and what Sasori researched was Human Puppet that retained its Kekkei Genkai.
This technique poses an equal threat to everyone.
Scorpions are not rational beings either, especially...
Chiyo lost her life for him.
Looking at the events of later generations, Sasori appeared cold and ruthless, but in reality, he still retained a last vestige of familial affection for Chiyo. Chiyo's death might have plunged Sasori into an even deeper abyss.
certainly.
At present, this is merely Kyohiko's conjecture.
He changed the subject, saying, "Secondly, I don't believe such a technique comes without a price. It might be an unfinished product, or it might come with a huge price, like trading one's life for another."
"Chiyo Puppet Technique, and is more rational and normal than Sasori. She is actually more important to us and Sunagakure."
Kyohiko explained his thoughts.
Shikaku understood Kyohiko's meaning.
If such a technique truly had no cost, Sunagakure would have used it extensively long ago; how could it have only been revealed now?
The cost will certainly be enormous.
and.
The learning difficulty may also be extremely high.
Apart from Chiyo, a top medical expert in Sunagakure, the rest of the people probably do not have the qualifications to learn from her.
For Konoha, an enemy like Chiyo seems to pose a greater threat than Sasori.
This direction...
He didn't even consider it.
From the moment he learned about this until now, he had been preoccupied with how important Sasori was, never considering Chiyo's role.
As a result, with one rise and one fall, the strength of Sunagakure did not improve much; on the contrary, it declined overall.
My considerations weren't comprehensive enough!
It's truly remarkable that Kyohiko, at such a young age, possesses such insight and comprehensive thinking.
No wonder Lord Jiraiya!
Nara Shikaku couldn't help but sigh, then his gaze sharpened, and he smiled, "Kyohiko, it's rare that you could remain rational and make sound judgments under those circumstances."
"It's nothing. I was actually quite worried about Sasori causing harm to Konoha, but what's done is done, so we can only try to think positively."
Kyohiko answered.
Shikaku nodded repeatedly.
Yes!
It's too late for regrets now...
"By the way, you mentioned earlier that there was unusual activity in Sunagakure, which distracted you and prevented you from providing support. Does that mean the border doesn't need to be monitored now?"
Kyohiko asked.
Nara Shikaku shook his head. "Lord Orochimaru has taken over; there's no need for us to stay here any longer."
"Lord Orochimaru?"
Kyohiko was surprised.
It was him!
How could it be him?
Good heavens!
On one side is Sasori of the Red Sands, and on the other side is Orochimaru.
The immortals clash, right?
However, Orochimaru currently doesn't seem to have mastered the Impure World Reincarnation, and his progress is somewhat slower than Sasori of the Red Sands's. There's just one thing—
The people of the Land of Rivers are suffering terribly!
Kyohiko couldn't help but mourn for the people of the Land of Rivers.
"What's wrong?"
" With Lord Orochimaru's words, we can rest assured about the border."
At least from the ninja perspective, we can be relatively at ease.
Orochimaru's abilities are still sufficient.
that is...
Kyohiko sighed.
He was powerless to do anything about it and could only hope that the Third Hokage could manage his disciple.
"Um."
Shikaku nodded.
They were unaware of the inside story and held Orochimaru in high esteem.
Two days later.
Inside the Hokage Building in Konoha, Nara Shikaku submitted two reports.
One copy was his, and the other was from Minato Namikaze.
Hiruzen Sarutobi picked it up, looked at it once, then solemnly set it aside.
"Your opinion is the same as Kyohiko's?"
"Yes."
Shikaku nodded.
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought for a moment and then put it aside.
"Resurrection magic... I've never heard of anything like it."
"By the way, Kyohiko mentioned a theory. He said, could it be a byproduct of some kind of forbidden technique research? The Second Hokage often encountered this kind of situation during his research."
Shikaku asked.
"Byproducts?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi carefully recalled, then suddenly remembered, "A few years ago, the Anbu did receive intelligence that Sunagakure was researching the ultimate Puppet Technique, but nothing came of it afterward."
If we follow Kyohiko's conjecture, then...
Who knows if the so-called resurrection technique is actually a forbidden technique accidentally developed during the research of some kind of Ninjutsu, which requires a huge price to use, and may even be a life for a life.
Chiyo was replaced by Sasori of the Red Sands.
He thought for a moment and said, "If Sasori of the Red Sands is willing to reform after returning to Sunagakure, he will definitely pose a greater threat than Chiyo. I will have someone keep an eye on them."
Nara Shikaku without saying a word.
He was only responsible for relaying messages and analyzing information; how to actually do it was the Hokage's job, not his.
"I'm finally back!"
"Senior, you don't look happy at all."
Kyohiko complained from the side.
Since returning to the village, Minato Namikaze's face has been filled with worry; even a fool could tell that Minato Namikaze has something on his mind.
Kyohiko's guess--
It's highly likely that the two Uzumaki Clan in the family don't get along.
The reason is simple.
To this day, he has not received any feedback from Yuzuki Uzumaki.
It is evident that Yuzuki Uzumaki does not recognize her identity as a "Konoha person" and even harbors hostility towards Kushina Uzumaki and works in Konoha as a member of the Uzumaki Clan.
Minato glanced at it and sighed silently.
"Kyohiko, stop gloating. I'm really nervous right now, terrified when I get home..."
There's nothing to worry about.
Kyohiko said.
"What?"
The Minato remains unsolved.
Then, he chuckled and said, "You don't even know what I'm worried about, yet you're telling me not to worry."
"Isn't this about Yuzuki Uzumaki?"
"Uh, yes."
Minato Namikaze was stunned, and nodded somewhat numbly.
Kyohiko said, "As long as she's still in Konoha, there's still a chance. The most regrettable situation is when she's gone, but the hatred is passed down from generation to generation, making it impossible to resolve."
"You mean...?"
Minato Namikaze thought for a moment.
It seems there's no problem.
Given Yuzuki's constitution, if she stayed in Kusagakure, she would almost certainly die once war broke out, with no chance of survival.
If her descendants have such a constitution, they too will not be able to escape their fate.
This is the tragedy of the small village.
At least by coming to Konoha, she can still live.
The next moment, Minato Namikaze's eyes lit up, and he immediately grabbed Kyohiko's hand, his face full of pleading.
"Kyohiko, please help me! You must have other ideas, right?"
What could I possibly think?
Kyohiko chuckled to himself.
Even the most upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes. Minato's worry stemmed from Yuzuki's inability to accept Kushina, a stark contrast to the beautiful dreams Minato and Kushina had previously shared.
The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
That's the current situation.
There wasn't much Minato Namikaze could do, let alone him. However, after considering it for a moment, he said, "I can take her around more, let her learn more about life in Konoha, and what the people of Konoha think of the Uzumaki Clan."
Did it help?
"I don't know, but it's definitely useless not to do it."
Kyohiko answered.
Minato Namikaze listened and found it very reasonable, nodding repeatedly in agreement.
"Thank you, thank you!"
Then, he vanished in Body Flicker Technique, leaving in a great hurry.
Kyohiko smiled, went home on the way, tidied up his things, and then went to the river.
He wanted to try out the Water Dragon Bullet Technique.
Zi, Chou, Yin...
The Hand Seals incredibly quickly; in just one second, all six seals were completed.
Then, the river surged and rippled.
The water surged up rapidly, transforming into a dragon that rushed forward.
Boom!
With a loud bang, the water jet slammed into the ground, creating a small crater.
That's already quite powerful.
But.
Kyohiko, however, was not very satisfied.
Such power, apart from its longer attack range than Strength of a Hundred, is not particularly impressive in other aspects. Even the Chakra consumption is similar to Strength Enhancement Technique, and in places without water, the Chakra consumption may be even greater.
certainly.
It's also possible that my understanding of Water Dragon Bullet is not yet precise enough.
If proficiency can be further improved, perhaps the situation will be different.
Current cultivation direction...
Perhaps we could try incorporating compression techniques.
While it's impossible for it to gradually evolve into Water Severing Wave like Water Wave, its power can definitely be greatly increased.
It just means that it consumes more Chakra.
"Let's try it first."
The main reason for choosing the riverside location was to conserve Chakra.
Kyohiko Hand Seals, attempting to further compress his Chakra. His Chakra compression skills were now quite proficient, and his mastery of Water Style nature transformations was nearly complete.
While not quite at Senju Tobirama's level, he was by no means weak.
Chakra flowed into the river like water.
The next moment.
Boom!
A "giant beast" leaped out of the river, instantly draining the water within a three-meter radius and transforming it into a deep blue dragon.
Bang!
A loud explosion.
The ground was smashed open, creating a crater, and a terrifying force surged into the earth, forming a deep pit.
It's done!
Kyohiko walked over and observed the situation.
After observing for a while, he squatted down, and the image of the water dragon turning into a swirling vortex involuntarily came to mind.
A chaotic spinning motion, combined with compressed and condensed Chakra.
Isn't that Hard Whirlpool Water Blade?
Who knows, that's how it came about!
Kyohiko's eyes lit up.
You can give it a try!
Let's try it first.
Kyohiko attempted to combine "compression" with "Uzumaki," but unfortunately, despite several attempts, the water dragon could not be gathered, and the Ninjutsu could not be activated.
Wrong direction?
He thought for a moment and created a Shadow Clone.
I was just about to try again.
What are you researching?
Kyohiko turned his head.
Just then, a middle-aged man walked over from the side.
His attire was simple, making him look like an ordinary villager, but his demeanor was quite extraordinary.
He is...
Maruboshi Kosuke?
Kyohiko stopped Hand Seals.
Who are you?
"My name is Maruboshi Kosuke, an ordinary Genin."
Maruboshi Kosuke chuckled, "What kind of technique are you researching?"
"I was practicing Water Dragon Bullet before, and then I thought that adding some techniques might make this technique even more powerful."
Kyohiko provides a brief description.
Maruboshi Kosuke looked around.
Two puddles.
One is large and shallow, the other is as deep as a well.
Just twice, and the power changed so drastically...
Is this the genius with the potential of Second Hokage, as described by the elders of the third generation?
Maruboshi Kosuke was deeply shocked.
He licked his lips.
"How long have you been practicing this technique?"
About a month.
Kyohiko wasn't telling the truth, but he had indeed read some written descriptions of the Water Dragon Bullet a month ago, though he hadn't actually practiced it.
About a month...
Maruboshi Kosuke remained silent.
He practiced for many years before reaching Kyohiko's level.
Then he laughed and said, "I also know how to use Water Dragon Bullet. How about we discuss it?"
"Really? Please enlighten me, senior!"
Kyohiko's eyes lit up.
Immediately, he Hand Seals and completed the Water Dragon Bullet Ninjutsu in a second, but at this moment, his situation was slightly different—
In addition to the main body, the Shadow Clone's hands were also pressed on the ground, continuously releasing Chakra.
Maruboshi Kosuke didn't quite understand it.
But the next moment, he saw...
Kyohiko's Shadow Clone pressed his hand into the water, and then, in the instant the water dragon soared into the air and the water flow seemed to explode in all directions, the Shadow Clone's hand pierced into the water dragon.
Boom!
The tap tilted and veered to the side, washing away a section of the riverbank.
"What are you doing...?"
Water Dragon Bullet?
Maruboshi Kosuke was bewildered.
Then, his expression turned strange. "I remember the Water Dragon Bullet requires forty-four Hand Seals, but you only used six?"
"Yes, I have the Second Hokage's notes, and I've read some fragmented records. I've also studied the Hand Seals for the Water Wall before, simplifying it to two Hand Seals, so I have some experience."
Kyohiko answered.
Maruboshi Kosuke remained silent.
Two seals.
Six Hand Seals.
He could do it too, of course, but that was under the condition that the Second Hokage personally taught him.
What about Kyohiko?
It's truly remarkable that such a high level of quality could be achieved using only a few notes!
Maruboshi Kosuke remained silent for a long while, then sighed, "I'm not qualified to instruct you."
Previously, the Third Hokage had mentioned to him that he indeed harbored the intention to guide and teach him.
But now.
He felt that in another year or two, it might be his turn to be taught by the other person.
teach?
I've got it anyway.
Let's discuss this together.
Maruboshi Kosuke paused, then continued, "You want to incorporate the nature transformation of rotation into the Water Dragon Bullet Ninjutsu?"
"Yes, I've heard that the Second Hokage has a technique called Hard Whirlpool Water Blade. Just now, while compressing my Chakra, I suddenly had a thought: could I replicate a similar effect by incorporating compression and rotation into the Water Dragon Bullet technique?"
Kyohiko explained.
Maruboshi Kosuke couldn't help but swallow.
Good heavens!
How could someone think of Hard Whirlpool Water Blade based on a Water Dragon Bullet?
Then, he seriously considered Kyohiko's idea.
He hadn't used the Hard Whirlpool Water Blade before, but the technique Kyohiko mentioned...
Maruboshi Kosuke thought for a moment.
Then, he Hand Seals with his hands.
The difference between his Hand Seals and those of Kyohiko is that he doesn't need Shadow Clone; he completes the release simply by Hand Seals.
The water dragon shot into the sky, and his hand pierced into it, the water flowing into his arm.
Immediately--
Under his guidance, the water dragon transformed into a condensed water dragon and rushed forward.
Boom!
The ground shattered and cracked, and the water dragons, deeply embedded, swirled endlessly, transforming into a waterspout in the puddle.
Maruboshi Kosuke was stunned for a moment.
Then, he looked at Kyohiko.
"Perhaps with further refinement and development, it's possible to achieve Hard Whirlpool Water Blade, but the Second Hokage's Hard Whirlpool Water Blade is definitely not like this. This is your Hard Whirlpool Water Blade."
Maruboshi Kosuke remained silent for a long while.
Previously, he had thought that it might take a year or two before he became the one being taught by the other.
Unexpected.
It won't take a year or two.
Kyohiko is now qualified to teach me Ninjutsu.
this...
Maruboshi Kosuke blushed, then bowed deeply, saying, "I must thank you; this technique is very useful!"