Konoha Military Police

There are five days left until the genin exam, and the upper-year students eligible to participate have already begun their break. Whether in the real world or the world of Naruto, there is always a rest period in the days leading up to student exams, allowing them to adjust to their best state.

Over these ten days, Sato Hideaka verified the contents of the scrolls Orochimaru gave him against books like Classification of Hand Seals, Attributes and Hand Seals, and The Relationship Between Hand Seals and Ninjutsu. The contents were indeed authentic, and by cross-referencing them, he managed to deduce the actual techniques for forming seals.

Based on the relationship between chakra flow and hand seals, he successfully verified several chakra pathways for Crystal Release: Crystal Wall and Crystal Release: Two-Thorn Spear. After testing, he was actually able to manifest these two ninjutsu.

The prototype for Crystal Release: Crystal Wall is Earth Release: Earth Wall. It is a fusion of earth and lightning chakra attributes, precipitating hard crystals from the earth element. Therefore, in terms of defensive power, Crystal Wall is definitely superior to Earth Wall; its only drawback is perhaps its inability to defend against sonic-based attacks.

As for Crystal Release: Two-Thorn Spear, Sato Hideaka modeled it after the signature move of the Marine Admiral Aokiji from One Piece. By forming seals, he can condense the air into red, spear-shaped crystals and launch them at an opponent; the sharp spearheads can easily pierce into human internal organs.

Sato Hideaka is currently in a secluded area of the Konoha training grounds. At only five years old, he wears a solemn expression, staring at a tree five people wide as if it were an imaginary enemy. He lightly grips the air with his right hand, and a long, red crystalline sword appears in his grasp.

Leaning forward with his hands pulled back, Sato Hideaka rushes toward the tree. The crimson crystal sword in his right hand slashes across the bark, carving out two massive gashes in quick succession. His left hand instantly produces a kunai, which he flicks out; the crystal kunai embeds itself deep into the tree's trunk.

Something seems to be missing...

After practicing the coordination between his taijutsu and his Kekkei Genkai, Sato Hideaka lies on the grass, gazing up at the white clouds shifting shapes in the sky, lost in thought. He has developed the Crystal Release Kekkei Genkai and the Crystal Release ninjutsu, but the methods of attack do not seem as flexible or varied as he had imagined.

He recalls how Aokiji used the Two-Thorn Spear—it seemed to involve suppressing the opponent with taijutsu before launching the spears from the side. Anything touched by the spears would be frozen, losing the ability to move.

Perhaps he could try using sword techniques with one hand for cover while performing one-handed seals with the other to release ninjutsu. Furthermore, the Crystal Release Kekkei Genkai itself possesses the ability to solidify non-chakra substances into crystals. He could try imbuing the Two-Thorn Spear with Crystal Release chakra to crystallize whatever it touches, thereby perfecting the technique.

In this way, Crystal Release: Two-Thorn Spear would not only be an offensive ninjutsu but also a control-type one. Once touched, crystals would form on the surface of the target's body, much like the Coral Palm of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, causing them to lose their agility and mobility.

Time continues to slip away. Holding onto this new idea, Sato Hideaka begins to construct his signature move again, constantly adjusting his combat style. He shifts from his initial combination of Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Lava Release to a synergy between Crystal Release and Lava Release.

The fundamental reason is that his body is not yet fully developed; the internal injuries caused by Lightning Release Chakra Mode carry significant drawbacks. He won't always be able to run into Tsunade Senju so easily, and the long-term accumulation of internal damage is something even the "Medical Saint" might not be able to clear completely.

He fears that until Lightning Release Chakra Mode is fully perfected, he will not use lightning-style nature transformation to activate his entire body for long periods unless he is in a dire situation.

Moreover, if the Lava Release and Crystal Release Kekkei Genkai are coordinated properly, linking control, destructive power, and defense through effective tactics, he might lose the thrill of an instant kill provided by Lightning Release Chakra Mode, but the result will likely be stronger, not weaker.

"Hideaka, Hideaka. It's noon already, let's go eat. I'm so hungry! I know a stall that makes really delicious wonton noodles; I'll take you there..."

A girl wearing a smock, with curly black hair and red eyes, hops over to Sato Hideaka's side and says sweetly.

This is Yuhi Kurenai. Before the break, she had agreed to train with Sato Hideaka, but as a girl of a young age, she doesn't seem particularly enthusiastic about the training; after a bit of exercise, she just sat on the pull-up bar at the training ground to rest.

Sato Hideaka, however, treats himself with extreme rigor, training steadily all morning. He never forgets his situation; a single moment of vulnerability could lead to a highly dangerous predicament, so the conviction to become stronger constantly fills his mind.

The two walk a short distance along the bustling main street crowded with people. Suddenly, Yuhi Kurenai takes Sato Hideaka's hand and leads him through the throng into a side street. The foot traffic here is much lighter, and the street is quite clean.

In a corner of the street, an elderly grandmother sits in front of a homemade wonton noodle cart, hawking her wares. When someone comes to order a bowl, she proceeds with the process of washing her hands, wrapping the wontons, and boiling them with extreme focus and care.

"Hideaka-kun, don't look down on the grandma just because she's pushing a cart. The wonton noodles here are the best; no other place compares!"

Yuhi Kurenai lifts her head and speaks with the tone of an adult. Clearly, she feels a bit proud to have found a good wonton noodle shop and brought Sato Hideaka along to enjoy the food.

Suddenly, four sturdy young men walk out from the corner of the street. The leader approaches the stall and shouts loudly with dissatisfaction: "Hey, old woman. Who gave you permission to set up a stall here?"

"I'm sorry, but I've always set up here!" The old woman says, trembling with fear, and quickly begins to apologize.

"Really now, street-side stalls are not permitted. According to Konoha's rules, all of this must be confiscated!"

"Please, no! I won't set up here anymore, please don't take my things... I beg you!"

"Hurry up, move aside, you hear? Old woman, don't get in the way of our official business..."

Ignoring the old woman's protests and resistance, the four young men begin to forcibly seize the rolling pin, Chiaotzu skins, meat filling, cart, and other items from the wonton stall. People in the vicinity begin to gather; although they point and whisper in condemnation, no one dares to step forward to stop them.

Sato Hideaka looks closely and sees that all four young men are dressed as ninjas. They wear headbands with the Konoha symbol on their foreheads, carry short swords on their backs, and their refined, simple tight-fitting clothes are marked with the shuriken and fan emblem.

Konoha Military Police Force, Uchiha Clan!

He never expected that the famous Uchiha Clan, the legendary Konoha Military Police Force, would actually double as city inspectors. Although the old woman was occupying the street, it was only a side street with little traffic, so it didn't really affect travel.

But clearly, this group of young police force members seems to want to make a big name for themselves. Upholding a spirit of impartiality, they have no intention of letting the old woman go. They have already seized most of her belongings and appear determined not to stop until the job is finished.

Yuhi Kurenai watches this scene with a flushed face, her small fists clenched tightly, as if she might rush forward to act heroically at any second...

However, Yuhi Kurenai is only seven years old. Even the group of adults watching from the sidelines doesn't dare to intervene; as a young child facing a group of fierce, menacing men, she lacks the courage to take that step!

Sato Hideaka sighs softly. Although he sympathizes with the old woman, he has no intention of intervening. After all, as an outsider possessing two Kekkei Genkai, he is already a sensitive figure. If he were to offend the proud Uchiha Clan, the situation would certainly become even more troublesome to handle.