Training!

"We're finally back!"

Looking at Konoha's gates, Shita Genichi let out a long breath.

The mission had taken less than three days from start to finish, making it the shortest mission he had ever completed.

But it had also been the most dangerous, and the fighting had been the fiercest.

Honestly, if Hatake Sakumo hadn't returned in time by the lake, he and Uchiha Namiichi might really have been killed by the Sand shinobi.

After all, by then, both of them had been at the end of their rope.

That might have been the closest he had ever come to death.

Now that he was back in Konoha and the tension had eased, Shita Genichi found himself feeling an unexpected sense of belonging.

"People really do long for stability."

Shita Genichi sighed inwardly.

He wasn't the only one whose tension had eased. Yamanaka En stretched and said with a smile, "Once I get home, I'm going to sleep for ages."

Uchiha Namiichi still wore a cold expression, but even he seemed to have relaxed.

Once they entered the village, Hatake Sakumo smiled and said, "Dismissed!"

"Yes!"

Shita Genichi and the other two responded in unison, then used the Body Flicker Technique to vanish and head home.

Hatake Sakumo, however, couldn't go home just yet.

He hurried to the Hokage Building and was soon granted an audience with the Hokage.

The Hokage Office.

Hatake Sakumo gave a complete account of everything that had happened during the mission.

Sarutobi Hiruzen listened as he smoked, feeling somewhat surprised by Shita Genichi's performance.

Shita Genichi was a genius, and he had performed well in the year since graduating, but this time he had been especially outstanding.

It wasn't just his combat strength. His grasp of the bigger picture and his ability to make decisions under pressure were also remarkable.

With that kind of mindset and decisiveness, a little more strength would make him another outstanding shinobi capable of standing on his own.

After listening, Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "Genichi is an exceptional child. We should invest more in his development."

Hatake Sakumo nodded. "Understood!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen continued, "Genichi and Namiichi both performed well on this mission. The village will reward them with an opportunity to choose a ninjutsu."

"Namiichi may choose a B-rank ninjutsu. As for Genichi... he may choose anything except forbidden techniques he cannot learn."

Hatake Sakumo was startled. Was the Hokage trying to raise another Namikaze Minato?

But after his surprise came delight. He quickly replied, "I'm sure Genichi won't disappoint you, Lord Hokage."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded with a smile.

He believed so, too.

He had high hopes for Shita Genichi, both because of his mindset and his talent.

He hoped that in ten years, Shita Genichi would become another Namikaze Minato, a sharp blade for Konoha.

After Hatake Sakumo left the Hokage Building, the records of all three shinobi gained a new entry: completion of an S-rank mission.

As for what the mission was, that was classified!

Shita Genichi woke up in the evening.

After lazing in bed for five minutes, he washed up and went downstairs to help out at the Dango Shop.

After dinner, Shita Genichi wandered outside alone and took a stroll to Shizune's house.

Unfortunately, Shizune wasn't there.

After thinking it over, Shita Genichi headed to Tsunade's place instead.

As expected, Shizune opened the door after he knocked.

"Genichi!"

Shizune was delighted to see him.

Then Tsunade's lazy voice drifted from behind her. "Who is it?"

Shita Genichi followed Shizune inside and saw Tsunade sitting on the veranda with a bottle of liquor in her hand.

"Lady Tsunade, I'm Shita Genichi."

Shita Genichi bowed in greeting.

Tsunade half narrowed her eyes. "Oh, it's you!"

This was their first meeting.

Although Shita Genichi was polite and good-looking, Tsunade still wasn't particularly impressed. "Kid, what are you here for?"

She already knew the answer.

Shita Genichi's thoughts raced, but he replied honestly, "Lady Tsunade, I came to ask if Shizune would go with me to the hospital to study."

Tsunade glanced at Shita Genichi. "I hear you have a lot of talent for Medical Ninjutsu?"

Shita Genichi replied, "I'm not that special. I just work harder than other people."

"I have more talent for Water Release."

That was true.

Even without his cheat, he was talented at Water Release.

Unfortunately, his chakra reserves limited him.

Shizune chimed in, "Lady Tsunade, Genichi works very hard. He hardly ever takes a break."

Tsunade's impression of Shita Genichi improved, and her tone softened. "I hear you're also learning Sealing Jutsu from that fool Jiraiya?"

"At your age, you should focus on one direction."

Shita Genichi scratched his head and replied helplessly, "Lady Tsunade, I've already reached the point where it's hard to improve at Water Release."

"Using Water Release in an environment without water takes a lot of chakra, and my chakra reserves are very limited."

"That's why I want to learn other things."

"I think Sealing Jutsu might solve my problem."

Tsunade frowned slightly. "Your chakra reserves... At your age, you shouldn't need to worry about that, should you?"

It was true that compared with his peers, Shita Genichi had a fair amount of chakra.

After all, he was seven, but his body was actually that of a fourteen-year-old.

Shita Genichi didn't explain. Instead, he formed hand seals.

Ram—Snake!

The next moment, droplets of water gathered around Shita Genichi, forming a stream that circled his body.

Tsunade's eyes widened slightly at the sight. For a moment, she thought she was looking at her Second Granduncle.

In an environment without water, using the Water Formation Wall consumed more than three times as much chakra for the same scale.

He released his hands, and the stream circling his body immediately scattered, breaking into droplets.

But then Shita Genichi spread his hands and formed the "za" seal with his palms angled forward and down. Next, he drew his hands back and pressed his palms together.

The water droplets quickly gathered once more, forming a stream that circled his body and surged upward.

So similar!

It was too similar!

Tsunade was stunned.

Shita Genichi ended the ninjutsu and said, "Lady Tsunade, if I use Water Release like this, I can manage at most three techniques before running out of chakra."

The Water Release techniques he had mastered needed to be large-scale to have real power.

Tsunade came back to her senses. "Your Water Release really is impressive."

"Three techniques are more than enough."

"You're still young, and your missions won't be too dangerous."

"Once you're older and your body develops, your chakra reserves will increase further."

Shita Genichi knew that, too.

Although his physical abilities were already those of a fourteen-year-old, his body was still growing.

By the time he reached fourteen, his chakra limit would surely double.

But who ever complained about having too little chakra?

Especially Shita Genichi, who lacked a sense of security and liked things big.

During this mission, Shita Genichi had carefully rationed his chakra and occasionally taken Military Ration Pills. It hadn't been a pleasant experience.

The pills tasted awful, and they weren't drugs that replenished chakra instantly. They took time to digest.

Tsunade didn't understand Shita Genichi's urgency or his sense of danger. She kindly advised him, "Don't push yourself too hard. It's bad for your development."

"You might end up short!"

As she spoke, a teasing smile tugged at the corners of Tsunade's mouth.

Shita Genichi could only manage an awkward smile.

It wasn't as if he could just ask Tsunade whether he could learn the Yin Seal.

Even asking about it would be difficult to explain.

sigh, what a headache.