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PS: 1. Please recommend; please bookmark.

2. Little Whale's thoughts on why he can't keep reading fanfiction, part two: The protagonist's name is awkward and out of place. Using a Chinese name in Japanese-anime fanfiction is the most jarring thing.

There's no way I could become the protagonist. Not in this lifetime!

Suifeng told himself.

The protagonist had to endure hardships. Suifeng wanted no part of that.

The protagonist had to be noble, face life with a smile, burn with passion, and be a sunny, cheerful boy. Suifeng, on the other hand, felt like he'd bled for so long that his blood had gone cold!

The protagonist had to be highly sociable and have a best buddy. Suifeng just wanted to point out that he was straight and wasn't into guys!

So how could I possibly be the protagonist? I'm just cheating, that's all.

"Lava Release is pretty great. It combines Earth and Fire chakra natures, and the techniques you develop with it are stronger than ordinary ones!"

In this cheat-filled world, Kekkei Genkai came in several different tiers. Most of them weren't nearly as powerful or advantageous as people imagined.

That was especially true of Kekkei Genkai formed by combining chakra natures. They were powerful, sure, but not so far beyond reach that no one else could compete.

Everyone had supernatural powers. You could control magma, and I could control fire. How big could the difference be?

You could make ice, and I could control water. The gap wasn't that huge.

How different was Storm Release from Lightning Release, anyway?

It wasn't enough to drive anyone to despair.

And then there was Wood Release?

The First Hokage's wasn't just Wood Release. It was Senjutsu plus a Sage Body plus Wood Release...

And then there was Dust Release!

Come on, that wasn't a Kekkei Genkai. That was a whole different league!

You couldn't say that Kekkei Genkai formed by combining chakra natures had no advantages, but those advantages weren't absolute. Hard work and talent could make up the difference.

So, it was good news, but not enough to make him ecstatic.

It just gave him one more trick up his sleeve and made his body a little stronger. At least he wouldn't run out of chakra so easily anymore.

"So, strictly speaking, Iron Body is more useful to me!"

Iron Body was a universal Body Technique, but Lava Release wasn't. A lot of techniques had to be developed from scratch. Looking at the whole Naruto series, there were very few Lava Release techniques. Why? Because there weren't many people with that Kekkei Genkai. And with so few people, there were naturally fewer techniques developed. Did Suifeng think he'd have much time in the future to focus on studying this Kekkei Genkai and developing techniques specifically for it?

What was he thinking?

He'd be better off using that time to strengthen his Sharingan and study his Zanpakuto, Red Ghost!

Once he'd thought it through, Suifeng wasn't all that excited.

"Whatever happens, I still have to report it. That'll make the old man happy, and the happier he is, the more I stand to gain!"

Konoha, Police Force

At the training ground, Fushan's squad had just finished a patrol and was training.

Suifeng had taken leave, but the Police Force's work was nowhere near as dangerous as going out on missions, nor was there as much busywork. During peacetime, inside the village, one person's absence made little difference.

"Thud! Thud!"

Two figures clashed in the training ground. Hideki rolled across the ground like a ball, then finally got back to his feet. Rubbing his sore backside, he complained, "Captain Fushan, you didn't have to hit me that hard!"

"How many times have I told you? You're only a Chunin. A Chunin! In a fast-paced fight, don't go thinking about all that nonsense like Ninjutsu. Your Hand Seals are too slow. You can't keep up with the pace of battle!" Fushan said with a stern face. "You need to adapt to the way ninja fight. Otherwise, you won't last two days on the battlefield!"

"Yes, Captain. I understand!"

Hideki lowered his head.

The ninja squad system was unusual. A squad leader was often both the leader and the teacher, serving as something like a mentor. Along with leading the squad, they were responsible for training its members and instructing the lower-ranked ninja. Of course, that didn't mean they were officially taking them on as disciples. That only happened when a leader fully approved of a member and the two were compatible, like the relationship between the Third Hokage and the Sannin, or the Fourth Hokage and Kakashi.

Speaking of Kakashi, that guy wasn't much better. The Fourth Hokage was his teacher, and Kakashi had some standing in the village. He even knew who Naruto was, yet he'd watched Naruto grow up in those conditions. For that alone, Suifeng looked down on him.

Don't tell me it was because of the Hokage's orders. That's complete nonsense... (I won't go on with the rant.)

In Fushan's squad, Suifeng and the other two were only members, not his disciples, even though Suifeng had always respectfully called him "teacher."

But Suifeng didn't know that Fushan very much wanted to take him on as a disciple. He just wasn't sure the Great Elder would agree, so he'd been hesitating.

"Teacher Fushan, you're all here!"

"Suifeng, why are you back? You still had two days off, didn't you?" Haku asked, looking puzzled.

"I've finished developing my new Body Technique!" Suifeng said with a grin.

"Oh?!"

Fushan raised an eyebrow, surprised.

Suifeng had already explained his ideas and the effects he hoped to achieve with Iron Body in detail. Fushan had thought it was an inventive idea, but he hadn't believed Suifeng could pull it off.

As an Elite Jonin, he'd privately tested Suifeng's idea himself. He'd found that the method could indeed improve one's defenses, and with enough practice, the improvement could be considerable. But it consumed too much chakra. There was another point he hadn't said aloud: ninja battles were generally fast-paced, with each side trying to outpace the other. Who would just stand there and let someone hit them? Developing a technique solely to increase one's defense was a poor trade.

Still, he hadn't objected to Suifeng developing a Body Technique. Suifeng was just a child, barely seven years old, and full of enthusiasm. Let him experience a few failures and setbacks, and he'd learn on his own. Those failures and setbacks would become part of his growth, just as his first defeat at Kakashi's hands had.

That defeat hadn't broken him. It had only made him stronger.

It would be better for him to experience a few more failures like that. But what had he just heard?

He'd actually succeeded!

Had he really succeeded?

Fushan narrowed his eyes. The next instant, he suddenly blurred.

Thud!!

With a muffled impact, Suifeng was sent flying. He flipped twice in midair, landed, and staggered back several steps before regaining his balance.

"Teacher Fushan, you actually caught me off guard!" he protested.

"Not bad!" Fushan laughed. "It's much stronger than I expected!"

Just now, he'd launched a surprise attack and punched Suifeng in the stomach. He hadn't used his full strength, but the blow had still been comparable to an ordinary Chunin's strike. Yet it had felt as though he'd punched a rock. Not only had it failed to have the expected effect, it had left his fist aching.

That told him everything he needed to know.

A Chunin's punch could shatter stone. In other words, even if Suifeng's defensive Body Technique wasn't as hard as true Iron Body, it was harder than ordinary rock. Most importantly, there was the speed.

In a fast-paced fight, the technique would be pointless if it couldn't be used instantly. It seemed Suifeng could already activate it instantly—or perhaps he'd been prepared in advance.

"Of course! Who do you think I am?" Suifeng said, lifting his chin proudly. He'd successfully blocked Fushan's punch, but it hadn't been as easy as he made it look. His stomach still hurt, but without Iron Body, he'd probably be lying on the ground, unable to move.

Whoosh!!

But before he could enjoy his triumph, Fushan charged at him again.

"You're coming at me again?" Suifeng yelped.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud—

Another string of blows rang out. Fushan's figure flickered around Suifeng, each appearance accompanied by a muffled thud. Suifeng couldn't keep up with his speed and could only stand there, blocking and dodging left and right, looking utterly clumsy. He was getting beaten up, plain and simple!