Konoha High Command Takes Notice!

"Was that Water Wave?"

Tsunade's expression changed slightly.

That level of shape transformation was absolutely not something a Chunin could achieve!

She did not dare take it head-on. With a tap of her toes, she instantly flashed more than ten meters away.

"Screech!"

The High-Pressure Water Blade missed and struck the massive rock where Tsunade had just been standing.

The seemingly indestructible stone was sliced cleanly in half as if it were tofu!

The cut was smooth as a mirror.

Tsunade glanced at the cut on the ground, and an intense shock flashed through her eyes.

This kid.

His Chakra control and understanding of shape transformation were simply monstrous!

Was this what people called genius?

Before Tsunade could think any further.

Chiba's second attack had already arrived.

His hands formed seals once again.

This time, they moved even faster.

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

Chiba slammed both palms fiercely against the ground.

Rumble!

The earth shook violently.

However.

What rose was not a wall of earth.

Under the refinement of God-Level Comprehension.

Chiba directly changed how Earth Wall functioned.

Four massive earthen walls rose from the ground, not to defend, but to trap Tsunade firmly in the center!

Immediately afterward.

Chiba changed his hand seals again.

"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Concealment!"

His entire body instantly sank underground, vanishing without a trace.

"Interesting."

Standing amid the four earthen walls, Tsunade's lips curved into a dangerous smile.

He used Earth Wall to restrict the enemy's movement.

Then used Earth Dragon Concealment to lurk below and assassinate them.

His tactical thinking was exceptionally clear.

Moreover, his ninjutsu flowed together seamlessly, without the slightest pause.

This kind of combat intelligence was not something a Chunin should possess!

"However."

"Before absolute power, this little cleverness is meaningless!"

Tsunade suddenly raised her right foot.

Strength of a Hundred erupted!

"Boom!"

She stomped down heavily.

Terrifying cracks spread outward in every direction like a spiderweb.

The entire underground soil layer instantly collapsed beneath the force of that kick.

"Hmph!"

A muffled sound came from underground.

Chiba was forcibly shaken out of the soil and fell to the ground in a sorry state.

He panted heavily.

The Chakra within his body was still churning violently.

"Your Chakra reserves are enormous, already at Kage Level."

"Your body is tough, and your recovery ability is absurd. You took two of my punches and still weren't seriously injured."

"..."

Tsunade slowly walked over to Chiba.

Looking down at the panting youth, she gave her final assessment.

"But!"

"Your foundation is hopelessly terrible!"

"You possess a mountain of treasure, yet only know how to dig through it in the crudest way possible."

"You have too little combat experience, and your ninjutsu repertoire is pitifully small."

"If this is all you can do."

"Forget Konoha's Anbu—any Elite Jonin could easily crush you to death!"

Chiba gave a bitter smile.

"Your criticism is justified, Senior."

He had no way to refute her.

The system's assessment had been fair. He was an unqualified Elite Jonin.

Other than having impressive stats.

His actual combat ability was indeed a complete mess.

Seeing Chiba accept her criticism so calmly, a trace of satisfaction flashed in Tsunade's eyes.

A poor foundation was not frightening.

What was frightening was being unable to see one's own shortcomings.

This kid had a resilient nature and understood things at once.

As long as he was properly polished, he would definitely become an invaluable treasure!

"Starting tomorrow."

"I'll create a devilish training plan for you."

"If you can't endure it, get lost early. Don't go around disgracing the Senju name."

Tsunade snorted coldly and turned to leave.

But at the instant she turned around.

A light not seen in her eyes for many years ignited within them.

The Senju Clan had hope of revival!

Several days later.

Konoha, Hokage Office Building.

A faint scent of tobacco filled the spacious office.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sat behind a broad desk.

His face was covered in age spots as he took a deep puff from his pipe.

White smoke curled upward.

"Lord Hokage."

An Anbu wearing an animal mask appeared silently before the desk.

"This is a letter sent back by Lady Tsunade."

The Anbu presented a sealed Scroll with both hands.

"Tsunade?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand holding the pipe paused slightly.

A trace of surprise flashed through his clouded eyes.

Ever since Tsunade had left the village, she had spent all day gambling and fleeing from debt collectors.

For several years, she had not taken the initiative to contact the village.

Why had she suddenly changed?

He removed the seal from the Scroll and unfolded the letter.

The handwriting on it was extremely sloppy, carrying an impatient perfunctory air.

Sarutobi Hiruzen read it word by word.

Yet his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

"Met a Konoha Chunin on Tanzaku Street."

"Thought the kid had decent Chakra control."

"He has talent for learning medical ninjutsu."

"Planning to keep him nearby and teach him for a while?"

After reading the letter's contents, Sarutobi Hiruzen was completely baffled.

Tsunade wanted to take a disciple?

How was that possible!

After Dan and Nawaki died, Tsunade had developed severe hemophobia.

She could not even hold a scalpel. How could she possibly teach someone medical ninjutsu?

Unless...

This Chunin named Chiba possessed something extremely special!

"Go."

Sarutobi Hiruzen set down his pipe and gave the order in a deep voice.

"Bring me Chiba's file immediately."

"Yes!"

The Anbu vanished instantly.

Less than five minutes later.

A thin file was placed before Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He put on his reading glasses and began carefully reviewing it.

[Name: Chiba]

[Age: 16]

[Identity: Konoha Chunin]

[Parents: Konoha Civilian Ninja, died during a B-Rank Mission.]

[History: Born in an orphanage in Konoha Year 36. Entered the Ninja Academy in Konoha Year 42, with below-average grades.]

[In Konoha Year 46, graduated early and was assigned to the cannon fodder camp during the Third Shinobi World War, surviving until now through luck...]

[Known ninjutsu: Three Body Technique, Water Wave, Earth Wall, Earth Dragon Concealment.]

[Overall assessment: Mediocre aptitude, lacking potential.]

Sarutobi Hiruzen read it over three times.

He did not miss a single word.

But it was indeed an utterly ordinary file.

The kid's parents were merely civilians, without any Kekkei Genkai.

"Strange..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen removed his glasses and rubbed his dry brow.

"What exactly did Tsunade see in him?"

"Medical talent?"

"What medical talent could a Chunin have when he had not even figured out Chakra nature transformation?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head.

In his view.

In the ninja world, bloodlines and inheritance determined everything.

Uchiha, Hyuga, Ino-Shika-Cho.

The geniuses of those great clans were Konoha's foundation.

No matter how hard a civilian orphan struggled, his limit would only be Special Jonin.

"Perhaps..."

"Tsunade was bored and casually found a kid to relieve her boredom."

Sarutobi Hiruzen casually tossed Chiba's file into the wastebasket beside him.

He picked up his pipe again and took a deep drag.

In any case.

As long as Tsunade did not return to the village and cause trouble, he would let her do as she pleased.

At the deepest reaches beneath Konoha.

The Root base, where daylight never reached.

The damp air was filled with the faint stench of blood and rust.

A few dim candles barely illuminated the empty underground hall.

"Tap... tap... tap..."

The sound of a cane striking the ground echoed through the empty hall.

Half of Shimura Danzō's face was wrapped in bandages as he slowly emerged from the shadows.

His only remaining left eye was as cold and sinister as a venomous snake, fixed firmly on the Root ninja kneeling before him.

"What did you say?"

"Tsunade took a civilian Chunin as her disciple in Tanzaku Street?"

Danzo's voice was hoarse and grating, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

"Yes, Lord Danzo."

The masked Root ninja kept his head lowered, his tone utterly devoid of emotion.

"Lord Hokage has already received the letter."

"The Anbu retrieved the file on the one called Chiba."

"But after reading it, Lord Hokage gave no instructions."

"..."

Danzo snorted coldly.

Leaning on his cane, he walked over to a stone table.

The file the Root ninja had just delivered lay atop it.

Danzo narrowed his single eye and quickly scanned the words in the file.

On the surface—

this Chiba truly seemed worthless.

But Danzo was suspicious by nature.

He had never believed in coincidences!

Who was Tsunade?

She was the First Hokage's granddaughter, one of the Sannin!

With her prideful nature, how could she possibly take a useless civilian as her disciple?

"Kinoe. Kinoto."

The next moment,

Danzo spoke coldly.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two black shadows appeared in the center of the hall and dropped to one knee.

"Go to Tanzaku Street."

"Keep an eye on Tsunade and that brat called Chiba."

"I want to know exactly who they meet every day, what they say, and even what they eat!"

"If there is anything suspicious about that brat..."

"Kill him immediately."

"Bring his corpse back."