Excited Uzumaki Kushina!

Putting Sage Mode aside for the time being, Asuma returned to his regular training.

You had to take life one step at a time and eat one bite at a time. Take too big a step, and you'd tear something important!

That evening, they had a lavish family dinner.

After dinner, however, Asuma inevitably received a lecture from Sarutobi Hiruzen and Sarutobi Biwako about keeping a low profile.

There was no need to let everyone know about something like developing an S-Rank Ninjutsu.

As a ninja, he had to know how to conceal his intelligence so he would not be targeted by his opponents!

Naturally, Asuma understood all that.

But he had no choice but to do this.

He wanted to lie low until the end, to lie low until he was invincible.

But leveling up was exhilarating.

He could not stop.

Seeing his experience gain rate getting slower and slower, he could only take a little risk.

Even though the dangers he knew of were still decades away.

But the world was unpredictable.

After coming to this Naruto world, after changing the fates of people he knew, everything could turn out differently.

No one could say for certain that Asuma would live peacefully until the day he was killed by the Immortal Duo.

So.

Asuma could only take half of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Sarutobi Biwako's concerned advice to heart.

He truly needed to take his personal intelligence seriously.

But he also had to farm experience and improve his attributes.

If he could not have both, he would choose the lesser of two evils.

After dinner.

Asuma stopped Sarutobi Hiruzen to ask him for guidance.

Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen still needed to go to the Hokage Building, he could leave behind a Shadow Clone to deal with him.

From eight until ten, Asuma finally let Sarutobi Hiruzen's Shadow Clone go.

At the same time, his own Shadow Clone was pestering his older brother, Sarutobi Shinya, for guidance on Earth Style.

His brother was now a renowned Earth Style expert in Konoha.

Such a valuable resource could not go to waste!

At eleven that night, Asuma returned to his room.

He first reviewed what he had learned and summarized it before going to sleep.

Meanwhile.

In the study.

Sarutobi Shinya stood before his father, Sarutobi Hiruzen, lowered his head slightly, and asked, "Father, is there a problem with Asuma's situation?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke before giving a slight nod.

Sarutobi Shinya's gaze sharpened, and he lowered his head further. "Father, he has gone too far!"

"Even if you step down, it will not be his turn to become the Fourth Generation!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen removed his pipe from his mouth and said, "I have already warned him. There will not be a next time!"

Sarutobi Shinya frowned.

With matters like this, if there was a first time, there would be a second.

Had that man done few things behind his father's back?

The matter with Nawaki had already disappointed Lady Tsunade.

And now, Root was nearly out of control, slipping beyond the Hokage's grasp.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his silent eldest son and said, "The major ninja villages are stirring again, especially Sunagakure, which suffered heavy losses in the last war."

He only said half of it, but Sarutobi Shinya already understood.

For the greater good!

Looking at his father's face shrouded in smoke, Sarutobi Shinya's feelings were complicated.

His father was the person he respected and admired most, but the hesitant figure before him was unlike the man he had revered.

There is no perfect solution in this world, Father!

Sarutobi Shinya sighed inwardly, then took his leave.

Watching his eldest son depart, Sarutobi Hiruzen could not help sighing.

With a single word, he could strip Danzo of his positions as Root Leader and Advisor.

But what would that accomplish?

It would not shake Danzo in the slightest.

The Root Shinobi would still obey Danzo's orders, and the Shimura Clan would still follow Danzo.

Unless Danzo was killed.

But how?

Hatake Sakumo's suspicions were only suspicions.

Sarutobi Hiruzen knew his old companion's character very well. Having done such things, Danzo would not leave evidence behind so easily.

Even if those ninja were captured alive, no concrete evidence could be obtained.

Besides.

Konoha had only just begun to recover its strength, and the new generation was starting to grow. They absolutely could not turn on one another from within!

July 24.

That morning, Asuma carried a box of pastries personally made by his mother, Sarutobi Biwako, to Uzumaki Kushina's home.

When he pressed the doorbell, Namikaze Minato was surprisingly the one who answered.

"Big Brother Minato!"

Asuma greeted him with a smile, though he wondered whether the two were already living together.

Come to think of it, they were both eighteen already.

After entering, they exchanged the usual pleasantries.

Once seated, Asuma immediately took out a Small Scroll and handed it to Namikaze Minato. "Big Brother Minato, this is a summary of my recent insights into Wind Style: Rasenshuriken. It might be useful to you."

"The other part is some of my experience with Chakra Control."

He had already given Wind Style: Rasenshuriken to Namikaze Minato before their last mission.

Since he wanted to learn Fūinjutsu from Uzumaki Kushina, there was no harm in further strengthening their relationship.

Not to mention that their families had always been close.

Still, with Asuma being so generous, Namikaze Minato felt a little embarrassed instead.

Uzumaki Kushina directly reached out and took the scroll, laughing openly. "Thank you so much, Asuma! With this, your Big Brother Minato will be able to master that technique even faster!"

Minato smiled. "It is not that simple."

"My Chakra Control is still not good enough to throw the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"

Asuma immediately said, "Big Brother Minato, you are a Ninjutsu Prodigy. I believe this will not stump you!"

"Of course!"

Uzumaki Kushina answered for Namikaze Minato, then asked, "Asuma, how have you been doing with the foundations of Fūinjutsu lately?"

"How about we officially begin training from today onward?"

Seeing Uzumaki Kushina's eager expression, Asuma suddenly had a bad feeling, but after thinking about it, he decided it should be fine and nodded. "Then I'll be in your care, Big Sister Kushina!"

"Good!"

Uzumaki Kushina immediately snapped her fingers. "Then let's begin. Minato, take us to the training ground!"

A training ground?

Did learning Fūinjutsu require going to a training ground?

Asuma was dumbfounded.

Namikaze Minato smiled helplessly, but he could only comply. He placed one hand on Asuma's shoulder and said, "Asuma, I'll use the Body Flicker Technique in a moment."

Asuma nodded.

The next moment, the three of them vanished directly from the house and appeared in an open clearing surrounded by forest.

As expected of the Flying Thunder God!

Asuma marveled inwardly.

It seemed the Yellow Flash's reputation would soon spread far and wide.

Uzumaki Kushina clenched her fists until they cracked and smiled. "Asuma, let's test your strength first!"

Huh?

Asuma turned his head.

Namikaze Minato wore an awkward smile nearby.

Is she too bored and using me as a disciple to play with?

Asuma did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Still, it was understandable, considering she was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Usually, she could still go on missions.

But whenever tensions rose, as a Jinchuriki, she would inevitably be unable to leave Konoha even a single step.

On top of being monitored as a Jinchuriki, she really must have felt stifled.

Thinking that, Asuma instinctively sensed his surroundings. Sure enough, he detected people watching from within the forest.

But this cold Chakra, as though it holds no emotion at all, does not feel like Anbu Chakra. It feels more like Root Shinobi Chakra!

Asuma frowned inwardly, but his expression did not change as he smiled and nodded at Uzumaki Kushina. "All right, Big Sister Kushina, but you'd better be careful."

"Don't worry. Your big sister won't underestimate you."

Uzumaki Kushina smiled. "After all, there was a ten-million bounty on you before!"

"Then here I come!"

Asuma wasted no more words. With a sharp cry, he lunged forward.

The next moment.

The two clashed, while Minato watched quietly from the side without much concern.

He believed in Uzumaki Kushina's strength, and he trusted his lover to know her limits.

They began with a hand-to-hand taijutsu duel.

Asuma fell into a disadvantage.

He was not surprised. In unarmed combat, he had not yet reached Jōnin level.

After gauging Uzumaki Kushina's strength, Asuma began using the Three Basic Ninjutsu and the Shadow Clone Technique.

Only then did he manage to fight Uzumaki Kushina to a draw.

"Try using ninjutsu. Your big sister knows you are a ninjutsu-type ninja. Or use your Swordsmanship—you inherited part of Senior Sakumo's legacy, after all!"

Uzumaki Kushina was having an exhilarating time.

Fighting Namikaze Minato had long since become boring.

Especially after Namikaze Minato mastered the Flying Thunder God.

"All right, Big Sister Kushina, be careful!"

Asuma nodded, but just as he was about to use ninjutsu, inspiration suddenly struck him.

His main body and Shadow Clone joined forces and unleashed a Combined Ninjutsu at the forest concealing the Root Shinobi.