Kushina Uzumaki

Over two years, Kirito had trained his basic Gentle Fist to the point where it was difficult to improve any further.

In fact, the Attribute Panel showed that his Gentle Fist had already reached level 3 more than half a year ago, and it had not changed for quite some time afterward.

Given that, it was not hard for Kirito to realize that he had reached the limit of his Gentle Fist. Even if there was still room for improvement, it was minimal. To advance further, he needed more advanced knowledge of the Gentle Fist—he needed to develop Gentle Fist techniques on the foundation of the basics, just as Neji Hyuga had.

He did not have the Byakugan, so there was no way he could learn techniques like the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms or Sixty-Four Palms, which relied on the Byakugan to strike chakra points. On the other hand, he could learn techniques such as the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm and Rotation, which opened chakra points and released chakra to attack.

Thus, he developed Gentle Fist: Susanoo.

Of course, if he could develop Gentle Fist: Susanoo, techniques like the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm naturally posed no difficulty.

Because of this, his Gentle Fist finally achieved a new breakthrough a month ago, rising from 3 to 4.

Also, during his study of the Gentle Fist, Kirito discovered that his chakra had gradually undergone some changes. The chakra within his body had become more condensed than before, its density steadily increasing, until even the Gentle Fist strikes he threw casually grew more and more powerful.

This showed that the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist truly had something unique about it. Not only was it exceptionally effective at opening chakra points, but it could also continuously strengthen one's chakra.

No wonder Kaguya Otsutsuki still favored using a taijutsu like the Gentle Fist for attacks in the later stages.

After finishing his taijutsu training, Kirito continued practicing ninjutsu at the Training Ground for a while. Once he had cast each of the ninjutsu he had mastered in turn, he left.

Over the past two years, he had not learned many new ninjutsu.

For Lightning Release, he had learned Lightning Release: Earth Running, Lightning Release: Lightning Clone, and Lightning Release: Lightning Binding.

For Yin Release, he had learned Yin Release: Mind Reading and the genjutsu Hell Viewing Technique.

Besides that, he had successfully cultivated Water Release Chakra, a new Chakra Nature, and learned Water Release: Water Wall, Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique, Water Release: Water Clone Technique, and Water Style: Water Flow Whip.

As for sealing jutsu, he had learned quite a few.

The sealing jutsu Kirito currently mastered were: Single Lamp Array, Tri-Seal, Four Symbols Seal, Reverse Four Symbols Seal, Eight Trigrams Seal, Sealing Evil Law Seal, Sealing Fire Law Seal, Sealing Water Law Seal, Sealing Lightning Law Seal, Sealing Earth Law Seal, Sealing Wind Law Seal, Sealing Five Elements Law Seal, Contract Seal, Five Seal Barrier, and Four Violet Flames Formation.

When Kirito left the Training Ground, it was already time for the Ninja Academy to dismiss in the afternoon. Around this time each day, Mito would usually wake up and move about a little.

Because Nawaki would soon be coming home.

Kirito leisurely made his way to Nawaki's house. Seeing Momoka still stationed outside Mito's room, he tactfully turned around and wandered through the courtyard. Then he spotted a red-haired girl in the yard, covering her nose as she looked at him with disgust.

"Yo, Kushina. How have you been lately? Is there anything about sealing jutsu you don't understand? You can ask your senior brother."

Upon seeing the red-haired girl, Kirito immediately smiled and approached her.

Kushina Uzumaki was the same age as him, eight years old this year. Not long ago, Konoha ninja had brought her back from somewhere unknown. She was now his junior sister.

They had met only a handful of times. Including this one, it was only their second meeting.

That was because Kirito had graduated from under Mito half a year ago. A year ago, Mito had sent him to intern with the Sealing Unit. Half a year later, he had been promoted to team leader, and then formally graduated, no longer needing to come study under Mito every day.

Of course, Kirito still visited Mito at least twice a week to keep her company and talk with her.

He had run into Kushina Uzumaki when he came to visit Mito last week.

The Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed long ago, shortly after the end of the First Shinobi World War. At the time, it had been jointly attacked by the four great nations: the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, the Land of Water, and the Land of Lightning.

Konoha had just finished fighting the First Shinobi World War then. The Second Hokage had died, the Senju Clan had suffered devastating losses, the Hokage's authority had slipped away, and the Third Hokage had hurriedly taken office amid internal instability, unable to unite the strength of the clans.

Moreover, all of Konoha had developed a severe aversion to war. They could barely look after themselves, and in the end, they could only helplessly watch their ally, the Land of Whirlpools, be jointly destroyed by the four great nations. At most, they could help relocate the surviving people of the Land of Whirlpools to the Land of Fire.

From then on, the Uzumaki Clan was scattered to the winds, its members dispersed throughout the Shinobi World.

Kushina Uzumaki currently belonged to one branch of the Land of Whirlpools' survivors who had migrated into the Land of Fire, where they were under Konoha's protection.

Unless something unexpected happened, she would become the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki after Mito Uzumaki.

"Get away! Don't come any closer!!!"

When Kushina saw him approaching, she hurriedly backed away and shouted.

But the next moment, she immediately covered her mouth and guiltily looked toward Mito's room. Upon noticing Momoka staring at her, she quickly lowered her head.

"Shh. Don't be so loud."

Kirito placed his index finger before his lips and spoke softly.

"Hmph."

At that, Kushina snorted coldly, her eyes still filled with disgust and deep wariness.

Kirito understood Kushina's terrible attitude.

After all, anyone who learned that they would become the vessel of a terrifying Tailed Beast like the Nine-Tails, lose their freedom because of it, suffer unfair treatment from others, and even face all kinds of danger in the future would probably not feel very good about it.

It was only natural that she now hated Konoha and hated him, a Konoha ninja.

At present, in all of Konoha, only Mito Uzumaki—the princess of the Uzumaki Clan like herself—had earned Kushina's trust.

Therefore, Kirito did not take Kushina's poor attitude to heart. He merely smiled and said, "Sorry, sorry. I just finished training taijutsu. I'm going to take a bath now. Teacher Mito probably won't wake up for a while yet. If you have any questions about sealing jutsu, you can come find me."

With that, he slapped his right hand onto the ground.

A large number of sealing formulas formed from chakra appeared across the ground, swiftly creating an incomparably complex and enormous sealing formation.

Sealing Jutsu: Quadruple Lamp Array!

Completed in five seconds.

After showing off a little in front of Kushina, Kirito turned and sauntered away to take a bath.

Once Kirito had left, Kushina immediately widened her eyes at the Sealing Formation that had appeared on the floor, shock filling her bright eyes.

Although the Uzumaki Clan had been scattered to the winds, some of its inheritances had remained, such as the Sealing Jutsu they excelled at most.

Kushina was a renowned Sealing Jutsu prodigy within her clan. Her Chakra was also highly unusual, possessing sealing properties, and her talent for Sealing Jutsu was exceptional.

Therefore, although Kushina was only eight years old, she had already attained considerable skill in Sealing Jutsu. She was proud, especially when it came to Sealing Jutsu.

The reason she had disliked Kirito before was partly because he was a Konoha ninja, and partly because he had been so arrogant as to say he would teach her Sealing Jutsu. That was clearly looking down on her.

Sealing Jutsu was the last source of pride in her heart. Now that even this pride was about to be trampled on, how could she not be angry? How could she not dislike Kirito?

But now, she was no longer angry with Kirito.

Because Kirito truly was qualified to guide her in Sealing Jutsu.

He bore her no ill will.

This complex, enormous Sealing Formation before her—even setting aside completing it at such speed, she did not even have the ability to reproduce it in full.

As Kushina stared blankly at the Four-Layer Lamp Formation on the floor, Mito had somehow appeared in the doorway. Seeing Kushina like this, a faint smile appeared on her face.

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