Mystical Palm Technique

While the major clans were run ragged preparing for the Ninja Academy assessment, Eiji stood in Konoha Hospital, staring at a carp on the verge of death.

"Kid, are you sure you can afford to be slacking off like this?"

Beside him, Tsunade folded her arms and looked at Eiji, who was staring at the carp with its belly cut open.

"Tsunade, how is this slacking off? Medical Ninjutsu is important. Are you denying the value of your own work?"

"That's not what I mean. The combat assessment is about to start, and you're here learning Medical Ninjutsu from me. Are you really that sure you'll win?"

"First, I'm not slacking off. I'm just fitting Medical Ninjutsu into my spare time. I still train with Minato and Kushina every day. Second, I don't think there's any chance I'll lose. You know what I'm really capable of, Tsunade."

Tsunade clicked her tongue at Eiji's answer.

What an infuriating little brat. And absurdly strong, too.

To test Ryuuzaki Eiji's strength, Tsunade had picked a quiet time to take him outside the village for a sparring match.

She had lost. She couldn't land a single punch on him.

Watching Nawaki struggle against him had been one thing. Experiencing his technique herself had brought on a far deeper sense of despair. Only then had she realized how maddening it was, and how close to impossible it was to counter.

Meanwhile, Eiji could repeatedly use Azure to drag her toward him, then form a Rasengan in his hand and strike her hard.

If she hadn't had Senju blood and the Yin Seal, a single hit would have left an ordinary person flat on the ground, unable to get back up.

She couldn't attack him effectively at all, yet she had to stay alert for Eiji's irresistible gravitational pull and his Rasengan.

Tsunade didn't think she was too weak. Eiji was simply too difficult to beat.

She would bet that even if the old Third Hokage stood there himself, he couldn't defeat Ryuuzaki Eiji. That untouchable technique alone made him impossible to beat!

With that in mind, Tsunade stopped worrying about whether Eiji could handle the coming match and focused on teaching him the secrets of the Mystical Palm Technique.

"Remember this, kid. The Mystical Palm Technique demands precise Chakra control. It's similar to the Rasengan you developed. Lose that precision, and you might accidentally kill an ally on the battlefield!"

Tsunade wasn't exaggerating. The Mystical Palm Technique was so hard to master that too many medical Ninja became incompetent field medics when nerves got the better of them.

"Don't worry, Tsunade. With the Six Eyes, I'm excellent at controlling energy."

The corners of Eiji's mouth lifted. The Six Eyes worked on Chakra as well as Cursed Energy, and that was his greatest advantage.

Tsunade's mouth twitched. After spending so much time with Eiji, she had almost forgotten what a freak he was.

Those deep-blue eyes of his housed a power that defied all reason!

Tsunade watched Eiji gather Chakra around his hand and begin treating the carp. Its belly had been slashed wide open, and it was so close to death that all it could do was open and close its mouth.

In just three seconds, the wound on its belly healed perfectly. There was no sign it had ever been injured.

"You... you healed it!"

Tsunade gasped. She had never doubted that a genius like Eiji could learn the Mystical Palm Technique, but mastering it to this degree in a single week left her speechless.

"You little brat. Being this talented will make people jealous!"

Tsunade felt a stab of envy. He was her disciple, and she could proudly say she had taught this genius. But seeing him surpass his teacher still left her feeling strangely empty.

After all, her greatest strength wasn't the Monster Strength Fist. It was Medical Ninjutsu. Powerful people throughout the Shinobi World knew better than to disrespect Tsunade.

Even a Daimyo couldn't count on remaining healthy for life. If one developed a terminal illness that the doctors nearby couldn't treat, their only hope was Princess Tsunade, whose medical skill was unmatched in the Shinobi World.

Her fees for a consultation were astronomical. Even so, wealthy merchants and Daimyo paid fortunes to have her treat them. The richer they were, the more they feared death, so they had every reason to stay on her good side.

Now this kid had learned most of her Medical Ninjutsu with ease. Beneath that handsome, friendly appearance, Tsunade saw a terrifying little monster.

His casual expression annoyed her, so she reached over and vigorously ruffled his hair.

Eiji didn't resist. He let her do as she pleased, and soon his soft white hair was a mess.

"But you already have that absolute defensive Ninjutsu, Limitless. You shouldn't get hurt in the first place. Why learn the Mystical Palm Technique?"

"You can never have too many skills. Besides, I'm mainly learning Medical Ninjutsu so I can save people."

Until he learned Reverse Cursed Technique, Eiji couldn't guarantee that he would never be injured. And if someone he cared about got hurt while he could do nothing, that would be painful too. Even if it took some effort, he needed to master the Mystical Palm Technique.

Eiji began packing his things into his bag. "Thanks for teaching me, Tsunade. I'll make you one of my best dishes tonight. I'm meeting Kushina in the forest this afternoon, so I'd better get going."

With that, Eiji slung on his backpack and hurried out of Konoha Hospital. He was headed to the Senju Ancestral Home to find Kushina. Keeping her waiting too long would only cause trouble.

Tsunade watched him rush off, then sighed and scratched her head.

"That freak of a kid. Sometimes I have no idea what goes on in his head."

He possessed a precious Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai. He could have taken it easy in Konoha and waited for the major clans to come knocking with marriage proposals. Instead, he worked harder than most Ninja.

And he talked about unifying the Shinobi World, of all things. If it were that easy, why would the villages still be fighting one another? Even her grandfather hadn't managed it. Tsunade certainly didn't think Eiji could do it easily.

One thing Tsunade was sure of: in the future, the name Ryuuzaki Eiji would be known throughout the Shinobi World.