Mystical Palm Technique

While the Great Families were frantic over the Ninja Academy assessment, Eiji was at Konoha Hospital, staring at a koi on the verge of death.

"Kid, are you sure you can afford to be wasting time like this?"

Tsunade stood beside him with her arms crossed, watching Eiji stare at the koi whose belly had been cut open.

"Tsunade, how is this wasting time? Medical Ninjutsu is important. Are you saying your own work doesn't matter?"

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

"First, I'm not slacking off. I'm fitting Medical Ninjutsu into my spare time. I still make time to 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 words.

What an infuriating little brat. His strength is absurd, though.

To test Ryuuzaki Eiji's strength, Tsunade had picked a free afternoon, taken him out of the village, and sparred with him.

In the end, Tsunade had lost. She hadn't managed to land a single punch on Eiji.

Watching Nawaki struggle against the technique hadn't made her feel nearly so hopeless. Only after experiencing it herself had she realized how maddening it was. It was practically impossible to counter.

Eiji, meanwhile, could repeatedly use a Ninjutsu called "Azure" to pull her toward him, then form a Rasengan in his hand and hit her hard.

If she hadn't had Senju blood and mastered the Yin Seal, anyone else would have gone down after a hit like that and stayed down.

She couldn't land an effective attack on him, yet she had to stay alert for his irresistible gravitational pull and Rasengan.

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

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

With that, Tsunade stopped worrying about whether Eiji could handle the upcoming match and turned to teaching him the finer points of the Mystical Palm Technique.

"Remember this, kid. The Mystical Palm Technique demands precise Chakra control. It's similar to the Rasengan you developed. If you lose control on the battlefield, you could kill an ally by mistake!"

Tsunade wasn't exaggerating. The Mystical Palm Technique was so hard to master that many Medical Ninjas had become bungling field medics when nerves got the better of them in battle.

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

Eiji's lips curved slightly. 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 nearly forgotten what a freak the kid was.

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

Tsunade watched Eiji gather Chakra around his hand and begin treating the koi. Its belly had been cut 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 the koi's belly healed perfectly. There was no sign it had ever been injured.

"You healed it!"

Tsunade exclaimed in amazement. She had never doubted that a genius like Eiji could learn the Mystical Palm Technique, but reaching this level in a single week still left her speechless.

"You little brat. Keep being this talented and people will get jealous!"

Tsunade felt a pang of envy. He was her student, and she could proudly say she had taught him. But seeing her student surpass her still left her feeling strangely empty.

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

Even a Daimyo couldn't be sure he would never fall ill. If he contracted a terminal disease and his physicians were helpless, his only hope would be Princess Tsunade, whose medical skill was unmatched in the Shinobi World.

Tsunade charged an astronomical fee for every consultation. Even so, wealthy merchants and Daimyo spent fortunes to have her treat them. The richer they were, the more they feared death, and they had every reason to stay on her good side.

Now this kid had easily learned most of what she could teach him about Medical Ninjutsu. Tsunade looked at his handsome, good-natured face and saw a terrifying little monster underneath.

His calm expression irritated her, so she reached over and ruffled his hair.

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

"But you already have that Ninjutsu called Limitless. With an Absolute Defense like that, you shouldn't get hurt. Why learn the Mystical Palm Technique?"

"It never hurts to have another skill. Besides, I'm mainly learning Medical Ninjutsu so I can save people."

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

Eiji began packing his things into his bag as he spoke. "All right. Thanks for teaching me, Tsunade. I'll make you my best dish tonight to repay you. I'm going to the forest with Kushina this afternoon, so I'd better go."

With that, Eiji shouldered his bag and hurried out of Konoha Hospital. He planned to find Kushina at the Senju Ancestral Home. Leaving her waiting too long would be asking for trouble.

Tsunade watched him hurry away, then sighed and scratched her head.

"That weird kid. Sometimes I have no idea what goes on in his head."

He had a precious Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai. He could have settled down in Konoha and done nothing but wait for the Great Families to come knocking with marriage proposals. Instead, he worked harder than almost any other Ninja.

And then there was his claim that he would unite the Shinobi World. If unification were that easy, why would the great villages still be fighting one another? Even her grandfather hadn't managed it. Tsunade certainly didn't think a child like Eiji could do it easily.

But Tsunade was certain of one thing: one day, the name Ryuuzaki Eiji would be known throughout the Shinobi World.