"Child, come here."
Karen beckoned Nanako Uzumaki over to her side.
Nanako Uzumaki stepped forward and walked over to Karen.
"Child, what chakra natures do you have?"
Karen asked Nanako Uzumaki.
"I have earth and water."
Nanako Uzumaki said.
Meanwhile, Didaze was thinking about whether Nanako Uzumaki could awaken Wood Release.
"Earth and water are the basic natures fused to create Wood Release. If Nanako Uzumaki could fuse those two natures herself..."
Generally, first-generation Kekkei Genkai were very powerful, and later imitators found it hard to surpass the person who first created a Kekkei Genkai.
Yamato was a very good example.
"I'll mention it to the little one later and have her try fusing earth and water when she has time."
Didaze planned to mention it to Nanako Uzumaki when he had time. That way, she would give it a try in her spare time. What if she succeeded?
With powerful Sealing Jutsu coupled with Wood Release, even if her Wood Release was a little weak, she could still reach a level close to Super Kage.
If it was stronger, that would be even more incredible.
"Earth and water?"
Karen nodded. Earth chakra was heavy, while water chakra was gentle.
Both chakra natures were relatively suited to Sealing Jutsu, and with her Uzumaki Clan bloodline on top of that...
"Try practicing this Sealing Jutsu!"
Karen said, tossing Nanako Uzumaki a scroll.
"Open it!"
Nanako Uzumaki obediently did as she was told. Once she opened it, she found instructions for practicing a D-rank Sealing Jutsu inside.
D-rank Sealing Jutsu, Rock Seal.
This was merely a very simple Sealing Jutsu that used earth-nature chakra to seal things. Because it was so simple, it had little destructive power.
An ordinary person only needed a day to master it.
Karen wanted to use this to see just how talented Nanako Uzumaki was at Sealing Jutsu.
"Once you feel ready, just use it to seal this table."
Karen pointed to an empty table, then prepared to sit down.
"Sealing Jutsu: Rock Seal!"
Just as Karen finished speaking, Nanako Uzumaki finished reading and immediately tried using the Sealing Jutsu.
She's casting it straight away?
Karen frowned.
She did not believe Nanako Uzumaki could succeed after just reading it. She only thought the girl was a little too eager for quick results.
The markings of a Sealing Jutsu appeared on Nanako Uzumaki's hand, which she then pressed against the table!
The table was instantly sealed in earth and stone!
"What?!"
Karen's eyes widened!
She had learned it after a single look? Just how heaven-defying was her talent?!
Even Karen herself had taken over half an hour to learn this Sealing Jutsu.
At the time, everyone had thought she was Iwagakure's greatest Sealing Jutsu genius!
And she had indeed lived up to their expectations, becoming a Jonin through Sealing Jutsu alone.
There was a fundamental difference between relying solely on Sealing Jutsu and using Sealing Jutsu merely as a supporting tool. Karen was the one and only person who had become a Jonin through Sealing Jutsu alone.
And now Karen, who had always been hailed as a genius, had met someone a hundred, a thousand times more talented than herself...
"You've never practiced Sealing Jutsu before?"
Karen used the Body Flicker Technique and asked Nanako Uzumaki with an excited expression.
"No, I only know the most basic way to mold chakra."
Nanako Uzumaki said, shaking her head.
The Kusagakure ninja had only made Nanako Uzumaki mold chakra so they could absorb it more easily.
"You really are a genius seen once in a hundred-no, a thousand years!"
Karen's gaze was almost crazed as she looked at Nanako Uzumaki as though she were an exquisite work of art!
With her careful guidance, Nanako Uzumaki would have no trouble reaching Kage Level through Sealing Jutsu alone!
"Since you have no objections, I'll send Nanako over after school every day for you to teach."
Looking at Karen's fervent expression, Didaze knew that Nanako Uzumaki's talent had firmly captivated her.
"What does she need school for? Just have her come here and study every day. I guarantee she'll become a Jonin within three years!"
Karen said excitedly to Didaze.
She felt that with talent as great as Nanako Uzumaki's, there was no damn point in attending the Ninja Academy!
After studying under her for a year, she could surpass those Chunin teachers teaching her, all right?
"That won't do. Nanako has to finish a year of school."
Didaze shook his head, rejecting Karen's suggestion.
The Ninja Academy was there to set Nanako Uzumaki's heart right, not to teach her Ninjutsu.
After all, any Jonin Didaze picked at random would be better at teaching Ninjutsu than the Academy's teachers.
He only wanted Nanako Uzumaki to have some friends. Otherwise, being alone without friends all the time would lead to psychological problems too.
"Besides, Nanako might not want to. Nanako, would you be willing to stop attending school tomorrow and come study Sealing Jutsu instead?"
Didaze gently asked Nanako Uzumaki.
"It's all right. Just tell us what you really think!"
Karen hurriedly added to Nanako Uzumaki.
"I... I still want to go to school!"
Nanako Uzumaki had only made friends at school a few days ago. If she were suddenly told to stop going to school and study Sealing Jutsu instead, she certainly would not be willing.
"There you have it, Karen. Don't pressure Nanako anymore."
Didaze said to Karen with a smile.
"I understand..."
Karen sighed. Having such a talented genius but being unable to teach her every day was painful.
"Then I'll be off. Nanako, study hard with Karen!"
After saying that, Didaze left Nanako Uzumaki there and headed toward the Tsuchikage's office.
The Tsuchikage's office
"This is the A-rank mission I selected for you: hunt down and kill Ōiwa, an A-rank missing-nin from our village."
When Ōnoki saw Didaze arrive, he tossed him a mission scroll.
Didaze opened it and read it carefully.
It mostly listed Ōiwa's commonly used Ninjutsu, his possible locations, and so on.
It was only the most basic information.
"Go with the Anbu this time. They'll help you find Ōiwa."
Ōnoki had no intention of making Didaze search on his own.
They could undertake an A-rank mission together without affecting anything. In any case, he had the final say on how the rules were interpreted.
"Come in!"
Ōnoki called toward the door, and five Anbu ninja wearing various masks entered the Tsuchikage's office.
"Take off your masks and introduce yourselves. Get to know each other."
Ōnoki issued the order to the Anbu.
This was necessary. After all, Didaze was not part of the Anbu, and sometimes it was better to know who the others were.
Besides, Didaze was his designated successor as Tsuchikage, so there was no harm in him knowing the Anbu's real faces and names.
"I'm Umu, code name Silver Rabbit. I look forward to working with you, Lord Didaze."
The only woman among the five Anbu was the first to remove her mask, revealing a highly attractive face beneath it.
And judging by her appearance, she seemed to be about the same age as Didaze, eighteen or nineteen at most.