RedX43
patreon
[Konoha] Chapter 42: The Chūnin Examination!
🕑 Added 2024-08-18 06:22:39 +0000 UTCShūichi Hoshita knew that if Tsunade's idea could truly be realized, the benefits would be immense.
But how could it be achieved?
Shūichi pondered, "Lady Tsunade, if we want to systematically store medical ninjutsu, then chakra would also need to be sealed along with it."
"To put it simply, it would involve sealing a jutsu that has already been released, and then releasing it again when needed."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but think of the Creation Rebirth S-rank medical ninjutsu from the original series.
This technique could regenerate cells rapidly, healing even life-threatening wounds, but it required a massive amount of chakra.
Hence the creation of the Strength of a Hundred Seal, which allowed for an instantaneous surge of chakra, increasing the output while maintaining stability and precision.
With these two techniques, one was almost invincible.
And the Yin Seal was a sealing technique specifically designed to store chakra, passed down from the Uzumaki clan.
However, it was clear that Tsunade had not yet developed Creation Rebirth or the Strength of a Hundred Seal at this point; otherwise, she wouldn't be considering these ideas now.
"Of course, it's challenging," Tsunade remarked. "If we could pre-store ninjutsu, including the accumulation of chakra, we could heal severe injuries at critical moments."
"You see, many injuries require a tremendous amount of chakra to heal effectively, but often during treatment, we don't have the capacity to generate such powerful chakra bursts or maintain precise control."
As she spoke, a shadow crossed her face, recalling the loss of Dan in front of her.
For Shūichi, the concept of sealing ninjutsu had already diverged significantly from the Memory Palace itself. The Memory Palace technique had merely inspired Tsunade.
Even though he wasn't yet proficient in sealing techniques, Shūichi understood just how difficult it would be to achieve what Tsunade envisioned.
Noticing Tsunade's somber expression, Shūichi thought for a moment and said, "Lady Tsunade, your idea is truly remarkable, but I believe we could break it down into steps and tackle it piece by piece."
"First, we need to develop a sufficiently powerful medical ninjutsu. Yin Healing Wound Destruction is indeed impressive, but many injuries may not heal quickly enough, especially large open wounds or internal organ damage."
"So, our first priority should be to create a more powerful medical ninjutsu."
"Second, we'll need a sealing technique to construct a chakra pathway. Medical ninjutsu is different from other types of ninjutsu; it requires greater precision, stability, and a large chakra output. Therefore, a specialized technique must be developed to handle this."
"Lastly, we need to address the issue of massive chakra reserves. We should devise a method to store chakra that isn't immediately needed and release it when necessary."
Tsunade fell into deep thought after hearing this, then looked up at Shūichi. "Shūichi, your approach does seem more likely to succeed."
Finally, she stopped calling him "kid."
That simple change in address held a lot of significance.
Shūichi knew that his relationship with Tsunade had taken a step forward.
Which made sense—there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and he wasn't handsome enough to win people over on looks alone, especially considering he was just a six-year-old kid.
Now that he'd earned her recognition, Shūichi immediately smiled and said, "Since Lady Tsunade agrees, let's focus our efforts on these three areas!"
"Lady Tsunade, as the greatest medical ninja in the shinobi world, I'm confident you can achieve this."
Tsunade's mood lifted, and she hummed in agreement. "Of course."
"But I'll be the one doing the hard work. As for you... your sealing and medical ninjutsu skills are still lacking."
So harsh!
Shūichi put on a "hurt" expression. "Lady Tsunade, are you really just tossing me aside after I've helped you cross the river?"
"My skills may be unremarkable, but you can't deny that my ideas are unrestrained."
Feeling a bit guilty, Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "Alright, alright!"
"You've definitely contributed a lot. If we succeed in developing this technique, you'll get your share of the credit."
"And also..."
She hesitated before adding, "If you need any help with medical ninjutsu, feel free to ask me!"
Shūichi was overjoyed and quickly bowed. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade!"
Tsunade waved him off and then said thoughtfully, "There's already a sealing technique for storing chakra—the Yin Seal, inherited from the Uzumaki clan."
Shūichi chimed in, "Was it passed down by Lady Mito?"
"It was indeed something my grandmother left behind."
Tsunade nodded. "Once I’ve fully mastered it, I'll teach it to you. For now, you can go—I need some quiet time to think about this new technique."
Having received this promise, Shūichi immediately took his leave to find Nonō Yakushi.
Sigh, the hospital director is still the kindest!
...
That evening, as Shūichi Hoshita returned to the orphanage with Nonō Yakushi, he bought two chickens on the way.
Back at the orphanage, he successfully swapped the eyes of the two chickens.
The Delicate Illness Extraction Technique was perfected!
And the chicken soup turned out to be very delicious.
For the next two days, Shūichi rested, spending from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Konoha Hospital with Nonō Yakushi to further familiarize himself with the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique.
Additionally, he practiced from 5 AM each morning, trained with Guy and the others after 4 PM, and continued to seek medical knowledge from Nonō Yakushi in the evenings.
Unfortunately, Kakashi was absent, so Shūichi missed out on a taijutsu showdown with him.
The two days passed quickly, and the team resumed their missions.
Whether it was escorting a merchant convoy, protecting a noble from the Land of Fire, border duty, or exchanging intelligence with other ninja villages or organizations, each mission was at least a C-rank.
Shūichi and his team’s mission experience was rapidly increasing.
Time flew, and it was July before they knew it.
On this day, Minato Namikaze did not bring a new mission but rather three registration forms.
Minato smiled and said, "As your team leader, I’ve recommended you to participate in the Chūnin Exam."
"Finally, we’re about to become a Chūnin!"
Kurama Sanyō was very excited and immediately reached out to take the registration form.
"Eh?"
Sanyō, who was handing the form to Shūichi, suddenly said, "By the way, if Shūichi passes the exam, that means he’ll become a Chūnin at six years old, right?"
Minato and Uchiha Shisui both looked at Shūichi.
Shūichi was momentarily stunned.
His birthday was March 3rd, so by age calculation, he was indeed still six years old.
Kakashi’s birthday was in September, and he wasn’t even six yet!
So, if Shūichi passed, he would be the youngest Chūnin, surpassing Kakashi?
It was a bit thrilling to think about.
But would Kakashi be participating in the Chūnin Exams this year?
As he pondered, the tag tree in his mind started to stir.
Shūichi didn’t check immediately and said, "My birthday is in March, so I’m still six years old. If no one younger than me passes the exam, then I would indeed become a Chūnin at six."
Minato was confident. "With your abilities, it’s definitely not a problem."
Among the three, Shūichi was the youngest, having graduated less than six months ago, but his progress had been rapid, demonstrating full Chūnin-level strength.
"Fill out the registration forms and submit them to the Hokage Tower. The first written test will be in three days, so make sure not to be late."
Minato reminded them.
Shūichi and his team nodded in unison. "Understood!"
(End of Chapter)
