radicalducati Chapters 64-65 follow, with plans to take on apprentices.
Chapters 64-65 follow, with plans to take on apprentices.
Kushina was thinking of Minato, who was currently traveling through the Land of Rain with Jiraiya on an intelligence gathering mission.
Although Iwagakure chose the Kusanagi route for their last surprise attack, Konoha, as the defender, must be on full alert and guard against any feints or diversions by the enemy.
To this end, the two carefully investigated the signs of Iwagakure's activities in the three provinces of Kusaka, Taki, and Amegakure, and assessed whether each village might have sided with Iwagakure.
In addition to intelligence gathering, Jiraiya also had Minato secretly set up multiple Flying Thunder God Techniques within the Three Kingdoms.
Once war breaks out, these tactics could very well become key to mobile strikes.
This mission is not high-risk, but it is wide-ranging and time-sensitive.
Although Jiraiya tried to keep track of Yahiko and the other two in the Land of Rain, he ultimately found nothing.
After the Second Shinobi World War, Jiraiya was away from home for many years, but he always maintained contact with Konoha through the communication frogs of Mount Myōboku.
When the liaison frog sent a message, Jiraiya frowned slightly and remained silent in thought.
Hiruzen-sensei ordered Minato to return to the village immediately and also sent him to the border troops to stand by, in case Iwagakure launches another surprise attack.
Although he didn't explicitly state the reason for recalling Minato, he had already guessed most of it.
After finding Minato, who was conducting a scattered investigation, Jiraiya relayed the instructions and shared his speculations.
The intelligence gathering in the Land of Rain was nearing completion, and the two decided to set off immediately.
Jiraiya went to the border to be stationed, while Minato embarked on his journey home alone.
……
Tsunade, after all, was a ninja who had experienced life and death, and she quickly suppressed her grief.
However, after the grief, a sense of guilt spread through her heart—she had shown far too little care for her grandmother over the years.
She was once busy with missions and wars, but was later devastated by the deaths of Rope Tree and Broken Tree. She became a drunkard and decadent person, and even repeatedly failed to live up to her grandmother's caring advice.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but clench her fists, her knuckles turning slightly white.
If she hadn't met Qian Shuo, she might still be trapped in that shadow, unable to escape.
Although Kushina was saddened by Mito Uzumaki's decision, the fact that she was about to become the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki felt like a covetous beast staring intently at her, filling her with fear and unease.
In the face of this situation, any empty words of comfort seem pale and powerless.
Xingyuan Qianshuo sighed softly, reached out and patted Tsunade's shoulder, suggesting that she use training to transform her emotions—since Uzumaki Mito was willing to sacrifice herself to protect Konoha, they, the younger generation, should not wallow in grief.
Perhaps only through arduous self-cultivation can one release this burden.
After the afternoon training session, Hoshino Senju did not stay for dinner, leaving Tsunade and Kushina to accompany Mito Uzumaki.
The following Friday, Tsunade did not come to work at the hospital.
Xingyuan Qianshuo did not hesitate and decided to have his shadow clone take over the clinic while his main body went to accompany him.
He's not like Naruto in Boruto, who became the Seventh Hokage and used countless shadow clones to keep busy with official duties, while his real body still couldn't find time to celebrate his daughter's birthday.
After a night, Tsunade and Kushina's emotions had calmed down considerably.
Mito Uzumaki, unwilling to see them grieving around her, sent them away to train.
They could only devote their minds to diligent cultivation.
However, the training, which should have focused on sealing techniques, has now shifted more towards the Rasengan—a ninjutsu that allows for better emotional release.
In the morning, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the Senju residence.
Upon seeing this teacher, Tsunade's gaze turned cold, her face suddenly darkened, and she turned and left.
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched her retreating figure, shook his head with a complex expression, and sighed deeply.
He went to visit Mito Uzumaki, and the two talked for more than an hour.
When he succeeded the Third Hokage, it was Tobirama's dying wish, but his position was not initially secure.
It was thanks to Lord Mito's strong support that he was able to maintain the internal and external situation of Konoha.
Around 11 o'clock, Shuimen returned to the village.
He first went to the Hokage Building to report the information and learned from the Third Hokage the reason for his recall—just as Jiraiya had predicted, the handover of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was about to begin.
Worried about Kushina, Minato rushed to the Senju residence and found the three of them training.
When Kushina's gaze fell upon Minato, she could no longer see anyone else.
Her eyes reddened, her voice choked with sobs, and she forgot about Tsunade and Chisaku on the sidelines. She ran and rushed into Minato's arms, embracing him tightly as if she were holding the whole world in her arms.
My anxious heart has finally settled down.
After a long while, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she reluctantly let go.
After Tsunade and Hoshino Senju greeted Minato, they paused their training, leaving the space to the reunited lovers.
Time slips away quietly amidst companionship and self-cultivation.
The following Saturday, Tsunade returned to the hospital to resume her work and studies.
Xingyuan Qianshuo saw the forty-three familiar faces from the medical specialty class again—although one of them was redundant.
He glanced indifferently at Obito Uchiha, who had taken the initiative to sit in the last row, without saying anything more.
After greeting the students, he checked their progress on the three tasks: tree climbing, ink separation, and treading water.
It's reasonable that everyone passed the tree-climbing project, since only two people were left who hadn't finished last week.
To everyone's delight, the water-treading activity that we just learned last week has been mastered by everyone, which is something to celebrate.
There are still more than a dozen people who have not mastered the ink separation project.
These students may have limited talent in medical ninjutsu, but Hoshino Senju still focuses on encouragement.
After all, they are only medical students and may not necessarily become medical ninjas in the future.
The training and practice at this stage will be of great benefit even if it leads to becoming an ordinary ninja.
He then conducted a simple written test to assess the students' grasp of medical knowledge.
"Very good, everyone worked very hard." Xingyuan Qianshuo smiled approvingly. "Today is the fourth training session, and the second to last one of my courses. After one more training session next Saturday, other teachers will take over the remaining courses."
"what?"
"How could that be?"
"Teacher Qian Shuo, are you not going to teach us anymore?"...
A chorus of surprise and reluctance filled the classroom.
Xingyuan Qianshuo raised his hand and explained gently, "The medical specialty training will last for six months until you graduate, with four classes every Saturday morning. We have arranged a total of 80 classes, with four medical ninjas each responsible for 20 classes."
"Although I will no longer be the main lecturer, I will still serve as the class teacher. If you have any questions about medical knowledge, you can come to Konoha Hospital to find me at any time."
"The subsequent instructors are also excellent medical ninjas. I hope everyone will maintain their enthusiasm for learning and truly make the knowledge their own."
The chakra rewards for each training session are now dispensable to him; he looks forward to whether there will be a more generous reward at the end of the training or the end of the phase.
"The formal lesson will now begin. This lesson will cover the 'Chakra Meridian Repair Method.' Chakra is the foundation for a ninja to perform all techniques, while the meridian system is the root of a ninja's power. Once damaged, it can hinder the performance of techniques at best, and end a ninja's career at worst."
……
"That concludes our discussion of the Chakra Meridian Repair Method. For now, you only need to grasp the theory; instructors will provide practical guidance later."
After finishing his explanation, Xingyuan Qianshuo estimated that there were still more than ten minutes left, and continued, "In the next training session, we will teach 'Chakra Acupuncture'—using chakra to stimulate the body's meridians, acupoints, or nervous system. The former can regulate the flow of chakra, while the latter can paralyze local areas of the body."
"Chakra acupuncture can use specially made fine metal needles, but these needles are extremely rare. Usually, medical ninjas perform the procedure by releasing chakra through acupoints on their fingertips."
After saying that, he took out a piece of white paper and showed it to the students. Then he turned to the side, held the paper in his left hand, and with his right index and middle fingers together, he made a stroke in the air about five or six centimeters away from the paper.
Chi~!
The paper snapped in two, and the bottom half drifted away silently.
He turned his body and demonstrated once to students in different directions, his gaze sweeping across the entire room as he explained, "This is a technique for releasing sharp chakra through the fingertips, and it is also a training in chakra control."
"A chakra is released from each of the index and middle fingers, converging into a sharp point, and then compressed to a sharp state through precise control."
Xingyuan Qianshuo drew a shape of chakra converging on the blackboard and solemnly reminded, "You can try it after class, but please be careful and never point it at yourself or others."
Hyuga Tetsuo, seated in the seat, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, a knowing glint in his eyes—this was a chakra manipulation technique commonly used by the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist style.
Gentle Fist involves injecting chakra into the enemy's body, damaging their meridians and internal organs, but it requires the Byakugan to unleash its maximum power.
The chakra needles taught by Xingyuan Qianshuo are only suitable for slow-speed operations in medicine.
In high-speed combat, it is difficult to accurately hit acupoints, and once the attack is ineffective, the enemy can counterattack at any time.
Of course, he had already mastered the tracking chakra needles, which could be controlled remotely and were more powerful, so he naturally did not need to rely on these fine needles in actual combat.
After the demonstration, the students were in high spirits, and many tore off pieces of paper to imitate releasing chakra with their fingers together, but no one succeeded.
"Chakra needs to flow steadily to the fingertips and be released continuously. The key is to maintain and control it—first compress it to the point of being able to touch an object, and then pursue sharpness." Seeing that everyone was not getting the point, Xingyuan Qianshuo shook his head slightly and emphasized.
Chakra usually needs to be transformed through nature transformation to demonstrate its power.
If you want to cause damage simply by changing the shape, the first thing you need to do is to make it a physical object.
With get out of class nearing its end, he stopped the students who were practicing: "Mastering chakra needles is not something that can be achieved in a day. There's no need to rush. Just practice whenever you have free time each day. get out of class dismissed."
After class, Xingyuan Qianshuo took a detour to buy lunch and dessert.
During the journey, he glanced at the system notification casually, then closed it, not bothering to look at it any longer.
[You have completed the fourth training course of the Medical Specialty Class, with an S rating. Reward: Chakra +500]
……
After lunch, Tsunade still had her eyes downcast and seemed listless.
Hoshino Senju recalled a thought that had flashed through his mind during the morning break, moved closer, and whispered, "Tsunade, what do you think about me taking Shizune as my apprentice?"
He had long planned to take on apprentices and expected to receive good system rewards.
However, a ninja taking on apprentices is not something that can be done casually.
In the ninja world, the master-disciple relationship is of paramount importance. The Hokage personally appoints the Jonin who guides the ninjas in Konoha, demonstrating the significant power this relationship wields.
In extreme cases, if someone were to take on numerous disciples and teach ninjutsu within a village—even if it was a self-created technique—it would be seen as forming cliques and would inevitably be feared by all clans.
He originally planned to apply to the Third Hokage to become a Jonin instructor after this group of medical specialty students graduated, and then formally take on apprentices.
However, the plan could not keep up with the changes.
After falling in love with Tsunade, Shizune's situation as Dan Kato's niece became delicate, which is why she brought it up earlier.
"Yes, that's fine." Tsunade looked up at him, her gaze softening slightly. After a moment's thought, she nodded. "Thank you, Chisaku."
"Shizune's medical talent is quite good, second only to Nohara Rin," Hoshino Senju continued. "Why don't you consider taking her as a disciple? Nohara Rin's chakra control is excellent; perhaps she can inherit your mantle."
"Taking on disciples?" Tsunade frowned subconsciously, her fingertips tapping the table unconsciously.
In the past, she would have definitely refused outright.
But now that his mindset has improved, perhaps taking on a disciple to pass on his medical skills would be a good choice.
Xingyuan Qianshuo always kept the side quest "Cure Tsunade's hemophobia" in mind.
Although the situation is improving, psychological problems cannot be solved overnight.
In the original story, it took Tsunade more than twenty years to gradually alleviate her symptoms, and she eventually overcame them completely thanks to Naruto's protagonist aura.
Her "hemophobia" stemmed from two sources: first, the shock of witnessing Kato Dan's death; and second, the guilt and even self-doubt stemming from her inability to save her lover despite being a medical ninja.
In the former case, Hoshino Senju has gradually replaced Kato Dan as his new lover, but he has yet to prove that he possesses the tenacity of "immortality".
The latter would require Tsunade to improve her medical ninjutsu, ideally developing the "Hundred Healings Technique".
Before that, guiding her to pursue a career in medicine and taking on apprentices to teach her medical skills might have improved the situation.
Seeing that Tsunade was still hesitating, Hoshino Senju used his "betting tactic," a smile playing on his lips: "How about we see whose disciple improves faster?"
"Oh?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued. "Tell me about it."
"Let Shizune and Nohara Rin compete in three areas—medical ninjutsu, practical combat, and theory—over a year. Best two out of three," Hoshigen Chisaku suggested.
Although Nohara Rin is more talented, he has the blessing of "benevolence inheritance", so the outcome is still uncertain.
"A year? I'm afraid you won't learn anything by then?" Tsunade tilted her head, unusually not asking about the stakes directly.
"Indeed. Then let's compare them once a year and once every three years."
"Okay, what's the stake?" She leaned forward slightly, her eyes shining.
"If I lose, for the next two years, I'll spend one month each year traveling with you through the ninja world. Whether we see the scenery or go to the casinos, it's up to you."
"Oh dear~ Going to the casino requires capital." Tsunade pursed her red lips, her eyes sparkling, and drew out her words.
"Ahem... I still need to save up those twenty million taels over twenty years. I can only cover your food and lodging."
Xingyuan Qianshuo was taken aback by her words, and helplessly rubbed his forehead, beginning to doubt whether this bet was wise.
Will my family end up with a mountain of debt in the future? Should I learn from Jiraiya and write romance novels to earn some royalties?
"Tch~" Tsunade curled her lip and rolled her eyes at him.
"You're the future queen of Las Vegas, so believe in your luck. You might just win a fortune." Xingyuan Qianshuo said these insincere words with a sincere look in his eyes, trying hard to maintain his composure.
"That's right! I'm sure I can win every casino in the world!" Tsunade declared confidently, hands on her hips, completely oblivious to her own limitations.
Xingyuan Qianshuo took a deep breath, used his immense power to suppress the corners of his mouth that were about to turn up, and nodded vigorously in agreement.
Whether Tsunade can win money remains to be seen, but he believes he might gain something—simply by transforming into a shadow clone and placing a bet in the opposite direction.
She can at least earn back most of the money she lost.
He then lent her the money he won at high interest rates... When she returned from her travels, he would be her creditor, and his status would rise instantly.
"Alright, if you lose, what's the stake?" He interrupted her reverie at the right moment, bringing the topic back on track.
"If I lose..." Tsunade's eyes darted around, and she came up with an idea. "I'll grant you one request."
Before he could think it through, Tsunade quickly added, with a hint of smugness: "The value you demand must not exceed one million taels. And even if I lose, you will still have to accompany me on my trip."
No wonder he's a professional gambler; he's got a shrewd plan.
She would demand a free lunch, with the value of the demands set by her, while he would have to cover all expenses, including food, lodging, and company, regardless of whether he won or lost.
Xingyuan Qianshuo quickly calculated in his mind, his gaze unconsciously lingering on her chest for a moment before replying, "Okay, it's a deal."
He was confident that his relationship with Tsunade would soon make a breakthrough, but some "projects" were quite difficult.
Each additional requirement adds another bargaining chip.
The one-year bet is set, while the three-year bet will be discussed next year.
Thus, Shizune and Rin Nohara, completely unaware of what was happening, became the tools for the two to playfully flirt.