abcnovels
Chapter 69: One Step at a Time (3)
Chapter 69: One Step at a Time (3)
Chapter 69: One Step at a Time (3)
{A/N: Given the number of this chapter... I felt obligated to make the chap longer~ XD}
***
Three years had passed since the conclusion of the war and Orochimaru wanted nothing more than to dive into the 'exciting' stuff since Danzo helped him make things look official. Oh, he was researching for Konoha, yes, but it was a rather simple topic that had made many researchers feel quite miffed. It was to research a new body modification jutsu. Unlike Elemental Jutsu, this needed research, and Orochimaru was quite good at it.
But... despite his excitement, Orochimaru still remembered the wise words of a young boy One step at a time.
Orochimaru's priority right now was to get rid of the ailment caused by the White Snake Sage of the Ryuchi Cave. And... shaking hands with Danzo DID help Orochimaru cut the time of preparations in half. He had already made significant results in one year now that he truly focused on a single thing.
Inside a dimly lit laboratory with one gigantic nutrition chamber filled with pale yellow liquid that gave a soft glow in the darkness, Orochimaru looked at a tiny white snake... slowly, but surely returning to look like an infant. A victorious smile touched Orochimaru's lips and he observed the tank for full half an hour as all the serpentine features dissolved and the infant looked normal, alive.
Turning towards the silent man observing everything from the beginning, Orochimaru's raspy tone grew more pronounced, "I really am interested where you found that specimen that can interact with nature chakra in such a manner."
Danzo replied without looking, "Information, strength, resources... I hold many things. But if you must know, before Root was abolished, my men encountered a mutated beast... but once apprehended after a notable sacrifice, the beast turned into a human. We have been researching it without much progress and the First Hokage's... experience in nature chakra brought us no benefit."
"And you wouldn't know where I can find more of these specimens, right?" Orochimaru smirked.
Danzo silently looked at the man and then gazed back at the infant, making sure that Orochimaru understands that his life was basically in his hands, "You sacrificed 89 infants to save the 90th... I don't suppose Hiruzen will be thrilled about this."
Without losing his composure, Orochimaru chuckled, "Ah, then maybe I should dispose of this one, too... right? We can't be having someone with the ability to somewhat shift into THAT form running around since such a young age."
Danzo snorted.
Their arrangement was clear.
Danzo would fully invest in Orochimaru as long as he provided positive results and Danzo would be the only recipient of any 'success' that the Snake Sannin might have.
"Now... if you would bring me a new nutrition pod," Orochimaru smirked as he felt the mark on his neck throb. It was about time he got rid of this ailment.
The situation had become clear to Orochimaru only after he had researched deeply on the 'specimen' that could interact with nature energy through their bodies and heavily shift their genetic makeup. It was a product of yang nature transformation and nature energy...
Something the chakra coursing through Orochimaru's veins lacked. The White Snake Sage never intended for him to learn that technique.
Like regular chakra... the other forms of chakra that included a mix of nature energy were also composed of a yin and a yang charge. The White Snake Sage was clearly a master in this regard because the chakra it injected into Orochimaru's body was so much filtered with 'hormones' that would be considered the 'yin' of gender duality that it had become poison for Orochimaru in a matter of days!
But... now that Orochimaru knew what was the problem, he wasn't about to stop. He could shift the situation by fully extracting this chakra and utilizing it to form seals made of the specimen's genetic compound but...
One step at a time. The former would not only rid Orochimaru of the technique he wanted to learn the most but also make the stock of nature energy useless for a while.
He wanted to accept and train this 'gift' by the White Snake Sage. Orochimaru wasn't the least bit scared of the snake. If beasts like the Kyubi can be sealed then the sage was one lucky seal away to be thoroughly fucked.
And... even if there was only ONE way to accept this chakra that thoroughly screwed his body's reaction, Orochimaru was eager nonetheless.
{A/N: Nobody is ready for the... perfect of the Sannin XD}
---
"Hey... Kai-chan..." Kushina's somewhat stifled voice echoed in the room as she wiggled against him in an effort to move but it only made... things harder as even the tip of her ears grew red and hot, "It's... poking..."
"Hmm? Then let it..." Kai drawled lazily, noting that it was only six in the morning, and slept with Nono spooning him from behind, too. Clearly, Kai would be the bigged spoon out of the three... but once Kushina saw him hugging Nono while they slept, she wanted her fair share of her Guardian... and that she shall have. A hefty share, that is.
Kushina let out an embarrassed huff and closed her eyes... but she couldn't sleep now. It's not like she'd been spooned for the first time. Once she got a taste of it, she wanted it every day. It was super comfortable to have his arms wrapped around her but sometimes... she would still wake up due to what Kai would call 'Big Cinnamon.'
Sitting up, Kushina glared at the tent pitched in his pajamas pointedly and found him still sleeping.
Pouting, she prodded his cheek with her index finger, "Hey... Kai-chan..."
"Hmm, what is it?" Kai opened his eyes somewhat lazily and groaned.
"Um... are you really going out with Mikoto tonight?"
"Hmm? Oh, that new play? Of course," Kai yawned and sat up. He may usually smack the redhead around but he held a great deal of affection for her. After all, the sheer ruckus she created during the time he was deployed in war made him feel wanted and that is a feeling just beneath the sensation of trolling others.
"What is it?" He inquired as Kushina pouted and averted her gaze... and she mumbled, "You're... spending so much time with others... I was thinking now that I have learned a lot from my inheritance... maybe I could start tutoring you again..."
Kai's gaze glinted.
Shadow Clones were a game-changer but even then, he was struggling to learn the last remaining legacy skills of the Senju Clan. It could be said that he had utilized these three years in a manner so fruitful that... well, in layman's terms, he could throw hands with the elite of the Jonin Ranks.
Learning a higher level of fuinjutsu would most definitely be welcomed.
"Sure," Kai grinned, "We can start after from tomorrow. I'll leave a shadow clone with you."
"No!" Kushina scoffed, "I mean..." her hands nervously clutched the blanket she had wrestled away from Nono and Kai as she exhaled sharply. But Kai's smile only grew wider as he knowingly took joy in the redhead's dilemma.
He hadn't cut off any connection these past three years, after all. If anything, Kai had a remarkable sight and knew how... well his teammates would grow. And as a man who loved to take one step at a time... sometimes multiple ones at once, Kai began laying down the foundation.
He wanted women, lots of them and he was shameless enough to even brag about it. After all... today, his life will change completely. He had put off his promotion for so long that even Hiruzen got the hint that the boy wasn't interested in being a shadow.
"I... I thought maybe we could train... like we used to... dattebane..." Kushina hung her head low.
But a charm of this level would NOT work. Heck, he was the younger one and the better one, if Kushina wanted something, she would have to ask for it.
"Oh, sure, I can train with you... hmm, let's see, today I'll be meeting with the Hokage, you know, becoming the youngest Jonin and all. I'd probably be removed from Team Tsunade or be made leader of the team. Tonight isn't possible, too, I have a date with Mikoto... hmm, well she doesn't want to call it a date. And tomorrow, I'll be training with Tsume. She wants a target practice for her new Jutsu but we both know it'd end with me being slobbered by Kuromaru... and Tsume. Ah, day after tomorrow, I"
Kushina's mood got increasingly worse as her pout flared higher and higher. Now... it wasn't advisable to anger the 'monster fox' as others had started calling Kushina as for how the information of her being a Jinchuriki was leaked, it was yet to be investigated fully. But... Kai knew better and loved teasing the tomato.
"I hate you!" Kushina snapped and slumped back on the bed, curling and hugging the blanket while turning away from Kai as Nono, still somewhat sleepily, gestured for Kai to just make her stop screaming.
Rolling his eyes at the voyeur who was most certainly acting sleepily, Kai leaned against the bed and cleared his throat, "If you do want to train with me... why don't we do it this weekend?"
"I don't want to..." Kushina grumbled, "I want to train tonight... or tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow."
It was clear what she meant as Kai scoffed.
"Nah, then forget it." He shrugged and lay back down. What was he to do when Kushina got the first of her temper tantrum of the day?
Snarling like a puppy, Kushina turned to face him and hissed, "Why won't you just spend more time with me?!"
"I sleep with you like 6 hours a day," Kai retorted.
"There's Nono, too," Kushina sharply retorted, not minding that the brunette had lazily covered her ears with a pillow and had turned to the other side.
"So?" Kai raised his brows, "If I am to have multiple women, I need to meet multiple women, right?"
Kushina sat up once again with a furious expression, "That's just wrong!"
"Nah, that's what mediocre think," Kai smirked, "It's no different than loyalty seals of clans, or the fact that anyone marrying out of the clan must forsake all economical inheritance from the clan itself, or the fact civilian nobility having harems. If they can, I can, too," he sat up, not minding the judgmental gaze Kushina shot him.
"How would that even work?" Kushina scoffed. She had grown noticeably when she crossed her arms, her breasts notably pushed up from under her pajamas.
"How would what work?" Kai inquired with a curious expression.
Huffing, and annoyed, Kushina blurted, "Well, who would this stupid dream of your work, stupid Kai-chan! I don't like it when you are with other girls so I certainly won't like that you have this harem or whatever nonsense you spout dattebane!"
Nono opened her eyes and slowly removed the pillow while looking at the redhead who was still keeping her arms crossed while Kai, too, looked at Kushina with equal parts of incredulity and amusement.
Sensing something strange, Kushina frowned, "What?"
Kai and Nono continued to stare at her until... she was forced to recall what she just said and her expression froze. Anger was thrown out and her face turned beet red while her lips quivered, "N-no... I meant... I..." Kushina's breathing turned rapid as this moment of weakness made both Kai and Nono smirk with amusement much to her chagrin and she hissed, "He's just my Guardian... that's what I meant... and he is so young! I want him to focus on his training, yes!"
Kai broke apart Kushina's entire argument, "We're shinobi so that knowledge was taught to me when I was 4. And I always train. More than any of you combined. Finally... you're damn right I'm your guardian~ Now, come to your honest Guardian. Let this strong and genius one protect you from the woes of this world and lead you to womanhood~!"
Kushina blushed harder as Kai, way larger than her despite his age, pulled her into a hug and hummed a happy tone, "Oh, but I'm still going on that date with Mikoto though. She needs my guidance to step into womanhood, too."
And Nono sighed, lying back down because she knew nothing 'spicy' would happen anymore and as she expected, Kushina instantly snapped and pinned the humongous boy down on the bed with angered gibberish escaping her lips while her mind was out of focus due to the... bulge she felt press against herself.
---
"Are you sure about this?" Hiruzen questioned Tsunade. Of course, the final decision lay in his own hands but he felt that keeping a cordial relationship with the one disciple that was in the village and showed up was quite important for him. Only Kai and Tsunade were present in his office and given the familiar faces, Hiruzen continued to suck the life out of his pipe to unwind himself since he hadn't slept for two days now.
Or... rookie numbers, as Kai would say.
The Hokage thoughtfully spoke, "As much as I would love for Kai-kun to join the Anbu, for the last three years, Team Tsunade has never missed a day of D-rank mission, including today. Almost the entire village knows you."
Tsunade shook her head in annoyance while Kai remained the picture of obedience and determination... only serving to aggravate Tsunade more. Why couldn't he just act as quietly and sweetly around her or the team?
"But it is also because of this reason that I cannot just promote you as a Jonin. As you are now, there are several interests forming around you, and when things are this... open, I simply cannot forgo certain formalities. Your skills in Genjutsu, Taijutsu, and Ninjutsu needn't be checked. For that, I can act as the assuring figure but Jonins are expected to lead. Kai-kun, once you become a Jonin, you may not be a part of Team Tsunade, too."
Kai nodded about time he raised his own request, "May I request something?"
Tsunade was well-aware of what Kai wanted. And she, for certain reasons, approved of it. Meanwhile, Hiruzen looked at the clearest candidate that will once take the seat of power and nodded.
"If I am tested and successfully promoted to the ranks of Jonin, I wish to only have a team of one other shinobi."
Hiruzen frowned. The three-man cell is to protect the team itself and also make sure that the chances of spies are reduced. After all, if most shinobi are sent out alone, the notion of betrayal can be quite tantalizing. So... Hiruzen had to consider this seriously. Even if Kai gave no reason to have the trust he established questioned, it wouldn't be too safe for him.
But humoring Kai, Hiruzen inquired calmly, "And do have any shinobi in your mind that you wish to team up with?"
"Well, since Kushina cannot simply leave the village due to tensions still running high, I wished for Mikoto Uchiha to support me. She has experience as an iryo-nin but she has also passed the further screening tests that permit her to participate in any battle. This would also free up Sensei with her other works." Kai remarked.
The major project for Tsunade these past three years, aside from investigating who had been aiming for the Senju Clan, was the research on Rinnegan.
And while she was running around circles in the former, she had admirable results in the latter.
And researching a dojutsu for the first time had given some damning... theories. Not to mention, since Kai knew about Rinnegan and he did have a lot of medical knowledge under her, he was the sole assistant, or rather, his shadow clones.
So, if this worked, Tsunade would be free to research the eyes. Although a bit frustrating, she was beginning to lose hope in ever catching the bastard acting against her clan, but... this is where Kai proposed a rather unorthodox idea which she may have never agreed to if he wasn't her Legacy Guardian.
Hiruzen grew a bit more thoughtful. Things won't change that much this way. Because of Kai, Tsunade rarely had to act herself and his team work with Mikoto was quite compelling to keep her as Kai's chunin subordinate SHOULD he pass. But, Hiruzen still wasn't approving of the idea and he made it known, "While I may be willing to disband Team Tsunade given the circumstances, three-man cell pattern of teams will not be changed. In the last few years, many things have changed, and indeed, Kushina-kun cannot leave the village due to her conditions."
Taking Hiruzen by surprise, Kai smiled innocuously, "Oh, right, about Kushina... others are badgering her a little too much for my comfort, calling her Demon Fox, Redheaded Slaughterer, and whatnot, do you know what's going on or who leaked the news about her being the Jinchuriki to the whole village?"
While a few that knew Kushina did not partake in these customs, it had become somewhat annoying. So, when Hiruzen sighed and shook his head, Kai was more than pissed internally because he only sensed one thing from the old man who wanted to keep the village together in his own way.
"No, Kai-kun. It seems like many things are happening in the village and this issue has been on my mind. I have yet to locate the source of these rumors but rest assured, I don't intend to let Kushina-kun suffer."
"Oh," Kai chuckled, "It's not that... I just have to pay a lot more for hospital bills under the Senju name since Kushina would beat anyone who actually steps out of the line... sigh, Sensei is a little pissed at me for that..."
Tsunade's eyelids twitched. She had always wantonly spent her clan's wealth but she tasted her own medicine when Kai did the same... with HER wealth.
Still, one thing was clear to Kai... for whatever reason, Danzo wanted Senju gone, and again, for some incomprehensible reason, Hiruzen was aware of the source of rumors but let it stew around Kushina. Damn, now who would dare invade the patent of annoying the red tomato that he held?
Anyway, while Kai's request was denied, it was suggested that he would lead Team Tsunade instead... which was the same thing as he asked so kudos to Hiruzen for keeping the guy that mattered happy. His test, however, was as simple as apprehending the Team led by a Jonin named Hiashi Hyuga.
The dude was Hizashi's Twin Older brother and it was said that the Hyuga had volunteered himself as a sacrif proctor. However, there were not many things Hiashi could do when Kai... used a technique formed by Lord Second... especially against Hyuga Clan users...
Like, what the hell? Did the Second Hokage have beef with every clan?
While the Hyuga can see through most genjutsu... it was still susceptible to it, especially a jutsu geared to not take the sight away but what it was used for.
[Infinity Darkness (20/20)]
[Mind Reader (25/25)]
[The Hold of Reaper (30/30)]
[Nightmare Realm (50/50)]
Infinity Darkness made every user feel like they were at the bottom of the ocean and cannot see anything. It affected sight, sound, and touch through a sense of pressure. Mind Reader was a jutsu used to interrogate enemies and extract information. The Hold of Reaper was a special genjutsu that shifted the perception of time and thus, was classified as an A-rank jutsu. Nightmare Realm took this to another level and made a second feel like days if not years and utilized a drastic amount of chakra. It also happened to be the only S-ranked Genjutsu in his arsenal!
And just like that, the three years of grind came to an end with the result of him being a Jonin, a Hyuga planted into the ground, and his other mastery being
[Yin Nature Transformation (50/50): Convert chakra extended out of the body into the Spiritual element of yin. Increases the mastery of yin stat by 0.4 at every level. Reduces chakra wastage by 0.06 at every level.]
[Yang Nature Transformation (50/50): Convert chakra extended out of the body into the physical element of Yang. Increases the mastery of yang stat by 0.4 at every level. Reduces chakra wastage by 0.06 at every level.]
[Wind Chakra Flow Technique (15/15)]
[Earth Chakra Flow Technique (15/15)]
[Water Chakra Flow Technique (15/15)]
[Chakra Transfer Technique (30/30)]
[Summoning Contract Technique (10/10)]
[Last Will of Fire Seal (5/5): A sealing jutsu that restricts the spread of predetermined information directly from the mind. Reduces chakra consumption by 10 at every level. Increase the speed of formation of this seal by 10 at every level. Current Consumption: 770]
[Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullets (10/10)]
[Earth Release: Cave of Death (15/15)]
[Earth Release: Solid Tengu (40/40)]
[Water Release: Heavenly Weeping (25/25)]
[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullets (10/10)]
[Water Release: Water Severing Waves (15/15)]
[Water Release: Water Prison (20/20)]
[Wind Release: Vacuum Wave (25/25)]
[Wind Release Cloak of Madness (5/5): Flows the Wind Nature Chakra through the user's body and creates a cloak of sharp cutting wind that is susceptible to flame release jutsu. The wind acts as armor and attack at close range. Chakra Consumption is reduced by 10 at every level. Current Consumption: 1800/sec.]
Unlike Lightning Cloak Technique that actually raised Kai's strength, this cloak technique was pure ninjutsu as it created wind around him to attack and defend. But there was no reason to believe that other elements COULDN'T be used similar to Lightning Cloak.
[Wind Release: Vacuum Prison (15/15)]
[Wind Release: Vacuum Point (25/25)]
[Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullets (10/10)]
[Yin Release: The Spy Eye (20/20)]
[Yang Release: Tobirama Style Temporary Sterilization (5/5)]
[Title Earned.]
[Konoha Jonin]
Kai did not even look at the number of element Jutsu... that just had a different name but the same functions. Instead, he proudly looked at the fruit of his labor as noted by
[Name: Kai
Age: 10
Title: Senju Legacy Guardian
Gamer Traits: Skill Tree; Sleepless Gamer
Rank: Jonin
Hit Points: 100
Stamina: 100/100 (30.1/min)
Chakra: 97895 (9432 27970+250) || (1260/min) (360+250%/min)
Physique: 233 306/1000
Mental: 252 377/1000
Perception: 186 246/1000
Water: 21/100
Wind: 20.3/100
Fire: 20.3/100
Earth: 20.6/100
Lightning: 20.2/100
Yin: 22.3/100
Yang: 20.8/100]
[Skill points: 3953]
[Reduction of Chakra Wastage: 86]
But... the grind doesn't stop. Kai still had to master the [Special] Legacy Skills. It wouldn't do him good to feel arrogant by beating one Hyuga... no, he would rather give his emotions enough validation by feeling arrogant only when he defeats someone like Sakumo... or Hanzo...
Or Danzo.
But the latter was more about silently eyeing his genius booty out of envy and fear.
***
A/N: Huff, alright, I feel that I can slow down the pace now. Although he is only ten, he's built like 16 and has a mind of a sagely pervert. Moreover, now that we are over basic elements, I can finally focus on the juicier bits and that includes Kekkei Genkai, too~
By the way, if you are feeling a little overwhelmed by how much he had grind in the past three years, don't worry, I am, too.
But I couldn't nerf the character out of a sudden just because I thought Kai was getting too strong. His charm lies in his strength and he cannot hope to have a harem by being a weak runt. He needs to show THEM who's eyeing them A Maid in Troll.
Anyway, this was largely inevitable because of a broken skill like Shadow Clone Jutsu...
and if you're wondering why there isn't multi-shadow clone jutsu... it's because they are the SAME thing except for quantity. The trait will not register that.
***
Tomorrow may not have a chap cause it's my birthday and the day after tomorrow is sunday when I take a break from writing entirely so see you monday~!
***
Shoutout to PetroPan and The Real Cacto!!
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