The deeper mark must be from the Chakra Needle technique.
The shallower one… could it be from the Chakra Threads?
And the short one—probably from the soldier pill.
The varying depths must indicate the influence of these techniques. It seemed that spreading wisdom and knowledge was what nourished the Bodhi Seed, allowing it to grow and develop. The two grooves on its surface were proof of that.
Kai let out a sigh of relief.
Now that he understood the pattern, his path ahead became much clearer.
He began to analyze the two techniques he had shared so far. From a ninjutsu standpoint, the Chakra Needle had huge potential, but it was correspondingly difficult to master—an A+ rank technique would deter most ninjas. Even if simplified, it would still remain at least A-rank.
On the other hand, the Chakra Threads were less impactful but far easier to learn. Controlling ninja tools or puppets using chakra was something that Sunagakure had long perfected, so it wasn't exactly groundbreaking. However, this also meant it was relatively simple to learn and had the potential for widespread adoption.
"Based on this analysis, the technique that is more suitable for large-scale promotion is the Chakra Threads," Kai mused. "But how many more patterns will it take before the Bodhi Seed evolves again?"
Kai was keenly aware that both taijutsu and ninjutsu had their limits. Even if he were to one day master sage arts, facing enemies like Madara or Kaguya Ōtsutsuki would still be extremely difficult. His real security would come from the Bodhi Seed he had brought with him when he crossed into this world.
"Let's start with the Chakra Threads—they're easy to learn," he decided.
Whether it was controlling tools or puppets, Sunagakure had already set a high standard. Konoha, on the other hand, had done little in this area. While the higher-ranked jonin might not care for it, ninjas below that level would certainly appreciate a new technique like this.
After thinking it over for a while, Kai had his next goal in mind.
"Good thing I don't have to attend classes anymore. Otherwise, even I wouldn't be able to handle all of this at once," Kai sighed quietly.
He couldn't neglect his taijutsu training, and there was still much to learn about medical ninjutsu. Despite his progress, he was barely a beginner in that field—or at least, that's how he saw it. And then there was the matter of studying puppet techniques.
Busy! So busy!
Kai stood up and stretched, flexing his muscles a little. He had hoped that the Bodhi Seed's two grooves might have brought him some physical benefits, but after checking himself over, there didn't seem to be any noticeable changes. As for his mental state, he felt refreshed upon waking, but it was hard to tell if there had been any real improvement.
The mind was a mysterious thing. In Konoha, the Yamanaka Clan were the foremost experts in mental techniques, but their methods were secret, and Konoha's archives didn't contain much information on the subject.
I'll check my chakra reserves later; maybe I'll notice something then.
For now, he wasn't too worried. Using up all his chakra, like he had the day before, was a rare occurrence. In his usual routine, he had more than enough chakra to get by.
"Heh, you're awake?"
Huh?
Kai was startled. That voice… why was he here?
"Lord Hokage."
"Ah, I just came to check on you," the Third Hokage said, clearing his throat. "The boy from the Nara Clan you saved is out of danger now. I came by the hospital to check on him with Shikaku and thought I'd stop by to see if you were awake."
Kai turned and saw another figure standing behind the Third Hokage. As the Hokage finished speaking, Shikaku Nara stepped forward and said, "If it wasn't for you, Shihui wouldn't have been able to continue as a ninja. The Nara Clan is deeply grateful."
"There's no need for that, Lord Shikaku. I just did what I could," Kai responded quickly.
Shikaku, however, remained solemn, bowing deeply to Kai before turning to the Hokage and nodding. "Lord Hokage, I'll go check on Shihui now."
"Go ahead," the Hokage replied with a nod.
As Kai watched Shikaku leave, a strange thought occurred to him. Surely, they had already seen Nara Shihui, right? Which meant…
The Third Hokage wanted to speak to him alone?
Kai mulled this over before asking, "Lord Hokage, was the Chūnin we rescued able to recover?"
"Barely," the Third Hokage replied, smiling. "We managed to save his hand, though his taijutsu will be affected. Luckily, being a member of the Nara Clan, he doesn't rely heavily on taijutsu. He'll still be able to continue as a ninja."
"That's a relief," Kai sighed.
At least he made it, Kai thought. The real-life power of explosive tags had proven to be no joke. Not even someone like Nawaki could withstand one, and even an elite Chūnin was badly injured by them.
"Hanfang told me your technique was invaluable during the surgery. The fact that we succeeded in saving him was largely due to your ninjutsu. The village won't let that go unrewarded," the Hokage continued. "What would you like in return?"
"I've heard you have quite the collection of books. I'd like to borrow a few," Kai said, getting straight to the point.
He'd had his eye on the Hokage's personal library for some time now. Previously, he had asked Might Guy to pass a message along, hoping to build a connection to the Third Hokage. Now that the opportunity had finally come, he wasn't going to let it slip away.
There was no need to hide his request—it would only seem suspicious if he did.
The Third Hokage's face lit up with a warm smile. "Of course. You're welcome to come to the Hokage's office anytime to read. I also have some scrolls on ninjutsu, including techniques that focus on chakra nature transformation. Even if you're not naturally talented in that area, persistence and effort will help you improve."
"Thank you for your guidance," Kai replied respectfully.
The Hokage meant well, but Kai knew the real reason he struggled with ninjutsu wasn't due to his talent. It had more to do with the mysterious Bodhi Seed in his mind. He still didn't fully understand it, but hopefully, he'd find answers in the future.
Nonetheless, the Hokage was right. Even if he couldn't master chakra nature transformation, there were plenty of ninjutsu that could be adapted in creative ways. And in any case, he was determined to dive into the Third Hokage's books!
"If you run into anything you don't understand while studying, feel free to come by my office. Don't be shy. Though I may be getting on in years, I still remember a few things," the Hokage added with a chuckle.
After a few more words, the Hokage left, leaving Kai with a strange feeling.
Was it possible that… the Third Hokage was taking an interest in him?
Kai thought about it for a moment but ultimately shrugged it off. His talent was rare, especially in recent years, so it made sense that the Hokage would be keeping an eye on him.
After a bit of contemplation, Kai decided not to overthink it. He had more important things to focus on.
"After lying in bed all day, I'm done with books for now. I need a proper rest. After I eat, I'll go for a run," Kai muttered to himself.
It was midday, and he figured he could grab a meal at the hospital cafeteria. On his way there, he was greeted by several people. After some conversation, Kai realized he had become somewhat famous within the hospital.
A twelve-year-old performing surgery as the lead was no small feat. Many people were already comparing him to Lady Tsunade, which made him feel a little embarrassed. After all, Tsunade was a master of the entire field of medical ninjutsu, while he was just good with steady hands and sharp tools. Yesterday's success had more to do with precision than deep medical knowledge, let alone advanced medical jutsu.
After explaining his situation a few times, he eventually gave up trying to correct everyone.
Apparently, gossip was unavoidable in both the ninja world and the working world.
He shook his head in disbelief at the similarities.
While eating lunch, Kai ran into Kitayama and informed her that he would be taking the rest of the day off. She readily agreed.
Afterward, Kai headed out for some exercise. After being cooped up for so long, stretching his legs felt great.