The Flying Raijin Jutsu was built on several critical components, each demanding a high level of mastery. To wield it effectively, a shinobi needed exceptional chakra control—at least at a jōnin's level—and acute chakra perception to sense exactly where a seal had been placed. Moreover, an innate affinity for space-time manipulation and fuinjutsu was essential to execute the technique with precision.
Each of us in the Hokage's guard platoon had a natural aptitude in one of these areas. Raido possessed exceptional chakra control; Iwashi was renowned for his wide sensory range. As for me, I was born with a knack for space-time jutsu and sealing techniques. The only other requirement was having chakra reserves above the bare minimum—around chūnin level—but that was a given.
The chakra cost of using the jutsu depended entirely on two variables: the weight of what was being transported and the distance covered. A short-range teleportation—say, ten meters—only consumed as much chakra as a typical D-Rank jutsu. But the farther you traveled, the steeper the cost. At extreme ranges, it could drain chakra equivalent to several S-rank techniques. That's why Minato could use the jutsu repeatedly in close combat with ease, but when he transported the Nine-Tails, even his immense chakra—on par with a mid-tier Kage—was nearly exhausted.
Yet the most elusive requirement, the one that truly separated Minato from the rest, was his lightning-fast reflexes. Reflexes so sharp he could activate the jutsu and vanish a split second before the Fourth Raikage, at full throttle in his Lightning Chakra Mode, could land a blow—his fist just a hair's breadth away.
The first thing that came to mind after becoming Genma was mastering the Flying Raijin and becoming untouchable on the battlefield. But once I discovered the prerequisites, that dream got snuffed out—at least temporarily.
Now, with the awakening of my chakra-sensing abilities, that ambition flickered back to life. It wouldn't be easy. It would take time and effort. But with the system backing me, it was no longer a pipe dream—it was a goal within reach.
For now, I had a solid list of priorities:
Genjutsu training with Kurenai
Sensory refinement with Iwashi
Water-nature chakra mastery on my own
I also considered trying to replicate the Rasengan, but since Minato never officially taught us the technique, I couldn't claim any shortcut. Unlike Flying Raijin, which was originally Tobirama's creation and passed down as a Konoha legacy, Rasengan was Minato's own invention—and he kept that knowledge close to his chest.
With my plan in place, I kicked off my usual morning routine: training, running, and chakra control exercises, followed by a heavy breakfast—eggs, chicken, and fruit. By the time I cleared my plate, it was already 9 AM.
I headed over to Iwashi's place, hoping to get started on sensory training. But of course, just my luck—he'd been called away on an urgent mission that specifically required a sensory-type ninja. Typical. That's been the norm for most Konoha shinobi over the past year. Short on manpower, high on demand. You had to be ready to move at a moment's notice.
With Iwashi out, I redirected my focus to Kurenai Yuhi. I'd picked up the Bringer of Darkness, an A-rank genjutsu, from the archives using some of my mission points. Now I just needed her expertise to help master it.
Mission points, by the way, are a nightmare to calculate, so I'll spare the explanation. But here's the gist:
Genin can access up to C-rank jutsu
Chunin get access up to B-rank
Jonin are allowed up to A-rank
Special Jonin can access A-rank techniques too, but only within their area of specialization.
As for S-rank jutsu—those are handpicked by the Hokage and granted only under extraordinary circumstances. Anything above access, one needs mission points.
Kurenai mentioned yesterday that she'd be checking in with the mission assignment office. After a quick stop by her house to confirm she wasn't there, I turned on my heel and headed toward the office. With any luck, I'd catch her before she got assigned something.
Apparently, my luck hadn't taken a nosedive just yet—I managed to catch Kurenai right before she stepped into the Hokage's building.
"Hey, Kurenai!" I called out, jogging up to her.
She turned, clearly surprised to see me calling her out like that. Her crimson eyes widened slightly, then softened with familiarity.
"Genma? What brings you here? I thought you'd be off training today."
"I was," I said, catching my breath. "But I was hoping you'd be my training partner for that genjutsu we talked about."
She hesitated for a moment, then smirked. "Alright, I'll help you… but on one condition."
I raised a brow. "As long as it's not something pervy, I'm game."
"What? Why would I—?!" Her voice spiked in scandalized offense, then realization dawned, and her expression shifted to exasperated resignation. "You're never going to let me live that one time down, are you?"
"Nope!" I grinned shamelessly. "Who knew Kurenai Yūhi had such a creative imagination? Certainly not me—until that day."
"Stop it already," she hissed, glancing around as if worried someone had overheard. "We agreed to never speak of that again."
"Alright, alright," I chuckled. "So what's this mysterious favor you need?"
"I want you to pick up an A-rank mission. I'll be tagging along."
"Ahh, so that's how it is," I said, nodding in understanding. "Sure, I can do that. No problem."
"That's it?" she asked, blinking in surprise, clearly expecting more resistance.
"Yep. You haven't had an A-rank mission in a while, right? And it's been ages since we were on one together. I don't mind at all."
Just like that, I walked into the mission office and secured us an assassination assignment.
"You're enjoying this way too much," Kurenai said with an exasperated sigh as we stepped out of the Hokage building, the mission scroll in hand.
I smirked. "Hey, it was the only A-rank mission that allowed both of us on the roster. The rest—patrols, rogue-nin elimination—were already snatched up."
"Yeah, yeah…" she muttered, clearly resigned.
"Meet me at the village gate in fifteen. Pack for up to two weeks."
"Hai," she replied, nodding.
—
Fifteen minutes later, we were gliding across the treetops, the world below a blur of emerald and sun-dappled shadow.
"So," Kurenai asked, keeping pace beside me, "what are the mission parameters?"
I didn't look at her as I spoke, keeping my eyes on the path ahead. "The target's holed up in the Land of Grass—some distant cousin of the Earth Daimyō. He's been cutting into our Daimyō's family trade routes... and poking the Lightning Country while he's at it."
She raised a brow. "And we're the clean-up crew?"
"Not just that," I said. "The hit has to look like a Kumo op. Total misdirection. No witnesses. No chakra traces. Clean and convincing."
She gave a low whistle. "That's a bold move. Any idea who's guarding him?"
"A couple of Iwa shinobi and a few samurai hired for muscle. He's in the country on a trade negotiation—he should be sticking around for a few more days. That's our window."
Kurenai frowned. "A job like this usually calls for a three-man squad."
"Normally, yeah," I agreed, vaulting over a thick branch. "But 'normal' hasn't existed for Konoha in over a year. We're bleeding manpower, and we can't afford to lose clients to other nations. Politics, profit, and pressure—it's all part of the mission now."
She was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Understood."
It took us three days to reach the border of the Land of Grass, and another full day to make it to the capital.
Each night at camp, we discussed strategies for completing the mission—hypotheticals, contingencies, and the best approach given our limited resources. Eventually, we settled on a plan: scout the target and his entourage before making a move. To do that, we'd disguise ourselves as a couple from the Land of Wind, supposedly en route to the Land of Hot Water for a vacation.
As for how we were able to go through four days sweaty and without baths. We used an E-rank jutsu that would remove any smell that lingered. It was a handy jutsu, useful for ANBU and shinobi on long-term missions. It removed any lingering scents. This jutsu would make us unable to detect using smell from normal shinobi. But for an Inuzuka, tracing us back would be child's play.
We avoided the main gates entirely, slipping into the capital under the cover of night. No records, no questions. In a city this crowded, a few unfamiliar faces were nothing unusual.
From the next morning, our reconnaissance began. We identified the inn where the target would be staying, studied the layout, and traced every exit and alley within a three-block radius. Every detail mattered. The target was expected to arrive in two days—only then could we finalize the assassination plan.
For now we wait for the target to arrive.
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