"Bastard!" Anrokuzan(Mukade) still refused to give up struggling.
While cursing, he mobilized the Source of the Dragon Vein, attempting to break free from the Wood Dragon's restraints.
Wood Style: Silent Strangle Jutsu!
Kitazawa pondered for a moment, then formed hand seals again. The branches near Anrokuzan stretched out and bound him tightly.
More importantly, they locked around his throat, preventing him from making any further noise.
"It's quiet now. All that's left is to wait for the Queen of Rōran to shut down the Source of the Dragon Vein." Kitazawa chuckled softly.
"Kitazawa, why didn't you attack earlier?" Minato asked curiously.
"I am a teacher at the Ninja Academy," Kitazawa reminded him.
Minato fell silent once he understood the implication.
With the Source of the Dragon Vein amplifying him, Anrokuzan's strength had clearly surpassed that of most jōnin.
Even Minato's Flying Thunder God, combined with Rasengan, had been ineffective.
Yet Kitazawa had deliberately used such a powerful enemy as live training for his students. In Minato's eyes, that was nothing short of madness.
But Kitazawa could do so precisely because he possessed the strength to back it up.
The moment Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique were deployed, Anrokuzan—whom they had been unable to handle—was subdued with ease.
That level of power was enough to ensure the students' safety while allowing them to gain maximum combat experience.
Minato increasingly understood why Naruto and Sasuke's strength so far exceeded that of their peers.
In the end, it all came down to talent.
"After the Queen of Rōran shuts down the Source of the Dragon Vein, how will you return to the future?" Minato asked after thinking for a moment.
"I think the key lies with Anrokuzan," Kitazawa said, his gaze falling on Anrokuzan.
In the original events, Sara shut down the Dragon Vein, stripping Anrokuzan of his regeneration.
Minato and Naruto then seized the opportunity to defeat him with the Yin–Yang Rasengan.
But before dying, Anrokuzan used his remaining Chakra to send the Dragon Vein into a rampage.
Minato sealed the Dragon Vein using a Flying Thunder God kunai as the core.
After that, Minato and Naruto sealed each other's memories, and Naruto and the others returned to the future.
Kitazawa wasn't sure why sealing the Dragon Vein allowed them to return, but he decided to follow the same sequence.
"Do you have any leads?" Minato asked again.
"Not yet. Once the Dragon Vein is shut down, I'll interrogate Anrokuzan. Maybe we can find some clues." Kitazawa replied, his thoughts already in motion.
He could pretend to interrogate Anrokuzan and take the opportunity to reveal the method of returning to the future, just as it happened before.
Minato nodded, not dwelling on it further. A moment later, the flickering purple Chakra abruptly stopped.
"No!" Anrokuzan screamed inwardly.
He had lost contact with the Dragon Vein—clearly the Queen of Rōran's doing.
Although successive Queens of Rōran were not ninja, they had formed contracts with the Dragon Vein and possessed limited authority over it.
Unfortunately, possessing such a treasure made them targets. Mukade—no, Anrokuzan—had coveted it for that very reason.
"It seems Kakashi and Naruto have succeeded." Seeing this, Minato let out a sigh of relief.
Kitazawa nodded and walked toward Anrokuzan. He casually took out his fourth bow.
The Wood Dragon had just absorbed a massive amount of Dragon Vein Chakra.
Dissipating it immediately would be far too wasteful. The best option was to seal it within the bow.
As for the true Dragon Vein itself, he planned to deal with it after returning to the future. At that point, the Dragon Vein would be ownerless, and no one would object to him sealing it.
For now, the Dragon Vein still belonged to Rōran.
Minato examined the bow in Kitazawa's hand, then recalled the bows used by Hinata and Hyuga Neji.
The three clearly belonged to the same series, identical in both material and design. Combining the Byakugan with a bow was, indeed, a brilliant concept.
The problem was that truly powerful bows were too rare, making widespread adoption within the Hyuga Clan difficult.
He couldn't help but wonder where Kitazawa had found them.
Minato's thoughts drifted. Above all, Kitazawa's performance had shocked him too deeply.
Kitazawa put the bow away and immediately dispelled Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique.
The Wood Style: Silent Strangle Jutsu remained. Anrokuzan was still bound in place.
Having lost the Source of the Dragon Vein, he couldn't even break free from Silent Strangle, let alone the Wood Dragon.
As a human puppet, Anrokuzan was vastly inferior to Sasori once deprived of the Dragon Vein.
There was a reason he had been unremarkable in Sunagakure—his talent simply wasn't outstanding.
He had only been fortunate enough to obtain the Source of the Dragon Vein, allowing him to experience the status of a top-tier figure in the ninja world.
After all, before him, the only beings bound by the Wood Dragon were figures like Uchiha Madara and the Nine-Tails.
"Teacher Kitazawa, we're back!" Naruto's excited voice rang out.
Kitazawa turned around and saw the Queen of Rōran, Sara, Akimichi Choza, Kakashi, and the others approaching.
Akimichi Choza and the young Kakashi immediately noticed the branches binding Anrokuzan.
Because they had prioritized protecting the Queen of Rōran and withdrawing, they hadn't personally witnessed Kitazawa using Wood Release.
"It was Kitazawa's Wood Release," Minato said, noticing their expressions.
"Teacher Kitazawa's Wood Release is incredibly powerful!" Naruto exclaimed at once.
Hinata, Neji, and the others nodded in agreement.
"It truly is formidable," Minato added. "Kitazawa had already captured Anrokuzan before you even shut down the Dragon Vein."
Akimichi Choza and the young Kakashi were stunned.
They knew Minato well. He never exaggerate which meant that Kitazawa's Wood Release had genuinely left even him in awe.
"Ahem." Kitazawa brought the conversation back on track and said, "Anrokuzan has been captured. Now we must deal with the aftermath."
"Thank you all for your help."
Hearing this, the Queen of Rōran promised, "I will shut down Anrokuzan's puppet factory and will no longer use the Source of the Dragon Vein in the future."
She was not an ambitious person.
Moreover, since Anrokuzan had still failed to defeat Minato and the others even with the Source of the Dragon Vein, she understood that the Dragon Vein was not invincible.
Rōran was only a small country. If they could not control such power, then the wisest choice was to stop using it altogether.
"Her Majesty the Queen is truly wise and understanding." Minato immediately praised her.
"Leave Anrokuzan to me for interrogation." Kitazawa glanced at Naruto, pondered for a moment, and said, "I will need three days."
Minato was slightly surprised. Although three days were not long, given Kitazawa's strength, he theoretically shouldn't have needed that much time.
"That's great!" Naruto said happily. "We can stay in Rōran for three more days!"
Minato immediately understood.
He thought to himself that Kitazawa was truly a good teacher. By comparison, his own teacher, Jiraiya, was far too unreliable.
"The Royal Palace will still need time to be rebuilt, so I apologize that you will have to temporarily stay in the Side Hall for these three days."
The Queen of Rōran paused, then added, "But I promise you will receive the best treatment."
"You are too kind, Your Majesty." Minato shook his head. "Please attend to your own matters and don't worry about us."
Their mission was already complete, and they could leave Rōran at any time.
Of course, before returning to Konoha Village, they still needed to see Naruto and the others off to the future.
The Queen of Rōran nodded and immediately ordered someone to lead them to the Side Hall to rest.
She herself had many matters to deal with next. After all, Anrokuzan had left her with quite a mess. Fortunately, everything had been resolved smoothly.
"Who are you?" After arriving at the Side Hall, the young Kakashi couldn't help but look at Kakashi.
Akimichi Choza had not told him about Kitazawa and the others while they were protecting the Queen of Rōran together.
It wasn't that he intended to hide it; rather, he had planned to let Kakashi explain it himself.
As it turned out, Kakashi hadn't told him either. So the moment the battle ended, he couldn't wait to ask.
Kakashi hesitated for a few seconds, but still told him the sequence of events. After all, due to Kitazawa's arrangements, they would be staying here for three days.
Even so, Kakashi didn't go into much detail—only that he was his future self.
Yet that alone left the young Kakashi completely dumbfounded.
"You two can talk." Kitazawa smiled, then returned to his room, bringing Anrokuzan with him.
After closing the door, he immediately activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Anrokuzan was caught off guard and was instantly placed under his control.
Kitazawa began questioning him about the Dragon Vein.
Although he already knew much from the original events, there was no harm in interrogating Anrokuzan directly.
After the interrogation, Kitazawa gained a general understanding of the principle behind time travel.
Simply put, it required using the immense power of the Source of the Dragon Vein to impact space-time and open a Space–Time Tunnel.
They had traveled because Mukade had actively triggered the Source of the Dragon Vein. To return now, they would likewise need to release the Source of the Dragon Vein.
And Anrokuzan just happened to know how to make the Dragon Vein run wild.
The method itself was not complicated. The Chakra remaining within Anrokuzan's body had originally come from the Dragon Vein.
Once a connection was established between the two, it could forcibly cause the Dragon Vein to run out of control, thereby manifesting the Source of the Dragon Vein.
Kitazawa's fourth bow had already sealed a considerable portion of Anrokuzan's Chakra, meaning it could trigger the Dragon Vein in his place.
He simply dismantled Anrokuzan. The reason he used the word "dismantle" was because Anrokuzan was now a human puppet.
A human puppet was a person transformed into a puppet, retaining only the core components.
In other words, aside from the core, the rest was no longer flesh and blood. After interrogating Anrokuzan, there were no major incidents over the next three days.
Kitazawa had deliberately stayed those extra three days, indeed, for Naruto's sake.
---
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Kitazawa and the others arrived at the core location of the Dragon Vein—the Tower of Roran.
It was here that the Queen of Rōran shut down the Source of the Dragon Vein. Had Kitazawa and the others not defeated Anrokuzan, she would never have allowed them to enter the Dragon Vein's Ryuugan.
"Before you return to the future, we need to seal each other's memories," Minato spoke up proactively.
"Does it have to be sealed?" Naruto couldn't help but stare blankly, asking subconsciously.
Over the past week, he had experienced rare maternal and paternal affection, and even though it was brief, he didn't want to lose those memories.
"Minato-senpai," Kitazawa spoke at the right moment. "We are people from the future. The past is fixed, so there's no need to seal the memories."
Minato was startled. Logically, that was true, but he was still worried something might go wrong.
However, when he saw Naruto's pleading expression, he ultimately relented.
"Then I will trouble you to seal our memories." Minato corrected himself.
"I will immediately trigger the Dragon Vein. When the Source of the Dragon Vein erupts, we will return to the future."
Kitazawa explained. "At that time, Minato-senpai, you only need to seal the Dragon Vein."
"No wonder." Minato finally felt the loop of time close.
He had never understood why he left behind the Flying Thunder God kunai and the Dragon Veins Seal, but now the entire story was clear.
"Be careful." After saying this, Kitazawa immediately took out his fourth bow.
He had yet to give this bow a name.
Forming a hand seal with one hand, Kitazawa released the Dragon Vein Chakra stored within the bow, connecting it to the Dragon Vein.
In an instant, the earth trembled, and pillars of purple Chakra shot into the sky.
The scene was almost identical to when Kitazawa and the others had first traveled through time.
"Naruto, Kakashi, see you next time." Minato showed his signature smile.
Naruto and Kakashi felt their eyes redden. Theoretically speaking, there would be no next time.
Kitazawa seized the moment and quickly sealed the memories of Minato and the others. As the sealing was completed, the eight of them instantly vanished from the spot.
"What happened?" Akimichi Choza looked around and asked, "Why did the Source of the Dragon Vein suddenly go berserk for no reason?"
Minato shook his head. He only remembered that they had been investigating Anrokuzan, the minister of Rōran.
But there was no time to think further—now that the Source of the Dragon Vein was rampaging, it had to be sealed immediately.
[Current Mission: Defeat Mukade and correct history.]
[Mission Reward: Yin–Yang Rasengan.]
[The Host has completed the mission. Reward issued.]
The purple Chakra dissipated, and Kitazawa found himself back in the desert. He stood still, digesting the information that had appeared in his mind.
Since the mission was complete, there was nothing more to say—they had clearly returned to the future.
The Yin–Yang Rasengan was an S-rank Ninjutsu, formed by combining Yin Release: Rasengan and Yang Release: Rasengan.
However, compared to ordinary composite Ninjutsu, the Yin–Yang Rasengan was more like a true fusion, making its power far greater.
In the original records, it was known as the strongest Rasengan.
Of course, Kitazawa possessed many Ninjutsu with tremendous power. For example, high-level Wood Release.
The greatest gain from this journey involving the Source of the Dragon Vein was not the Yin–Yang Rasengan, but the Space–Time Ninjutsu Talent.
"How are you all?" Kitazawa came back to his senses and looked at Kakashi, Naruto, and the others.
"We're fine." Kakashi shook his head and replied.
Naruto didn't speak. He couldn't immediately accept parting with Minato—this farewell was, barring the impossible, permanent.
Although Neji had seen Hyuga Hizashi, who had not yet died, he had not interacted with him, so he had long since regained his composure.
Sasuke, Hinata, and the others were fine as well; they simply felt that this time-travel experience had been a tremendous eye-opener.
Especially since they had met the legendary Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.
"Kakashi, take them to the nearby oasis."
Kitazawa said half-truthfully, "I need to deal with the Source of the Dragon Vein to prevent anyone from traveling back in time again and disrupting the space–time continuum."
Kakashi nodded. He led Naruto, Sasuke, and the others toward the previous oasis.
Kitazawa took out his fourth bow. He placed it where Minato had previously embedded his Flying Thunder God kunai.
Forming a one-handed seal, Kitazawa activated the Source of the Dragon Vein once more.
But the moment the Source of the Dragon Vein erupted, he used the Four Symbols Seal.
Minato's Dragon Veins Seal was, in essence, a compound Sealing Technique derived from the Four Symbols Seal.
Endless Dragon Vein Chakra poured into Kitazawa's fourth bow. Its previously dull surface instantly brightened, revealing a faint purple glow.
Kitazawa picked up the bow—it was several times heavier than before.
In terms of sheer Chakra, the Source of the Dragon Vein far surpassed Satori, the Zero-Tails, and Mōryō.
It was no exaggeration to say that this bow was now comparable to a Jinchūriki. After some thought, Kitazawa decided to name it Roaring Dragon.
The Demon Slaying Bow would be given to Hyuga Hanabi once she grew up.
As for the Roaring Dragon Bow, he would use it as an external Chakra storage device.
Kitazawa suddenly let out a soft sound of surprise.
Although it could be used instantly, it still required one extra step compared to a true Jinchūriki. His thoughts drifted to the Yin Seal.
Could he transfer part of the Dragon Vein Chakra stored in the Roaring Dragon Bow into the Yin Seal?
He didn't need to move all of it—just a portion would be enough.
That way, in battle, he wouldn't need to take out the Roaring Dragon Bow; he could simply release the Yin Seal.
And once the Yin Seal's Chakra was exhausted, he could replenish it using the Dragon Vein Chakra within the Roaring Dragon Bow.
Kitazawa nodded, finding the idea highly feasible.
After putting away the Roaring Dragon Bow, he activated his Byakugan and scanned the area.
The Source of the Dragon Vein had completely vanished, but he could see that the earth was slowly gathering energy, forming new Dragon Veins.
At this rate, however, it would take at least a thousand years.
Kitazawa turned and walked toward the nearby oasis. Kakashi and the others had already arrived.
He wasn't in a hurry to leave. After resting for another hour, they set off for Konoha Village.
---
Three days later, they returned to Konoha.
Kakashi gazed at the distant Hokage Rock, feeling as though he had crossed into another era.
Who would have imagined that such complex and bizarre events could happen within just two weeks?
He had met the youthful Minato—and even his own younger self.
"Everyone's worked hard. It's already noon, so I'm treating you all to Ichiraku Ramen." Kitazawa patted Naruto on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei." Naruto froze for a moment, warmth spreading through his chest.
Although he had lost his parents, he still had a responsible teacher and companions who cared about him. Thinking of that, his spirits lifted.
"Youth must not be wasted!" Naruto gave a thumbs-up and asked excitedly, "How about a youth-filled competitive eating contest?"
"Then we have to call Choji over." Kitazawa laughed. "Otherwise, no one can compete with Hinata."
Hinata lowered her head shyly.
"Since we're calling Choji, let's call the others too." Kakashi paused, then asked, "Kitazawa, do you have enough money?"
"No need to worry about that." Kitazawa waved his hand and joked, "Just make sure you don't wear Teuchi out."
"I'll go call them." Kakashi vanished from the spot.
"Let's go—we'll head to Ichiraku Ramen first." Kitazawa smiled.
"In the name of youth, I'm definitely eating more than Sasuke this time!" Naruto declared excitedly.
"Hmph, that's not guaranteed." Sasuke shot back sharply.
"If either of you wins, I'll teach you a new Ninjutsu." Kitazawa thought of the Yin–Yang Rasengan.
It was worth noting that Yang Release: Rasengan was different from the ordinary Rasengan.
In the original story, Naruto learned Yang Release: Rasengan because, at that time, he was already considered one of the top powerhouses in the Ninja World.
Judging from the release timeline of The Lost Tower, that period was likely on the eve of the Fourth Great Ninja War.
However, the nine-year-old Naruto currently only knew the Rasengan, and it would still take time for him to master Yang Release: Rasengan.
As for Sasuke, he would naturally learn Yin Release: Rasengan.
"Really?" Naruto's eyes lit up as he eagerly asked, "What rank Ninjutsu is it?"
Sasuke also showed a rare hint of curiosity.
Although he was primarily studying under Kakashi now, Kitazawa held a higher position in his heart than Kakashi.
After all, they had spent far more time together.
"It's A-rank." Kitazawa paused, then added, "But it can be upgraded to S-rank."
"S-rank?" Naruto immediately became excited.
Although he had learned many Ninjutsu, he didn't possess a single S-rank technique. Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu and Rasengan were both A-rank.
Sasuke's fighting spirit was ignited as well. If he learned an S-rank Ninjutsu, his strength would undoubtedly advance further.
He couldn't afford to lose this eating contest.
Neji, Shino, Kimimaro, and the others were envious, but they were also realistic. Their current training was not yet complete, and their talent couldn't compare to Naruto's.
They didn't dare divert their focus to S-rank Ninjutsu.
[Current Mission: A blood-boiling combination technique between brothers—teach Naruto and Sasuke the Yin–Yang Rasengan.]
[Mission Reward: Lava Release.]
[Do you accept?]
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. This was a pleasant surprise, and the reward was excellent.
Lava Release, a Bloodline Limit, had been used in the original story by Rōshi, Kurotsuchi, Naruto, and others.
It was a fusion of Fire Release and Earth Release, manifested as lava or volcanic ash and limestone.
Naruto's Lava Release: Rasenshuriken was astonishingly powerful; when combined with Sage Mode, it could even cut through the Ten-Tails' body.
In the original story, techniques capable of damaging the Ten-Tails were universally top-tier. For example, Water Release: Water Severing Wave.
"Teuchi-ossan!" The moment Naruto entered Ichiraku Ramen, he shouted loudly.
"Naruto, it's been a while since you came by," Teuchi said as he walked out of the kitchen.
"I was out on a mission!" Naruto replied. "I just got back!"
"Kitazawa, please have a seat." Teuchi smiled warmly.
Although Kitazawa was now a high-ranking official in Konoha, Teuchi hadn't changed the way he addressed him.
This was at Kitazawa's own request. After all, they were neighbors.
"Teuchi-ossan!" Naruto reminded him, "I've got quite a few classmates coming later!"
"Is Choji coming?" Teuchi glanced at Hinata and asked.
"Yes." Naruto nodded.
"Looks like today will be a real test for me." Teuchi immediately felt the pressure.
"We'll help you close early." Kitazawa found a seat and spoke calmly.
Hinata quickly ran over and sat down on his left.
"What would everyone like to eat? I'll start cooking now so I don't get overwhelmed later." Teuchi asked with a smile.
"I'll have a bowl of spare rib ramen." Kitazawa thought for a moment before answering.
"Me too," Hinata said immediately.
Sasuke, Naruto, and the others followed suit, ordering their ramen.
"Please wait a moment, everyone!" Teuchi turned and went back into the kitchen, starting to boil the noodles.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Ino floated in like a butterfly and sat down on Kitazawa's right.
"Kitazawa-sensei." Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji followed closely and entered Ichiraku Ramen.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura rushed in right after.
One by one, the remaining students arrived, quickly filling Ichiraku Ramen with the Genius Class.
"This really is a huge challenge." When Teuchi brought out the first bowl of ramen, he couldn't help but be startled.
There were far more people than he had expected—it felt like opening day all over again. Fortunately, he could handle it.
After all, noodles weren't cooked one bowl at a time; he could boil large batches at once. All he needed to prepare were the toppings.
And he also had his daughter, Ayame, helping him.
Teuchi served the first bowl of ramen to Kitazawa. After all, he held the highest status.
Soon after, ramen was served to Sasuke, Naruto, and the others.
"Sasuke!" Naruto grabbed his chopsticks and declared, "The Youth Competitive Eating Contest begins now!"
Sasuke immediately started slurping his ramen at full speed.
"I want to join too!" Choji looked at Hinata and declared, "I must reclaim the Competitive Eater title for the Akimichi Clan!"
The title had once belonged to the Akimichi Clan, but Hinata had suddenly appeared and taken it away.
It had been a long time since the last eating contest, and Choji felt his appetite had grown even larger. Maybe he really had a chance.
Hinata didn't speak; she simply focused on eating. She didn't care about titles, but she absolutely couldn't lose in front of Kitazawa.
"You guys even compete while eating ramen." Shikamaru sighed.
"This is youth!" Rock Lee gave a thumbs-up.
"I can't win anyway, so I'll just eat normally." Ino ate slowly and elegantly, looking very ladylike.
"We can't beat Hinata and Choji, but we can beat Naruto and Sasuke!" Kiba said with a burning fighting spirit. "This is a rare chance!"
With that, Neji, Kimimaro, Tayuya, and the others also sped up their eating.
Only Teuchi was happily suffering—earning money while nearly shedding tears.
"Sasuke, are you giving up?" Naruto glanced back and saw Sasuke looking miserable.
"..." Sasuke was speechless. He truly couldn't eat another bite.
Naruto had already eaten two more bowls than him, and there was no way to catch up. This was partly due to physical constitution and training habits.
As a Taijutsu-focused Ninja, Naruto's daily training volume was far greater than Sasuke's, so naturally, he could eat more.
Was the S-rank Ninjutsu slipping away just like that? Sasuke unconsciously clenched his fists, feeling a deep sense of frustration.
If Naruto learned an S-rank Ninjutsu, his strength would surge even further. By then, even if Sasuke mastered Hatake Swordsmanship, he might no longer be able to defeat him.
"I won!" Naruto said excitedly.
"Why is Naruto so happy?" Kiba looked puzzled.
"Isn't he always like this?" Shikamaru glanced at Naruto and replied lazily.
"I guess so." Kiba nodded.
In his opinion, Naruto was always full of energy, shouting about youth and looking happy all day long.
"Teacher Kitazawa said he'd teach an S-rank Ninjutsu to whoever won." Neji clarified, dispelling their confusion.
"What?!" Kiba said regretfully, "I should've eaten two more bowls!"
"Even if you were given an S-rank Ninjutsu, it would still be hard for you to learn it." Inuzuka Hana shook her head and said.
When Kakashi came to notify them, she happened to be at home, so she came along as well.
"Teacher Kitazawa is always fair," Karin said calmly. "He'll teach us when we're actually capable of learning it."
"Teacher Kitazawa!" Naruto asked eagerly, "Even though Sasuke lost, can you still teach him?"
Sasuke couldn't help but freeze.
"I planned to teach both of you anyway." Kitazawa smiled. "The competition was just for fun."
"Teacher Kitazawa is really amazing!" Naruto said immediately.
"Thank you, Teacher Kitazawa." Sasuke followed up quickly.
Kitazawa then looked toward Hinata and Akimichi Choji. Everyone else had already finished eating, but those two were still going strong.
"Who do you think will win?" Kiba asked curiously.
"Probably Hinata." Ino thought for a moment before answering.
"That's not necessarily true." Sakura immediately countered. "The Akimichi Clan's appetite grows with their strength!"
The Akimichi Clan converts food into energy stored in their bodies. In theory, the stronger they are, the greater their appetite, since they require more energy.
Sasuke subconsciously glanced at Sakura, hesitating to speak. But would her jinxing mouth actually affect Akimichi Choji?
Time slowly passed.
In the end, Hinata narrowly claimed victory.
Sasuke's mouth twitched.
Although he lost due to insufficient strength, he still couldn't help but suspect Sakura's 'jinxing mouth' at this moment.
"…?" Sakura was speechless.
"Alright, there's still half a day left. Everyone, go back and rest." Kitazawa clapped his hands and said.
"Goodbye, Teacher Kitazawa!" Naruto, Sasuke, and the others left one after another.
---
Kitazawa thought for a moment, then headed toward the Hokage Office.
This trip had taken about two weeks. One week in Rōran, and one week spent traveling. Although it took some time, the gains were substantial.
He could just ask Tsunade about the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Hokage Office
Kitazawa stopped, raised his hand, and knocked on the door.
"Come in." Tsunade's voice came from inside.
"Teacher Tsunade." Kitazawa greeted her proactively.
"Just got back?" Tsunade paused for a moment, then smiled as she asked.
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded, then added, "You definitely wouldn't guess what we experienced on this mission."
"Weren't you going to capture a rogue ninja from the Hidden Sand Village?" Tsunade retorted.
"Indeed." Kitazawa smiled mysteriously. "But we met the Fourth Hokage."
"What kind of joke is that?" Tsunade frowned immediately.
Naturally, she didn't believe such a ridiculous story.
"I wouldn't dare joke about something like this." Kitazawa sat down on the sofa, waved at her, and said, "It's a long story. Let's sit and talk slowly."
"I'd like to hear what kind of story you can come up with." Tsunade stood up and walked over, threatening, "If you're joking, I'll kick you flying."
Minato was Konoha's fallen hero—even Kitazawa wasn't allowed to joke about him.
"Sit." Kitazawa grabbed her hand.
After she sat down, he began recounting the mission.
Of course, he omitted the part about deliberately setting up Mukade, only saying they encountered the incident by chance.
"…Are you telling the truth?" The more Tsunade listened, the stranger it sounded, until she finally couldn't help asking.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask Kakashi or Naruto." Kitazawa chuckled. "They definitely wouldn't dare lie to you."
"This is truly… unexpected." Tsunade finally believed him.
Kitazawa had no reason to lie.
"And here's physical evidence." Kitazawa took out the Roaring Dragon Bow. "I sealed the Source of the Dragon Vein inside it."
Tsunade grasped the bow and instantly sensed the nearly boundless Chakra within. She nodded, then returned it to Kitazawa.
"What a pity," Tsunade said with a trace of regret. "I really wanted to meet Kushina, too."
Of course, what she truly wanted was to meet Senju Hashirama and Nawaki. But it was obvious that the Source of the Dragon Vein couldn't send someone that far back.
"The past is the past." Kitazawa comforted her. "People need to learn to look forward."
"I'm not a child." Tsunade rolled her eyes. "I understand that much."
"As expected of Teacher Tsunade." Kitazawa praised her without changing his expression.
"Your thick skin is thicker than mine." Tsunade laughed, stood up, and said, "You've been traveling for days. Go back and rest."
"There's one more thing." Kitazawa still hadn't let go of her hand.
"Is this not enough?" Tsunade didn't wait for him to finish. She lowered her head and kissed his forehead.
"I didn't actually mean that." Kitazawa blinked.
"Hmph, don't go too far!" Tsunade glared at him and said.
"You misunderstood. I wanted to look at the Flying Thunder God Technique." Kitazawa explained.
Tsunade paused slightly, realizing she had indeed misunderstood. But since the kiss had already happened, it didn't really matter.
"During this trip to Rōran, I witnessed the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique, which sparked my curiosity." Kitazawa continued.
Tsunade nodded, not surprised. The Flying Thunder God Technique held immense allure for the ninja.
She had tried to learn it herself back then, but failed.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique is extremely difficult—no less so than Sage Mode." Tsunade reminded him. "If you can't learn it, don't force yourself."
"I understand." Kitazawa nodded.
"Then go take a look yourself," Tsunade said indifferently. "You already know where it's kept."
"You're the Hokage. I still need your permission." Kitazawa said with a smile.
"Being Hokage is such a hassle." Tsunade pouted and asked, "When do you plan to become Hokage?"
"Don't you think that question is strange?" Kitazawa asked, his expression subtle.
If Shimura Danzō knew, he would probably be crying in the afterlife.
If Hiruzen had said something like this to him back then… why would he have gone around stirring up trouble everywhere?
"What's so strange about it?" Tsunade asked righteously. "Am I supposed to be Hokage forever?"
"You can be Hokage for another two years, until Sasuke and Naruto graduate." Kitazawa thought for a moment and said. "By then, I'll no longer serve as a teacher at the Ninja Academy."
"Alright!" Tsunade agreed eagerly, emphasizing, "You're not allowed to regret it!"
Kitazawa had originally wanted to scold her for how lightly she treated the Hokage position. But alas, she was too big—and big meant she was right.
He shook his head, stood up, and said, "I've said it, so I won't go back on my word."
Kitazawa bid farewell to Tsunade and headed for the room where the Flying Thunder God Technique was stored.
Soon, he retrieved the Flying Thunder God Technique scroll and began reading it.
There are three requirements for cultivating the Flying Thunder God Technique.
First is Space–Time Ninjutsu talent.
Theoretically, anyone who can use the Summoning Technique possesses a certain degree of Space–Time Ninjutsu talent.
But it was obvious that the level of talent required for the Flying Thunder God Technique was of the highest caliber.
Second is dynamic vision and reaction speed.
It's not that once you learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, you can simply rampage through an army.
The technique is too fast—sometimes even the user can't react in time.
It's very similar to Lightning Release: Chidori; training it without the Sharingan makes it easy to lose control.
Kitazawa met this requirement. His Senju Chakra Mode and Yang Release Chakra Mode both provided significant boosts.
Moreover, he possessed the Sharingan, so his dynamic vision was already at its peak.
Third is the chakra.
The amount of chakra determines how far the Flying Thunder God Technique can reach and how large an object it can transfer.
Theoretically, with enough chakra, the Flying Thunder God Technique can span the entire ninja world and even transfer Tailed Beast Balls.
Although Kitazawa's chakra reserves couldn't compare to Senju Hashirama's, surpassing Minato's normal state was no problem at all.
However, transferring objects is an advanced application of the Flying Thunder God Technique, known as Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder.
Even the Flying Thunder God Kunai itself is an advanced form, called Flying Thunder God: Second Step.
The standard Flying Thunder God Technique only involves spatial movement through the Flying Thunder God Mark.
In short, he now met all three conditions and could begin learning it.
Kitazawa put away the Flying Thunder God Technique scroll. He couldn't practice it here, so he turned and went home.
---
After greeting Kurenai, he headed to the open space behind his house.
Learning the Flying Thunder God Technique can be roughly divided into three stages.
The first stage is sensing space. Space is ethereal, yet it truly exists.
It's somewhat similar to natural energy—most people can't sense the existence of space at all.
The second stage is placing the Flying Thunder God Mark.
A Flying Thunder God Mark can be placed on objects or living beings. This mark is theoretically impossible to remove, unless one becomes the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki.
If it's Flying Thunder God: Second Step, then simply avoiding the Flying Thunder God Kunai also works.
The third stage is establishing a connection with the Flying Thunder God Mark and performing spatial movement.
Of course, it sounds simple, but it's extremely difficult. Although Kitazawa didn't know how long Minato took to master it, it certainly wasn't a short time.
After all, when Minato was already proficient with the Flying Thunder God Technique, he had become the jōnin leader of Kakashi and Uchiha Obito's team.
Fortunately, Kitazawa had plenty of time. Theoretically, before Naruto and the others graduated, he wouldn't encounter any major trouble.
In any case, he intended to fully master the Flying Thunder God Technique within two years.