After lunch, Kitazawa, Maruboshi Kosuke, and Hatake Kakashi hurried back to the office—they couldn't wait.
The moment the idea of modifying the Medical Forbidden Technique: Body Revival Technique popped into his head, he even skipped his noon break.
Kitazawa sat down in his chair and pulled out pen and paper.
Body Revival Technique was a "system" reward, so his proficiency with it was already maxed out. With chakra shape transformation at a master level and Yang Release nature transformation at a proficient level, he figured that even a forbidden jutsu might be modifiable.
But he still underestimated how hard it would be.
An entire noon passed without any real progress.
Even so, Kitazawa wasn't anxious. It was an S-rank jutsu, after all—you don't just tweak something like that overnight.
Medical ninjutsu has been around for over a thousand years, and to this day no one in the shinobi world has produced a technique that can regrow severed limbs. That alone shows how tough the problem is.
He checked the time and headed for the school training field. Sitting and brooding wouldn't help; better to do what needed doing and hope inspiration struck along the way.
He kept practicing Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique, while a shadow clone followed Maruboshi Kosuke to study Leaf-Style Kenjutsu.
Another ordinary afternoon came and went.
After school, Kitazawa went home.
To his surprise, Tsunade had gotten back early and was standing at the door waiting for him.
"Tsunade-sama." He stepped forward to greet her.
Tsunade didn't answer. Arms crossed, she just stared at him.
Kitazawa glanced left and right and felt a pressure as taut as the fit of her top. What was this about?
He couldn't remember having offended her lately.
"Do you know Shikkotsu Forest?" Tsunade asked after a beat of silence.
"It's one of the three sacred lands," Kitazawa answered, thoughts turning. Was she planning to make him Katsuyu's contractor?
"Contracted shinobi can summon their beasts with the Summoning Technique," Tsunade said evenly. "But a few summons can use Reverse Summoning to call their contractors to them."
Kitazawa blinked, then got it.
In the original lore, the snakes, toads, and slugs of the three sanctuaries could all use Reverse Summoning. It not only saves you a lot of travel time day-to-day; in a pinch, it can save your life.
"Sign your name here." Tsunade produced a massive scroll.
"This is the Shikkotsu Forest contract scroll?" Kitazawa asked, blinking.
"Mm." Tsunade nodded. "If you ever run into Shimura Danzō while you're out, have Katsuyu reverse-summon you out."
"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."
Katsuyu is the true name of the Shikkotsu slug. Notably, Shikkotsu Forest isn't like Ryūchi Cave or Mount Myōboku—its sanctuary has only one summon: Katsuyu.
In the source material, Katsuyu's full form is colossal; even Tsunade and Sakura together never managed to summon its complete body.
Compared to Ryūchi Cave and Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu's Katsuyu is primarily a support-type summon.
First, Katsuyu can split into countless mini-slugs.
Second, those mini-slugs can share vision, relaying chakra and intelligence.
Third, through Katsuyu, a contractor can perform remote healing.
Fourth, by spreading innumerable mini-slugs, a contractor can execute wide-area mass healing—the ultimate medical technique.
Of course, Katsuyu isn't helpless in a fight either.
One, its sheer size can crush plenty of enemies.
Two, it can spew a corrosive fluid that dissolves anything it touches—Orochimaru once took it for granted that this attack would be fatal to him.
Kitazawa unfurled the contract and found a lot of names. The three sacred lands have existed for millennia—long before there were shinobi.
He skimmed the list and recognized only two: Senju Hashirama and Tsunade.
Strictly speaking, the original story never directly said Hashirama was contracted to Shikkotsu, since he never summoned Katsuyu. Which makes sense—he was so strong he didn't need a summon to end a fight.
Kitazawa signed his name, closed the scroll, and handed it back.
"Try summoning Katsuyu," Tsunade said as she stowed the scroll.
Kitazawa nodded, formed the seals, bit his thumb, and pressed his hand to the ground.
With a puff of smoke, a white, blue-backed soft-bodied creature appeared.
He hadn't used much chakra, so he'd only brought out a half-man-tall Katsuyu.
"Tsuna—eh?" Katsuyu noticed Kitazawa and its gentle voice took on a puzzled lilt—it had realized the summoner wasn't Tsunade.
"His name is Kitazawa," Tsunade said, introducing him. "He's Shikkotsu's new contractor."
"I see," came Katsuyu's pleasant reply. "Kitazawa-sama, I am Katsuyu. You may call me by my name."
"Katsuyu-sama," Kitazawa answered at once.
Among the three sanctuaries, the snakes of Ryūchi Cave have the worst temper, while Shikkotsu's slug is the most amiable—calling every contractor "-sama," tirelessly helpful, and asking for no offerings or "price." Powerful, obedient, and easy on the ears—truly the model summon.
"I'll let you two get acquainted," Tsunade waved. "Kitazawa, when you have time, have Katsuyu take you around Shikkotsu Forest."
"Got it."
Kitazawa greeted Katsuyu and released the summoning.
"As for Danzō, have Itachi keep an eye on him," Tsunade added after a moment's thought.
"Understood." Kitazawa smiled. "Even if we said nothing, the Uchiha would keep Danzō under close watch."
"He brought this on himself," Tsunade shook her head. "You reap what you sow."
"What's your take on the Uchiha, Tsunade-sama?" Kitazawa asked, curious. "I've heard the Second Hokage famously said 'the Uchiha are born Evil.'"
"He did, but he meant the Sharingan," Tsunade said after a pause. "The Uchiha are Konoha's Uchiha. As long as they don't make trouble, I have no issue."
Kitazawa nodded. As he'd guessed, her stance leaned closer to Hashirama's than to Danzō's.
"Anything else?" Tsunade let her arms drop, ready to go inside and rest.
"Tsunade-sama," Kitazawa said, thinking of his Body Revival Technique project, "I have some questions I'd like to ask you."
He'd learned almost all of Tsunade's techniques except the Yin Seal, but he was still miles behind her in experience.
"Come in," Tsunade said, pushing the door open and heading for the living room.
"Tea, Kitazawa," Uzumaki Rina said, pouring him a hot cup.
"Thanks."
He took a sip, sat opposite Tsunade, and started asking.
"Why are you asking these?" After answering two questions, Tsunade's curiosity kicked in.
"I want to create a medical jutsu that lets severed limbs regrow," Kitazawa said plainly, not hiding it.
"Limb regrowth?" Tsunade blinked. "That's impossible."
As the greatest medical shinobi alive, she'd of course tried to create such a technique—and failed every time.
"I still think it's worth a try," Kitazawa said. He didn't mention Body Revival Technique; that level of out-there technique belonged in the movies, not the 'main' story.
"…Fine," Tsunade said at last, seeing he was determined. Even if it failed, the research would build experience and knowledge.
After two hours of discussion, Kitazawa headed home.
Friday arrived, the first week after the first monthly exam drawing to a close. Nothing major had happened. After Root was disbanded, Danzō returned to the Shimura compound—no schemes, no appearances, eerily quiet.
But Kitazawa knew he was just waiting for a good moment. With Tsunade in the village, there wasn't much he could do.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Tenten ran up, beaming. "I learned the Manipulated Shuriken Technique!"
"Congrats." Kitazawa wasn't surprised. The technique itself isn't hard, and Tenten's a natural at shuriken—no wonder she picked it up fast.
"I'll teach you another one—Shadow Clone."
His end goal was to teach her Shuriken Shadow Clone, but that's A-rank; she wouldn't get there right away.
"Thank you, Sensei!" Tenten suddenly remembered something and produced a scroll.
Kitazawa opened it: one hundred explosive tags.
He couldn't help a complicated look. Explosive tags are pricey—anywhere from 300 ryō to 2,000, depending on potency. And these were obviously the good stuff.
"I'll demonstrate Shadow Clone once," he said, then decided to accept them. The jutsu he was teaching was valuable—especially Shuriken Shadow Clone; you can't even buy something like that.
Half an hour later, after teaching Tenten, he walked over to Kurama Yakumo.
"Kitazawa-sensei," Yakumo stopped practicing and greeted him.
"Your Leaf Whirlwind is solid, but one taijutsu alone won't take you far—you need a set." He cleared his throat. "Today I'll teach you Leaf-Style Taijutsu."
Another thirty minutes later, he headed for the school's artificial lake.
Time drifted by. The sun dipped. School let out.
"Kitazawa-sensei." Sasuke stopped him at the gate.
"What is it, Sasuke?" Kitazawa asked.
Sasuke had been learning Leaf-Style: Willow from Maruboshi Kosuke. Being S-rank sword work, it would take him time, so this had to be something else.
"My brother gave me two sword techniques yesterday, but he said he's busy and doesn't have time to teach me." Sasuke produced a scroll. "He told me to give them to you so you could teach me."
Kitazawa's brows went up. Interesting. He didn't recall the Uchiha having much in the way of sword arts beyond something comparable to Leaf-Style—Uchiha-style.
He opened the scroll and froze for a beat.
Strictly speaking, these weren't "Uchiha clan" sword arts—they were Shisui Uchiha's.
Uchiha-style: Sword Jump Blaze and Uchiha-style: Gale Sword.
Neither was just bare swordplay. Like Leaf-Style: Willow, they layered in chakra properties. Willow blends genjutsu; Sword Jump Blaze and Gale Sword add Fire Release.
Sword Jump Blaze channels fire into the blade, turning it into a flaming edge.
Gale Sword adds Body Flicker on top of that, and lets the flaming edge detach from the blade.
Kitazawa studied the scroll, thinking. Odd. Having him learn them first and then teach Sasuke—felt like a deliberate gift. Either a bribe, or a thank-you. Root's disbandment had benefited the Uchiha most, after all.
Credit where due—Itachi's choices solved a short-term problem for him. Together with Leaf-Style, mastering these alone could qualify him for special jōnin on Kenjutsu.
"I'll teach you after you've learned Leaf-Style: Willow," Kitazawa said, rolling the scroll up.
"Mm." Sasuke nodded. He was still a kid and didn't overthink it, assuming Itachi really was busy. For what it's worth, Itachi had been busy—busy raiding Root's stash.
Kitazawa went home, the scent from the kitchen faintly drifting out—smelled like tempura.
He took out Sasuke's scroll again. He'd learn the two techniques when he had time—no point wasting the chakra blade Hinata had given him.
"Feels like this blade needs a name," he mused, rubbing his chin. "Let's call it Zangetsu."
Before long, Kurenai stepped out of the kitchen in an apron, set the dishes down, and asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Kenjutsu." He put the scroll away.
"You really do learn everything," Kurenai tilted her head, puzzled. "How come I never noticed you being this talented before?"
"I'm a late bloomer," Kitazawa quipped. At this point, playing down his abilities didn't matter. People would marvel and chalk it up to "late bloomer," not question his identity.
"Eat!" Kurenai suddenly flushed and huffed.
"…?" Kitazawa watched her run back to the kitchen, baffled. What was there to blush about?
"Here." She returned with bowls and chopsticks.
"Thanks." He accepted them. "How's the monster strength training?"
"Same as before—no progress," Kurenai admitted, a bit deflated.
"Don't get discouraged—hard things are supposed to be hard." He set a fried shrimp in her bowl. "Come with me to the mission desk tomorrow at noon."
"Okay." She knew he and Yakumo were visiting Tsunade in the morning, so noon made sense.
After dinner, he kept studying Sasuke's two sword techniques. He'd start with Sword Jump Blaze—it was simpler. The principle is like Wind Release: Vacuum Shuriken—imbuing a tool with chakra—except this was a sword with fire.
Gale Sword, with Body Flicker layered in, was essentially a combo technique—a composite ninjutsu. Naturally much harder. If Sword Jump Blaze was B-rank in learning difficulty, Gale Sword was A-rank.
Saturday.
Kurenai slept in, as usual.
After eating, Kitazawa and Yakumo stepped next door.
"Kitazawa-sensei." The door opened to Karin's bright smile. "Hi, Yakumo."
"Where's Tsunade-sama?" Kitazawa ruffled Karin's hair.
"She's not up yet," Karin said. "Aunt Shizune went to wake her."
"We'll wait, then." He wasn't surprised; he was used to it by now. Putting power aside, Tsunade had… plenty of bad habits. Still—big is beautiful.
"How's your Fire Sealing Method coming?" he asked to pass the time.
"I can deploy it reliably now," Karin said.
"Nice—fast progress." He thought a moment, then took out a scroll. "Here's your next sealing technique: the String Light Formation."
"Thank you, Sensei." She accepted it.
"I'll teach it in class next week," he added.
Footsteps sounded. Kitazawa turned instinctively—and saw Tsunade padding in barefoot. Fresh out of bed, she'd skipped her tea-green haori and wore only a sleeveless top. As she moved, the fabric rose and fell; the skin that showed was paler than snow.
"You're here?" Tsunade stretched, the sleeveless top looking one tug from slipping.
"Good morning, Tsunade-sama," Kitazawa said, forcing his eyes elsewhere.
"I'll eat first. Treatment after." She glanced his way but didn't care that he'd been peeking.
Another morning of hemophobia therapy passed.
"Tsunade-sama," Kitazawa said, with Tsunade leaning against him, "I plan to take a mission outside the village today."
"A mission?" Tsunade asked, eyes closed. "Need me to come?"
"No." He shook his head. "It's better if you stay in Konoha to keep watch on Danzō."
"Mm." She sat up. "If he makes a move, I'll stop him."
"As long as it's not Danzō himself, I can handle the rest easily," Kitazawa said with a smile.
And she didn't doubt it. She knew how strong he'd gotten—he could one-shot anyone below jōnin, and even among jōnin he was top-tier. Besides, with her hemophobia, she might only get in the way in a real brawl.
"If anything comes up, contact me through Katsuyu," she reminded him.
"Got it." He stood, said his goodbyes, and left.
Back home, Kurenai was up and practicing monster strength. Yakushi Kabuto, Aburame Torune, and Uchiha Izumi arrived right on time.
"Let's go—mission hall," Kitazawa said, extending his hand.
Kurenai stepped forward and took it.
The mission hall in the Hokage Building bustled even on a Saturday. Strictly speaking, shinobi don't have weekends; once you take a mission—especially a difficult one—you can be out for months or more. Rest isn't really a thing. Resting during a mission, though—no one complains.
"Kitazawa-sensei," Kabuto asked, eyeing the task board, "are we taking an A-rank or S-rank this time?"
"A or B is fine," Kitazawa said. His real goal was to reach the Land of Rivers and "accidentally" run into Kurosuki Raiga. With the Seven Swordsmen name involved, the mission would bump to S-rank anyway, whatever it started as.
Kabuto looked puzzled but didn't press. Root had trained him to take orders; the team lead counted as a superior.
Kitazawa scanned the board. Most missions were inside the Land of Fire; only some went abroad. Missions touching the Land of Rivers were rarer. B-rank would do.
"This one," he said, taking a B-rank slip.
Commissioned by the Land of Fire's daimyo: eliminate a ninja who'd fled to the Land of Rivers. Not one of the Five Great Villages' shinobi, of course. Plenty of non-Five shinobi exist—like those from the Fire Temple. Whatever this rogue had done to anger the daimyo didn't matter—kill him and bring the body back.
"Isn't that a bit simple?" Kurenai asked. A special jōnin plus four chūnin trekking to another country just to take down a chūnin seemed like overkill.
"This way we can practice ninjutsu on the road," Kitazawa said, offering an easy cover.
"Fair point," Kurenai nodded.
"Move out." With the mission in hand, they headed for the village gates. Past the Forest of Death, they broke into a run. The Land of Rivers borders the Land of Fire to the west.
Night fell as they reached the border—Rivers was close.
"We'll camp here," Kitazawa ordered. "Kabuto, you three set up the tents."
"Yes, Sensei." Kabuto divided the work. "I'll do one; Torune and Izumi, take the other."
Normally, one tent would do—sharing sleeping rolls is safer and quicker if you're ambushed. But Kabuto was mindful of Kitazawa and Kurenai's relationship and put up two.
Once camp was ready, the five ate together.
"Set a few traps around the perimeter in case shinobi from other villages pass through," Kitazawa said, then paused. "I'm going into the Land of Rivers to locate our target."
"I'll go with you," Kurenai said immediately.
"No need—easier if I go alone." He formed seals as he spoke.
Puff.
A small Katsuyu, cat-sized, appeared in the smoke.
"Is that… Tsunade-sama's summon?" Kurenai asked, eyes brightening as a thought clicked. Torune and Izumi looked on in surprise. The three sacred lands were famous, after all.
"Hello," Katsuyu said politely. "I am Katsuyu—Tsunade-sama and Kitazawa-sama's summon."
"Katsuyu-sama can use Reverse Summoning," Kitazawa explained. "She'll pull me back here when the time comes."
"I see," Kurenai said. "Be careful."
"Mm." Kitazawa did a quick calculation. "Katsuyu-sama, reverse-summon me in three hours."
The Land of Rivers is small. At full tilt, three hours was enough for him to run several loops—especially alone, with his Byakugan.
"Understood, Kitazawa-sama," Katsuyu said gently.
"Wait for me." Kitazawa moved a short distance from camp and flared the Byakugan.
With his Byakugan "purity" boosted by 30%, his radius had expanded to about seven kilometers. In the source material, the pinnacle of sensing was the Uzumaki's Mind's Eye of the Kagura—Karin could sense beyond five kilometers even early on, and later, dozens. Seven kilometers—seven thousand meters—wasn't short, even for shinobi.
He didn't leave immediately—first he swept the area around the tents. Only after confirming there were no Root agents or other shinobi nearby did he head into the Land of Rivers.
He'd prepared beforehand and bought a detailed map of the country—Katabami Gold Mine was marked right on it.
He walked while replaying the original plot. Kurosuki Raiga's death was almost a coincidence. He'd press-ganged locals into mining; among them was Rokusuke, son of Granny Sanshō of the Curry of Life Shop. (Rokusuke actually joined the Kurosuki family voluntarily.) When Rock Lee collapsed during a long run and was revived by the Curry of Life, it kicked off the "save Rokusuke" quest—Neji, Naruto, Tenten, and Lee eventually took Raiga down.
That won't trigger now, since the Kurosuki family hasn't formed yet. Still, Kitazawa was curious how the Curry of Life tasted. In the original, besides being murderously spicy, it seemed to have miraculous effects—every time Lee ate it he perked right up, like he'd taken some secret tonic.
He halted abruptly.
In his Byakugan's field, three truly massive chakra signatures appeared.
Three jōnin? No—four people total, but one wasn't a jōnin; that chakra was weak, about genin-level. Two of the jōnin were locked in a fierce fight.
Kitazawa steadied himself, closed in, and watched with the Byakugan. Moments later, the three jōnin's faces were clear in his mind.
Good news: one of them was Kurosuki Raiga—hard to miss with the long green hair and twin blades.
Bad news: he knew the other two as well.
A woman with blue-violet hair, amber eyes, lilac eye shadow, exquisitely beautiful features, and a lip stud—Konan, one of Akatsuki's three founders.
And the man hefting an enormous cleaver—the first wielder of the Executioner's Blade (Kubikiribōchō), Biwa Jūzō.
~~~
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