Konoha Hospital, Tsunade's office on the third floor.
"Teacher, isn't there really any other way? You're one of the legendary Sannin!" Okamoto Dousuke asked, sitting on a stool and looking at the medical report in his hand.
Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest, a gesture that emphasized the prominent curve of her breasts.
Suddenly, Tsunade leaned forward, placing her hands flat on the desk, her forehead almost touching Okamoto Dousuke's. "You brat," she said, her voice a low growl.
"You're a relatively experienced doctor yourself now. Don't you understand the reality of Aburame Takuto's condition?"
"If you hadn't skillfully reattached his severed leg and provided immediate, expert treatment, he would have been incredibly lucky to even walk with a limp for the rest of his life. Do you understand?" Tsunade said, her expression stern.
"I understand, but… can Takuto really never be a ninja again?" Okamoto Dousuke asked, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"Dousuke, I understand how you feel. And believe me, I know that feeling of helplessness better than you can imagine. I'm just one of the Legendary Three Saninns, not a god. You did exceptionally well," Tsunade said, straightening up and giving Okamoto Dousuke a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"In fact, sometimes choosing the civilian path is a blessing in disguise. At least it's far better than the fate of those poor souls who perish on the battlefield or during perilous missions," Tsunade added, her gaze drifting towards the window, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"I understand, Teacher. Then I'll head to the laboratory first," Okamoto Dousuke said, placing the medical report down on the desk.
"Wait just a moment, don't go to the laboratory yet," Tsunade called out, stopping Okamoto Dousuke in his tracks.
"The Third Hokage mentioned that you performed admirably on this last mission. He asked me to inquire if there's any particular reward you desire, or any specific ninjutsu you'd like to learn?"
"Any ninjutsu is acceptable?" Okamoto Dousuke asked quickly, his ears perking up at Tsunade's words.
Hearing that there might be an opportunity to learn new ninjutsu, Okamoto Dousuke's determination to improve his abilities burned even brighter.
As a ninja from a civilian background, Okamoto Dousuke had limited opportunities to learn more advanced ninjutsu. The descendants of established ninja clans were typically taught chakra manipulation and foundational techniques by their families from the tender age of three, sometimes even younger.
However, children from ordinary families didn't have such inherent advantages. Okamoto Dousuke himself had only begun learning to refine his chakra after starting school at the age of four.
Typically, children from non-clan families wouldn't have the chance to experience high-level ninjutsu until after they graduated from the Ninja Academy.
Therefore, their battles often relied heavily on Taijutsu combined with the Three Basic Jutsu! (Transformation, Substitution, and Clone Techniques). This wasn't solely due to a lack of inherent chakra capacity but also because of the limited exposure to and mastery of advanced ninjutsu.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, civilian ninjas needed to successfully complete various missions and pass rigorous assessments to advance to higher ranks, which would then unlock opportunities to learn more advanced techniques.
Each village closely guarded its unique and high-level ninjutsu, maintaining strict secrecy. Leaking such techniques could potentially expose vulnerabilities to enemy ninja villages, leading to unnecessary casualties.
The ninja clans were even more fiercely protective of their own secret techniques, many of which weren't even formally documented within the village's archives but were instead passed down orally within their own family lines. Examples included the Hyuga Clans: Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, the Aburame Clan's Insect techniques, and the Nara Clan's Shadow Manipulation techniques.
The ninjutsu Okamoto Dousuke commonly employed, such as Water Iron Ball, Water Iron Ring Ball, Finger Gun, Finger Fang, and Water Flash Body Technique, were all considered low-level ninjutsu that he had painstakingly developed by leveraging his exceptional chakra control.
Although after becoming Tsunade's apprentice, Okamoto Dousuke had created several new ninjutsu under her guidance, he still lacked any truly advanced techniques.
Moreover, his preferred fighting style didn't entirely align with Tsunade's. Her style was a devastating combination of super-strength punches and highly effective medical ninjutsu. The sheer destructive force of her strikes, coupled with her ability to heal herself or others at any moment, gave Tsunade a significant advantage in any battle.
Tsunade's signature Strength of a Hundred Seal could theoretically be learned by Okamoto Dousuke with his precise chakra control, but his current physical body couldn't handle the immense strain required to perform such a ninjutsu effectively. At least, not his nine-year-old frame in the midst of a fierce battle.
Tsunade possessed the extraordinary physique inherent to the Senju clan, a lineage that Okamoto Dousuke did not share.
He had attempted the Super Strength Fist technique once after Tsunade had taught him the basics, but he quickly abandoned this powerful move.
That single experiment had resulted in three fractures in Okamoto Dousuke's right hand and his entire right arm, the bones splintering into multiple pieces. It had taken extensive medical ninjutsu and a long period of recovery to heal completely.
Consequently, Tsunade had focused more on teaching him advanced medical ninjutsu and reinforcing the fundamentals of various other ninjutsu styles.
Now, presented with the opportunity to learn an advanced ninjutsu from the village's closely guarded secrets, he knew he had to choose wisely – the one technique he had secretly desired for a long time.
This was the core ninjutsu Okamoto Dousuke envisioned as crucial for future battles against tailed beasts and even opponents at the Six Paths level.
"Don't worry, you are my disciple," Tsunade said, a confident grin spreading across her face.
"While you might not have access to the secret techniques of the major ninja clans, you have my permission to choose any of the village's secret ninjutsu while I'm here to vouch for you." Tsunade swept away the previous somber mood with a decisive clap of her hands and a loud, reassuring voice.
"Come on, if there's a specific ninjutsu you have in mind, I'll take you to the Hokage Building myself."
With that, Tsunade strode purposefully towards the Hokage Tower, Okamoto Dousuke following closely behind.
"What! You actually want to choose this?" Tsunade asked, perched on a stool in the library within the Hokage's office, her eyes wide as she watched Okamoto Dousuke close the heavy Book of Seals after finally making his selection.
"Yes, Teacher, this is the one," Okamoto Dousuke replied, his gaze unwavering as he met Tsunade's surprised expression with a firm nod.
"Ah, you do realize the immense difficulty of this particular ninjutsu, don't you? Since its creation, aside from the inventor himself, only one other ninja in the entire village has ever successfully mastered it. Are you absolutely sure?"
"Teacher, please don't worry. I have complete confidence in myself," Okamoto Dousuke said, pointing to the specific entry within the Sealed Book.
"Alright then, I'll go speak with the old man – Sandai – to request permission for you to learn this ninjutsu. You wait here for a moment." With that, Tsunade swiftly left the library to find the Third Hokage.
Looking down at the Book of Seals in his hands, Okamoto Dousuke thought to himself, As expected, obtaining a ninjutsu from the Sealed Book isn't so simple. Not only was there the intricate sealing array to consider, but the Sealed Book itself was more of a catalog of forbidden or highly restricted techniques, lacking any detailed training methods.
Attempting to replicate what Naruto had done in the original stories was simply wishful thinking. Ignoring the near impossibility of a Genin even being able to access and open the sealing technique of the Book of Seals, Dousuke Okamoto had diligently read through the entire book multiple times and still hadn't found any specific instructions on how to perform the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
A ninjutsu wasn't just about memorizing hand seals; the precise manipulation and flow of chakra within the body were equally indispensable. This was why the Sharingan, one of the Three Great Dojutsu, not only allowed the user to copy movements but also to observe the intricate flow of chakra within a ninja's body.
As a famous visual jutsu that can be used at any time, it would be a lie for Dousuke Okamoto not to feel a pang of envy. But without a unique physique like those of the Uchiha, Senju, or Uzumaki clans,
for ordinary individuals, the Sharingan isn't a helpful tool but rather a debilitating burden.
Shaking his head, Okamoto Dousuke picked up the Sealed Book again and looked at the introduction of another forbidden technique within its pages – the Impure World Reincarnation.
This was another ninjutsu that stirred his desire, but using such a forbidden art within the village was unthinkable. He knew he had to let go of that particular ambition.
Just as Okamoto Dousuke was deeply engrossed in reading about the various ninjutsu within the Sealed Book, the library door swung open with a swoosh.
Tsunade stood in the doorway and tossed a scroll towards Okamoto Dousuke. "Boy, this is it. You can't take the original away, you'll need to write down the training method."
"Understood, Teacher Tsunade," Okamoto Dousuke replied, raising his hands to catch the scroll as it flew towards him.
Okamoto Dousuke carefully unrolled the scroll and laid it flat across his knees, his eyes immediately drawn to the name written at the top.