Chapter 136: Tsunade – I Think I Understand Grandpa Now!

"The Tenketsu listed in the ’Expert’ level should all be usable—just with varying effects." Like the Hyūga clan’s "Gentle Fist" techniques, most of these Tenketsu strikes were meant to seal chakra, though the locations differed, and the duration of the seal varied. Kyohiko used shadow clones to experiment and summarize before reaching a conclusion. Chakra pathway nodes—the more chakra concentrated in them, the shorter the sealing duration. This was the Hyūga clan’s advantage. With training, the Byakugan could perceive finer chakra points, and by sealing multiple locations, they could lock away chakra for longer. Moreover, some Tenketsu could even stimulate the body’s latent potential through chakra activation—just like the Eight Gates. However— At the "Expert" level, only one Tenketsu had this effect. The Danzhong Point! Located at the center of the chest, it was a major convergence point for chakra pathways. Stimulating it with chakra could trigger an instantaneous burst of energy, enhancing both physical and chakra output. The side effect? Greater chakra consumption and a period of weakness afterward. "If there’s one, there must be more—I just don’t know them yet. Researching Tenketsu is definitely useful, and there are even more applications waiting to be discovered. But the Hyūga clan..." Kyohiko rubbed his temples. The Hyūga, a prestigious clan with centuries of tradition, weren’t particularly strong, but they were stubborn as hell. While he had made some progress, another potential collaboration might not go as smoothly. He closed the book, created a Wood Clone, and his real body vanished in an instant. Flying Thunder God Technique. Though he wasn’t fully proficient yet and needed further refinement, he could already use it effectively for personal movement. Konoha, Hokage’s Office Tsunade was reviewing documents when she suddenly sensed a chakra fluctuation—followed by Kyohiko’s presence appearing right outside. She froze for a second, then her eyes widened slightly. This wasn’t a Body Flicker Technique. Only the Flying Thunder God could achieve instantaneous movement like this. Had Kyohiko mastered it? Overjoyed, she stood up—just as Kyohiko opened the door and walked in. "Big sis—" "You brat! You already mastered the Flying Thunder God?!" "Yeah. I’ve been studying it for a long time, so it’s not that surprising, right? But it’s not very practical in combat yet, so I’m still figuring out how to optimize it." Kyohiko shrugged. Tsunade was speechless. This kid... Still not satisfied?! "Back then, Minato had to learn every sealing technique, most barrier formulas, and compile his own theories before he could even start developing this jutsu!" She glared at him. Typical—acting humble after achieving the impossible! Still, knowing Kyohiko had mastered the Flying Thunder God made her genuinely happy. With this technique, Kyohiko would be much harder to kill—she wouldn’t have to worry about him meeting the same fate as the other two people she had cared about... A shadow passed over her heart, but she quickly shook it off. Then, her sharp eyes narrowed. "When did you plant a Flying Thunder God mark at my door?" "When I came to get books last time." Kyohiko grinned. He then asked about the progress with the Hyūga clan— (Of course, he didn’t mention that he already knew, thanks to the system, that they had agreed to the hospital collaboration.) Tsunade gave him a rundown. Kyohiko immediately understood. Noble clans and their damn bureaucracy! The medical-nin collaboration was clearly beneficial to them, so they had no objections. But the Tenketsu research? That was stepping on the elders’ toes. Kyohiko frowned. "Centuries-old clans and their endless traditions..." "Yeah, there’s no helping it." Tsunade sighed. "Honestly, getting those Hyūga fossils to agree to assign some of their members as medical-nin—even if restricted to the village hospital—was already a miracle." "It’s a win-win for them. No reason to refuse." Kyohiko shrugged. Tsunade nodded. "True. But they’re the Hyūga. The fact that they haven’t outright rejected the Tenketsu research means there’s still room for negotiation." For a clan that hadn’t changed in centuries, Kyohiko’s words—and the two techniques he offered—had already cracked open their defenses. That alone was a miracle. Kyohiko understood, but he still thought it was too slow. Maybe they needed a little more... motivation. "Big sis, I’ve recently researched a few more Tenketsu. Maybe we can apply some extra pressure?" "Would that backfire?" Tsunade was hesitant. Kyohiko explained, "When I told Hiashi that the human body holds infinite mysteries—that Tenketsu aren’t just for sealing chakra—he probably didn’t take it seriously. But now, I’ve found proof." "You found one?" Tsunade was stunned. Kyohiko nodded. "This point connects to the heart and lungs. Stimulating it with chakra can accelerate chakra extraction and output." Tsunade’s expression turned grave. "Near the heart and lungs? You absolutely cannot mess around with this!" "I know." Though shadow clones could simulate Tenketsu (even fooling the Byakugan), they couldn’t replicate the Danzhong Point’s effect—since they were pure chakra constructs. After warning him, Tsunade fell into thought. Medical-nin had researched chakra points before, but since everyone’s Tenketsu varied slightly and the effects were minor, the research was eventually abandoned. But if what Kyohiko said was true—stimulating these points could save lives or turn the tide in battle—this was invaluable. Tsunade gritted her teeth and tried it herself. Instantly— Her heart and lungs surged, her chakra exploded, and her physical strength skyrocketed. This was a temporary boost, like the Eight Gates. A last-resort technique. But— The risks were severe. Tsunade’s face darkened. "Long-term use could overload the heart and lungs, leading to chronic conditions. If we don’t want people crippling themselves... No, this has to go in the Forbidden Scroll!" At this moment, Tsunade finally understood her grandfather’s mindset. When the First Hokage stopped the Second, he must have thought the same thing— "These techniques are too dangerous!" Tsunade sighed in frustration. Kyohiko smirked. "Big sis, what were you just thinking?" "What? That I hope you die early!" She shot him a glare (though it was more elegant than angry), then admitted her thoughts. Kyohiko, however, disagreed. "If the First Hokage truly believed these techniques were worthless, he wouldn’t have allowed them to be preserved at all. But by creating the Forbidden Scroll, he might have just passed the problem to future generations." "Probably..." Tsunade exhaled deeply. These forbidden jutsu were products of wisdom and sacrifice—and also the foundation of a village’s strength. "It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." "No wonder you wanted to collaborate with the Hyūga clan. The human body truly does hold endless potential beyond just the Eight Gates, just as you said," Tsunade remarked. Kyohiko grinned. "Actually, I have another idea—forcing the body to absorb massive amounts of air to stimulate cellular activity, pushing physical strength beyond even Lightning Release Chakra Mode levels." "Write it into the Forbidden Scroll yourself!" Tsunade’s face remained expressionless— No sooner had she spoken than yet another forbidden technique popped up. "You’re really something else." "Of course." Kyohiko smirked shamelessly. This idea was "borrowed" from Shira, originally called the "Seven Heavens Breathing Method" technique—but he felt zero guilt about it. "Enough. I don’t want you constantly risking yourself like this. It’s not good." Tsunade’s voice softened. Kyohiko nodded. "If I really wanted to test the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, I could’ve developed it already. The only reason it’s still theoretical is because I don’t think it’s worth the risk for me." He explained. Tsunade nodded, falling silent. A few seconds later, she spoke again. "I can’t intervene directly for you on this matter—you’ll have to negotiate yourself. But do you know Jiraiya’s Raging Lion’s Mane technique? If you can use it, the effect might be even better." "Raging Lion’s Mane isn’t too difficult." Kyohiko did know it. However— Only at a Expert level— And that was only because his fundamentals were solid, not because he had deeply studied the technique. Still, it would be enough for demonstration purposes. --- Hyūga Clan, Meeting Hall No matter how passionately Hiashi argued, the clan elders had only one response: "The clan rules cannot be broken." Clan rules, clan rules— Always the damn clan rules! Hiashi was furious, but he also understood that some of these very rules had allowed the Hyūga to endure for centuries. Like— The Caged Bird Seal. Of course— Not everyone was opposed this time. Aside from Hizashi, a few elders were inclined to agree—they just didn’t want to speak up while the situation was unclear. But after careful consideration, Hiashi’s eyes gleamed with an idea. At the end of the day, the problem was simple— The benefits weren’t tangible enough. Hearing about something and seeing it were two entirely different things. With a plan in mind, Hiashi strode out—but after a few steps, he abruptly changed direction. A short while later— "Hizashi." "Clan Head." Hizashi immediately stood, bowing respectfully. Hiashi smiled. "Call me brother." "...Brother." Hizashi complied. Hiashi gave a slight nod. "Hizashi, I need your help with something. I want you to contact Kyohiko and ask him to fulfill part of his promise in advance. That way, we can proceed with the next phase of cooperation." "Understood!" Hizashi nodded and turned to leave for the ANBU headquarters— But Hiashi suddenly stiffened, raising a hand. "Wait!" "What is it?" Hizashi turned back, puzzled. Hiashi’s Byakugan activated— And then, a faint smile appeared on his face. "He’s here! Go greet him and bring Kyohiko to me. And remember—be respectful." "Yes." Kyohiko had saved his comrades’ lives—how could Hizashi not respect him? Spotting Kyohiko being stopped at the entrance, Hizashi hurried forward. "Hold on!" "Hizashi-sama!" "He is the Clan Head’s guest. I’ve been instructed to escort him." Afterward, Hizashi quickly apologized. Kyohiko, of course, didn’t mind. This was the Hyūga clan—noble families were always drowning in rules. He’d fix that sooner or later. Internally scheming, he maintained a friendly smile. "Hizashi-, I didn’t expect you to personally greet me. Weren’t you supposed to be on a mission today?" "I was, but the clan meeting took priority, so I had to postpone it." Hizashi smiled wryly. As he led Kyohiko inside, he quietly summarized the situation—finally revealing Hiashi’s intentions. "So..." "Don’t worry. Hiashi-sama and I hit it off immediately—why would I make things difficult for him? Besides, I come bearing great news." Kyohiko grinned, quickening his pace. Hizashi was curious but didn’t press further, simply guiding him toward Hiashi. His elder brother... Hizashi sighed inwardly as they entered the courtyard. "Clan Head, I’ve brought Kyohiko." "Good." Hiashi nodded, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. Then, he turned to Kyohiko. "Kyohiko, congratulations on your promotion to ANBU Captain." Hiashi laughed heartily. Kyohiko waved it off. "Acting Captain—still just acting for now!" Hiashi smirked but said nothing. Acting? Please. The Hyūga had eyes in the ANBU—did Kyohiko think he didn’t know the current situation? Through Gekko Hayate, Kyohiko had already secured the loyalty of Gekko Shusaku and the rest of the Gekko clan. The remaining three squads were largely composed of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio—And their relationship with Kyohiko was rock-solid. As for the two advisors? Without Sarutobi Hiruzen, their authority wasn’t what it used to be. Hiashi saw everything clearly. Instead of immediately bringing up "repayment," he invited Kyohiko to sit, served tea, and began chatting amiably—casually mentioning his recent frustrations. Kyohiko had no patience for mind games. Hiashi might enjoy this dance, but he didn’t. "Hiashi-sama, I’ve come with two pieces of good news." "Two?" Hiashi was inwardly surprised. What else could there be? Keeping his thoughts hidden, he smiled. "The first must be related to Jiraiya-sama’s technique?" "Correct. The second is that I’ve made another breakthrough in Tenketsu research." Kyohiko grinned. Hiashi’s fingers twitched imperceptibly, though his expression remained calm. "For the Hyūga, that may not necessarily be good news, no?" "Oh, it’s good news. I’ve discovered an Tenketsu that can stimulate the body’s latent potential and explosively release chakra. Of course, it’s already been classified as a forbidden technique, so I can’t demonstrate it." Kyohiko sighed regretfully before continuing. "But my hypothesis was correct—the human body holds infinite potential, and Tenketsu have far more applications than just sealing chakra." "Is this true?!" Hiashi abruptly stood, his composure finally cracking. Beside him, Hizashi was equally stunned. "Kyohiko, you—you’re serious?" "Of course. I wouldn’t lie to you." Kyohiko nodded. The brothers exchanged glances—a silent decision passing between them. They quickly motioned for Kyohiko to sit again, and the three began earnest discussions. "We will reconvene the elders and persuade them to approve this collaboration—" "Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-senpai—now that I’ve made new discoveries, the terms of our cooperation can’t remain the same as before." Kyohiko smiled faintly. Hiashi wasn’t surprised, nodding slightly. "Naturally. What do you want in return?" "It’s simple. If the Hyūga and I jointly discover new Tenketsu functions, I want the right to partially disclose them—to benefit more shinobi in the village." Kyohiko’s tone was firm. Hiashi pondered for a moment before responding. "Agreed. After all, the initial theory was yours. However, the forbidden technique you mentioned earlier—I hope we can share that knowledge as well." "Deal."