Chapter 143: Fighting? You Don’t Need to Fight

Yin Healing Wound Destruction No hand seals were required, but it demanded an exceptionally high level of precise medical ninjutsu fundamentals. Kyohiko had some prior knowledge of medical ninjutsu, but it wasn’t particularly advanced. After merging memories, he repeatedly contemplated and examined the technique before falling into deep thought. Preemptively condensing chakra to an extreme degree. Could this be the precursor to Tsunade’s hand-seal-less healing? Kyohiko pondered. However... for Yakushi Nonō to have mastered a technique of this level... Well, it made sense. The Root organization wasn’t lacking in jutsu. "Yin Healing Wound Destruction." Kyohiko mused before saturating his entire body with chakra, simulating a chakra mode capable of explosive strength. Then, he used a blade to cut his arm... No automatic healing occurred. He still needed to actively activate the technique with chakra to accelerate the healing process. "So it’s not the same. Tsunade might have referenced the principles or mechanics of Injury Healing and Destruction, but it’s not an evolutionary step toward hand-seal-less healing." After all— Tsunade and Hashirama’s healing abilities were passive—they began recovering the moment they were injured. In contrast, Yin Healing Wound Destruction required active activation— Even if he had mastered the chakra mode. Still... "If I can raise its proficiency, this technique could provide significant assistance in battle, especially after releasing the Yin Seal." "It’s worth improving." "And given my chakra control, precision, reflexes, and understanding of medical ninjutsu, reaching a Proficient or Expert level wouldn’t take much time." Kyohiko had a clear idea now. Beyond mastery, it would require long-term study and refinement—or relying on the system to take a chance. But— Once he reached mastery, he could properly evaluate the technique’s true value. He created a shadow clone and sent it to Tsunade— For medical ninjutsu, Tsunade was undoubtedly the best source for insights and scrolls. The process went smoothly. Tsunade showed no signs of refusal, only cautioning him that the technique carried risks and required careful application. But given Kyohiko’s reflexes and abilities, she was confident he could master it. She had no doubts. Meanwhile, Kakashi and his team had already set out to find the Iburi clan. The Iburi clan wasn’t living well. If their problems could be resolved, they would likely be more than willing to come to Konoha. And that would mean another reward. "For Konoha, I’m working myself to the bone!" A month later, outside a cave in the Land of Fire. "Captain, based on the intel we’ve gathered recently, this should be the place." "Mm." Kakashi nodded. After a moment of thought, he said, "Send the ninken in first. We’ll wait outside." With that, he bit his thumb and summoned Pakkun. Then, he handed the cooperative scroll to the white giant dog. The ninken, gripping the scroll in its jaws, dashed into the cave, heading deep inside. This summon had served alongside the White Fang for many years. Its capabilities were more than sufficient for most shinobi tasks. As it followed the scent deeper into the cave, it gradually slowed to a stop. The trail had vanished! It set down the scroll and spoke aloud: "I’ve been sent to convey Konoha’s goodwill. We wish to establish cooperation with the Iburi clan and hope you’ll agree to meet." After speaking, it waited silently. A long stretch of silence followed. Just as Pakkun was about to pick up the scroll and leave— A sudden haze of smoke billowed through the air. The ninken immediately raised its head. In the next instant, a human figure materialized from the smoke, taking the form of an adult man. "You represent Konoha?" The man stared at the massive white ninken, disbelief flashing in his eyes. He had expected a human voice, not a summon. After a brief pause, a vague memory surfaced. "Are you from the Inuzuka clan?" "No, I have no relation to the Inuzuka. My master believed entering directly might cause unnecessary misunderstandings, so he sent me first to deliver a message." Pakkun nudged the scroll with its paw, signaling the man to take it. "This..." The middle-aged man hesitated. His appearance didn’t mean he agreed to any so-called "cooperation." But— Konoha’s approach was polite. Steeling himself, he stepped forward to retrieve the scroll, his gaze never leaving the giant dog. If it made any sudden moves, he would use his ability to escape immediately. However— Pakkun didn’t so much as twitch until the man had taken the scroll and retreated. The man unrolled the scroll. Written inside was Konoha’s stance, their intentions, and most crucially— "Your clan’s condition must not be ideal. Rather than hiding, why not come to Konoha to resolve your issues? As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, we have the means to help." His breathing hitched, shock flashing across his face. "How do you know?" "..." Pakkun didn’t answer. No matter how intelligent, it was still just a dog—it had no idea what Kakashi’s friend was thinking. The Iburi clansman let out a bitter chuckle. Then, he lowered the scroll. "We welcome Konoha’s esteemed guests, but our people fear outsiders. It’s best if not too many come." "Understood." Pakkun dipped its head. Then, it turned and sprinted back out of the cave. A few minutes later, a lone figure navigated the narrow passageway, descending into the dim underground cavern. But the man from earlier had already disappeared. Kakashi frowned slightly. However, he didn’t have to wait long. Soon, tendrils of smoke rose from the ground, coalescing into human forms before him. Smoke transformation? Was this the Iburi clan’s ability? Kakashi froze for a second before realizing why Kyohiko had insisted they locate the Iburi clan as soon as possible—even at the cost of time. If they could be persuaded to join Konoha, the clan’s members could be trained to bolster the ANBU’s intelligence network. The only condition was— Their clan’s flaw had to be resolved. "Greetings. I’m a squad captain of Konoha’s ANBU. You may call me Wolf." Wolf? The assembled group exchanged glances. They hadn’t expected Konoha’s envoy to be so young. But— His attire was unmistakably that of a Konoha ANBU operative. "Captain Wolf, I am Iburi Gotta, leader of the Iburi clan. These are my clansmen... May I ask if what you mentioned earlier is true?" Iburi Gotta struggled to contain his emotions. Kakashi gave a slight nod. "Of course. We have no reason to deceive you." "But our ability... Right, how did you know about us?" Iburi Gotta hurriedly voiced his earlier doubt— In his excitement, he had forgotten to ask. Kakashi answered honestly: "Your clan’s ability is formidable. But if it had no drawbacks, would you still be hiding here without making a sound?" "Ah..." Iburi Gotta sighed. True. If not for their flaw, with their power... The clansmen exchanged uneasy looks. "If we go to Konoha, what kind of treatment can we expect? Also... is your leader still Danzo?" "The current ANBU commander isn’t Danzo, and Konoha’s Hokage has also changed. Your information is outdated." Kakashi swept his gaze over them. Living in caves, they probably had few chances to leave—it was no surprise they were unaware of Konoha’s recent developments. Calmly, he continued: "As for your Kekkei Genkai’s issue, my commander and Orochimaru-sama will undoubtedly find a solution." Orochimaru-sama? At the name, their expressions shifted toward belief. He was one of Konoha’s Legendary Sannin, renowned as a genius in research. "If it’s Orochimaru-sama..." They wavered. Kakashi wasn’t in a hurry—his mask concealed all expression. After a long silence, they remained hesitant. "Perhaps... we could send a few representatives to Konoha first..." "If you’re uncertain, I can use summoning jutsu to relay the message back. Soon, you could speak directly with my commander." Seeing their willingness, Kakashi proposed an alternative. Summoning jutsu! Through Mount Myōboku’s toads, they could summon Kyohiko directly from Konoha. "Konoha actually has this kind of capability?" They exchanged glances. "Alright!" ... In the ANBU headquarters, Kyohiko continued experimenting with "Yin Healing Wound Destruction." In just one month, his mastery of the technique had progressed from beginner to proficient. Combined with the chakra concentration and explosive force from the "Superhuman Strength" technique, he could instantly gather and activate the jutsu at the moment before injury. In this way, it could barely be considered hand-seal-less healing. However— Compared to Senju Hashirama’s version, it was practically a crude imitation. "Senju Hashirama’s physique is truly one of a kind in this world." Kyohiko mused silently. Just as he was about to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to head to the joint laboratory operated by his shadow clones and the Hyūga clan, a sudden surge of chakra fluctuation appeared. A toad leaped out from the void. "Message from Kakashi—they’ve found them." "Good." Kyohiko created a shadow clone, which was promptly swallowed by the toad. Then— Poof! The toad vanished. ... Inside the cave, everyone waited in silence. Moments later, a toad materialized. Iburi Gotta was stunned. Then, a figure climbed out from the toad. Not particularly tall, but compared to the previous visitor, this one exuded an indescribable presence—an aura that made them instinctively wary. Kyohiko swept his gaze over them. "The Iburi clan?" "Y-yes, sir. We are the Iburi clan. I am the leader, Gotta." Iburi Gotta swallowed hard. Just that brief eye contact had filled him with an inexplicable dread. This man was strong! Kyohiko spoke calmly. "Do you have any questions?" "We are willing to join Konoha, but... we don’t know what we’ll be expected to contribute..." Iburi Gotta forced a bitter smile. He understood. Nothing in this world came without a price. If Konoha had simply extended an invitation out of goodwill, they wouldn’t have sent ANBU operatives—just a regular shinobi team would’ve sufficed. Kyohiko smiled. "You’re quite rational. Good. Once your issues are resolved, I’ll need your people to serve as spies, gathering intelligence from other nations." "That’s... it?" Iburi Gotta was taken aback. Kyohiko nodded. "Just that. There’s not much else you could offer." As he spoke, he lightly tapped the ground with his foot. Then, he stepped aside. Iburi Gotta leaned forward and saw— A crater at least two or three meters deep had formed where Kyohiko had stood. If that kind of power were directed at them... A collective shudder ran through the group. The message was clear: Konoha had no need for their assistance in combat. "Don’t worry. You won’t be the only ones gathering intelligence. Other operatives will handle the rest. Training and guidance will also be provided..." Kyohiko laid out the terms. The Iburi clan’s abilities were unique. While mediocre in combat, their skills made them exceptional spies and intelligence operatives. "If it’s just intelligence gathering... we’ll gladly serve!" Iburi Gotta made his decision immediately. It was settled! Being spies and intelligence operatives carried risks, but compared to their current plight—where clan members rarely lived to old age—aligning with Konoha at least promised a better future. "Now, tell me about your Kekkei Genkai. Your numbers are small, so I’m guessing there’s a major flaw." Kyohiko’s gaze swept over them. Iburi Gotta nodded. "Yes. Our smoke transformation allows us to infiltrate places ordinary people can’t, but... if we encounter strong winds while in smoke form, we..." He hesitated, cautiously observing Kyohiko’s reaction. "I see." Kyohiko pondered briefly before speaking. "I know medical ninjutsu. Who will let me take a tissue sample? I’ll bring it back to study with Orochimaru." "I’ll do it!" Iburi Gotta stepped forward, gritting his teeth. "Clan leader—" "At this man’s level, killing us would be effortless. If he wanted us dead, we’d already be gone. He will protect us." With that, he extended his arm. Kakashi stepped forward, his tone calm. "Don’t worry. I’ll make it quick." In an instant, his blade flashed. Shing! A chunk of flesh was cleanly severed. Before the pain could fully register, Kyohiko had already completed his hand seals. "Mystical Palm Technique!" His mastery of the technique was at the "Grandmaster" level—healing such an injury was child’s play. Soon, Kyohiko sealed the tissue sample in a vial, preserved it with a storage scroll, and handed it to Kakashi. "Escort them back to Konoha." "Captain, we may need you to rendezvous with us on the return trip. I’m concerned Danzo might interfere." Kakashi’s voice was steady. At the mention of "Danzo," a flicker of terror crossed Iburi Gotta’s face. Clearly, the "Darkness of the Shinobi World" was no stranger to them. "Understood." With that, the shadow clone dispersed. ... Back in Konoha, Kyohiko’s real body was in Tsunade’s office, discussing the concept of hand-seal-less healing. "Using a method similar to Yin Healing Wound Destruction, combined with the release of the Yin Seal, to achieve a state of automatic regeneration?" Tsunade pondered. "I’ve considered such a technique, but it has significant drawbacks. After all, cell division has its limits." Compared to forced regeneration through ninjutsu, natural healing had far fewer side effects. Kyohiko nodded. "True. But in a hand-seal-less healing state, as long as chakra isn’t exhausted, the body can theoretically remain active and continuously regenerate. It’s worth researching." Tsunade rubbed her temples. She pulled out a notebook and tossed it to Kyohiko. "I’ve only just begun studying the Yin Seal’s release, and you’re already thinking about how to apply its chakra." The notebook contained her research. Kyohiko skimmed through it— The idea was to flood the body with released chakra, creating a state akin to the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, forming an internal-external cycle. This was the prototype of the Strength of a Hundred Seal. At that moment, the shadow clone’s memories synchronized. Kyohiko frowned slightly. The system hadn’t issued a notification yet... Were there complications? Or would it only count as a success once they reached Konoha? He looked up. "Sis, I’ll research the hand-seal-less healing technique alongside this. The Iburi clan has agreed to join Konoha. To prevent Danzo from interfering, I’ll go meet them." "Alright. Be careful. Take Minato with you." Tsunade’s expression was grave. The Iburi clan’s abilities weren’t particularly strong in combat, but they were exceptionally suited for espionage. If they joined Konoha, the village’s intelligence network would improve significantly. This couldn’t be left to chance. "Understood."