Chapter 148: Acupuncture Points—A

The forest outside the ANBU base echoed with the cries of monkeys and apes. "So, these are the monkeys you caught?" "Yeah, a simple genjutsu made it easy." Orochimaru nodded. Then, he sighed lightly. "As you said, monkeys and apes share many physiological similarities with humans, including reproduction. Their breeding cycle is just as slow." A long reproductive cycle... Not ideal for research. Fortunately, these creatures were abundant in nature, so there was no immediate shortage. However, raising them as ninja beasts would require extra effort. "If the old man is willing to help, things would be much easier regarding ninja beast cultivation." Orochimaru glanced at Kyohiko, his meaning clear. Kyohiko thought for a moment and nodded. "I’ll discuss it with the Sandaime. Maybe the Monkey Clan would be willing to cooperate." Indeed, when it came to the training of monkeys and apes, the Enma Clan held the most authority. It would be foolish not to utilize such a resource and instead take the harder path of independent research. Orochimaru nodded in agreement before asking, "You suddenly wanted to come here—do you have an experiment in mind?" "Testing acupuncture-based treatments. If successful, they could serve as viable subjects for medical and other experiments," Kyohiko replied. "I’ll need Hyuga Hiashi’s assistance for this." "Huh? Me?" Hiashi blinked, snapping out of his daze. He hadn’t been paying attention to Kyohiko and Orochimaru’s conversation. Kyohiko nodded. "I need your Byakugan to observe the monkeys’ chakra points and meridians." "Understood." Hiashi agreed. A few seconds later, Kyohiko caught one of the monkeys. Theoretically, all living beings possessed chakra—the difference lay in whether they could harness it. For example, this monkey couldn’t consciously use chakra. It screeched, flailing in fear and agitation. Yet, as its arms moved, chakra naturally flowed through its body. Hiashi activated his Byakugan, carefully observing. After a few seconds, his expression shifted to surprise. "It really does have them! And the distribution of its chakra points and meridians is almost identical to a human’s!" "Perfect." Both Kyohiko and Orochimaru smiled in satisfaction. This meant monkeys could serve as ideal substitutes for human test subjects. "Now, let’s try tenketsu stimulation." Kyohiko pressed a finger against the monkey’s Shōmon (Gate of Pain). With his mastery-level precision, he no longer needed to be as cautious when using the Five Gates Sealing Technique. A single light tap— "Screeeech!" The monkey shrieked in terror, but within moments, its eyes turned wild and furious. Kyohiko, using the same grip strength as before, found it suddenly harder to restrain the creature. "It works!" Orochimaru’s fingers glowed with five elemental chakra natures as he pressed against the area where the monkey’s chakra had erupted, forcibly sealing it back. The monkey immediately slumped, weakened. "Incredible... Absolutely incredible!" Hiashi couldn’t stop marveling. If tenketsu techniques worked on monkeys, then... Did that mean they could potentially train like humans if they were intelligent enough? "Remember that feeling just now. That was chakra." Kyohiko soothed the monkey with genjutsu while quietly explaining the concept of chakra. Gradually, the monkey calmed down. It cautiously glanced at Orochimaru before looking back at Kyohiko, letting out soft chirps. Though no one could understand its words—Kyohiko included—its emotions were clear. It was no longer as frightened as before. Even after Kyohiko released the genjutsu, it remained close to them. However, the side effects of the forbidden technique left it lethargic and weak. Orochimaru gazed down at it, a trace of contemplation in his eyes. "Even animals crave power..." After a brief silence, he patted its head before looking up. "What’s next?" "Test more tenketsu effects, compile the data, and establish a structured system. Before that, I need to send a report to my main body." "Understood." --- Konoha Hospital Tsunade glanced over, noting that Koharu—once fuming with anger—was now completely absorbed in excitement. She sighed inwardly. This old woman has always been like this... But she’s contributed to the hospital’s maintenance and expansion. No point in holding a grudge. "Let’s go. This medical technique will need to be promoted eventually, but we’ll have to discuss how to teach and refine it." "Right." Koharu nodded. Even if she didn’t understand tenketsu or needle-based techniques, she knew that medical ninjutsu and skills required time and test subjects to perfect. Ordinary medical ninjutsu could be practiced on animals like fish, but what could replace humans for tenketsu and acupuncture training? Using live human subjects was out of the question. That was an unbreakable taboo. In the office, Tsunade, Koharu, and Sarutobi Biwako gathered. "Tsunade, Kyohiko—how many tenketsus have you discovered so far?" "We’ve mapped quite a few, but verifying and testing them is the real challenge. Currently, the ones confirmed for therapeutic use are mainly in the limbs and near vital organs..." Tsunade handed them Kyohiko’s notes to review. Of course, she had removed the sections related to the Five Gates Sealing Technique. After a few minutes, Biwako set the notebook down. "Tsunade, this technique is promising, but the research and training process is extremely difficult. Do you have any ideas?" This was the core issue. How could it be taught? No matter how powerful a technique was, if there was no safe way to learn it, it would remain locked away—or worse, require unethical methods. Tsunade had no immediate solution. She straightened up. "That’s precisely why I called this meeting. We need to find alternative test subjects." The room fell silent. None of the three could think of a viable option. Then, the door opened. Kyohiko walked in. "No need to worry. This morning, we solved that problem." "Oh?" Tsunade’s eyes lit up with surprise. "You found a way?" Koharu nearly voiced her skepticism but held back. This kid always has a plan. And he knows us well enough—he wouldn’t suggest human experimentation. She’d already embarrassed herself enough today. Biwako cut straight to the point. "What’s the solution?" "Monkeys. I had Orochimaru-sama gather and tame a group of them earlier. Just this morning, we confirmed that they possess acupoint structures nearly identical to humans’." Kyohiko’s shadow clone had spent the morning doing exactly that. Tsunade shot to her feet. "Seriously?!" "Yes. I used a forbidden technique to prove it. Their bodies react the same way—stimulating specific points can trigger surges in chakra, strength, and stamina." "Amazing!" Tsunade was thrilled. Koharu and Biwako were equally ecstatic, all three now brimming with excitement. A near-identical physiological structure meant monkeys could perfectly substitute for humans in medical ninjutsu research and training. The problem that had plagued them for so long was finally resolved. This achievement is no less significant than developing a new ninjutsu. "However, I have one request—or rather, a favor to ask." "Go ahead." Koharu immediately responded. For such a groundbreaking discovery, even two or three requests wouldn’t be too much. "Without a doubt, ninja beasts are far more effective and durable than ordinary animals. I’d like to ask the Sandaime for his assistance in having the Enma Clan guide their training." Kyohiko made his request. Tsunade and Koharu both turned to Sarutobi Biwako. As the Third Hokage’s wife, her opinion carried the most weight. Biwako hesitated. "Monkeys and apes possess high intelligence. If they also learn chakra manipulation, their intellect may grow even further. Using them as test subjects after that..." Tsunade and Koharu fell silent. "Ninja beasts can serve as both combat resources and experimental subjects. Compared to humans, this is already an excellent alternative." Kyohiko argued. Biwako finally nodded. "I’ll discuss it with Hiruzen and do my best to accommodate your needs." The advancement of ninjutsu research inevitably required experimentation. Between humans and ninja beasts, the latter was clearly the more acceptable choice. Moreover, refining the experimental model could lead to a complete revolution in medical ninjutsu, techniques, and systems. The trade-off was more than worth it. --- Evening, Sarutobi Clan Compound In one of the households, the family sat together for a rare shared meal. Yet, the atmosphere was stiflingly tense. Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at his two sons and finished his meal in silence. Once everyone was done— "I’m finished!" Asuma and Shinnosuke set down their chopsticks in unison. Just as they were about to leave— "Wait." "Father, is something the matter?" Shinnosuke stopped in his tracks. Though reluctant, Asuma stayed as well. "Asuma, how has your training been lately?" "Fine." Asuma answered curtly. The awkwardness was palpable. Shinnosuke, however, filled the silence by discussing Asuma’s progress in detail. Two stood, one sat—yet only two spoke. Eventually, Hiruzen ran out of things to say. Seeing Asuma’s disinterested expression, he lost the will to continue and waved them off. Once the boys left, Biwako—who had been about to clear the table—paused. "Hiruzen, there are two matters I’d like to discuss." "What is it?" Hiruzen was puzzled. His wife usually brought up serious matters privately, not during meals. "Should we let Asuma try forming a contract with the Enma Clan as well?" Hiruzen pondered for a moment. "Asuma... his abilities still fall short." "You barely understand him! Unlike Shinnosuke, Asuma needs encouragement, not constant criticism of his efforts and ideas!" Biwako retorted sharply. Hiruzen opened his mouth to argue but found no rebuttal— He had been distant. His approach to raising Asuma was the same as with Shinnosuke, despite their vastly different personalities. "...I’ll consider it." He sighed, taking a slow drag from his pipe before eyeing his wife. "There’s something else, isn’t there?" "It’s about Kyohiko. He discovered that apes and monkeys share physiological similarities with humans, making them ideal substitutes for ninjutsu and medical research..." Biwako explained the situation in detail. Hiruzen’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Using primates as test subjects... Not a bad idea. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that Kyohiko’s inspiration had come from Orochimaru. After a long silence, Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I’ll speak to the Enma Clan. As for Asuma... let Shinnosuke handle it. I’m not the right person for that." Sigh. As Biwako cleared the table, she added, "Asuma may act tough, but he’s sensitive deep down. He craves recognition—yet among his peers, there was first Kakashi, and now Kyohiko..." "Even if we go back to Hashirama-sama’s era, Konoha has rarely seen talent like Kyohiko’s." Hiruzen stated bluntly. "Comparing himself to that boy is just setting himself up for disappointment." "Disappointment? Aiming for the top is what gives him motivation! You always focus on what he’s doing wrong instead of acknowledging his progress!" Biwako scolded. Hiruzen had no response. --- Outside the House Asuma leaned against the wall, eavesdropping. Kyohiko again... But strangely, he felt no resentment. Nearly half a year since graduation, he was no longer the ambitious boy who dreamed of surpassing Kyohiko. The more he trained, the clearer the gap became. Just their positions alone— Kyohiko was already an ANBU captain, leading teams and conducting high-level research, while Asuma was still struggling to master his trench blades and wind-style techniques. "Asuma, let’s continue sparring." Shinnosuke called out as he returned. "Right." Asuma pushed off the wall and followed. No matter what, he’d already wasted three years. He couldn’t afford to fall further behind. He would grow stronger. He would catch up. --- "No rewards yet." "Perhaps I need to develop more acupuncture-based treatments. Incorporating concepts from my past life could also help." "Research on tenketsus can be gradually tested on the monkeys. For now, the main focus should remain on the Iburi Clan. The sooner they master their smoke transformation, the sooner they can join ANBU’s intelligence division." Kyohiko mentally outlined his plans. None of these projects could be completed overnight, but training and research could proceed simultaneously. --- The next day electricity and water were diverted from nearby sources. Within a single day, the Iburi Clan’s settlement had power and running water. Kyohiko and Yamato returned to construct ten additional houses, bringing the total to twenty—enough to accommodate the entire clan. Iburi Gotta was deeply grateful. Thus, he began contemplating how his clan could prove their worth quickly, ensuring they wouldn’t be abandoned later. Even in this sheltered valley, where the surrounding cliffs blocked the wind, they still didn’t dare use their abilities recklessly. In the outside world, they were even weaker than ordinary civilians. When Kyohiko arrived, Gotta immediately brought forward two children. "Kyohiko-sama, these two are among our most talented youths. Her name is Yukimi, and his is Tenzo." Tenzo. The real deal. Kyohiko glanced at Yamato. "Yamato, from now on, you’ll be responsible for training all the children of this clan." "Me?!" "Yes." Kyohiko affirmed. Yamato looked at the young girl and the boy his own age, a spark of determination igniting in his eyes. He remembered the girl from the lab, the one who had suffered alongside him. His resolve hardened. "I’ll do my best."