Chapter 193. I’ll Follow You for a Lifetime

Chapter 193 - 193. I'll Follow You for a LifetimeTime passed, and March arrived, bringing warmer weather to Konoha Village. Outside Tsunade's house. Hanekawa stood before a large rock. Lava Release: Rasengan! Chakra surged forth, and in no time, a high-speed spinning ball of lava formed in the palm of his right hand. The air around it distorted, and waves of heat radiated outward. Hanekawa aimed at the rock and smashed down. With a loud boom, the rock shattered into pieces, its fragments scorched black by the lava that covered them. Hanekawa could easily imagine the horrific outcome if this technique struck a human body instead of a rock. Simply put, compared to the standard Rasengan, the Lava Release: Rasengan inflicted dual damage. Tearing and burning—ordinary ninjas would stand no chance against it. Hanekawa couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. At that moment, a few lines of text appeared in his vision, notifying him that he had unlocked a new skill entry in the system. What surprised him was that the Lava Release: Rasengan was classified as an S-rank ninjutsu entry. After some thought, it made sense. After all, the Rasengan itself was an A-rank ninjutsu entry. It's fair to say there are varying levels of power within the same rank. Hanekawa decided not to dwell on the ranking. As long as it made him stronger, that was all that mattered. Just then, the sound of wind breaking filled the air. A member of the Anbu, Haru, appeared before him. She handed him a scroll without saying a word and vanished just as quickly. This was typical of the Anbu. Hanekawa opened the scroll and read through it. As expected, it detailed the current movements of Iwagakure and Kumogakure. After finishing, Hanekawa fell into deep thought. Currently, the ninjas of Kumogakure were divided into two groups. One group, led by A and Killer Bee, was locked in fierce battle against the combined ninja forces of Konoha and Sunagakure, led by Orochimaru, Pakura, and Rasa. The numbers were evenly matched, and both sides were equally skilled, leading to a stalemate in the Land of Frost. The other group, led by the Third Raikage, faced an entirely different situation. They were up against a 10,000-strong Iwagakure force personally led by Onoki. Outnumbered, the Kumogakure forces were suffering a series of defeats. Hanekawa guessed it wouldn't be long before the infamous event from the original storyline occurred—the Third Raikage being surrounded by 10,000 Iwagakure ninjas and eventually dying of exhaustion. That said, Kumogakure's resilience was undeniably impressive. Under the combined assault of three major ninja villages, they had managed to hold their ground for so long without being defeated. Onoki and Iwagakure were likely growing anxious by now. Their original plan to quickly conquer Kumogakure had turned into a prolonged stalemate. But it wasn't entirely their fault. The Third Raikage was essentially an enhanced version of Minato Namikaze, undoubtedly one of the strongest in the current ninja world. While Onoki's Dust Release had greater destructive power, it couldn't match the Third Raikage's speed. Hanekawa set the scroll aside and resumed his training. This time, it wasn't the Lava Release: Rasengan but rather the Strength of a Hundred Seal Technique. Although it was an S-rank jutsu, after months of practice, the progress bar was nearly full. Hanekawa estimated that it would take no more than a week to master. Once mastered, the Strength of a Hundred Seal would essentially act as a short-term infinite revival buff—extremely useful against dangerous opponents. By dusk, Eichiro paid a visit. His purpose was simple: to remind Hanekawa not to forget the upcoming graduation ceremony. "Sensei, will you attend?" Over dinner, Hanekawa brought it up with Tsunade. "He invited you, not me." Tsunade paused, then smiled. "Besides, aren't you afraid I'll steal your thunder?" Although Hanekawa's reputation was significant, Tsunade's was even greater. "I don't mind," Hanekawa replied casually. "What's mine is yours, Sensei." "What are you talking about?" Tsunade glared at him. "Are you planning to hand over all your money to me, too?" "If you want it, I can give it to you," Hanekawa said, looking straight at her. "Do you want it?" "Alright, enough of that nonsense." Tsunade quickly changed the subject, a little flustered. "What are you planning to say in your speech?" Hanekawa smiled and didn't press further. He had recently noticed subtle changes in Tsunade's demeanor, which was undoubtedly a good sign. "You could always talk about the Will of Fire, like the old man does," Tsunade suggested casually. "That's so boring," Hanekawa immediately rejected. "I won't talk about that." "Then what else is there to talk about besides the Will of Fire?" Tsunade asked while munching on a tempura shrimp. "Something practical," Hanekawa thought for a moment and said, "I'll encourage them to focus on improving their strength." "You really worked hard back in ninja school," Tsunade remarked, a hint of nostalgia on her face. In truth, a big part of Hanekawa's dedication came from the system he had. Seeing measurable progress was a constant source of motivation. "So, you're really not going?" Hanekawa asked again. "No," Tsunade shook her head. "I'd rather spend that time at the casino." "Alright, then," Hanekawa didn't press further. Five days later, the day of the ninja academy's graduation ceremony arrived. After breakfast, Hanekawa greeted Tsunade before heading out. "Hanekawa-nii!" As soon as he reached the academy gates, someone called out to him. Hanekawa turned around to see a purple-haired girl excitedly waving at him. He paused briefly before recognizing her—it was Yugao Uzuki. It had been a while since they'd last met, and she had grown noticeably taller. "Hanekawa-nii, you're so amazing now!" Yugao exclaimed with admiration in her eyes. "You can be, too," Hanekawa said, patting her head. "I heard you defeated a tailed beast!" Yugao asked curiously, "What does a tailed beast look like?" "Four-Tails is a monkey with four tails," Hanekawa replied casually. "Eh?" Yugao blinked in surprise. "That doesn't sound very evil." "Evil or not depends on the user," Hanekawa said, changing the subject. "Are you graduating today?" "No," Yugao thought for a moment. "I don't know when I'll graduate. Probably in two or three years." During times of war, early graduation was common. Otherwise, students could graduate early if chosen by a jonin, like Anko Mitarashi, who left school to become Orochimaru's student. There was also the option to apply for early graduation, but with her average talent, Yugao hadn't considered it. "Staying in school and learning more isn't a bad idea," Hanekawa nodded. If she graduated in two or three years, she'd avoid the dangers of the Third Shinobi World War altogether. "Mm-hmm!" Yugao suddenly thought of something. "My teacher said you're giving the speech today?" "That's right," Hanekawa smiled. "Since the Hokage can't make it, I'll be speaking instead." "That's great!" Yugao beamed. "Hanekawa-nii's speech will definitely be more interesting than the Hokage's!" Hanekawa chuckled to himself. The Will of Fire truly had a pervasive influence. "You're Hanekawa-senpai?!" A surprised voice rang out. Hanekawa turned to see a boy who looked vaguely familiar. "This is Iruka Umino," Yugao introduced. "He's my classmate." Hanekawa remembered meeting Iruka briefly when he first enrolled. "Hanekawa-senpai, it's an honor to meet you!" Iruka stepped forward and bowed deeply. "There's no need for that," Hanekawa said, caught off guard. "Sorry!" Iruka quickly straightened up, looking a little flustered. "I got too excited!" "It's fine," Hanekawa smiled. Becoming a role model for characters from the original story was quite amusing. "The ceremony's about to start. Let's head to the field," Hanekawa said, remembering his task. "Hanekawa-nii!" Yugao grabbed his hand. "I'll take you there!" Yugao led him to the field, where a group of children immediately surrounded him. "Are you really the Hanekawa who captured a tailed beast?" "Hanekawa-senpai, can I have your autograph?" "I'm Kotetsu Hagane! Do you remember me, Hanekawa-senpai?" "And me, Izumo Kamizuki!" Hanekawa noticed two future gatekeepers of Konoha waving frantically at him from the back, unable to squeeze through the crowd. He smiled at them, and their excitement only grew. "Quiet down!" Eichiro, noticing Hanekawa's predicament, stepped in and shooed the children back to their classes. The children reluctantly dispersed. "Goodbye, Hanekawa-nii!" Yugao followed them back to her classroom. "Sorry for the trouble, Hanekawa," Eichiro apologized. "It's no trouble," Hanekawa said with a smile. "Talking to them is quite fun." "I told you before—they're all your fans," Eichiro said with a laugh. "Now you believe me?" "They're certainly enthusiastic," Hanekawa admitted. Hanekawa sighed with emotion. He hadn't felt it before, but now he truly understood what it felt like to be a celebrity. However, it had been over a month since he captured the tailed beast. Only the ninja academy kids were still so excited about it. Ordinary villagers and other ninjas had already grown accustomed to his presence. When they saw him, their reactions were normal, though tinged with more respect. After all, Hanekawa's strength now far surpassed the title of Tsunade's student. In the past, their politeness toward him was out of respect for Tsunade. Now, it was a recognition of his own strength. "The graduation ceremony starts at nine," Ryoichiro glanced at the time. "There are about ten minutes left before the students gather on the field." "Then let's head to the platform," Hanekawa nodded. "I'll introduce you to the vice principal," Eichiro gestured for him to follow. Hanekawa didn't stand on ceremony and walked ahead. When fame and strength align, status naturally follows. Hanekawa's position in Konoha had risen significantly. Soon, Hanekawa met the vice principal of the academy, a jonin who wasn't mentioned in the original story. The man was quite enthusiastic toward Hanekawa, even going out of his way to introduce himself as someone with Senju blood, though he didn't carry the family name and was from a distant branch. Hanekawa suddenly recalled a theory: many of the missing Senju clan members had taken positions at the ninja academy. By nine o'clock, the field was filled with students from first to sixth grade. Hanekawa scanned the crowd and suddenly noticed something that made him pause. Tsunade was there. That woman was still as contradictory as ever. Adorable, really. "Hello, everyone, I'm Hanekawa—" He had barely finished his introduction when the students erupted into cheers. "This brat sure is popular," Tsunade muttered. She had intended to go to the casino but somehow found herself at the academy instead. Of course, her real plan was to wait until Hanekawa finished his speech, take him to the casino, and ensure she wouldn't lose money. Listening to his speech, her thoughts wandered. Hanekawa's speech wasn't long, only about thirty minutes. In his opinion, dragging it out wouldn't achieve much; people wouldn't remember it anyway. It was best not to mimic Hiruzen Sarutobi, who would ramble for two or three hours. After concluding his speech, Hanekawa stepped down from the platform. The rest of the event was handled by the vice principal and teachers. Deciding to avoid the crowd, he chose a less traveled path and circled around to the back of the field. If he got surrounded by students again, it'd take who knows how long to get free. "Sensei," Hanekawa greeted with a smile as he approached Tsunade. "Weren't you going to the casino?" "Just passing by," Tsunade replied nonchalantly. "Is this really on the way?" Hanekawa asked with a playful blink. "If I say it's on the way, then it is," Tsunade retorted, glaring at him. "Of course," Hanekawa replied with a grin. "Sensei is always right." "Come with me to the casino!" Tsunade, feeling flustered by his smile, turned and started walking away. "By the way, Sensei," Hanekawa caught up to her. "I've already mastered the Seal of Hundred Technique." Though he initially estimated it would take a week, he had succeeded in just five days. It was a good thing—mastering it sooner was always better. Tsunade froze for a moment. With Hanekawa now mastering the Seal of Hundred Technique, there was no longer any jutsu she could teach him. Thinking back to their first meeting, it felt like a lifetime ago. "You're ready to graduate now. Congratulations," Tsunade said with a smile as she regained her composure. "Graduate? I'll follow you for the rest of my life," Hanekawa replied, shaking his head. "I can't teach you forever," Tsunade said, looking away. "No problem," Hanekawa said seriously. "When the time comes, I'll teach you." "What nonsense are you spouting?" Tsunade raised her hand and flicked his forehead. "Do you even know what it means to respect your teacher?" "Yes, Sensei is absolutely right," Hanekawa replied with a grin, grabbing her hand. "Let's go to the casino." Tsunade was momentarily stunned but subconsciously let him lead her. Once the graduation ceremony was over, April passed quickly. For the next month, Hanekawa focused on training Wind Release jutsu and the Lightning Chakra Mode. By May, something shocking shook the ninja world on the very first day: The Third Raikage was surrounded by 10,000 Iwagakure ninja. 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