Chapter 84

Kitazawa stood in the Ninjutsu Archive, completely unaware of the dramatic "You’ll regret it? Bang!" moment that had just unfolded in the Hokage’s office. Had he known, he might’ve felt a tinge of regret—for missing a scene destined to become a village legend. He surveyed the shelves around him, quickly recognizing many familiar Ninjutsu. Hiruzen had been generous. With the exception of a few forbidden or confidential jutsu, all seven chakra natures were represented—and Rasengan was among them. Kitazawa paused, lost in thought. He debated whether to choose an A-rank Ninjutsu he hadn’t yet mastered. But after a bit of internal back-and-forth, he chose Rasengan. The reason was simple. He had the system. Why waste time grinding through the intricacies of A-rank Jutsus? That time would be better spent learning medical ninjutsu—an excellent excuse to get closer to Tsunade. "A-rank scrolls cannot leave the room. Please memorize the content right here." Haru reminded him. "If you forget anything, you’re welcome to return." "Understood," Kitazawa replied with a nod. A-rank Ninjutsu were, after all, foundational secrets of any major village. If leaked, the consequences could be catastrophic. He unrolled the Rasengan scroll and pretended to study it intently. Fifteen minutes later, he closed it. "I’ve memorized it. Thanks—I’ll take my leave." He offered a polite nod to Haru and exited the Hokage Building. Back on the streets of Konoha, Kitazawa let out a long breath. With the friendly match now behind him, his strength had once again taken a significant leap forward. As long as he didn’t cross paths with monsters like Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Itachi, or Hiruzen himself, he felt confident in his survival. Scanning through his remaining tasks, he quickly formed his next plan of action: Step One: Begin training in Medical Ninjutsu. Step Two: Help his students with specialized training. Step Three: Quietly deal with the ticking time bomb that was Mizuki. Instead of heading back to the academy, Kitazawa turned in the direction of Kurenai’s house. It was Friday, and with the friendly match taking up most of the day, the Class 1A students had been dismissed early. "You’re back already?" Kurenai asked, slightly surprised as she opened the door. "What did Hokage-sama reward you with?" "He made me head of the Academic Administration Office," Kitazawa replied with a grin. "And he gave me an A-rank Ninjutsu." "An A-rank?" Kurenai’s eyes widened. "I’ve only mastered two—and both are clan Jutsus." "Well then," Kitazawa chuckled as he stepped inside and casually shut the door behind him. "Aren’t you lucky to have such a talented boyfriend?" "Alright, alright, you’re amazing," she said, rolling her eyes. "Not convincing enough!" he teased, patting her thigh. Her skin rippled gently under his hand—soft but firm. She clearly trained regularly. "You’re asking for a beating." Kurenai sprang forward and stomped on his foot. Unfortunately for her, she was barefoot, and Kitazawa barely felt it. "One hit each. Now we’re even," she said with a smug little snort, though the corners of her lips betrayed a smile. "Then why not stomp a few more times?" Kitazawa’s eyes flicked to her long, toned legs. "In your dreams," she huffed, crossing her arms, both sultry and adorable. Kitazawa laughed and flopped onto the sofa. "So? Which Ninjutsu did you pick?" she asked, sitting beside him. "Is it Wind Release?" "Nope. I chose Rasengan." Kurenai’s expression changed immediately. "Wait—the Rasengan? Fourth Hokage-sama’s Rasengan?" "That’s the one," Kitazawa confirmed. "No hand signs. Great destructive power. If I can master it, my combat capabilities will jump." Kurenai looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. She had been about to mention how difficult it was to learn Rasengan, but remembering Kitazawa’s recent leaps in strength, she bit her tongue. He was already stronger than her—and she hadn’t seen that coming. "Where’s Lady Tsunade?" Kitazawa asked, gently taking Kurenai’s hand. It was warm and smooth in his own. "She’s at the casino, of course," Kurenai replied, glancing at the wall clock. "She usually doesn’t return until after six." Kitazawa nodded thoughtfully. He was pondering how to take the first step into medical ninjutsu. Before he could say anything more, Kurenai suddenly grabbed his wrist. "What is it, Kurenai?" he asked, blinking. "What do you think?" she snapped, cheeks flushed. "Stop touching me!" "Oops, sorry. I was just lost in thought," Kitazawa said innocently, pulling his hand off her thigh. "Oh please. Do I look like I believe that?" she grumbled. "How about this: since we have some free time, want to train in Rasengan together?" Kurenai blinked, surprised. "Me? I can’t. That Jutsu was a personal reward for you. It wouldn’t be right." "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know," Kitazawa grinned. "Unless you think I’d rat you out?" "That’s not the issue..." Kurenai looked conflicted. Secretly learning a restricted Ninjutsu was no small matter in Konoha. But Kitazawa persisted. "It’s not like you’ll use it openly. And if it ever comes down to life or death—are you really going to worry about rules?" His offer wasn’t just generous—it was tactical. Kurenai’s reliance on Genjutsu left her vulnerable. If an enemy broke it, she’d lose more than half her combat potential. Rasengan could change that. "If worst comes to worst, we’ll just ask Tsunade-sama for help," he added, tugging her toward the backyard. "I swear, you’re too persuasive for your own good," Kurenai mumbled, reluctantly following. Behind the house, in a secluded spot, Kitazawa handed her a water balloon. "This is the first stage of Rasengan training. Focus the chakra into the balloon and make the water spin." Kurenai nodded seriously. If she was going to do this, she would give it her all. "Your turn." She extended her hand and started channeling Chakra. The water slowly began to swirl. "You’ll probably need two to three hours," Kitazawa noted, watching her progress. Her chakra control was excellent, but not quite at his system-enhanced level. "How are you so good at this?" she asked suspiciously. "I already completed stage one on my way here," he lied smoothly. "No way! That fast?" Kurenai’s jaw dropped. Kitazawa casually grabbed another balloon and burst it with a single pulse of Chakra. "You’re seriously a monster," she muttered, half-impressed, half-annoyed. "Go train somewhere else. You’re distracting me." "Call me if you get stuck," Kitazawa said, smiling as he backed away. Meanwhile, at the Hyuga Compound "Rice balls, they’re all rice balls~" Hinata sang to herself, skipping merrily into the courtyard. She was so cheerful, she forgot all about the strict etiquette drilled into her since childhood. "Hinata." A deep, stern voice echoed across the courtyard. Hinata froze. She knew that tone—it was her father, Hyuga Hiashi. Her heart sank as she realized how unrestrained she had just been. "I’m sorry..." she began, bowing instinctively—only to stop midway. "What is it?" Hiashi frowned. Something about her felt... different. "Father," she said, summoning her courage. "I’ve awakened the Byakugan." As if to prove it, she activated her dōjutsu. The veins near her eyes bulged. "You... you’ve done well," Hiashi said, stunned. Activating the Byakugan at six years old was no small feat. Aside from Neji, the most gifted prodigy in the clan’s recent history, Hinata’s achievement was remarkable. Hiashi himself hadn’t been much stronger at her age. "Thank you, Father," Hinata said softly. She saw it in his eyes—approval. For the first time in a long while, she had his praise. And she knew... this change, this growth, was all thanks to Kitazawa. "You’re ready," Hiashi said. "From today, you’ll begin training in Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. It’s a Main House Jutsu, passed down only through our lineage." "Yes, Father." Hinata looked at his faint smile and felt her heart swell. In her memory, he had smiled only a handful of times. Was this because of the Byakugan? Or maybe it was something else—something Kitazawa had awakened in her. In that moment, one thought lingered in her mind: ’How can I ever repay him?’