Chapter 37 37: Mysterious Figure.

--- At the same time, Tsunade finally understood how overwhelming it was to teach a monster. No wonder Shizune, who had taught Kaito for half a day yesterday, insisted on letting him train under Tsunade herself today. "You... You learned it just by watching once?" Tsunade took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly. "Actually, it wasn't exactly just one look. I've already developed a similar principle on my own. Besides, I use lightning chakra. When I step down, not only is there the super strength effect, but lightning also surges out around it." "It's like a miniature thunder field — basically an upgraded version of super strength," Kaito explained, deciding to be honest. He didn't want to imagine what kind of mental blow it would give Tsunade and Shizune otherwise. "Hah... thank goodness," Tsunade sighed in relief, patting the boy's shoulder. "I was scared half to death." But then, her expression froze. "Wait — what did you just say? An upgraded version?" "Yes," Kaito nodded, seeing her skeptical look. He decided to demonstrate. He gathered the lightning chakra into his foot. Crack! Crack! The chakra surged, his right foot radiating blinding light, like a polished gemstone. Boom! The moment the lightning chakra reached a critical point, Kaito stomped down. The earth trembled violently, like an enraged god of thunder descending from the heavens. Spiderweb-like cracks spread out again, even wider and deeper than before. Chunks of stone burst skyward, the flat land splitting open into a deep trench. Silver lightning bolts coiled and danced inside it, leaving scorched earth in their wake. Trees toppled, instantly turned to ash by the violent lightning. Gulp. Tsunade stared at the scene, swallowing hard. What kind of monster disciple had she taken under her wing? This single kick... even a Jonin would struggle to survive it. (That's her assumption.) Not to mention — the range and destructive power surpassed anything she could achieve with her own super strength. If this were classified as a jutsu, it would easily be S-rank. She remembered asking Kaito his age just the day before. Seven years old... At seven, she was still chasing bugs at the Academy. For a long moment, Tsunade looked at Kaito with a strange mix of jealousy, admiration, and pride. Jealous because his talent was simply unfair. Proud because he was her disciple — one she could brag about endlessly. She was even quietly grateful to that mysterious masked man for bringing this boy into her life. Without him, she'd never have gained such an unbelievable student. A seven-year-old already this powerful. Anyone who claimed otherwise would have to ask themselves — what had they achieved at seven? "Right, Teacher Tsunade? Pretty good, isn't it?" Kaito spoke up, oblivious to her swirling emotions, a hint of pride in his voice. "This kick of yours... it's devastating. But before you unleash it, you have to be able to handle the backlash from the lightning chakra." "The fact you're walking away unscathed means your body's long since adapted to the damage. If it were anyone else, they'd have burned themselves to a crisp." "This move is something only you can use," Tsunade concluded, after a brief pause. Kaito nodded in agreement. His control over lightning, and the abilities he'd refined through the Thunder Fruit, had made him increasingly resistant to its effects. This was why he could unleash that move without even flinching. As expected of one of the Legendary Sannin — Tsunade's analysis was spot on. Even most Jonin couldn't deduce that so quickly. "And your taijutsu must be top-tier too. At least Chunin level, or else you wouldn't be able to execute it so precisely," Tsunade added. "Yes, Teacher Tsunade. Nothing escapes your eyes," Kaito replied with a wry smile. Her sharp instincts were terrifying. "Hmph! Who do you think I am!" Tsunade beamed, visibly pleased. "All right — since you've already learned super strength, I'm giving you the day off. We'll pick this up tomorrow." Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, not waiting for a reply before strolling away. Having a monster for a disciple is exhausting. If this keeps up, he'll master all my techniques in a matter of days... I need a drink. Or better yet, a gamble. Watching her leave, Kaito created a shadow clone, took out two million ryo in banknotes from last night's winnings, and said, "Go." "Got it! Leave it to me!" the clone grinned before vanishing. Everything was understood without needing to be said. --- Time flowed like water. In the blink of an eye, half a month passed quietly. Over that time, Tsunade developed a deep, complicated love-hate relationship with Kaito's talent. It hurt, because in just a fortnight, he'd mastered most of her ninjutsu. And it brought her joy, because having such a genius disciple earned her endless face and prestige. Whenever she pulled him out for training or demonstrations, others' stunned reactions made her feel ten years younger. More than once, Kaito asked Tsunade about the source of that first fateful encounter — how she had known to be at that specific location, at that exact time. But Tsunade always gave the same answer: a mysterious figure in a mask had instructed her. She knew nothing beyond that. Kaito quietly made a mental note. One day, no matter what it took — he would find that person. --- It was a cloudless day, the sun shining brightly. After dinner, Kaito and Tsunade sat across from each other, sipping tea. "Kaito, I've got nothing left to teach you," Tsunade admitted awkwardly, clearing her throat. "Well... there's one thing — the Yin Seal." "Oh? The Yin Seal? Can I learn it?" "Uh... well, here's the thing," Tsunade scratched her cheek, embarrassed. "The Yin Seal's a technique I developed specifically for women. It's... kind of impossible for you." "But — with your talent, I bet you could develop a male version of it soon enough." "Thanks for being upfront, Tsunade-sensei," Kaito replied with a nod. But just as he finished, a sharp pain struck his temple — a memory surfacing out of nowhere. "What's wrong?" Tsunade asked, her gaze instantly sharp with concern. --- Bonus Chapter ???? Send stones tho.