86-90 - Place holder s

After skimming through the ninjutsu on the scroll, Shūichi immediately created shadow clones to train in the chakra nature transformations of Lightning Release, Water Release, and Earth Release.

In reality, he was already on the verge of mastering these three chakra nature transformations.

This was thanks to his earlier use of the "Flash of Insight" to study the Listening Technique, a complex jutsu left behind by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, which involved these nature transformations.

From talismans/seals to actual nature transformations, this was what he was currently working on.

As he put away the scroll, a pleasant aroma filled the air. He turned to see, as expected, it was Asuka.

After storing the scroll, the two sat across from each other on the tatami mat. Shūichi took Asuka's left hand in his right, and their chakras instantly linked together.

In that moment, their minds became one.

In the mental world, Shūichi was also holding Asuka's hand as they sat across from each other. "Asuka, Kagura's Mind Eye—as the name suggests—is the eye of the mind. Let's try to uncover it through our spirit, through our minds."

Asuka asked, "How do we uncover it?"

"Desire!"

Shūichi replied.

Asuka was startled, then her cheeks flushed red.

Shūichi's face darkened. What nonsense was she thinking? He was being serious!

"Asuka, please put those thoughts aside. We're doing something important right now."

Shūichi sternly reprimanded her.

"Yes, Shūichi-kun!"

Asuka sat up straight, still blushing.

Shūichi continued, "Desire refers to what you yearn for deep inside."

"For example, what is it that you want to pursue? Use this drive, this desire, to awaken the hidden power within your body."

Asuka thought about it carefully, then shyly whispered, "But I'm already very content. I have Nonō-nee, I have you, Shūichi…"

Shūichi couldn't help but rub his forehead. After thinking for a moment, he said, "But don't you want to keep up with me, Asuka?"

Asuka froze.

Shūichi resorted to flattery, "I hope that in the future, we can be on the same team, and I want you to be there to protect me."

"But if you're not strong enough, you'll only be a burden."

Asuka bit her lip upon hearing this. "I… I can do it!"

"Shūichi, I will always be by your side, protecting you!"

After saying this, Asuka lowered her eyes.

Shūichi then felt a violent fluctuation in Asuka's spirit, sending ripples across their mental world as if a stone had been thrown into a calm lake.

As time passed, sweat began to form on Asuka's forehead.

Their mental link started to become unstable, and Shūichi sensed the deep-seated fear and longing within Asuka.

This fear stemmed from her childhood of wandering and hardship, from her days as a medical tool in Kusagakure. It was a fear of being unwanted, of being abandoned, of losing everything she now had.

Feeling all this, Shūichi was filled with guilt. He shouldn't have used fear as a motivation. He immediately reached out and gently embraced Asuka, speaking softly, "Don't worry, the Director and I will never abandon you."

"But I want to always stay by your side, Shūichi."

Asuka returned his embrace, opening her eyes with a look of unprecedented determination. The weakness and timidity were gone.

Suddenly, Shūichi sensed a surge of power from within Asuka—a powerful force.

"What is this...?"

Shūichi was stunned. Then he saw a golden light emanate from Asuka's back, accompanied by the sound of chains dragging, as golden chains shot out.

Adamantine Sealing Chains!

Shūichi was both shocked and slightly bewildered.

He had been aiming for Kagura's Mind Eye, but instead, Adamantine Sealing Chains appeared.

Was this an example of an unexpected success?

"Shūichi, I did it!"

Asuka cried tears of joy.

"You did it?"

Shūichi asked excitedly, "Did Kagura's Mind Eye awaken too?"

"Yes!"

Asuka nodded emphatically, then shyly released Shūichi's hand and said, "I followed your advice, using my spirit and mind to drive it."

"What you said was right too—Kagura's Mind Eye is the eye of the mind, a chakra-condensed eye of the mind that, being free and unrestricted, can detect a vast range."

"But this sealing technique appeared on its own."

Shūichi smiled and said, "This technique is called Adamantine Sealing Chains. It not only seals but also has strong offensive power. You'll need to practice it often."

"Right, You'll practice it in the mental world first and won't reveal it easily outside."

Asuka nodded, "Yes, I'll listen to you, Shūichi."

"Then let's start now!"

Shūichi stood up, "I'll be your opponent. Use Adamantine Sealing Chains to attack me."

Asuka nodded and stood up.

In the next moment, the two figures, one big and one small, began to spar within the mental world, helping Asuka gradually get accustomed to using the Adamantine Sealing Chains. Their practice continued until ten o'clock at night.

After finishing their training, Shūichi washed up, said goodnight to Asuka, and returned to his room.

Lying in bed, he focused his attention on the Tag Tree.

While they were in the mental world, there had been some movement in the Tag Tree. Now, upon closer inspection, he realized that a new Tag had indeed been triggered.

What could it be?

Previously, the tags for Sealing Master and Sensory Master had already appeared.

Tag: Poseidon

Condition to Obtain: How can you call yourself Poseidon without at least ten fish in your pond? Make sure your small pond has ten mermaids first. (Shizune, Tsunade, Yakushi Nonō, Tenka, Uzumaki Asuka)

Effect: Increases physical strength by 100%, recovery rate by 100%, and stamina by 100%.

Upon seeing this new Tag, Shūichi's face darkened instantly, followed by an angry blush.

Slander!

This is absolute slander!

He, Shūichi, is still a child. How could he be Poseidon?

It's natural to appreciate beauty; what's wrong with admiring beautiful women?

Shizune and Yakushi Nonō are understandable, but what about Tsunade, Tenka, and Asuka?

"I'm just a kid appreciating some beauty, what's wrong with that?"

Shūichi silently gritted his teeth, feeling deeply slandered by the Tag Tree.

Yet, he couldn't help but focus on the Tag.

No, specifically on the effects section.

Increasing physical strength by 100%, recovery rate by 100%, and stamina by 100%.

This temptation was hard to resist.

But…

Shūichi couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Isn't ten a bit too much… Where am I supposed to find ten mermaids?"

Pervert!

This is way too perverted!

Images of various figures flashed through Shūichi's mind, and before he knew it, he fell asleep.

That night, Shūichi had a dream in which he was surrounded by ten mermaids in a large swimming pool, all playing around him.

Suddenly, one of the mermaids leaped out of the water, transforming into an enraged Tsunade who punched him, sending him flying.

Shūichi jolted awake, only to realize it was already 5 a.m.

Recalling the dream, he quickly lifted his blanket.

Thankfully, it wasn't wet. Development was normal.

After getting up and washing, Shūichi headed out for morning training with Asuka. On the way, they also brought breakfast to share with Yakushi Nonō at Konoha Hospital.

Before heading to the Root, Shūichi left some shadow clones at home to continue training.

However, there were no missions at the Root today, so after signing in, Shūichi went to Orochimaru's lab to study under him.

In the days that followed, Shūichi sometimes carried out missions alone for the Root, sometimes under Orochimaru's direct supervision, or occasionally alongside other Root ninja.

The rest of his time was divided between assisting Orochimaru in the lab and continuing his own training.

Before he knew it, two months had passed.

In a room at the lab, Shūichi was organizing experiment data when suddenly, the memories from one of his shadow clones returned.

After reviewing them, he smiled, "Finally, it's mastered!"

The Clone Technique, Shadow Clone Technique, Fire Release Clone, Lightning Release Clone, and Earth Release Clone—these five clone techniques met the criteria to unlock the Clone Expert Tag.

Shūichi immediately activated it.

Mental power increased by 100%, allowing effortless use of clone techniques without hand seals.

"Huh?"

Shūichi noticed something unusual—this time it was his mental power that increased, which differed from the increase in Mental Will/Spiritual Power he gained from Sensory Expert.

He was confident the Tag Tree wouldn't make a mistake.

"Willpower is generally a state of mind—like having a strong will…"

Shūichi mused, "In the context of ninjutsu, it seems that mental power and willpower could indeed be considered two different forces."

"Mental power could be seen as spiritual strength, akin to physical strength—one yin, one yang."

"And willpower, extending from the spirit and mind… In the original series, Uchiha Obito was nearly torn apart mentally by the Ten-Tails and lost his sanity. In the end, he overcame it through his feelings for Rin, Kakashi, and the others. That must be willpower."

"Willpower might also relate to resistance against genjutsu."

Shūichi gradually understood.

"The increase in mental power from Clone Expert should significantly aid my training in the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, right?"

"And the enhancement in mental will…"

Shūichi decided to test it out.

Previously, he was very restrained in using shadow clones for training, usually sticking to one or two, at most three.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken him so long to master the remaining nature transformations.

If he could go all out like Naruto, it would only take a day or two.

After all, with hundreds of shadow clones training simultaneously, the efficiency would be several hundred times greater!

"I don't have that much chakra, nor do I need to go that far."

With that thought, Shūichi willed five shadow clones into existence.

Then, the five clones left the lab and went to a nearby grove to train.

Shūichi ate a soldier pill and resumed organizing the experiment data.

With Clone Expert in hand, next up was Substitution Expert.

But who knows if there are Clone Master and Substitution Master tags, and how to unlock them?

Would they be as difficult to obtain as Transformation Master?

Shūichi still hadn't unlocked Transformation Master to this day.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was July of Konoha Year 42.

Shūichi Hoshita's special training at the Root had come to an end. He removed his battle gear, took off his mask, and left the Root without any hesitation.

He didn't like this place. It was devoid of any emotion, cold and unfeeling.

"The Root's environment is just like its base, a place where sunlight never reaches, hidden in the darkness."

"The Root has indeed made many contributions to Konoha from the shadows, but unfortunately, Danzo's ambitions are too great, and he's also offended me..."

Glancing back at the entrance to the Root, Shūichi leaped away, disappearing from sight.

At the Hokage's office in the Hokage Building.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Shūichi Hoshita, who had come to report, and said, "Before you officially join the Hokage's Anbu, Shūichi, I want you to complete this task first!"

As he spoke, he handed over a file. Shūichi stepped forward, took it with both hands, and after glancing at it, was a bit surprised. "Chunin Examiner?"

"Lord Third Hokage, this..."

"Is this really appropriate? I'm only nine years old."

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and said, "But you are already a Special Jonin of Konoha."

"For those kids, you'll also be a role model."

"Go on, I trust you!"

What else could Shūichi say? He immediately nodded. "Yes, Lord Third Hokage, I won't let you down!"

After leaving the Hokage Building with the mission, Shūichi carefully reviewed the file again and then smiled. "Kakashi should be taking the exam again this year, right?"

"This could be interesting."

"I bet the looks on Asuma Sarutobi and the others' faces when they see me will be quite something!"

...

On July 18th, Konoha Year 42, the annual Chunin Exam began once again.

Since the exam applications were submitted as teams, Kakashi, who had already been promoted to Chunin long ago, entered the exam hall again with Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin.

Inside the exam hall, Kakashi and Nohara Rin had already taken their seats, but Rin kept looking back.

Noticing her actions, Kakashi silently sighed. "In a situation like this, is that guy going to be late again?"

"Though, even if he's not late, I doubt he'll pass the exam."

As time ticked by and the exam was about to start, a figure dashed into the exam hall.

Seeing the panting Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin immediately smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the examiner appeared, handed out the test papers, and the exam began.

Kakashi only needed a quick glance at the paper before he started writing furiously.

This level of difficulty, even after several years, was still no problem for him.

"But that guy must be struggling right now."

Behind his mask, Kakashi couldn't help but smile.

Meanwhile, in the back of the room, Uchiha Obito was staring at the questions on the test paper, so frustrated that he almost snapped his pen in half.

"Damn it!"

"Why do ninjas need to take this kind of exam? I get the graduation exam, but I'm already a Genin now!"

"Shouldn't we be tested on Taijutsu and Ninjutsu?"

Uchiha Obito instinctively forgot about the three basic techniques he was least skilled at.

Time slowly passed, and the only sounds in the classroom were the scratch of pencils against paper and Obito's internal anguish.

Suddenly, Obito looked up and saw a certain smug individual strutting out of the exam hall.

Just as he was feeling desperate and frustrated, Obito looked down and noticed a crumpled piece of paper that had rolled to his feet.

He glanced at Rin's back in front of him, then at the examiner who wasn't paying attention, and quickly grabbed the paper, beginning to copy furiously.

Outside the exam hall, Kakashi had just stepped out when he heard a voice, "Kakashi, how does it feel to be back in the exam hall?"

Kakashi turned and saw Shūichi leaning against a lamppost, smiling at him. "Aren't you supposed to be joining the Anbu?"

Shūichi chuckled, "People aren't machines, you know. Everyone needs to rest."

"I'm at the age where I'm still growing, so working too hard wouldn't be good for my development."

Kakashi nearly rolled his eyes. In all of Konoha, who besides Guy worked harder than you?

Seeing Kakashi's speechless expression, Shūichi burst out laughing, then asked, "How's your Lightning Release coming along? Care to show me?"

Kakashi nodded, "I've made some progress."

In the next moment, both of them vanished from the spot.

At the bottom of a cliff, Shūichi watched as Kakashi drew his blade.

In the next moment, accompanied by the crackling sound of electricity resembling the chirping of a thousand birds, Kakashi's short sword burst forth with dazzling blue lightning.

Shūichi narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled. "Impressive Lightning Release chakra, Kakashi. What's this technique called?"

Kakashi replied, "Chidori Blade!"

Shūichi's smile deepened.

Thanks to his influence, the Chidori Blade technique was developed before the original Chidori.

However, both the Chidori Blade and Chidori are A-rank techniques. As for their power, that depends on the amount of chakra one can channel and the level of mastery over chakra nature transformation.

"Let's test its power!"

Shūichi didn't draw his sword. Instead, he took out a kunai, blew on it lightly, and enveloped it in a layer of white Wind Release chakra, extending it into a longer blade.

"Begin!"

Seeing that Shūichi was ready, Kakashi immediately shouted and charged forward.

Shūichi also launched himself forward, and in the next moment, the two clashed, their kunai and short sword striking with equal force.

Kakashi's eyes focused. He knew he was still at a slight disadvantage.

After all, he was using the White Fang short sword, a high-quality chakra blade gifted by his father, while Shūichi was merely using a regular kunai.

With a burst of strength, the two engaged in a flurry of rapid, intense exchanges.

Suddenly, a brighter flash of lightning appeared before Shūichi's eyes, as Kakashi's body erupted with blue currents.

In the next moment, Kakashi's speed surged.

Both his reaction time and attack speed increased dramatically.

Kakashi had been hiding his true strength well!

However, Shūichi still handled it with ease, not even needing to activate his focused state.

His neural response speed and cognitive processing were still superior to Kakashi's current abilities.

So, he didn't even need to use Fire Body Flicker.

The only issue that slightly troubled him was the interference caused by the lightning surging from Kakashi's body.

This technique not only partially activated Kakashi's cells but also provided a defensive effect.

As a result, the Wind Blade in Shūichi's hand extended further, transforming from a short weapon to a long one.

The two continued to clash until they finally stopped after two minutes.

In this state, neither could gain the upper hand.

Sitting down to rest, Shūichi smiled and said, "Congratulations, Kakashi, on developing two A-rank Lightning Release techniques."

Kakashi shook his head. "Chidori Stream is just a derivative of Chidori Blade, and it barely activates cells compared to the Cloud Ninja's AB Combo."

Shūichi chuckled. "Kakashi, you're not even nine years old yet!"

"And the Lightning Release Chakra Mode of the Cloud Ninja has been refined over several generations to reach its current level."

"Take the AB Combo, for example. Killer Bee is only a few years younger than Minato-sensei, much older than us."

"Besides, Konoha's reserves of Lightning Release techniques are far less than the Cloud's. You've developed something from scratch, which is already quite remarkable."

Being praised like this made Kakashi, who was a bit prideful, somewhat embarrassed. "That may be true, but the gap is still significant."

Especially compared to you! Kakashi added silently in his mind.

Shūichi shifted the conversation and asked, "Since these two techniques are relatively complete, do you have any new directions for developing your Lightning Release?"

Kakashi nodded. "I've given it some thought, and Minato-sensei has also provided some suggestions."

"First, I need to be able to use Chidori bare-handed so that I can still execute the technique if I don't have a blade."

Shūichi smiled. "Since you've already developed Chidori Stream, the challenge lies in concentrating the chakra to a high degree."

"However, without a blade, the nature transformation won't be as strong, and if the chakra output isn't sufficient, you'll need high-speed thrusting to achieve the same piercing power as the Chidori Blade."

"Of course, with Chidori Stream, speed isn't an issue for you."

"However..."

Shūichi paused and pointed to Kakashi's eyes. "Moving too fast will make it difficult for your eyes to track the enemy's movements accurately, creating a significant vulnerability."

Kakashi isn't like Shūichi, whose neural response speed and cognitive processing are so fast that they rival the dynamic vision of the Sharingan.

Shūichi has improved his dynamic vision to the point where it's on par with Uchiha Shisui's Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Of course, his insight is still lacking by comparison.

Kakashi nodded seriously. "Minato-sensei came to the same conclusion."

"So, on one hand, I need to further refine my Lightning Release nature transformation, and on the other, I need to train my eyesight."

"I'll improve the method you showed me earlier."

Shūichi thought for a moment and smiled. "You mean dodging clay, and then catching specific colored pieces?"

Kakashi nodded. "Exactly."

This is essentially training hand-eye coordination.

Shūichi pondered for a moment. It seemed that this might be the only viable option.

For ordinary people, it's one of the few paths available, though it has a clear upper limit.

However...

After some thought, Shūichi said, "Another direction would be to further develop Chidori Stream."

"But going too deep into that would be risky, requiring extremely high chakra control skills."

"The human nervous system is quite delicate."

Kakashi understood Shūichi's meaning. It was about using Lightning Release to enhance the visual and even brain nerve response speeds, thereby improving vision.

But such an attempt could easily result in blindness or brain damage if it went wrong.

"Let's skip that one."

Shūichi stood up, smiling. "Come on, let's continue."

"The previous bout was just to test the power of your technique. Now I'll use even greater speed to help you adapt to high-speed combat rhythms."

"Accumulating battle experience can also reduce vulnerabilities. It can even help train your eyes."

Kakashi immediately stood up. "Shūichi, bring out your full strength!"

Shūichi smiled slyly. "That depends on your ability, Kakashi."

The battle began once again!

Shūichi continued to use Wind Release and kunai, but this time with his neural response and cognitive processing fully activated, he used swordsmanship and reaction speed to keep Kakashi under pressure.

Each bout lasted one to two minutes, followed by a break before continuing.

In the third round, Shūichi used the technique "Fiery Lotus Steps," greatly increasing his speed and causing Kakashi to struggle.

If not for the Chidori Stream, Kakashi would have quickly lost.

The entire morning passed this way.

In the afternoon, Shūichi visited Orochimaru's lab and didn't return home until late.

Soon, on July 24th, the third stage of the Chunin Exam began.

In the indoor arena, as Shūichi entered, Might Guy, Kakashi, Obito, Sarutobi Asuma, Kurenai Yuhi, Nohara Rin, and others quickly gathered around him.

Might Guy shouted, "Shūichi, you're definitely here to cheer me on!"

Shūichi smiled and nodded. "Of course, Guy!"

"I'm sure you'll get promoted."

If not, then it just means you haven't worked hard enough!

As he chatted with the others, Shūichi quickly noticed a few other figures.

Yamashiro Aoba, Raidō Namiashi...

They were all older than him.

Last time Shūichi took the Chunin Exam, he hadn't seen them.

Even Guy's teammate, Genma Shiranui, was actually older than both Shūichi and Kakashi.

At that moment, a bell rang, and the electronic display started rolling the names of the Genin participating in the exam.

"It's starting!"

"Finally, it's starting. I can't wait!"

...

The once noisy arena gradually fell silent.

Shūichi used the Body Flicker Technique to leave the stands where Kakashi and the others were sitting and appeared in the center of the arena.

Then, in a loud and clear voice, he announced, under the astonished, shocked, and stunned gazes of his friends like Guy and Kakashi, "I am Special Jonin Shūichi Hoshita, the proctor for the third stage of the Chunin Exam."

Gulp!

Uchiha Obito swallowed hard, finding it difficult to believe. "How is this possible?"

"Shūichi... When did he become a Special Jonin?"

Might Guy, equally bewildered, scratched his head in confusion. He didn't know about this either, but then he smiled and said, "With Shūichi's strength, it's only natural for him to become a Special Jonin, right?"

"Don't you agree, Kakashi?"

As he spoke, Might Guy became fired up with enthusiasm. "As expected of my lifelong rival! It seems I need to work even harder from now on!"

Many others shared Uchiha Obito's disbelief.

"This is unbelievable!"

"A Special Jonin at such a young age!"

"Shūichi-kun is only 9 years old, right? He must be the youngest Special Jonin in Konoha's history!"

...

The previously quiet exam hall buzzed with discussion once more.

Shūichi was very pleased with his dramatic entrance, but he maintained a stern expression as he shouted, "Silence!"

Instantly, the hall fell silent again.

Shūichi glanced at the electronic screen and announced, "Uchiha Obito, Might Guy, step forward!"

From the stands, Might Guy and Uchiha Obito leaped down and stood before Shūichi.

Uchiha Obito looked at Might Guy across from him, made a thumbs-down gesture, and said confidently, "Guy, I'm going to settle the score with you from last time."

Might Guy looked puzzled, rubbing his chin as he asked, "Last time?"

Uchiha Obito nearly stumbled, his inner frustration boiling: This guy! It was just a few days ago, and he doesn't even remember!

In their last team battle, Obito had choked on a lollipop given to him by an elderly woman and was unable to perform the Fireball Jutsu in time, leading to him getting knocked out by a single kick from Guy. Today, he was determined to redeem himself.

Watching these two clowns, Shūichi barely managed to maintain his composure as a proctor without laughing.

Just then, a voice called out from the stands. "Obito, do your best!"

Uchiha Obito froze and turned to see Nohara Rin waving her arms, cheering for him. His face immediately flushed red, and a smile spread across it.

Seeing this, Shūichi couldn't help but think, "Who could resist such a sweet and gentle voice?"

Obito clenched his fist and shouted back, "Rin, watch me!"

Shūichi kindly reminded him, "Obito, focus and get ready!"

Obito quickly turned back to face Guy.

Shūichi raised the red flag in his hand and then brought it down. "Begin!"

Obito immediately jumped back and started forming hand seals, but before he could finish, Might Guy had already leaped into the air, delivering a powerful kick.

Thud!

Obito took the full force of the kick, sending his goggles flying and leaving him sprawled on the ground, snot and drool everywhere.

On the stands, Nohara Rin, who had been cheering for Uchiha Obito, froze, her voice abruptly cutting off. "Obito... What is he doing?"

Kakashi couldn't help but snort, "Idiot!"

Everyone else was equally dumbfounded, especially Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, and their classmates.

They all knew Uchiha Obito's abilities well enough to know that he shouldn't be weak enough to be taken down in one hit. But this situation was simply... beyond words.

Shūichi also found himself at a loss, torn between laughter and tears.

He had kindly reminded Obito to get ready and not let Nohara Rin's voice distract him. Who could have imagined that Obito would try to form hand seals and use a Fire Style jutsu at such close range? Did he think he was the First Hokage, clapping his hands and summoning any jutsu he wanted?

"Winner, Might Guy!" Shūichi announced, a bit exasperated.

He had no idea that Obito had attempted to use Fire Style to redeem himself from his loss in the second team battle.

...

In a room elsewhere, a television screen clearly displayed the events unfolding in the exam arena.

Standing behind the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze couldn't help but smile awkwardly as he watched Uchiha Obito lose in such a clumsy manner.

He had mentored two Uchiha before, and their personalities couldn't have been more different. Reflecting on the constant bickering between Obito and Kakashi, Minato realized how challenging this team was, far more so than his previous squad.

Still, Minato spoke up in Obito's defense, "Obito may be prone to mishaps, but he's actually quite strong. He's also very kind-hearted and strives to become Hokage. I believe he'll be an excellent ninja in the future."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, exhaled a puff of smoke and sighed softly, "An unpredictable ninja... He still needs much more training."

Minato quickly nodded with an embarrassed smile, "Yes, Lord Hokage. I'll make sure to guide him properly."

...

Back in the exam arena, the matches continued.

Shūichi Hoshita's eyes remained fixed on the fighters, not missing a single detail, ready to intervene if necessary to prevent things from getting out of hand.

In reality, however, he was mentally recording every move of the combatants, storing them in his memory palace as samples.

The number of Konoha villagers stored in his memory palace was growing, including even Danzo.

Now, with the addition of Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Nohara Rin, and other childhood friends, Shūichi was updating their versions in his mind.

These memories would form the foundation for Shūichi's future development of genjutsu.

The Sealing Technique - Memory Palace was initially intended to store the memories of Shadow Clones, but it had also become a cornerstone for Shūichi's plans to enhance his genjutsu—a plan he had conceived long ago.

...

"Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy!"

Before anyone realized it, Might Guy was stepping into the ring once again.

As Shūichi waved the flag, Guy and Kakashi clashed fiercely.

Although Guy wasn't entirely devoid of ninjutsu skills, his combat style was undeniably focused on pure taijutsu.

At this moment, Kakashi also refrained from using his newly developed Lightning Release jutsu, choosing instead to engage Guy in a taijutsu-only battle.

"This might be the most thrilling match of the third round," Shūichi thought to himself.

The second-best match had been between Asuma Sarutobi and a member of the Hyuga clan, with Asuma emerging victorious.

The son of the Hokage, whom Shūichi had recommended to the Daimyo, had already mastered the Wind Release chakra nature transformation. Among their peers, only Shūichi himself and Kakashi surpassed him.

"Still, relying solely on taijutsu is an incredibly challenging path."

Shūichi watched as Might Guy, exhausted and drained, finally collapsed.

"Kakashi wins!" Shūichi declared.

At 4 PM, the third stage of the Chunin Exams concluded successfully.

Shūichi brought the results sheet to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and bowed in respect. "Hokage-sama, Minato-sensei, here are the results from the third stage."

Hiruzen reached out and took the sheet. "Shūichi, in your opinion, who among them is ready to be promoted to Chunin?"

Shūichi pondered for a moment before replying, "Besides Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Genma Shiranui, and Aoba Yamashiro all have sufficient strength and experience to be promoted."

Hiruzen nodded slightly but didn't immediately comment. Instead, he said, "Shūichi, you've worked hard these past few days. Take a couple of days to rest, and then report to the Anbu."

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Shūichi responded.

...

"Shūichi!"

As soon as he exited the exam arena, Shūichi saw Shizune waving at him. He quickly walked over. "Shizune, what are you doing here?"

Shizune smiled and replied, "I didn't expect you to be the Chunin examiner. If I had known earlier, even if I wasn't taking the exam, I would have come to watch."

Shūichi couldn't help but laugh. "It's no problem. Next time, I'll ask the Third Hokage if I can be the examiner for the medical team's promotion exams."

Given that he was promoted to Special Jōnin through medical ninjutsu, it would make sense for him to be the examiner for the medical team.

The two continued to chat and laugh as they made their way to the Konoha Hospital.

...

Even though he was given two days off, Shūichi spent most of his time training, except for meals, evening strolls with Shizune, and sleeping. He was particularly focused because he was close to mastering an S-rank kenjutsu technique.

He hadn't used this year's "flash of insight" yet.

Last year, he had planned to use it to complete the S-rank kenjutsu technique, but since he had found a lead and felt confident in developing it himself, he instead used the inspiration on the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.

This year, Shūichi planned to use his "flash of insight" at the end of the year to help Tsunade fully develop the secret technique for controlling chakra, bringing the Strength of a Hundred Seal to completion ahead of schedule.

Once that's done, he could start working on creating a Fire Release chakra cloak or a Fire Release chakra mode.

On July 27, Year 42 of Konoha.

At just nine years old, Shūichi officially joined the Hokage's Special Assassination and Tactics Squad—also known as the ANBU(Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai)!

Unlike the Root Division, which had its own separate headquarters, the Hokage's Anbu was based in an auxiliary building next to the Hokage's office.

Once again, it was Sarutobi Shinnosuke who escorted Shūichi.

"Shūichi, in the Anbu, we usually don't use our real names, so you'll need to choose a codename."

As they reached the equipment distribution window, Sarutobi Shinnosuke explained.

"Let's go with 'Flame,'" Shūichi chose his codename casually, then turned to the ninja behind the counter. "Excuse me, could you give me a tiger mask?"

"Sure," the equipment manager nodded and handed him a tiger mask.

Shūichi quickly thanked him, "Thank you!"

In addition to the mask, he received bracers, a long sword, a steel chest plate, and two tattoo stickers.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke smiled and said, "Tattooing the arms is a hallmark of the Anbu. I'll help you apply them."

After tattooing both his arms and putting on the equipment, they continued deeper into the building.

Shinnosuke continued to explain, "The Hokage's Anbu is typically organized into four squads, or four teams."

"Each squad is led by a squad leader, and under them are usually four smaller teams, each with four to five members."

Shūichi quickly calculated that with a minimum of four members per team, plus the squad leader, a squad would have 17 members. With four squads, the Anbu under the Hokage's direct command would consist of about 68 to 100 members.

And that's just the regular contingent.

"This is a considerable force, especially since everyone in the Anbu is an elite—at least an exceptional Chunin," Shūichi thought. "I wonder how many members Root has..."

Even though he had spent three months in Root, Shūichi had never figured out its exact structure.

But knowing Danzo's personality, he figured the Root's numbers wouldn't be much smaller than the Hokage's Anbu.

Before long, Sarutobi Shinnosuke brought Shūichi to a locker room.

Inside, four people were already waiting. None of them were wearing masks. There were three men and one woman, and the oldest looked to be no more than in their early twenties.

"Everyone, starting today, Shūichi Hoshita, codename 'Flame,' is now a member of our team," Sarutobi Shinnosuke introduced.

"Chōgan Akimichi, codename 'Force!'"

"Satoshi Nara, codename 'Deer!'"

"Shinichi Yamanaka, codename 'Mind!'"

"So it really is the Ino-Shika-Cho trio..."

Shūichi immediately greeted them, addressing them as "seniors."

The moment he saw these three, he had a pretty good guess. Their hair color, hairstyles, and Chōgan Akimichi's bulky build gave them away.

Moreover, these three clans had always been closely allied with the Sarutobi clan and the Hokage's lineage, and Sarutobi Shinnosuke was the Hokage's son.

After paying his respects, Shūichi turned his attention to the only female member. She appeared to be around Shinnosuke's age, likely around fifteen or sixteen. Could she be...?

As he pondered, the dark-haired woman smiled and introduced herself, "Chihiro, codename 'Seeker!'"

"I've heard Shinnosuke talk about you often. It's great to finally meet you."

Shūichi quickly bowed. "Seeker-senpai."

Finally, Sarutobi Shinnosuke smiled and said, "Codename 'Ape,' currently the leader of this third squad, and also the team leader."

"Shūichi, from today on, you're officially part of our team and the Anbu."

"Now, let's get suited up!"

Everyone quickly put on their gear and masks, then left the Anbu headquarters, heading out of the village at full speed.

After covering some distance, the team came to a halt. Sarutobi Shinnosuke removed his mask and said, "Before the mission begins, Flame, why don't you tell us what you're best at?"

This was a familiar routine. Shūichi nodded and said, "I specialize in Fire Release, Wind Release, and medical ninjutsu. I also have a basic understanding of Water Release, Lightning Release, Earth Release, and genjutsu."

His words left everyone except Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Chihiro visibly stunned.

They had heard of this youngest Special Jōnin and Chunin, but at his age, could he really know so much?

"Captain, let me test him out!" The large, muscular Chōgan Akimichi suggested.

But Sarutobi Shinnosuke shook his head. "Force, your style might not be the best for testing Flame's abilities. I'll do it myself!"

He then smiled at Shūichi. "Flame, you don't mind, do you?"

Under his mask, Shūichi felt a surge of excitement. "Not at all, Captain!"