Mmm.
The strong smell of hospital disinfectant filled the air.
Why does my house smell like this? Did someone get hurt?
As consciousness gradually returned from the darkness, before even opening his eyes, Yagura's sense of smell was the first to register something unusual.
This... wasn't a normal awakening after a night's sleep.
Next came his hearing.
"Saito, that brat's been unconscious for over a day. Why hasn't he woken up yet?"
"Kokitsu-sama, your grandson is suffering from extreme physical exhaustion, compounded by prolonged exposure to Lightning Release chakra, which overstimulated his cells. It's natural that his recovery is taking longer."
"...He's not going to die just like that, is he?"
Grandson?
"...Your grandson is merely fatigued. He'll wake up after some rest. There's no life-threatening danger."
A familiar voice—his grandfather. The other voice, a pleasant-sounding young woman, was unfamiliar.
From what Yagura could gather, she was most likely a doctor, a medical-nin. And judging by the state of his body, he was definitely in rough shape.
His entire body screamed in protest, completely refusing to move. It felt as if not a single muscle in his body was listening to him.
Even opening his eyes or moving a finger was a struggle.
Case closed.
The one in need of medical attention was himself.
That's fine, then.
So that means… he's in a shinobi hospital.
...
His memories before passing out slowly resurfaced. Yagura recalled his so-called "great" achievement.
He had single-handedly challenged one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Jinin Akebino, and forced himself past his limits to unleash a sixfold Thunderclap and Flash.
Despite all that, he still suffered a crushing defeat, collapsing unconscious in front of an entire crowd with absolutely no dignity left.
Damn it. Another black mark on his record.
Thinking back on it all, Yagura wasn't even worried about his injuries. What truly concerned him was how he'd be mocked by Mangetsu's lackeys for this embarrassing moment.
How was he supposed to maintain his authority as their leader now?
Ah, hell.
He had overestimated himself.
He had underestimated the consequences of pushing his limits. He thought the worst-case scenario would be collapsing on the spot. He hadn't expected to completely black out.
...
With immense effort, he pried open his eyelids, which felt glued together, and silently stared at the unfamiliar white ceiling above.
The flickering hospital light overhead buzzed erratically.
Lying in a stark white hospital bed, unable to move, the blanket felt as heavy as a crushing weight pinning him down.
Ah, hell... For the first time, Yagura truly understood what it meant to be completely drained of strength.
His entire body was wrapped in layer upon layer of bandages, and judging by the cool sensation on his skin, they were likely treated with plenty of herbal medicine.
Kokitsu must've pulled out all the stops for his recovery.
There was no escaping the scolding he'd get when he got back home.
Acting tough? Getting arrogant? You learned a few tricks and suddenly thought you could take on an elite jōnin?
Yagura watched the flickering light above, deep in reflection over his reckless actions.
Yet, deep down, he didn't regret it.
Jinin Akebino was different from his usual sparring partners.
Even if he had a chance to redo everything, Yagura knew he would still make the same choice.
This battle had taught him exactly where he fell short compared to a true jōnin.
In terms of taijutsu, his speed might be impressive, but to an elite jōnin, it was still lacking.
His strength was a weakness—something he needed to work on improving.
As for ninjutsu, he hadn't had the chance to properly test it this time. He'd need to find someone to spar with later.
But the most glaring issue was his chakra reserves. Just maintaining Lightning Release Mode for a short while had already pushed both his chakra and stamina to the brink.
Physical endurance and chakra capacity—both were fundamental limitations.
Improving his body would require years of relentless training. Chakra, too, would have to be cultivated over time.
There were no shortcuts.
After all, he was only seven years old.
Unlike those absurd novels he had read in his previous life, where protagonists shocked the Third Hokage at four, tamed the Akatsuki at seven, awed Madara at ten, and defeated the Ōtsutsuki at twelve…
Yeah, no. That wasn't happening.
Those guys were all cheating.
Where was his cheat ability?
His thoughts drifted further, and an image of the Three-Tails, Isobu, the massive turtle, surfaced in his mind.
If he became a jinchūriki, then chakra would no longer be a concern. A jinchūriki's body also healed far faster thanks to their tailed beast's chakra.
At least, that was the case for Naruto Uzumaki.
Alright. Decision made.
He would become the Three-Tails' jinchūriki!
Now, the real question was—how the hell was he going to convince his grandfather to let him do it?
...
Meanwhile, in a forest outside Kirigakure.
Clang!
Blade clashed against blade. Two standard-issue swords met midair in a fierce collision!
Mangetsu and Zabuza both kicked off and landed at a distance after their initial strike.
Then, almost simultaneously, they lunged at each other once more.
Blades flashed continuously at the heart of the battleground.
Mangetsu had been trained in the traditional swordsmanship of the Hōzuki Clan, each move carrying precision and discipline.
Zabuza, on the other hand, had developed his swordsmanship through experience. Rather than a structured style, his techniques were purely instinctual, adapting on the fly.
In terms of technique, Mangetsu had the upper hand. But in raw power and speed, Zabuza was stronger.
...
Relying on his refined technique, Mangetsu had been expertly deflecting Zabuza's attacks. Then, spotting an opening, he suddenly twisted his blade, forcing Zabuza's sword into a parallel position against the ground!
Thanks to Onime Kaede's shared vision ability, Zabuza detected the shift in Mangetsu's muscles immediately.
Just as Mangetsu reached for Zabuza's exposed hilt, Zabuza suddenly shifted in the same direction, using the momentum to escape Mangetsu's control.
Quickly pulling back his sword, Zabuza struck with the hilt—slamming it into Mangetsu's reaching hand while his blade left a shallow cut on Mangetsu's other hand.
Mangetsu clicked his tongue and retreated a few steps. "Tch!"
Zabuza let out a breathless laugh. "Looks like I win this round."
Mangetsu sneered. "Don't get cocky. That makes it 3-3."
"Not for long. I'll be up 4-3 soon."
"Keep dreaming!"
Onime Kaede, exhausted, slumped against a tree. "Let's take a break. I'm out of chakra."
Both Mangetsu and Zabuza turned their attention to him.
"Are you serious, Kaede? It's only been thirty minutes."
Kaede sighed, ignoring them. He wasn't built for this. He was just a fragile sensory-nin...
Mangetsu tossed his sword to Kaede. "No chakra? Then train your taijutsu. Join in."
Kaede groaned. "And you?"
"I have my own training to do."
Mangetsu stepped aside, forming a hand seal.
"Water Release."
A blade of water began to take shape in his hands…
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Read more than +100 chapters and support me on Patreon
Patreon(.)com/Jixo