Hiruzen took half a minute to compose himself and gather his thoughts. However, despite his lively thoughts, the look of exhaustion never disappeared from his face. Of course, Fujin's clone completely ignored the long pause he needed.
Hiruzen asked, "What help do you need?"
Fujin's clone replied, "I am working on Fuinjutsu but have hit a roadblock in terms of speed. At my current speed, I need around an hour to create that seal. It makes it useless in war. I need some help and advice in regards to that."
Hiruzen was surprised. He thought, 'He has already reached that stage? A seal that needs an hour to create will be a very complicated one. It looks like he will soon be a Grandmaster. No harm in teaching him seal imprints. But…'
Hiruzen said, "Alright. I can help you with that. But, I have a question as well. Did you ask anyone else to help you?"
Fujin's clone tilted his head and asked, "Why would I ask anyone else, Grandpa? You are the one everyone calls The Professor!"
Despite his vast experience, Hiruzen couldn't help but look at Fujin's clone with a deadpan expression. He muttered internally, 'I have led Konoha for over 4 decades. I have lived through 3 deadly wars. I never expected that I would experience so many firsts within a few minutes at this age…
This is the first time anyone sent a clone to ask for my help outside of wartime. Apart from my students and children, this is the first time anyone has come to me directly for help without asking anyone else. And, this is the first time someone directly asked me to send a Shadow Clone to help him…'
Fujin's clone maintained his 'innocent' expression. However, he was laughing in his mind. He thought, 'Old man, you have tried brainwashing me with the Will of Fire so many times that I don't even remember the count. I guess you even believe that you have succeeded. You even asked me to call you Grandpa. Let me see with what face you decline my request when there is no good excuse!'
Hiruzen was in the same dilemma as Fujin had calculated. Though he regularly preached the Will of Fire to motivate his ninjas to push themselves harder for the village without having to do anything himself, the Will of Fire was a two-way street. Just as he had expectations from the younger generation, the younger generation also had expectations from him that he had to live up to.
Of course, that wasn't necessarily bad for Hiruzen. After all, unlike Fujin who viewed the Will of Fire as an ideological tool, Hiruzen believed in the Will of Fire completely. In fact, he could be even said to be the most devout follower of the Will of Fire. So he usually did what was expected of him even before anyone asked him to do so. However, when faced with someone like Fujin, Hiruzen realized an issue.
He shuddered while thinking, 'If I agree, it will create a dangerous precedence. What if everyone else begins running to me for every small thing? How many Shadow Clones can I even create?
Until now, though everyone knows that they can ask me for help, they are very respectful and mindful to not disturb me too much. But this boy…'
Unfortunately, Hiruzen could just sigh internally and hope that others didn't get any ideas from this instance. His principles didn't allow him to say no to Fujin without any reasonable reason. He replied, "Alright. I'll send a clone to help you."
Fujin's clone smirked internally and thought, 'Lord Hokage really is the best! I can't imagine this being done in any other village. Even among the Hokages, I guess just future Naruto and maybe Minato and Hashirama would agree to such requests.'
He weaved a hand sign and a Shadow Clone popped next to him. The clone approached Fujin's clone and said, "Let's go."
Fujin's clone immediately said in a respectful and excited tone, "Thank you, Grandpa."
The two clones immediately left and arrived at Training Ground 23 where Fujin was waiting for Hiruzen while thinking about the Four Symbols Seal. He looked up and looked at the two arriving and thought, 'I see. He sent a clone.'
As their eyes met, Fujin's clone dispelled himself and passed the memories to Fujin. Fujin smiled and said, "Thank you for coming here despite being so busy, Grandpa."
Hiruzen's clone's eyebrows involuntarily twitched. However, he immediately put up a smile and said, "How can I say no to a youngster who is working so hard? Which seal are you working on?"
Fujin replied, "The Four Symbols Seal. But I'd like the same advice for other seals as well. I recall you sealing up the Suna Jounins using Juinjutsu. But despite learning almost all Juinjutsu, I can't activate them that quickly. I still need more than a few seconds which is just too slow to be used in a battle."
Hiruzen's clone was surprised. He thought, 'He has already learnt the Four Symbols Seal? That's the most difficult seal available in the Library. Has he learnt all the other seals or did he just focus on this seal? But why does he need this seal?'
He became suspicious but didn't show it on his face and asked, "Have you learnt all the other seals in the Library? Or did you focus on the Four Symbols Seal after becoming an Anbu Captain?"
Fujin answered, "I am done with all Juinjutsu and simpler seals in the Library. I still have a few complicated seals to learn. But they didn't seem as good as the Four Symbols Seal at restraining enemies. Especially the enemy Jinchurikis. So I decided to leave them for later."
Hiruzen's clone realized, 'I see. I guess he is more obsessed with this seal due to his encounter with Roshi. Normal Chakra Suppression Seals have no effect on a Jinchuriki. Even advanced ones are useless against ones that can use most of the Tailed Beast's chakra like Roshi.
Regardless, such speed is very good. In terms of speed of learning this seal after getting access to it, he is slower than only Kushina and Minato ever since I became the Hokage. And his chakra is lesser than theirs at his age. So the effect of Shadow Clones should be lesser for him than them.'
He nodded and answered, "I understand. It is a good choice. Your issue is a pretty basic one that all SealMasters have to face. Unlike Ninjutsu, you can't create Seals in the blink of an eye as it isn't entirely dependent on merely manipulating your chakra and is much more complicated. Especially complicated seals like the Four Symbols Seal."
Fujin analyzed Hiruzen's words and nodded. He asked, "So, how do we shorten the time?"
Hiruzen's clone said, "It's pretty easy. The concept is similar to pre-made seals that you use instantly in battle. Can you figure it out?"
Fujin began thinking. After a couple of minutes, he shook his head and answered, "No. I had thought of creating seals for the same. But, those are for one-time use. While I can make a lot of them as a preparation and have a similar effect, it won't be the same. In addition, I won't be able to modify the seal if I use seals I drew on paper.
The only workable idea I have is probably creating the seal partially so that I can use it by just completing the remaining seal. But I am not sure how I could sustain a partial seal for that long without it putting a drain on my chakra reserves and taking a lot of my attention."
Hiruzen's clone smiled and said, "Not bad. You are a bit off, but the method is similar to the two ideas."
The clone raised his right hand and showed his palm to Fujin. In an instant, the Four Symbols Seal appeared on his palm. Fujin's eyes widened in surprise. He thought, 'That was almost Instantaneous. It's as if he merely needs to think about it to create the seal!'
Hiruzen's clone said, "Most people consider Grandmaster as the peak level of Fuinjutsu. Every Grandmaster in Fuinjutsu is respected by every ninja. However, for the ones who reach that level, becoming a Grandmaster is just the start of the journey.
Once you reach this level, there are two things you need to do. The first one is imprinting all the seals you have learnt on your body, preferably the palm. This allows you to use every seal that you have imprinted instantaneously.
I would have taught you this after you became a Grandmaster. But since you asked me before you became one, I'll teach it to you now."
Fujin smiled and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. But what is the second thing?"
The clone smiled and said, "It's to create new seals."
Fujin thought, 'Ah, that was a stupid question. What else could they do?'
He replied, "I'll leave creating newer seals for the future. For now, can we start learning the imprinting part?"
[A/N : Bonus chapter on next Sunday if the fic gets 1000 Power Stones. Bonus chapter on next week's Saturday if the fic gets 2000 Power Stones.]
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