I was in the third training ground, and two of my clones were spending time with people so I didn't have to.
It was a week into my two-week break.
I had gotten a hang of the three new Byakugan techniques I got for my birthday and made enough progress for them to be useable.
The Infrared vision which was now called Predator Vision, allowed one to see infrared radiation.
Which basically means I can now see heat.
Cool stuff.
Although I have no use for it now its always good to have more tricks up my sleeves…
I also got the Byakugan to zoom into and focus on a small bug within my range.
I couldn't zoom into something outside of my range…
So, it wasn't what I thought it would be but it was a neat trick nonetheless.
This technique was appropriately called Magnify.
Again, this wasn't immediately useful but I might run into a situation that I need to Magnify something…
Well probably not, but its always good to know things.
Continuing on I saved the best for last my favorite and definitely the technique I was the most excited about my speed/distance reading technique.
Now called Thief.
I would have named it something different but id mainly be using it to steal things, so Thief it was…
I finished my training for the day and dispelled my clones.
Clone one had gone to feed and water Gai and make sure he was alive and well.
Clone one did its job well and rewarded itself with some flowers from the Yamanaka clan…
I only wish that the clone hadn't bought 20,000-yen worth of flowers…
Sigh…
This is what happens when I let the clones' run-around unlinked.
I sent clone two over to Minato's apartment so he could have his hair braided and nails painted and my real body could be unaffected.
Although my real body was unaffected, I still experienced the mental pain of social interaction with Kushina…
Though some news did come from my visit.
It seems Minato looked into the matter at the hospital and had some news for me.
Sadly, the news required that I meet with the Hokage, and that was something I didn't want to do.
As-much as I didn't want to talk to the Hokage I wanted to get into the hospital and I wanted to see if I could get a peek around the Hokage tower with my Byakugan.
Maybe I'd get lucky and have a peek at the scroll of seals…
Who knew?
I woke up early and did my daily training.
Meeting the Hokage is no excuse to miss my Youthful training.
…
Minato and I met at the base of the Hokage tower.
We said our greetings and made our way past the receptionist and up to the Hokage's office.
The door was closed, Minato knocked and the door opened.
A Jonin and his Gennin left and made their way past us.
The Hokage waved Minato and me in.
…
I stood in the middle of the circular room while Minato leaned against a wall.
The Hokage took a hit from his pipe.
He turned his head and blew the smoke to the left towards an open window.
"Minato tells me you have been having trouble with the Hospital."
That's not how I would say it, but yes.
"I'd use much harsher words then that Hokage-sama."
Those Bastards didn't even give me a chance.
"Sigh… There are problems with you going to the hospital."
That didn't sound like good news…
"The village Elders are against you pursuing Medical Ninjutsu."
Definitely not good news then.
"You have prodigious talent in Taijutsu, the elders don't want you to waste time pursuing Medical Jutsu as you already have an extraordinary healing factor."
I understood where they were coming from.
But it also seemed like shallow reasoning at best.
"I'd say I'm equally talented in Medical Ninjutsu."
"…" My statement was met with silence.
The office was quiet for a while.
I was running over my words in my head, trying to see if I made some sort of blunder when the Hokage finally spoke.
"Even if you made an impressive show of Medical Jutsu and got into the hospital it probably wouldn't end well."
I was a bit confused, was that a threat?
"The reason you have not been branded with the Caged Bird Seal is because of your future fighting potential."
I blinked at that. It wasn't what I was expecting.
"The Hyuga won't brand me because of my possible future strength?"
The Hokage nodded.
"They don't want a powerful enemy inside their clan."
Why haven't I been assassinated yet?
"What's stopping them from 'disposing of' me?"
I made finger quotes at the words 'disposing of'.
"There's a lot of political pressure to keep you alive because of your Kayuga bloodline."
He paused took another hit from his pipe and continued.
"With the Senju clans' extinction being a sure thing, the elders want a new bloodline to take their place."
"Sigh." I sighed heavily. I had no idea any of this was happening, I had thought being an Elders grandson had kept me safe.
"If you go to the hospital and become a med-nin, the Hyuga could possibly take that as you being weak and lacking strength."
The Hokage turned his pipe upside-down and taped the ash into an ashtray.
"And the village Elders don't want the Hyuga to have a bloodline under their control, so they have been blocking your attempts to gain an apprenticeship in the hospital."
I wasn't sure I believed the whole Med-nin being weak thing.
"Why would anyone think of Med-nin as weak?"
The Hokage exhaled heavily.
"People who fail to adapt to ninja life often become Med-nin."
So, they are looked down on?
"So, they are looked at as failures."
Ouch.
"So, I can't learn Medical Ninjutsu?"
The Hokage blew a heavy breath out of the nose and rubbed his head.
"It's not that you can't learn Medical Jutsu, you just can't become a Medical Ninja."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that I wanted to give you my students notes to make up for your lack of a teacher."
I fought to keep the smile off my face.
"Oh… Thank you Hokage-sama"
I began to do another deep bow.
When my head almost reached waist level, I activated Chikaku no kyōka and slowed my perception as much as I could.
I activated my Byakugan a second after.
I focused my attention on the Fuinjutsu barrier surrounding the office blocking my sight from expanding.
Alright, that was expected, no big deal.
I looked around the room taking note of both the Root ninja and Anbu hidden around the Hokage's office.
One, in particular, was staring hard at me.
I took note of how much chakra the Hokage had but lost interest soon after.
I focused on a bookshelf the Hokage kept in his office, it had nothing of worth, it was just a display of random civilian books.
If I could have sighed, I would have, but my brain and eyes were moving faster then my body could.
So, no annoyed sigh for me.
I deactivated both of my techniques and kept my bow for a few more seconds before rising.
"The notes will be delivered to your home within the day, your dismissed."
I gave another bow and turned to leave.
I made eye contact with Minato and got a smile from him.
He made no move to leave so I guess he's staying.
All-righty let's get out of here.
I left the room and made my way down the hall.
I activated Chikaku no kyōka only slightly slowing my preception.
I rubbed my eyes with my palms to hide my Byakugan's activation.
I took another look through the Hokage tower.
Nothing I can see that's helpful.
Only some more seal protected rooms.
Danm…
I again deactivated my techniques.
Disappointing but not unexpected.
I made my exit.
...
The notes arrived.
I gave the Anbu that delivered it a nod of acknowledgment and brought the box of notes to my room in preparation for a long reading session within my bed.
…
I was using Kokoro no kyōka to burn as much of Tusnade's notes as I could into my brain.
When I reached my limit, I would sleep for an hour and start again when I woke up.
It wasn't fun but its what needed to be done.
…
Tsunade's notes didn't provide many new jutsu, just the chakra transfer technique, and some vague note's on scrambling the electric signals that the brain sends to the body using lightning chakra.
On the other hand, it had lots of hard-learned experience written in it and plenty of changes to the already existing medical ninjutsu.
Not immediately helpful.
What I need is experience.
And burning notes into my brain won't give me that.
…
The rest of the week passed and soon it was time for team Minato to meet up once again.
Kakashi looked better than when I last saw him.
Minato looked alright as well, he had his usual charismatic smile.
…
"Alright team, we have a choice between an escort mission or a tracking mission."
Neither.
"Sensei can we do another bandit elimination mission?"
Kakashi and Minato were staring at me.
"I need to practice my medical ninjutsu."
…
Discussion ensued and it was declared that I would not be allowed to 'Practice' on bandits.
Minato recommended that I set-up in any towns that we visit and provide free service and get my Practice that way.
That was completely fine with me.
It was a better idea morally and practically.
After-all why should I have to go to my test subjects, when they can come to me instead.
…
With the hospital no-longer an option for me it was decided that we would be doing five missions a month.
I wasn't thrilled at the idea of more work than necessary, but Kakashi looked happy so I let it be.
It helped that I had more opportunities to practice my jutsu.
…
Four months passed, and things had been going well.
I had hit a small snag in the beginning but other then that nothing noteworthy had happened.
People didn't want to be treated by a six-year-old so I didn't get many test subjects until the next mission we went on where I Henged into my most used disguise of my old teacher.
Then business was booming, and by business, I mean the test subjects were presenting themselves to me in droves.
…
I had gotten some experience with my new and improved Medical-Ninjutsu and was ready to start experimenting.
I wanted to see if I could simulate a workout and strengthen the muscles without exercise.
So, I had asked Minato for another bandit elimination mission.
…
Predictably it didn't go well.
Though I won our argument in the end.
I told Minato that if I didn't have bandits to test some ideas on that id have to use myself.
That made Minato come around…
Turns out holding your health and safety hostage is a good way to win an argument.
…
Kakashi and I were leaning against a wall at the Hokage tower waiting for Minato to get our mission scroll.
I had been talking about my difficulties with my nature transformation and trying to get Kakashi to participate in the conversation.
I of course had no luck and was just talking to myself.
...
Eventually, Minato arrived scroll in hand.
Nice I was just running out of things to talk about.
"Ok at Shiro's request were doing a bandit elimination mission."
I gave a nice guy pose.
"Though this mission is B-ranked and will be a little different than the last bandit elimination mission we went on."
B-ranked missions meant ninja on ninja combat.
Something I was excited about.
I could only get so far when my opponents didn't have the chance to fight back.
"Minato-sensei do we get to fight the ninja?"
I gave my best impression of puppy eyes.
"One of you will, there's only one ninja."
I turned to Kakashi.
"Rock, paper, scissors?"
Something I introduced to solve arguments between me and Kakashi.
Something I could also easily win with Chikaku no kyōka.
Something I let Kakashi win often to give him some false confidence.
Kakashi nodded.
"Alright, let's go."
I activated Chikaku no kyōka.
"Rock! Paper! Scissors! Shoot!"
I watched Kakashi's hand shift into scissors.
I shifted my own into rock.
I deactivated Chikaku no kyōka.
"I win"
Kakashi looked disappointed.
Well, I'd like to think he looked disappointed, as most of his face was covered I couldn't tell.
The bandit elimination mission was much further away from Konoha then our usual missions.
The bandits were terrorizing merchants traveling from the land of tea into the land of fire.
For this trip we would pass Otafuki Gai and Kenshi and then make our way to the sea where we would follow the water until we get near Tea.
From then we would go to the bandits' last known location and sniff them out.
…
We were two days into our mission.
I didn't realize that traveling from Konoha to the land of Tea was a three-day trip.
I was already done with this mission and we weren't even halfway through it.
After we got there and did our thing, we would still have to travel back for three days.
I got too excited and jumped on the opportunity to fight a ninja…
If I had known I would have to spend almost a week of my life on this mission I would have waited for another opportunity.
…
We finally arrived.
We were on a strip of land located between the Hanguri Gulf and Kanashii Ocean.
The Hanguri Gulf being westward and the Kanashii Ocean being towards the south-east.
And to our immediate south was the border between The Land Of Tea and The Land Of Fire.
…
We had set up camp near a river.
I was soaking in the river and enjoying the feeling of being semi-clean.
Kakashi was setting up camp and Minato was scouting.
I got less work as the previous two nights I had set-up camp.
…
Minato returned with bad news.
He didn't find the bandit's today.
So that meant that our trip would probably be delayed another day…
Sigh…
…
A day later, Minato found the bandits.
They were holed up in an underground base that had been made with earth release.
We probably shouldn't be going underground with an earth release user.
So, rushing into the base was out.
We couldn't collapse the cave, as I would lose my guanine pigs.
I decided that I might be able to make a better plan when I see the structure of the base.
…
Minato, Kakashi, and I were standing in the trees.
We arrived at the base.
Well, I couldn't see the base, but this is where Minato said it was...
...
Minato and Kakashi were going to wait until I got a good look at the base structure.
Then we would form a plan.
I activated my Byakugan and began to scan the base.
The entrance was on the side of a hill.
The base sloped down and expanded further underground.
Oh boy.
This was more then I wanted to deal with.
The bandit's base was big.
I couldn't see the whole structure with my Byakugan's current range.
I silently jumped from tree to tree, trying to see the entire base.
There was only one entrance but many shafts to let air in and out.
I could see three ninjas.
This made my winning of rock, paper, scissors, pointless.
I wanted to sigh but was wary of making too much noise, this was much more then I was mentally prepared to deal with.
I got near Minato and Kakashi and made a motion for them to follow me and headed a bit away from the base.
...
"So, there are fifteen normal bandits, three Missing-Nin, Two High Genin level, and One Mid Chunin level?"
Minato summed up what I told him.
"Yep."
Kakashi chimed in
"What village are they from?"
"Mist."
That meant that one should watch for Water Release and Kenjutsu.
"Can you use Fire Release Sensei?"
Minato nodded at me.
"How about we smoke them out?"
…
The plan made the three of us silently crept to the entrance.
Minato, Kakashi, I and three of my clones were at the entrance.
After knocking out the guard and another bandit that was close to the entrance, we piled as many leaves as we could silently get at the entrance.
Minato gave the signal to start, Kakashi got into a stance short sword at the ready and I activated my Byakugan.
Minato ran through a few hand seals took a deep breath and blew a stream of flames onto the pile of leaves.
His part done, he stepped back and allowed me and my clones to take over.
Me and the clones alternated and sent Vacuum Palms at the pile of burning debris.
It pushed the debris into the cave but the smoke wasn't filling the cave like I had wanted it too…
Minato ran through more hand seals clapped his hands and released a stream of wind towards the entrance.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
Sensei to the rescue!
Minato continued to hold the technique.
I sent one clone to watch over the part of the base I couldn't see, so it could dispel if they tried to escape.
The other two clones were sent into the base.
Hopefully, they could take care of some of the cannon fodder before they get in the way.
…
Everything was quiet.
We were still at the entrance waiting for something to happen.
Finally, two of my clones were dispelled.
They had made their way through the cannon fodder knocking them out as they passed.
The clones met-up with the two Gennin level ninja and engaged in some good old taijutsu combat.
The clones were easily winning and were enjoying the fight.
The third mist ninja sped in and dispelled the two clones when they were distracted with the other ninja.
Stupid clones.
All they had to do was pay attention and not get distracted…
Cmon they even had their Byakugan active…
"My clones knocked all the normal bandit's unconscious."
Though I'm not sure I need fifteen bandits…
I might have to get rid of most of them…
…
Things were still quiet at the entrance.
My other clone hadn't dispelled and the ninja hadn't come within my range…
Finally, some movement, the three ninjas made their way towards the entrance.
"Sensei the ninjas' are approaching."
I had figured they would stop near the entrance and check things out, but instead, they ran out not stopping and engaged with Kakashi and Minato.
I of-course got my own ninja.
We met in a clash of blades my kunai against his sword.
"A Hyuga eh?"
He had both hands on his sword, which was a mistake...
"Yep" I popped the 'p'.
I used my left hand's index and middle fingers to poke him in the eyes.
"ARG!"
He jumped back.
I activated Chikaku no kyōka and my world slowed down.
He took another jump back trying to put more distance between us.
I just used Shunshin on my right arm and tossed my kunai at him.
It sailed through the air and embedded itself in his stomach…
He screamed.
Ouch…
…
My ninja started trying to run away, kunai still in his stomach.
Sorry my friend, but I don't feel like a chase today.
I grabbed another kunai and used Shunshin to throw it.
It sailed through the air and got embedded in his back…
He started screaming then stumbled and fell.
Oof…
I lessened Chikaku no kyōka and my world was only slightly slowed.
"Sorry about that, my aim's not that good."
He didn't respond, he just kept screaming.
I Shunshined to him and tapped him on the back of the head with a Gentle Fist strike.
The screaming stopped...
"..." I let my eyes wander his braindead form for a moment.
That was extremely unpleasant…
And pointless, there was no combat to be had.
…
I focused my attention on Minato and Kakashi.
They were both doing fine but had not killed their opponents.
…
I waved at Minato.
He raised an eyebrow at me.
I mimed tossing something and pointed to his opponent and then pointed to myself.
Minato nodded.
Minato appeared behind his opponent faster then I could see and grabbed him by the back of his clothing and threw him to me.
Minato turned to watch Kakashi's fight leaving the Chunin to me.
I Shunshined to my new opponent who was still mid-air and cut the tendons in his legs with my Chakra Scalpels.
He tumbled for a second and tried to roll into a standing position but fell on his face.
I Shunshined to him again and knocked him unconscious with a quick application of the Anesthetic Jutsu.
Perhaps I should have actually fought him…
So much for combat experience...
I looked at Kakashi's fight again before I deactivated my Byakugan.
My most important test subject secured I created another clone and sent it off to secure three more test subjects and to dispose of the rest.
I dispersed the clone watching the rest of the cave as well and enjoyed the feeling of a good amount of my chakra returning.
That might have been the lowest my chakra has ever been, it seems I'm not good at rationing my chakra.
…
My four test subjects were gathered and each had the Anesthetic Jutsu used on them so they would remain unconscious while I looked at their bodies.
BOOM!
Kakashi had used an explosive note on his opponent and finished his fight with a bang.
I gave Kakashi a thumbs up when he approached and then focused back onto my task.
I had a few things I wanted to know.
Could I simulate a workout and strengthen muscles without exercise?
Could I transplant organs to other people who have lost theirs without rejection?
Could I transplant someone's flesh onto someone else and can said flesh continue producing physical energy?
The last one was the one I was the most excited about.
I had thought of this when I remembered that Madara and Obito had some of Harashima's cells grafted onto themselves and that granted them wood release.
I wondered if I could do the same with one of the Ōtsutsuki on the moon.
Maybe that's my path to the Tenseigan.
The same way Madara got the Rinnegan…
Though I wondered if I needed to be a reincarnation of Hamura's son/sons to awaken the Tenseigan.
.I still had the problem of even getting to the moon but perhaps I would find a solution in time…
…
I was seated beside my first test subject, Minato and Kakashi were watching from a tree a few meters away.
I figured out that I could strengthen the muscles.
One grotesquely muscular arm on my first test subject was proof of such.
But it was not something I would want done to myself…
When I strengthened the muscles artificially the cells divide extremely fast which also shortens their lifespan.
Not something I wanted.
And not something that happens during the normal strengthening of the muscles.
Normally stem cells change to muscle cells and fuse to the damaged or strained area and increase muscle mass.
So, I just had to use stem cells.
But where do I take them from?
There were so many the bone marrow, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, and teeth were just some of the locations you could find adult stem cells.
I was spoiled for choice.
I got up and walked over to the other arm of my first test subject an sat down again.
This time I'd try again but with stem cells.
…
The stem cell muscle strengthening worked as intended but not as fast as the cell division version did.
I for one didn't have an unlimited store of stem cells to pull from.
And I couldn't use all of the stem cells present in one given area as they were still needed for other operations in the area.
I'd still call this a success.
Even though I won't have instant muscles I could use this to grow and maintain my muscles without extreme exercise.
I was hit by a thought.
Was this why Tusnade was so strong?
She presumably gambled and drank and didn't train in the years she took off.
So maybe this was her trick?
Maybe this was the reason for her freakish strength.
The scene of Tsunade stopping the sword of Jiraiya's summon passed through my mind.
…
I declared my first and easiest experiment a success.
I directed a look at my first subject, he had two freakish looking arms and legs.
But those organs were still good.
I looked at the bandits and realized id made a mistake…
I forgot about possible organ rejection…
There are so many issues with transplants…
If they don't have the same blood type.
Rejection.
If the tissue is different.
Rejection.
Chakra is incompatible.
Rejection.
I should have perhaps checked to see if they were compatible before I grabbed them, though with chakra involved perhaps family members are the only ones who can have organs transplanted.
Any family members among the bandits?
I looked towards the cave only to see it was collapsed…
Really?
"Why is the cave collapsed?"
It was Kakashi who answered.
"I kicked the Missing-Nin into the cave before he exploded."
So he stuck an explosive note on him and kicked him away?
That sounds pretty cool.
Too bad I didn't see it.
…
On the issue of incomparability why weren't Harashima's cells rejected by Madara's body?
Perhaps the DNA of Ōtsutsuki descendants meshes well?
Sigh…
I was feeling rather upset.
This trip was looking to be a bit of a bust.
I couldn't test half the things I had wanted to.
Swapping bandit organs seemed like pointless cruelty.
I looked at the sky.
I had a few hours of daylight left…
What else could I do that would not make this a waste?
…
Ah!
I could look into the nerves a bit, I had wanted to find a way to improve reaction time and dull my own nerves if I had ever gotten injured and needed to ignore the pain.
Course of action decided I looked back at my test subjects
Sorry friends, I need your bodies for personal improvement...