Chapter 19- Progress and Plans
---
It had been about a week since I began training for the second stage of the Rasengan. While I had made significant progress, I still hadn't fully completed it. It didn't take me long to figure out why—my chakra reserves were nowhere near Naruto's. Heck, they were even smaller than Kakashi's. Because of this, I simply couldn't generate the same chaotic force that Naruto could to break the rubber ball. Sure, I could break it, but it would take more effort than it took Naruto. On the other hand, the third stage, which focused on chakra control, was going to be much easier for me. So instead of rushing through, I decided to take my time and complete the second step gradually. I wasn't in a hurry, anyway.
While I focused on my own training, I noticed that Tsunade had recently started learning medical ninjutsu. It wasn't surprising, really. After all, she was the best medical ninjutsu user in the world in the original work, makes sense that she started doing it from a young age. But it also interested me. Medical ninjutsu wasn't just useful—it was essential. For someone like me, who was confident in becoming stronger gradually over time, without any limits in sight due to my system, living long was the priority. Sure, I wanted power, but what use is that if I didn't survive long enough to fully develop it?, and even though I desired to be at the top of the world, I also desired to live long, maybe forever too, after all there were even ways of attaining immortality in this world. Therefore, having life-saving techniques in my arsenal was just as critical as offensive jutsu. I'd definitely dedicate time in the future to learning more about medical ninjutsu and maybe even creating my own variants of it.
At the Academy, we had started learning about the Three Basic Jutsu: the Clone Technique, the Transformation Technique, and the Substitution Technique. Personally, I wished they'd get straight to the point—teach us the hand signs, explain the chakra control, and let us move on. But most of the others in the class, civilians and even many of the clan kids, struggled with the basics. So we were stuck in detailed theory lessons for now.
After studying the theory, it became clear that while the difficulty of all three jutsu was somewhat similar, their applications varied greatly. The Clone Technique was, for the most part, useless. It had too many higher-level alternatives that rendered it obsolete. Simple illusory clones didn't offer much in battle besides confusion. The Transformation Technique, on the other hand, had more versatile uses. Infiltration, blending in with a crowd, hiding one's identity—there were a lot of ways to make it work in the field. However, it was the Substitution Technique that really caught my attention.
The Substitution Technique had so much untapped potential. In a way, it could even be considered a space-time jutsu, albeit a very basic one. It was probably the only E-rank jutsu that even Kage-level shinobi continued to use. The ability to switch places with an object in an instant was invaluable, both defensively and strategically. And I couldn't help but think about ways to improve it.
The more I thought about it, the more ideas I had. The technique was already impressive, but it could be made even better. The speed of the substitution could be increased, making it near-instantaneous. And, to add a little surprise for my opponent, I could attach detonating talismans to the log I substituted with. That way, when the enemy attacked the log, it would explode, catching them off guard. It would turn the Substitution Technique into both a defensive and offensive move. And at a moment of carelessness, could even kill elite Jonin.
Initially, I had planned to trade the Three Basic Jutsu with the system as soon as I learned them. But now, I was reconsidering. I'd trade the Clone Technique and Transformation Technique first, but I would hold off on the Substitution Technique. If I developed my advanced version first, the trade would likely give me something even better in return. After all, the system only allowed a technique or jutsu to be traded once, and I didn't want to waste my opportunity.
I had already learned this lesson when I tried trading shurikenjutsu a second time—the system rejected it. The same applied to jutsu and techniques provided by the system itself, like Flame Wave and Chakra Purification. They couldn't be traded either, which made sense. Those techniques were unique to the system, after all. But regular goods? Those could be traded again and again.
I'd traded small items with the system a few times already, mostly things like fruits, vegetables and meat. The results were always impressive. The system's products were on a whole different level compared to what you could get in the village. No cook in Konoha could compete with the taste and quality of the food I got through the system. Not that I was planning to open a restaurant or anything, but it was a nice thought. If I ever got tired of doing ninja missions, I had a backup plan. I could run the best restaurant in Konoha.
On second thought, that probably wouldn't help my chances of becoming Hokage. Still, it was amusing to think about. And Tsunade would probably love it. She already pestered me to cook for her all the time. It was getting harder to hide my system trades from her, though. She was way too observant for her own good.
Speaking of Tsunade, I didn't have much else to do right now, so I figured I'd pay her a visit. We both had our own goals, but it was important to take a break once in a while. Plus, I was curious about how her medical ninjutsu training was going. She seemed really dedicated to it.
The Senju compound was always an impressive sight. As I approached, I couldn't help but admire the serenity of the place. The lush greenery and the calming presence of nature surrounding the compound made it feel like a world of its own, separate from the rest of Konoha.
When I reached the front gate, one of the maids recognized me and let me in without question. I had been here often enough that the staff knew me by now. Making my way through the hallways, I wondered if I'd run into Grandma Mito. She always had this way of looking through you, like she could see your very thoughts. It was both intimidating and comforting at the same time.
I found Tsunade in one of the training rooms, practicing her chakra control. She was concentrating hard, her brow furrowed in focus as she directed chakra into her hands. It was impressive to see, but then again, Tsunade was always impressive.
"Hey," I called out, leaning against the doorframe. "Taking a break from school to play doctor, huh?"
Tsunade looked up, rolling her eyes but unable to hide the small smile tugging at her lips. "Better than wasting my time with boring lectures," she shot back. "What brings you here?"
I shrugged. "Just thought I'd check in on your progress. You're not slacking off, are you?"
She gave me a look that could have burned a hole through me. "Please. As if I'd ever slack off." Then, almost hesitantly, she added, "Want to see what I've been working on?"
---