The Summoning Jutsu was a C-rank technique, which made it relatively simple to master. Shinho mastered it in just one afternoon. However, the size of the Katsuyu he could summon depended on the amount of chakra he could produce.
For now, with all his strength, he could only summon a Katsuyu about two meters in size.
Shizune was a bit disappointed, even regretful. Shinho had learned so quickly that it left her unsatisfied.
That's the annoying thing about geniuses—they make everything seem too easy.
Shinho knew all too well what Shizune was up to. She loved acting like a teacher just so she could take advantage of him, finding excuses to touch his head or pinch his cheeks whenever she could. This big sister, having lived a comfortable life, had some rather mischievous tendencies.
Sunday afternoon.
After lunch, Shinho returned to the Aburame clan compound.
Kyohei, being a regular person, had travelled back to Konoha by carriage. Although slower than ninja travel, it was far more comfortable. And it had given Chisori, who was physically weak, her much-needed rest.
A day and a half was more than enough time for them to travel from the Land of Fire's capital to Konoha.
"Hey, brother."
Aburame Shino called out as soon as he saw Shinho returning. He was in the courtyard, tending to his mutated insects.
With his current chakra reserves, Shino could only handle one at a time, so the process was slow and difficult. But he had no choice—he needed to bond with the insect to synchronize properly with them.
By achieving perfect synchronization, his chances of successfully incorporating nature chakra into the test would be slightly better.
Typically, an insect controller like him would raise their insect from scratch, but since Shino couldn't breed the mutated insects himself, Shinho had to pass them on to him for training.
Shinho suppressed the strange thoughts popping into his head and asked, "Has Uncle Kyohei's group arrived?"
Shino nodded. "They're in the main hall."
"Carry on."
Shinho headed into the hall, where only three people waited—Chisori, Karin, and one of Kyohei's subordinates. After brief greetings, the subordinate left.
"Shinho-sama," Chisori greeted, looking much healthier than before.
"Just call me Shinho," he said, waving off the formality. He wasn't used to being addressed so respectfully.
"Then, excuse my forwardness—Shinho."
Chisori was cautious, understandably so. Shinho was currently the only person she and Karin could rely on, and they couldn't afford to offend him.
"I've arranged a place for you to stay," Shinho said, handing her a piece of paper. "The address is written here."
"Thank you," Chisori glanced at the note and pocketed it.
"The house belongs to the Hyūga clan," Shinho added with a smile. "If you run into trouble, just mention the Hyūga clan's name."
In Konoha, the Hyūga clan's name carried significant weight. Even if someone noticed something unusual about Chisori and Karin, they'd have some leeway to maneuver.
Chisori's eyes widened in surprise. The Hyūga clan? That was one of the oldest and most powerful clans, existing even before the founding of Konoha.
Was his network that extensive?
But this was a good thing—the more connections he had, the safer they would be.
"You can move in this afternoon," Shinho continued, pulling out a scroll. "This contains 200,000 ryo."
Chisori froze for a moment, feeling conflicted. Does this count as being kept?
She glanced at Shinho, quickly shaking the inappropriate thoughts from her mind. He's just a kid! How could she think that? He probably didn't even know what "kept" meant.
"Thank you," Chisori hesitated for a few seconds before accepting the scroll. They had no other source of income and would have to rely on Shinho's support for the time being. She vowed to repay him someday.
Thinking of the reason why he had saved them, Chisori asked, "When will I start learning sealing techniques?"
"Give it some time," Shinho said, adjusting his sunglasses.
Konoha's sealing techniques came in two categories: Uzumaki clan techniques and more standard sealing techniques. The former included several forbidden techniques, such as the Reaper Death Seal, which only a select few had access to. Only those who made great contributions to Konoha could learn such things.
The more common sealing techniques, however, were easier to obtain. Shinho planned to ask Hyūga Neji for help with that. The Hyūga clan, being one of Konoha's most prominent, had access to a wide variety of ninjutsu.
And if Neji couldn't help, he had a backup plan: Uchiha Mikoto. After all, Shinho figured, Lady Mikoto, you wouldn't want Sasuke to be bullied at school, would you?
He was confident he could strike a deal with her.
As for why he didn't go to Tsunade—it was to avoid unnecessary questions. Tsunade had a tendency to dig too deep into things, and Shinho wasn't prepared to handle that.
"Cough, cough."
Suddenly, Chisori covered her mouth, coughing lightly.
"Mom?"
Karin clung to her mother's clothes, worry filling her expression.
"I'm fine," Chisori said with a gentle smile, shaking her head.
"I've been practicing medical ninjutsu recently," Shinho suggested, seeing an opportunity. "Auntie Chisori, would you mind if I used you for practice?"
"I don't mind," Chisori recalled how he had treated her wounds before. Although he had been a bit inexperienced, the results weren't bad at all.
"Do you have any other injuries on your body?"
Shinho was referring to the bite marks. Her skin had been covered in them when they first met. Thanks to his Healing Palm and the life-restoring leaves, the marks on her hands had already disappeared.
"Then... please help with this," Chisori said, reaching out to unbutton her shirt, revealing her snow-white shoulder.
Shinho glanced around, then fetched a stool and climbed onto it. From his vantage point, the view was almost too revealing.
Suppressing any inappropriate thoughts, Shinho began forming the hand seals for the healing jutsu. After all, Karin was watching him intently from the side.
The green glow of chakra enveloped Chisori's shoulder, and the bite marks slowly faded until they were completely gone.
Shinho let out a breath. Healing took quite a bit of chakra.
"Thank you," Chisori said softly, pulling her shirt back up.
"Any more injuries?" Shinho asked, thinking he had enough chakra for one more treatment.
"On my legs," Chisori replied, bending down to roll up her pants. Her slender legs were also covered in bite marks.
"Mom…" Karin bit her lip, her eyes welling up with tears.
"I'm fine," Chisori assured her, pulling her daughter close.
Shinho jumped down from the stool and crouched beside her, extending his hands once again.
The chakra glow reappeared. As her wounds healed, Chisori winced slightly from the tingling sensation, her toes curling instinctively. She wore sandals, so Shinho could clearly see her tense foot and curled toes.
Once the treatment was finished, Chisori's body visibly relaxed.
"Thank you for healing my mom, Shinho-nii," Karin said, reaching out to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
"Thanks," Shinho said, smiling at her. It was hard to imagine that this gentle child would grow into the hot-tempered Karin from the original story. But then again, they say everyone wears different faces depending on whether they're with friends or strangers.
Once she got comfortable, the real Karin would likely show herself.
"Let me take you to your new home," Shinho said, standing up and leading them outside.
The residence was near the Hyūga compound, a two-story traditional Japanese-style house, spacious and comfortable.
When Chisori received the keys, she still couldn't believe it. Back in Kusagakure, they had been confined to a cramped house and weren't allowed to leave freely. But now, they had the freedom to do whatever they wanted.
Well, aside from not being able to return to their red hair, but Chisori knew Shinho had made that decision to protect them.
At the Hyūga Clan.
"Go ahead," one of the guards said, stepping aside.
Shinho paused for a moment. He hadn't even said a word yet. Why did it feel like his status within the Hyūga clan had suddenly increased?
Did Hinata or Hiashi say something? he mused, amused by the thought.
He entered the courtyard to find Neji and Hinata sparring. Hiashi wasn't present.
"Shinho-kun?"
Hinata immediately broke away from the sparring match and ran over to him.
Neji, remaining composed, calmly dusted off his training clothes. He had gotten used to this by now.
"Good afternoon," Shinho greeted, noticing the light sweat on Hinata's face. He handed her a tissue.
He suddenly remembered that the White Boar Gu he had given her had reached its limit. Now it was time to upgrade it to the Black Boar Gu.
However, to avoid raising too much suspicion, Shinho decided to hold off for a while.
He turned his attention to Hyūga Neji, who stood a short distance away.
Neji was tactful and didn't intrude on their conversation.
"Neji," Shinho called, "I need to discuss something with you."
"Huh?" Hinata, who was wiping her sweat, froze, a hint of confusion on her face. Wasn't Shinho-kun here to see me?
"Where do you want to talk?" Neji asked, slightly startled.
"Hinata, just wait a moment," Shinho said as he walked up to Neji and asked, "Can you get your hands on basic sealing techniques?"
"I can," Neji responded, feeling a stirring within. He then asked, "Is the new member of 'Heaven's Will' already here?"
"Yes," Shinho nodded. "They're staying in the house you arranged earlier."
"I'll get you the sealing techniques by next Monday," Neji replied, suppressing his excitement. He knew that, even with a sealing expert on board, it would be a long road before they could break the Caged Bird seal.
Shinho turned suddenly, catching Hinata peeking at them. Her face flushed as she quickly lowered her head, her heart pounding.
"Hinata," Shinho called as he walked back to the center of the courtyard, "let's spar."
Hinata blinked in surprise, then smiled brightly. It had been two days since they last sparred.
Neji stayed where he was, observing the practice. After a few moments, it became clear to him why Hinata's Gentle Fist style had evolved. During their recent practical lessons, he had noticed that her style had shifted.
It was now apparent—she was learning from Shinho. Her style was slowly becoming a reflection of his.
But overall, it was a good thing. Hinata had been too soft before, a trait that could be fatal for a shinobi.
Neji couldn't help but reflect on her fortune. Though he no longer spoke much about destiny, Hinata's fate was undeniably favourable—meeting someone like Shinho was a blessing.
On second thought, Neji realized he, too, was lucky. Ever since his conversations with Shinho, he had been waking up at night, feeling the urge to train even harder.
With that thought, Neji began his own training.
When Hiashi returned and saw the scene, he couldn't help but feel pleased. Shinho's influence had brought Neji and Hinata closer, making them seem less like strangers.
Hiashi was reminded of the days when he and his brother, Hizashi, used to train together. Sadly, those days were long gone.
"Shinho, why don't you stay for dinner?" Hiashi suggested after watching them spar for a while.
"No, thank you, Uncle Hiashi," Shinho politely declined. "I'll eat at home."
Hinata looked a little disappointed at his answer.
Hiashi's eye twitched slightly. If it weren't for Hinata's sake, he would've made sure this little brat got what was coming to him.
"See you tomorrow, Hinata," Shinho said as he ruffled her hair.
A soft blush spread across Hinata's cheeks, and she nodded obediently.
Hiashi was speechless. She's the heir of the Hyūga clan. How could she be so easily pleased? There's no hope for her...
Shinho returned to the Aburame clan compound, but not to eat. He had his usual training regimen to follow—testing his senjutsu chakra.
Just like before, every attempt ended in explosions.
Still, Shinho didn't get discouraged. Life had its ups and downs... and downs... and downs—this was just part of the process.
He returned to the Senju residence after dinner, falling into a peaceful, baby-like sleep.
A new week began, not much different from the previous ones, except for one announcement. Iruka informed the class that final exams would take place next month.
The ninja academy followed a three-semester system each year, with the first semester running from January to March.
Shinho barely reacted to the announcement, but Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto were thrilled.
Sasuke saw this as his chance to defeat Shinho. He had been diligently training his lightning-style techniques, and he was confident they had finally borne fruit. This time, he would make Shinho taste defeat.
Naruto, on the other hand, was just excited. He loved getting involved in anything that brought excitement.
After school, Shinho met up with Neji, took the sealing technique scrolls from him, and headed straight for Chisori and Karin's new home.
He knocked on the door.
"Shinho-nii!" Karin greeted him with a bright voice as she opened the door.
Shinho smiled and patted her on the head.
"Shinho," Chisori said, offering him a glass of water as he sat down.
"How are you settling in?" Shinho asked after taking a sip.
Chisori shook her head, then nodded.
Truth be told, she wasn't used to this life yet. The house was so nice that it felt like a dream—one she feared she might wake from, only to find herself back in the cramped quarters of Kusagakure.
"Here are the basic sealing techniques," Shinho said, taking out the scroll Neji had given him.
"I'll do my best!" Chisori said, her face filled with determination after taking a deep breath.
Shinho believed in her. People who clawed their way out of hell usually had an extraordinary capacity to endure hardship.
"Karin," Shinho turned to the young girl, who had been watching him intently. "Do you want to become a ninja?"
"Yes!" Karin responded immediately. "I want to protect my mom."
Chisori's smile softened with motherly pride and a bit of worry, her gentle expression glowed as she looked at her daughter.
"And Shinho-nii too!" Karin quickly added.
"Alright then," Shinho smiled, "I'll make a study plan for you."
At six years old, Karin was the right age to start her education. However, her background meant she couldn't enroll in the ninja academy like other children.
Shinho wasn't going to let her waste time, though. This was also an insurance policy for his plans to deal with the Caged Bird seal—he didn't know if Chisori could master the sealing techniques.
"Will you be my teacher?" Karin asked eagerly.
"In a way," Shinho replied, nodding. "But I won't always have time to teach you directly."
Karin's excitement dimmed slightly.
"Let's start now," Shinho said as he opened his backpack.
Karin's eyes followed his every movement, curious.
"We'll begin with the basics of chakra control," Shinho explained, pulling out a book.
The concept of chakra refinement was simple: you just needed to combine spiritual and physical energy evenly to create chakra. But mastering the process was another matter entirely.
Proficiency in chakra refinement and mastering the three basic techniques—Clone Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Transformation Jutsu—was enough to become a genin.
Most average students took five to six years of practice to achieve this. Ninja from prominent clans often mastered it faster, usually within one or two years. The true geniuses could do it in just days or months.
"Do you understand?" Shinho asked, glancing at Karin.
She nodded confidently and immediately began trying to refine her chakra.
The immense power inside her stirred. As she combined her physical and spiritual energy, a gust of wind blew past, ruffling Shinho's hair.
Shinho raised an eyebrow. As expected of an Uzumaki...
If Shinho's chakra level was about 6,000, then Karin's was easily above 10,000—maybe even 100,000.
Shinho rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Perhaps he should revise his plan. He might have to teach them the Shadow Clone Jutsu after all.
Looking at Naruto as a reference, his use of Shadow Clone Jutsu and Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu was a total game-changer, allowing him to train exponentially faster due to his vast chakra reserves.
For Shinho, learning Shadow Clone Jutsu wasn't an option since his unique cultivation required specialized techniques.
"Did I succeed?" Karin asked, stopping her chakra refinement.
"You did," Shinho said with a smile. He could just imagine Kakashi spitting out his tea if he saw this.
Karin breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried she wasn't talented enough to help anyone.
Time flew by, and the final exams quickly approached. Shinho's month had been particularly productive.
He mastered the Mystic Palm Jutsu, and his bond with Lady Katsuyu grew closer. He had discovered that Lady Katsuyu was quite talkative, a result of its loneliness. The entire Shikkotsu Forest contained only Katsuyu herself .
Previously, Tsunade and Shizune hadn't bothered to chat much with it, but now that Shinho summoned it frequently, he found himself often engaging in conversation with the talkative slug.
Hinata's progress in the Gentle Fist was remarkable as well. She had finally begun learning the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, mastering the first two strikes. However, in comparison to Neji, who had already reached the eighth strike, her progress seemed slower.
Shino's senjutsu chakra experiments had yet to bear fruit, but his ability to make the insects explode was getting more and more refined.
As for Sasuke and Naruto, Shinho hadn't kept up with their progress, but whatever they had been working on would be revealed during the final exams.
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