The ten Heaven Scrolls were driving the ANBU into a frenzy, even leading to infighting!
In the distance, ANBU Vice Captain Elephant, who was observing, clicked his tongue in amusement, "Honestly, if I were a few years younger, I'd be down there fighting for a chance to be under Captain Kazuya's command too."
Elephant wasn't exaggerating. He knew the gap between himself and Kazuya—his strength, even as an elite jonin, was nothing compared to the might Kazuya wielded. The man could single-handedly overpower Jiraiya of the Sannin!
Standing beside Kazuya, he could only look on in admiration as the ANBU scrambled in chaotic, intense battles before them.
Seeing the endless streams of golden light, Kazuya's heart swelled with excitement and pride.
Two more hours passed.
The previously relentless ANBU lay scattered across the field, exhausted. Most were drenched in sweat, sporting fresh wounds, and nearly out of chakra.
They were beaten, drained, and frustrated.
Despite their best efforts, it hadn't been enough. The few left standing couldn't help but throw frustrated glares at each other, each nursing their own bruised pride.
"Just my luck!" muttered Uzuki Yugao, hugging her knees as she sat off to the side, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks.
"Where's Uchiha Izumi..." She needed to blow off steam and find someone to blame.
In her attempt to sneak her way to victory, she crossed paths with Shisui, who trapped her in a Genjutsu for over an hour. If it hadn't been for Kazuya nearby keeping the forest's creatures at bay, she might have ended up as dinner.
"Kazuya-sama…" Yugao looked at him from behind, her heart warm. He had been looking out for her all along.
But what she didn't know was that Kazuya simply found this area to be the best vantage point. As for "taking care" of her, she was reading far too much into it.
Seeing Yugao immobilized by the Genjutsu even made Kazuya think back to time-stopping movies.
"Could be an interesting tactic..." he mused with a mischievous smirk beneath his mask. Genjutsu in the ninja world was, after all, a whole lot more effective than those gimmicky devices.
As the fighting came to an end, the golden light streaming from the ANBU was finally dwindling.
This training session had already rewarded Kazuya handsomely.
Just from this session, he had gained over 50,000 Chakra points, and 8,000 Eye Power points, and increased his Genjutsu Talent to Lv.5. His Wood Release Talent had also leaped to Lv.3.
Here's how Kazuya's stats now stood:
Name: Kazuya
Age: 21
Rank: Super-Kage Level
Chakra: Lv.5 (431,000/1,000,000)
Eye Power: Lv.4 (9100/100,000)
Senjutsu Energy: Lv.4 (12,000/100,000)
Tailed Beast Power: Lv.5
Ninjutsu Skills: Perfected Kirin, Perfected Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, Great Fireball Lv.5, Dragon Flame Lv.5, Phoenix Sage Fire Lv.5, Vacuum Bullets Lv.5, etc.
Taijutsu Skills: Konoha Style Taijutsu Lv.5, Konoha Whirlwind Lv.5
Genjutsu Skills: Hell Viewing Technique Lv.4, Cherry Blossom Triple Illusion Lv.3, Bringer-of-Darkness Technique Lv.4, etc.
Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan, Byakugan, Wood Release, Shikotsumyaku
Special Skills: Flying Thunder God Lv.3, Clone Technique Lv.5, Body Flicker Technique Lv.5
With all his powerful jutsu maxed out and 430,000 Chakra points, Kazuya was well beyond most Kage-level ninjas, and with his Wood Release at Lv.3 and the Perfected Kirin, his strength approached a point even Pain would struggle to counter.
Kazuya could now likely take on the Six Paths of Pain without issue. Fighting a reincarnated Nagato with the Rinnegan would be another matter entirely.
When the elimination round finally ended, only a few ninjas were left standing.
As expected, Shisui, Kakashi, Kurenai, and a Hyuga clan jonin named Tenyo had secured the Heaven Scrolls. Tenyo, who had been with Kazuya in the Hidden Cloud mission, was a member of Kazuya's second unit in the ANBU.
Each victor wore a look of pride, knowing they'd fought well.
"You've all done excellently," Kazuya said as he approached, ready to deliver his finishing speech. "But don't get complacent. Continue striving forward, for the village, and for Lord Hokage."
"Yes, Lord Kazuya!"
The ANBU who held the Heaven Scrolls felt their spirits soar. Kazuya nodded in satisfaction. Since becoming ANBU Commander, the dedication of these "experience packs" had noticeably intensified.
This was a positive change.
That Afternoon
The Konoha Hospital had dispatched over a dozen medical ninjas to the ANBU base to treat the injured. Naturally, injuries sustained in the ANBU had to be handled discreetly, away from prying eyes at the hospital.
Luckily, everyone had held back just enough to avoid serious harm during the training battles. Aside from Uchiha Itachi, who had taken a particularly rough beating, most injuries were minor and simple to treat. By the end of the day, most had recovered.
Kazuya even allocated a small sum from the ANBU funds as a bonus for the medical ninjas who came to help.
Since medical ninjas seldom participated in missions, their compensation wasn't nearly as high as their combat-oriented counterparts. So, after receiving the extra money, the medical team left feeling deeply grateful and even more respectful toward Kazuya.
Kazuya smiled. Using public funds for a little goodwill? Why not?
The Next Day
The ANBU who had acquired the Heaven Scrolls, along with others who had shown strong performance, received personal training from Kazuya.
At the training grounds, Kazuya offered guidance with a warm smile, watching his experience packs grow with the satisfaction of a proud parent.
In recent years, Kazuya had accumulated nearly a million points in battle experience, encompassing a wealth of training techniques and practical insights. Whether it was ordinary ninjutsu or the development of bloodline abilities and secret arts, Kazuya's knowledge was unmatched.
Honestly, if he wanted to become a teacher, he'd likely be the best in the shinobi world, bar none.
Kazuya easily identified the weaknesses in his trainees' techniques and delivered pointed corrections:
"Your chakra flow is too slow through your chest. Increase it by about 30%, and you'll be able to skip one seal when using the Great Fireball Technique."
"Your stance is off-balance; that's why your taijutsu lacks stability. Starting tomorrow, add 50 kg to your legs and wear it outside of combat."
"With Water Dragon Bullet Technique, you're using too much chakra. If you adjust your chakra flow like this, you can reduce the usage by at least 20%."
His tips hit the mark each time, targeting the root of each issue.
After hearing his feedback, the ANBU were left in awe, nodding with excitement and bowing in gratitude. Getting direct guidance from a shinobi as powerful as Kazuya—a shinobi on par with the Sannin—was beyond incredible.
Usually, at the jonin level, training became a deeply personal endeavor, rarely shared outside close bonds like those between teacher and student. It was why shinobi clans held such influence; without strong mentors, civilian-born shinobi faced significant barriers.
So for Kazuya to freely offer guidance was unprecedented.
"It's exactly what I expected of him," Shisui remarked to himself, eyes shining. "Kazuya's sense of duty goes far beyond any clan loyalties."
Beside him, Itachi nodded, "Perhaps, as Father said, Kazuya is the one who can bring salvation to the Uchiha."