Chapter 45: A Thirteen-Year-Old Jonin!
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*Land of Grass.*
In the Konoha camp's rear mountain, the sound of crashing waterfalls was interrupted by sharp cracks as the air split apart.
Amid the torrent of water below the waterfall, arcs of lightning flashed repeatedly, splitting the air with bursts of noise. A lone figure moved rapidly, his speed beyond what the ordinary eye could track.
As Uchiha Yosuke darted around, he only left a faint afterimage whenever he paused momentarily to turn. His speed alone was now at the Jonin level.
Kunai shot out from prepared mechanisms, hitting the rocks around the waterfall. The sound of snapping wires was immediately followed by the whistling release of a volley of senbon from all directions.
*Whoosh, whoosh!*
Only the blurred shapes of senbon needles filled the air as they poured down like rain. With his double tomoe Sharingan activated, Yosuke locked onto the needles coming from every direction.
*Ting, ting, ting!*
The air echoed with the sharp clinking sound of metal as Yosuke's hand flickered, wielding his ninja blade and crackling with lightning as he slashed through the incoming senbon, causing the broken pieces to fall into the water below with a continuous splash.
The sound stopped, replaced only by Yosuke's heavy breathing as sweat poured down his face.
"Impressive, Yosuke-kun is truly a prodigy," Orochimaru remarked, his eyes gleaming with admiration. "Using lightning chakra to stimulate the body, achieving rapid speed with enhanced physical vitality, paired with the Uchiha's Sharingan to track motion—your chakra control is quite remarkable to handle this technique."
Watching Yosuke training, Orochimaru looked as if he was admiring a work of art. Yosuke, however, shook his head, a hint of dissatisfaction in his gaze.
"Orochimaru-sama, this jutsu has one flaw: I can't maintain it for long."
Since gaining full clan support, wasting a few senbon was trivial to Yosuke. Orochimaru's praise didn't feel excessive, but it did prompt a raspy chuckle from the Sannin.
"Yosuke-kun, we're of a similar nature, it seems."
Ambition isn't a flaw—it's a drive.
"I've heard that in the Hidden Cloud, their Lightning Style taijutsu can be used for extended periods with the help of special medicines to adapt the body to the lightning chakra."
Orochimaru had a uniquely open mind; as long as you held potential, he wouldn't hesitate to impart his knowledge. He'd been taking time each month to guide Yosuke, ever since he began researching the cursed seal.
"Hidden Cloud!"
Yosuke understood that while this taijutsu was merely a B-rank jutsu, it required special medicines to be effective. Without it, the jutsu would've been easy to replicate among the major villages.
Otherwise, this taijutsu wouldn't have become the signature move of the Raikage line.
"The youngest Jonin in Konoha's history to develop a jutsu at thirteen without hand signs—Yosuke-kun, in just three months, you've shown the potential only the blessed bloodlines possess," Orochimaru said with a sly smile, his envy of kekkei genkai users unmistakable.
Kekkei genkai wielders could surpass years of effort by ordinary shinobi within a few months. There was no such thing as fairness in the world of prodigies versus the average.
"Prodigy?"
Yosuke muttered, shaking his head. He knew that his record wouldn't hold for long, with Kakashi set to become a Jonin at twelve in just a few years.
"Recently, under Jiraiya-sama's guidance, Minato has shown impressive progress as well."
Yosuke's talent came from his double-bloodline limit, while Minato was a true genius. Since arriving on the frontlines, Minato had been pushing himself relentlessly under Jiraiya's training.
After word spread of Yosuke's A-rank jutsu without hand signs and his Jonin promotion, his reputation as a genius solidified.
With that fame came both pressure and benefits, including increased resources from the clan and a rising influence within it. Yosuke gestured to the figure atop the waterfall, a hint of exasperation in his gaze.
Orochimaru, who had already noticed, muttered the word "idiot."
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*Atop the waterfall.*
"Haha! Minato, keep it up and aim for Jonin by next year!" Jiraiya's playful voice rang out as he glanced over at Orochimaru training Yosuke below, his competitive spirit clearly piqued.
Around him, yellow flashes moved swiftly through the trees, kunai and shuriken whizzing by. The yellow blur wasn't the Flying Raijin, but the Body Flicker Technique.
"Minato, you're one of the most gifted I've seen in the Body Flicker, and your skill with kunai and shuriken is on par with the Uchihas," Jiraiya said, marveling at Minato, who'd paused to catch his breath.
In Minato, Jiraiya had found a protégé whose talents shone particularly in Body Flicker. For him, it was a calling he pursued with tireless dedication.
The Body Flicker Technique was a taijutsu style unique to each shinobi, tailored to their strengths. It used a sudden surge of chakra in the legs and feet and required advanced chakra control and powerful legs.
Minato was a natural and would later be praised by the Second Hokage for surpassing him in Body Flicker talent, even without relying on the Flying Raijin.
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei."
The two exchanged a look of mutual pride, Jiraiya ruffling Minato's blond hair with a smile.
"Minato, there are times when genius seems unfair, but you're still young. Look at Tsunade and Orochimaru—they were prodigies too, while I was a dropout, and look at me now."
Minato forced a smile at his sensei's reassurance and replied, "I understand, sensei. But it's hard not to feel frustrated when I remember how I got my inspiration for a jutsu from observing the Tailed Beast Ball—and Yosuke-kun already developed it!"
He couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment; while he was only just forming his idea, Yosuke had already completed his jutsu, and without hand signs.
"Haha, that's where you're mistaken, Minato."
Jiraiya laughed. "Orochimaru's a genius, sure, and he's invented many jutsus, but I'm a genius in learning them. There are all kinds of genius!"
With a grin, Jiraiya turned to a nearby tree and called, "So, Orochimaru, how's my disciple's talent?"
In response to Jiraiya's cheerful shout, Orochimaru emerged from the tree's shadow. For once, he didn't criticize Jiraiya, nodding with rare approval at Minato.
"Yes, he is indeed talented."
Orochimaru was always unreserved in his praise for talent.
"Though, if I recall, this child's chakra affinities are fire, wind, and lightning?"
Orochimaru's words made Jiraiya's eyes widen as he immediately shot back, "Orochimaru, he's my disciple! I may not have lightning, but I can talk to the old man about it!"
Jiraiya was in full protective mode, as if Orochimaru intended to steal Minato away.
Watching Jiraiya, Orochimaru snorted. "Idiot."
"Orochimaru!"
Seeing Jiraiya's irritated expression, Orochimaru allowed himself a faint, rare smile.
"Jiraiya, we have work to do."
The peaceful moments always seemed brief. As the sun began to set, Orochimaru gave a quiet sigh, a reminder that he'd come with a mission.