The saying goes: if you don't court death, you won't die!
Isn't it good to just stay alive? Why the need to act tough?
Haruto Saito repented in his heart, but it was useless. Tsunade was more direct than anyone else. When news spread that Haruto had learned the Mystical Palm Technique in just one day, the Hokage doubted it, the Hyuga clan doubted it, the entire Konoha doubted it. But Tsunade? She didn't doubt—she wanted Haruto to "perform" again. If he failed, she'd kill him!
"Tsunade-sama, you can't just force me to learn jutsu with you, can you?" Haruto tried to reason. "You have to be logical! You know, high-intensity learning back-to-back is really taxing on the brain. I think…"
Haruto trailed off because Tsunade was already looking at him with a smirk that wasn't quite a smile. His words sounded weak, even to himself.
"Brat, you want to talk logic with me?" Tsunade stepped closer, looming over him intimidatingly, their faces just inches apart.
"I think there's been some misunderstanding…"
"No misunderstanding! You learned the Mystical Palm Technique in one day, didn't you?"
"…Yes."
"But I don't believe it. You have to prove it to me!"
"What if… I refuse?"
The rooftop fell silent. A dangerous glint flickered in Tsunade's eyes.
Not far away, Orochimaru suddenly took a step back, widening the distance between himself and Haruto. Haruto shot him a strange look. Orochimaru dusted off his collar but said nothing.
Was this… to avoid getting splattered with blood?
"Alright! Alright! Fine!" Haruto shouted, raising his hands as if to calm the situation. "One day, just one day. Teach me another jutsu, and I promise I'll learn it in one day!"
"Good! I'll teach you another A-rank medical jutsu. If you can—" Tsunade started.
"No, no, no! Not medical ninjutsu! I've already mastered the Mystical Palm Technique; that's enough!" Haruto quickly interrupted. "Teach me something else. How about Water Release? Do you know any?"
Aside from the Mystical Palm Technique, Haruto had already mastered two A-rank jutsu—Rasengan and Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique. Rasengan was off the table since no one could teach him, and he had already used it in front of Danzo. That left the Great Waterfall Technique!
"Water Release…" Tsunade pondered, glancing at Orochimaru and Jiraiya before turning back to Haruto. "I don't know any, but they do! They can teach you."
"The Great Waterfall Technique! I want to learn that!" Haruto declared.
Tsunade's eyes gleamed as she thought for a moment before saying, "What else? That jutsu requires an enormous amount of chakra. You probably can't pull it off, can you? Pick something else!"
"Hmm…" Haruto hesitated, quickly opening his Reputation Exchange interface in his mind, scanning through today's ten refreshed options.
There were A-rank jutsu available!
Two, in fact!
A-rank Water Release: Rain Formation—5,500 Reputation Points. A-rank Wind Release: Pressure Damage—5,000 Reputation Points.
Haruto currently had 5,700 Reputation Points—enough to exchange for either. But both required immense chakra reserves to use effectively. He wasn't going to exchange for them yet. However, now…
"How about Water Release: Rain Formation?" Haruto said slowly, as if contemplating.
"Rain Formation… That's not bad!" Tsunade rubbed her chin. "But it also requires a huge amount of chakra. Pick something else!"
"Hey! Chakra isn't a problem, right? You can restore my chakra and stamina!"
"Pick something else!"
"Alright! Alright! This is my last choice—Wind Release: Pressure Damage! That one should be fine, right? It requires a lot of chakra, but the output can be controlled. I can reduce the chakra consumption!"
"Hmm… Wind Release: Pressure Damage is pretty good! Alright, fine!" Tsunade nodded.
Haruto let out a sigh of relief.
Then Tsunade suddenly flashed a terrifying smile, poking Haruto's forehead forcefully. "Brat! Don't think you can fool me again! Now, whatever jutsu you say you want to learn, I'm not teaching it! I'll decide what to teach you. If you fail to learn it in a day, you're dead!"
Haruto's expression froze.
Damn it! He had fallen into her trap!
Tsunade had been baiting him all along, pretending to entertain his choices while she secretly decided to pick something completely different!
"Let me think… What should I teach you?" Tsunade began pacing around Haruto in circles, mumbling to herself.
Haruto remained calm.
He still had a way to "turn the tables." If Tsunade chose a Wind Release jutsu, he could try his luck by hunting down a Sand Village jōnin and using his Double Drop Rate Card. Maybe he'd get the jutsu he needed.
Additionally, at midnight, the Reputation Exchange options would refresh. There was a chance the jutsu Tsunade picked might appear there.
But both of these relied on luck—not a sure bet.
"Uh… I think," Haruto suddenly spoke, watching Tsunade circle him. "Different types of A-rank jutsu have different suitability depending on a person's talents. For example, someone who quickly learns an A-rank Wind Release jutsu might not be able to master an A-rank Fire Release jutsu as easily. There's also taijutsu, medical ninjutsu, large-scale attacks, close-range combat, long-range techniques—all these factors make learning times different, even within the same rank."
"What are you trying to say?" Tsunade stopped walking, staring at him.
"I mean, just because I learned the Mystical Palm Technique in one day doesn't mean I can do the same with another A-rank jutsu. Even you wouldn't master all A-rank jutsu at the same pace, right?" Haruto spread his hands.
"Of course, not all jutsu take the same time to master." Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "So?"
"So, I think you should teach me a B-rank jutsu instead. That would be more reasonable!" Haruto quickly added, "I can't guarantee an A-rank jutsu, but a B-rank one? I'm confident I can learn it in a day!"
Haruto was slightly nervous. He had just realized something—jōnin didn't necessarily know A-rank jutsu. Even if he killed a jōnin, there was no guarantee an A-rank jutsu card would drop.
But B-rank? That was a sure thing! Killing a jōnin would always drop a B-rank jutsu card!
Tsunade was silent, her sharp eyes boring into Haruto. He felt like she could see right through him. Then suddenly, her eyes lit up!
"Fine! B-rank it is! But I decide what to teach you, and you can't back out!" Tsunade clapped Haruto's shoulder.
"Deal!" Haruto cheered inwardly. Having a chance was better than no chance. "So, what are you going to teach me?"
"This is a medical ninjutsu-based taijutsu technique!" Tsunade grinned. "And since you supposedly have talent in medical ninjutsu, I'll teach you this! You have twenty-four hours to learn it…"
"Just tell me already!"
"Superhuman Strength!"
"…What? Say that again."
"Superhuman Strength!"