Chapter 27: Cultivation! (Please Keep Reading and Vote with Monthly Tickets)

"Finally back!"

Looking at the gate of Konoha, Gen'ichi Juka let out a long breath. This mission had lasted less than three days, the shortest amount of time he had ever spent on a task. Yet, it had also been the most dangerous and the one with the most intense combat.

Truth be told, back at the lake, if Sakumo Hatake hadn't returned in time, he and Namiichi Uchiha might very well have been wiped out by the Sand ninja. After all, both of them had been at the end of their ropes by that point. That was perhaps the closest they had ever come to death.

Now, back in Konoha, his tightly wound nerves finally began to loosen, and Gen'ichi felt an inexplicable sense of belonging to the village.

"Humans truly do crave stability," Gen'ichi sighed to himself.

He wasn't the only one relaxing; En Yamanaka couldn't help but stretch, laughing, "Once I get back, I am definitely going to sleep for a long time."

Although Namiichi Uchiha kept his stoic expression, one could see his entire body posture softening.

Upon entering the village, Sakumo Hatake smiled and said, "Dismissed!"

"Yes!"

Gen'ichi and the other two responded in unison before using the Body Flicker Technique to vanish, each heading toward their own homes.

Sakumo Hatake, however, could not afford to go home just yet. He made his way to the Hokage Building with all possible speed and was soon granted an audience with the Hokage.

In the Hokage's office, Sakumo Hatake provided a full account of the mission. Hiruzen Sarutobi listened while puffing on his pipe, inwardly surprised by Gen'ichi's performance. Even though Gen'ichi was a prodigy and had performed well since graduating a year ago, this time he had been exceptionally outstanding. It wasn't just his combat ability, but his overall grasp of the big picture and his decisive judgment in the heat of battle that made his mindset truly rare. With such clarity and decisiveness, if his raw power were to increase further, he would surely become another excellent ninja capable of holding his own.

After listening, Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke and said, "Gen'ichi is an exceptional child; he should be nurtured further."

Sakumo nodded. "Understood."

Hiruzen added, "Both Gen'ichi and Namiichi performed brilliantly on this mission. The village will reward them with the opportunity to choose a ninjutsu."

"Namiichi can choose a B-rank jutsu, and Gen'ichi... he may choose any, excluding forbidden techniques."

Sakumo was stunned to hear this. Was the Hokage trying to cultivate another Minato Namikaze? But following his surprise came joy, and he quickly replied, "I believe Gen'ichi will not disappoint you, Lord Hokage."

Hiruzen nodded with a smile. He believed it too. Whether it was his mindset or his innate talent, he held high expectations for Gen'ichi. He hoped that in ten years, Gen'ichi would become another Minato Namikaze, serving as a sharp blade for Konoha.

After Sakumo Hatake left the Hokage Building, the records of all three, including Gen'ichi, were updated with the completion of an S-rank mission. As for the details of that mission—it was top secret.

***

Gen'ichi woke up at dusk. After lounging in bed for five minutes and washing up, he headed downstairs to help at the dumpling shop. Once he finished dinner, he strolled out alone, eventually walking to Shizune’s house. Unfortunately, she wasn't there.

After a moment of thought, Gen'ichi made his way to Tsunade’s residence. Sure enough, it was Shizune who opened the door.

"Gen'ichi!" Shizune was pleasantly surprised.

From behind her, Tsunade’s lazy voice drifted over: "Who is it?"

Gen'ichi followed Shizune inside and saw Tsunade sitting under the veranda, holding a bottle of sake.

"Lady Tsunade, I am Gen'ichi Juka." Gen'ichi bowed in greeting.

Tsunade squinted at him. "Oh, it's you."

It was their first meeting. Although Gen'ichi was polite and good-looking, Tsunade wasn't particularly impressed. "Kid, what are you doing here?"

It was a rhetorical question. Gen'ichi turned several thoughts over in his mind and honestly replied, "Lady Tsunade, I came to find Shizune so we could go to the hospital to study."

Tsunade glanced at Gen'ichi. "I heard you have a talent for medical ninjutsu?"

Gen'ichi replied, "Actually, it's nothing special; I just work harder than others. I have more talent for Water Release."

That was the truth. Even without his "cheat," he could be considered talented in Water Release. Unfortunately, his chakra reserves were the limiting factor.

Shizune chimed in to help, "Lady Tsunade, Gen'ichi works very hard; he rarely takes a break."

Tsunade's impression of Gen'ichi improved, and her tone became less prickly. "I heard you're also learning sealing techniques from that idiot Jiraiya? At your age, you should focus on one path."

Gen'ichi scratched his head, sighing helplessly. "Lady Tsunade, it's because I've hit a bottleneck with Water Release. Using it in environments without a water source consumes a massive amount of chakra, and my reserves are quite limited. That’s why I wanted to learn other things. I feel that sealing techniques might help solve my predicament."

Tsunade frowned slightly. "Chakra reserves... you shouldn't be worrying about that at your age, should you?"

Indeed, compared to his peers, Gen'ichi’s chakra reserves were certainly not low. After all, he was seven years old, but he possessed the physique of a fourteen-year-old.

Gen'ichi didn't offer an explanation; instead, he simply formed hand seals. *Snake!*

In the next instant, water droplets condensed around him, forming a flowing stream that rotated around his body. Tsunade’s eyes widened slightly; for a fleeting moment, she thought she saw her great-uncle. In an environment without a nearby water source, performing a technique like the Water Wall at that scale consumed more than three times the usual amount of chakra.

He released his hands, and the water flowing around him immediately dispersed, fading away drop by drop. But then, Gen'ichi spread his hands, formed a seal with his palms facing downward, and then brought them together. Water droplets rapidly condensed again, forming a stream that circled him, surging upward.

*Similar.* It was too similar. Tsunade was stunned.

Gen'ichi ended the technique and said, "Lady Tsunade, if I use Water Release like this, my chakra can only support three such techniques at most." The Water Release he had mastered required large volumes to be truly powerful.

Tsunade recovered her composure. "Your Water Release is indeed impressive. Three techniques are enough for now. You are still young, and the missions you take won't be too dangerous. As you grow and your body develops, your chakra will increase."

Gen'ichi knew that too. Although he had the physical constitution of a fourteen-year-old, his growth hadn't stopped. Once he reached the age of fourteen, his chakra limit would definitely double. But who would ever complain about having too little chakra? Especially someone like Gen'ichi, who lacked a sense of security and always preferred having more.

During this mission, Gen'ichi had been calculating every bit of his energy, occasionally popping soldier pills, and the feeling wasn't pleasant. Not only were the pills unpalatable, but they weren't instant chakra replenishers; they required time to digest.

Tsunade naturally didn't understand Gen'ichi’s urgency and sense of crisis. She said kindly, "Don't push yourself too hard; it's not good for your development. You don't want to end up stunted!"

As she spoke, a teasing smile played on her lips. Gen'ichi could only offer an awkward smile. He couldn't very well ask her if he could learn the Strength of a Hundred Seal. Just explaining how he knew about it would be difficult enough.

*Sigh,* what a headache.