Gambling addict
"Grading?"
Sandaime frowned.
Of course, he understood what Kyōichi meant.
Forbidden techniques indeed varied in their level of danger.
For example, the Impure World Reincarnation was, in his eyes, an absolute forbidden technique because it involved manipulating the dead, which could easily provoke attacks from the entire shinobi world.
But.
Techniques like the Shadow Clone Jutsu weren't as dangerous. As long as they were kept within certain limits, they didn't pose much harm to the body.
The Eight Gates, the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, and the simplified version of the Activation Technique were the same.
Dangerous?
Yes.
But not life-threatening. There were risks during practice, but compared to dying in battle, these risks were much smaller.
Moreover.
These forbidden techniques had the potential to change the course of a battle.
However.
They still carried risks, and implementing them wouldn't be easy.
Sandaime hesitated.
But he had to admit, he was somewhat tempted. In recent years, Konoha had been engaged in wars with other villages, and their ninja reserves had significantly decreased.
If they could reduce casualties among the special jōnin and jōnin ranks, Konoha would gain an advantage in war.
He thought for a long time.
Finally, he took a deep breath and sighed, "Lately, I've been thinking that I might really be getting old. Since my teacher died in battle and I took over, Konoha has hardly changed."
"…"
Kyōichi felt a sense of relief in his heart.
He knew.
Sandaime had basically agreed!
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused before continuing, "Alright, I can basically agree to this. Apart from you, the person in the village most interested in researching forbidden techniques is Orochimaru. I'll call him over later, and we'll have a meeting with you, Minato, and Might Duy."
"Understood!"
Kyōichi nodded.
Sandaime's words essentially sealed the deal. The next step would be defining the levels of forbidden techniques.
Kyōichi left the office.
Sandaime sat in his chair, his mind drifting back to Asuma and the others.
Shisui was one thing.
The kid had already been known as a genius.
But Asuma and Yūhi Kurenai…
Their growth and changes were so significant that even Sandaime found it hard to believe.
Perhaps.
He really was getting old!
…
[Completed 'Practical Training' exercise teaching]
[Evaluation: Excellent]
[Rewards:
1. Chakra Scalpel
2. Konoha Style Sword Technique: Crescent Moon Dance
3. Vacuum Blade
You may choose two out of three rewards.]
In addition.
There was also a teaching reward for "Practical Application of Forbidden Techniques."
The reward was average—
Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet.
But the main rewards were from the "Excellent" evaluation.
All three…
Were quite good!
Kyōichi had long coveted the Chakra Scalpel, but after some thought, he decided to exclude it.
Why?
Because Tsunade's scrolls contained this medical ninjutsu.
His chakra control was strong, and he wasn't incapable of learning such techniques. If he could learn it on his own, he preferred not to rely on rewards for simple techniques.
With that in mind, he made his decision.
Vacuum Blade and Crescent Moon Dance!
After claiming the rewards, Kyōichi suddenly remembered something…
*Click!*
He immediately opened the door and went back inside, only to see Sandaime sitting at his desk smoking, seemingly reading something. When he noticed Kyōichi entering, he started coughing violently.
Sandaime calmly straightened up and asked, "Is there something else?"
"Yes, sir. You promised me that if I handled the Chūnin Exams plan, you'd give me a chakra blade."
"…"
Sandaime fell silent.
Caught up in his thoughts, he had indeed forgotten.
A chakra blade.
These things weren't cheap, and even with money, they weren't easy to obtain.
He sighed, "Do you have any specific requirements?"
"A normal blade will do, something that works well with my Iaido. The Raijin Sword isn't very handy."
Kyōichi replied.
"Not a high demand, alright…"
Sandaime thought for a moment, then asked, "What about Asuma's weapon? Any suggestions?"
"Let him decide for himself. Can you wield his weapon for him?"
Kyōichi was blunt.
He wasn't great at teaching other things, but when it came to dealing with Asuma, he was far more capable than Sandaime.
The old man wanted to control everything—
Not just verbally, but subtly steering Asuma to follow his lead.
However.
Asuma was stubborn.
Push him, and he'd resist even more.
At least for now.
"Fair point."
Sandaime nodded.
Kyōichi left the office.
Two blades…
That should be enough.
But this Raijin Sword still didn't feel right.
The more he used it, the more he understood why Tobirama had left it gathering dust—it was all flash and no substance.
Aside from being flashy and cool, it had no real advantages.
If anything.
It made up for Kyōichi's lack of Lightning Release, but most of the time, it was useless. A normal blade would be far better.
No!
When the war with Kirigakure starts, I'll have to find a way to get my hands on one of their Seven Ninja Swords.
The Executioner's Blade or the Kubikiribōchō would do.
Not because those swords were particularly strong, but because they were bulky. If melted down, they could yield a good amount of chakra-conductive metal—
Casting them in that shape was such a waste of resources!
As he walked out, he began to internalize the Vacuum Blade and Crescent Moon Dance techniques.
Excellent sword techniques!
The former was a Wind Release sword technique.
As for the latter.
The sword technique itself didn't impress Kyōichi much. The Crescent Moon Dance's swordplay seemed rather crude to him, essentially just a single slash with little technical depth.
However.
The accompanying assassination knowledge was something rare, even among rewards.
Assassination, concealment, finding openings.
That was the essence of this technique!
With the system's rewards, his shadow clone could study several more medical books—at least mastering the Chakra Scalpel wouldn't be a problem, since the technique was more about precision than complexity.
As for the Vacuum Blade…
This technique was powerful!
A Wind Release sword technique, perfect for Shisui and Ashma, but Kyōichi wanted to modify it further, integrating it into his own sword style.
Still, the Iaido!
Kyōichi's philosophy was simple: when facing an enemy, it was best to end the fight with a single, decisive strike.
Of course.
He couldn't rely solely on one technique.
Kyōichi wasn't that type of fighter. Aside from Iaido, he was proficient in ninjutsu and genjutsu. Now, with the assassination knowledge from Crescent Moon Dance, he had filled that gap as well.
Though he wasn't yet a master, he had a shadow clone tirelessly training at home.
Kyōichi wasn't in a rush.
Madara wasn't dead yet, and his eyes were fixed on Nagato.
As long as no one messed with Nagato, Madara wouldn't even glance at the Uchiha.
The reason was simple.
He looked down on them!
Kyōichi could understand.
Back then, they had the chance to join him, but they didn't dare. Now, being bullied and oppressed, who could they blame?
If he were in Madara's shoes, he'd feel the same.
Not kicking them while they were down was already being generous!
Kyōichi walked a few steps, planning to grab a meal and refresh the shadow clone in his study. But then, a Katsuyu clone appeared beside him.
"Kyōichi, Tsunade asked me to give this to you."
"Thank you very much!"
Kyōichi took the letter, opened it, and read it as he walked.
Tsunade didn't say much.
Mostly praise for how quickly he had mastered the Katsuyu Summoning Technique and his progress in medical ninjutsu.
However.
The underlying message was clear.
She had learned about the Chūnin Exams he was overseeing through Katsuyu.
That was fine.
He hadn't planned to hide it anyway. Knowing that Tsunade was aware actually put him at ease. At least the gambling addict wouldn't have to rely on bets to find out about his safety.
But.
At the end of the letter, Tsunade mentioned a forbidden technique she was conceptualizing.