CHAPTER 42

Time in training always passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Kiyo had been practicing in Konoha for half a year.

Without the constraints of academy classes, he was able to dedicate his entire day to practice. Under Orochimaru's guidance, his progress in just six months was remarkable.

Uchiha Kiyo enjoyed this peaceful period of cultivation. Compared to constantly undertaking dangerous missions and seeking breakthroughs in the midst of battle, he preferred steady and methodical growth.

Unfortunately, not everyone shared this sentiment.

After being "grounded" for half a year, Nawaki Senju was restless. He constantly clamored to leave the village and take on missions.

For him, staying in Konoha without missions was unbearable. More importantly, he worried that without a mission record, his dream of becoming Hokage would be jeopardized.

"Sensei, let's take on a mission already! I've been suffocating here for six months! I still want to be Hokage—don't delay me any longer!" Nawaki pleaded with Orochimaru.

Whether Orochimaru took pity on him or felt that the Third Squad truly needed practical experience, he finally relented. He decided to assign them a C-rank mission, marking their entry into the normal rhythm of a shinobi's duties.

For Uchiha Kiyo, this meant setting aside his research on the Substitution Technique.

Though he preferred quiet cultivation and disliked unnecessary violence, he acknowledged the rapid growth that came from combat—especially battles where both parties had a genuine intent to kill.

The phrase "between life and death" had a dual meaning. It could refer to direct encounters with death, but it also applied to fights where both combatants sought to eliminate each other. The former was more effective for sharpening one's skills but also came with far greater risk.

At this stage, Uchiha Kiyo had significantly improved his defensive abilities. With his refined Substitution Technique, he now had more confidence in his survival. As long as the enemy wasn't overwhelmingly stronger, he could escape with his life.

However, using this new technique effectively in battle was another story.

When he initially sought to mimic Minato Namikaze's usage of the Flying Thunder God Technique, he encountered a fundamental problem—the sheer difficulty of adapting to instant position changes.

Even if instant teleportation didn't leave him momentarily stiff like the standard Body Flicker Technique, it still created issues. A shinobi had to adjust to the sudden shift in position, perspective, and surroundings, all while staying aware of the battlefield.

The biggest challenge wasn't just teleporting, but acting immediately afterward.

Worse still, the technique didn't simply change his location—it also carried over his previous movement state. If he substituted with a thrown kunai, for instance, he would instantly inherit its velocity and trajectory, making stabilization difficult.

This realization deepened Kiyo's admiration for Minato Namikaze. His unparalleled reaction speed was the true reason why he could use Flying Thunder God so masterfully.

Understanding his current limitations, Uchiha Kiyo shifted his focus away from direct combat applications of the Substitution Technique. Instead, he explored alternative tactics.

There was no rule saying space-time ninjutsu had to be used in a specific way.

For example, he could combine the Substitution Technique with a Physical Clone, creating a deceptive "shadow shifting" effect. By constantly replenishing clones, he could make himself nearly untouchable in battle.

It was a rudimentary but effective strategy.

Alternatively, he could refine his sealing techniques to the point where he could instantly inscribe them, much like how Minato Namikaze could instantly place Flying Thunder God marks.

With enough proficiency, he could apply the seals using his feet while moving. Eventually, he could develop a technique where wherever he stepped, he could instantly substitute to that spot.

It would be the foundation for a unique body technique-based teleportation style.

Yet, despite his ingenuity, one thing held him back—his natural talent for space-time perception was mediocre. Unlike Minato, who could sense spatial coordinates instinctively, Kiyo could only track positions using the chakra signatures he infused into his kunai or markers.

This was why Minato's Flying Thunder God was far superior. His space-time awareness allowed him to maximize its efficiency while minimizing chakra cost. By the age of twenty-five, he had not only mastered the technique from the Second Hokage, but had further refined it, earning the title Yellow Flash.

With time, Minato had even incorporated barrier-based space-time jutsu, allowing him to deflect and transfer Tailed Beast Bombs.

Had he lived longer, who could say what further developments he might have achieved? Perhaps even space-cutting techniques akin to those found in other ninja clans?

While pondering these concepts, Kiyo spent the last month training with Orochimaru in Taijutsu-based movement techniques.

By now, his physical strength was sufficient to perform the Body Flicker Technique (hereafter referred to as Physical Flicker).

Unlike Ninjutsu-based Flicker, which used chakra to propel the body forward at extreme speed, Physical Flicker relied on concentrated bursts of chakra at the feet, allowing for instantaneous acceleration.

In essence, it was a purely Taijutsu-based technique.

The principle was straightforward—the challenge was in execution. The strain it placed on the feet and legs was immense, requiring both high-level Taijutsu mastery and exceptional physical conditioning.

Even most Jōnin avoided using it excessively. While Ninjutsu Flicker distributed pressure across the entire body, Physical Flicker concentrated it on the legs, making it far more punishing.

But Uchiha Kiyo was not an ordinary shinobi.

Although his body wasn't yet fully conditioned for repeated use of Physical Flicker, he could manage one or two bursts. With medical ninjutsu, he could recover faster, and after battles, he could use his body-nourishing technique to prevent internal injuries.

This allowed him to partially offset the technique's main drawback.

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The day finally came for their mission assignment.

Unlike last time, Orochimaru did not accompany them to the mission office. Their first visit had been an introduction to the process—now, they were expected to handle it independently.

Of course, the main reason Orochimaru chose not to join them was Rope Tree's unbearable excitement. His overenthusiastic shouting had made their last visit embarrassingly loud and obnoxious.

Uchiha Kiyo had complete faith in Orochimaru's judgment. Their sensei would select a C-rank mission suited to their current abilities—challenging enough for experience, but not overwhelmingly difficult.

Meanwhile, Nawaki Senju was ecstatic.

"Haha! We're finally going out again! I've been choking on boredom for six months!"

Kiyo, unfazed, raised an eyebrow.

"…Why are you so excited? The last time we left the village, it wasn't exactly fun, was it?"

Nawaki hesitated for a moment before insisting,

"Well, didn't you say last time that some cities have special sights and entertainment? I didn't get to enjoy anything back then, so this time will be different!

And besides, I'm going to be Hokage! I can't keep skipping missions forever! If I don't build up a solid record, how will I get promoted to Chūnin?"

Kiyo pondered this logic. It wasn't entirely wrong.

Still…

"Haven't I told you to stop shouting about becoming Hokage? It's too conspicuous. Keep a low profile… understand?"

He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

This kid was hopeless.