Chapter 21

Tenzō's actions had greatly improved Hyuga Chinano and the others' impression of him. At the very least, their teacher wasn't as ruthless as he seemed. He was the type to have a sharp tongue but a soft heart. It was clear that he genuinely cared about the trust between teammates.

Zixu couldn't help but wonder what had shaped an Anbu directly under the Hokage to have such ideals. As far as he knew, the Anbu were supposed to be emotionless, operating strictly under orders. Was Tenzō different? What kind of experiences had led him to think this way?

"The bond between you and your teammates is strong," Tenzō said, his voice steady as they walked back to the classroom. "But when you're in the field, it's best not to fight recklessly when you know you can't win. Seeking death will not solve the problem in front of you—it will only put your teammates in greater danger."

Aburame Hatsuizumi opened her mouth to argue, but when she recalled how her insects had been captured and restrained without any effort, she had no choice but to accept that Tenzō was right. Even Chinano, who was always strong-willed, had to admit that his words made sense.

In real combat, the correct thing to do was to abandon injured teammates and ensure that critical information made it back to the village. But if Zixu or Hatsuizumi were in danger, could she really do the so-called "right thing"? She doubted it. Compared to the abstract concept of the village, Zixu and Hatsuizumi meant much more to her.

"In the end, it all comes down to a lack of strength," she thought. "If I learn more ninjutsu, I'll have more ways to fight. If I rely only on the clan's secret techniques, enemies will eventually find my weaknesses. The major clans' techniques have been passed down for generations, but at the same time, countermeasures have been developed against them."

By the time they reached the classroom, Tenzō pushed open the door and motioned for them to enter first. As they sat down, he rummaged through a stack of books, all while continuing his explanation.

"The biggest difference between us and the Ninja Academy is that the Academy is meant to build your awareness and mindset as shinobi. But from now on, our goal is to improve your actual power. Continuing from what I said earlier, if you master more ninjutsu, you'll have a greater variety of techniques to use in battle. That way, you can react more flexibly to ever-changing combat situations."

After flipping through several books, Tenzō finally found the one he was looking for. However, after skimming a few lines, he frowned, then casually tossed it aside.

"Forget it. The way it's written is too complicated. Even I didn't understand it when I first read it. Books always overcomplicate things. I'd rather just teach you through practice. Honestly, even if you asked me to explain the detailed principles behind it, I wouldn't be able to."

Zixu listened attentively. This was knowledge that wasn't easy to come by. Konoha was incredibly strict when it came to preserving its ninjutsu. Forget the legendary forbidden scrolls—he hadn't even seen the most common ninjutsu scrolls before. That kind of knowledge was tightly controlled by the higher-ups and inaccessible to ordinary people.

"First, I'm going to teach you a ninjutsu that's essential for any ninja," Tenzō said, glancing at the three of them. "It's a technique that not only assists in combat but is also incredibly useful for day-to-day missions…"

Zixu's anticipation grew. After all this time, was he finally going to learn a new jutsu?

Hatsuizumi was even more excited, unable to hold back her impatience.

"What is it? Tell me already!" she urged.

Chinano, on the other hand, had a vague guess about what it was. Even so, she perked up slightly, just as eager to learn something new.

"This jutsu is… the Summoning Technique."

Tenzō didn't bother keeping them in suspense and revealed it immediately.

"Summoning?"

"Summoning!"

"Summoning Jutsu…"

Zixu and the others each reacted differently, but the excitement in their eyes was unmistakable.

Zixu had never heard of summoning jutsu before, so he was surprised. But after hearing the name, he thought it might be some kind of technique for calling spirits. Did it involve forcing spirits to work for you? Like capitalists making their employees work overtime and only giving them a single day off for the May Day holiday?

Aburame Hatsuizumi had long known about summoning and had the greatest desire for it. After all, for someone who loved collecting bugs, what could be more perfect than a technique that let her summon insects from other dimensions? Summoning = summoning bugs = collecting even more bugs = increasing her strength while satisfying her obsession with collecting. A flawless jutsu!

Hyuga Chinano, on the other hand, was troubled. She had no idea what kind of summoning beast would suit her. She thought of many possible creatures, but none felt right. However, she knew that summoning beasts also chose their masters. It wasn't possible to immediately contract with the perfect one. So, she decided not to overthink it and let fate take its course.

Seeing their reactions, Tenzō was satisfied. He nodded with a smile, then stepped forward to personally demonstrate the summoning jutsu.

"The hand seals for the Kuchiyose no Jutsu are: Boar → Dog → Bird → Monkey → Ram. You need to remember this sequence. Don't mess it up," he instructed. "The purpose of the hand seals is to transform your chakra into a proper technique. Since summoning is a space-time ninjutsu, the seals activate a teleportation technique, bringing forth a contracted creature that isn't physically present at your location."

He paused, making sure they were following. "When the teleportation jutsu is triggered, a summoning formula will spread out, forming a seal—a bit like a magic circle. The summoned creature then appears from within the seal. Since every summoning involves space-time displacement, the hand seals must always be the same. However, the level of the summoned creature depends on the amount of chakra used.

The more chakra you expend, the stronger the summoned creature. If you're low on chakra, it's best not to attempt summoning something too powerful. In such cases, summoning support-type creatures is a better choice..."

Tenzō spoke in a steady stream, his patience resembling that of a slightly nagging caretaker. Meanwhile, he also prepared a large water tank, though no one knew what it was for.

He spoke seriously, and Zixu and the others listened intently, focusing on his hands. Tenzō formed the five hand seals in rapid succession, then bit his thumb, drawing a small drop of blood. Without hesitation, he pressed his bleeding finger firmly against the ground.

Immediately, a wave of black markings spread outward, forming a circular sealing formula. The intricate runes resembled black tadpoles swimming across the ground. The pattern looked almost eerie—like the cursed seal from an anime Zixu had seen in his past life.

The symbols continued to spread, completing the seal before erupting into a thick white mist. The mist carried no scent—just as Tenzō had explained, it was a byproduct of chakra vaporization.

Once the smoke began to clear, Zixu, Hatsuizumi, and Chinano leaned forward eagerly, eager to see what kind of summoning beast would appear.

Zixu imagined a fierce, ancient creature—perhaps a saber-toothed tiger or a mighty mammoth from the frozen tundra.

Hatsuizumi envisioned a colossal, menacing beetle with razor-sharp mandibles, its wings so massive they could cast a shadow over all of Konoha.

Chinano, however, secretly hoped for something... adorable. Maybe a small, fluffy cat?

Unfortunately, none of them were correct.

What emerged from the smoke was a plump, red carp. It had long whisker-like tendrils near its mouth, and atop its head was a golden, crown-shaped fin. Its bright crimson scales gleamed, encased in a faint golden light. But its most striking feature was its eyes.

Those eyes... What kind of look was that? Even the rulers of the sky and sea would second-guess their strength under its gaze. No matter the opponent, its expression remained unchanged—always exuding an air of absolute superiority. Its wise, ancient stare seemed to contain knowledge spanning back to the dawn of the universe itself, making one forget that it was, in the end... just a fish.

"Pia-da, pia-da!"

At that moment, this seemingly enlightened carp flopped onto its side, powerfully slapping the ground with its muscular body. It suddenly leaped several meters into the air.

Tenzō reacted instantly, swiftly raising the water tank to intercept it. With a perfectly timed motion, he caught the airborne carp, and with a loud splash, the fish landed in the tank.

"See? This is my summoning beast," Tenzō introduced it with pride. "His name is 'Tategyo.' Don't let his current appearance fool you—his Suiton (Water Release) techniques are incredibly powerful, rivaling even summoning creatures like the Great Shark. However, he once hit his head too hard while bouncing, so he stopped talking. But he still understands speech perfectly."

Tenzō patted the surface of the tank, as if greeting an old friend.

Hatsuizumi was slightly disappointed that it wasn't a gigantic beetle. But as she gazed into Tategyo's profound eyes, she couldn't help but feel admiration. So this was the summoning beast of a Jōnin? It truly was something extraordinary.

Chinano activated her Byakugan, attempting to analyze Tategyo's chakra flow. Strangely, she detected nothing unusual. It was as if the carp was... just an ordinary fish. But perhaps its strength had reached a level so high that it had reverted to simplicity.

Zixu, on the other hand, was struggling internally. No matter how he looked at it, this fish... it was a damn Magikarp. The round, plump body, the golden fins—it was unmistakable. And those wise, enigmatic eyes… Just like a Magikarp that had seen through the very fabric of the universe.

And the name? Tategyo? He didn't even know where to start roasting that one. Could Tenzō be a time traveler too? This had to be Magikarp. There was no way it wasn't!

"Tategyo has quite a few connections in the world of summoning beasts," Tenzō continued, unaware of Zixu's internal crisis. "If you summon a creature you like, he can help negotiate on your behalf."

Almost as if proving a point, Ōnamazu suddenly propelled itself out of the water, twisting in the air before splashing back down. It was a perfect Water Splash… and absolutely nothing happened.

"So, who wants to try first?" Tenzō asked, eager to let them attempt the jutsu themselves. "Don't worry, even if you fail, there won't be any major consequences. Besides, I'm here to supervise. What could possibly go wrong?"

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