Chapter 998 - Choas Scrolls

[Chapter 17 – Realizations]​

Hours later, Yohei found himself lying on his bed, contemplating death – and how its sweet relief might honestly be a better state of affairs than his current situation.

The injuries he'd accrued during his training with Gōdō had already been healed by his mom after he got home. Or, more accurately, after he'd been dragged home by Souma, since he'd been too weak to move under his own power. He'd fallen asleep while they were discussing Souma's lightning release training and had only woken up long after his teammate had left, roused by his mom calling him to eat dinner and take some medicine before sending him back to bed.

Where he had promptly fallen asleep again.

Now, however, he was suffering the consequences of having utterly destroyed his sleep schedule, waking up-

"Fuck," he muttered, staring at his bedside alarm clock.

A whole two hours before the already early alarm he'd set for himself recently.

He wasn't sleepy anymore, but he was exhausted, which felt like a particularly cruel contradiction. His injuries – already mostly healed the previous day – still stung and pulsed with every heartbeat, a strange kind of phantom pain that made him feel as if he were still being struck by that accursed rod of compressed earth.

"What are the chances I manage to go back to sleep and wake up feeling dandy?" he asked himself quietly, eyes fixed on the wooden ceiling above.

…

Silence was the only answer his walls and furniture had to offer.

He sighed and closed his eyes, resigned, until a sudden thought snapped through his mind. His eyes flew open as he sat up sharply, one hand going to his chest.

An incredulous laugh slipped from his lips on a breath, twisted and breathless, as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I can't believe that guy beat me up so hard I forgot I got a new reward."

Snorting softly, he pushed the covers aside and slipped out of bed, padding over to his desk and switching on the study light. He went through the now-familiar motions of biting his finger and summoning the Chaos Scroll – and soon had it in his hands. He spread it open to reveal two new fuinjutsu seals glowing softly in silver.

Activating them, the seals resolved into two scrolls. One was a familiar shade of gray, marking it as a D-rank ability.

The other-

"White?" he whispered, brow furrowing. "That's new. Is that higher than green… or lower?"

He was tempted to open it first, curiosity burning, but after a moment's consideration he set it aside. If it turned out to be something complicated – like Mugetsu had been – he didn't want anything else cluttering his thoughts.

Better to save it for last.

[硬化刃爪 – Kōka Jinsō – Hardened Blade Claw]

|D-Rank Jutsu|

This jutsu allows you to grow your nails into razor-sharp claws capable of tearing through flesh and metal with ease. As long as chakra is supplied, the claws will not dull.​

"Oh, nice!" Yohei said, grinning as he read. "Another Yang Release – and one that's reasonably simple to explain, especially compared to something like Thousand Sound Perception."

Then he paused, head tilting.

"Wait a minute… enhanced hearing, enhanced biting, claws, and a canine partner..." He squinted at the scroll. "Is this thing slowly turning me into an Inuzuka?"

Amused, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror, tilting his head side to side as he imagined slit pupils, sharp fangs, and the distinctive clan markings on his cheeks.

"I mean… as long as they let me paint them blue instead of red, I wouldn't really mind it."

Huffing a quiet laugh, Yohei rolled the scroll closed and set it aside to study properly later. He then picked up the white scroll, hesitating briefly before undoing the latch and pulling it open.

[五大国手語手典 – Godai-koku Shugoten – Hand Language Codex of the Five Great Nations]

|F-Rank Manual|

This manual records the basic communication hand signs taught to the genin of the ninja villages of the Five Great Nations.​

"…Oh."

Reading the description again, Yohei opened the scroll further and found it divided into five sections, one for each village. Konoha's came first, displaying mostly signs he already knew – or ones he vaguely remembered having learned and then promptly forgotten.

Skimming through the other sections, he noted that the signs were largely the same across villages, with only minor variations. Most of those differences applied to code-specific terms like Ally, Enemy, and Home.

"Okay, this isn't entirely useless," he decided. "Not particularly useful either, since I'm pretty sure this is public knowledge for any interested ninja at this point… but at least it'll save me a trip to the library someday in the future."

He closed the scroll with a sigh and set it down, then leaned back in his chair and rubbed at his eyes.

"So, what can I take from this?" he muttered.

"Well, first of all, F-rank rewards exist – and they're apparently pretty mundane. Good to know." He paused, thinking. "What else…?"

"The Chaos Scroll only activated once yesterday – when I punched Gōdō." He frowned slightly. "That means both rewards came from that single moment. So one action can result in multiple rewards."

He nodded to himself. "Not exactly new information – I already knew that from the end of the genin exam – but it's good to have confirmation."

"Next: reward types." He counted them off mentally. "A jutsu and a manual. I thought jutsu rewards came from defeating opponents, but was injuring Gōdō enough for it to count as a 'defeat'? Or is the system's definition just… broader than I assumed?"

"My first jutsu was from killing the monster boar. The second came from passing Sensei's test." He tapped his fingers against the desk. "So maybe it's anything sufficiently impressive with a martial component?"

"And manuals?" he continued. "The first was from winning that bet on our first mission. The second from successfully converting my chakra into Water chakra. And this one today came from…"

He trailed off, brow furrowing.

"…What the hell did I do that was reward-worthy besides hitting Gōdō?"

He pursed his lips, tapping a finger against the tabletop as he replayed the moment in his mind.

"Was it… my bootleg attempt at Lady Tsunade's technique?" he muttered.

Extreme Muscle Assault: Megaton.

A wildly inefficient, outrageously costly, and frankly dangerous technique that combined the strongest jutsu in his current arsenal with his amateur understanding of human anatomy and biology, all to deliver a single punch that pushed his body to the absolute limits of what it could currently manage.

It wasn't particularly useful in the field. It demanded complete focus just to avoid injuring himself, and even when executed properly it left him weakened afterward. On top of that, the attack was telegraphed as hell – he could only perform it with both feet planted, from a very specific stance, and the actual strike was a textbook haymaker.

'But I suppose it's still impressive for a genin to be able to pull it off,' he thought.

"And what does that have in common with the other times?" Yohei continued aloud. "I mean, it's easy enough to correlate it with the Nature Transformation training – those were both new techniques I implemented for the first time much earlier than I probably should have. But what does that have to do with winning a bet?"

He frowned, running his tongue idly over his teeth as he thought – then blinked, eyes widening slightly.

"Maybe it wasn't the bet itself that earned me the reward," he said slowly, "but how I won it."

"What I was doing was basically just cutting off trees… but I did it in a way no other genin in my position could replicate. Something impressive."

He leaned forward, fingers tapping faster now.

"So… I get new manuals – or skills – from demonstrations of skill." He paused. "Does that logic apply to everything else too?"

"I get jutsu – power – from demonstrations of power. Breaking through the defenses of someone much stronger than me. Defeating a dangerous opponent." He nodded slowly to himself. "Yeah, that tracks."

"But then what the hell are the conditions for Bloodline Limits and Contracts?"

The question sent a spark of excitement through him. Grinning, Yohei grabbed an empty notebook and began jotting his thoughts down in Portuguese, the pencil scratching rapidly across the page.

"If the theme holds," he murmured, "then Contracts would come from… what? Domestication feats?"

He snorted. "Yeah, no. I definitely didn't do that during the test."

"Maybe it's broader than that. Teamwork? Companionship? Interpersonal bonds in general?" He nodded slowly. "That actually sounds plausible."

He paused, chewing on the end of the pencil.

"But I still have absolutely no fucking idea what kind of feat would qualify for a Bloodline Limit."

After a few moments, he clicked his tongue and leaned back.

"No point in breaking my head over it," he decided. "One example is nowhere near enough data to make a decent guess. I'll just have to wait until I get another and compare."

He tossed the pencil onto the desk, spun his chair, and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.

'That was still very useful,' he thought with a grin. 'Now I more or less know what kind of feats I should aim for if I want a new jutsu or a manual.'

Thinking about possible opportunities to test his theory, Yohei's thoughts drifted to the training session his sensei had planned for Team 5 that afternoon. His smile widened.

'Guess I'll get to test it soon enough.'

-~=~-​

When he was done, Yohei pushed his chair back and stood up. A quick glance at the clock told him that barely a few minutes had passed since he'd woken up, so he resigned himself to starting the day early and getting in more Total Concentration Breathing training before meeting his team for their daily D-rank mission.

Before leaving the house, he briefly considered taking some painkillers to deal with the lingering aches from the previous day. After a moment's thought, he dismissed the idea.

If he was going to survive and thrive in shōnen-land – where people stabbed their own hands to extract venom, snapped bones back into place and kept fighting, or got impaled clean through the torso and stayed sane instead of breaking down – then he needed to learn how to deal with pain.

He promptly regretted that decision about six minutes into his sprint.

Every movement had him wincing, and every thunderous footfall sent a fresh, jolting wave of pain racing through his body. He was sorely tempted to give up, turn back, and take the medicine – telling himself that the Chaos Scroll would eventually give him something that let him work through pain anyway.

But he was already far enough from home that doubling back felt unappealing. By the time he finished his first lap around the village, his blood was running hot enough that the pain had dulled into something more manageable.

So he kept going.

He didn't even make it to three full laps before the sky began to brighten, and he decided it was time to move on to the next stage of his training. Panting like a dog and sweating like a pig, Yohei made his way to the base of the Hokage Rock and started climbing.

This time, he leaned more heavily on chakra enhancement – less out of desire and more out of necessity. He doubted he could manage the ascent on raw physical strength alone in his current condition.

After a few more torturous minutes, Yohei once again found himself atop Hashirama's head. He gazed out at the village below as it was slowly illuminated by the first rays of sunlight, focusing on calming his breathing before beginning work on expanding his lung capacity.

By the end of it, he had nearly doubled the amount of time he could maintain that fully expanded state. It made him wonder whether his growth would continue linearly, or if later stages would slow down – or perhaps accelerate.

Once finished, he shifted into another breathing method – one meant to teach a prospective Slayer how to cope with a sudden influx of oxygen in the bloodstream. Combined with how much he'd already expanded his capacity, it still didn't come close to replicating the effects of true Total Concentration Breathing…

…but it did leave his entire body tingling, energy humming through his limbs.

'I wonder how much oxygen there actually is in my blood,' he thought.

Then he blinked, and a smile slowly spread across his face as an idea took shape.

After one last long, steady inhale followed by a quick, explosive exhale, Yohei pushed himself up from where he'd been sitting atop the First Hokage's head. He hopped in place a few times, rolling his shoulders and shaking out his arms, idly noting how the aches in his body had dulled even further after the training.

That realization only made him grin wider. His shoulders shook with silent laughter as he turned and began climbing back down the Hokage Rock.

The idea itself was simple. Short of drawing his own blood and testing its oxygen levels with medical equipment, the only way to measure it was through practice. He could've stayed still and counted how many seconds passed before he needed to breathe again – but that sounded painfully boring.

Not to mention, he needed to start moving toward the Academy if he didn't want to be late.

So he decided to leave the more academic testing for the peace of his room later. For now, he'd test a much more practical question:

'How far can I go before I need to breathe?'

The answer?

Really far.

He didn't feel the slightest bit winded by the time he reached the base of the Hokage Rock. He still felt fine as he started leaping across rooftops, though he did notice the pleasant tingling in his body slowly begin to fade.

His teammates found it a little strange that he didn't say a word when greeting them, but a few casual gestures reassured them that everything was fine – even if they kept shooting him puzzled looks. Their sensei merely raised an eyebrow at him before shaking his head and heading inside the building.

Yohei felt no need to breathe as they climbed the stairs. Nor while they waited for Hayama-sensei to select their mission for the day.

It wasn't until they'd already left the Academy that he felt the faintest hint of strain – and even that felt like an exaggeration. It was less discomfort and more the sensation of having burned through the surplus energy in his body, returning to his normal reserves.

Only when they were about halfway to the building housing Konoha Public Library – the target of that morning's mission – did he finally feel the burn in his chest, the tightening signal urging him to inhale.

Which he did.

No coughing. No desperate gasps. Just a smooth, normal breath.

"I was starting to get worried," Hayama said, his quiet, amused voice snapping Yohei out of his awe. "There are Wind-nature techniques that let ninja go a long time – technically indefinitely, as long as they keep feeding them chakra – without breathing. But I doubt that's what you were doing."

He glanced sideways at Yohei. "New technique?"

With no time to cook up a decent lie – and unwilling to try a bad one on a jōnin – Yohei simply shrugged and smiled.

"Kind of."

Hayama hummed, studying him for a long moment, lips quirking slightly.

"Back on your first mission," he said at last, "was that a technique you created too?"

Yohei blinked, then his eyes widened as he let out an awkward chuckle.

"No, not really," he said, scratching the back of his head. "That was… my teeth are just like that, honestly. I haven't found anything I can't bite through yet."

"Ah, a mutation, then?" Hayama said with a light chuckle. "Perhaps some distant Inuzuka ancestry."

He waved the thought away casually. "Then again, new bodily mutations are fairly common among those with high Yang affinity. I once heard from a friend in the Research & Development Division that, until a few centuries ago, white hair was incredibly rare – and blue hair didn't exist at all. Can you believe that?"

Yohei's eyes widened as he turned the idea over in his head.

'So… that's the origin of Anime Hair here.'

He had already read hints of that sort of thing. Small discrepancies in anatomy texts his mother had given him – details that didn't quite line up with what he remembered from his alternate life. He just hadn't dug deeply enough yet to really notice the pattern.

"That's… kind of amazing, actually," he said honestly.

Hayama nodded, humming happily. "It is. That's where the Inuzuka traits come from – and why the bodies of the Aburame are already suitable as nests from birth. Many shinobi from the Hidden Mist also display aquatic traits. Sharper teeth, eyes adapted for underwater environments, even gills in rare cases."

He glanced at Yohei. "Have you noticed anything else like that, aside from your teeth?"

Yohei thought about it.

'Is there? Or better yet… is there anything else I got from the Chaos Scroll that I could take the opportunity to pass off as a genuine mutation right now?'

There wasn't.

But at least now he knew this could serve as a perfectly reasonable justification for future developments.

Though that meant even more –

'Research,' he thought with a grimace. 'Kami, I'm really starting to hate that word.'

He shook his head. "Not that I can think of, sensei."

"And the whole 'not breathing' thing just now was…?" Hayama prompted.

"A technique-" Yohei started, then stopped and 'corrected' himself. "Well. The start of a technique. Maybe. Hopefully."

He gestured vaguely as he spoke. "The way you made us train with the chakurami, and the lessons on physical and spiritual energy, got me thinking. If the basic state of my body and mind defines how much chakra I have and how much I can enhance myself with it, then what can I do to improve that baseline?"

"Training," Hayama replied dryly.

Yohei laughed. "Well, yeah. But a ninja has to 'look underneath the underneath' and all that."

He smiled, warming to the topic. "So I came up with an idea. Just like Extreme Muscle Assault was kind of inspired by the Multi-Size Technique, I started thinking about how I could replicate something similar to the other Akimichi hidden technique, Calorie Control."

Growing more animated, Yohei turned fully toward his sensei as they walked, lowering his voice to avoid being overheard.

"Basically, what I came up with is a breathing technique meant to increase my oxygen intake and my body's resistance to carbon dioxide buildup," he explained. "The goal is to keep my blood's oxygen saturation at peak levels even during extreme exertion, so my body can operate at maximum capacity."

His eyes gleamed.

"And if I can push it further – draw in excess oxygen without suffering from hyperoxia – then maybe I can convert that surplus directly into fuel for chakra."

That… was only partially true.

The most basic part of the concept he'd just explained did line up with how Total Concentration Breathing actually worked, yes – but the real thing was also a genuinely supernatural technique. One that outright increased the body's ability to absorb and utilize oxygen beyond normal human limits, using it as an energy source to fuel a Slayer's superhuman abilities when they accelerated their heartbeat and metabolism.

Not to mention the fact that it had absolutely nothing to do with chakra.

Still, he could "discover" that part later – after conveniently "failing" at trying to convert oxygen directly into physical energy for chakra.

Hayama was silent for a moment, studying Yohei intently.

Then, slowly, he asked, "Yohei… that was just two days ago."

Yohei stiffened.

"Are you telling me you came up with the theory and developed it to the point where you were able to go for minutes without breathing?" Hayama continued, disbelief creeping into his voice. He frowned, gaze drifting into the distance. "And you also changed your breathing patterns on the very same day I told you about the chakurami."

He turned back sharply, eyes wide.

"Are you saying that within minutes of that lesson, you were already thinking about – and implementing – this idea?"

Caught completely off guard, Yohei stared back at him with equally wide eyes.

'Shit.'

The shift in mood didn't go unnoticed. Ren and Souma stopped their own conversation, both glancing over with concern, though they relaxed when Yohei waved them off.

Letting out an awkward laugh, Yohei scratched his cheek. "I… guess so? Thinking back on it, I was probably being pretty reckless about it. Sorry."

Hayama held his gaze for several long seconds.

Yohei felt sweat bead at his temple and swallowed, forcing himself to breathe evenly.

Then Hayama sighed.

"Yohei," he said quietly, "how many Yang Release jutsu have you created so far?"

'What the hell am I supposed to say now?!' Yohei panicked internally – then froze. 'Wait. No. That's actually… a good opportunity, isn't it? Yeah. Let's do this.'

"Well…" he said aloud, choosing his words carefully, "so far, only Extreme Muscle Assault, honestly. I don't really consider this breathing technique finished enough to call it 'ready' yet."

He shrugged. "Besides that, I've been working on a few others. One to turn my nails into claws, one to harden my skin and flesh, and another to enhance my hearing. I'm pretty close to finishing the first one, but the other two still need a lot more research." He lied like a lying liar who lies.

Then his eyes lit up as he 'remembered' something.

"Oh! And I've also been studying a jutsu my mom gave me that lets me grow my hair and turn it into needles – but I didn't create that one myself, so I don't know if it counts."

"Hmm… Ren. Souma."

Hayama called out to his teammates, who had been very obviously pretending not to listen in.

"Please continue to the library and wait for us outside," he said calmly. "I need to have a talk with Yohei."

The two hesitated, but seeing that Hayama looked more pensive than anything else – and that Yohei didn't seem particularly worried – they nodded and moved on.

"Right. Follow me," Hayama said, springing up onto the rooftops.

Yohei followed a moment later.

They hopped across several buildings before stopping atop a taller one, its height and surrounding walls making it difficult for anyone to observe them unnoticed. Hayama formed a short sequence of hand seals, then swept one hand through the air with his fingers curved like claws.

The space around them visibly distorted, rippling with the unmistakable signature of Wind chakra.

The result was a barrier of sorts – one that muted the world beyond it entirely. No sound from the outside passed through, and from what Yohei could tell, nothing inside would escape either.

Curious – and a little awed – Yohei reached out and brushed a finger through it, only realizing after that this might have been a terrible idea. Thankfully, whatever technique this was, it felt less like slicing pressure and more like a strong breeze pushing against a flexible membrane.

"I'm going to be direct, Yohei-kun," Hayama said flatly, though not unkindly. "You're neither stupid nor ignorant. You know that what you just told me is not, in any way, normal. Right?"

Yohei nodded, shrugging with a helpless smile. "Yeah. I figured that out when my mom nearly freaked out over just me creating Extreme Muscle Assault."

"So when you said she helped you create that jutsu…"

"That was a lie," Yohei admitted with a wince. "Sorry."

Hayama waved it off with a shake of his head. "There's no need for that. I understand why you'd be worried."

He paused, choosing his next words carefully, then sighed.

"Prodigies have always been a cornerstone of ninja history. Lord First and Madara Uchiha were both prodigies without equal even today. They didn't just change the ninja world – they redefined what it meant to be a ninja."

"Each of the first Kage was a prodigy, capable of unifying warring and isolated clans under a single banner. Lord Second was a prodigy who revolutionized ninja training and created techniques that still form the backbone of Konoha."

"Lady Tsunade advanced the field of iryoninjutsu by decades – perhaps centuries, had others been capable of fully reproducing her work."

"And Itachi Uchiha…" Hayama's gaze hardened slightly. "Alone, he destroyed one of the oldest and most powerful clans in the world in a single night."

He looked directly at Yohei.

"Prodigies are loved. Prodigies are feared. Prodigies are protected – and resented. They are the strongest among us. They also rarely live long enough to die of old age."

Hayama held Yohei's gaze, voice low but steady.

"And you, Yohei… are most definitely a prodigy."

'I'm really not,' Yohei thought.

"What should I do?" he asked instead.

Hayama chuckled softly. "What should you do? That's for you to decide, my dear genin." He paused, then smiled more warmly. "I will say this, though – your chances of achieving your future dream are much greater than I originally thought."

His expression sobered, though the encouragement remained. "I can't tell you what path to take. But as your sensei, I can give you the knowledge you need to make your own choices… and offer advice, if you want it."

"Please," Yohei said, nodding firmly.

"Hmm. Very well." Hayama took a moment to think. "How have you been finding your training? Do you feel under-stimulated?"

"Nope," Yohei replied immediately. "Between your training, studying at home with my mom, and waking up an hour early to work on that breathing technique… I'm already at my limit. I honestly don't think I could add anything else without getting overwhelmed and having to cut back on something I'm already doing."

Hayama nodded in approval. "Then that's good. Do tell me if that ever changes – I can always arrange something more demanding. Your current regimen suits your strengths well, so I don't see any immediate adjustments needed."

He paused. "In that case, let's talk about other considerations. Specifically, how you should treat this… secret of yours."

"You don't think I should keep it hidden?" Yohei asked, tilting his head.

Hayama considered the question before answering. "It's more complicated than that. As ninja, it's essential that the full extent of our strength and capabilities remain hidden. An opponent who knows exactly what you can do is an opponent who's already halfway to defeating you."

He continued evenly, "Fighting someone fully prepared for you is the same as walking toward your own grave."

"But," he added, "there are also very real advantages to letting some of your abilities be known. Reputation, for instance, is a powerful tool – for both you as an individual and the village as a whole."

"How so?" Yohei asked, brow furrowing.

"For one, it makes it easier for clients – especially wealthy ones – to commission you directly," Hayama explained. "That brings not just money and resources, but also connections and higher-ranking missions on your record. You'll need those if you ever want to advance beyond chūnin."

"Reputation is also a weapon in combat," he went on. "Your opponents, even in they are in superior numbers or are actually stronger than you, are far more likely to make mistakes if they're afraid of your name."

"And for the village?" Yohei prompted.

"The same principles apply, but on a broader scale," Hayama said. "If your name spreads, more clients will want to send missions to Konoha. You become proof of the village's quality.

"The nobles and the daimyō allocate more funding when our fame rises – both as reward and as incentive. That funding lets us expand, improve care for our shinobi, and prepare for the next major conflict."

'The next Great Ninja War,' Yohei thought.

They were the natural consequence of the world as it stood – born from the chaos of the Warring Clans Era and the abrupt transition into the Village System. No one truly believed the last war had been the last. Peace, after all, was seen less as a natural state and more as a brief lull between conflicts.

"And there's another benefit," Hayama added, a small grin tugging at his lips – one Yohei immediately recognized. "One that's particularly relevant for someone with your… specific talents."

"And that is…?" Yohei asked, wary.

"Marriage proposals."

"…Really."

Hayama laughed at the flat response. "I'm serious. You're unaffiliated with any clan. The last time someone like that showed promise on your level was Lord Fourth – and for a while, every clan in the village went feral trying to outdo each other with marriage offers. Even the Uchiha and the Hyūga got involved."

"Sensei," Yohei said incredulously, "why the hell would I want that kind of chaos in my life?"

Hayama met his gaze, amusement still present but his tone serious. "Because it would be legitimately useful to you, given your specialties."

He held up a finger. "If your main talent were Nature Transformation, you could train that on your own. If it were fūinjutsu, you could search for masters across the nations – or hunt down old Uzumaki scrolls. If it were taijutsu, you could simply seek out stronger opponents."

Then he leaned in slightly. "But Yang Release? That's different."

Yohei stilled.

"You do have excellent talent for Water Release," Hayama continued, "but it pales in comparison to your affinity for Yang. And that, my genin, is an incredibly niche branch of ninjutsu. You won't find many scrolls, teachers, or established techniques for it just lying around."

"Don't misunderstand me," he added. "You're doing remarkably well on your own. But that's no reason not to stack your advantages. Konoha has more clans with Yang-focused techniques than almost any other village – possibly the most. Ignoring that would be a waste."

He smiled knowingly. "The Akimichi and the Inuzuka, in particular, would be very interested in you."

"I'm…" Yohei hesitated, a hint of distaste creeping into his voice. "I'm not sure I want to marry someone for something like that."

Hayama nodded. "That's fair." Then he added, casually, "But even adoption into a clan would already grant you most of the benefits."

At Yohei's still-reluctant expression, Hayama chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Relax. There's no need to rush a decision like that. These are simply things to keep in mind – we can discuss them again in the future."

He straightened, tone turning instructional once more. "In general, my advice is this: don't hide the fact that you're a prodigy, and don't be afraid to show your skills and jutsu."

"But," he said pointedly, "always keep their full extent and inner workings hidden. Leave something in reserve. You want enemies to think they've figured you out – right before you prove them wrong."

"I can do that," Yohei said, nodding firmly.

"Again," Hayama said calmly, "this is only advice. I'll support you even if you decide to keep your abilities hidden as much as possible. But if it's not too much to ask, try to be more open with me and your teammates."

Yohei listened intently.

"I can plan your training far better if I know what tools you already have and which ones still need sharpening," Hayama continued. "And you need someone you're not hiding them from – someone you can actually practice with."

He paused, then added more seriously, "As for your teammates, them knowing what you're capable of can be the difference between life and death on a future mission."

Hayama's gaze sharpened. "You told me you're developing a defensive jutsu that hardens your flesh, didn't you? Imagine this scenario: an enemy ninja faster than you throws a kunai straight at your chest. You know that if you activate that jutsu, you'll be fine."

He let the silence stretch.

"But your teammates don't know that. Souma, being faster than you, throws himself in the way – believing he's saving your life. And he dies."

Yohei stared at Hayama in horror. "No! I – I wouldn't – of course not!"

Hayama nodded, his voice gentle but unyielding. "I know. And I'm not asking you to explain every single detail of your techniques. Kami knows Ren won't do that either, given his family's ambitions to form a clan."

He looked at Yohei steadily. "But just like you trusted them enough to tell them about Extreme Muscle Assault, I'm asking you to share information that would be vital to both your survival and theirs on the battlefield."

"I will," Yohei said firmly. "I'm sorry – I hadn't…"

'Hadn't wanted to consider the possibility,' he admitted to himself, guilt twisting in his chest. 'I wanted to keep the safety of anonymity for as long as possible. Even now, I'm still hiding far more than what you've uncovered. I don't think I can be fully honest, sensei. I'm sorry.'

"…I didn't think about that," he said aloud. "I was trying to avoid attention and trouble. I didn't consider the consequences. I promise I'll be more open from now on."

'That, at least, is true,' he thought. 'And like I suspected, this conversation creates the perfect alibi. If anyone ever asks Hayama-sensei, he can honestly say I was already showing signs of a bloodline limit and prodigious talent – so no one starts wondering if there's some mastermind secretly feeding me techniques or experimenting on me.'

"That's all I can ask," Hayama said with a grateful smile. "We can leave the rest for another time. Your teammates must already be getting frustrated trying to listen in."

He glanced to the side.

Perched on the edge of the rooftop were two birds: a large red one that looked suspiciously like a falcon, and a smaller white, owl-like one. Both were very clearly not staring at Yohei and Hayama.

Yohei blinked, then stared at them incredulously. A warm feeling bloomed in his chest – one that had nothing to do with the Chaos Scroll. He laughed in disbelief, covering his face with his palm.

"Couldn't they at least have chosen normal birds?" he asked between laughs.

Hayama chuckled. "Every day that passes, I grow more convinced that none of you qualify as anything close to 'normal.'"

As he spoke, he dismissed the wind barrier. At the same time, the two birds dispelled their transformation jutsu, returning to human form – Souma looking relieved, and Ren wearing a smug, if slightly sheepish, grin.

[Chapter 18 – Karma is a Bitch]​

After that eventful little stop, Team 5 resumed their walk to the Library, with Hayama explaining that whatever he and Yohei may have been discussing was an entirely private matter.

Yohei appreciated that the man was truly keeping his word and not forcing him to cough up his 'secrets' – though, truth be told, he didn't actually mind telling them. He wasn't worried people would see him as a prodigy; he was worried they wouldn't, and would start wondering where he kept getting so many new things from.

So he just gave them a reassuring look and said carefreely, "I'll tell you guys later, when we're on the training grounds."

Souma returned the smile with a nod. Ren, however, let some of his smugness slip, revealing a measure of worry beneath it. He shot Yohei a crooked grin, eyebrow raised, still playful on the surface, but with something a bit more serious behind his eyes.

"You don't have to say anything, you know?" Ren said.

Yohei smiled at him gratefully, then promptly clasped his hands to his chest and pretended to swoon like an old lady spotting a baby. "Ownt~ Wimpy-kun is worried about me. How cute."

He reached out to pat Ren's head.

The boy, in response, immediately bared his teeth and snapped at his fingers, forcing Yohei to yank his hand back with a laugh.

Hayama watched their antics with an indulgent smile, shaking his head.

Souma, meanwhile, glanced down at his own hand thoughtfully. As they passed through the Library's doors, he seemed to come to a decision, lifting that hand and gently placing it atop Ren's head.

"Snrk-" Yohei snorted, barely containing his laughter as Ren's eye began to twitch. The shorter boy visibly fought for self-control while Souma continued petting his hair with complete obliviousness, as if he was soothing a puppy.

Ren slowly turned to stare up at his taller teammate, an incredulous, wordless question written all over his face.

Souma – bless his heart – misinterpreted it entirely. He nodded, as if impressed, and said honestly, "Your hair is really soft, Ren."

Faced with such frank praise, their diminutive teammate couldn't even stay mad, sighing in resignation.

"…Thanks, Souma. But please don't pet my hair in public."

"Got it," Souma said with a firm nod as he withdrew his hand.

Ren visibly slouched in relief-

-which was promptly shattered when the white-haired boy continued, "Only in private."

"Oh, my."

The feminine voice came from nearby.

Ren turned stiffly, almost robotically, and found himself face-to-face with a tall, willowy woman with long black hair. Black-rimmed glasses framed sharp green eyes now wide with interest, a blush dusting her cheeks as she daintily covered her mouth with her fingertips.

"Ah- No! That- that's not-!" Ren tried to stammer out an explanation for a solid six seconds, failed miserably, then snapped.

He spun around, grabbed Souma by the fabric of his cloak, and shook him back and forth like a madman.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT, DAMMIT!"

"Hn. Sorry."

"HAHAHAHAHA – !"

"THAT'S YOUR FAULT, YOHEEEEEEEEEEEEI!"

Chuckling at the spectacle, the librarian turned toward Hayama, amusement crinkling her eyes. "You genin are quite spirited, aren't they, Shirakumo-san?"

Letting out a long sigh and palming his face, Hayama still couldn't suppress a smile. "You don't know the half of it."

-~=~-​

Their mission for the day turned out to be the simplest one yet – and also the most mind-numbing.

They were simply to assist the librarian – Kuroda-san – with reorganizing the civilian section of the Library.

There was no arcane cataloging system involved, either. Just... divide by theme, shelve accordingly, group books by author, and arrange them in order of publication.

The problem?

They had to do this for a few hundred books.

So yeah. Mind-numbing.

"Huh, would you look at that," Yohei murmured with a grin, holding up a small orange book. "'Icha Icha: Paradise.'"

The cover depicted a man in a white shirt and jeans chasing after a woman in a red dress, her long black hair flowing behind her. Flipping to the back, Yohei read the blurb aloud.

"'The main character and heroine, both new to love, begin dating, and their eyes gradually open to grown-up love.'" He snorted. "Sage, this is the most bland and generic synopsis I've ever read in my life."

"Meh. The actual book is better," Ren replied nonchalantly, sorting his massive pile of books into… slightly smaller massive piles by author. "I think Jiraiya-sama just didn't have a good editorial team back when he released the first edition. Plus, they probably didn't expect much after how badly his first novel flopped."

Yohei raised an eyebrow. "You've read it before?"

Ren grinned. "Yeah. I saw Mom beating the crap out of Pops after she found his hidden collection and got curious."

Yohei stared at him for a beat.

"…You just love giving me blackmail material, don't you?"

Ren's hand twitched before he plastered a wide, serene smile onto his face and continued sorting.

"You know, Yohei," he said pleasantly, "I have this little mental construct I like to call my Book of Grudges. I'm sure even a dumbass like you can guess what it's about."

Yohei glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"It's amazing, really," Ren continued, still smiling. "We've only been close for a week, and your entries are already among the biggest ones in there. I just want you to know that I will get my pound of flesh back for each of them."

He paused, eyes glinting.

"With interest."

Yohei was quiet for a moment, staring at him.

"…Pfft-!"

Then he burst out laughing.

"T-that was the dorkiest shit I've ever heard."

Ren groaned and leaned forward, gently thumping his forehead against the wooden bookshelf. "Yeah. It sounded way better in my head."

"Back to work, genin," Hayama reminded them from the corridor, massive towers of books balanced perfectly in each of his hands. "We've wasted too much time already."

"Yes, sensei!" they chorused, immediately returning to their tasks.

After finishing the Romance section, the two of them took a short break before moving on to the nonfiction half of the first floor.

Yohei had been there before, back when he was studying for the Academy exams, and it hadn't changed much since then. Shelves were packed with books on mathematics; scrolls containing surprisingly detailed maps of the Five Great Nations; works on astronomy and the natural sciences; and – perhaps most surprisingly – only lightly sanitized history books. They were careful not to expose any sensitive information and painted Konoha and the Fire Country as unambiguous heroes, but still offered far more detail than Yohei would've expected.

There were also carefully curated records of the lineage of the Fire Daimyō and other notable noble houses, volumes on law – both pertaining to the Fire Country at large and the Village specifically – craft manuals, and all sorts of medical texts.

It all felt… oddly modern, considering Yohei's memories from his alternate life.

It was while browsing the Arts and Leisure section that something finally caught his attention.

"'An Introductory Manual on Calligraphy,'" he read aloud. Innocuous enough.

But printed discreetly along the spine were three characters:

封印術​

'Fūinjutsu.'

Yohei opened the book.

Dense sections of text greeted him, offering an overview of the history and applications of the Sealing Arts. That was followed by a chapter explaining its basic mechanics, emphasizing – repeatedly – the importance of calligraphy practice.

Only after that did the manual transition into structured lessons: introductory symbols and signs, their meanings and applications carefully explained, each accompanied by step-by-step breakdowns on how to write them correctly.

Humming in interest, Yohei stood up and began walking toward the librarian while continuing to read. She looked up from her desk, curiosity flickering across her face.

"Yes, Kuroyama-san?"

Yohei blinked and turned toward her, laughing sheepishly. "Just Yohei, please. I'm not much for formality."

"Understood, Genin Kuroyama-san," she repeated with mirth in her eyes, chuckling as his expression visibly fell. "Was there something you needed help with?"

"Ah – kind of." He closed the book and handed it to her. "It looks like this got displaced from the shinobi section and ended up down here."

She looked down at the cover, then turned the book around, flipping through its pages as her expression shifted from surprise to open exasperation.

"That's what happens when we leave rookies in charge of reception," she muttered, pouting as she sighed. "Someone's getting a scolding today."

Tucking the book under her arm, she straightened and offered Yohei a grateful smile. "Was there anything else?"

Yohei hesitated, eyes flicking briefly toward the book she was holding – taking very deliberate care not to let them wander elsewhere – before tilting his head in thought.

"Can I borrow that book?" he asked.

She blinked, then smiled in understanding. "Of course. The headband you're wearing is proof enough that the Village trusts you with this knowledge. I'll put it aside and register it for you once your team is done, alright?"

"Yup! Thanks!" Yohei replied with a wide grin before turning and heading back toward the pile of books he'd left behind.

He barely made it halfway before spotting Hayama-sensei, who gave him a look with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought you said you were already stretching yourself thin with what you're learning right now," Hayama remarked. "Are you planning on getting into fūinjutsu as well? It's a very time-consuming subject."

Chuckling embarrassedly, Yohei scratched the back of his head. "Not really. I just figured it'd be good to cover my bases – learn how to make storage scrolls and basic explosive tags, at least. I doubt they'd be as good as the ones on the market, but they could be useful in an emergency."

'And more than that,' he thought, 'they'll probably give me new rewards. Maybe just bronze seals, but even those can be valuable. Besides… I'm curious if defeating someone with a bomb tag I made myself counts as something different.'

Hayama hummed in approval. "That's much more reasonable. Beginner seals don't require deep understanding of the underlying mechanics – learning to copy the designs accurately is usually enough."

"Oh! Are you trained in fūinjutsu, sensei?"

Hayama chuckled, shaking his head. "No. I'm just repeating what I was told when I was younger. There was a brief period when I became fascinated with the Legendary Swords of the Mist and considered trying to create my own version." He snorted softly. "Follies of youth."

Then his expression turned more serious. "Still, doing it entirely on your own will take longer. If you want, I can look for someone who can teach you the basics properly."

"I can do that."

Ren's voice cut in just as Yohei was about to thank their sensei.

Turning toward him, Yohei was immediately assaulted by the smuggest expression he had ever seen on a human face – a shit-eating grin so wide it made his cheeks ache just from looking at it.

"Calligraphy is a great exercise for the mind and stimulates Spiritual Energy," Ren said smugly. "So my family had me taking lessons since I first learned how to write. Learning some fūinjutsu was just the next logical step."

He closed his eyes, tilted his chin up, and ran a hand through his hair, flicking a lock out of his vision with practiced flair. "I can't claim to be an expert, but I'm more than apt enough to teach someone the basics – especially if they don't want to bother with the theory."

"And you'd teach me out of the goodness of your heart," Yohei replied flatly, his tone bone-dry – though he couldn't quite stop the corner of his mouth from twitching upward.

Ren gasped scandalously, clutching his chest with an exaggerated look of betrayal. "Of course! Wasn't it you who said that the strength of our teammates is our own strength? I am frankly offended that you'd think I have any second intentions, Yohei. Offended, I say! Honestly, all you need to do is cough beg cough – I mean, ask."

Yohei looked at Ren.

Ren looked at Yohei.

Yohei's blue eyes went flat.

Ren's scarlet eyes somehow became even smugger.

'Book of Grudges,' Ren mouthed silently, flashing a fanged grin.

…

'Heh. Bet,' Yohei thought.

In the span of a single second – before Ren could even react to the dangerous glint that crossed Yohei's eyes – the blue-eyed boy went from standing to slamming into a perfect dogeza, forehead cracking against the wooden floor with a loud thoc.

"REN-SAMA!" Yohei bellowed. "PLEASE, FORGIVE THIS WORTHLESS CREATURE FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS AGAINST YOUR HONORABLE SELF, AND SEARCH WITHIN YOUR MERCIFUL HEART THE WILL TO GIFT UNTO THIS IGNORANT CRETIN A MEASURE OF THE BOUNDLESS WISDOM YOU POSSESS!"

"DON'T YOU HAVE ANY SHAME, YOU DUMBASS!?" Ren screeched. "WE'RE IN PUBLIC!"

"Ah- I UNDERSTAND!" Yohei continued without missing a beat. "I SHOULD ONLY FALL TO MY KNEES FOR YOU IN PRIVATE!"

"Oh my."

"YOOOOOHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEI-!"

-~=~-​

After that little spectacle, Hayama-sensei promptly smacked both of them upside the head and separated them to work in different sections until the mission was complete.

Even hours later, as they walked toward the Mission Desk, Yohei was still struggling to keep his chuckles contained while Ren shot him venomous glares from the corner of his eye.

"You're still going to teach me, right?" Yohei asked cheerfully.

The only response he got was a low growl.

Yohei snorted. "Come on, don't be a sourpuss. Let's stop by that kushiyaki guy on the way to the training grounds. I'll get one for everyone."

"…Two."

"Three – and you don't trick me into making a seal that blows up in my face."

Ren grinned, sharp and satisfied. "Deal."

They shook on it.

Hayama snorted, shaking his head at their antics. Then he seemed to think of something and tilted his head toward Yohei.

"Say," he began casually, "you're not thinking of learning fūinjutsu because of that thing we talked about, are you?"

Yohei blinked, brow furrowing in confusion.

'What is he – oh.'

"I wasn't," Yohei answered honestly. "But now that you mention it… should I?"

Hayama shrugged. "No idea. That's a question better asked to someone more knowledgeable on the subject."

Yohei nodded, then turned toward his curious teammates. "Hey, Ren – do you know how to make Contract Scrolls?"

Souma nodded in recognition now that he understood the context from what Yohei had told him the day before. Ren, meanwhile, glanced between his sensei and teammate before settling on Yohei with a raised eyebrow.

"You mean like the ones used for Summoning Jutsu?"

"Yep."

Ren shook his head. "No. Never really had a reason to look into them, honestly." He pinched his chin thoughtfully. "They're supposed to be relatively simple in theory, so I could probably learn how to make them… but it'd take a lot of time."

'So learning them on my own is a lost cause for now,' Yohei thought, lips pursed.

"I also can't imagine why you'd want to make one of those for an emergency," Ren continued. "You'd be better off just buying them. I can probably get you a discount at the shop where I buy my hollow senbon."

"I'd appreciate that," Yohei said with a grateful smile.

"You could also buy them from the Inuzuka," Hayama added, a teasing grin tugging at his lips. "I'm sure they'd be willing to give you a discount, given your… whole situation."

At Yohei's contemplative expression, Hayama raised an eyebrow. "You're actually considering it?"

Yohei took a moment before shrugging. "I mean… if I actually go through with this, I'd need someone experienced to teach me how to train and care for a summon, right? I can't imagine many people in the village knowing more about that than the Inuzuka." He paused. "That doesn't mean I'm committing to anything you suggested, sensei. But it wouldn't cost me anything to at least ask what they'd charge."

Hayama nodded slowly, approving. "Good thinking. I'll see if I can introduce you to one of my old teammates later."

He gestured toward the Academy doors. "For now, let's head inside."

All three genin nodded and followed.

-~=~- ​

After receiving payment for their mission, as had already become common, the three of them grabbed lunch together before heading toward Training Ground Twelve, Yohei stopping along the way to buy kushiyaki for everyone.

Once they arrived, Yohei made good on his promise and told them about his talent with Yang Release – and about the techniques he'd been developing.

It was… one of those moments that made him realize just how lucky he'd been with his team.

They were teenagers, barely more than kids, really. Yohei was certain that, had they been different people – hell, had he been himself without memories of another life – he would've felt an ugly stab of jealousy upon hearing that a teammate was a supposed genius.

There had been none of that with Souma and Ren.

Souma had merely given him a slightly impressed look and a nod, already processing the information and clearly waiting for the afternoon's lessons to begin. Ren, on the other hand, looked both relieved and exultant, like a man who'd just been handed the chicken that laid golden eggs.

Half-joking, but not without a hint of concern, Yohei asked if Ren wasn't worried about being overshadowed – especially given his family's… situation.

Ren's answer had been a bit explosive.

"Are you fucking insane?" he barked. "Do you have any idea how much prestige there is in being teammates with a genius? Not to mention how much better it is for my life expectancy to have a competent meat shield!" He spun toward their sensei. "Actually – fuck that. Sensei, you think we can sell this dumbass to the Akimichi and the Inuzuka as a stud? If I get their backing, my family could probably become a clan by tomorrow! YOHEI, GET BACK HERE AND DO YOUR DUTY FOR THIS TEAM!"

…Yeah.

Still, Yohei knew he was joking.

Probably.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

…

Eventually, things settled down, and the three of them sat before an exasperated – but quietly relieved – Hayama as he laid out the day's training.

"As you remember," he began, "today we'll be working on your jutsu. For the foreseeable future, training days will be divided into two parts. First, Fundamentals, aimed at teaching and refining chakra-neutral techniques I consider essential for any shinobi. Second, Specifics, which will focus on your individual specializations."

He gestured to each of them in turn. "For Souma, that will be Raiton. For Ren, Katon and Genjutsu. Yohei, I know you're still just starting with Suiton, so it's good that you have Yang Release to focus on for now, but I've already arranged for a Water Ninjutsu instructor once you reach that stage."

"Thank you, sensei!" Yohei said, bowing with a smile.

Then a thought struck him – one that filled him with immediate dread.

"They're not going to be like Gōdō, are they?"

In truth, Yohei wasn't really worried about that possibility. As far as he knew, the whole training maniac shtick and borderline worship of pain tended to be more common among taijutsu masters. It didn't fit at all with the temperament of a ninjutsu specialist – much less one aligned with an element like water.

…

"Sensei," Yohei said cautiously, "your silence is worrying me."

Hayama gave him a pitying look, then blinked and returned to a neutral expression.

"With that defined, I think we can begin today's lesson."

'Don't ignore me, dammit,' Yohei screamed internally.

"The Transformation Jutsu, the Clone Jutsu, and the Substitution Jutsu," Hayama began, "are the 'fundamental three' taught at the Academy. They are more than sufficient to deal with criminals and bandits, and even against shinobi they will remain cornerstones of your arsenal – reliable techniques that allow you to outthink and outmaneuver your opponent."

He continued without pause. "Other 'minor' techniques, such as the Disguise Jutsu and Escape Jutsu, must also not be neglected. In the future, we'll focus on refining your mastery and efficiency with these techniques, as well as developing your strategic thinking so you can better judge when and how to employ them in the field."

Then his tone shifted.

"There is, however, a more pressing matter. One last technique – more advanced to perform, and infinitely more complex to master – that I consider another fundamental of a shinobi, and paramount to field readiness."

He stopped, surveying their attentive faces, and nodded in satisfaction.

"I assume you are all familiar with the Body Flicker Technique?"

Yohei and Ren exchanged eager looks.

Souma's reaction, however, was surprising.

The usually stoic boy nearly leapt from his seated position before catching himself and settling back down again. Even so, the nervous energy and anticipation radiating off him were unmistakable – his fists clenched, his posture taut, stars practically shining in his eyes.

Hayama took in their expressions and smiled.

"We will not be learning it today."

…

"You are a cruel man, sensei," Souma said flatly.

"Thank you, Souma," Hayama replied without missing a beat. "The reason for this is that the Body Flicker operates on principles similar to those we discussed in our previous lesson on chakra control."

He raised a finger. "It is, in essence, a controlled method of flooding your body with as much chakra as it can safely handle – for a fraction of a second – while simultaneously propelling yourself in a single direction."

"Just because it is safer," he added calmly, "does not mean it is safe."

"So we will shelve it until all three of you are capable of water walking."

"So… the first part of today's training, for the foreseeable future, is just another session of our Tuesday classes?" Ren asked, defeated.

"Precisely. Very astute observation," Hayama replied dryly. "Given that, I see no reason to waste further time with words. Back to work, my genin."

Yohei pulled a kunai from his pouch and stood, letting out a sigh that Ren mirrored beside him.

Souma, however, had already bolted ahead. He was in the middle of taking his fifth step up the tree – his best result yet – when he was promptly yeeted out of it in a small explosion.

Caught off guard, Yohei spat out the bark that had gotten into his mouth, rubbing a hand down his face as he shared a commiserating look with Ren. The red-eyed boy was already stripping off his outer clothes, heading toward the running water nearby.

"Back to the grind," Yohei said, extending the fist that held his kunai.

Ren glanced at it, then huffed a small laugh and bumped it. "Back to the grind."

-~=~-​

The start of Yohei's second day attempting to violate gravity went no better than the first. He barely managed a few steps up the tree before he either fell or was violently ejected – and worse, he couldn't even tell whether those few steps were the result of proper chakra control or just friction between his soles and the bark.

Not being able to properly feel or measure his chakra was rapidly becoming one of the most frustrating aspects of his life.

Still, it served as a good reminder – a grounding one.

No matter how many rewards he'd received from the Chaos Scroll, no matter how powerful he felt, he was still struggling with one of the most basic chakra exercises. Something that, for ninety percent – if not more – of shinobi, was already instinctual.

He couldn't afford to get a big head. This was only the beginning of his path.

His mood lifted as the hours passed and he slowly began reaching higher and higher points on the tree, even if he still wasn't consciously aware of how he was doing it. Being able to measure his progress, at least, gave him the motivation to keep going despite the constant falls.

There was also the recurring sight of Ren splashing into the water again and again without managing a single stable step, which filled Yohei's heart with a surprising amount of warmth. The poor guy didn't even get a break when his chakra ran dry – Hayama immediately had him sit down, mold more, and return to the attempt.

By the end of the first part of their lesson, Yohei still couldn't Tree Walk.

But he was satisfied – he'd more than doubled his previous highest point.

-~=~- ​

"Alright, good work everyone. That was solid progress from all of you," Hayama said once they'd had time to recover their reserves. "Now, let's move on to the second part of our day – ninjutsu and genjutsu training."

He turned to Souma. "Souma, I was told you and Nanami-san have already discussed your Raiton lessons?"

"Hn." Souma nodded, pulling an electric-blue scroll with black borders from inside his coat and handing it to their sensei. Hayama opened it immediately and skimmed the contents.

"Lightning Release: Conductive Palm," he read. "E-Rank Ninjutsu. Contact-based, two hand seals. Channels Lightning chakra into the user's hand to discharge a brief but sharp shock into the target, disrupting the nervous system and causing muscle spasms and temporary loss of motor control. With proper placement, it can even induce unconsciousness for several seconds to a few minutes."

He looked up, clearly pleased. "An excellent introductory technique. Have you attempted it yet?"

"Yes."

"Show me."

Souma's hands moved in a blur before he extended his left arm. For a moment nothing happened – then his fingers twitched, and thin arcs of electricity snapped into existence around his hand.

Hayama tilted his head. "That stung just now, didn't it?"

Souma nodded once.

"That pain wasn't from improper Lightning chakra molding," Hayama explained calmly. "It's a chakra control issue. The delay between completing the seals and the discharge, however, does indicates inefficiency in the molding process, as well as unfamiliarity with the internal chakra pathway movement this technique requires. That's precisely why we've been drilling those exercises all week."

He smiled faintly. "Still – this is exemplary work for a genin. Touch me with it."

Without hesitation, Souma closed his hand around Hayama's.

The jōnin's arm jerked violently for a second before he forcibly regained control.

"Excellent," Hayama said, unfazed. "That would completely incapacitate a civilian, most genin, and even chūnin if you catch them at the right moment. A young jōnin could suffer effects as well if taken by surprise – though I strongly advise against testing that."

Souma nodded, expression unchanged.

"For today, your training is simple," Hayama continued. "Repeat the technique continuously. If the pain worsens, stop and allow your nerves to rest – switch hands if necessary. We'll visit the hospital afterward to have you checked, just to be safe. Understood?"

"Yes, sensei."

"Good. Begin."

Souma dismissed the jutsu and moved away, sitting down before restarting it. Soon, the crackle of electricity filled the clearing once more.

Hayama then turned to Ren. "Now, Ren. You'll be working on your family's jutsu, correct? Which aspect would you like to focus on today?"

Ren hesitated for a few moments, pinching his chin as he thought before finally speaking with furrowed brows.

"If it's not a problem, sensei, I'd like to try affecting you with my genjutsu," he said. "I know you can break out of it easily, especially since you'll be aware I'm using it, but what I really want to train is my ability to influence people stronger than me. Shinobi with high Spiritual Energy tend to be more resistant to genjutsu, and I'm willing to bet you have more of that than anyone I've trained against back home."

He straightened slightly. "I want to see how effective it actually is against someone strong – and what I need to improve before I rely on it in the field."

Hayama nodded, clearly understanding. "That's a sound approach. I have extensive experience training against genjutsu, so I'm familiar with the sensation."

He gave Ren a small smile. "That does mean this will be more difficult for you than usual."

Ren grinned. "Well, like Souma would say, that just means you're a better whetstone for me to sharpen myself on, right?"

Hayama chuckled. "I suppose so. In that case, wait for a moment while I speak with Yohei."

"Got it." Ren saluted with two fingers before standing and walking off.

Hayama turned back to Yohei. "Now then. I assume you have something planned as well?"

Yohei grinned. "Yup. Needle Jizō. Mom gave me the scroll after she found out about my Yang affinity. I've been studying it since."

"Have you attempted it yet?"

Yohei shook his head. "I've memorized the hand seals and practiced the chakra exercises, but I wanted to try activating it properly for the first time under supervision."

Hayama nodded approvingly. "Good. Go ahead."

Yohei jumped to his feet and rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck before bringing his hands together.

Tiger → Horse → Boar → Ram → Rat → Snake.

The sequence flowed smoothly, and with it came the familiar sensation of chakra being molded – this time with the deliberate imbalance between Physical and Spiritual Energy required for Yang Release.

The chakra gathered first around the cluster of tenketsu in his abdomen, swelling in volume before beginning to move. It spread outward through his chakra network in a slow, deliberate surge. As it passed, it bathed his organs – the liver, the adrenal system, the endocrine pathways…

Or at least, that was what the scroll claimed. Yohei himself wasn't nearly aware enough to confirm it.

The current climbed higher.

A cool, crawling pressure traced its way up his spine before spilling across his scalp. His hair roots ached, not... quite in pain, but more in the deeply unfamiliar sensation of something dormant being forced violently awake.

Then the growth began.

He made sure to keep reminding himself – and by consequence, his chakra – that his hair needed to straighten in the process. He had no idea what would happen if it grew and hardened while keeping its natural curls, and he very much preferred to leave that particular experiment for another time.

Thankfully, his chakra obeyed.

The softness of his curls vanished as Yang-charged chakra wrapped itself around every strand, flooding the keratin with its influence. The curls stretched, then unraveled, pulled almost straight by the internal pressure. Individual hairs thickened visibly, lengthening in uneven bursts before locking into place, stiffening as the chakra hardened their structure from the inside out.

The strands pushed past his shoulders in seconds, continuing to grow until gravity lost its argument.

One by one, they lifted.

Some slight curve remained, but each spike had become what it was meant to be – a natural weapon. By the time the flow stabilized into a constant hum that, honestly, used far less chakra than he had expected, his scalp throbbed lightly. The sensation was cool and oversensitive, as if it had been brushed from the inside.

And then a new weight made itself known in his chest.

Yohei smiled widely – and only half of it was from getting the jutsu right on the first try.

'Looks like I was right about the Chaos Scroll.'

He shook his head side to side, testing the sensation of the heavy mane of spikes moving with him. Carefully, he ran a hand through his hair, and it felt like plunging his fingers into a box filled with senbon – or thin nails. He grasped one and applied a bit of pressure.

Click.

The spike came free, immediately replaced by another strand growing in its place.

Turning the needle in his fingers, he inspected it. It looked exactly as he'd imagined: porcupine-like, slightly curved, with a dark, metallic sheen. He aimed at a nearby tree and threw it-

-and missed wildly, the poor aerodynamics leaving much to be desired.

Yohei chuckled. "Well, it's not perfect, but I think we can call it a success."

Hayama hummed in response. He raised his hand and pressed it lightly against Yohei's hair.

When he drew it back, several pinpricks of fresh blood welled up across his palm.

"Interesting," Hayama said calmly. "An innate protective response – softening to avoid injuring the user, while hardening in response to foreign contact."

He nodded appreciatively. "A solid defensive jutsu."

Hayama wiped his bloodied hand against his dark pants, the color vanishing into the fabric. "That said, you're right – it's not a complete success. The activation is far too slow, and the shape is inefficient."

He glanced back at Yohei. "Your training will be similar to Souma's. Repeated activation and dismissal. Over and over again. There are more advanced applications to this technique, aren't there?"

Yohei nodded seriously. "It can grow enough to envelop my whole body. There's a degree of control that lets me move the hair with chakra, and I can also launch it autonomously."

"So it can become an even better defense, as well as a method of short- and long-range attack," Hayama said approvingly. "Perfect. We'll worry about that once you've mastered the base application of the jutsu."

"Yes, Sensei."

Yohei released his hold on the technique, wincing as he felt the far less pleasant sensation of his hair receding – shrinking and dissolving back into his scalp as the chakra withdrew and the flow stopped.

Hayama chuckled at the face he made, shaking his head as he turned away toward a waiting Ren.

-~=~-​

'It's getting painful now.'

The thought had barely finished forming before Yohei dispelled the jutsu. The cool sensation from earlier was gone, replaced by a dull ache that quickly turned into a faint burn across his scalp from the repeated stimulation. He scratched at it absentmindedly-

-and immediately regretted it as the sting flared sharply, making him hiss.

'Better stop it here.'

Opening his eyes, he realized the sun was already sinking toward the horizon, though the sky hadn't yet begun to redden. He glanced around the riverbank.

Souma was still deep in concentration, repeating Conductive Palm again and again – far smoother than before. Yohei noticed that he had switched hands at some point; the one he'd been using earlier twitched faintly at his side.

Trusting Souma to know his limits – especially when it came to something as vital to his obsession as his hands – Yohei turned his attention to the other two members of his team.

Hayama and Ren sat near the river, facing each other cross-legged with their eyes closed.

Hayama's breathing was deep and steady. Burning on the center of his forehead was a small dot of fire – a scarlet flame that flowed smoothly rather than flickering like its mundane counterpart.

Ren, by contrast, was visibly strained. His brows were furrowed, lips pressed tight, sweat rolling down his face as he held a hand sign Yohei recognized from past encounters. His little, ring, and middle fingers touched at the tips to form an arch, while the index fingers and thumbs overlapped beneath it.

It resembled an eye beneath a flame.

The symbol of Ren's family.

Curious, Yohei quietly stood and approached, sitting down at a respectful distance so as not to disturb their training.

For several minutes, nothing visibly happened.

Ren's breathing grew heavier, his face flushing red, while Hayama merely deepened his breaths, otherwise unmoving.

Then, suddenly, Ren exhaled sharply, breaking the silence. He panted as the flame on Hayama's forehead flickered once – and vanished.

"That looks intense," Yohei commented quietly.

Ren's scarlet eyes snapped open and flicked toward him. After a moment, he huffed, forcing his breathing back under control before giving Yohei a crooked grin.

"You have no idea."

"It is quite a powerful technique," Hayama agreed as he opened his eyes, seemingly no worse for wear. "I can see why your family is proud of it. And in my opinion, it definitely seems more than good enough to serve as the foundation of a clan."

"Thanks, Sensei," Ren said with a frank smile before letting out a chuckle. "Though I don't know how much that helps after spending hours failing to get a reaction out of you."

Hayama shook his head, smiling faintly. "As I said, I have extensive experience with genjutsu. I was… terrified of it in my youth, and I sought to cover that weakness through exposure. Your technique was definitely working as intended – but being aware of it, and able to dedicate my full focus to resisting it, made it possible to ignore its effects. I doubt that would be the case if I were distracted or forced to keep moving in battle. Against most others, it would be far more effective."

'That's… honestly amazing,' Yohei thought. 'I guess that's what it really means to be a jōnin.'

"How does it feel?" Yohei asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Ren immediately turned to him with a grin. "Want to find out?"

Yohei narrowed his eyes. "Will it be humiliating?"

"Most definitely," Ren replied honestly, his smirk widening.

Yohei considered it for a moment, then shrugged. "What the hell. It's just us, and having firsthand experience sounds useful."

Ren chuckled. "Well, now I'd feel bad if I made it hurt. Let's try something a little different."

He moved through a practiced sequence of hand seals, finishing by exhaling a small wisp of familiar scarlet flame that gathered at the tip of his fingers. He raised it toward Yohei's forehead, who obediently leaned in and closed his eyes.

At first… it didn't feel like much.

Warm. Slightly tingly. Almost sparkly.

If he had to describe it, the thought that surfaced unbidden was:

It feels like Ren.

"Kōen Mōrō: Jonetsu Shakushin," Ren intoned.

Hazy Radiant Flames: Passion Scorching the Body.

The sensation slipped into him like a harmless needle – pleasantly warm – as it pushed through his skull and sank into his mind. From there, it spread outward, threading through his bones, his blood, his skin.

At first, it felt like a hug.

Like drinking something hot on a cold day – except the warmth flooded his entire body at once.

Then the temperature rose.

Not abruptly. Gradually. Insidiously.

And it wasn't burning in the way fire burns –

No. It was burning.

Just… differently.

Yohei's eyes snapped open.

Only then did he realize he was panting, sweat soaking through his clothes. His vision swam, hazy and unfocused, though he could still clearly make out the smug curve of Ren's smile.

He looked down at his hands. His skin was flushed, almost glowing. Distractedly, he dragged his fingers across the back of one hand –

– and the lingering heat flared sharply along the path, making him groan.

'Right,' he thought hazily. 'Should have guessed by the name.'

He tried to say something, but his tongue felt heavy and uncoordinated, and even thinking was starting to feel like too much work.

'I… have to cool down.'

He forced himself to his feet on trembling legs, hastily shrugging off his coat and shirt – only to feel absolutely no difference. The cool breeze did nothing but make him shiver as another wave of phantom heat rolled through him.

Then he saw it.

The river.

Before he could throw himself into the rushing water, however, Ren dismissed the jutsu.

The heat vanished instantly, as if it had never existed at all.

Yohei barely had time to register the absence before the sudden cold hit him, stealing the strength from his legs and sending him crashing to his knees with a sharp gasp.

"So," Ren asked smugly, having stepped closer and now looking down at him with a shit-eating grin, "how was it?"

Yohei let out a breathless chuckle. "I was right- that… that was really intense. I don't think I could fight like that. Are all your jutsu like this?"

Ren shook his head. "Not really. There are two applications of the Kōen Mōrō. One works through sight, creating illusions. The other works through touch – inflaming specific emotions."

He ticked them off casually. "Pain. Sadness. Happiness. Despair. Passion. Stuff like that. Both are useful, but I have to admit that I prefer the second one."

"And even if someone disrupts it, you can just reapply it as long as they still have some of the fire on their skin, right?" Yohei asked, recalling Ren's explanation from the rooftop what felt like ages ago – though it had really only been at the start of the week.

"Yup! Got it in one."

"Man," Yohei said with a weak laugh, "that's busted."

"But it also has weaknesses," Hayama interjected calmly.

Both boys turned to him.

"The fire requires constant attention from Ren to remain active," Hayama continued, "and he must physically touch the target in order to mark them – an… unusual approach for a genjutsu user. Additionally, maintaining the effect against constant disruption is rather costly. The only reason he hasn't strained his reserves yet is because neither of us attempted to break the jutsu, simply allowing it to run uninterrupted."

Ren nodded, entirely unfazed by the critique. "Yeah, it's not perfect. But I'm confident I can improve it. And even if I can't, I can work around its flaws by developing a fighting style that compensates for them."

He shrugged. "I'm also working on increasing my chakra reserves. And I'll make sure my descendants have more chakra than I do."

Yohei frowned. "You're already planning to marry someone just for that?"

Ren shrugged again, unconcerned. "It's not like it's happening tomorrow. This is just how things are. Honestly, I'm perfectly happy working toward improving my family."

Yohei eyed him skeptically. "You're not going to end up as some princess stuck in an arranged marriage that me and Souma have to rescue, right?"

Ren stared at him flatly.

"Oh nooo," he deadpanned. "I'll be forced to marry a hot kunoichi with ridiculous stamina and have lots of children. What a cruel, torturous fate."

Yohei snorted. "Fair."

Then he tilted his head in consideration. "Huh. You guys must get commissioned a lot by couples."

"What?" Ren asked, blinking in genuine confusion.

Yohei blinked back. "Well, yeah. You know – providing marital help. Helping couples who can't find that… spark anymore get it back. Now that I think about it, pleasure houses would probably pay crazy money too. Special clients looking for a really wild night and all that." He grinned. "Heh-"

He stopped mid-thought at the utterly baffled look on Ren's face.

"Wait," Yohei said slowly. "Are you telling me you don't do that? Seriously? Come on, Ren. Your family's trying to become a clan. Do you have any idea how much favor you'd get from the capital if you hosted a party where everyone's passions were inflamed for the whole event?"

Ren stared.

"Literal supernatural pleasure that they can't get anywhere else," Yohei pressed on, warming to the idea. "And the whole flame motif? Dude, nobles are freaky. They'd eat that shit up."

"I…" Ren trailed off, glancing helplessly toward their sensei.

Hayama, to his credit, only looked amused. He shrugged lightly.

"He's not wrong. I can imagine why your family hasn't pursued that route – houses aspiring to become clans often focus on martial merit, proving themselves as combatants. There's also the matter of public image."

He paused.

"But honestly? That's a self-imposed limitation. It's a perfectly valid way to accumulate funds and influence. And keeping the nobility happy with the village is never a bad thing."

He turned to Yohei.

"Good thinking. This is exactly the kind of mindset I was hoping to instill in you about our nature as shinobi."

Yohei beamed at the praise.

Ren, meanwhile, ran a hand through his hair, eyes wide – like someone who had just received divine revelation.

"…Are you okay, dude?" Yohei asked, suddenly concerned.

"I… I see it now," Ren whispered reverently. "The future of my house. I can see it, Yohei. A future filled with horny, scantily clad noble girls."

A single tear slid down his cheek. "It's beautiful."

He clenched his fist. "I don't care if I have to beat down the Elders. I'm the future heir. I will make it happen."

"…Uh," Yohei said, sweatdropping, "good for you?"

'I think I made a mistake.'

-~=~-​

In the end, both the day and the training session had been a complete success – though Yohei knew that was partly because his progress had been so visible compared to the previous days, even if those had been just as important.

He made it back home without needing to be carried this time and went straight to his room, falling into an increasingly familiar ritual: locking the door, closing the blinds, switching on the light and fan.

Sitting at his desk, he bit down on his finger and summoned the Chaos Gacha.

This time, another silver seal appeared.

His eyes lit up as he activated it. Moments later, he found himself holding yet another grey scroll.

"Yes!" he whispered, pumping a fist. "Another D-Rank. And if I'm right, it's also a skill, yeah? Kami, please don't let it be another super time-intensive thing."

With that, he popped the latch, unfurled the scroll, and began reading the description at the top.

[土下座懇願之書 - Dogeza Kongan no Sho - The Manual of Prostrating Supplication ]

| D-Rank Manual |

This manual contains detailed instruction on the art of supplication through self-abasement. It outlines postures, vocal patterns, and emotional displays designed to lower the practitioner's perceived status and evoke pity, sympathy, or indulgence in observers. Particular emphasis is placed on the dogeza posture, controlled sobbing, and the deliberate abandonment of pride as a tactical choice.

By following the methods recorded within, the reader may significantly increase the likelihood that others will grant requests, provide aid, or offer material benefits without formal compensation. The manual stresses that dignity is a negotiable asset, and that surrendering it at the correct moment can yield practical results. The effectiveness of these techniques varies greatly depending on the temperament, values, and emotional resilience of the target. The methods described are especially effective against individuals with soft hearts, strong empathy, or an aversion to visible suffering.

Warning: Repeated use may result in long-term damage to reputation, pride, or self-image. The manual offers no guidance on reclaiming lost dignity.​

…

"This is karma, isn't it?"