"You're only showing up now? We were about to drop dead over here!"
"Sorry, sorry! I was discussing a new technique with Kitayama Xu-sensei, and she insisted I stay for lunch before leaving. The good news is—besides a bunch of failed ones, I also brought some perfect ration pills."
Chiba lifted the basket in his hand.
"Failed ones?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
Konoha's Medical Department rarely produced failed ration pills.
Could they be passing off low-grade stuff as good?
"Yeah, it's a new formula, so the failure rate's a bit high. I just picked out a few that looked okay."
Chiba explained casually.
Without hesitation, Tenten grabbed one and popped it straight into her mouth.
She was utterly exhausted—her stamina so drained she could barely generate chakra anymore. Tsukikage Kaza weren't faring much better; if they hadn't been waiting for Chiba to show up, they probably would've passed out already.
After distributing the pills, Chiba reached to the bottom of the basket and took out three sealed bowls.
"Ichiraku Ramen—takeout."
"Yay!"
Tenten and Tsukikage Kaza cheered in unison.
Kakashi, face half-hidden as always, took a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. When he noticed everyone staring at him, he asked calmly,
"What? Why are you all looking at me?"
"N-no reason!" Tenten immediately ducked her head, focusing on her noodles.
But inside, she was burning with curiosity.
What exactly did Kakashi-sensei look like under that mask?
Only Chiba wasn't curious—he already knew from the anime what the man looked like.
Still, he glanced over at Kakashi and asked, "Sensei, do you want to eat somewhere else?"
"No need."
Kakashi shook his head.
Tenten and Tsukikage Kaza's eyes lit up; at that moment, their attention was sharper than ever.
Then, Kakashi pushed his mask upward—
—but only halfway.
He tilted it just enough to eat, and in one swift motion, devoured the ramen at lightning speed. Tenten and Tsukikage Kaza could only stare in stunned silence, while Chiba tried hard not to laugh out loud.
Kankurō didn't have to be so mysterious—he was just messing with them for fun.
Kakashi was still Kakashi—incorrigibly wicked.
"Tch, lame. Anyway, Chiba, that technique you mentioned earlier—was it a medical ninjutsu?"
Tenten asked between mouthfuls. Manners clearly weren't a priority at this table.
"Not exactly. It's more like a reverse application of an absorption barrier—seeing if it can make medical ninjutsu simpler to use."
Chiba explained. "It's not much help on the battlefield, but it could make a big difference in surgical work."
"I see."
Kakashi nodded, immediately grasping the core idea.
This kid's thought process was never normal.
While Kakashi would think about how to apply a new technique in combat, Chiba's mind had already turned toward the medical field…
Kakashi couldn't really relate—but that was fine.
If Chiba had been a normal ninja, he would've focused on combat jutsu like everyone else—power first, everything else later.
But for Chiba, creating techniques that others could learn was also a form of strength. In fact, it might even surpass developing a personal jutsu.
Just like now—
On his Bodhi Seed, a fifth pattern had appeared.
Two of them enhanced mental energy, one improved sensory ability, one boosted recovery, and this newly born fifth mark—still shallow and small compared to the others—was of uncertain effect.
But he would soon find out.
After delivering the food and pills, Chiba checked on their training progress.
Tenten and Tsukikage Kaza didn't want to talk about it; they practically pushed him out, refusing to let him watch.
So, Chiba went back to his usual routine—training on his own, while testing the new mark's effects.
By evening, he was lying flat on the ground, utterly spent.
"The fifth pattern seems to be recovery-related too," he muttered to himself. "Stacked with the Fourth Hokage, it's noticeably stronger now."
The recovery wasn't just physical—it also replenished mental energy.
He hadn't tested injury recovery yet—after all, it wasn't exactly smart to stab himself just to find out.
Since Tenten and Tsukikage Kaza were busy mastering their new jutsu, the team had taken a break from C-rank missions. After two days' rest, they started grinding D-rank jobs —building data, honing skills, and training.
During that time, Chiba kept tabs on two things: the upgraded Binding Seal Formation and the Joint Barrier Project.
The improved Binding Formation was already being adopted among elite chūnin.
As for the latter, Kitayama Xu reported they were in the final testing phase.
The results of both?—
The fifth pattern on Chiba's Bodhi Seed deepened and lengthened significantly.
Not only that—the seed now glowed faintly: two marks in white, one pale yellow, and two shimmering blue.
The accumulation of all five had triggered yet another transformation, though for now, Chiba couldn't quite feel what that transformation entailed.
"Eh, whatever. As long as it means getting stronger, I'm on the right path."
He didn't dwell on the details.
The key takeaway from his observations was huge—
As long as an idea originated from him, even if others refined or completed it later, he still received feedback and growth.
However, the pattern growth wasn't one-to-one with each individual technique—it seemed to follow categories instead.
For instance, his Absorption Barrier had evolved into two different abilities, but both fell under the same derivative line.
The same applied to the Chakra Threads.
"So why didn't the 'Extreme State' trigger one?"
Chiba pondered for a long time, then decided to head out—to find Lee.
At this hour, Lee would definitely still be training.
Sure enough, he found him at the usual grove, drenched in sweat, still pushing his limits.
But Lee hadn't mastered it yet—his results were inconsistent, still in the trial-and-error phase.
"So it really is too difficult," Chiba murmured. "That's why it can't spread widely."
Sure, kid and Kakashi could learn it—but what was the point?
Even they might not trigger a new pattern on his Bodhi Seed.
The only solution—
"Research a downgraded, simplified version!"
And with that, Chiba hurried off toward Konoha Hospital .
Days passed—ten of them, maybe more.
Their team continued the same cycle: missions, training, research. But Chiba showed up to missions less and less often.
Tenten and Tsukikage Kaza worried, but they both knew—if Chiba was hiding away, he was definitely developing something important.
Even if they had time, they forced themselves not to disturb him.
Until, finally—
Chiba reappeared, notebook in hand—their familiar sign that something big was coming.
"How's your training going lately?" he asked.
"Pretty well! We've already finished mastering chakra nature transformation. Kakashi-sensei says what we're missing now is practical application, so we've started learning new techniques."
Tenten puffed up proudly.
"Impressive progress," Chiba said with a grin—one that made her expression freeze instantly.
Kakashi's gaze shifted to the notebook. "A new jutsu?"
"Yeah. It's the taijutsu I mentioned before—I'm calling it Extreme State. But it's too difficult for ordinary people, so I've spent the last half-month simplifying it. This time, it should be accessible for everyone."
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