"So that's how it is… Without a Sharingan, I guess this technique has nothing to do with me."
Kazane let out a disappointed sigh.
She had already learned Lightning Release and used lightning-chakra to stimulate her muscles, so she knew exactly how it felt to move at extreme speed.
Without the Sharingan, perfectly controlling those movements was nearly impossible.
Once you lost the speed boost, Chidori became a liability—
especially for someone like her, whose chakra reserves weren't large to begin with.
"It doesn't have to be copied exactly," Souma said as he packed up their equipment and erased traces of the training field.
"Kakashi-sensei's Lightning Blade is basically nature transformation stacked with shape transformation."
He glanced at Kazane.
"And shape transformation is far more flexible than you think."
"Really? There's a way?"
Her eyes immediately lit up.
Kakashi smirked behind his mask.
He already had a few variants in mind—some even branched into new jutsu forms—but he was genuinely curious:
What kind of solution would this kid think up?
"For example," Souma continued,
"combine Chidori with a blade or kunai.
Or compress it into a needle—
into a spear—
or spread it across your entire body."
He paused for a beat.
"Or simply release it at the moment of impact. Increase the casting speed until you can fire the jutsu without seals… like this."
He raised his hand.
A Rasengan formed instantly.
"No-seal ninjutsu, huh… that is the direction."
Kakashi nodded.
He had considered this path himself, but had never perfected it.
"Besides these," Souma added, "there's physical training. Might Guy-sensei can react instantly even while moving at extreme speeds."
"That's true," Kakashi agreed.
"But that kind of training requires constant, intense combat. Hard to achieve in peaceful times."
He shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced at Tenten.
"Tenten, you've got a sealing scroll, right?"
"Do you need it for storing ninja tools? Sure—"
"Mm. On the way back we'll be escorting that batch of tools. You can seal them when we pick them up."
"Ha!?"
Tenten stared at Kakashi's retreating back.
Then raised a fist.
He's definitely taking revenge.
Petty!
Still muttering, she used the scroll to store the four completed prototypes.
"By the way, Tenten," Souma asked, "are you interested in sealing techniques?"
"Sealing jutsu? Of course I'm interested—
but it doesn't seem very interesting to me."
She laughed at herself.
Sealing techniques were notoriously difficult to learn.
Just learning how to use sealing scrolls had nearly melted her brain—and had shot her written-exam scores through the roof.
Still…
She wasn't confident she had talent beyond that.
Souma shook his head.
"Not the complex ones. I mean sealing techniques you can actually learn right now—like the Binding Array or the Three-Point Seal."
Tenten blinked.
"…Huh."
She thought it over as they walked.
The more she thought, the more it made sense.
She really had accumulated a lot of foundational sealing knowledge.
If she just pushed a little harder, mastering one or two real sealing techniques wasn't impossible.
Souma had used the Binding Array with the absorption barrier during their previous mission—
and the results were devastating.
Clearly—
There were no weak jutsu.
Only weak users.
Tenten's eyes brightened.
"Souma-kun, you really are the best!"
…No.
She froze mid-step.
Something felt wrong.
Since joining Souma's team, her "study plan" had ballooned nonstop.
Originally she only planned to master ninja tools.
Now?
Smithing.
Earth Release.
Sealing techniques.
Weapon crafting.
Why did it feel like she was being trained to become a one-woman production department?
And Kazane—
She started with swordsmanship and stealth.
Now she was learning sword arts and Lightning Release.
Hold on.
Why does she get less homework than I do!?
Tenten narrowed her eyes at Souma.
"Why do I have to learn more stuff than Kazane?"
"…Is that the important part?"
"Isn't it!?"
Tenten planted hands on her hips.
Souma sighed.
"Because you have a stronger foundation and better talent. If you want to reach jōnin level, ninja tool handling alone won't cut it."
Tenten blinked.
Souma added:
"And besides—shouldn't we encourage her to work harder?"
"…True."
There it was.
Never try to reason logically with people.
Even ninjas.
Souma exhaled.
Fortunately, Tenten's frustration came and went quickly.
She trusted Souma, and she knew he wasn't overworking her maliciously.
Her strength really was growing at an amazing pace.
…
"Ahh, this mission was so easy."
"Like they handed it to us on a platter. Hokage-sama wouldn't seriously try to fob us off with something like this, right?"
"Don't worry—hmm?"
Kakashi, about to reassure Tenten, suddenly felt a gaze watching them.
His eyes lifted.
A familiar coat.
A familiar high collar.
A familiar pair of sunglasses.
"Shibi-senpai? You're waiting for us?"
Kakashi spoke casually—while glancing toward Souma from the corner of his eye.
He had already stepped down as Anbu captain.
Shibi shouldn't need him for anything.
If he was here…
He was probably waiting for Souma.
But why?
Did he think Souma also researched insects?
Kakashi silently speculated.
Shibi looked at Souma.
Paused.
Then opened his mouth—
But Souma spoke first.
"Shibi-senpai, you were looking for me?"
"…Yes. I have something I'd like your help with."
Shibi nodded.
"Sensei," Souma said.
"Mm. Go on. I'll handle the mission report and paperwork," Kakashi replied.
"Thank you."
Souma thanked him, then followed Shibi out the gates to a quiet corner.
Shibi released a cloud of kikaichū.
Only after they spread out did he speak.
"Not long ago, a member of my clan was poisoned during a mission."
"I heard about that," Souma said.
"Your kikaichū can break down most poisons. For one to injure you, it must have been something designed specifically to target the insects inside your bodies."
"Correct."
Though Shibi's tone stayed flat, a faint glimmer of relief appeared in his expression.
This child really was a genius.
Shibi calmed himself, then continued.
"The toxin spreads through the kikaichū, infecting them one after another. It's clearly tailored for us."
Poison designed to target kikaichū…
Souma frowned.
Kamizuru clan?
Unlikely.
They had been defeated, cast aside by Iwagakure, and were now barely surviving.
Their numbers were tiny.
Their funding nonexistent.
Souma shook his head.
Why am I even thinking about the culprit?
This incident never happened in the original timeline.
His past-life knowledge was useless here.
And even if someone suspected foul play—
no one should be coming to him for investigative clues.
"Do you want me to help you create an antidote?" Souma asked.
"Yes."
Shibi nodded.
"Do you have samples of the toxin? If so, I can try. But I've been busy lately, so I may not produce results quickly."
"I expected that."
Antidote research requiring time was normal.
If Souma had said he could produce one instantly, that would be suspicious.
Souma opened his mouth again.
"But I just thought of a terrible method."
"…What method?"
Souma looked at him straight in the sunglasses.
And said calmly—
"Have you ever considered getting poisoned on purpose?"
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