98-100

Chapter 98: Haikotsu (Ash Bone) 

The matter of taking on a mentor went smoothly, without any hiccups. 

Neither Sarutobi Hiruzen nor Hikari were the type to fuss over formalities. 

Under the stunned gazes of two men frozen like statues, Sarutobi Hiruzen officially took Hikari as his disciple, demanding that Kakashi and the other keep it a secret, their lips sealed tight. 

With other matters to attend to, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn’t linger. On his way out, he casually took the black Obu cloth that Gai had brought back—not as a confiscation or requisition, mind you. 

This special fabric was tough to cut or tailor, and Hikari’s group lacked the means to craft ninja gear. They entrusted Sarutobi Hiruzen to find someone to turn it into suitable clothing. 

The next morning, bright and early. 

Hikari, crawling out from under her blankets, was shocked to find: 

Kakashi and Might Guy, fully dressed and ready, standing at the door, prepped to head out. 

“What’s with you guys?” she asked. 

“Youth demands rigorous training!!!”  

Might Guy, sporting a red sweatband with the word “Effort” scrawled across it, had a fiery glint in his eyes. Behind him, his training buddy looked half-asleep, like he’d just been drained dry after cultivating sage mode. 

Somehow, Guy had scrounged up a few dumbbell plates, threading them onto the ends of a crystal staff. Hoisting a few tons of weight, he dragged Kakashi out for intense training. 

Hikari’s lightning-fast progress had lit a fire under him. 

Just one month away, and Hikari had grown this much. Now, with the Third Hokage as her mentor, it wouldn’t be long before she surpassed him. 

No way he’d let that happen! 

Guy’s fighting spirit blazed, his youthful passion burning bright. “My vacation plans are ruined again,” Kakashi grumbled, glaring at his best friend. His unkempt broom-like hair and aura of resentment screamed frustration. 

Spotting Hikari up and about, Kakashi’s eyes curved into crescent moons. He leaned in, feigning enthusiasm. “Wanna train with us?” 

“Nope!” 

Her Nine-Tails-inherited “sense of good and evil” blared like an alarm. Hikari shot down Kakashi’s shady invitation without a second thought. 

She wasn’t slacking, though. 

She didn’t need such inefficient training methods. Thanks to her Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse), her physical strength grew rapidly without training. 

Only two things held her back: 

• Whether her chakra, as the power source, was sufficient. 

• The limits of human physiology. 

Break those barriers, and even lying in bed all day, Hikari’s physical power would keep growing until it hit another bottleneck. 

Kakashi’s attempt to drag her along failed. Defeated, he trudged after Guy for a run, their speed so blistering they were mere specks at the street corner in seconds. 

Hikari activated her Byakugan to peek. 

Guy’s insane weights slowed him down, and Kakashi—lazy as he seemed—had surged ahead. 

That guy, always acting laid-back, whining about not training, yet running faster than anyone. 

Her Byakugan swept the surroundings, confirming no one was watching. 

Finally alone, Hikari decided it was time to investigate the changes in her Shikotsumyaku. 

Thud! 

The door shut. 

Hikari dragged a scale from under the living room sofa and stepped onto it lightly. 

Whoosh! 

The red needle spun 180 degrees, west to east, stopping at 250—the scale’s limit, but not hers. An average adult male weighed about 70 kilos, yet she was heavier than three grown men combined. 

Ordinary chairs? She barely dared move on them, afraid they’d collapse under her. 

Of course, her weight had downsides and upsides. 

It drained more stamina to move and hurt her agility due to inertia. 

But a heavier body meant greater strength. 

The same taijutsu in her hands packed a far bigger punch than most. A direct hit from her fist, without chakra to cushion it, would shatter an ordinary ninja. 

Click! 

Stepping off the scale, the needle snapped back to zero, trembling from the speed. 

She tucked the scale back under the sofa and slipped off her loose pajamas. 

Closing her eyes, she channeled chakra, connecting her meridians to her bones. 

Her pale bones, streaked with ashen spots, seemed to awaken, devouring her chakra like a bottomless abyss. 

Crack! Crack! 

Her arm’s fair skin split, bone spikes growing inch by inch, slower and more labored than usual. 

Something’s wrong! 

Sensing the massive chakra drain, Hikari yanked it back. 

Snap! Snap! 

Without its energy source, the bones halted, leaving a stubby 20-centimeter spike on her arm. 

“Huff… huff…” 

Her chest heaved, breaths ragged. Her face paled, her chakra drained as if she’d fought a war. 

Why was her Shikotsumyaku consuming so much chakra now? 

Realizing something was off, Hikari sat cross-legged, observing her new Shikotsumyaku while her chakra recovered. 

The bone spike’s surface sprouted gray, mold-like spots, with faint ashen veins at the base. 

Her skin seemed to recoil, exposing the bone’s root and membrane. 

Red flesh, white skin, and gray-streaked bone stood distinct yet inseparable, eerie to behold. 

Grabbing a kunai, Hikari swung at the strange spike to test its hardness. 

Clang! 

Crack! 

The kunai’s sharp edge shattered on impact. 

Hikari, only intending to test the bone’s durability, jumped in shock. 

Looking at the kunai, faint ash had crept onto its black surface where it struck the bone. 

She lightly touched the ashen patch. 

Crunch! 

Like a brittle cookie, the steel kunai crumbled under her finger. 

This… isn’t this the All-Killing Ash Bones of Otsutsuki Kaguya? 

Staring at the mold-like gray spot on the kunai, Hikari’s mind flashed to the woman sealed on the moon. 

After multiple tests and reactivating her Shikotsumyaku, she finally understood its current state. 

Good news first. 

It wasn’t the All-Killing Ash Bones—not even close to its prototype. 

In the original story, the All-Killing Ash Bones were an instant-death attack. Anything hit disintegrated with the bone. 

Hikari’s Shikotsumyaku, however, had slow-spreading gray spots, barely larger than a fingernail, still transitioning toward true ash bones. It was far from that touch-of-death power. 

Using the Sharingan as an analogy: 

Stage one of Shikotsumyaku was like the one-to-three tomoe Sharingan, capping at Jonin level. 

Stage two was akin to the Mangekyo Sharingan, but weaker. Kimimaro, despite his bloodline disease, had hunted the Fourth Kazekage with Orochimaru, reaching elite Jonin strength. 

Absorbing a ton of Yang Nine-Tails chakra had sparked her Shikotsumyaku, pushing it toward a third stage—akin to the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. 

For the Mangekyo to become Eternal, it required swapping eyes with a sibling, possibly needing Indra’s chakra. 

But her third-stage Shikotsumyaku? The conditions were far simpler. 

Hikari closed her eyes, slowly channeling chakra into her bones. 

The white bone, speckled with gray, soaked it up like a dry sponge. 

Only after draining enough chakra to exhaust a Jonin did the gray spots grow slightly. 

Looking at her strengthened Shikotsumyaku, Hikari opened her eyes. 

No joy—only worry. 

Though both were kekkei genkai, the All-Killing Ash Bones weren’t like the Rabbit Hair Needle. 

Even in Kaguya’s hands, it was a true killing move, requiring preparation despite her vast chakra. 

It was not a power Hikari could wield now. 

The scary part? Advancing was too easy. 

Her tests showed that feeding chakra to her bones would automatically push her Shikotsumyaku toward the All-Killing Ash Bones. 

No bone transplants or weird rituals needed. 

Using her Shikotsumyaku made the bones devour most of her chakra, advancing to a higher tier. Even without use, it slowly siphoned her chakra to grow stronger. 

It wasn’t obvious yet, but in the days since leaving the hospital, the spots on her Shikotsumyaku had multiplied, and its chakra drain had crept up. 

She could handle the current drain, but if it kept growing, in a few years, only one fate awaited: 

Her Shikotsumyaku would drain her chakra and life force, killing her. 

“Haa…” 

Her chest rose and fell. 

Hikari sighed helplessly, dissolving the bone spike on her arm. 

Since awakening her Shikotsumyaku in Kirigakure, she’d dreaded the bloodline disease. 

Now, her worst fears were confirmed. 

All because she’d absorbed a bit too much Nine-Tails chakra, triggering the third stage Kimimaro never reached, even at the cost of his life. 

The Nine-Tails’ power was a potent boost—maybe too potent. 

Dressing again, Hikari tapped her brow with her knuckle, soothing her fraying nerves. 

The Shikotsumyaku issue wasn’t urgent. 

At its current chakra drain, if she stopped using it, it’d take three to five years to evolve into true ash bones. 

Thanks to the Three-Tails and Nine-Tails, her chakra reserves were ample, enough to sustain her for now. 

What changes full ash bones might bring, she didn’t know. 

With her life at stake, Hikari wouldn’t bet on what might happen. 

Tap, tap. 

Tapping her brow, she paced the room, calming down and thinking. 

To solve her Shikotsumyaku problem, she saw three options: 

• Implant Hashirama cells to gain the Senju Sage Body. 

• Study Yang Release, develop a reverse Eight Gates to boost vitality, and create her own Sage Body. 

• Keep consuming tailed beast chakra—treating symptoms, not the cause. 

Not knowing how much tailed beast chakra it’d take to sate her Shikotsumyaku, or what an evolved form might do to her, Hikari leaned toward the first two. 

From how her Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku interacted, a Sage Body, rich in vitality and chakra, might be the key to fixing her Shikotsumyaku. 

Hashirama cells were with Danzo and Orochimaru, and she lacked the strength to negotiate with them. 

That left her one path. 

Sorting her thoughts, her mind clear, Hikari swapped her pajamas for her usual outfit and headed out. 

Konoha Hospital. 

Third floor, head physician’s office. 

Sunlight streamed through the window, baking the black leather chair. 

At the desk’s corner, a pale pink succulent stretched lazily, its plump leaves glowing with a unique charm in the light. 

Chihaya Toru peeled off his gloves, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and munched an apple while reviewing medical reports. 

His brown hair hung limply over his shoulders, his gaunt cheeks sinking as he bit into the apple, looking malnourished. 

If not for his white coat, no one would believe this kidney-deficient-looking guy was a head physician at Konoha Hospital. 

Even less would they believe he was one of Konoha’s top medical ninja. 

Knock, knock, knock! 

The office door rapped. 

“Come in~,” Chihaya drawled. 

He grabbed a wet wipe, cleaned his hands, and set the apple down. 

The door swung open. 

Hikari, in a black t-shirt and long pants, stepped in. Her cloak, torn by Yagetsu Yuu, hadn’t been replaced yet. 

“Hey, Dr. Chihaya,” she greeted. 

“Oh, Hikari! Here to check your wound’s healing?”  

Chihaya’s eyes flashed with surprise, a faint smile spreading across his gaunt, almost “withered” face. 

Surprise, friendliness, curiosity. 

Hikari glanced at the emotional cues above Chihaya’s head, smiling. “Thanks for the concern. My wounds are pretty much healed.” 

“Good to hear.” 

Chihaya nodded, relieved, then studied her like a rare specimen. “You scared me half to death when they brought you in. Most people wouldn’t survive those injuries, but you recovered this fast. Truly Konoha’s number one genius!” 

Facing his slightly rude stare, Hikari narrowed her eyes but let it slide. 

Ever since Sarutobi Hiruzen spread word about her, anyone with a bit of ninja knowledge looked at her like this. 

The stronger the ninja, the more intense their gaze. 

There’s that saying: If you don’t train, you see me like a frog in a well gazing at the moon. If you do, you see me like a speck in the vast sky. 

Only those who’d endured the grueling path of a ninja could grasp the insane talent it took to become an elite Jonin at her age. 

Looking at Hikari’s healthy, rosy complexion, Chihaya’s curiosity stirred. “If your wounds are healed, what brings you here?” 

“I’m here to ask a favor, Dr. Chihaya.” 

“What’s that?”  

Chihaya’s eyes sharpened, his expression serious. 

The Third Hokage had personally instructed special care for Hikari during her stay, even pushing her wheelchair himself. 

That level of attention swayed many, including him. 

Chapter 99: The First Lesson 

“If I wanted to become a medical ninja, would you have any way to help?”  

Hikari got straight to the point. 

That’s right. 

This was the best self-rescue plan she could come up with. 

Having studied those Yang Release scrolls, she had a rough idea of how medical ninjutsu worked. 

It involved converting chakra into pure healing life energy, using precise chakra control to infuse that vitality into cells, speeding up cell division and protein synthesis. 

To break her physical limits and create a Sage Body, she needed two steps. 

First, convert external chakra into pure, untainted life force. Second, use the Eight Gates’ ability to “open gates” in reverse, channeling that external life force into the gates. 

If she could pull off both steps, she’d not only gain a Sage Body but could later bypass Kaguya’s will in tailed beast chakra, safely tapping into Kaguya’s power. 

The life force conversion of medical ninjutsu might be the key to that first step. 

“You want to become a medical ninja?” 

Chihaya Toru’s brown hair practically jumped in shock at Hikari’s words. 

As a medical ninja himself, Chihaya knew how tough it was to become one. 

Every medical ninjutsu was insanely complex, layered with knowledge of pharmacology, pathology, and human physiology. 

It demanded years of study. 

He wasn’t doubting Hikari’s talent. 

As the saying goes, master one, master all. 

With her level of genius, she’d learn anything faster than most. But studying medical ninjutsu would eat up a ton of time. 

Everyone in Konoha knew Hikari’s battle prowess was unmatched. Having a combat genius like her waste time on medical ninjutsu? That’d be like using a kunai to peel apples. 

“I don’t recommend becoming a medical ninja,” Chihaya said, shaking his head. 

“Learning medical ninjutsu is costly, and top-tier chakra control is a must. If something’s wrong with your body, I’d be happy to help. No need to waste time learning it yourself.” 

“I’m not trying to become a medical ninja.” 

Hikari raised her hand. 

A faint purple chakra gathered in her palm. 

Rip! 

A sound like tearing paper came from the desk corner. 

Chihaya followed the noise. 

The pale pink succulent had sprouted new green leaves. 

The leaves stretched, then curled, shimmering with purple chakra under the sunlight. The new growth shed its pink hue, taking on a glassy, almost translucent quality. 

“Wood Release? No—Yang Release!” 

Having spent half his life studying medical ninjutsu, Chihaya instantly recognized the vibrant, life-filled purple glow. 

“I’ve been researching Yang Release’s nature transformation lately, and medical ninjutsu could help me bridge some gaps,” Hikari said, dispersing the lively chakra in her hand. 

After absorbing the Nine-Tails’ power, she’d inherited its vibrant energy. 

Beyond healing flesh, she’d discovered while practicing Yang Release a couple of days ago that stray energy could accelerate plant growth. 

Some wilted potted plants at Kakashi’s place had sprouted new buds, bursting with life under her influence. 

“Yang Release… it’s dangerous.” 

Chihaya eyed the thriving succulent warily, his face grave. 

“Life force is highly invasive. It’s not as wild as lightning or explosive as fire, but if you lose control, the changes it causes are permanent—even passing to your descendants. Don’t mess with that forbidden power!” 

But you’re trembling with excitement, Dr. Chihaya! 

Hikari glanced at his head. 

Excitement, thrill, fear, and greed tangled together like sprawling tree roots. 

His words warned against Yang Release, but the longing deep inside him scared even her. Since gaining the Nine-Tails’ sense of good and evil, she’d seen things she could hardly imagine. 

“Incredible!” 

Chihaya set his apple on a napkin, cradling the succulent to inspect it closely. He kept glancing at Hikari, his eyes gleaming like she was some rare treasure. 

“Dr. Chihaya, about me studying medical ninjutsu—” 

Seeing him lost in the Yang Release’s power, Hikari frowned and gently nudged him. 

“Oh, right, sorry.” 

Chihaya tapped his head, set the pot down, and regained his composure, though his gaze held something new. 

“Developing Yang Release is risky. Studying medical ninjutsu is a solid, safer choice. Here’s what I’ll do—I’ll write you a recommendation letter. Join the medical ninja training program at Konoha Hospital for a while. It might help.” 

“That’d be great. Thank you!” 

Noticing Chihaya’s attitude shift after inspecting the succulent, Hikari feigned delight but grew warier inside. 

A glance at his head showed his friendliness glowing brighter, but after Sarutobi Hiruzen’s lesson, she no longer fully trusted her ability’s judgment. 

Her Byakugan scanned his body—muscles tensing, heart racing. This unnatural excitement? Something was off with Dr. Chihaya. 

Scritch, scratch. 

His pen scratched across paper. 

Chihaya hunched over, quickly writing the recommendation. 

“By the way, who teaches the medical ninja training program?” Hikari asked. 

“The instructors are usually head physicians on rotation. I’m teaching the current batch.” 

Click! 

He capped his pen. 

Chihaya finished the letter, folded it, and stamped it with a red seal from his drawer. 

“I’ll hand this to the training coordinator after work. You can start attending the weekend classes to learn the basics.” 

“Don’t experiment with Yang Release on your own. If you have questions, come to me.” 

His face radiated kindness and concern, but Hikari, seeing the greed in his aura, felt a chill. 

“Thanks.” 

Her goal achieved, Hikari quickly said goodbye to the odd Dr. Chihaya. 

She had to learn medical ninjutsu. As an elite Jonin and Sarutobi Hiruzen’s disciple, 90% of Konoha’s dangers couldn’t touch her. 

Plus, she’d send a shadow clone to the hospital classes. Whatever Chihaya was scheming, it couldn’t harm her real body. 

She was untouchable. 

Click. 

The door closed. 

Tap, tap, tap… 

As Hikari’s footsteps faded down the hall, Chihaya’s friendly smile twisted into something unrestrained. 

Crunch! 

He grabbed the red apple, biting off a chunk. Sweet-tart juice dripped down his purple-tinted lips. 

He resumed reviewing the medical report on his desk. 

It was a single, thin sheet, packed with complex medical data. A photo of a girl sat at the top. 

In it, a silver-haired, crystal-eyed girl lay bloodied on a hospital bed, a gaping, unclosable wound in her chest, barely clinging to life. 

“What terrifying recovery!” 

Chihaya shook his head in awe, folded the report, and tucked it under the succulent’s pot. He pulled out a blank sheet and began writing furiously. 

Outside, the white-haired girl walked slowly down the corridor. 

Under her black cloth, purple light flickered. 

Two Days Later 

5:30 PM. 

The Hatake Clan training ground was a barren clearing. Scarred wooden targets stood on the southeast side, opposite a lightning rod-like device for practicing Raiton (Lightning Release) ninjutsu. 

The sparse equipment made the field feel vast. 

In the center, Hikari sat cross-legged in a black short-sleeve shirt, her brow furrowed. 

Her Byakugan peered inward. 

From head to chest, five glowing points formed a thin line, pulsing green. 

After her near-death battle with Yagetsu Yuu, her fifth gate had loosened. She’d spent the last few days refining her reverse Eight Gates technique, and the Dumon (Gate of Limit) had finally opened. 

When Rock Lee, a mere Chunin, opened the Dumon, he could kick Gaara like a ball. For Hikari, it massively boosted her chakra, but the exhaustion of burning life force hit hard. 

A trickle of life force flowed to her heart, deepening the purple hue in her chakra core. 

The speckled Shikotsumyaku stirred, greedily siphoning chakra to grow stronger. 

Hikari’s eyes narrowed. 

Her Byakugan flared. 

The chakra core, devouring her life force, froze like a jammed machine. The Shikotsumyaku creaked in protest but, under her pupil power, couldn’t absorb more chakra and fell dormant. 

Sealing both her chakra core and Shikotsumyaku, Hikari pushed the life force from the Dumon out of her heart, guiding it through her meridians in reverse along the Eight Gates’ path. 

Whoosh! 

The life force surged back, colliding with the vitality flowing from each gate. 

Pain ripped through her meridians. 

Hikari calmly blocked the pain, purple light shielding her meridians as the two life forces clashed inside her. 

Time ticked by. 

The life force in her meridians grew denser, the backlash stronger, until the gates stopped releasing energy. 

Seizing the moment, Hikari pushed the thick, viscous life force back into the gates. 

The glowing green acupoints shone brighter. The sticky life force split into five parts, compressing back into the gates. 

Gulp… 

Life force returned. 

Her empty body felt full, like soaking in a hot spring. The exhaustion of burning life force vanished. 

Reverse Eight Gates—success. 

Closing the Eight Gates, an exhilarated Hikari stood, brushing dust off her pants. 

Absorb external chakra, convert it to pure life force with medical ninjutsu, then channel it into the gates. Repeat the process, and a Sage Body should form naturally. 

There were still blurry details—like how to absorb chakra, whether others’ chakra would convert purely, or if it could be absorbed directly. 

But the ninjutsu’s framework was set. The rest was just ironing out details. 

Her Shikotsumyaku gave her little time. Her five-year estimate was optimistic. 

Judging by the gray spots’ growth, her bones would be fully tainted in two and a half years at most. 

Thinking of the kunai crumbling like a cookie under the ash bone’s touch, she wondered if her body could withstand that power. 

If only I had Hashirama cells! 

Hikari sighed regretfully. 

Hashirama cells could solve her problem in one go. Even if she couldn’t handle the transplant, studying them could speed up her reverse Eight Gates development. 

Too bad. 

She had no access, and her teacher, Sarutobi, would never let her touch such things. 

Standing in the training field’s center, Hikari looked up at the sky, streaked with red clouds. 

As Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen was busy, sparing only two hours a week to teach her ninjutsu. 

Today was their scheduled lesson. 

Eyeing the Raikiri (Lightning Blade) chakra mode, but lacking a way to train Lightning Release nature transformation, Hikari was itching to start. 

It wasn’t even 5:00 PM, so she’d arrived early, practicing her Eight Gates while waiting for Sarutobi. 

It should be about time. 

Her Byakugan pierced three walls, checking the bedroom clock 500 meters away. It read 5:40 PM. 

Did something hold him up? 

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a blazingly fast chakra signature flashed in the distance. 

Its chakra volume was three or four times stronger than hers. 

No need to guess. 

Few in Konoha had that kind of chakra. 

As the figure approached, Hikari, having confirmed his identity with her Byakugan, stepped forward. “Sarutobi-sensei—” 

Whoosh! 

Before she could finish, a kunai flew at her, cutting her off. 

Her Byakugan tracked its path. 

The gleaming kunai aimed straight for her forehead. 

Chakra surged, shifting to Wind Release. A tearing gust of Futon (Wind Release) chakra burst from her mouth. 

Clang! 

Like two swords clashing, the steel kunai spun backward, its blade notched by the wind chakra. 

Thud! 

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s robes fluttered as he vaulted the wall, landing with the deflected kunai. 

“Seal-less Wind Release? Nice!” 

Seeing Hikari effortlessly counter the sneak attack, Sarutobi nodded approvingly. 

“You’re late.” 

After waiting half the day and getting ambushed, Hikari’s mood soured, her tone icy. 

“Sorry, work’s been hectic these past two days.” 

Sarutobi’s eyes flickered with apology before he fixed his gaze on her. “Before we start, I need to test your fighting style. Let’s have a spar to gauge it. That way, I can tailor your training. Our time’s precious—let’s not waste it on pointless emotions, right, Hikari?” 

“Agreed.” 

Gulp! Gulp! 

Transparent chakra bubbles rose. 

A scarlet tailed beast cloak enveloped her, blurring her features. Even her iconic silver hair turned fiery red. 

Seeing that familiar cloak, Sarutobi couldn’t help but recall that carefree, red-haired girl. 

So alike. 

“Ready to start?” Hikari asked. 

“Begin!” 

Boom! 

The ground quaked. 

The training field’s center collapsed into a crater, dirt flying. 

A scarlet figure, like a cannonball, slammed toward Sarutobi’s chest. 

Chapter 100: Nature Transformation and Restraint Principles (Part 1)

Whoosh…

The wind roared in her ears, silver hair fluttering like a banner in the air.

With each step, the ground cracked beneath her feet.

Her Byakugan locked onto the motionless figure ahead. Using her charging momentum, Hikari clasped her hands, bending her right elbow and thrusting it fiercely toward Sarutobi Hiruzen’s chest.

Seeing this, Hiruzen formed a hand sign with his left hand while raising his right palm to block.

Thick Earth Release chakra rapidly gathered in his palm.

Boom!

The moment the chakra solidified, the scarlet figure arrived.

Her elbow, cloaked in a tailed beast’s chakra coat, struck like a spear mounted on a speeding train, carrying unmatched destructive force.

Crack!

The heavy elbow slammed into his palm.

Earth Release chakra scattered into the air.

Hiruzen’s expression turned grave. His feet scraped two scorching trails across the ground.

His hand, glowing with earthy yellow chakra, gripped her elbow tightly, the muscles in his left arm bulging like steel cables.

Thud!

Planting his right foot for support, Hiruzen single-handedly halted Hikari’s charge.

“Impressive force!” he praised, his robust chakra fueling his muscles like blood as he probed the limits of Hikari’s strength.

Hikari gritted her teeth, her muscles straining, but the unassuming figure before her felt like an immovable mountain.

Realizing she couldn’t overpower him, she swiftly changed tactics.

Using her elbow as a pivot and her forearm as a radius, her right fist whipped toward Hiruzen’s face like a lash.

“Short reach, and—” Hiruzen leaned back slightly, dodging the whip-like punch while his left hand intercepted a sneaky left hook aimed at his abdomen.

“Too obvious—”

Before he could finish, Hikari’s fists turned to claws, grabbing both of Hiruzen’s hands. The scarlet tailed beast chakra coat morphed instantly, forming a third hand at her chest.

Her ashen Byakugan glowed.

Crack, crack!

The tailed beast chakra hand sprouted five fingers, with bones, muscles, and skin so lifelike it seemed real.

The fingers clenched into a fist the size of a wok, striking viciously at Hiruzen’s body.

Shape Transformation—Fist!

Faced with the sudden third hand, Hiruzen’s expression finally shifted.

Pressing down on Hikari’s arms with terrifying strength, he pinned her to the ground, rendering her immobile.

Seizing the moment, he raised his leg for a direct kick.

Boom!

Fist met foot.

The unexpected third hand was blocked by Hiruzen once again.

Hikari snapped her head up.

Gurgle, gurgle!

With her feet pinned in the dirt, the tailed beast chakra coat on her face receded.

Her small, rosy mouth opened slightly, Wind Release chakra swirling inside, glowing cyan.

Hiruzen grinned, tilting his head to reveal another version of himself behind him, hands clasped, with sparks of fire escaping his mouth.

Shadow Clone Technique!

The clone stepped forward, pressing against the back of the Hiruzen pinning Hikari, making it look like he’d sprouted a second head.

Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!

The clone puffed out his chest, unleashing a wave of flames.

Whoosh!

The orange-red fire grew rapidly in Hikari’s eyes. At such close range, the already massive fireball seemed like a sun crashing to earth.

Buzz!

An invisible wind tore through the air, clashing with the fireball.

But the wind, normally unstoppable, met its match. The blazing fire paused briefly, then burned even fiercer, as if fueled by gasoline.

It was too late to summon the tailed beast coat for defense.

Purple light flashed in her Byakugan.

Body Control activated again.

Her thigh muscles tensed like bowstrings, some fibers snapping from the explosive force.

Boom!

She kicked backward against the ground.

Using the recoil, Hikari broke free from Hiruzen’s grip, her body flying backward.

Whoosh!

The fireball pursued relentlessly, trailing a line of flame through the air.

The swelling flames and Hikari’s body seemed frozen in opposition, the scorching heat turning her pale skin red.

A sense of crisis surged like electricity from her spine to her brain.

Her heart’s chakra core flickered with purple light.

Splash!

A massive stream of water appeared out of nowhere, enveloping the fireball.

Water and fire collided.

Whether due to the wind enhancing the flames or Hiruzen’s superior Fire Release mastery, the water curtain couldn’t suppress the fire’s power.

Hiss, hiss, hiss…

The flames evaporated the water, sending scalding steam everywhere, turning the air white.

The fire’s burst couldn’t outlast the water’s endurance. A white flash sparked at the fireball’s center, and its chakra glow dimmed instantly.

Boom!

Her heavy body hit the ground, cracking the training field’s surface.

~

As the steam dissipated, the Nine-Tails’ inherited power quickly eased her muscle fatigue.

Ahead, in the center of the white mist, two thin figures stood calmly, unchanged from before her charge, save for their number.

“Can you tell us apart?” both Hiruzens asked simultaneously, their aged voices overlapping perfectly.

“No need,” Hikari replied.

Her Byakugan locked onto both figures as she raised her hands, the Three-Tails’ power surging within her.

“Freeze!”

The swirling, spreading steam froze in space, as if reality had turned into a still painting.

Hikari’s hands formed claws, each aimed at one of the Hiruzens in the mist.

“Condense!”

Whoosh…

The misty vapor contracted instantly, compressing into water that engulfed both figures.

Hikari’s eyes narrowed.

Her claws clenched into fists.

Water Release: Python Strangle!

The water coiled around the Hiruzens, forming the shape of a python, hissing with tensed, elongated muscles.

Crack!

The python tightened, and the Hiruzen on the left vanished into a puff of smoke.

That one!

Hikari’s gaze shifted to the remaining figure.

The Hiruzen, face red from the python’s grip, suddenly gave a stiff smile before turning into a mud dummy.

Oh no.

Her heart skipped a beat. Her Byakugan’s 360-degree vision activated, spotting a blinding chakra glow beneath her feet.

Pop!

Two large hands burst from the ground, seizing her ankles.

Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!

A sense of weightlessness hit Hikari as her vision sank. In a blink, only her silver-haired head remained above ground.

Hiruzen’s body rose slowly from the earth, like a fish surfacing, appearing before her.

“Don’t rely too heavily on your sensory abilities,” he said, looking down at her head protruding from the ground. “The human brain has flaws. Even if you sense me, if your focus is elsewhere, your mind will dismiss me as unimportant. I learned that from a pickpocket once, and now I’m passing it to you.”

“Noted,” Hikari replied.

Boom! Boom!

Scarlet arms burst from the soil.

Hiruzen’s eyes twitched as he stepped back.

Grabbing the ground, Hikari freed herself from the earth in less than half a second with sheer brute force.

Her muscles trembled, shattering the hard soil like flour.

The dust-covered tailed beast coat faded.

After an intense battle, both stood under the setting sun, their clothes undamaged, gazing at each other from a distance.

“Keep going?” Hikari asked.

“No need,” Hiruzen said, shaking his head.

Looking at Hikari, whose breathing remained steady and chakra still abundant, he’d gauged her limits. Her strength far exceeded his expectations.

Her physical prowess was terrifying.

It surpassed the limits of a Jōnin. Her only slight weakness was agility due to her heavy build, but she had almost no other flaws.

Her strongest asset was her defense.

With his grip strength, he could crush steel into mush. Yet, when he grabbed Hikari’s elbow, she didn’t even flinch, indicating his attack had no effect.

Bones harder than steel—was this the power of the Kaguya clan’s Shikotsumyaku?

Recalling reports from Kirigakure, Hiruzen understood the source of her abnormal defense.

Of course, Hikari wasn’t flawless.

Compared to her overpowered taijutsu, her ninjutsu was average.

Her Shape Transformation was refined, but her Nature Transformation was immature.

Her ninjutsu was fast because she didn’t need hand signs. Their power came from the high quality of her unique purple chakra.

In short, she relied purely on raw talent, not technique.

“I’ve got a grasp of your fighting style,” Hiruzen said.

Hikari stood still, eager for his insights.

“You have two paths for your future combat system,” he said, raising two fingers. “First, continue your current balanced approach—ninjutsu and taijutsu together, using all five chakra natures to diversify your tactics, forming a multidimensional system. You’d end up like a copy of me. Second, specialize in enhancing taijutsu with ninjutsu, focusing on Kumogakure’s Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Which do you choose?”

Hikari paused. “Can’t I do both?”

Hiruzen chuckled. “Human energy is limited, but if you can merge both, that’s the best outcome.”

“Then both,” she said.

“Fine, but no one’s walked this path. It’ll be tough, and I can’t plan it for you,” Hiruzen said, nodding approvingly.

As the mentor of Konoha’s Legendary Sannin, he supported his students’ autonomy, especially someone as talented as Hikari.

“Your taijutsu already has its own style. Keep refining it. Kumogakure’s Lightning Release Chakra Mode is dangerous, but your physique should handle it. Once your body matures, use it to offset your agility weakness, and your taijutsu will naturally excel without my meddling.”

“What about ninjutsu?” Hikari asked.

“I’ve always believed the best ninjutsu suits the user. And the most suitable ninjutsu is one you develop yourself. Besides Lightning Release Chakra Mode, I don’t suggest learning other ninjutsu yet. You’re doing well—your techniques are raw, showing you haven’t blindly adopted established ones but are creating your own. They’re rough, but that’s normal. Keep practicing and refining.”

Was that a compliment?

Hikari wasn’t sure whether to feel pleased or frustrated.

“So, I took you as my master for nothing?” she asked.

“Not quite,” Hiruzen said with a smile. “You’re already an elite Jōnin, not a fresh academy graduate. Those who reach your level are rare in the ninja world, with near-mature combat styles. I can only help fill gaps or point out areas to strengthen. Your current issue is your rough Nature Transformation. I’ll explain the training methods and restraint principles for all five natures today. If you hit any roadblocks in ninjutsu development, note them down, and I’ll address them at this time each week.”

“Alright,” Hikari said, slightly disappointed but enlightened by the Sannin’s diverse combat styles.

Relying on a template or piling on powerful ninjutsu wouldn’t make a top-tier ninja.

This was Hiruzen’s teaching style: granting students maximum autonomy, providing only key knowledge for ninjutsu development, not ready-made techniques.

Hiruzen glanced at the sky. The sun was half-set.

“Your combat style needs no correction. Nature Transformation is a big topic, so I’ll keep it concise,” he said, forming hand signs.

Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall.

Rumble!

A tall wall rose from the battered training field.

“Earth and Water Release are the most similar, so we’ll start with Earth,” he said.

Hikari sat cross-legged, listening intently.

“Water Release chakra, after Nature Transformation, has loosely arranged particles with weak intermolecular forces, giving it fluidity. Earth Release is the opposite. It requires building a three-dimensional structure, like constructing a house, with tightly connected chakra parts, making it the most solid,” Hiruzen explained.

Hikari activated her Byakugan, closely observing his Earth Release chakra. Under extreme magnification, the chakra particles were neatly stacked like building blocks, unlike the loose structure of Water Release.

“Attack the wall with Water Release,” Hiruzen instructed.

Hikari summoned a water stream, striking the wall. The soft water couldn’t break the sturdy earth, only turning the yellow soil into darker mud.

“Water’s fluidity makes it the softest and weakest attacking nature. Earth’s solid structure is the strongest. That’s the first layer of Earth restraining Water,” Hiruzen said.

Forming the “Boar” seal, he pointed at the mud. It reshaped, merging back into the wall.

“When you used water to extinguish my fire, the water molecules in the air could be reused because water is tangible, fully absorbing fire’s heat without being affected. But when water meets earth, the less substantial water is consumed by the more solid earth. My earth remains usable; your water doesn’t. That’s the second layer of restraint.”