16-20

Chapter 16: The Miraculous Effect of the Tranquil Card

Otoha had a strange smile on her face as she waited for Kimimaro's decision. This was the threshold for becoming a medical ninja.

The overwhelming amount of theoretical knowledge alone was enough to make many people hesitate.

Of course, Otoha’s description was a bit exaggerated.

These 5,000 books covered everything imaginable, encompassing every aspect of medical ninjutsu.

However, no medical ninja could master all medical ninjutsu.

Even Tsunade, revered like a deity among medical ninjas, was no exception.

Most medical ninjas choose to specialize in one field of medical ninjutsu.

The exceptional ones might master several fields, but mastering everything was impossible.

After all, even a genius has limited energy.

The 5,000 books were like a vast ocean, a goal all medical ninjas aspired to.

In the end, however, they could only take a small sip from this ocean.

Kimimaro didn’t hesitate at all. He immediately nodded.

“I’ll learn.”

Others might have many reasons for studying medical ninjutsu, but Kimimaro had only one.

He wanted to survive.

No matter how difficult this path was, he had to walk it.

He had no other choice.

No matter what, he had to try.

Moreover, with his God’s Hand, he had a significant advantage over ordinary medical ninjas.

There was no reason not to try.

Seeing Kimimaro’s decisiveness, Otoha was a bit surprised.

But more than that, she was pleased.

He might turn out to be a good student.

“It seems your resolve is firm. Well then, you can start learning now,” Otoha said, walking to the bookshelf. She pulled out one book from the left and another from the right, quickly gathering 20 books and placing them in front of Kimimaro.

“These 20 books are the introductory materials for medical ninjas. You have one month to finish them all and remember their contents. After that, we can proceed to the next round of learning.”

“Alright.”

Without wasting words, Kimimaro gathered the books, which were nearly a third of his height, and returned to his room.

“What a decisive little brat. Interesting. Maybe you’ll become the next Kabuto,” Otoha muttered to herself, feeling both satisfied and a bit expectant.

In his room, Kimimaro opened the first book and began studying.

The books Otoha chose were well-suited to his current level.

They progressed from the basics, making them easy to understand.

“Luckily, although the original owner of this body was imprisoned, he came from a prestigious family, so his basic education wasn’t neglected. I’ve inherited those memories. Otherwise, I’d have to start by learning to read. Still, finishing these books will be quite the task.”

Kimimaro let out a bitter smile.

Studying was indeed one of the great challenges of life.

“Right, if I use the power of the Tranquil Card to calm my mind, I should be able to improve my study efficiency significantly.”

With that thought, Kimimaro activated the Tranquil Card.

The Tranquil Card turned into a stream of light and merged into his mind.

His previously restless thoughts immediately settled.

He looked at the book in his hands again and found that not only was it easier to understand, but he also remembered everything after reading it once.

“This... the effect of the Tranquil Card is this good?”

Kimimaro was astonished.

The Tranquil Card was practically a cheat code for learning.

Delighted, Kimimaro didn’t waste any time. His fingers moved faster and faster, flipping through the pages rapidly.

The sound of pages turning filled the room.

In less than ten minutes, he had reached the last page of the first book.

He closed his eyes and recalled the contents he had just read, feeling that the entire book had been imprinted in his mind.

It wasn’t mere rote memorization but an understanding of the material.

Of course, this was due in part to the Tranquil Card, but his own talent was also a key factor.

His soul from his previous life, combined with the original soul of this body, made him far superior to ordinary people. Add the special effects of the Tranquil Card, and it was natural for him to have such miraculous results.

“Who would’ve thought I’d become a top student one day?”

Kimimaro chuckled softly, his earlier excitement already calming down.

Without wasting time, he picked up another book and continued studying.

In the laboratory, Otoha was busy with her tasks when she suddenly saw Kimimaro walking back, carrying all the books.

Her heart sank. Did he give up already?

It had only been a few hours.

Otoha wasn’t angry, just a bit resigned.

As expected, the monotony of medical ninjutsu wasn’t something most people could endure.

But what Kimimaro said next left her utterly shocked.

“Senior Otoha, I’ve finished reading and memorizing these 20 books. Can we move on to the next phase of learning?”

“What did you say?”

For a moment, Otoha wondered if she had misheard.

“You finished them all?”

Kimimaro nodded slightly.

Upon receiving his confirmation, Otoha was still in disbelief.

Finished? In just a few hours?

Even if he had finished, how could he have remembered everything?

“Did you really finish them? And remember them? While these are basic books, they’re very important. If your foundation is shaky, learning medical ninjutsu later will be extremely difficult. If you just skimmed through, it won’t work.”

Seeing that Otoha didn’t believe him, Kimimaro handed her one of the books.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’ll recite it for you.”

Otoha was stunned for a moment. She hadn’t expected Kimimaro to be so confident.

Could it be that he really learned everything?

She wasn’t unfamiliar with such talent. Two years ago, Kabuto had shown extraordinary ability, finishing these 20 books and fully understanding them in just seven days.

At the time, Otoha had been amazed, but it was still within the realm of possibility.

However, what this boy claimed seemed far more ridiculous.

Less than four hours?

Kimimaro didn’t have as many thoughts as Otoha. He simply began to recite.

“Medical ninjutsu originated during the Warring States Period. It wasn’t systematic at the time, and each clan had its own healing methods. Among them, the First Hokage’s Wood Release was the most powerful. It’s said that the First Hokage could heal wounds just by touching them...

The formal establishment of a medical system was thanks to Tsunade of the Leaf Village. She elevated the status of medical ninjas, making them an indispensable part of the village...”

Kimimaro’s recitation was smooth and fast, his words flowing like a river.

After listening for ten minutes, Otoha was convinced.

This boy was a genius.

“That’s enough.”

When Kimimaro began reciting the second book, Otoha stopped his remarkable display.

“Are you some kind of photographic memory genius?”

Otoha quipped, though she was barely able to contain her excitement.

She felt that under her guidance, a genius-level medical ninja might emerge.

“Something like that. So, can we move on to the next phase of learning?”

“Yes. I’ll select more books on medical ninjutsu for you. Once you’ve read 100, we can move on to the next stage. If you have enough time, you can try to finish all 5,000 books.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Originally, Kimimaro hadn’t been very confident, but with the support of the Tranquil Card, he was now full of confidence.

Five thousand books might not be an impossible goal after all.

But for now, he would focus on completing his first small goal—100 books.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 17: The Training Grounds*

Studying is dull.

But with the help of the Calm Talisman, Kimimaro’s academic journey became incredibly smooth.

While he was busy reading, Suigetsu wasn’t idle either.

He never wanted to stay with Orochimaru in the first place, and now that Orochimaru was gone, he naturally continued his escape plans.

The threats Orochimaru left behind before departing didn’t hold much weight for him.

For the past two days, Suigetsu had been wandering around the Sound Village, looking for an opportunity to escape.

But he quickly realized that the defenses in this place were so tight that it didn’t resemble a village at all—it was more like a prison.

“This is insane. What kind of crazy place is this? They should rename it the Sound Prison instead of Sound Village.”

Suigetsu ranted endlessly.

After three days of frustration and realizing escape wasn’t an option, he could only stew in his own annoyance.

“No, this can’t continue. If I can’t find a chance to leave for now, I’ll focus on getting stronger! If I get stronger, my chances of escaping will increase. My first goal: defeat that guy, Kimimaro!”

Suigetsu silently made up his mind.

In reality, the Hōzuki clan had a pretty good win rate against the Kaguya clan.

After all, the Hydration Technique had a significant advantage against the Dead Bone Pulse.

Whether the Hōzuki clan could win came down to whether they could break through the Kaguya clan’s defenses.

As long as the Hōzuki clan’s chakra didn’t run out, the physically reliant Kaguya clan would find it difficult to defeat them.

“It’s been two days, and aside from eating, that guy has been holed up in his room. I wonder what he’s been up to. Could he be secretly training?”

Suigetsu grew curious.

Inside the room, Kimimaro closed the hundredth book and massaged his temples.

In three days, except for sleeping, he hadn’t taken a break and had read one hundred books in a row. He was exhausted.

The Calm Talisman certainly boosted his learning efficiency, but he wasn’t a machine—everyone has their limits.

“Looks like I need to balance work and rest. But at least I’m done. That’s enough for today. Tomorrow, I’ll seek out senior Oto to begin the next phase of learning.”

Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door.

“Hey! Kimimaro! What are you doing in there? You don’t come out, and you don’t make a sound. You’re not doing something weird, are you?”

That annoying voice could only belong to Suigetsu.

Kimimaro stood up and stretched.

“I was just thinking about taking a break, and now here comes a punching bag delivered right to my door.”

Seeing no response from the room, Suigetsu suspiciously peered through the door crack.

At that moment, the door opened.

“Oh, you’re here. I thought you ran away. What’ve you been busy with these past few days?”

Suigetsu gave an awkward but polite smile.

“Reading.”

“Reading? A brute from the Kaguya clan actually reads?”

Suigetsu’s voice raised with surprise, his face full of disbelief.

The image of the Kaguya clan as mindless brutes was deeply ingrained.

“What did you call me?”

Seeing Kimimaro’s cold expression, Suigetsu gulped, remembering the fear of being overpowered by him.

“Heh, boss, I was just kidding. Don’t take it seriously, okay?”

Suigetsu immediately surrendered.

What else could he do if he couldn’t win?

“Come with me.”

“Where? What for?”

“The training grounds. To do what brutes do.”

“Huh?”

Suigetsu was dumbfounded.

“I’m going to practice taijutsu, and you’ll be my sparring partner.”

“Boss, why not just say you want to beat me up?”

Suigetsu complained.

“Fine, I want to beat you up.”

Suigetsu: "..."

Kimimaro dragged the reluctant Suigetsu to the training grounds in the Sound Village.

Over the past three days, after eating, Kimimaro had wandered around and, through his interactions with senior Oto, gained a clear understanding of the Sound Village’s layout.

The training grounds were where the ninjas of Sound Village trained.

The Sound Village’s method of training ninjas was somewhat similar to Konoha, but on a smaller scale and with much harsher methods.

In simple terms: cruel and efficient.

Each month, a certain number of deaths occurred among the ninjas training in the Sound Village.

Some died from the high difficulty of the training, while others were killed by fellow ninjas.

Here, the law of the jungle prevailed: only the strong survived.

If you were weak and got killed, Orochimaru wouldn’t care.

However, Orochimaru had implemented a three-month protection period for newcomers.

During this time, veteran ninjas were not allowed to kill newcomers.

This gave the newcomers time to grow and also an opportunity to find protection.

To survive, you either had to be strong enough or find a protector.

Orochimaru was teaching them the way of survival.

The Sound Village didn’t support the weak.

Orochimaru didn’t have the time to guide each person individually.

This method of training was most suitable for the current Sound Village.

Kimimaro dragged Suigetsu to the training grounds.

Unlike the luxurious and well-equipped Konoha, the Sound Village only had one training ground.

However, it was well-equipped.

It had lakes, sand, rocks, forests—most of the terrain types seen in the ninja world were available here.

You could practice fighting in any environment you liked.

It was also vast, capable of hosting battles with over a hundred participants.

As soon as Kimimaro and Suigetsu arrived, they immediately drew attention.

“Kenmicchi, look, aren’t those the brats that Lord Orochimaru brought back three days ago?”

“Yes, it’s them. They’ve finally appeared. I thought they were dead since we didn’t see them for three days.”

“Why are you so interested in them? What do you want to do?”

“Of course, I want to teach them a lesson. They’re just newcomers, yet they’ve gained Lord Orochimaru’s favor. I’ll defeat them and show Lord Orochimaru who really deserves his attention.”

“They’re still under the protection period; don’t do anything rash.”

“I’m not going to kill them. But breaking their arms or legs is still within the rules.”

Kenmicchi sneered, a cruel smile tugging at his lips, as he headed toward Kimimaro and Suigetsu.

Meanwhile, Suigetsu was negotiating with Kimimaro.

“Boss, go easy on me. I may not look it, but I’m actually pretty fragile.”

“Okay.”

Suigetsu was now filled with regret. He shouldn’t have bothered spying on Kimimaro.

He hadn’t gained any useful information, and now he was about to get beaten up.

Just then, Kimimaro’s brow furrowed. The sound of a fist cutting through the air reached his ear. He immediately turned and extended his right palm.

Thud!

A fist the size of a sandbag slammed into his right palm.

It packed a lot of power.

Kimimaro locked eyes with his assailant—it was Kenmicchi.

Kenmicchi was shocked that Kimimaro had caught his punch so easily.

Kimimaro gripped Kenmicchi’s fist tightly and then kicked out with his leg.

The sudden kick prompted Kenmicchi to bend his right knee.

Thud!

Knee and foot collided.

Kenmicchi used the momentum from the clash to retreat several steps.

The fight quickly caught the attention of everyone nearby, who stopped what they were doing to watch.

“What are you trying to do?”

Kimimaro’s face was cold.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 18: Dance of the Larch*

"Nothing much, I just wanted to teach you a little lesson in life. If you want to survive in the Sound Village, you need to understand these principles."

Kenmicchi sneered coldly, though inwardly, he was quite surprised by Kimimaro’s strength.

The punch he had just thrown wasn’t weak, yet the other party easily caught it and instantly countered.

Just that reaction alone was enough to make him more cautious.

"Isn’t that Kenmicchi? Is he going after the newcomers?"

"Seems like it. Looks like the newbies are in trouble. Recently, Lord Otoya gave Kenmicchi the same soft-body modification as Lord Orochimaru. His strength is nothing like it used to be."

"So, this newcomer is really unlucky."

"Heh, you’re saying that like any newcomer here isn’t unlucky? These two won’t be exceptions."

"After all, they were brought here personally by Lord Orochimaru. They must have some skill."

"We’ll soon see."

The crowd buzzed with conversation as Kimimaro glanced over at Suigetsu.

"I'll hold off on beating you up. Someone just delivered themselves here for the job."

Hearing this, Suigetsu looked at Kenmicchi with gratitude—and a bit of pity.

Why’d you have to provoke him?

"Boss, be careful."

Suigetsu’s sudden concern for him took Kimimaro a bit off guard.

But that didn’t matter.

Kimimaro took a quick step forward, accelerating rapidly.

His right hand clenched into a fist and shot toward Kenmicchi’s face.

"So fast!"

Kenmicchi was startled and quickly retreated, bringing his palms together to shield himself.

Smack!

Kimimaro’s fist slammed into his palms.

"That’s all the strength you’ve got? Didn’t have breakfast?"

Kenmicchi barely managed to catch the punch but still forced a mocking tone, a sneer appearing on his face.

However, such taunts had no effect on Kimimaro.

His cold green eyes stared at Kenmicchi, completely unfazed.

The power of the Shikotsumyaku activated!

In an instant, a razor-sharp bone spike erupted from his fist!

Rip!

The bone spike shot out, instantly piercing through Kenmicchi’s palms!

"Ah!"

With a cry of pain, Kenmicchi’s sneer vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Blood oozed from his palms.

Kimimaro withdrew his fist, leaving the bone spike embedded in Kenmicchi’s hands.

Then, with a swift turn, Kimimaro spun and delivered a powerful kick to Kenmicchi’s abdomen.

Having taken two heavy blows in quick succession, Kenmicchi was sent flying!

Thud!

He hit the ground hard, looking utterly defeated.

The crowd was shocked.

"Wow, he’s strong! He defeated someone favored by Lord Orochimaru in just one move!"

Fear crept into the crowd’s eyes as they gazed at Kimimaro.

A strong person will always command attention.

"How dare you ambush me!"

Kenmicchi shouted angrily, pulling the bone spike from his palms and letting it fall to the ground.

At the same time, his heart raced in fear at Kimimaro’s strange abilities.

Where had that bone spike come from?

Everything had happened so fast that he hadn’t even seen what was going on before he was injured.

However, he didn’t believe he was weaker than Kimimaro. He assumed that Kimimaro’s strange technique had caught him off guard.

Kimimaro just stared at him coldly, saying nothing.

That gaze made it clear Kenmicchi wasn’t even worth acknowledging.

"You bastard! How dare you look down on me! I’m a genius, handpicked and enhanced by Lord Orochimaru!"

Kenmicchi roared as he launched an attack!

Wind whipped around his feet, and he clenched his right fist so tightly it seemed like he would crush it.

The pain in his hands had triggered a vicious rage, and he wasn’t holding back any longer.

Injuring Kimimaro wasn’t enough—he wanted him dead!

His fist came barreling forward with intense force!

Suigetsu, watching from the sidelines, mused, "This guy’s got some strength, but it’s too bad he’s up against that monster."

The fist, as big as a sandbag, came crashing down, nearly hitting its mark.

Kimimaro tilted his body just slightly, effortlessly dodging.

Then, he reached out with both hands and grabbed Kenmicchi’s arm, using the momentum to throw him!

Kenmicchi suddenly felt weightless as he lost his balance and was lifted off the ground.

In a flash, the flawless face of the boy appeared in front of him.

How had this boy mastered such control over his strength?

His taijutsu was exceptional.

"Damn it, I won’t lose this easily!"

Kenmicchi immediately reached out with his left hand, grabbing Kimimaro’s left arm.

His body twisted, slowing his fall just enough.

Taking advantage of the moment, he tightly gripped Kimimaro’s left hand, his body softening like a snake as he dropped down.

In the blink of an eye, Kenmicchi coiled himself around Kimimaro’s body.

His left hand locked onto Kimimaro’s left arm while his right arm wrapped around his right.

His entire body twisted unnaturally, coiling around Kimimaro’s waist.

Even his legs were wrapped around Kimimaro.

In an instant, Kenmicchi had completely immobilized him!

He clung to Kimimaro like a living octopus.

"You brat! Let’s see how arrogant you are now! I’m going to crush all your bones!"

Kenmicchi’s head was right next to Kimimaro’s, his voice crazed, his face twisted in madness.

He had won!

No one had ever survived once he got them in this hold.

"Oh no! It’s that move! A few days ago, Kenmicchi used this same technique to strangle someone to death! That poor person had all their bones crushed; they died horribly."

"What a shame, that newcomer was pretty strong. But in the end, he lost."

"Well, Kenmicchi is favored by Lord Orochimaru and was modified by Lord Otoyi. It’s impressive the newcomer held his own at all. Defeating him was just too much to ask."

"The newcomer is done for. Angering Kenmicchi like that, he’s probably going to be strangled to death."

The crowd looked at Kimimaro with sympathy.

But some remained indifferent, or even eager for the outcome.

In this kind of environment, it wasn’t unusual for people’s personalities to be twisted.

Suigetsu covered his face with one hand, muttering, "What an idiot. He really thinks he can crush the bones of the Kaguya clan? Where does he get that confidence from?"

Kimimaro’s cold voice suddenly reached Kenmicchi’s ear.

"Really? You’re quite bold."

"You brat! Still pretending? I don’t care if Lord Orochimaru punishes me—I’m going to kill you! Die!"

Kenmicchi’s grip tightened as intense pressure surged around Kimimaro.

"Feel that? You can’t breathe, can you? Hahaha!"

Kenmicchi laughed wildly.

"Is that it?"

Kimimaro’s icy voice cut off Kenmicchi’s laughter.

He suddenly realized he couldn’t tighten his grip any further.

It was as if he wasn’t wrapping around a person—but a stone.

"What’s going on?"

"With this amount of force, you’re barely scratching me. Let’s finish this. Dance of the Larch!"

In the next moment, dozens of sharp white bone spikes erupted from Kimimaro’s body, piercing through Kenmicchi and leaving him covered in blood!

"Ahhh!"

A blood-curdling scream echoed across the training ground.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 19: Way of Destruction No. 4*

*Dance of the Willows!*

The third dance of Kaguya's Fluid Art Five Dances.

Chakra stimulates the strength of the Shikotsumyaku, causing dozens of bone spikes, wrapped in chakra, to burst out from all over the body. These spikes can be used for both attack and defense, with terrifying power.

Kimimaro spun his body, launching into a 360-degree whirlwind. Dozens of bone spikes, tinged with bloody arcs, relentlessly slashed through Kenmicchi’s body.

One bloody mark after another appeared on his body!

Blood soaked through his clothes, and his screams didn’t cease.

The chilling sound of his screams sent shivers through everyone present.

Originally, they held a slight fear of Kimimaro’s strength. Now, their gazes toward him were as if they were looking at a demon.

A cold, ruthless demon!

Kimimaro halted his attack and landed steadily on the ground.

Kenmicchi, however, fell to the ground like a rag doll.

At this moment, his breath was gone, his eyes wide open, as if he couldn’t believe he had just died.

For a moment, everything was so silent that the sound of insects chirping could be heard.

Everyone exchanged looks, not even daring to breathe loudly, let alone speak.

They were all terrified of offending Kimimaro and meeting the same fate as Kenmicchi.

Kimimaro glanced indifferently at Kenmicchi, retracting the bone spikes, which had not been tainted with any blood thanks to the chakra covering them, and turned to leave.

"We’re leaving, Suigetsu."

Upon hearing this, Suigetsu quickly followed.

It wasn’t until several minutes after Kimimaro left that the crowd returned to their senses.

"God, is that newcomer a monster? He killed Kenmicchi in an instant, even when Ken had him tied up!"

"As expected from someone brought back by Lord Orochimaru, he's just too powerful. If he becomes my boss, I won’t have to worry about being bullied anymore."

"Don’t be silly. With that cold demeanor, I bet if you annoyed him, your life would be over. It’s best to stay far away from someone like that."

"Yeah, his presence is too chilling. I’ve only felt something like that from Lord Orochimaru."

"I wonder who’s stronger—him or the Sound Four?"

At the mention of the Sound Four, the group fell silent.

"The Sound Four were taken away for special training by Lord Orochimaru, and they haven’t been seen for a long time. Who knows if they’re still alive?"

"Who knows. Too many people have died here."

"Whatever, let’s stop talking and get back to training."

"What about Kenmicchi’s body?"

"This isn’t your first day here. Leave the body; Lady Oto inevitably will send someone to deal with it. Nothing that happens here escapes her eyes."

"True."

The bloody spectacle ended. The spectators left, and the performers were gone.

All that remained was the solitary corpse on the ground, a silent testament to the violence that had just occurred.

Not far away, Oto withdrew her gaze.

"Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan… what an interesting boy. The Kaguya clan’s Shikotsumyaku is truly powerful. No wonder Lord Orochimaru values him so much. But why is he interested in learning medical ninjutsu?"

Oto’s tone revealed a hint of confusion.

Someone with such immense combat talent wanting to learn medical ninjutsu was quite odd.

From Kimimaro’s expression, it didn’t seem like he had any grand wish to save lives.

For a moment, Oto’s curiosity about this white-haired boy deepened.

*On the road.*

Suigetsu followed behind Kimimaro, not as fearful of his methods as the others.

Growing up in the Bloody Mist Village, Suigetsu had developed a much higher tolerance for such brutality.

Since the other party intended to kill him, Suigetsu believed that any means of defeating them was acceptable.

After all, he had survived his own escape by using any method necessary to kill his enemies.

Otherwise, he would have been dead long ago.

Kimimaro’s decisive and ruthless nature only made Suigetsu feel more at ease.

He even vaguely saw a shadow of his older brother, Mangetsu Hozuki, in Kimimaro.

Mangetsu was similarly decisive and ruthless.

In fact, he was even more brutal than Kimimaro.

"This guy… he’s already fully adapted to the ways of the shinobi world."

Suigetsu thought to himself as he watched Kimimaro walk ahead.

Suddenly, Kimimaro stopped and looked back at Suigetsu.

Suigetsu was taken aback.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t tell me you didn’t get enough and still want to beat me up?"

Suigetsu immediately took a defensive stance.

"Relax, I’m not going to hit you. I just have something to say."

"What is it?"

Suigetsu asked, puzzled.

"I know you haven’t given up on the idea of escaping, but I advise you to let it go for now. Even if you leave here, where would you go? It’s better to use the resources here to get stronger quickly. Once you’re powerful enough, the shinobi world will be yours to explore.

"On the other hand, with your current weakness, even if you manage to escape, you won’t be able to accomplish anything. You’re from the Hozuki clan—you should understand how important strength is. That’s all I have to say. What you do next is up to you."

After finishing, Kimimaro turned to leave.

Over the past three days, although he had spent most of his time reading in his room, he had noticed during meals that Suigetsu was always sneaking around.

It wasn’t hard for him to guess what Suigetsu was thinking.

This was the last time he would speak on the matter.

If Suigetsu still wanted to run, Kimimaro wouldn’t remind him again.

He was helping Suigetsu because he thought he was a good person, not because he wanted to babysit him.

Suigetsu was somewhat surprised that the usually cold Kimimaro would say such things to him.

Before he could respond, Kimimaro had already walked away.

"I already figured that out a long time ago. Did I really need you to tell me? But… was this guy just giving me advice? Is he starting to see me as a subordinate?"

Suigetsu muttered to himself, but he found that the idea of being Kimimaro’s subordinate wasn’t as distasteful as before.

He could feel that Kimimaro cared about him.

Coming from the Bloody Mist Village, Suigetsu hadn’t experienced much care, so he couldn’t help but feel a bit warm inside.

Unlike Kimimaro, who was a reincarnator, Suigetsu was just a kid under ten years old and was naturally easier to move emotionally.

"Fine, I’ll stick to my previous plan and train properly."

Suigetsu mumbled, heading off to ask Oto for more training resources.

*Elsewhere,* Kimimaro didn’t return to his room right away. Instead, he went to a secluded place and opened his status panel.

During his fight with Kenmicchi, he had heard a familiar voice in his ear.

"Congratulations, tourist! You have successfully taken a photo with Kenmicchi and earned a reward: Way of Destruction No. 4, White Lightning."

The character in the photo was none other than Kenmicchi.

During their brief exchange, Ken had grabbed Kimimaro’s left hand, and at that moment, the photo was completed.

Kenmicchi was the Sound Village spy killed by Kankuro during the Chunin Exams, as well as Kabuto’s teammate.

"Who would’ve thought that even minor characters could trigger a photo. Looks like any named character in Naruto has a photo reward."

Kimimaro thought to himself, then extended his right index finger and softly said, "Way of Destruction No. 4, White Lightning!"

A white bolt of lightning formed at his fingertip and instantly shot out!

It struck a tree several meters away, leaving a charred mark.

"A lightning-based attack. This will be quite useful against Suigetsu’s water transformation jutsu."

If Suigetsu knew Kimimaro was thinking this, that newly found warmth might have been smothered immediately.

This guy really knows how to bully others!

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 20: Palm Sage Sigil*

*Medical Room.*

"I can't believe you managed to read through a hundred basic medical ninjutsu books in just three days. What kind of monster are you?"

Otoya looked at Kimimaro, who was there to begin the next stage of learning, utterly stunned.

Having a photographic memory was one thing, but reading a hundred books in three days? Even with a perfect memory, that was absurd.

Was this guy really such a bookworm?

And these weren't storybooks either; they were dry, technical medical texts.

"I don’t like to procrastinate. If something can be done today, I won’t put it off until tomorrow."

"You're something else. I'm starting to wonder just how far you'll go with medical ninjutsu. Maybe you'll even become as skilled as that legendary medical master.

Let’s move on to the next stage of training: practical basic medical ninjutsu."

On the experimental table was a large scroll. As she spoke, Otoya spread it open, revealing intricate designs inside.

The scroll depicted a black sigil array.

In the center was a circular blank area, and around it were black symbols radiating from the circle.

"Do you know what these symbols represent?"

Kimimaro glanced at them, and the knowledge from those hundred books flooded his mind. He quickly found the answer.

"They’re Palm Sage sigils, used in training the Palm Sage Technique. They help refine the green chakra needed for medical ninjutsu."

"That’s right, these are Palm Sage sigils. Seems like you remember well."

Otoya nodded approvingly.

"Now, watch closely as I demonstrate."

She took a kunai from her tool pouch and threw it into a nearby experimental water tank.

The kunai pierced a koi fish inside the tank.

With a pull of her right hand, Kimimaro noticed that a wire was attached to the ring at the end of the kunai.

As Otoya pulled, the wire moved, and the pierced koi fish leaped out of the water, landing precisely in the center of the Palm Sage sigil on the scroll, remaining completely still.

The power of the sigil restrained it, preventing any movement that could interfere with treatment.

Otoya removed the kunai, revealing the koi’s wound.

The wound was clean and smooth, not fatal.

She formed hand seals and placed her hands on the sigil.

The seals were few, just three in total, easy for Kimimaro to memorize at a glance.

Soon, the sigil emitted a faint green glow.

Under its influence, Otoya’s hands began to glow with green chakra.

She placed her glowing hands on the koi’s wound.

One!

Two!

Three!

Suddenly, the koi’s tail flipped, and it sprang to life, fully restored.

Otoya gave it a quick toss back into the tank, where it swam as if nothing had ever happened.

"Did you understand? Explain it."

After a moment of thought, Kimimaro responded slowly, "By forming seals, you trigger the flow of chakra within the body, which activates the power of the Palm Sage sigil. This transforms the chakra into the special green chakra used in medical ninjutsu.

Green chakra is filled with vitality and stimulates the regeneration of cells, allowing wounds to heal quickly.

However, stimulating cell regeneration requires great care. Only the targeted cells should be affected, or it might cause further damage instead of healing."

"Exactly. It all sounds simple in theory, but truly mastering the Palm Sage Technique requires extensive practice.

The first step is forming seals to sync your chakra with the sigil and produce the green chakra.

The second step is injecting the green chakra into the wound with precise control, stimulating cell regeneration.

The third step is discarding the sigil and using your own power to convert your chakra into the special green chakra of medical ninjutsu.

Once you can do all three steps, you’ll have learned the Palm Sage Technique."

Kimimaro nodded slightly.

Though the steps seemed straightforward, the amount of effort required was something only those who had practiced could understand.

Sakura, considered the most gifted medical ninja by Tsunade, took three months to master the Palm Sage Technique from when she first began studying medical ninjutsu.

For ordinary people, it would take much longer.

But Kimimaro believed he wouldn’t need three months to master it.

Not because he thought he was more talented than Sakura in medical ninjutsu, but because his learning speed was likely several times faster than hers.

And with the help of the Silent Seal, the time required should be even shorter.

"This is the scroll for the Palm Sage Technique. You can use it to practice. If you have any questions, come find me."

As one of Orochimaru’s top aides managing the Sound Village, Otoya had many responsibilities and couldn’t oversee Kimimaro’s training all the time.

After leaving the scroll, she went off to handle her own matters.

"Thank you, senior."

With Otoya gone, Kimimaro was left alone in the medical room.

After reviewing the Palm Sage scroll, he began his practice.

The first step was to convert his chakra.

Kimimaro formed the hand seals and felt the changes in his chakra as it flowed through his body.

The flow changed but got blocked at one point, unable to pass through.

He placed his right hand on the Palm Sage sigil, and the blocked chakra began to flow again, overcoming the obstruction.

"This spot... it’s the Gate of Life!"

The Gate of Life!

The third of the Eight Gates!

As chakra passed through the Gate of Life, it reached his palms.

Green chakra formed.

Kimimaro furrowed his brow. He had memorized human anatomy over the past three days.

He hadn’t expected his chakra to pass through the Gate of Life.

"After passing through the Gate of Life, chakra turns into medical ninjutsu chakra? Interesting.

Now that I think about it, when the third gate of the Eight Gates is opened, the body emits an energy similar to medical chakra. There seems to be a connection here.

Channeling chakra through the Gate of Life isn’t easy, which is why medical ninjas need the Palm Sage sigil to help guide the chakra."

Feeling the flow of chakra inside him, Kimimaro had already figured out the sigil’s purpose.

As long as he could control his chakra to pass through the Gate of Life and transform its nature, he wouldn’t need the Palm Sage sigil anymore.

At that point, he would have mastered the Palm Sage Technique.

Treating the koi was just a practical application of the technique.

Once he healed the fish, it would mean he had gained proficient control over the technique.

At that stage, abandoning the sigil and channeling chakra through the Gate of Life would become much easier.

Learning the Palm Sage Technique was a process where each step built on the previous one.

With a sigh, Kimimaro picked up the fish and began his medical ninjutsu training.

"Silence!"

He silently invoked the power of the Silent Seal, which filled his mind with clarity once again.

His mind was sharp, making learning more efficient.

But after a minute had passed, the fish’s wound hadn’t healed. Instead, its breathing had grown weaker.

"It really isn’t that simple. Even with the Silent Seal, my hands are still too unskilled. This is going to take a lot of practice."

Kimimaro shook his head in resignation. He had mastered the theory, but turning theory into practice was proving to be dozens of times more difficult.

In simple terms, his mind knew what to do, but his hands didn’t.

The green chakra was like a wild horse, untamed and unruly, completely out of control.

Every time Kimimaro tried to command it, the green chakra would break free and scatter in all directions.

Not only did this prevent effective healing, but it also risked further injury to the wound.

He tried to follow the control methods outlined in the books, but his results were limited.

The method wasn’t wrong; he was just inexperienced.

There was no avoiding this stage.

Every beginner had to go through it.

"Ah, now it's time to use that."

(End of Chapter)