Entering the Forest of Death, the four members of Hoshita Shūichi's team split up to observe the animals in the forest, searching for one with spiritual potential suitable to become a summoning beast.
Giant pythons!
Enormous spiders!
Massive gorillas!
The Forest of Death was teeming with wildlife, and many of the creatures were unusually large.
After searching for the entire morning, the group reconvened at the designated spot around noon to share their findings.
"Shūichi, I think this black gorilla is a good choice—strong, huge, and tough-skinned."
"This black wolf isn't bad either—agile, sharp claws, very intelligent, and skilled at hunting. It'd make a great partner once trained."
"What about the spider? It's highly venomous and can weave webs to trap enemies."
Kurama Sanyō was the most enthusiastic, continuously pitching his selected candidates.
In contrast, Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Shisui had fewer targets but provided more detailed notes.
Hoshita Shūichi carefully reviewed their observations and eventually locked onto one particular candidate—a creature Uchiha Shisui had singled out.
"Shūichi, you're interested in this white tiger?" Uchiha Shisui noticed his gaze.
Hoshita Shūichi nodded. "This cub seems promising. It's just started hunting on its own, and if you say it's intelligent, it must be special."
"Besides, raising a cub means more room for growth."
Namikaze Minato immediately made the decision. "First instincts are important. Let's go check out Shisui's white tiger."
The four set off, following Uchiha Shisui to the young tiger's hunting grounds, where they spotted it basking on a rock.
The white tiger wasn't pure snow-white—it had black stripes circling its body.
Still very young, it looked adorably clumsy.
Hoshita Shūichi took an instant liking to it. "This one!"
With that, he used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside the tiger.
Startled, the cub let out a low growl and tried to rise, but Hoshita Shūichi pressed a hand to its head.
"Grrr...!"
The tiger snarled and struggled, glaring at him with fierce but childish defiance.
Hoshita Shūichi chuckled softly. "Easy, easy!"
Keeping one hand on its head, he used the other to stroke its back.
Unable to break free, the cub soon gave up and stared at him with wide, curious eyes.
It really was quite intelligent.
Hoshita Shūichi grew even fonder of it. Then, he channeled chakra into his left hand and carefully infused it into the tiger's body.
"Grr—?!"
The cub flinched at first, but soon realized it felt... surprisingly good. It even closed its eyes in contentment.
Amused, Hoshita Shūichi took out a special medicine he'd bought from the Inuzuka clan beforehand.
The cub's eyes snapped open at the scent.
"Here, eat up."
He brought the pill to the tiger's mouth, but it only sniffed cautiously, unwilling to bite.
Seeing this, Hoshita Shūichi decided to take a firmer approach—he pried its jaws open and popped the pill inside.
"Grrr—!"
The cub thrashed, but Hoshita Shūichi held it tight, letting the medicine dissolve gradually in its mouth.
Huh? Not bad...?
The tiger stopped struggling. Hoshita Shūichi released it and stood.
"From now on, I'll call you Little White."
"Keep hunting well—I'll be back!"
With that, he vanished from the cub's sight, leaving it blinking in confusion.
"Shūichi, you're not taking it back with you?" Kurama Sanyō asked when he returned empty-handed.
Hoshita Shūichi smiled. "No, it belongs here."
Namikaze Minato nodded. "This environment will help it retain its wild instincts and ferocity."
"But you should visit often, Shūichi. Spending time with you will help it grow accustomed to your presence—and perhaps even absorb some of your spiritual energy."
Hoshita Shūichi agreed. "Got it!"
After leaving the Forest of Death, he treated everyone to a barbecue.
Back home, Hoshita Shūichi unrolled the scroll Namikaze Minato had given him—it contained the Summoning Technique.
The principles, sealing formulas, hand signs, and even Minato's personal insights were all recorded inside.
Though Hoshita Shūichi had a photographic memory, he still reviewed it three times, carefully analyzing every detail before closing the scroll and practicing the hand signs.
Before bed, he studied the summoning formulas.
For summoning beasts, establishing a contract required creating a summoning scroll.
While such scrolls could be purchased, Hoshita Shūichi—already skilled in sealing techniques and cursed marks—had no intention of wasting money. He would make his own.
But that meant delving deeper into the summoning formulas, mastering them thoroughly.
...
The next day, the final day of the break.
Hoshita Shūichi headed to the Ninja Academy.
He wasn't alone—Kakashi, Shizune, Yūhi Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, and Nohara Rin were also there.
Today was the graduation exam for Might Guy and Uchiha Obito.
Of course, this wasn't Uchiha Obito's first attempt.
Before long, Uchiha Obito emerged, shoulders slumped in dejection.
Hoshita Shūichi and Kakashi exchanged glances, both seeing the same resigned amusement in the other's eyes.
Uchiha Obito wasn't weak—his taijutsu could hold its own against theirs, and his Fire Release had improved significantly.
But his Clone Technique was abysmal, and his performance in exams was even worse.
He also had a knack for messing up at critical moments.
Hoshita Shūichi recalled that last time, Uchiha Obito had failed because of a sudden stomachache that ruined his Transformation Technique.
"If he'd just taken things seriously earlier, he'd have passed by now."
"And he was almost late today!"
Kakashi, never one to spare feelings, delivered a verbal jab.
The dejected Uchiha Obito immediately perked up like an enraged fighter, fists clenched. "Kakashi, you—! That was just an accident! And I wasn't late!"
Kakashi replied flatly, "But you failed."
Uchiha Obito huffed. "Next time—next time I'll pass for sure!"
Kakashi: "You said that last time."
Uchiha Obito snapped. "Kakashi, I challenge you to a duel!"
Before Kakashi could respond, Nohara Rin quickly stepped between them. "Kakashi!"
Kakashi shut his mouth and turned away.
Nohara Rin pulled Uchiha Obito aside.
Hoshita Shūichi watched the scene with amusement.
"He's out!" Shizune suddenly announced.
Might Guy had emerged.
Just as everyone was about to ask how it went, Might Guy and Might Duy sprinted toward each other, embracing and bursting into tears.
Instantly, Hoshita Shūichi and the others froze in awkward silence.
Watching the father and son's waterfall of tears, Hoshita Shūichi couldn't help but think, Guy and Duy's tear ducts are something else.
But from their conversation, it was clearly good news.
At the tail end of age seven, Might Guy had graduated from the Ninja Academy!
...
December slipped away quietly. Three days before the New Year, Hoshita Shūichi officially went on break, pausing his missions.
But for him, little changed—he was just as busy as ever.
Daily visits to the Forest of Death, shifts at Konoha Hospital, physical training, refining the "Step-by-Step Lotus," and brainstorming the development of another A-rank (or higher) jutsu.
With the Rasengan, Azure Flame Skyblade, Fire Release: Buddha's Fury Lotus, and Step-by-Step Lotus—all at least A-rank—he was still one technique short of unlocking the [Innovator] keyword.
Unfortunately, neither his Fire Release Clone nor the Eight Trigrams Sealing Technique met the requirements.
"Should I try developing the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken?"
"Even at 50% completion, it'd be S-rank."
Standing on the snow-covered training ground, Hoshita Shūichi pondered after finishing his sword practice.
But truthfully, unless perfected, the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken wouldn't be practical for him, even with the Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique.
"Maybe I'll need the [Innovator] keyword's inspiration to fully complete it."
After much deliberation, he returned to his strongest area—Fire Release.
The Step-by-Step Lotus was a movement technique, and the Buddha's Fury Lotus relied on Fire Release Clones, making it close-range.
His other five Fire Release techniques covered mid-to-long-range attacks.
"But even if my Fire Release's heat rivals Scorch Release, its penetration at mid-to-long range is still lacking."
Hoshita Shūichi mused, "Water and Earth Release defenses can block it too easily."
"So... a Fire Release technique with strong penetration?"
The moment this thought arose, two jutsu came to mind.
The Second Hokage's Water Release: Severing Wave, which even the toads of Mount Myōboku had used.
During the battle between the reanimated First, Second, and Third Hokage, the Second's Severing Wave had pierced straight through the Third's Earth Release barrier.
The second technique was Six Paths Madara's Sage Art: Storm Release Light Fang, which sliced through Six Paths Naruto's Truth-Seeking Staff.
"High-temperature ray?"
Hoshita Shūichi stroked his chin and made a decision.
One more high-penetration Fire Release technique, and then—aside from refining the Step-by-Step Lotus and Fire Release Chakra Mode—he'd shift his focus to sword techniques and Wind Release.
"High-temperature ray..."
He pondered further. "Actually, techniques like Fireball Jutsu start as concentrated streams or lines of fire when exhaled."
"For shinobi, the farther chakra is projected, the harder it is to control."
"Water's fluidity makes shape transformation easier, while Lightning, Wind, and Fire Release are comparatively more difficult."
"Most Fire Release techniques are spherical, and the dragon shape of Dragon Flame Jutsu is far less lifelike than the Water Dragon Bullet."
"This is largely due to the nature of chakra."
"Not to mention maintaining stability after shape transformation."
After careful consideration, Hoshita Shūichi walked to the frozen riverbank.
Clap!
He pressed his hands together, focused for a moment, then exhaled—a blazing white line of fire shot from his mouth.
But the line began dispersing into a sheet of white flames less than six meters away.
This range was barely mid-distance.
Again!
Hoshita Shūichi repeated the process, gradually extending the attack's reach.
This was essentially a process of intensifying Fire Release's concentration, requiring exceptional chakra control and shape transformation.
To prevent the flames from scattering, he needed to construct a stable shape.
Time passed, and soon it was the New Year of Konoha 41.
This year was different—Hoshita Shūichi spent it at home with Yakushi Nonō, visiting the orphanage only the next day.
On the fourth day of the New Year, he paid a visit to Ten'un.
There, he met her older sister, Ten'na, who was already engaged but only sixteen or seventeen—barely older than Namikaze Minato.
After lunch, as Ten'un saw him off, she asked, "Shūichi, your medical ninjutsu is quite advanced now. Can you make medical ninjutsu scrolls?"
"Medical ninjutsu scrolls?" Hoshita Shūichi blinked.
Ten'un nodded. "For emergency treatment on the battlefield."
"They're rare because the cost-performance ratio is low. Medical ninjutsu requires precise control, which scrolls struggle to replicate."
"But as a stopgap when no medics are available, they're workable—just wasteful on chakra."
Hoshita Shūichi grinned. "For Ten'na's fiancé?"
Ten'un tapped his forehead. "Clever boy!"
He thumped his chest. "If Ten'un asks, of course I'll deliver."
"Leave it to me!"
Ten'un smiled. "I'll have blank scrolls sent to your place later."
She then produced a wooden box. "Here... a New Year's gift from me."
"With your missions, you might miss your birthday, you know."
Hoshita Shūichi accepted it cheerfully. "Then I won't hold back—thanks!"
He leaned in, kissed her forehead, and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique before she could react.
"Brat!" Ten'un scolded, but her cheeks flushed as she touched her forehead.
Hoshita Shūichi reappeared on a deserted rooftop and opened the box. Inside was a senbon needle.
"Same material as the Amatsukami Blade?"
Testing it, he confirmed its exceptional chakra conductivity.
Holding the needle, an idea struck him.
"A high-temperature ray could use this as a medium, giving the Fire Release chakra something to cling to."
"But that wouldn't be much different from the Azure Flame Skyblade."
He placed the senbon between his teeth. Still, I can train with it first and phase it out later.
Suppressing the urge to test it immediately, he bought sake and Shizune's favorite snacks before heading to the Senju estate—he'd promised, after all.
Shizune opened the door, accepted the gifts gleefully, and led him to Tsunade.
Inside, he found Tsunade hunched over scrolls, the table and floor littered with ancient-looking documents.
This is what real heritage looks like, Hoshita Shūichi marveled.
Then he averted his eyes from the twin peaks on the table—no, from Tsunade herself.
"Lady Tsunade!" he greeted.
She glanced up briefly before returning to her work, irritation in her voice. "Sit wherever. Or go play with Shizune. I'm busy."
Something's off.
Must be stuck on a problem.
Exchanging a look with Shizune confirmed his guess. He sat across from Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade, if you're stuck, maybe I can help."
She frowned. "You can't."
Hoshita Shūichi shook his head. "Don't be so sure. I'm no match for you in medical ninjutsu, but I've got some expertise in jutsu development."
Tsunade rubbed her temples. "It's not medical ninjutsu. It's a chakra-control formula."
Now even more intrigued, Hoshita Shūichi said, "Then I'm definitely your man. Formula work is rooted in fuinjutsu, and I'm no slouch there either."
The [Sealing Expert] keyword covered cursed seals as well, all built on the esoteric foundation of fuinjutsu symbols.
Read advance chapters here:
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