Originally meant to be a gathering where they tasted various breakfast dishes in preparation for opening the shop, the event ended up becoming a wild party for young ninjas.
After successfully getting Tsunade completely drunk and passed out with Kushina's help, Uchiha Mikoto, Inuzuka Tsume, and Honoka bid their farewells and left as evening fell.
Nara Shikaku, Choza Akimichi, Yamanaka Hayato, and Aburame Shibi continued drinking well past eight in the evening. Eventually, they became so inebriated they lost consciousness and were carried home by their respective wives.
Kurenai Yuhi, Rin Nohara, and the five other young women stayed behind to clean up the mess in the living room and kitchen before politely saying goodbye and leaving.
As for Jiraiya…
Kei Yamanaka was too preoccupied playing tongue-twisting games with an adorable, tipsy Kushina to even remember that guy.
If it weren't for Minato Namikaze and Honoka feeling something was off when they returned home, and after some thought finally recalling that there was still a teacher left behind,
they wouldn't have made a special trip back to send him to the training cave using the [Flying Thunder God Technique].
Jiraiya probably would've been left lying on the third-floor balcony all night.
The once noisy mansion fell silent after everyone had left.
Kushina, her intoxication now fully setting in, clung to Kei for a moment before finally collapsing, falling asleep right in his arms.
Kei glanced toward the guest room where Tsunade was resting.
Sighing heavily, he reluctantly carried Kushina back to her room and gently tucked her into bed before heading into the study.
Owing to his enhanced speed-reading ability and incredible memory granted by [The Expert King of the Ninja World],
he swiftly skimmed through countless scrolls and secret manuscripts brought back by Tsunade.
As one of the two great clans during the Warring Clans era, the Senju Clan's research into [Water Release] techniques surpassed almost every other clan's.
Their mastery of nature transformation and shape manipulation techniques had already achieved levels bordering on artistry.
Beyond the vast array of ninjutsu techniques, many scrolls contained further studies focused on how to release more chakra and create stronger jutsu with fewer hand seals and in shorter timeframes.
After all, owing to their bloodline advantages, most members of the Senju Clan naturally possessed exceptional chakra reserves.
For them, brute force could overcome ten thousand techniques; overwhelming power was their preferred path.
Even powerful high-chakra-consuming techniques like the [Water Dragon Bullet] and the [Hard Turbulent Water Ring]—developed by Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage himself—demanded immense chakra reserves.
However, these scrolls also included ways to reduce chakra consumption.
There was an unmistakable impression that the Senju ancestors' efforts seemed somewhat superficial.
It gave off a clear sense that it was presented as "It's not my problem if it consumes too much chakra—it's yours."
In contrast, the Hozuki Clan's legacy clearly prioritized maximizing damage while minimizing resource use. It might seem frugal, but for ordinary ninja, it was undeniably more practical.
The [Water Gun Technique] was the most representative example of this philosophy.
By condensing a bullet-sized water sphere, it aimed for maximum localized destruction with pinpoint accuracy.
"Huh? This [Water Bullet] and [Water Gun Technique] look really similar! And you don't even need the [Hydrification Technique] as a base. You start off launching dozens of water bullets at once—like, did they even care about chakra consumption at all!"
Kei Yamanaka had no sooner finished praising the Hozuki Clan's Water Release techniques in his mind than the Senju elders quickly schooled him.
Apart from its high chakra consumption, the mechanics behind the Water Bullet Technique were dissected in detail.
The ancestors of the Senju Clan even ingeniously adapted the same principles to develop a new Ninjutsu with broader range and stronger destructive power.
"Isn't this essentially a precursor to Boil Release? Mist shinobi would probably spit blood if they saw this!"
"Shape transformation experiments in Water Release—multiple experiments involving high- and low-temperature water..."
"Sharp, cutting, twisting, surging, eroding, heavy, nimble, gentle..."
[Wave Riding Strike] allows for complete freedom of movement underwater… combined with the Hydrification Technique, it becomes a game-changing skill for stealth, ambushes, and escape!
[Water Blade Slash] attaches a rapidly spinning layer of water onto the surface of weaponry. It should work great on kunai too... Hmm? Didn't I have a ninja sword somewhere?
The notion that Kei Yamanaka could finish reading two scroll volumes and go to bed before midnight was now laughable in the face of the Senju Clan's treasure trove of techniques.
Even as a World Traveler, he found himself repeatedly amazed at some of these fresh concepts and experimental approaches.
Who could imagine that hundreds of years ago, the Senju ancestors had already considered utilizing Nature Transformation in Water Release to mimic the "layered wave" effect found in martial cultivation novels?
A single punch launched forth waves of force upon waves, boosting their physical strength several-fold—or even dozens of times over!
Only the immense chakra control required, which surpassed even Chakra Enhanced Strength itself—
who could possibly stand against the might of the Senju Clan?
The night passed quietly.
The next morning, bright sunlight streamed into the study.
Kei finally snapped out of the sea of scrolls.
Glancing at the wall clock showing eight o'clock, he put aside the scroll and went to freshen up.
He made a few breakfast dishes from yesterday's leftovers and ate until full.
Noticing the bedroom door—still quiet—he packed another serving of breakfast, left a sticky note, and then stepped out the door toward the training cave.
Though he hadn't slept all night, his exceptional mental endurance kept fatigue at bay.
He had arranged with Jiraiya yesterday for a three-day training session, and being late on the first day didn't sound good.
The training cave lay northwest beyond Konoha village—in the exact opposite direction of the Summon Aviary where bird summons were kept.
Back then, just to secure the land near the training cave, Jiraiya had spent a lot of time lobbying in the village and even used much of his own earnings from writing.
Later on, since Minato frequently trained here alongside Jiraiya, he grew fond of the location too.
Years of sporadic funding from both men transformed the cave atop the cliff into an elegantly designed cliffside masterpiece, while the wasteland below became pavilions and lakes.
At a glance, it looked like a secluded paradise.
The eagle-falcon glided slowly from the sky.
As Kei extended his sensing range, he spotted Jiraiya snoring heavily inside the largest building along the cliffside.
As he leaped down from the back of the beast, he bellowed at the top of his lungs,
"There's a pervert spying on the women's bathhouse! Get him!"
Boom! Bang!
Jiraiya shot out of the room with his eyes still closed.
After stumbling midair for a moment, he traced a beautiful arc and smashed straight into the lake below the cliff, sending water spraying everywhere.
"Kei, couldn't you have just knocked like a normal person?"
Jiraiya hovered above the water, chakra swirling behind him, floating there with a pained expression.
Can't he just knock normally?
That scream nearly scared him to death!
"Mr. Gentleman can have the dog's place. Whoever wants it can take it. Let's eat already."
"..."
——————
The Yamanaka Clan mansion.
Still hungover, Kushina scratched her cheek, irritated by the morning sun. Suddenly realizing how much time had passed, she bolted upright in bed.
With wide eyes, she looked around the guestroom's furnishings and at the straps on her dress, then peeked under the blanket at her pants.
Ugh, Kushina, you're such a mess!
Kushina puffed her cheeks and slapped her smooth thigh in frustration, making herself gasp in pain.
Last night, things were going so well!
Even if Big Sis Tsunade was still home, would she really burst in to check?
Why did I black out then?!
Couldn't I have held on just a few more minutes?!
Ahhhhhh!
Alcohol always messes things up!
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