Chapter 7: The Correct Way to Use the <
[C-Rank Jutsu: Invisible Air]
Jutsu Description: A self-developed jutsu, the blade that cannot be seen.
Jutsu Effect: Utilizes the [Camouflage Concealment] jutsu to finely control the water molecules in the air, wrapping them around the surface of a weapon to render its shape transparent.
Jutsu Evaluation: People keep running into my sword.
'A-rank jutsu [Camouflage Concealment] and C-rank jutsu [Invisible Air]!'
Nara Keisuke's eyes lit up as he looked at the new message that had refreshed on the panel.
'This is a similar relationship to the S-rank jutsu [Flying Thunder God Technique] and the B-rank jutsu [Flying Thunder God Slash], right?'
The messages on the panel continued to pop up.
[You have self-developed one C-Rank jutsu [Invisible Air]. Your [Ninjutsu] attribute has been slightly enhanced! Your [Wisdom] attribute has been enhanced!]
[Wisdom: C → C+]
'My [Wisdom] attribute was directly upgraded by a small tier! My spiritual energy has increased again!'
Nara Keisuke was in a very cheerful mood.
'It's just that my [Ninjutsu] attribute still hasn't changed... That's fine. Once my [Stamina] attribute goes up, everything will be easy to deal with.'
The refreshed information on the panel gave Nara Keisuke very positive feedback.
'Aside from learning jutsu, developing derivative jutsu based on a certain basic technique is also a good way to improve my [Wisdom] attribute.'
Nara Keisuke lovingly played with the black kunai that was enveloped by [Invisible Air] and had become transparent. Compared to the complete A-rank [Camouflage Concealment], the C-rank [Invisible Air] not only had significantly reduced chakra consumption but could also produce an effect in melee combat that was no less impressive than the former.
However, Nara Keisuke didn't let the joy of developing a C-rank derivative ninjutsu go to his head.
'[Invisible Air] can make objects transparent, which is an excellent effect! But for me right now, melee combat is not a good choice of fighting style.'
Aside from the constantly mentioned [Stamina] attribute, Nara Keisuke's [Taijutsu], [Strength], and [Speed] were also terrible. As for "swordsmanship," Nara Keisuke was completely clueless. Trying to engage in extremely dangerous close-quarters combat with an enemy just by relying on [Invisible Air] was complete suicide!
'My current foundation is the [Shadow Secret Arts]!'
Nara Keisuke's thinking was quite rational.
'The fusion of [Invisible Air] and [Shadow Gathering Jutsu] is the research direction I should really be considering!'
Since [Invisible Air] could make the shape of a weapon transparent, why not use it to conceal the movements of his "shadows"?
However, developing the derivative jutsu [Invisible Air] from [Camouflage Concealment] was one thing. Fusing [Invisible Air] with [Shadow Gathering Jutsu] was a challenge on a completely different level. [Invisible Air], or rather [Camouflage Concealment], was essentially a non-elemental jutsu. On the other hand, [Shadow Gathering Jutsu] was a Yin Release secret art passed down in the Nara clan for centuries. Promoting the fusion of [Invisible Air] and [Shadow Gathering Jutsu] could be roughly seen as "adding the nature transformation of Yin Release chakra to the foundation of [Camouflage Concealment]."
'In the future, the [Wind Release: Rasenshuriken] created by Uzumaki Naruto actually follows this same path.'
Nara Keisuke withdrew the chakra wrapped around the kunai, his thoughts drifting slightly.
'It's just that I don't have the [Multiple Shadow Clone Technique] to speed up the practice of jutsu fusion... My chakra reserves and my physical constitution don't support the [Multiple Shadow Clone Technique] either... To advance the fusion of [Invisible Air] and [Shadow Gathering Jutsu], I can only take it slow.'
'Actually, after [Lacquer Eye] solved the problem of physical energy consumption, supplementing my training with certain weapon skills is much more reliable and rational than directly training my body and fists...'
It wasn't that Nara Keisuke didn't know the upper limits of taijutsu. But his current E-rank [Taijutsu] level was a far cry from even "graduating the academy," let alone the ceiling of the shinobi world's taijutsu that almost "kicked the series to its finale"!
'The road is long and arduous...'
Nara Keisuke closed the [Jutsu Abilities] panel and turned to investigate the other function of the <
The Mission Minimum Payout System.
'Currently, the only known way to obtain a [Shinobi Secret Scroll] is to complete a shinobi combat mission. For the same target, a B-rank shinobi combat mission can be completed once a month. The frequency for other ranks of combat missions is unknown.'
Nara Keisuke shifted his waist, resisting the urge to turn over.
'With my current true strength, it's basically impossible to complete B-rank or higher shinobi combat missions.'
'However, the difficulty of obtaining a high-level [Shinobi Secret Scroll] isn't that high...'
Based on the functions revealed by the <
But this way, damage to his personal reputation would be a secondary concern. The problem was, given Nara Keisuke's social circle, where would he find a Kage-level master to "challenge"...
In the small Nara room, the bathroom door was once again pushed open a crack from the inside. Tsunade peeked her head out. Droplets of water trickled down from her magnificent, tassel-like golden hair, and white steam shrouded her smooth, fair shoulders.
"Na-Nara!"
Tsunade's tone was curt.
Hearing the voice, a flash of inspiration struck Nara Keisuke's mind as he lay on the bed, and he was about to get up.
"Do you have a change of clothes here?"
Nara Keisuke lay back down, his already muddled brain almost crashing.
"You're... not wearing any clothes?"
"Who wears clothes while taking a bath?"
"Wait!" Nara Keisuke suddenly realized. "Why are you taking a bath?"
Didn't you tell me to wash up? Tsunade wanted to retort. But she finally realized that she had initially just wanted to find a place to wash her hands, so how did it turn into taking a bath? And in Nara Keisuke's room, no less!
"I got covered in dust during the fight..." Tsunade said, brushing her wet golden hair, using a bossy tone to cover up her inner panic. "Hurry up and find me some clothes! I don't want to wear bloody, dirty clothes!"
Since when are ninja so picky! And there's no blood on your clothes anyway!
Nara Keisuke had no choice but to go to another room in the orphanage, find a nun's habit, and pass it to Tsunade through the crack in the door.
"These are Sister Nono'o's clothes. The size might be..."
Nara Keisuke, covering his eyes, hadn't finished speaking before the sound of the door closing cut him off.
Not long after, Sister Tsunade, steaming with warmth, walked out of the washroom, and a fragrant aroma quietly filled the small room. The oversized, solemn nun's habit, when worn by Princess Tsunade, inexplicably gave off the exaggerated feeling of being an "anti-demon ninja who is just wearing a nun's habit."
'The size really is too small...'
"It's a bit tight."
Tsunade's words undoubtedly confirmed Nara Keisuke's personal opinion.
"If this outfit is too tight, I can go borrow clothes from another elderly nun in the orphanage—"
"Stop!"
Age was a taboo topic. Tsunade directly cut Nara Keisuke off. She tugged at the collar of the nun's habit, shuffled in slippers that also didn't quite fit, and swayed over to Nara Keisuke's bed. Then she sat down with a plop. The nun's habit and the bedframe let out a tragic creak almost simultaneously.
Nara Keisuke pinched his thigh again. At this moment, he was chanting both the Great Compassion Mantra and the Ice Heart Sutra in his mind.
Seeing his nervous appearance, Tsunade found it quite amusing. She crossed her legs and shifted into a more comfortable sitting position on the bed.
"By the way, Nara, I left the 100,000 ryō from before in the bathroom. Remember to collect it later."
Pa-paying me?
Nara Keisuke looked up at the very large, very round Tsunade.
Completely oblivious to the fact that the atmosphere, location, activity, process, and clothing were all wrong, Tsunade continued to explain.
"Originally, that 100,000 ryō was... ahem, the reward for the mission of protecting you on your way home. But what happened just now..."
Tsunade, her cheeks seemingly rosy but actually burning with embarrassment, didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear. As one of the Sannin, it was already wrong for Princess Tsunade to extort a Genin. Not only did she extort 100,000 ryō at once, but the protection mission she had sworn to complete had also failed. Not only did she fail to protect her "client," but she ended up being protected by her "client"...
If it weren't for the special circumstances, Tsunade would have wanted to retire on the spot!
Nara Keisuke nodded. "Understood."
"That's good..."
The blush on Tsunade's cheeks faded slightly. She extended her index finger towards Nara Keisuke and beckoned him a few times.
"Now, you come over here. I'll give you a physical examination."
"..."
Nara Keisuke's reason told him that Tsunade definitely didn't mean anything else by it, but at this moment, he was genuinely about to lose his reason!
He slowly shuffled to the edge of the bed, and Tsunade grabbed his left hand.
"Didn't I ask you before..."
Before Tsunade could finish, Yakushi Nono'o, carrying a food container, pushed the door open and entered.
The blonde older sister in a nun's habit sitting on the bed, the black-haired pretty boy standing by the bed like a well-behaved lamb, their hands held tightly together, and the steaming water vapor and warm atmosphere in the air...
The bespectacled maiden had some trouble keeping her glasses steady.
"I'm so sorry! I'm interrupting!"
"Nono'o? Come in, quick!"
Tsunade didn't notice Yakushi Nono'o's embarrassment and just thought she was greeting her. She subconsciously let go of her right hand and waved at her.
"Thank you for your hospitality today."
Watching the black sleeve sway as Tsunade waved, Yakushi Nono'o's eyelids twitched again.
Why is Lady Tsunade wearing my clothes?
Freed from the "demonic clutches" of the big sucker, Nara Keisuke took two or three steps to reach Yakushi Nono'o, took the food container from her, and casually grabbed a hand-rolled sushi to stuff in his mouth.
"Sister Nono'o, you have to listen to me—"
[Eating... Your [Stamina] attribute has slightly increased...]
"Cough, cough!"
(End of Chapter)