"Common type… emergency type… a very logical classification. Are you saying all of this was Chiba's own idea?"
The Third Hokage lowered the report, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes.
"Yes," Kitayama Xu replied with a nod. "The rest of us only assisted with the testing. The common type is for daily use during missions, while the emergency type restores stamina quickly after intense combat, with less satiety and a lighter burden on the body."
"Implement it as soon as possible," said the Third after a long exhale. A faint smile crept onto his face as he puffed on his pipe.
Kitayama bowed and left.
A moment later, another voice came from the shadows.
"Kakashi, what do you think?"
"You mean the boy—or the report?"
"Both."
The Third's face was veiled in smoke.
Kakashi thought for a few seconds. "Being unable to learn nature transformation doesn't mean much. As for the Soldier Pills—splitting them into types is indeed more rational. Based on mission logistics, this should reduce overall expenses by at least one-third."
"Three days…"
The Third sighed deeply.
Three days—that was all it had taken. From learning to researching to completing everything. The boy's talent was almost absurd. And if the Hokage's memory was correct, the kid had originally joined the Medical Department to study ninjutsu and medical theory.
Which meant… the Soldier Pill improvement was probably something he did on a whim.
"Are you interested in teaching him?"
"Uh—Lord Hokage, forgive me, but I'll have to decline."
Kakashi hesitated a moment before shaking his head. "I don't think I'm the right teacher for him. The ones most suited would be Lady Tsunade or Lord Jiraiya."
The Third knew that.
But neither of them was in Konoha.
Silence fell between them.
"I'll keep an eye on him for you," Kakashi finally said. "Until he's assigned a squad leader, I'll help watch over him. But as for leading him myself—no."
He gave a respectful bow, picked up his book, and left.
The Third didn't stop him.
Even as Hokage, he couldn't force a jōnin of Kakashi's caliber—and besides, Kakashi still refused to take on a team because of the Fourth Hokage's son.
The old man quietly relit his pipe.
"Hmm? What's this…?"
During his lunch break at the hospital, Chiba lay down to rest, sorting through what he'd learned. But as he sank into thought, that familiar light orb surfaced in his mind —
only this time, it looked different.
It was smaller.
No—more accurately, it had condensed. The glow was drawn inward, its surface now uneven, with light and shadow forming strange patterns.
Wait… this pattern…
He froze.
He'd seen something like this before.
Chiba racked his brain, digging through every fragment of his previous life's memory—
and then it hit him.
Before his transmigration, he had once obtained a Bodhi Seed bead.
And this orb now bore the exact same pattern.
It's the Bodhi Seed!
His eyes widened in disbelief, but within seconds he forced himself to calm down.
Now wasn't the time to question its origin.
Whether it was a Bodhi Seed or a light orb, one thing was certain—it was the foundation of his very existence in this world.
And if it had changed, there had to be a reason.
Sleep forgotten, he sat up, grabbed a pen and paper, and began to jot down thoughts in a kind of focused trance.
After a few minutes—
Thud!
The pen pierced the paper.
The Soldier Pills!
He had modified them a few days ago, and just today, the report had been submitted—perhaps even approved and circulated by now.
"I learn, comprehend, and share what I've realized with others—and when I do, the Bodhi Seed responds, feeding something back to me."
"So… what did I receive this time?"
Chiba ran a few tests on himself.
Soon, he was fairly certain—the feedback he'd reaped this time was perception.
But not ordinary chakra sensing. It went beyond that—he could feel more than energy. He could sense attention.
Like right now—
someone was watching him.
He didn't turn his head immediately. Instead, he pretended to stretch, stood up, and casually walked toward the bookshelf—stealing a glance out of the corner of his eye.
He caught only a flash—glasses, silver hair.
Kabuto?
Chiba's mind turned quickly. That fit perfectly.
No one else it could be.
Not surprising, really. His teacher was Mizuki—so it made sense that Kabuto would have an eye on him.
No need to act rashly. Who knew? Maybe they could cooperate in the future.
With that, he quietly made his way to Kitayama Xu's office.
The door was open, but Kitayama was asleep inside.
Chiba slipped in, replaced his book, and was about to leave when his peripheral vision caught something… unexpected.
Uh… Sensei…
He froze.
An adult reading something… colorful wasn't exactly unusual—but could she at least close the door?
He silently turned around to go.
Behind him came a startled gasp, followed by the frantic sound of shuffling papers.
"Ah—C-Chiba! You're just here to borrow a book? Already finished the last one?"
"Yes," he said, straight-faced. "I'd like to look into something on neurology."
Kitayama's cheeks reddened slightly. "G-good, good. Go ahead, take what you need. If it's too noisy outside, you can read in here."
"No need. Oh, and Sensei—may I start learning the Chakra Scalpel technique?"
"T-that jutsu? It's… well—ah, fine. Here, take it."
She'd been about to warn him that it was an A-rank medical jutsu, extremely difficult—but then she remembered this was the same kid who had figured out the Fourth Hokage's Rasengan on his own.
Comparing herself to him only hurt.
"Thank you, Sensei."
Indeed, when someone was suffering a social death, it was usually the perfect time to ask for favors.
Chiba flipped through the technique scroll, then politely returned it.
After he left, Kitayama buried her face in her arms, silently screaming.
He definitely saw it!
Please let him not know what that book was… otherwise, I'll never live it down!
Outside, Chiba read while walking, forming hand seals as he attempted to channel chakra into his hand.
The first attempt failed.
Hyakusa, who had been secretly observing from the corner, exhaled in relief.
Good. Not that ridiculous after all…
Then came the second attempt—
Buzz.
The Chakra Scalpel shimmered to life around Chiba's hand.
Hyakusa froze.
"…Right. Time to take my break elsewhere," he muttered and quietly walked away.
Sometimes, ignorance truly was bliss.
Chiba, oblivious, examined the technique in fascination.
No wonder it wasn't used often in combat.
Even maintaining it demanded delicate chakra control—using it during battle required a mastery far beyond ordinary standards.
Those who could maintain that control typically had stronger, simpler ways to fight—like Tsunade's monstrous strength or Chiyo's puppetry.
Kabuto was an exception.
But for Chiba, it was an excellent technique.
He focused , experimenting—compressing chakra, adjusting its shape—until the glowing blade on his hand widened to the size of a short dagger.
"In combat, it's not especially practical," he murmured, "but the chakra control process… it's given me a new idea. This could help with forming chakra needles."
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