CHAPTER 159: CHAPTER 159

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At the entrance of the Hyūga compound—

"Kitazawa-sensei."

Hinata stopped and asked timidly, "Can I treat you to dinner again tomorrow?"

Last night’s barbecue had been fun—delicious food, easy conversation. But more importantly, she had completed Ino and the others’ mission: discovering what Kitazawa liked to eat.

"I’m the sensei, you’re the student." Kitazawa chuckled softly. "How could I let a student treat me to dinner every day?"

"I—I don’t mind." Hinata tilted her head, voice quiet but resolute. "Besides... I’m not short on money."

"Having money isn’t a reason to treat someone." Kitazawa patted her head with a smile. "Tomorrow won’t work. Maybe next time, if there’s an opportunity."

He wasn’t the type of man to sponge off others.

"Alright..." Hinata’s shoulders drooped ever so slightly, her disappointment clear.

Kitazawa nearly caved seeing her pitiful expression. But no—accepting free meals every day was simply unnecessary.

"See you tomorrow, Hinata." He pinched her cheek lightly, adding, "Smile more. You’re cutest that way."

"Kitazawa-sensei... goodbye." Hinata blinked in surprise, then replied with shy embarrassment.

Kitazawa turned and headed toward Kurenai’s house.

It was already past seven, and the streetlights flared to life one by one. While it couldn’t compare to the dazzling cities of his past life, the illumination was more than enough to keep him from bumping into a utility pole.

But just as he neared Kurenai’s house, the lights seemed to flicker and dim. His vision darkened.

He froze, then glanced around.

A familiar figure appeared before him, swallowed by black current. The world around him bled into pitch-black silence.

"How is it?" came Kurenai’s voice from the shadows.

"Very good," Kitazawa praised without hesitation. "You’ve completely mastered the Bringer of Darkness."

The illusion shattered. The street returned, and Kurenai stood in the glow of the lamps.

"In Genjutsu, you’re already at the level of a Special Jōnin." Kitazawa caught her delicate hand, mischievously brushing her palm with his fingers.

"My goal is to be a Jōnin." Kurenai tilted her face, ruby-like eyes shining beneath the lamplight.

"A Jōnin needs at least two types of ninjutsu mastered. Genjutsu alone isn’t enough," Kitazawa reminded her.

"I know," she sighed. "But mastering another type isn’t easy."

"It is, if you let me teach you." Kitazawa leaned down, whispering in her ear.

Kurenai froze. He wasn’t wrong—his strength had long surpassed hers, and he had knowledge of countless techniques. The gap between them still felt unreal. Just a year ago, she was the one defeating him with Genjutsu. Now, she was his student.

"What are you thinking about?" Kitazawa teased, giving her a sudden slap on her rear.

"What are you doing?!" Kurenai spun, crimson with embarrassment and fury.

"You zoned out first," he replied innocently. "I was reminding you."

"Is that how you remind someone?!"

"Sorry." He rubbed the spot as if to make amends. "I was too forceful just now."

Kurenai’s body trembled. She staggered back, her cheeks glowing under the streetlights.

"P-Pervert!" she snapped.

"What ninjutsu do you want to learn?" Kitazawa cleared his throat, feigning seriousness. "I can teach you anything."

"Anything? Then what about Fūinjutsu?" She asked with a sharp snort, half out of irritation, half to challenge him.

"No problem." Kitazawa grinned.

Kurenai blinked in surprise. Fūinjutsu wasn’t something most Konoha shinobi could touch, yet he agreed so easily.

"You really know Fūinjutsu?" she asked, stunned.

"Would I lie to you?" He pulled her into his arms.

"When did you learn that?" she pressed, suspicious but intrigued.

"Do you know Lady Tsunade’s Yin Seal?" Kitazawa asked, breathing in her faint fragrance.

"Of course—wait, you mean you learned Fūinjutsu just to pursue the Yin Seal?" Her eyes widened. "Does Lady Tsunade actually plan to take you on as a student?"

"What’s this? You didn’t believe me?" Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.

"It’s not that—just... that’s Lady Tsunade!" Kurenai’s expression softened into something complicated. She respected Tsunade deeply, and the thought of Kitazawa becoming her disciple meant his status would soar far beyond her own.

"Do you realize how amazing I am now?" Kitazawa teased, eyes slipping down toward her pale neck.

"No matter how amazing, you’re still a pervert!" she snapped, noticing his gaze.

"Is that so?" He lowered his head, kissing the curve of her neck. "Then should I do something perverted?"

Kurenai shuddered, breath catching. His warmth against her skin sent sparks racing through her nerves.

"You—" Her lips parted, but before she could finish, Kitazawa claimed them in a kiss.

Her hazy eyes betrayed her resistance, melting away as his arms tightened around her. He could feel every curve pressed against him.

When they finally broke apart, Kurenai gasped, breathless, her lips damp.

"I’ll teach you Fūinjutsu tomorrow morning, after my meeting." Kitazawa twirled a strand of her dark hair around his finger.

"Mm." Kurenai leaned against him, heart pounding wildly. She couldn’t even tell if it was her heartbeat or his.

"Come on, let’s go back. Standing here is pointless." Kitazawa chuckled, giving her thigh a playful pinch.

Kurenai glared daggers at him before striding ahead.

"By the way," Kitazawa caught up, "how’s Lady Tsunade’s new jutsu coming along?"

"It’s nearly complete. Should be ready any time," Kurenai replied.

"Good." Kitazawa thought privately—if that jutsu was finished, Tsunade’s treatment was close at hand. Whether he could truly cure her hemophobia remained uncertain, but he would give it his all.

The next morning—Thursday.

Naruto’s second secret meeting convened in the Ninja Academy’s conference room. The location wasn’t chosen at random; they’d be holding a Student Council meeting immediately afterward.

"Kitazawa-sensei likes barbecue... and takoyaki too," Hinata reported softly, yesterday’s findings spilling from her lips under the weight of everyone’s expectant gazes.

"Excellent."

Ino smiled in approval. "Hinata, you pulled off your task beautifully."

"When Kitazawa-sensei’s birthday comes around, we’ll treat him to the best barbecue restaurant in Konoha!" Naruto declared, sweeping his arm grandly.

"That’s great!" Choji cheered, both hands raised. Barbecue was his true love, after all.

"I think we should consider the budget," Shikamaru muttered, his eyes shifting lazily between Hinata and Choji.

"No worries!" Naruto thumped his chest proudly. "I already got sponsorship from Gramps—the Third Hokage!"

"You can get sponsorship for this too?" Kiba gawked.

"As expected of our Head of External Affairs," Kabuto remarked with a polished smile, adjusting his glasses. "To secure Hokage-sama’s support twice—impressive."

"It’s not that big a deal..." Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"I’ve got some intel on Kitazawa-sensei as well." Kabuto’s glasses glinted as he narrowed his eyes.

"What is it?" Naruto leaned in immediately.

Ino, Neji, and the rest of the group instinctively turned his way.

Even Shino, behind his dark shades, found himself silently grumbling: ’We both wear glasses. Why does his presence feel so strong?’

"Kitazawa-sensei specializes in Wind Release," Kabuto explained unhurriedly. "With the right ninja tools, Wind Release can double their effectiveness."

Wind Release—sharp, cutting, deadly. It paired exceptionally well with weapons. Asuma Sarutobi himself had famously wielded twin chakra blades with it.

"I-I’ll get him a ninja tool!" Hinata blurted, her cheeks warming.

Ninja tools were deeply personal. She wanted Kitazawa to carry one that came from her hands, something he would use often.

"Alright," Kabuto said smoothly, "you’re better suited than me."

High-quality ninja tools cost a fortune. Kabuto’s funds were... limited. Hinata, however, was the Hyūga heiress.

"You just earned a major contribution, Hinata. If you want to give it, then it’s only fair you do it," Naruto added with uncharacteristic seriousness.

"Look at you—already acting like Hokage," Kiba teased.

"Of course!" Naruto grinned. "My dream is to surpass every Hokage that came before!"

"I’ve got an idea." Ino tapped her chin, then snapped her fingers. "Kitazawa-sensei’s birthday is close to New Year’s. I could give him a kimono."

In the ninja world, wearing traditional kimono for New Year’s was a cherished custom.

"That’s a fitting gift," Shikamaru agreed.

"Hinata, I’ll need your help." Ino turned toward her suddenly, palms pressed together.

"M-Me?" Hinata blinked in surprise, not used to Ino’s solemn tone.

"To tailor a kimono properly, I’ll need Kitazawa-sensei’s measurements," Ino explained. "And you have the Byakugan. No one’s more suited."

Hinata froze, but then nodded shyly.

"Perfect." Ino brushed a strand of golden hair from her forehead and smirked. "Now it’s your turn to decide on a gift."

"Hey, don’t leave us hanging!" Kiba protested. "We’re classmates—you’ve got to help us brainstorm too!"

"I never said I was running away." Ino leaned back, crossing her legs with a mischievous smile. "So, any other ideas?"

The group fell silent, each sinking into thought.

Just then, two students from another class poked their heads inside.

"Uh... wrong meeting room?" One of them muttered, confused.

"Then it’s settled!" Naruto clapped his hands. "Second meeting ends here! Student Council members, stay behind for the meeting!"

Ino, Tenten, Hinata, and the others filed out, chatting as they went.

The clock struck 8:40.

Kitazawa arrived precisely on time. The Student Council members were already assembled.

"Hana," he greeted as she stepped forward, proposal in hand.

"This is the activity plan I drafted, Kitazawa-sensei."

"Good work." He opened it, skimming the details. The structure was sound, polished—thanks in no small part to the advice he’d given her earlier.

"No issues. You may proceed."

"When will the activity be held?" Hana asked eagerly.

"Promote it these next few days. Launch officially next Friday," Kitazawa decided after a moment’s thought.

"Really?!" Hana’s eyes lit up. She had expected Saturday or Sunday. This meant an extra day of fun.

The students erupted into cheers.

"Barring any unexpected issues, Hokage-sama himself will attend," Kitazawa added with a knowing smile. "Do not disappoint him."

"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!" they chorused, voices brimming with excitement.

"Good. The rest is up to you. If problems arise, come to me." He dismissed them, leaving without lingering.

His role was guidance—the execution belonged to them.

After teaching his first class that morning, Kitazawa returned to Kurenai’s home.

"You’re back?" she called, perched casually on the roof.

"Why wait up there?" Kitazawa quirked a brow, amused.

"Nothing better to do." Kurenai hopped down gracefully. The motion sent a ripple through her form, her outfit stretching just enough to catch Kitazawa’s eye.

"Staring again?" she teased, giving him a swift kick.

"You can’t blame me," he said without a flicker of shame. "You’re simply too beautiful."

"Smooth talker!" she huffed, though her lips curved into a reluctant smile.

"Before we dive into sealing jutsu, you’ll need to master drawing sealing formulas," Kitazawa shifted back to business.

Unlike most ninjutsu that required only hand seals, sealing techniques demanded both hand seals and complex formula patterns. Sustained seals like the Four Symbols or Eight Trigrams Seal—such as the one holding the Nine-Tails—could last a lifetime.

Today, he intended to teach her the Fire Suppression Seal. Properly inscribed, it could contain flames indefinitely, so long as the scroll remained intact.

"Formulas aren’t drawn with brushes, but with chakra itself," Kitazawa explained. "It demands precise control."

"I’m a genjutsu specialist," Kurenai smirked, clenching her fists. "Chakra control is my strength."

"Then let’s begin." Kitazawa unrolled a scroll. The formula was circular, its surface etched with writhing characters like tadpoles frozen mid-stroke.

"First, memorize it. Then replicate it here." He laid out a blank scroll.

Kurenai inhaled deeply, placed her hand on the parchment, and began channeling chakra. Black marks slowly emerged, forming into lines of script.

"You may have real talent for sealing," Kitazawa remarked approvingly.

"That’s—ah!" Her concentration wavered, and the marks veered off track.

"It’s normal not to succeed at first," he reassured her. "Try again, and the lines will fall into place."

"Mm." She nodded firmly, undeterred. Sealing was even harder than genjutsu—it was only natural to stumble.

—

The days passed quickly.

Under Naruto and Sasuke’s lead, the Student Council launched its first campaign. Flyers fluttered across the academy, banners hung from every wall. The once-ordinary academy buzzed with new energy.

Kitazawa himself remained low-key. Classes, guidance, water release training with Kiba, sealing lessons with Kurenai—that was his rhythm.

Half a week slipped by.

By Thursday of the second week of November, the stage was set.

Tomorrow would mark the Student Council’s first official event under the banner of the Will of Fire Club.

Though merely a knowledge contest, the allure of generous prizes—and relentless promotion—had drawn nearly every student in the academy.

Finding someone not signed up was harder than finding one who was.

That morning, Kitazawa made his way to the Hokage Building. He had promised the students he would invite Hiruzen Sarutobi himself.

Just as he arrived, three lines of glowing text unfurled before his eyes:

[Current Mission: Help Yakushi Kabuto learn three Wind Release techniques.]

[Mission Reward: Earth Release.]

[Mission complete. Reward issued.]

Kitazawa’s brows lifted slightly.

An unexpected reward—but not entirely surprising. Kabuto, already a skilled medical ninja with an exceptional foundation, naturally picked up elemental ninjutsu faster than the others.

Now with Earth Release added to his arsenal, Kitazawa lacked only Lightning Release to complete the full spectrum of chakra natures.

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