CHAPTER 160: CHAPTER 160

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"Hokage-sama."

Kitazawa stepped into the Hokage’s office after receiving permission.

"Ah, Kitazawa," Hiruzen Sarutobi greeted, lifting his eyes from his paperwork. "Is Tsunade not with you today?"

"Lady Tsunade is still engrossed in researching the new jutsu," Kitazawa replied, pausing before continuing, "I came today to speak about the Student Council."

"The knowledge competition, is it?" Hiruzen asked, puffing leisurely on his pipe.

Keeping close watch over Naruto had made him well aware of the Student Council’s affairs.

"Hokage-sama’s foresight is truly remarkable," Kitazawa said with a polite smile before adding, "The Student Council has prepared everything for your attendance. We hope you can join us tomorrow."

"You’ve organized it all within a week? Impressive." Hiruzen chuckled. "As the patron of the Will of Fire Club, I’ll certainly attend."

"Sasuke and Naruto have been eagerly waiting for your visit. They’ll be thrilled to see you." Kitazawa smiled.

"You’ve guided them well," Hiruzen admitted plainly. "Naruto’s performance in the Will of Fire Club has been particularly satisfying."

Truth be told, he had always worried about Naruto—too brash, too reckless, perhaps destined to become a ninja capable of little beyond fighting. But now, to Hiruzen’s quiet surprise, the boy was showing care beneath the chaos.

When preparing for the Student Council’s first event, Naruto had thrown himself into the work, completing it with unexpected diligence.

As the saying goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Perhaps Naruto truly carried the spark of Minato.

Konoha, meanwhile, was in a fragile transitional state. Its high council was aging—Danzo, Homura, and Koharu were well past their prime. Jiraiya wandered in search of the Child of Prophecy, Orochimaru had defected, and Tsunade still struggled with her hemophobia.

Fortunately, Kitazawa’s proposal of Psychological Medical Ninjutsu had given Tsunade a path forward.

Kakashi was too withdrawn, Asuma had stepped away, Might Gai was... eccentric at best, and Kurenai lacked the necessary strength, now Kitazawa... He’ll need to see.

Only Naruto and Sasuke shone with the promise of the new generation.

"How is Tsunade’s condition?" Hiruzen asked, breaking from his thoughts.

"Lady Tsunade has agreed to undergo treatment for her hemophobia," Kitazawa said seriously.

Hiruzen’s hand trembled on his pipe. "Truly?"

He had little faith that anyone could sway Tsunade. She was not a woman easily persuaded—if she could be moved so easily, it would never have fallen to Kitazawa to attempt it.

"Lady Tsunade said it herself," Kitazawa confirmed with a firm expression.

"If you truly cure her, Konoha will reward you generously," Hiruzen promised with a rare smile. It wasn’t mere lip service—Tsunade’s recovery would change everything.

If she returned, Konoha would gain not only the world’s greatest medical ninja, but also a true Hokage successor. That stability would strengthen the village within and deter enemies outside.

And naturally, Hiruzen thought, as the one who achieved this, Kitazawa would also earn a place of honor—perhaps even as Tsunade’s student, keeping the Hokage’s legacy in the family.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Kitazawa said, bowing. He wanted Tsunade’s recovery even more than Hiruzen did. With her as Hokage, his own path would be secured.

After their discussion, Kitazawa left the Hokage’s office and made his way to the artificial lake by the Academy.

Kiba was waiting, and he hurried up at once. After a week of harsh training, he had finally mastered water walking and was eager to move on.

"Kitazawa-sensei!" Kiba pulled out a scroll. "This contains the Inuzuka clan’s secret transformation techniques."

Kitazawa unrolled it, scanning the text quickly. Immediately, he noticed something odd. Two techniques were listed, yet neither was complete.

He understood at once—he was an outsider, and the clan had deliberately omitted certain details. Not that he intended to learn them anyway. Without a ninja hound, they were meaningless to him. If he were to choose a partner beast, it would have to be from the Three Great Sage Regions—summons that could heal, fight, and support, far more versatile than a dog.

Still, the incomplete techniques were clear enough:

Beast Human Clone, which transformed a ninja hound into a human.

Human Beast Transformation: Twin-Headed Wolf, which merged man and hound into a beast.

They were likely chosen by Kiba’s parents themselves.

"I already have some ideas," Kitazawa said, rolling the scroll closed. "But first, I’ll teach you the Shadow Clone Technique."

"Really?!" Kiba’s face lit up with excitement.

"You don’t have the same chakra reserves as Naruto, so for now, focus on creating just one clone," Kitazawa advised.

"Only one?" Kiba muttered, recalling Naruto’s countless clones. The difference in chakra was staggering. Sometimes he wondered if Naruto had been born from a tailed beast... though, to his knowledge, tailed beasts didn’t give birth.

After half an hour of careful explanation, Kitazawa asked, "Any questions?"

"I understand everything!" Kiba declared confidently. "You explained it so clearly, I’ll nail it on the first try!"

He formed the hand signs. With a puff of smoke—another Kiba appeared.

And immediately toppled over, missing a leg.

"Cough... well, at least it looks human," Kiba muttered, dispelling it.

"No rush. Take your time," Kitazawa said with a chuckle. "I’ll leave a clone to guide you. If you’re stuck, ask him."

He created a Shadow Clone with deliberate slowness.

"You’ll practice with him," Kitazawa instructed, "and don’t neglect your water walking."

Then he turned and left.

The Shadow Clone Technique wasn’t overly complex, but for someone at Kiba’s level, it would take at least a week.

And in that time, Kitazawa would be free to devise ways to refine the Inuzuka’s secret arts.

"Kitazawa-sensei."

At the training ground, Kabuto immediately ran over the moment he spotted Kitazawa.

"I’ve already mastered Wind Release: Shuriken," he announced proudly.

"Good. Then today, I’ll teach you a new Wind Release technique."

Kitazawa wasn’t surprised—thanks to the system, he already knew Kabuto’s progress.

"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei," Kabuto said quickly.

"The jutsu I’ll be teaching is Wind Style: Vacuum Blade. It’s somewhat similar to Wind Release: Shuriken."

Kitazawa pulled out a kunai. "You infuse Wind Chakra into the blade, sharpening and empowering it until it becomes far deadlier than normal."

"I understand," Kabuto nodded.

Wind Release: Shuriken relied on throwing special tools. Wind Style: Vacuum Blade, however, turned an ordinary kunai into something closer to a razor-edged sword—though it could still be thrown like a weapon if needed.

"Go ahead, give it a try."

Kitazawa explained the technique for half an hour, much like he had with the Shadow Clone Jutsu. But when Kabuto drew his kunai, he hesitated instead of forming hand signs. His expression carried a rare uncertainty.

"What’s wrong?" Kitazawa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Kitazawa-sensei, there’s something I’d like to ask of you," Kabuto said after taking a deep breath.

"Why so serious?" Kitazawa replied, a little surprised. "Did something happen?"

"I... want to participate in the Chunin Exams."

Kitazawa blinked. "You’re not already a Chunin?"

Kabuto lowered his voice. "I grew up in Root. I never took part in the Chunin Exams held in the village. Strictly speaking... I’m not even a Genin."

Kitazawa stared, dumbfounded. "With your strength, participating should be trivial. What’s the problem?"

"To join the Chunin Exams, I need a team leader and two teammates." Kabuto looked embarrassed. "And I don’t have either."

Everyone he once knew was in Root. Outside of it, in the vastness of Konoha, he couldn’t find even two Genin to rely on. He’d even considered asking Nono, but as the head of Konoha Hospital, she couldn’t simply abandon her post.

After much thought, only Kitazawa came to mind. He had experience as a teacher, and many of his former students were already Genin.

[As a genius, you should become a Chunin early and carve your name into the world.]

[Current Mission: Lead Yakushi Kabuto to pass the Chunin Exams as the top-ranked team.]

[Mission Reward: Water Release: Hydrification Technique.]

[Accept?]

Kitazawa’s expression froze.

Seriously, System?

I’m already a Special Jonin—why on earth would I sit through the Chunin Exams?!

And hadn’t the System already given him a mission when he was assessed for Special Jonin? Did it just... forget?

He frowned, though the reward was undeniably tempting.

The Hydrification Technique was a secret Water Release jutsu of the Hozuki clan in the Hidden Mist. It allowed the user to liquefy their body, making them nearly immune to physical attacks while also perfect for infiltration and ambushes.

Considering his current lack of defensive and life-saving jutsu, this technique would be invaluable. As long as he didn’t run into Lightning Release, he’d practically be unkillable.

But the issue remained—how could he even enter the Chunin Exams?

Even with his ties to Hiruzen, there were limits. Breaking the rules outright wasn’t an option.

Then—an idea struck.

The mission said lead Kabuto to victory as the top-ranked team. Did that mean the team leader counted?

Whether it did or not, this was his only shot. And besides, the system wasn’t exactly reliable.

"So," Kitazawa said aloud, "you’re asking me to act as your temporary team leader?"

Kabuto nodded. "Yes. And... if you have any former students who are Genin, I was hoping you could recommend them."

"I see," Kitazawa mused.

Now it made sense why Kabuto had approached him. He did indeed have former students, but none with particularly remarkable talent. Without special bloodlines or prodigious gifts, they couldn’t reach the level of true elites, no matter how hard he trained them.

And while Kabuto was already strong, the Chunin Exams weren’t about individual strength alone—they were team-based. If his teammates dragged him down, Kitazawa’s mission would fail.

He sighed inwardly.

If only he could pull in Yakumo or Naruto, the top rank would be guaranteed. But they weren’t even Genin yet.

"When do registrations close for the Exams?" Kitazawa finally asked.

"December 1st," Kabuto answered.

Right—the end-of-year exams. These were limited to Konoha’s shinobi only. The joint village exams from the original history had been a rare exception, a political showcase of strength.

"Alright, I’ll do it," Kitazawa nodded. "As for your teammates, I’ll choose them and introduce them to you soon."

Kabuto exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei."

"Don’t get complacent," Kitazawa warned. "Even if your strength already surpasses the average Chunin, you still need to prepare. There’s half a month left—master Wind Style: Vacuum Blade before then."

"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei."

Kabuto raised his kunai and began practicing at once.

Kitazawa stepped back, watching carefully while considering potential teammates. Kabuto alone carried risks—he needed at least one more capable Genin to ensure victory.

The problem was, talented Genin were scarce. Many, like Uchiha Itachi, had already advanced beyond Chunin or joined the Anbu.

His thoughts drifted to Aburame Torune of Root. Around Shino’s age, his nano-poison insects made him a terrifying opponent for ordinary shinobi. A pity that in the original course of history, he’d met an untimely end at Obito’s hands.

But stealing someone out of Danzo’s grip was no small task.

Unless...

Kitazawa’s mind shifted to the Aburame clan itself. If Tsunade supported them, they might reclaim Torune from Root. That would not only strengthen Kabuto’s team but also boost Tsunade’s standing as a Hokage candidate.

And Shino... yes, Shino Aburame would be the key.

"Kabuto, you’re fine on your own for now. I’ll leave a Shadow Clone here to guide you if needed."

Kitazawa formed the seals and split off a clone. He’d been using two regularly anyway—one at the artificial lake, another at the training ground.

"Understood, Kitazawa-sensei," Kabuto replied, already absorbed in practice.

Kitazawa checked briefly on Hinata and Ino’s training before heading to Class 1-A, where Iruka was teaching a flower arrangement lesson.

Spotting him, Iruka released the students to practice freely and walked over.

"After class, send Shino to my office," Kitazawa instructed.

Iruka nodded.

Back in his office, Kitazawa busied himself reviewing preparations for tomorrow’s Will of Fire Club event. As Student Council President, he couldn’t afford any mistakes.

Ten minutes later, there was a knock.

"Kitazawa-sensei."

Shino stepped inside, dressed in his usual white coat and dark glasses.

"Shino," Kitazawa began, "what do you think of your ranking in the last monthly exam?"

"My classmates are all very strong," Shino answered cautiously, unsure of the question’s intent.

Kitazawa pressed further. "But are you satisfied with your ranking?"

Shino hesitated. Why would Kitazawa ask this?

In truth, breaking into the top five of their class was already an achievement. With peers like Hinata, Naruto, Sasuke, and Yakumo—all geniuses personally trained by Kitazawa—his own efforts seemed meager in comparison.

"I’ve done my best to reach where I am," Shino admitted. "Improving further... feels difficult."

Then, gathering his resolve, he asked, "Kitazawa-sensei, may I also join your special training?"

Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. Smart boy—he’d grasped the heart of the matter quickly.

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