Konoha's Tag-System Ninja

Chapter 124: Chapter 124: The Deal! [Bonus Chapter]

Shūichi Hoshita, still enjoying the results of Tsunade's hard work over the past few days, had no idea that he had now become a key subject of surveillance.

Lunch was spent with Tsunade and Shizune, who had returned from Konoha Hospital.

In the afternoon, Shūichi and Tsunade began planning the construction of the experimental base.

They discussed site selection, equipment procurement, and medicine supplies—handling all aspects of the plan. Luckily, neither Shūichi nor Tsunade were beginners, so the process was smooth and efficient without any chaos.

By the time the planning was done in the afternoon, Shūichi returned home, only to find Tenka there as well.

"Tenka-san!" Shūichi greeted her with a smile.

Tenka, who had been chatting with Asuka, stood up immediately. "Shūichi!"

"Here, this is for you. Be sure to be there on time!"

Shūichi took what she handed him and saw that it was an invitation.

It turned out that Tenka's sister was finally holding her formal wedding, scheduled for three days later.

Shūichi waved the invitation in his hand with a grin. "Don't worry, I'll definitely be there on time!"

"Alright, it's a promise then," Tenka replied before waving goodbye to Asuka. "I'll be off now!"

After seeing Tenka out the door, Shūichi and Asuka started preparing dinner together, as Nonō Yakushi would be coming home for dinner that evening.

What Shūichi didn't expect, however, was that when Nonō returned later, she brought a cake and even personally made him a bowl of longevity noodles, giving him a surprise birthday celebration.

The dinner was filled with laughter and joy.

Afterward, they all cleaned up together, and then Nonō and Asuka went out for a walk while Shūichi headed to his study.

It was time for him to review his training.

He had already mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, so the next step was to keep honing it.

Techniques like the Flying Thunder God Slash and Guiding Thunder were all advanced uses based on the Flying Thunder God Formula.

As for the tags [Medical Master], [Clone Master], and [Substitution Master], there was no rush. One involved Orochimaru's soft body modification, and the other involved the Eight-Tails—both key areas of experimentation that Shūichi planned to focus on.

He gazed at his skill tree, where multiple "Master" tags were displayed:

[Earth Release Master], [Lightning Release Master], [Water Release Master], [Sensory Master], [Genjutsu Master], and [Sealing Master].

The requirements for these Master tags were consistent: either create five A-rank jutsu or develop an S-rank jutsu.

Shūichi was already very experienced in jutsu development.

S-rank jutsu were especially challenging because they often required a high degree of mastery in both nature transformation and shape manipulation.

While not an absolute rule, S-rank jutsu were known for their exceptional power and effectiveness.

"I have too many A-rank jutsu already. One S-rank for each Master title should be enough," Shūichi thought to himself.

"For Earth Release... I'll focus on defense. With Lightning Release, Wind Release, and Fire Release for offense, my physical defenses are still lacking."

"S-rank Water Release..."

Shūichi scratched his head. While shape manipulation with water was relatively easier, nature transformation... he had no clear ideas yet.

As for Lightning Release, Kakashi was already working on developing the Chidori, so Shūichi didn't plan to go down that path. He figured he'd just trade for it once Kakashi perfected it. Combined with the Flying Thunder God, it could be even more effective than the Rasengan in terms of lethality.

So, what path should he take instead?

"An all-around Lightning Release Armor? The Lightning Chakra Mode used by the Cloud Ninja is too rough. I have strong enough chakra control to refine it into something more precise."

Thinking about it, Shūichi shook his head, dismissing the idea. Instead, a famous technique popped into his mind:

Railgun! (Electromagnetic gun!)

Although it has "magnet" in its name, it wouldn't necessarily require Magnet Release.

Or perhaps, with an electric field, a magnetic field could naturally form, thereby incorporating both electricity and magnetism.

Controlling electricity to create a magnetic field—now that would be an S-rank challenge, worthy of pursuit.

Excited by the thought, Shūichi mused, "Most Lightning Release jutsu rely on high current for damage. But if I want to create a railgun, I'll need a super-high voltage Lightning Release."

"Would that count as a nature transformation of Lightning Release?"

The concept of voltage wasn't that complicated—it referred to the potential difference or electric potential, measuring the energy difference created by varying charges in an electrostatic field.

Of course, voltage was usually applied in electrical circuits.

Shūichi decided he'd stick with calling it "voltage" for simplicity.

He made up his mind: Railgun would be his next goal for Lightning Release development!

Perhaps, once he mastered this jutsu, he might even gain some insights into Magnet Release.

Next on his list was sensory ninjutsu.

"The Kagura's Mind Eye belongs to chakra sensing. Heat vision could be considered visual sensing..."

Shūichi hesitated, wondering if it would be easier to develop one type of sensory jutsu in each category, or if he should aim for something more comprehensive.

"Or maybe I could create a more all-encompassing sensory jutsu?"

His thoughts returned to the Mind's Eye of Kagura.

Perhaps he could build on this foundation.

For instance, Malice Sensing!

Through understanding the essence of chakra, especially after coming into contact with tailed beast chakra, the principle behind Naruto's ability to sense malice in his Nine-Tails Mode wasn't too difficult to grasp.

Just as Shūichi had once discussed with Orochimaru.

Chakra is the combination of spiritual and physical energy, meaning that a person's chakra naturally carries their own mental will.

That's why the Sage of Six Paths viewed chakra as a force capable of allowing people to communicate on a spiritual level.

In fact, changes in both the body and mind can cause one's chakra to manifest differently.

Shūichi had a clear example of this in front of him:

Orochimaru!

As Orochimaru's soft body modification progressed, the feeling Shūichi got from Orochimaru's chakra continued to change.

Then there was the Uchiha clan.

Uchiha Shisui was an exception.

But for many other Uchiha clan members, as their Sharingan evolved, their chakra also changed.

According to Karin's sensory abilities, Naruto's chakra felt warm, whereas Uchiha Sasuke's chakra, especially after unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan, felt increasingly cold and ominous.

And the most obvious example was the chakra of the tailed beasts, which everyone could feel was inherently evil.

Of course, sensing malice from chakra alone was extremely difficult.

Unlike the tailed beasts, most people naturally hide their malicious intent.

"Additionally, the potential of the Mind's Eye of Kagura is vast. Beyond malice sensing, it could even evolve toward reading people's thoughts and consciousness."

"Of course, that would be incredibly difficult, but transforming it into a technique that can hear thoughts from miles away isn't impossible... At that point, the name 'Mind's Eye' would be fully justified."

Lastly, there were genjutsu and sealing techniques.

Shūichi had already come up with some ideas for genjutsu, particularly developing one based on the concept of a Memory Palace, potentially creating a genjutsu similar to the Tsukuyomi.

But when thinking of genjutsu, it was hard not to also think of the Uchiha clan's Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Spiritual techniques... like Spirit Transformation."

Shūichi thought of the technique mastered by Tsunade's former lover and mused, "In fact, the current state of the Sage of Six Paths is likely an advanced form of the Spirit Transformation Technique."

"Spirit Transformation condenses the mind into a spirit body, carrying chakra. In essence, this so-called spirit body is actually a soul."

"The Dead Demon Consuming Seal can trap souls, and the Rinnegan can extract them as well."

As his thoughts wandered, Shūichi suddenly had an idea.

Could he seal someone else's soul within his Memory Palace?

Once the idea struck him, it grew rapidly, like weeds.

When he unlocks the [Sealing Master] tag, he would be able to solidify a sealing technique as his own bloodline limit, similar to the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Thus, developing sealing techniques was crucial for Shūichi.

Reining in his thoughts, Shūichi decided to first master the Spirit Transformation Technique, followed by the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.

Both of these techniques dealt with souls, making them extremely important to him.

As for the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, he had already spent considerable time researching it with Uzumaki Kushina, and Minato Namikaze had also contributed. They were confident in their ability to perform the technique when needed.

However, using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal wasn't Shūichi's true goal.

After all, it was a one-time-use technique.

"The priority for developing techniques next will be sealing jutsu, genjutsu, and Earth Release defense techniques, in that order. The rest can come later."

With his plan set, Shūichi glanced at the time.

It was still early!

So, he decided to start by fully mastering the Lava Release Kekkei Genkai.

Previously, in the Land of Rivers, he had become proficient at using Four-Tails' chakra to wield Lava Release, but that was borrowing Four-Tails' power, not truly mastering the Lava Release bloodline limit for himself.

As for the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Roshi had already managed to combine fire and earth release to create his own Lava Release Kekkei Genkai.

Lava Release = Fire Release + Earth Release!

Shūichi's expertise in Fire Release had already reached a high level.

After unlocking the [Ninjutsu Professor] tag, he was even able to perform ordinary fire jutsu with intense blue flames due to their extreme heat.

Although he hadn't yet unlocked the [Earth Release Master] tag, his talents and insights, bolstered by the tags [Konoha Genius], [Earth Release Expert], and [Ninjutsu Professor], were already impressive.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next day, Shūichi went to the Hokage Tower to meet with Sarutobi Shinnosuke to acquire the Spirit Transformation Technique.

"The Spirit Transformation Technique... That's the jutsu mastered by Dan-senpai," Sarutobi Shinnosuke remarked, puzzled. "Shūichi, this technique seems pretty useless for someone like you."

Considering how strong Shūichi already was, he didn't really need a technique like Spirit Transformation, which had significant weaknesses.

Shūichi smiled honestly, "Captain, I'm not studying this technique for combat, but because it involves the mind and soul, which are fundamental to both the body and chakra."

"Besides, I want this technique because I've been studying a forbidden jutsu with Minato-sensei that also deals with soul sealing. But the cost of that technique is too high, and I don't like it."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke chuckled wryly, "Shūichi, only you would say something like that."

"Wait a moment. I'll go copy it for you."

Shūichi nodded, "Thanks, Captain."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke waved dismissively and headed out the door.

As Shūichi waited quietly, he realized that the candid explanation he'd just given was not only for Sarutobi Shinnosuke but also for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

This was key to earning Hiruzen's trust, despite Shūichi's many hidden agendas, such as his intentions toward the Hokage's advisor, Danzo Shimura, and Root.

Shūichi always presented himself as loyal to the Third Hokage and Konoha, and he was sincere in his care for his friends and family.

Coupled with his close ties to Minato Namikaze, Uzumaki Kushina, Tsunade, and Jiraiya's approval...

Who could be more loyal to Konoha than him?

...

Sarutobi Shinnosuke soon returned with a scroll. After receiving the Spirit Transformation Technique, Shūichi left the Hokage Tower, dividing the task between his Shadow Clones—one clone took the scroll home to study, while the real Shūichi headed to Orochimaru's research base. Along the way, he also sent another Shadow Clone to Tsunade to begin construction on a new research facility.

The lab was located within the village of Konoha, and aside from hiring some local architects, they also brought in several Konoha ninjas proficient in Earth Release.

Unfortunately, they didn't have Wood Release, otherwise, combining Wood and Earth would make constructing an underground base much easier.

...

At Orochimaru's research base—two months since his last visit—Shūichi once again sensed a change in Orochimaru.

The soft body modifications had progressed even further!

While cleaning his lab equipment, Orochimaru glanced at Shūichi and smiled, "Shūichi-kun always brings surprises!"

Shūichi smiled back, "You're too kind, Orochimaru-sama!"

After finishing up, Orochimaru asked, "Shūichi-kun, how about we make another deal?"

Shūichi immediately knew that Orochimaru was interested in researching the Third Kazekage's bloodline limit. After a brief thought, he asked, "What would Orochimaru-sama offer in exchange?"

"Research data on Hashirama's cells," Orochimaru said with a smile. "Of course, not the version you're already aware of, but the latest research from Danzo."

Shūichi couldn't help but laugh, "Orochimaru-sama, you must know I'll have to report this to the Third Hokage, right?"

Orochimaru nodded without concern, "Of course, but the experiment has already failed."

Failed?

So that means Yamato—or Codename Tenzo,'—must have already been created.

But had they really abandoned research on Hashirama's cells?

Shūichi didn't believe it.

He clearly remembered that Danzo had also implanted Hashirama's cells, managing to balance them with his three-tomoe Sharingan.

Danzo's arm was most likely the result of Orochimaru's handiwork.

After some careful consideration, Shūichi agreed, "Only for the cells."

Orochimaru smiled, "Deal."

The transaction was made!

Orochimaru wiped his hands and left briefly, returning with a large scroll.

It had clearly been prepared in advance, and Orochimaru was confident that Shūichi wouldn't refuse the deal.

Without hesitation, Shūichi took the scroll and opened it—not to check its authenticity, but to see how far Orochimaru had progressed in his research on Hashirama's cells.

Orochimaru's data was very thorough, complete with an overview and table of contents.

Just by glancing at these two sections, Shūichi already had a good idea of the extent of Orochimaru's research.

It was now clear that Yamato's survival was not just due to luck or his unique constitution but also thanks to Orochimaru's deep understanding of Hashirama's cells.

Orochimaru had made some subtle adjustments to the cells, reducing their dominance compared to the initial experiment.

This adjustment essentially involved reducing the activity of Hashirama's cells.

"Impressive as always, Snake Bastard!" Shūichi thought to himself.

Orochimaru, with a smile, asked, "What do you think, Shūichi-kun?"

Shūichi was happy to engage in discussion, "What Lady Tsunade and I are researching aligns with your treatment of Hashirama's cells, Orochimaru-sama."

"You've reduced the activity of Hashirama's cells, while Tsunade-sama and I are looking for a way to rapidly enhance cell activity, in order to develop powerful medical ninjutsu."

Although Orochimaru wasn't particularly interested in medical ninjutsu, he admired Shūichi's thinking and remarked, "That is indeed a correct approach. The reason Hashirama's cells are so difficult to transplant is due to their overwhelming activity, which requires an enormous amount of energy to sustain."

"Most people simply can't handle that level of power."

"Even though I've weakened the cells' activity, they're still nearly impossible for an ordinary ninja to integrate."

"The First Hokage's strength is truly unattainable."

At that moment, Shūichi could see the burning passion in Orochimaru's eyes.

After some thought, Shūichi said, "I think Orochimaru-sama should definitely continue down this path."

"But only in relation to Wood Release."

Orochimaru seemed intrigued, "Oh? Are you suggesting that I separate the powerful vitality of Hashirama's cells from Wood Release, Shūichi-kun?"

Shūichi nodded, "Because no one can withstand it."

"Of course, according to my predictions, without that powerful life force, Wood Release would just be another ordinary bloodline limit, unlikely to reach the same level as the First Hokage."

Orochimaru nodded, feeling somewhat disappointed. He wasn't interested in just Wood Release, or rather, not a weakened version of it.

For him, completely removing the vitality of Hashirama's cells would make them lose their value for research.

(End of Chapter)

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