"But, Senior, you can see for yourself—I have no way to learn Medical Ninjutsu right now, so I'm starting with basic medicine," Sasuke said, half-truthfully.
"Ah, I see," Yakushi Kabuto replied, feigning understanding. He pushed up his glasses, his eyes thoughtful, as if considering something.
"Actually, I know a little bit about Medical Ninjutsu myself. If Sasuke-kun doesn't mind, I could teach you some of the basics," Kabuto offered in a gentle tone, perfectly playing the role of a helpful senior offering assistance to a junior facing difficulties.
'A little bit?'
'More like a ton!'
Sasuke's face betrayed a flicker of surprise. "Senior, you know Medical Ninjutsu too?" he asked, genuinely astonished.
"Just a little," Kabuto replied with a humble smile, adjusting his glasses. "My mother used to be the village's chief medical officer for a time. Under her influence, I picked up some Medical Ninjutsu as well."
Yakushi Kabuto's official identity was that of the late Yakushi Nonō's son. A simple inquiry in the village would reveal that he had even served in the rear lines during the Third Shinobi World War, treating Konoha's wounded ninja at the Konoha Hospital.
These were all public records and known facts. His true identity as a spy was a secret shared only by Danzo and Orochimaru.
"I see," Sasuke nodded, then hesitated before asking, "But Senior Kabuto, you're a ninja. You must be busy with missions."
"Not at all," Kabuto smiled. "I'm just a Genin. I mostly do low-level tasks around the village, spending most of my time idle at home."
"Is that so?" Sasuke, tired of the formalities, decided to seize the opportunity.
"Then I'll be counting on you from now on, Senior Kabuto."
"No trouble at all." Kabuto extended his hand, his eyes gleaming with a gentle smile.
Their hands clasped, and both smiled genuinely.
Kabuto felt he had struck gold, finally securing a chance to observe Sasuke up close.
Sasuke, for his part, believed he was also getting a good deal—a tool to learn Medical Ninjutsu.
With a firm handshake, they exchanged satisfied grins once more.
_____
Two years later, at Training Ground Seven in Konoha, by a lake.
Sakura stood calmly at the center of the lake, where the water flowed swiftly, its currents crashing and roaring around her.
Yet Sakura remained perfectly steady on the surface, the turbulent waters smoothing out beneath her feet under the influence of her chakra, showcasing her exceptional chakra control.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
After gazing steadily ahead with her jade-green eyes, Sakura suddenly performed four hand seals with lightning speed and chanted softly.
Behind her, the rushing water rapidly coalesced into a lifelike water dragon, which surged forward to strike the lake's surface several dozen meters away.
Boom!
Like a dragon plunging into the sea, the moment the water dragon pierced the surface, a deafening explosion erupted. It was as if a colossal water mine had detonated, sending colossal plumes of water cascading skyward. The spray was so vast that even Sakura, standing some distance away, was lightly drenched.
Accompanying the erupting water was a violent shockwave that blasted outward in all directions, its force crashing against the shore with a thunderous roar.
Observing from the distant shore, Maruboshi Kosuke nodded approvingly, a warm smile spreading across his face.
As the splashing water gradually subsided, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, a delighted smile blooming on her face. Grandpa Kosuke's friendly voice carried across the distance.
"Sakura, it seems you've finally mastered this ninjutsu."
"Given your talent, you should have easily mastered the Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, a standard B-rank ninjutsu. But do you know why it took you nearly two months to master it?"
Sakura shook her head, her expression blank. "No, I don't."
"Because this isn't an ordinary Water Dragon Bullet Technique! It's the Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique personally refined and taught to me by the Second Hokage!" Maruboshi Kosuke smiled, his voice unusually loud, filled with pride and accomplishment.
"Eh?!" Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. "A Water Release technique refined by the Second Hokage himself?!"
"Exactly!" Maruboshi Kosuke nodded. "The standard Water Dragon Bullet Technique creates a water dragon behind the user and propels it forward, using the water's force to knock enemies back. It's a B-rank Water Release ninjutsu requiring 44 hand seals. But the Second Hokage's refined version is entirely different—it could easily be classified as an A-rank technique!"
"Not only does it have far greater striking power than the standard version, but it also requires only four simple hand seals and has the added effect of absorbing chakra!"
"Amazing! No wonder it's a Ninjutsu refined by the Second Hokage himself!" Sakura nodded, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"So, Grandpa Kosuke..."
Sakura suddenly remembered something and asked eagerly, "Was the Water Release: Water Formation Wall you taught me earlier also passed down from the Second Hokage?"
"Mm-hmm!" Maruboshi Kosuke nodded gently, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"The standard Water Formation Wall requires five hand seals: Tiger, Snake, Rat, Snake, Tiger. But the Second Hokage's version only needs two: Tiger, Snake! And it's even more powerful than the standard version!"
Hearing this, Sakura's face lit up with delight.
'(≧▽≦)/' she thought inwardly.
'Grandpa Kosuke is the Second Hokage's disciple, and I'm Grandpa Kosuke's disciple.'
'That makes me the Second Hokage's grand-disciple!'
'My lineage is officially top-tier!'
'Hehehe!'
Sakura daydreamed happily.
Lost in her fantasies, Sakura didn't notice Maruboshi Kosuke had moved beside her.
"Sakura," he said, "I don't have much left to teach you. You'll be graduating from the Ninja Academy and becoming a full-fledged ninja in a month. So, I'll impart to you the only S-Rank Water Release secret technique the Second Hokage taught me!"
"An S-Rank Water Release secret technique?" Sakura murmured, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Watch closely, Sakura!" Maruboshi Kosuke called out sharply.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
__
Konoha's Training Grounds, Rear Mountain
"Konoha's Mighty Whirlwind!" Naruto roared, stomping his foot. The ground within a five-meter radius violently trembled, cracking into a web of fissures.
His legs coiled like springs compressed to their limit.
Propelled by the recoil, Naruto shot skyward, soaring dozens of meters. With a devastating spinning kick, he slammed into a five-meter-tall hillock.
BOOM!
The hillock exploded into a hail of rock fragments, scattering in all directions. The largest piece was kicked soaring dozens of meters into the sky.
"Yosh!" Naruto pumped his fist, his face beaming with excitement.
"Next up..." Gazing at the airborne boulder, Naruto's eyes flashed with determination.
"Konoha's Taijutsu Secret Technique—Konoha Dragon God!"
___
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