Only Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, remained in Training Ground 15 now, quietly smoking; Ryuku had already been dismissed a few minutes earlier.
Pondering deeply over the situation, he could only shake his head slightly in the end.
After so long, Konoha is finally brimming with so many promising talents... Minato's son, Itachi's little brother, a member of the Hyūga branch... and a sudden genius like Ryuku, who reminds me of both Orochimaru and Minato from the past.
Sigh...
If only his chakra levels weren't so pitiful... otherwise, he could have been a tremendous asset to Konoha...
Sighing in pity, Hiruzen muttered, "Have someone fix this place up," before vanishing in a flicker.
"Hai," an obedient voice replied from the shadows.
----
On the other side, Ryuku didn't return home. Instead, he had already arrived at Konoha Hospital, searching for Hosho and greeting the staff members politely on his way.
This feels good. My reserves are recovering way faster... A few more minutes and they'll be full again. Still, the actual capacity is Genin level—nothing impressive...
After spending over a week in this world, Ryuku had finally confirmed that chakra reserves could naturally improve over time. Through intense effort, mind-wracking study, and physical training, his reserves had already grown by nearly ten percent.
But compared to the descendants of the Ninja Clans?
It was laughable—no, downright pathetic in comparison.
There's no way a civilian's child can hope to match the chakra reserves of someone born into a Ninja Clan... I don't know the origins of Orochimaru or Jiraiya, but Minato—an orphan civilian—reached Kage-level solely through near-perfect chakra control. Even then, his reserves weren't that impressive, which ultimately led to his early death...
If only he had chakra reserves like those of the Senju or Uzumaki Clans, he would've been unstoppable...
While his thoughts churned in the back of his mind, Ryuku finally found Hosho in an operating room, tending to a minor injury on a child's arm. Since the treatment was nearly complete, Ryuku silently waited by the door, his gaze fixed on the healing wound.
The Mystical Palm Technique heals injuries by stimulating the body's own cells. That's why the recovery rate is so fast. But if a ninja suffers severe wounds repeatedly, this rapid regeneration only ends up shortening their lifespan...
The thought led him to ponder just how potent the life force of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans truly was. Judging by Tsunade's and Naruto's monstrous vitality, even Might Guy's well-honed civilian body paled in comparison.
A faint glint of insatiable greed flickered in his violet eyes.
I need to collect blood samples from Naruto and Sasuke—for future experiments—without being noticed. And those Hashirama cells... They're even more potent than Tsunade's. Yamato's are too diluted to be of real value... so that leaves Danzo or Orochimaru... Hmm...
He contemplated his options for the future, aware that only a few paths could lead to a true metamorphosis of his chakra reserves and physique.
It would take time—an enormous amount of it. But he had no choice but to walk that path alone, relying only on himself and his Shadow Clones. Involving others in such delicate experiments was out of the question. He wanted no variables, no unnecessary problems, and certainly no distractions while dedicating himself to such a critical task.
Checking my chakra affinity comes next… Delaying it any further would be downright idiotic...
Shortly after, Hosho finished tending to the child.
The man quickly noticed Ryuku standing quietly by the door. Spotting the forehead protector tied to his left arm, Hosho raised a brow, then smiled lightly. "I thought you failed the graduation or something, since you didn't show up yesterday."
Ryuku gave an awkward smile. "Things happened, Sensei..." he said, lightly tapping the headband. "But I graduated in the end and became a shinobi. Tomorrow's the orientation day, so I'll be busy. That's why I came today—to show you I didn't let you down."
As Hosho heard his student's last words, a confused expression crossed his face—he didn't quite understand what Ryuku meant. That was, until the boy spoke again.
"Sensei, I'm going to perform the octopus surgery. I want you to evaluate the process this time. I believe I'm ready."
The moment Ryuku's intentions became clear, Hosho's demeanor shifted. Realizing the seriousness of the request and the confidence behind it, he gave a firm nod. "Alright. Just give me a moment—I'll wrap things up here quickly."
Ryuku nodded and stepped out of the room to wait.
He had already completed the octopus surgery a few days ago, so he wasn't the least bit worried. It had been surprisingly easy for him. As with all Medical Ninjutsu, the key was precise chakra control. Without it, forget about surgery—mastering even the basic Mystical Palm Technique could take years.
Shortly after, Hosho stepped out of the room and, to Ryuku's surprise, asked rather calmly, "I didn't expect you to be this confident after just a few days. Are you sure you're ready, Ryuku?"
Does he have hearing issues?
"Yes, Sensei. I'm a hundred percent sure," Ryuku replied with a firm nod, confidence radiating from his expression.
Seeing that unwavering response, a small smile tugged at Hosho's lips. "Alright then. Let's go."
----
Mohawk Fish Market
It had been only a few minutes since Hosho and Ryuku entered the secret room where medical students practiced surgery.
Yet despite their presence, the place was eerily silent.
Hosho stood frozen—mouth ajar, eyes wide—as he watched the gray-headed boy swiftly reattach severed octopus limbs to the main body in mere seconds.
The green aura of Ryuku's Mystical Palm Technique was far purer and smoother than he remembered. But even more baffling was the impossible sight before him: Ryuku wielding a Chakra Scalpel.
A perfect one.
Not only had he learned it—somehow—but its form and intensity were polished, refined into a short, blade-like shape that could easily serve as a weapon.
Are you kidding me? That level of control is rare even among elite Medical-nin! I could barely manage a tiny scalpel after years of training, so how the hell did he—
Then it hit him.
Kyoka's demonstration...? He actually learned it just by watching once? That's insane!
Before he could collect himself, Ryuku calmly set the recovered octopus aside and brought out a fresh corpse. He placed it on the table, gripping the head like a bowling ball.
"Sensei, reviving this one is all that's left to pass, right?" he asked casually, as if it were nothing more than a routine task.
Hosho, spooked by the sudden question, responded immediately, "Y-yes, as long as you revive the dead octopus, you'll officially become a medical-nin and be allowed to perform actively at the hospital."
Hearing those words, Ryuku smirked faintly, hidden from his teacher's view. "Alright, then."
He instantly activated the Mystical Palm Technique—green chakra surged from his hands as he swiftly and carefully began healing the octopus's hearts. By forcefully stimulating the cardiac system and channeling healing chakra into them, the dead octopus could be revived. It was a high-level procedure, one of the final criteria for aspiring medical-nin.
But Ryuku had already performed it countless times before.
Hosho silently watched as Ryuku worked, and within a minute—shockingly—the dead octopus was alive and squirming once more.
This kid... he might've already surpassed me...
Hosho sighed, neither out of envy nor regret, but because he'd clearly underestimated his first student's monstrous talent.
It took me over a year to pass this test back then... and it was just a catfish, not even an octopus...
Just then, Ryuku's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Sensei? I passed, right?"
Of course you did, you freak of nature...
Though that thought crossed his mind, Hosho simply smiled brightly and patted Ryuku's shoulder. "Haha, yes, you passed. From this moment on, you're a genuine medical-nin! Congratulations, Ryuku."
In response, Ryuku gave a slight bow. "I couldn't have done it without your support, Sensei. Thank you for everything."
Hmm... he sure is polite. Well, that's probably the only normal thing about you...
"It's nothing, it was all your effort," Hosho said with a chuckle, speaking the truth.
After all, it had barely been a week since Ryuku became his student. How could he shamelessly take credit for this? The monster standing before him had defied all logic and passed in record time.
Then Ryuku's cheerful voice chimed again, "Sensei, I'll be hosting a massive party this Sunday. Please come—with Kyoka-san."
Oh...
"Alright, but only if you're the one cooking," Hosho grinned. He had tasted Ryuku's cooking before—honestly, it was far better than anything served at even the best restaurants in all of Konoha.
Hmph... with food like that, he could win over any girl... Sigh... why didn't I learn how to cook back in my day...