"Mirai-kun, congratulations. Starting today, you are the youngest Jōnin in Konoha."
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi handed the Jōnin promotion certificate to Hyuga Mirai with a warm smile. From this moment on, he officially became a Medical Jōnin.
In terms of benefits and status, Jōnin far surpassed Chūnin.
For instance, in Hokage elections and Jōnin meetings, Hyuga Mirai would now have significant voting rights. Additionally, if a position opened at Konoha Hospital, only Medical Jōnin could compete for it.
There were fewer than twenty Medical Jōnin in all of Konoha. To qualify for promotion, one had to master all medical ninjutsu, excel in various treatment methods, and accumulate significant achievements.
Hyuga Mirai earned this promotion by repeatedly neutralizing the deadly poisons of Sunagakure's puppet masters and using shadow clones to treat numerous injured shinobi at the medical camp, greatly easing the pressure on the frontlines.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage. I will strive to contribute even more to Konoha!"
When Hyuga Mirai accepted the promotion certificate, he let a trace of excitement and a touch of joy show on his face—perfectly timed and rehearsed for over half an hour before arriving. Not a soul could detect any insincerity in his expression.
"Haha, having a genius like you in Konoha truly puts my mind at ease. After all, where the leaves dance…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi recited a few phrases about the Will of Fire, to which Hyuga Mirai listened with apparent interest. Once Hiruzen finished, he dismissed Mirai.
After Mirai left, Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe and slowly asked, "What do you think, Jiraiya?"
A shadow suddenly appeared in the window of the Hokage's office—it was none other than Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin.
Clicking his tongue, Jiraiya looked unimpressed. "Old man, did you really call me here just to look at this kid? You know, I, the great Jiraiya, am incredibly busy saving the fate of the shinobi world—"
"The fate of the shinobi world lies in the women's bathhouses, does it? I've already received several complaints about you," Hiruzen interrupted bluntly. He never had any patience for his foolish student's peeping antics.
"Tch, then why did you want me to see him? That Hyuga kid doesn't seem all that special. Is it because of his medical ninjutsu?"
Exposed by his teacher, Jiraiya clicked his tongue in annoyance. Researching ancient texts about the four-legged, winged purple snake foretold by the Great Toad Sage was exhausting, and visiting bathhouses was his way of "recovering energy quickly."
Carrying the weight of the shinobi world on his shoulders, Jiraiya felt misunderstood—people only remembered him as a pervert.
"This is information from Minato. If it were anyone else, I could delay their promotion to Jōnin, but Hyuga Mirai not only has the backing of the Hyuga clan, but even Kimura has high hopes for him. I had no choice but to approve it first."
Hiruzen handed a message from Minato Namikaze to Jiraiya. After reading it, Jiraiya's playful demeanor faded slightly. Stroking his chin, he said, "Minato values comradeship above all else. If he says this, he must know something. So, old man, you want me to investigate this boy? The ANBU are better at this kind of surveillance, aren't they?"
Although Jiraiya was skilled at gathering intelligence, his focus was on the broader shinobi world, not the finer details where the ANBU excelled.
Besides, he had a more pressing mission: finding the blue-eyed figure accompanied by the four-legged, winged purple snake.
Hiruzen coughed and spoke firmly. "Are you out of your mind, Jiraiya? He's a Hyuga."
If one were to rank the most difficult clans to monitor in Konoha, the Hyuga clan would unquestionably be at the top. A single glance from their Byakugan could lay bare every shinobi, every civilian in the vicinity. The most skilled among them could even see people's faces in vivid detail.
"Do what you think is best. At most, I'll ask Minato for some clarity."
Feigning ignorance, Jiraiya chose to avoid involvement. He wasn't oblivious—he simply preferred to steer clear of unnecessary entanglements. An eleven-year-old Medical Jōnin from the Hyuga clan? Just the thought was a headache. Even as one of the Sannin, Jiraiya wasn't eager to provoke such a clan.
"Fine, have it your way," Hiruzen sighed. With Tsunade recently leaving, he didn't want to push this student away too. Especially with the looming threats from the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth, losing Jiraiya would create a critical gap in Konoha's leadership.
Unaware of the conversation that unfolded after his departure, Hyuga Mirai refrained from activating his Byakugan until he was well away from the Hokage's office, mindful of the ANBU operatives undoubtedly stationed nearby.
Once he was a safe distance away, Mirai activated his Byakugan to scan his surroundings. Confirming no one was tailing him, he began walking toward the village outskirts, discreetly using the Transformation Jutsu along the way to evade potential eyes.
This cautious routine had become second nature after years of practice. Avoiding unnecessary attention required constant vigilance.
Reaching his secluded training ground outside the village, Mirai prepared for his daily regimen.
Shadow clones managed his experiments while his main body focused on training—a division of labor he found most effective.
"Should I continue with Taijutsu today? Probably unnecessary."
Gentle Fist was already second nature to him, and among the Hyuga clan's secret techniques, only the Mountain-Crushing Strike eluded his mastery. As for the Eight Gates, Mirai could open the first three gates within five seconds but had chosen not to pursue the fifth gate yet.
The first three gates adjusted physical states, but the fourth gate onward relied purely on chakra bursts that strained the body in exchange for immense power.
"Perhaps I should work on Spirit Transformation Jutsu instead."
After some thought, Mirai decided. This forbidden technique, which he had only recently mastered, provided intriguing insights into the Caged Bird seal. Upon separating his spirit from his body, he noticed the same cursed seal mark present on his spirit form's forehead.
Although he could use sealing techniques to disrupt the chakra resonance that activated the Caged Bird seal, complete removal would require further research, as his understanding of the soul was still limited.
It was time to start delving deeper.
"While the Spirit Transformation Jutsu has incredible potential, it leaves the body vulnerable. I'll need to design an exoskeleton to operate my physical form during soul separation."
"Interestingly, my sensory abilities seem heightened in spirit form. Perhaps this is a characteristic of Yin Release chakra."
Inspecting his hand in spirit form, Mirai sensed an unfamiliar energy in his surroundings, distinct from chakra. His physical body had never perceived such energy before.
"Could this be natural energy?"
(End of Chapter)
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