Ryoho Kyohiko.
This name has been on Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind frequently lately, and along with it, his attention to the child has increased.
A promising young boy.
Talented, thoughtful, and mature in his thinking.
If guided properly, he might, like Minato, become a pillar of Konoha's future.
However...
Tsunade came over this morning...
"Did something happen?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen reached for his pipe but forced himself to put it down again.
Tsunade said, "Aunt Touka fought life and death for my father back then, and in the end, she didn't gain much. I should take care of her only descendant."
This response left Sarutobi Hiruzen speechless!
In fact, he felt as if a crowd was pointing fingers at him, saying he hadn't done enough.
After a moment of silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Some water and genjutsu techniques can still be given to him."
"No need!"
Tsunade immediately refused, raising an eyebrow.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was surprised.
"No?"
"He's only seven years old. What does he need so many high-level techniques for? Kyohiko is smart. If he builds a solid foundation, he'll naturally learn many techniques without needing to be taught explicitly."
"Oh, right."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was momentarily dazed.
That child is only seven years old!
His behavior and demeanor are so mature that Hiruzen often forgets how young he really is.
"Remember to send him to me."
Tsunade waved her hand and closed the door behind her.
After leaving the office, Tsunade couldn't help but sigh softly.
Kyohiko doesn't need specific techniques; what he needs are foundational theories and knowledge.
...
"Kyohiko, you don't need to practice powerful techniques right now. Forget about the Rasengan for the time being."
"Teacher, I really need it!"
Kyohiko quickly grabbed Jiraiya's hand, forgetting all about politeness.
This is the Rasengan we're talking about!
Jiraiya rolled his eyes.
"You even dared to try Tsunade's Super Strength Technique on your own. I don't dare teach you that kind of technique now. Don't try to figure it out in secret either. Focus on mastering the basics. Once you fully grasp that technique, the Rasengan will be trivial to you."
"Fine."
Kyohiko reluctantly agreed.
It seemed there was no room for negotiation.
But it didn't matter!
If they wouldn't teach him, he'd practice on his own.
That's what he thought, but the next second, Jiraiya leaned in and whispered, "Tsunade went to the Third Hokage and got the Second Hokage's notebook."
"!!!"
Kyohiko instantly forgot about the Rasengan.
The Rasengan could wait.
But the Second Hokage's notes? That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He suppressed his excitement.
"Really?"
"The fact that you could use the Super Strength Technique on your first try, even if you got injured, shows that your fundamentals are solid. You're just lacking in physical strength."
Jiraiya explained.
Then, he took out a bag from his pocket.
"I bought this for you. I'll deduct the cost from your mission rewards later."
Jiraiya said nonchalantly.
Kyohiko looked closely.
It was something like a weighted strap, but it was for the arms, specifically designed to train arm muscles and strength.
"How much did this cost?"
"150,000 ryo."
Jiraiya replied.
He sighed helplessly. "All my savings were lent to Tsunade to pay off her debts. For now, I'm as broke as you guys."
"How much does Lady Tsunade owe?"
Yuhi Kurenai couldn't help but ask.
Jiraiya held up a finger.
"One million?"
Kakashi guessed.
Jiraiya glanced at him, his tone tinged with sorrow.
"Ten million!"
Originally, it wasn't that much.
The debt from the Green Flower Pavilion was only around three to four million, but it turned out that the Matsuyama family had more than one business. Tsunade had visited several other gambling houses as well.
Moreover, other gambling houses, hearing about the situation, also came to collect debts.
After some investigation, the total debt reached ten million.
What a tragic story!
Everyone fell silent.
Kyohiko silently calculated in his heart—
That's about one-third of a Chunin's salary.
And this is just part of Tsunade's gambling debt, accumulated over a little more than a year. If Tsunade had a few more years...
Who knows how much debt she would have accumulated.
Fortunately, no one in the ninja world dares to lend Tsunade money with high interest. Otherwise, with compound interest, the debt might become impossible to repay.
Of course, if it ever came to that, the ones in danger might not be Tsunade, but the gambling houses themselves.
Kyohiko silently complained.
"We've accepted the Matsuyama family's request. It's best not to leave the village before they arrive. In the meantime, let's focus on training. Today, let's start with a D-rank mission."
Jiraiya said, taking out the mission scroll.
As usual.
Water carrying!
Kyohiko put on the arm weights.
Now, with weights on both his arms and legs, it was hard to move as flexibly as before. Even carrying water became a struggle.
It wasn't just him.
Kakashi and Yuhi Kurenai were in the same boat.
They all wore different levels of weights, and even for a D-rank mission, they had to use chakra to maintain the strength needed to carry water and move forward.
This was a form of training.
Persist, push through, and their physical bodies would grow stronger faster.
In the afternoon, the three of them were exhausted but only removed some of the weights, continuing their training with lighter loads.
Two days passed.
On the third morning, just as Kyohiko woke up, there was a knock on the window.
"Who is it?"
He asked, toothbrush in his mouth, as he opened the window.
Kyohiko was momentarily stunned, then quickly finished brushing his teeth and rinsing his mouth.
"Lady Tsunade..."
"Get dressed and come downstairs."
Tsunade said, then disappeared in a flash.
A moment later, Kyohiko went downstairs, and Tsunade was already waiting in the yard.
In front of her was a pile of books.
"Are these...?"
Kyohiko was stunned.
Tsunade nodded. "I didn't bring complete techniques. These are all my grandfather's notes on water and genjutsu techniques, as well as many foundational concepts. You can study them and absorb their principles and knowledge."
Kyohiko was almost petrified.
Tsunade and Jiraiya truly treated him as a top-tier genius.
But he knew his own limits. He wasn't some unparalleled genius; he was just standing on the shoulders of giants.
Fortunately, these books were exactly what he needed.
He flipped through a few pages and realized just how valuable these books were.
Some were diaries, others were deductions and insights. For example, the relationship between Water Wave and Water Cutter was explained, and the thought process was similar to Kyohiko's own.
Compression and condensation.
By using highly condensed water chakra, a high-pressure water blade capable of cutting through anything could be formed.
"Lady Tsunade, thank you!"
Kyohiko said sincerely.
Unless you were like Naruto, born with a solid foundation from your parents and possessing an incredibly strong special physique, the basics were the cornerstone.
Without a solid foundation, no technique would work.
Tsunade smiled. "As long as you don't think I'm being stingy."
"Of course not."
Kyohiko shook his head.
He sighed, then asked, puzzled, "The principles and methods in these books are things ordinary people can't access. Why aren't they taught to everyone?"
"They actually are, to some extent."
Tsunade explained. "During the Second Hokage's time, the framework for the ninja academy was established. The Third Hokage was guided to compile many foundational concepts into textbooks. What you see in school is the result of generations of compilation."
"The knowledge in school... it's good, but it lacks the progression process. After graduating from the academy, we're still far from being true genin. That's why we need team leaders, but I think the academy shouldn't just stop there."
Kyohiko said.
Tsunade was momentarily stunned. "What do you think should be done?"
"Stratify and categorize. At a certain stage, teach according to the student's abilities. For example, my classmate Might Gai has terrible ninjutsu talent but excels in taijutsu. Keeping someone like him in the academy is just a waste of time."