As Nawaki escorted Mikoto closely to the Uchiha Clan, he started heading back to the Senju Clan, mulling over Mikoto's hidden potential. He contemplated her strength, which seemed quite formidable, especially considering his own recent gains. Nawaki, already the strongest in both jutsu and taijutsu among his peers, couldn't help but wonder about Mikoto's true capabilities.
Arriving at the Senju Clan compound, Nawaki's thoughts were interrupted by Tsunade's angry voice.
"What is that perverted old bastard thinking!?" Tsunade's voice was loud and clear.
Another man's voice followed, trying to calm her. "Tsunade, calm down, he's the Hokage and our sensei."
"Fuck him and you, Jiraiya!" Tsunade retorted, her voice booming with anger. "How dare he suggest Nawaki graduate early and join a Genin team led by Orochimaru? It's obvious he wants to use my little brother in this damned war!"
Entering, Nawaki saw Jiraiya, a tall man with spiky white hair, visibly frightened by Tsunade's fury. Jiraiya's hands were held up in a gesture of surrender.
Also present was Orochimaru, a tall figure with extremely pale skin and long black hair, his golden eyes and purple markings around them distinctive.
"Sis," Nawaki announced his presence, drawing Tsunade's attention and slightly calming her.
Jiraiya let out a sigh of relief, looking at Nawaki with gratitude, as if he had just escaped a disaster.
Tsunade, her gaze shifting between Jiraiya and Orochimaru, declared firmly, "This ends here. Nawaki won't become a Genin until he turns 12 and graduates like any other student."
In her mind, Tsunade was suspicious of Sarutobi's intentions, aware of his history with raising orphans he believed had hidden talents. She couldn't help but think about the inconsistency with the blond boy whom Sarutobi seemed to be concealing, making him pretend to be younger than he was. She knew Sarutobi was not sparing any efforts this time, unlike in the past.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru, both orphans, were prime examples of this. Despite having only her little brother and grandmother remaining from her family, Tsunade was acutely aware of such dynamics.
Nawaki, having heard part of the conversation, had a general understanding of the situation. The old Nawaki might have expressed a desire to graduate early and become a ninja as soon as possible, but he no longer felt that way.
"Sis, I don't want to graduate yet," Nawaki said as he approached.
Tsunade was visibly relieved. Her biggest fear had been that Nawaki would want to graduate early, going against her wishes. She wasn't sure she could continue to resist if he insisted on it.
She gave Jiraiya a smug look. "See? Even my adorable little brother knows what's best for him. And to think that old fool dared to say I don't know Nawaki well enough, claiming he'd choose to graduate early. Humph!"
Tsunade's mood swung from intense anger to a proud, almost goofy sisterly demeanor, delighted with her brother's decision.
Nawaki, slightly amused and very grateful, observed his sister. He appreciated her willingness to stand up to the most powerful man in the village for his sake.
Orochimaru, maintaining a stoic expression, announced his departure. He knew Tsunade well enough to understand that not even Sarutobi-sensei could persuade her to let Nawaki graduate early, especially since Nawaki himself didn't wish for it. Given the Senju Clan's contributions to the village, Sarutobi-sensei had no right to force Nawaki's hand.
"Orochimaru, wait," Jiraiya attempted to intervene, but Orochimaru dismissed him. "The boy has made his decision, as has Tsunade. Do you really think you can change their minds?"
Jiraiya, torn between his respect for Sarutobi-sensei and his love for Tsunade, knew he couldn't sway Tsunade's decision. His inability to influence her decisions was not new; if he could, he wouldn't have harbored unrequited love for so long.
After Jiraiya left, Tsunade half-joked about throwing salt at the compound's entrance to ward off any further disturbances.
As she calmed down, she turned to Nawaki with a smile. "You did well, Nawaki. Don't worry, I won't let you be used in war at such a young age." She then muttered to herself, questioning Sarutobi-sensei's motives and the plot he might be devising.
In her mind, Tsunade was clear: she respected and liked her sensei, but she didn't agree with many of his decisions. She was far from naive about the realities of their world.
-
-
Returning to his room after a meal with his sis, Nawaki experienced a growing sense of crisis. The conversation about accelerating his graduation from the ninja academy had triggered a warning in his mind, intensifying his urgency to gain more power. He still had the stronger, brighter red orbs that he had not yet used.
Taking out one of these red orbs, Nawaki inhaled deeply and swallowed it while sitting in the lotus position. As he began circulating the orb's energy, he noticed that it contained significantly more power than the previous red orbs. This energy seemed particularly focused on refining his bone marrow.
Trusting his instincts, Nawaki allowed the process to proceed despite the intense pain emanating from his bone marrow. He remained steadfast through the discomfort. An hour later, the energy from the orb was fully absorbed, and he repeated the process.
Upon opening his eyes, a light shone in them, and he slowly exhaled the wasted energy. His eyes were red, and he was on the verge of tears, having endured the deep pain in his bones.
Despite the pain, Nawaki understood that this was a necessary step to gain strength quickly. He was content with this method, preferring it over hard work with no results.
After the session, Nawaki took a shower to refresh himself before going to bed, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
-
-
Nawaki found himself once again in the hunting dimension when he reopened his eyes. Like previous times, it was morning. While curious about the dimension's nighttime, he set that thought aside for the moment.
With a wave of his hand, six shadow clones materialized. They instinctively knew their tasks without any verbal command from Nawaki. "I hope today's harvest is bountiful," he murmured, sensing the urgency to strengthen himself. He wouldn't be satisfied until he possessed the strength of at least a Jonin.
Suddenly alert, Nawaki detected danger and swiftly ran in the opposite direction of one of his shadow clones. A formidable monster had killed a clone and was heading his way. Not ready to face such a threat, he fled rapidly, thinking it too soon for him to die. He couldn't afford to waste this opportunity, preferring to live until he was naturally expelled from the dimension.
After running several kilometers, Nawaki felt a mental assault. Placing his hands on his head, he fought against the mental attack, biting his lip and frowning as he staggered, struggling to maintain consciousness. 'I should have learned more about genjutsu from Sis...' he thought regretfully.
Making hand seals, he created six additional shadow clones. It was a challenge to maintain so many simultaneously. Despite his large chakra reserve, his recent improvement in chakra control was still new, and the more clones he produced, the weaker each became.
Yet, even with six new clones, he sensed a considerable amount of chakra left, though the clones were unstable. Nawaki theorized that his assailant couldn't target multiple clones at once or was focusing on him, disregarding the clones. Despite their improved resilience, the clones wouldn't last long under such a potent mental attack.
The clones dispersed in four directions to locate the source of the attack. Soon, Nawaki received the memories of a fallen clone and discovered the attacker. He ran towards the location.
To his surprise, the source was a mouse. Though larger than usual, about 30 cm tall, it seemed less intimidating than other creatures he had encountered. The mouse appeared cute, blinking and squeaking as it was caught.
"Thud!"
Suddenly, one of the shadow clones descended from a tree, landing directly on the mouse.
Considering the force with which the shadow clone descended, the mouse's head was inevitably crushed. As the mouse's body turned gray, indicating its demise, the shadow clone moved away, revealing the loot it left behind.
Nawaki was taken aback by the sight of five purple orbs, each about the size of a passion fruit. 'No wonder this little mouse had such a potent long-range mental attack!' he thought, realizing the value of these orbs to him.
These purple orbs had the potential to enhance his perception temporarily, helping him identify his shortcomings. After their use, they would also increase his mental power. Nawaki pondered the possibility of becoming invincible against genjutsu if his mental power continued to grow.
With a smile, he collected the five purple orbs. He then instructed the returning shadow clones, "Try to find more of those mice. But if you come across rabbits, feel free to kill them. I still need more red orbs."
"Yes!" The clones dispersed in various directions.
Nawaki continued his exploration. After about an hour, he encountered only rabbits, no more mice. Some of his shadow clones had encountered the formidable great green wolves, but they were defeated. Although the clones could inflict damage, the wolves' high resistance required numerous attacks to defeat them. Considering the distance, Nawaki decided not to engage with his main body and continued his search.
-
-
After spending a little over two hours in the hunting dimension, Nawaki had plenty to smile about. He had successfully killed five large wind wolves, from which he obtained three glass orbs, fifteen deep red light spheres, and eight purple, pistachio-sized spheres.
His shadow clones played a crucial role in this success. They helped him avoid the most dangerous monsters, enabling him to survive long enough to collect so many orbs. In total, Nawaki had gathered 241 faint red light orbs and 36 deep red light orbs. Interestingly, these deep red orbs were also obtainable from larger rabbits, which were almost as strong as the big wind wolves and occasionally dropped purple orbs.
In all, Nawaki had amassed 19 of the smaller purple orbs. None were as large as the one from the mouse, but he considered himself fortunate to have acquired them.
Suddenly, without warning, Nawaki found himself back in his room. Wide-eyed, he observed his surroundings, noting that it was still night. 'I think I was there for about 3 hours,' he thought, 'So the maximum limit must be around 3 hours before I'm forced to leave.'
This time, unlike his previous visits to the hunting dimension, he had a better sense of the time he spent there.
Sitting up in bed, Nawaki felt exhilarated as he recalled his gains. 'First, I'll test the purple orbs from the mouse,' he decided. 'Then, I might try the glass orbs to enhance my wind control power.'
His greatest aspiration with the glass orbs was to become strong enough to fly, a childhood dream inspired by superheroes from movies in his previous life. While it was an impossible dream then, in his current life, it might be achievable.
Setting aside these somewhat whimsical thoughts, Nawaki held a passion fruit-sized purple orb in his left hand. After considering his options, he decided to use the orb. Like before, the orb's cold energy entered his forehead, clearing his mind and enhancing his understanding.
Nawaki then consumed a deep red light orb. It quickly dissolved into a surge of energy that spread throughout his body.
As Nawaki escorted Mikoto closely to the Uchiha Clan, he started heading back to the Senju Clan, mulling over Mikoto's hidden potential. He contemplated her strength, which seemed quite formidable, especially considering his own recent gains. Nawaki, already the strongest in both jutsu and taijutsu among his peers, couldn't help but wonder about Mikoto's true capabilities.
Arriving at the Senju Clan compound, Nawaki's thoughts were interrupted by Tsunade's angry voice.
"What is that perverted old bastard thinking!?" Tsunade's voice was loud and clear.
Another man's voice followed, trying to calm her. "Tsunade, calm down, he's the Hokage and our sensei."
"Fuck him and you, Jiraiya!" Tsunade retorted, her voice booming with anger. "How dare he suggest Nawaki graduate early and join a Genin team led by Orochimaru? It's obvious he wants to use my little brother in this damned war!"
Entering, Nawaki saw Jiraiya, a tall man with spiky white hair, visibly frightened by Tsunade's fury. Jiraiya's hands were held up in a gesture of surrender.
Also present was Orochimaru, a tall figure with extremely pale skin and long black hair, his golden eyes and purple markings around them distinctive.
"Sis," Nawaki announced his presence, drawing Tsunade's attention and slightly calming her.
Jiraiya let out a sigh of relief, looking at Nawaki with gratitude, as if he had just escaped a disaster.
Tsunade, her gaze shifting between Jiraiya and Orochimaru, declared firmly, "This ends here. Nawaki won't become a Genin until he turns 12 and graduates like any other student."
In her mind, Tsunade was suspicious of Sarutobi's intentions, aware of his history with raising orphans he believed had hidden talents. She couldn't help but think about the inconsistency with the blond boy whom Sarutobi seemed to be concealing, making him pretend to be younger than he was. She knew Sarutobi was not sparing any efforts this time, unlike in the past.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru, both orphans, were prime examples of this. Despite having only her little brother and grandmother remaining from her family, Tsunade was acutely aware of such dynamics.
Nawaki, having heard part of the conversation, had a general understanding of the situation. The old Nawaki might have expressed a desire to graduate early and become a ninja as soon as possible, but he no longer felt that way.
"Sis, I don't want to graduate yet," Nawaki said as he approached.
Tsunade was visibly relieved. Her biggest fear had been that Nawaki would want to graduate early, going against her wishes. She wasn't sure she could continue to resist if he insisted on it.
She gave Jiraiya a smug look. "See? Even my adorable little brother knows what's best for him. And to think that old fool dared to say I don't know Nawaki well enough, claiming he'd choose to graduate early. Humph!"
Tsunade's mood swung from intense anger to a proud, almost goofy sisterly demeanor, delighted with her brother's decision.
Nawaki, slightly amused and very grateful, observed his sister. He appreciated her willingness to stand up to the most powerful man in the village for his sake.
Orochimaru, maintaining a stoic expression, announced his departure. He knew Tsunade well enough to understand that not even Sarutobi-sensei could persuade her to let Nawaki graduate early, especially since Nawaki himself didn't wish for it. Given the Senju Clan's contributions to the village, Sarutobi-sensei had no right to force Nawaki's hand.
"Orochimaru, wait," Jiraiya attempted to intervene, but Orochimaru dismissed him. "The boy has made his decision, as has Tsunade. Do you really think you can change their minds?"
Jiraiya, torn between his respect for Sarutobi-sensei and his love for Tsunade, knew he couldn't sway Tsunade's decision. His inability to influence her decisions was not new; if he could, he wouldn't have harbored unrequited love for so long.
After Jiraiya left, Tsunade half-joked about throwing salt at the compound's entrance to ward off any further disturbances.
As she calmed down, she turned to Nawaki with a smile. "You did well, Nawaki. Don't worry, I won't let you be used in war at such a young age." She then muttered to herself, questioning Sarutobi-sensei's motives and the plot he might be devising.
In her mind, Tsunade was clear: she respected and liked her sensei, but she didn't agree with many of his decisions. She was far from naive about the realities of their world.
-
-
Returning to his room after a meal with his sis, Nawaki experienced a growing sense of crisis. The conversation about accelerating his graduation from the ninja academy had triggered a warning in his mind, intensifying his urgency to gain more power. He still had the stronger, brighter red orbs that he had not yet used.
Taking out one of these red orbs, Nawaki inhaled deeply and swallowed it while sitting in the lotus position. As he began circulating the orb's energy, he noticed that it contained significantly more power than the previous red orbs. This energy seemed particularly focused on refining his bone marrow.
Trusting his instincts, Nawaki allowed the process to proceed despite the intense pain emanating from his bone marrow. He remained steadfast through the discomfort. An hour later, the energy from the orb was fully absorbed, and he repeated the process.
Upon opening his eyes, a light shone in them, and he slowly exhaled the wasted energy. His eyes were red, and he was on the verge of tears, having endured the deep pain in his bones.
Despite the pain, Nawaki understood that this was a necessary step to gain strength quickly. He was content with this method, preferring it over hard work with no results.
After the session, Nawaki took a shower to refresh himself before going to bed, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
-
-
Nawaki found himself once again in the hunting dimension when he reopened his eyes. Like previous times, it was morning. While curious about the dimension's nighttime, he set that thought aside for the moment.
With a wave of his hand, six shadow clones materialized. They instinctively knew their tasks without any verbal command from Nawaki. "I hope today's harvest is bountiful," he murmured, sensing the urgency to strengthen himself. He wouldn't be satisfied until he possessed the strength of at least a Jonin.
Suddenly alert, Nawaki detected danger and swiftly ran in the opposite direction of one of his shadow clones. A formidable monster had killed a clone and was heading his way. Not ready to face such a threat, he fled rapidly, thinking it too soon for him to die. He couldn't afford to waste this opportunity, preferring to live until he was naturally expelled from the dimension.
After running several kilometers, Nawaki felt a mental assault. Placing his hands on his head, he fought against the mental attack, biting his lip and frowning as he staggered, struggling to maintain consciousness. 'I should have learned more about genjutsu from Sis...' he thought regretfully.
Making hand seals, he created six additional shadow clones. It was a challenge to maintain so many simultaneously. Despite his large chakra reserve, his recent improvement in chakra control was still new, and the more clones he produced, the weaker each became.
Yet, even with six new clones, he sensed a considerable amount of chakra left, though the clones were unstable. Nawaki theorized that his assailant couldn't target multiple clones at once or was focusing on him, disregarding the clones. Despite their improved resilience, the clones wouldn't last long under such a potent mental attack.
The clones dispersed in four directions to locate the source of the attack. Soon, Nawaki received the memories of a fallen clone and discovered the attacker. He ran towards the location.
To his surprise, the source was a mouse. Though larger than usual, about 30 cm tall, it seemed less intimidating than other creatures he had encountered. The mouse appeared cute, blinking and squeaking as it was caught.
"Thud!"
Suddenly, one of the shadow clones descended from a tree, landing directly on the mouse.
Considering the force with which the shadow clone descended, the mouse's head was inevitably crushed. As the mouse's body turned gray, indicating its demise, the shadow clone moved away, revealing the loot it left behind.
Nawaki was taken aback by the sight of five purple orbs, each about the size of a passion fruit. 'No wonder this little mouse had such a potent long-range mental attack!' he thought, realizing the value of these orbs to him.
These purple orbs had the potential to enhance his perception temporarily, helping him identify his shortcomings. After their use, they would also increase his mental power. Nawaki pondered the possibility of becoming invincible against genjutsu if his mental power continued to grow.
With a smile, he collected the five purple orbs. He then instructed the returning shadow clones, "Try to find more of those mice. But if you come across rabbits, feel free to kill them. I still need more red orbs."
"Yes!" The clones dispersed in various directions.
Nawaki continued his exploration. After about an hour, he encountered only rabbits, no more mice. Some of his shadow clones had encountered the formidable great green wolves, but they were defeated. Although the clones could inflict damage, the wolves' high resistance required numerous attacks to defeat them. Considering the distance, Nawaki decided not to engage with his main body and continued his search.
-
-
After spending a little over two hours in the hunting dimension, Nawaki had plenty to smile about. He had successfully killed five large wind wolves, from which he obtained three glass orbs, fifteen deep red light spheres, and eight purple, pistachio-sized spheres.
His shadow clones played a crucial role in this success. They helped him avoid the most dangerous monsters, enabling him to survive long enough to collect so many orbs. In total, Nawaki had gathered 241 faint red light orbs and 36 deep red light orbs. Interestingly, these deep red orbs were also obtainable from larger rabbits, which were almost as strong as the big wind wolves and occasionally dropped purple orbs.
In all, Nawaki had amassed 19 of the smaller purple orbs. None were as large as the one from the mouse, but he considered himself fortunate to have acquired them.
Suddenly, without warning, Nawaki found himself back in his room. Wide-eyed, he observed his surroundings, noting that it was still night. 'I think I was there for about 3 hours,' he thought, 'So the maximum limit must be around 3 hours before I'm forced to leave.'
This time, unlike his previous visits to the hunting dimension, he had a better sense of the time he spent there.
Sitting up in bed, Nawaki felt exhilarated as he recalled his gains. 'First, I'll test the purple orbs from the mouse,' he decided. 'Then, I might try the glass orbs to enhance my wind control power.'
His greatest aspiration with the glass orbs was to become strong enough to fly, a childhood dream inspired by superheroes from movies in his previous life. While it was an impossible dream then, in his current life, it might be achievable.
Setting aside these somewhat whimsical thoughts, Nawaki held a passion fruit-sized purple orb in his left hand. After considering his options, he decided to use the orb. Like before, the orb's cold energy entered his forehead, clearing his mind and enhancing his understanding.
Nawaki then consumed a deep red light orb. It quickly dissolved into a surge of energy that spread throughout his body.
