Overdrafting the Future, Starting in Naruto

Chapter 27: Nurturing!!

"We're finally back!"

Looking at the gates of Konoha, Kinoshita Genichi let out a long breath.

This mission had taken less than three days from start to finish, the shortest one he had ever been on. But it was also the most dangerous and the most intense. To be honest, back at the lake, if Sakumo hadn't returned in time, he and Namiichi might have really been killed by the Sand ninja. After all, both of them were at the end of their rope at that point.

That was perhaps the closest he had ever come to death.

Now, back in Konoha, as his taut nerves relaxed, Genichi felt a strange and unexpected sense of belonging to the village.

"People, in the end, still yearn for stability," Genichi sighed internally.

He wasn't the only one who relaxed. Yamanaka En couldn't help but stretch, smiling. "When I get back, I'm definitely going to sleep for a long, long time."

Although Uchiha Namiichi kept a cool expression, it was clear that his entire body had loosened up.

Upon entering the village, Sakumo smiled and said, "Dismissed!"

"Yes, sir!" the three of them replied in unison, then used the Body Flicker Technique to vanish from the spot, each heading home.

Sakumo, however, couldn't go home so quickly. He went to the Hokage Tower at top speed and was quickly granted an audience with the Hokage.

In the Hokage's Office.

Sakumo gave a full report of the mission from beginning to end.

Sarutobi Hiruzen listened while smoking his pipe, feeling somewhat surprised by Genichi's performance. Although Genichi was a genius and his performance over the past year since graduation had been good, this time he had been exceptionally outstanding. It wasn't just his combat power, but his overall grasp of the situation and his decisiveness in battle. Such a mindset was incredibly rare.

With that kind of thinking and decisiveness, if his strength were just a little greater, he would be another outstanding ninja capable of standing on his own.

After hearing the full report, Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "This child, Genichi, is outstanding. We should Nurture him more."

Sakumo nodded. "Understood!"

Hiruzen continued, "For their excellent performance on this mission, the village will reward the two children, Genichi and Namiichi, with the chance to choose a ninjutsu."

"Namiichi can choose a B-rank ninjutsu. Genichi... he can choose any jutsu, with the exception of forbidden techniques that cannot be practiced."

Sakumo was shocked to hear this. Are they trying to Nurture another Minato Namikaze?

But after his surprise came joy. He quickly said, "I believe Genichi will not disappoint you, Lord Hokage."

Hiruzen smiled and nodded. He believed it too. Whether it was his way of thinking or his natural abilities, he had very high hopes for Genichi. He hoped that in ten years, Genichi would be another Minato, another sharp blade for Konoha.

After Sakumo left the Hokage Tower, the completion of an S-rank mission was added to the files of Genichi, Namiichi, and En. As for the details of the mission, they were top secret.

...

Genichi woke up in the evening.

After lazing in bed for five minutes, he washed up and went downstairs to help in the dango shop. After dinner, Genichi went out for a stroll by himself, wandering over to Shizune's house. Unfortunately, she wasn't home.

After a moment's thought, Genichi went over to Tsunade's house. When he knocked, the one who opened the door was, as expected, Shizune.

"Genichi!" Shizune was very pleasantly surprised.

Then, Tsunade's lazy voice drifted from behind her. "Who is it?"

Genichi followed Shizune inside and saw Tsunade sitting on the veranda, holding a bottle of sake.

"Lady Tsunade, I am Kinoshita Genichi." Genichi bowed in greeting.

Tsunade's eyes were half-closed. "Oh, it's you."

It was their first meeting. Although Genichi was very polite and not bad-looking, Tsunade still wasn't particularly fond of him. "What do you want, kid?"

She was asking a question to which she already knew the answer.

A thousand thoughts raced through Genichi's mind, but he answered honestly, "Lady Tsunade, I came to find Shizune to study together at the hospital."

Tsunade glanced at him. "I hear you have a great talent for medical ninjutsu?"

Genichi said, "It's actually just average. I just work harder than others."

"My real talent is in Water Release." This was a fact. Even without his cheat ability, he could be considered talented in Water Release. Unfortunately, his chakra capacity was a major limitation.

Shizune also spoke up for him. "Lady Tsunade, Genichi works very hard. He rarely has time to rest."

Tsunade's impression of Genichi improved quite a bit, and her tone lost some of its edge. "I hear you're also learning fūinjutsu from that fool Jiraiya?"

"At your age, you should be focusing on one area."

Genichi scratched his head and said helplessly, "Lady Tsunade, it's because I've already found it difficult to make progress in Water Release."

"Casting water jutsu in an environment with no water consumes a great deal of chakra, and my chakra has significant limitations."

"That's why I wanted to learn other things."

"I thought that perhaps fūinjutsu could solve my problem."

Tsunade frowned slightly upon hearing this. "Chakra capacity... at your age, you shouldn't have to worry about that, right?"

It was true. Compared to his peers, Genichi's chakra reserves were by no means small. After all, he was seven now, but he actually had the constitution of a fourteen-year-old.

Genichi didn't try to explain with words. Instead, he directly formed hand seals.

Zen -> Snake!

The next moment, water droplets condensed around Genichi, gathering to form a current of water that circled around his body. Watching this, Tsunade's eyes couldn't help but widen slightly. For a moment, it was as if she was seeing her granduncle again.

In an environment with no water, for Genichi to use the Water Formation Wall at this scale, the chakra consumption was more than three times the usual amount.

He released his hands, and the circling water immediately dispersed, scattering into droplets. But then, Genichi spread his hands open again, palms facing forward and down, forming the "Zai" seal, then bringing his hands back to clasp them together.

The water droplets quickly condensed once more, forming a current of water that circled his body and continuously surged upwards.

The resemblance! It's too strong! Tsunade was stunned.

Genichi, however, dispelled the jutsu and said, "Lady Tsunade, when I cast water jutsu like this, my chakra can only sustain three of them at most." The water jutsu he had mastered required a large volume of water to be powerful.

Tsunade came back to her senses. "Your Water Release is indeed excellent."

"Three jutsu is more than enough."

"You're still young, and the missions you'll be on won't be too dangerous."

"When you grow up and your body develops, your chakra will increase again."

Genichi knew this as well. Although he had the physical constitution of a fourteen-year-old now, his body's development had not stopped. When he grew to be fourteen, his own chakra capacity would surely double.

But who would ever complain about having too little chakra? Especially not Genichi, who lacked a sense of security and had a fondness for all things "big."

On the last mission, Genichi had to carefully budget his chakra and constantly pop soldier pills. That feeling was not good. Not only did the soldier pills taste bad, but they weren't direct chakra-restoring potions; they needed time to digest.

Tsunade naturally didn't understand Genichi's urgency and sense of crisis. She kindly advised him, "Don't push yourself too hard. It's not good for your development."

"You don't want to end up short, do you?" As she spoke, a teasing smile played on her lips.

Genichi could only laugh awkwardly. It wasn't as if he could just directly ask Tsunade if he could learn the Yin Seal. He would have no way to explain how he knew about that information.

Sigh, what a headache.

(End of Chapter)