Ken decided that the first step after learning how to create ice was to freeze water and then move on to the jutsus.
He walked to the center of the river as he formed a single handsign while gathering wind and water chakra simultaneously and doing the same thing he did to make ice.
'Wait, I won't be able to freeze the river this way. I have to touch the water with my hands, not with my feet.' Ken facepalmed at that realisation as after making the handsign, he placed his hands that were covered with chakra on the water.
About a meter of water around him turned to ice. It was not a lot but it was a good start.
"Hmm, I should start with trying to freeze a large amount of water before moving to the jutsus. Mastering this would help me later on," Ken mumbled to himself.
"I should use a water jutsu to produce water and then freeze it to ice. Then use that ice for my ice style jutsus. This way I would be saving a large amount of chakra compared to creating my own ice. Though for some jutsus, I would have to create my own ice like for Haku's jutsu. Haku would have to have a lot of chakra for his age to create so many ice mirrors and he was apparently going easy on Naruto and Sasuke."
"I can't wait to try out the ice mirror jutsu. The jutsu has so much potential. I can even use it as a Flying Raijin Jutsu by spreading my ice mirrors across the battlefield and then jumping from one place to another through them. Well, It would be quite weaker than the Flying Raijin. The distance would be small compared to Flying Raijin range. And well, the ice mirror jutsus is not a teleportation jutsu. Haku just moved incredible fast that it looked like teleportation. But I have a feeling that I could make it a teleportation one." Ken mumbled
"Well, It's just an assumption and belief from my side but I hope that I would be able to do it." Ken hoped that he could make a teleportation jutsu out of his ice style since it would be quite useful in the future.
Ken could have learned Flying Raijin but unlike ninjutsu, he was only average in fuinjutsu. There were so many symbols to be learned in fuinjutsu and he was so bad at memorizing all of them. Even if he did memorize them, he would forget most of them within a week. How was he supposed to learn a jutsu that was pinnacle of fuinjutsu?
--Hokage's office---
Hiruzen watched Ken's training and his success in creating ice through his crystal ball.
"He really managed to learn the basics of ice release by himself. He surely has grown up. Well, Let's see if he can create his own ice release jutsus now. I might give him some hints of other Yuki ice jutsus that I have seen if he is having trouble with it." Hiruzen mumbled with a smile but his face turned serious as a figure appeared in front of him and bowed.
"I have confirmed the presence of a wood release user in ROOT, Hokage sama. He is the same kid that was sent to attack you years ago but escaped." Kakashi gave his report
Hiruzen stayed silent as he thought about the implications of this news.
'A wood release user huh? His wood release is reported to be quite weak compared to Lord First. It's limited to forming constructs of wood. But the wood is unable to absorb chakra from other people or jutsus like Lord First. Did Danzo continue to research on Lord First cells even when I told him to cancel that project? There is only one person that could have helped him in his research.'
'Orochimaru, I thought you were the most obedient of all my students. Tsunade wasted money by gambling, Jiraiya went after harassing girls but I had hope from you. If not for your constant fascination with research, You would have already become the Hokage. And Danzo, you have truly fallen if you are experimenting with the dead body of sensei's brother.' Hiruzen sighed as he thought about this.
'I can't really blame Danzo much since it was me who gave the green signal for the research on Lord First cells in the first place. I don't have any proof against him either. Keeping an eye on him should restrict his actions for now.'
"Fabulous work, Hound. You are dismissed for now." Hiruzen dismissed Kakashi.
"Dragon" Hiruzen called out after Kakashi left.
"Yes Hokage-sama," Dragon aka Shinsuke Sarutobi appeared in front of Hiruzen.
"Keep an eye on Orochimaru. If he is found researching and experimenting with Lord first cells, report it to me at once. Also find out on what he is currently researching on." Hiruzen ordered as 'Dragon' disappeared as soon as he got the order.
Hiruzen then read the first document on the pile of the many documents that he had to look and sign.
"The next chunin exams huh," He mumbled