Time passed in the blink of an eye.
Kitazawa slowly opened his eyes, drawing a steady breath as he brought his training session to an end. He rose to his feet, feeling light and invigorated.
Although he had yet to step fully into the first stage of Sage Mode, he had crossed the most difficult threshold—perceiving and drawing in natural energy. That initial barrier was always the hardest. From here on, mastery was only a matter of time and discipline.
"Congratulations, Lord Kitazawa," said Katsuyu in her gentle voice.
"Thank you," he replied modestly. "I was fortunate."
"Training in Sage Mode requires talent, not fortune," she corrected softly.
He smiled. "Thank you for today. I'll return tomorrow."
Now that he possessed the aptitude, there was no excuse to delay. Sage Mode had to be mastered. At the same time, Flying Thunder God: Second Step and Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder could not be neglected. He intended to bring all three techniques to completion within six months.
After all, the situation in the Hidden Rain Village could erupt into full-scale war at any time.
"I will send you back," Katsuyu said.
Space rippled. When Kitazawa opened his eyes again, he stood once more in the Forest of Death.
A short distance away, Sasuke lay sprawled on the ground, chest rising faintly, utterly spent.
"That's enough for today," Kitazawa called with an amused smile.
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei," Naruto replied, releasing Kyuubi's chakra before hauling Sasuke back onto his feet.
The three made their way toward Konoha.
Upon reaching the main street, Kitazawa parted ways with them and headed toward the Hokage Building.
In a flash, he appeared outside the Hokage's office. After a brief knock, he entered.
"You're lying down again?" he asked, unable to suppress a chuckle at the sight of Tsunade sprawled across the sofa.
"It's past working hours," Tsunade replied lazily, pushing herself upright. "Am I not allowed to relax?"
"There are still thirteen minutes left," he said, glancing at the wall clock.
"I'm the Hokage. When I say work is over, it's over." She crossed her long legs and arched a brow. "Do you object?"
"Not in the slightest."
He stepped closer and extended his hand. "Shall we go home?"
She placed her hand in his and rose smoothly. "Have you finished moving?"
"Not yet," he admitted. "I asked Kurenai to pack today. We should be ready by tomorrow."
"No need to rush." Tsunade considered for a moment. "Let's move on the twenty-eighth, during the New Year break. I'll help."
"Alright. I'll let her know tonight."
"Finally," she sighed, stretching languidly, "a proper holiday."
His eyelid twitched as his gaze lingered a fraction too long. He pulled her gently into his arms.
A flicker of heat stirred within Tsunade.
She had always been every inch a woman—strong, proud, beautiful—but only recently had she allowed herself to embrace that side fully. With her seal released, sensations felt sharper, harder to ignore.
Yet this was hardly the place.
"Come to me tonight," she whispered, brushing the tip of her tongue lightly along his ear.
Kitazawa stiffened, barely restraining himself.
"Let's go," she added with a teasing wink, slipping from his arms and swaying toward the door.
She was absolutely doing this on purpose.
Fine.
Tonight, he would collect every debt she'd incurred.
Night deepened, the moon suspended high above Konoha.
In her room, Kurenai slept soundly, exhaustion pulling her into a deep slumber.
Carefully, Kitazawa slipped free and activated the Flying Thunder God.
In the next instant, he stood inside Tsunade's bedroom.
The lights were out, but darkness meant little to him.
He slid beneath the covers. A warm, bare body immediately curled against him, supple and inviting.
It was another sleepless night.
Only at dawn did he finally depart, vanishing once more through space.
"Eh?"
Shizune froze in the doorway the next morning, staring at Tsunade seated in the living room as though she had seen a ghost.
"What's with that expression?" Tsunade yawned.
Though she hadn't slept, the Yin Seal sustained her vitality.
"You're awake… this early?" Shizune asked cautiously.
"Is that forbidden?"
"I suppose not," Shizune muttered. "I'll prepare breakfast."
Once she left, Tsunade leaned back and closed her eyes.
Fragments of the night surfaced in her mind. Unconsciously, her thighs pressed together.
Time slipped by.
The winter holiday entered its second week. Only two days remained until the New Year.
Aside from shinobi assigned to duty, nearly all of Konoha was at rest.
"Welcome to the Senju clan compound!" Tsunade declared brightly.
There had been a time when returning here felt unbearably lonely. Once, she had been the only one left.
Now, she had chosen to come back—and she was no longer alone.
Kitazawa. Shizune. The others.
"We have to celebrate properly today!" Kurenai said excitedly, looking around in awe. "I've never lived somewhere this large."
"From now on," Tsunade said generously, "this is your home too."
She turned toward the entrance hall with a satisfied smile.
"Come on. Let's go inside."
Shizune carried a cardboard box through the doorway.
Behind her, Kitazawa followed with one of his own balanced in his arms.
Today wasn't simply about relocating—it was about turning an empty residence into a living, breathing home.
The house had stood unused for years. Dust clung to the rafters, and the air carried the faint stillness of abandonment. It took them the entire day to clean, arrange, and settle in.
By the time they finished, night had already fallen.
"This is one of the largest houses in the Senju compound," Tsunade announced, clapping her hands lightly. "Rooms upstairs and downstairs—choose whichever you like."
"Lady Tsunade, you should pick first," Kurenai said quickly.
"You're the guests. Guests choose first." Tsunade waved off the formality. "No need to stand on ceremony."
"In that case… I'll take the upstairs room on the right." Kurenai pointed.
"I'll take the one next to it," Kitazawa added without hesitation.
He knew the choice was symbolic at best, but since Tsunade insisted, he played along.
"We'll stay downstairs," Uzumaki Rina decided. "The kitchen's here—it'll be more convenient."
"I'll stay downstairs too," Shizune said after a brief pause.
"Then I'll take one upstairs," Tsunade concluded calmly.
"Rooms settled. Let's start dinner."
Shizune rolled up her sleeves.
"I'll help!" Kurenai volunteered at once.
"Me too," Rina chimed in, hurrying after them.
That left Tsunade, Kitazawa, and Karin in the living room.
"So, Tsunade-sensei," Kitazawa said lazily, flipping through channels with the remote, "any plans for the holiday?"
"Nothing special." Tsunade reclined on the sofa, utterly at ease. "Sleep. And the casino."
"That's it?" he laughed.
"What's so funny?" she shot back. "You're following my schedule. You're coming with me."
Kitazawa blinked.
If Karin hadn't been sitting there, he might have asked whether that included the "sleep" portion of the plan.
"Understood, Tsunade-sensei."
Training could wait. The New Year holiday was meant to be enjoyed.
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Tsunade dragged him straight to the casino.
Shizune fumed quietly but could do little more than sigh.
In truth, Tsunade didn't spend the entire day gambling. Once she had her fill, she would drag Kitazawa out to spar.
Lately, she had developed a taste for battle again. The rush of combat rivaled the thrill of wagering chips across a table.
The holiday passed in a whirlwind of noise, laughter, wagers, and sparring.
Before long, January arrived.
The Genius Class resumed.
No new students enrolled this term; official admissions would come in March.
Forest of Death.
Kitazawa flicked a Flying Thunder God kunai high into the air.
As it spun mid-flight, he vanished.
In the next instant, he reappeared beside it—midair—and drove his fist forward.
A thunderous crack split the air.
The tree ahead shattered under the impact, trunk snapping before crashing to the ground.
The kunai embedded itself in another tree behind it.
Without pause, he teleported again, plucked the blade free, and landed lightly on the forest floor.
A slow grin spread across his face.
Flying Thunder God Technique: Second Step—Mastered.
"Next up… Guiding Thunder."
Kitazawa slipped the marked kunai back into his pouch and turned his attention to the sparring field once more.
Sasuke was already on the brink. Surrounded by a sea of green and yellow, he fought like a cornered wolf—fierce, desperate, refusing to fall.
But numbers were merciless.
A final spinning kick sent him crashing across the clearing. He skidded through fallen leaves before coming to a stop.
Sasuke slammed his fist into the dirt, jaw clenched so tightly it trembled.
Defeat. Again.
Loss after loss had piled up like dry tinder in his chest. Anger smoldered. Resentment burned. For a fleeting moment in the past, he had even considered giving up.
But the repeated beatings hadn't crushed him.
They had hardened him.
He didn't need to win every time.
He just needed to win once.
Kitazawa's eyebrow lifted slightly.
He could clearly sense it now—the Yin Release Chakra within Sasuke had grown denser, sharper. It coiled around his ocular power like a blade being tempered again and again in fire.
At this pace…
The Mangekyo Sharingan was no longer an unreachable star.
"Time's up. Head home," Kitazawa said calmly, dismissing his Shadow Clone in a puff of smoke.
Sasuke rose silently. Dust clung to his clothes, and bruises marked his skin, but he didn't complain. He simply turned and began the long walk toward the Uchiha compound.
"Sasuke."
A familiar voice stopped him.
"Nii-san!"
His gloom vanished in an instant.
Itachi stepped forward, gentle as ever, and ruffled his hair.
"Why the long face?"
"Training…" Sasuke muttered, the light fading again.
"What kind of training?"
Itachi's eyes held quiet curiosity. He had been occupied monitoring Orochimaru and hadn't checked in for some time. Still, he trusted Kitazawa's judgment.
"Combat training with Naruto," Sasuke replied. "Kitazawa-sensei said it can awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Itachi paused.
Awaken the Mangekyo… through sparring?
That was unheard of.
Every documented case in clan history required overwhelming emotional trauma—loss, despair, irreversible pain. The Mangekyo was born from tragedy.
If simple combat training could achieve it, the Uchiha clan would have produced dozens.
"Sasuke," Itachi said softly, "activate your Three-Tomoe Sharingan."
"Huh?"
"You've been training for a while now. There should be some change."
Though skeptical, Itachi did not believe Kitazawa would act without purpose.
Sasuke's eyes lit up. He focused, and the Three-Tomoe Sharingan bloomed scarlet.
The moment it activated, Itachi's pupils narrowed.
The difference was unmistakable.
Sasuke's ocular power—his Yin Release Chakra—had increased by nearly twenty percent. It was denser, more refined, closer to breaking through an unseen ceiling.
"Did… did I get stronger?" Sasuke scratched his head, bewildered. From his perspective, he'd only been beaten senseless day after day.
"You've grown considerably," Itachi said, suppressing his astonishment. "At this rate… you may awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan within a year or two."
"What?!" Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief. "This training actually works?"
Itachi chuckled softly. "Why so surprised? Didn't you trust Kitazawa-sensei?"
"I do!" Sasuke protested, cheeks coloring faintly. "It's just… the method feels wrong."
Now he understood.
Every crushing defeat. Every moment of frustration. Every ounce of unwillingness to yield.
They weren't meaningless.
They were pressure.
And pressure created transformation.
"Then stop doubting," Itachi said gently, ruffling his hair again. "Continue."
Sasuke's fists clenched, but this time not in anger.
In determination.
"Once I awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan," he declared, eyes blazing, "I'll take first place in the Genius Class!"
Itachi opened his mouth—then closed it.
First place…
The Genius Class still had Uzumaki Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
That mountain would not be easy to climb.
But Itachi did not extinguish the fire in his brother's eyes.
Instead, he smiled.
"Then work hard, Sasuke."
Because ambition, too—was power.
March arrived in earnest.
Spring sunlight poured over Konohagakure, chasing away winter's chill. Cherry blossoms fluttered through the air like drifting snow, and the entire village felt newly awakened.
Today, however, the liveliest place of all was the Konoha Ninja Academy.
It was enrollment day.
"Hahaha!"
Konohamaru Sarutobi stood proudly at the academy gates, hands planted on his hips.
"I'm finally enrolled! My road to Hokage begins today!"
"Yeah!" Naruto pumped his fist. "That's the spirit! Youth means aiming for Hokage!"
"Big Brother Naruto's right!"
A cheerful girl with twin ponytails chimed in. Her bright smile sparkled in the morning sun.
Moegi Kazamatsuri.
"Big Brother Naruto," Udon Ise asked anxiously, "how do we get into the Genius Class?"
"You've gotta pass a test," Naruto replied, scratching his cheek. "Pretty sure there's a practical exam."
"Right after enrollment?!" Udon blinked.
"Well, it is the Genius Class!" Naruto clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll manage!"
"Konohamaru probably will…" Moegi muttered nervously. "But Udon and I might not."
Neither of them came from shinobi clans. No secret techniques. No private tutoring.
"Don't sweat it!" Naruto grinned. "There are two other ways!"
"What are they?" Moegi and Udon asked in unison.
Naruto raised two fingers.
"First, stand out in another class. Second—get personally noticed by Kitazawa-sensei. His eye for talent is scary sharp!"
"Naruto, already recruiting freshmen before class even starts?" drawled a lazy voice.
Shikamaru strolled over, hands behind his head.
"Shikamaru-senpai!" Konohamaru greeted immediately.
Moegi and Udon followed suit.
"And what about me?" Ino flicked her blonde bangs dramatically.
"Ino-senpai!" the three chorused.
"Good," Ino smiled brightly. "Stick with me and you'll be fine."
"She's exaggerating," Sakura cut in flatly.
"Excuse me?" Ino shot her a glare.
"You were only one rank ahead of me!" Sakura shot back. "Next term I'm overtaking you!"
"In your dreams."
Sakura's eye twitched.
"So much burning youth!"
A green blur landed dramatically between them.
Rock Lee beamed.
"Morning, everyone," Tenten said with a smile as she approached alongside Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi.
"Looks like the Genius Class will have plenty of newcomers this year," Ino observed, eyeing Hanabi thoughtfully.
"They still have to pass the practical," Shikamaru reminded her.
"Is Kitazawa-sensei running it?" Tenten asked.
"No clue," Shikamaru shrugged. "Let's head to the Training Ground."
"Genius Class, here I come!" Konohamaru declared dramatically.
Ino and the others exchanged helpless looks.
Hopelessly loud. Just like Naruto.
—
At the familiar training ground, a long line had already formed.
Freshmen. All hoping to earn entry into the famed Genius Class.
Its reputation had spread across Konoha. Every shinobi family knew what it meant.
"Iruka-sensei's supervising," Shikamaru noted, spotting Iruka sparring in the center.
"And Kitazawa-sensei's over there!" Naruto pointed excitedly.
They gathered near the sidelines.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Hanabi called brightly.
Kitazawa smiled and patted her head. "Long time no see, Hanabi."
Hinata watched quietly.
He patted her head as well.
After some light conversation, Hanabi, Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon joined the queue.
"Think they'll pass?" Ino murmured.
"Konohamaru and Hanabi probably," Shikamaru guessed.
Tenten nodded in agreement.
Time passed.
Finally—
"Next!"
Konohamaru stepped forward.
His taijutsu was solid for his age. His transformation technique was clean. He even executed a decent clone technique.
Kitazawa briefly braced himself for something… inappropriate.
Thankfully, no sexy technique appeared.
Seems Naruto hadn't passed that one down.
"Pass," Iruka announced.
"Yes!" Konohamaru cheered, sprinting toward Naruto. "Big Brother Naruto, we're classmates now!"
Next was Hanabi.
Though she hadn't mastered Transformation yet, her Gentle Fist fundamentals were crisp and precise. Her chakra control was excellent.
"Pass."
She bowed politely and stepped aside.
Then came Moegi.
Average performance. Good effort. Lacked polish.
"Fail."
Udon followed.
Decent control. Not outstanding.
"Fail."
Both lowered their heads slightly.
Kitazawa watched in silence.
Originally, he'd planned to personally admit Konohamaru and perhaps Moegi.
But after reconsidering, Udon had potential too. In the future, he would rise to Jonin rank. His growth curve simply came later.
The Genius Class wasn't just about current strength.
It was about potential.
And Kitazawa had never been one to ignore it.
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