"The Book of Forbidden Techniques?"
Kyoichi frowned in confusion.
Inwardly, he couldn't help but think of Konoha's Scroll of Seals.
"As the name suggests," Jūzō Biwa explained softly, "it's a record containing nearly every forbidden jutsu ever developed in Kirigakure. Traditionally, only those who have rendered exceptional service to the village are granted permission to select one technique from the Book to study."
Even as he spoke, Jūzō couldn't hide his astonishment.
He had expected the Mizukage to reward Kyoichi, but this? This level of recognition was far beyond what he imagined.
Learning a forbidden technique wasn't a standard reward—it wasn't something one earned simply by merit.
It was a privilege personally decided by the Mizukage himself.
If the Mizukage disapproved, then no matter how great one's achievements, that privilege could easily be replaced by some other form of reward.
"...Are you sure about this?" Kyoichi asked quietly.
From Jūzō's explanation, he understood well—this wasn't just a token of appreciation. It was the Fourth Mizukage's olive branch.
"One hundred Kirigakure shinobi survived because of you," said Yagura Karatachi, his tone calm but sincere. "That alone warrants such a reward. Besides, all I'm offering is the opportunity to study a forbidden technique. Whether you can truly master it depends entirely on your ability. You should know better than anyone—techniques are labeled 'forbidden' not just for their danger, but for their extreme difficulty."
His honesty was disarming.
There were no hidden conditions, no traps—just a straightforward statement of what was being offered, and what risks came with it.
Kyoichi nodded slowly.
"I understand the difficulty. But… if possible, I'd like to give it a try."
He didn't hesitate long. He knew exactly what this meant.
It was good to have allies—but at the end of the day, even mountains can crumble and rivers can dry up.
Only his own strength would never betray him.
Every opportunity to grow stronger was worth seizing.
Because the stronger he became, the more secure the Koeda Clan's future would be.
Besides, from what he'd learned through Terumī Mei, the Fourth Mizukage and Genji weren't enemies locked in open conflict. Their rivalry existed, yes—but it was the kind that tested each other's boundaries without crossing them.
Being close to Yagura wouldn't bring Genji's wrath, and favoring Genji wouldn't incur Yagura's vengeance.
Kirigakure's politics weren't that poisonous.
At least not yet.
And Yagura was still in full control of himself.
Given that, Kyoichi saw no reason to refuse the offer.
"Wait here," said Yagura.
He rose from his seat and crossed to a pair of black file cabinets. Opening one, he retrieved a single small scroll and brought it back to the reception area.
"Here. Take a look."
"This is… the Book of Forbidden Techniques?"
Kyoichi raised an eyebrow, holding the compact scroll in his hands.
It was… tiny.
Compared to Konoha's giant scroll—over a meter long—this thing looked almost laughable.
And sure, people might say the physical size of a scroll doesn't matter when it comes to storage seals, but for written records like this, size absolutely mattered. The larger the scroll, the more it could hold.
"That's right," said Yagura. "I've already undone the sealing technique. You can open it."
Kyoichi nodded and unrolled the scroll.
As it opened, lines of ancient text appeared—
and the first entry immediately caught his eye.
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave?"
He muttered the name aloud, visibly surprised.
Wait a second… that's a forbidden technique?
If he remembered correctly, Kisame Hoshigaki of the Akatsuki had used that jutsu several times.
But before he could think further, something strange caught his attention.
He could clearly read the title and a long block of descriptive notes, but when his eyes reached the section detailing the actual method of execution, the characters were smeared and blurred, as if the ink had been soaked in water—completely illegible.
"This scroll is protected by a sealing technique called Water Release: Blood Conversion," Yagura explained. "Every forbidden jutsu within the Book is sealed this way. Readers can see the name and a general description, but the detailed instructions remain hidden. Only when you choose which jutsu to study will I unseal that particular section for you."
"I see…" Kyoichi nodded.
It was a sensible precaution.
Frankly, it would've been insane if they didn't have this level of protection.
Konoha's so-called Scroll of Seals—unlocked, unguarded, and apparently easy enough for a rookie like Naruto to steal—was obviously some kind of trap.
Kyoichi shook his head, pushing away that thought, and continued reading the entry before him.
The description said that Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave could summon torrents of water even on dry land, producing flood-like waves capable of forming entire lakes—or even massive water prisons capable of engulfing enemies.
The Third Mizukage himself had once used it to subdue the rampaging Six-Tails' jinchūriki.
However, the text also noted that the jutsu demanded an enormous chakra reserve. Anyone who attempted it without sufficient stamina risked their life.
That was why the Second Mizukage had locked it away in the Book—to prevent reckless shinobi from killing themselves through sheer overconfidence.
After finishing the description, Kyoichi moved on without hesitation.
If he specialized in Water Release, it would've been perfect.
But his strength lay in Earth Release—and for him, this technique was practically useless.
So he continued to unroll the scroll—
and another line of clear, distinct text came into view.