Early the next morning, Shimizu returned to the Hokage's office, where he received the complete documentation for the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
Not only that, but the Third Hokage personally guided him through every detail—its usage, its subtleties, and the countless pitfalls hidden beneath its surface.
Without wasting a moment, Shimizu left immediately afterward and headed straight for Training Ground No. 43, a place frequently used by Konoha's elite jōnin, Shirokumo Hayama.
Training Ground No. 43 was vast, one of the many expansive fields assigned to Konoha's shinobi for individual practice. Most ninja had their own preferred grounds, and this one was well known among the village's upper ranks.
Before Shimizu even arrived, the Third Hokage had already dispatched ANBU to inform Hayama that Shimizu would be seeking guidance in kenjutsu and Wind Release.
As a result, everything proceeded smoothly.
Hayama's understanding of both kenjutsu and Wind Release opened an entirely new door for Shimizu.
Infusing Wind Release chakra into a blade could indeed produce tremendous power, but doing so required extraordinarily refined chakra control to meaningfully extend the weapon's reach.
And Shimizu's aptitude for Wind Release…
Was honestly terrible.
Expecting to achieve that level of precision through sheer control alone was nothing more than wishful thinking.
So instead, he began to consider another path—using the sword itself as a medium to drive Wind Release chakra, shaping it into a unique style of kenjutsu.
That idea reminded him of the samurai from the Land of Iron he had once encountered—someone who could channel immense power through their blade alone.
And now, he was fortunate enough to witness Hayama's signature technique firsthand.
With his right hand holding the sword in a reverse grip, Hayama swung casually, almost lazily.
Yet from that simple motion, an invisible wind blade shot forth, nearly imperceptible to the eye, carving a deep crescent-shaped gouge into a tree trunk dozens of meters away.
Even more astonishing—
Hayama could unleash ten such blades in an instant.
It was a sight that stirred a deep sense of longing within Shimizu.
From that day on, he threw himself into relentless study—practicing, analyzing, refining, and seeking guidance without the slightest hint of impatience. Like a sponge, he absorbed every piece of knowledge he could, striving to integrate it into his own combat system and ultimately forge a sword style that was uniquely his.
It was an incredibly tedious process.
Even making slight adjustments to an already well-structured technique demanded immense mental effort.
From learning and mastering the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, to integrating it into the Dance of the Crescent Moon… and then further combining Wind Release with kenjutsu and weaving it into the same technique—
And yet, just the first step alone took him an entire month.
That was with the full support of the Third Hokage, Kōsuke-sensei, and Shirokumo Hayama.
Training Ground No. 43.
Shimizu slowly raised his sword, then burst forward toward a training dummy.
Konoha-style Sword Technique—Dance of the Crescent Moon!
Three "Shimizus" attacked simultaneously from above, left, and right, their blades descending in perfect coordination.
In theory… no matter how fast the enemy reacted, no matter what defensive technique they used, there would always be a blind spot behind them—an opening they could not cover.
And so—
A fourth blade appeared at their back.
Four flashes of azure light cut through the air in an instant.
The training dummy shattered into pieces.
"…It's finally done!"
A surge of exhilaration welled up within him. This was a true breakthrough.
Next… would be the development of his own Wind Release sword techniques.
Just then, the sound of footsteps came from behind him.
"Shimizu Uzuki. Lord Danzō requests your presence."
Shimizu lowered his sword and turned around. It was the same petite female Root operative.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Miko."
"And Danzō's 'sincerity'?"
"The Sealing Scroll."
Shimizu paused for a moment.
So that was it.
No wonder the Third Hokage had seemed so regretful when telling him that the village elders strongly opposed his request to access the Sealing Scroll.
It turned out Danzō had been the one blocking it all along.
Heh… reheated leftovers, being repackaged as leverage.
At that moment, Shimizu had already made his decision.
"When?"
"Tonight. Someone will come to notify you."
"Fine."
Miko was about to leave when, suddenly, an overwhelming chill ran down her spine.
Her voice came out strained. "What… is this?"
Shimizu's tone turned cold.
"In the future, if you want to see me, show yourself openly. There's no need to lurk around like a ghost."
"There won't be a next time."
In truth, she had already arrived before he began executing the Dance of the Crescent Moon. He had simply ignored her presence, choosing to focus entirely on completing the technique in one go.
For a brief moment just now…
He had seriously considered switching his target to her.
"…Understood."
After she left, Shimizu glanced up at the sky.
And then—
He felt it.
Hunger.
"…I'm starving. Maybe I'll get some grilled meat today."
He had also begun to notice subtle changes in his body lately.
His appetite, for one, had grown noticeably larger.
"Could it be… because I've been developing new techniques?"
Before he could dwell on it further, a familiar voice called out—
"Well, well, little Shimizu! Have you read the latest volume of Tales of the Gutsy Ninja?"
Walking toward him was none other than one of the legendary Sannin—Jiraiya.
So he's back from the front lines…
Then what about Minato? Did he return as well?
"Jiraiya-senpai! When would I have time to read something like that…"
"I hear you've been training pretty hard lately," Jiraiya said with a grin. "How about I treat you to a meal?"
"Sounds good."
"Oh? Then what do you want to eat?"
"That seafood place on Sanshoku Street."
"…Eh? That place is high-end!"
Jiraiya slapped his thigh in exaggerated distress, his face twisting as if his heart were bleeding.
"You asked me," Shimizu replied innocently.
"Alright, alright… my treat, my treat," Jiraiya waved his hand, forcing himself to sound generous.
Inside, however, he was already calculating the damage. This one meal might cost him nearly half a month's worth of manuscript earnings.
And yet…
Jiraiya was being far too naïve.
He had no idea that Shimizu's appetite had recently skyrocketed.
..
Inside the upscale seafood restaurant on Sanshoku Street—
"Order whatever you like. Don't hold back," Jiraiya said grandly. Now that they were here, he couldn't afford to look stingy.
"Alright… oh, right, senpai—Minato is still on a mission?"
During their earlier conversation, Shimizu had already learned that Minato hadn't returned yet.
"The situation with Iwagakure is still unclear," Jiraiya explained. "Konoha has only withdrawn half its forces. Minato is still holding the front lines."
"I see…"
So he left his student to hold the line alone, while he came back… on what, a vacation?
"I didn't come back to rest," Jiraiya added, as if reading his thoughts. "I was investigating the Land of Grass—along with that cave you mentioned last time."
"…!"
Madara.
Ah… so I misunderstood. He really was working.
It was just that Jiraiya's usual unserious demeanor made it hard to take him at face value.
"Did you find anything?"
"No. They've already left, just as we expected."
"Not even a trace?" Shimizu frowned slightly.
"They cleaned up thoroughly. I couldn't find any useful clues."
"So we've completely lost track of them…"
Madara and that masked man—gone without a trace. Shimizu wasn't sure how to feel about it.
Relief?
Or a deeper sense of unease?
"Not entirely," Jiraiya said, though his tone carried a hint of uncertainty. "If I had to guess, they've probably headed toward the Land of Waterfalls."
"A guess?"
"I've spent the past half year surveying the surrounding terrain. They've definitely left the Land of Grass," Jiraiya explained. "Right now, the Land of Rain is under strict lockdown, and both the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth are in a state of war. The risk of being discovered there is too high."
"Based on what you told me, his physical condition isn't great either, so long-distance travel to places like the Land of Rivers or smaller nations further south or east seems unlikely."
"After considering everything, the Land of Waterfalls is the most plausible destination."
"…That does make sense," Shimizu murmured thoughtfully.
"So I came back this time to bring you along. We'll head to the Land of Waterfalls together."
"…What?" Shimizu blinked in surprise. "But we're not even sure they're there."
"It's just part of the plan," Jiraiya said casually. "The old man has another mission for you anyway."
"What mission?" Shimizu asked, curiosity piqued.
"You'll find out when the time comes."
He's seriously keeping it a secret?
"Boss! Another serving of golden prawns!" Shimizu called out.
"Coming right up!" The owner's voice rang out enthusiastically. Those golden prawns were notoriously expensive.
Jiraiya's mouth twitched.
He stared at the towering stack of empty plates in front of Shimizu, disbelief written all over his face. "…That's enough for four people, isn't it?"
Then, somewhat nervously, he glanced at his still-bulging wallet.
At this rate… his entire month's manuscript earnings might vanish right here.
"Burp… I've been working hard developing new techniques lately," Shimizu said, finishing off the last of the golden prawns and letting out a satisfied belch.
"…Then I suppose you do need to eat more," Jiraiya muttered, his tone complicated.