Chapter 291: Hiashi’s Surprise!

After the short break, the students of the Genius Class resumed their training.

Kitazawa led Kakashi and Sasuke to a nearby clearing, the air was charged with faint traces of static.

He was just about to explain Chidori Nagashi when Kakashi tugged down his forehead protector, revealing his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Sasuke, not to be outdone, activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan, scarlet tomoe spinning into motion.

Kitazawa paused, momentarily surprised.

Right—he’d forgotten that the Sharingan could copy Ninjutsu directly.

With both of them possessing Sharingan, these two would master Chidori Nagashi far faster than he’d anticipated.

“Lightning Release: Chidori Nagashi abandons the speed and assassination focus of the original Chidori,” Kitazawa began. “Instead, it’s designed for defense.”

He lifted his right hand, chakra gathering at his fingertips.

“Watch closely.”

Lightning erupted from his palm, crawling across his arm, shoulders, and torso until his entire body shimmered with a protective electric glow.

“I see.” Kakashi’s eye gleamed as he nodded appreciatively. “An ingenious modification.”

In the original timeline, Kakashi’s own evolution of Chidori never reached this level—not because of lack of talent, but because he had lost his Sharingan after the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Without it, he had eventually developed Purple Lightning, a form that didn’t rely on the Sharingan’s perception.

Now, seeing Kitazawa’s version firsthand, he immediately began weaving signs.

Lightning surged around his body almost flawlessly.

Such was the convenience of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Of course, copying a jutsu wasn’t the same as mastering it.

To truly use it, one needed the correct chakra nature and a high degree of shape and nature transformation.

Kakashi possessed all five chakra natures—one of the many reasons he earned the titles Copy Ninja.

Otherwise, with so many Uchiha wielding the Sharingan, those honors would have been common long ago.

Sasuke followed suit, forming the same hand signs.

Lightning flickered weakly around him—and then fizzled out like a dying bulb.

“Your chakra shape transformation is still a little unstable,” Kitazawa said after a brief pause, quickly identifying the problem.

Chidori Nagashi demanded far more precise chakra control than Chidori, since the Nagashi had to flow evenly across the entire body instead of concentrating in one hand.

On top of that, Sasuke’s Two-Tomoe Sharingan lacked the clarity and responsiveness of Kakashi’s fully matured eye—and Kakashi even unknowingly possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan, granting him a natural edge.

“You handle your business. I’ll train him,” Kakashi offered casually.

It made sense. Sasuke was already part of his team, and Kitazawa had his own students to oversee.

“Alright,” Kitazawa agreed with a nod. “If you run into any issues, come find me.”

He had demonstrated the technique, fulfilling his role as instructor—enough to report to the system as a completed lesson.

Now, all that remained was for Sasuke to master Chidori Nagashi.

Kitazawa estimated it would take him no more than a month. Once Sasuke succeeded, the system mission would be complete.

“Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei,” Sasuke said politely.

He wasn’t the stoic, sharp-tongued boy he once was. He’d learned when to show gratitude.

After watching them leave, Kitazawa returned to his own grueling regimen.

His daily schedule was packed:

Five Elements Great Combination bullet in the morning,

Ninja Art Creation Rebirth–Strength of a Hundred Seal in the afternoon,

and in the evening, research on modifying the Medical Forbidden Technique: Cellular Activation—his stepping stone toward developing Yang Release Chakra Mode.

He already had a rough concept for it.

Although he had never seen Lightning Release Chakra Mode in person, he theorized that cellular activation should progress gradually—from localized enhancement to full-body activation.

In other words: activate the arms first, then the legs, and finally the entire body.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the students of the Genius Class wrapped up their training and headed home.

Kitazawa was about to do the same when an ANBU appeared before him in a flicker of movement.

The mask was instantly recognizable—the distinctive markings belonged to Crow, the ANBU operative stationed in the Land of Waves.

“Lord Kitazawa,” Crow said respectfully, pulling a scroll from his pouch. “This is from the Underwater Exploration Team.”

Kitazawa nodded and unrolled it.

The message was brief but significant:

The team had unearthed a large quantity of ore and was ready to proceed to the next phase.

That phase, of course, was ore separation.

Although the deposit was vast, gold and silver were the most abundant materials.

“Is the factory in the Land of Waves completed?” Kitazawa asked.

“Almost, sir,” Crow replied. “Construction’s nearing completion, but we’re still short on skilled workers. And… we lack enough designers.”

Kitazawa fell silent, thinking.

Mining was simple enough—chakra or kikaichū could handle excavation easily.

But refining, designing, and crafting finished products were entirely different challenges.

Fortunately, the shinobi world had already made progress in jewelry craftsmanship. Recruiting professionals wouldn’t be difficult.

Still, that alone wouldn’t give him an edge.

That is where the Hyuga clan came in.

Byakugan could serve as the perfect high-precision instrument for refinement.

The real problem, however, was design.

Though there were no copyright laws in the ninja world, copying existing jewelry styles wouldn’t make his creations stand out.

Kitazawa smirked slightly.

In his past life, he had seen countless breathtaking designs in films and on television.

Reproducing them here might be tricky to describe by words alone, but Chakra was omnipotent—he could use Ninjutsu to extract those images directly from memory.

He just hadn’t learned the proper jutsu yet.

But that was fine—the archives of Konoha surely held what he needed.

“Continue recruiting,” he ordered. “Once the team is complete, begin production.”

The Hyuga would focus on high-end, luxury pieces.

Common jewelry could be crafted by the regular artisans.

He already knew what would happen once reputation and brand prestige took hold.

Success—overwhelming and inevitable.

“Yes, Lord Kitazawa,” Crow said, bowing slightly before vanishing into the dusk.

Kitazawa pondered for a moment, then decided to head straight to the Hyuga Clan residence.

“Lord Kitazawa.”

The two Hyuga guards at the gate immediately straightened, bowing respectfully.

“I’d like to see Clan Head Hiashi,” Kitazawa said simply.

“I’ll inform him at once—”

Before the guard could finish, a soft yet familiar voice called out from behind.

“Kitazawa-sensei? Why are you here?”

It was Hinata, looking pleasantly surprised. She had just returned home and was on her way to her room when she noticed the commotion at the entrance.

“I came to speak with your father,” Kitazawa replied with a gentle smile.

“I’ll take you to him,” Hinata offered quickly. “He should be in his study right now.”

“Then I’ll trouble you for the escort.”

Kitazawa lightly patted her head as he followed. Hinata’s cheeks flushed pink, but she smiled happily and led him through the elegant corridors of the Hyuga compound.

When they reached the study, she stopped outside the door.

“Thank you,” Kitazawa said kindly. “I’ll discuss business with your father first, and then I’ll come find you afterward.”

Hinata nodded obediently as he knocked on the door.

“Come in,” came Hiashi’s calm, commanding voice from within.

Kitazawa entered, closing the door behind him.

“Kitazawa?” Hiashi’s usually composed expression flickered with surprise. He stood immediately. “Please forgive me for not greeting you properly.”

“No need for formalities, Clan Head Hiashi,” Kitazawa said politely. “I’m here to discuss a potential business collaboration.”

“Business?” Hiashi blinked, momentarily taken aback.

To most traditional shinobi, “business” was just another word for “political deal.” He wondered if Kitazawa was subtly requesting Hyuga support for his future Hokage candidacy.

But Kitazawa’s next words shattered that assumption.

“The jewelry business,” he said calmly. “Konoha recently discovered an underwater mine.”

“…?”

Hiashi froze. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if he’d misheard.

Was this really happening? Someone was approaching him, the head of the noble Hyuga Clan, to talk about jewelry?

“I’m afraid I don’t quite follow,” Hiashi admitted. “If it’s commerce you’re interested in, shouldn’t you approach the merchants?”

“That’s precisely the problem,” Kitazawa replied smoothly. “If I went to merchants, they’d take most of the profit. I want the Hyuga Clan to participate—specifically, to use the Byakugan for high-precision crafting.”

“…?”

Hiashi stared, his expression blank for a moment.

His first instinct was to refuse. The Byakugan was a tool of combat and perception, not… jewelry craftsmanship.

But then he remembered who he was speaking to—Tsunade’s student, a man widely regarded as a future Hokage candidate. Refusing outright might risk offending him, and the Hyuga Clan couldn’t afford to sour such a relationship.

After a short pause, Hiashi asked, “How many people would you require?”

“Not many,” Kitazawa said thoughtfully. “Eight will be enough.”

He knew the principle well—rarity creates value. High-end jewelry needed to be exclusive. Besides, the name ’crafted by the Hyuga Clan’ would itself become a powerful brand.

Hiashi nodded slowly. “Very well.”

Eight Hyuga working on a long-term commission was a trivial commitment.

“Once production begins, ten percent of the profits will go to the Hyuga Clan,” Kitazawa added.

Hiashi’s brow twitched slightly.

Ten percent? That sounded… unreasonably low.

But he held his tongue. The purpose of this collaboration wasn’t profit—it was alliance.

“Understood,” he said with his usual composure.

“Please also send those eight ninja to the Land of Waves once they’re selected,” Kitazawa continued. “They’ll need to undergo specialized training there before beginning production.”

“I’ll have them depart tomorrow,” Hiashi agreed without hesitation.

Once his decision was made, there was no need for delay.

“Excellent.”

Kitazawa stood, declining Hiashi’s polite offer to stay for dinner. After exchanging a brief farewell with Hinata outside, he departed for home.

The next morning

After breakfast, Kitazawa made his way to the Hokage’s Office.

“Skipping class to come see me?” Tsunade drawled as soon as she saw him. She leaned back in her chair, stretching lazily, her expression caught somewhere between amusement and exasperation.

Kitazawa’s eyes flickered briefly toward her chest—and immediately away again. “I came to ask something. Does Konoha have access to the Yamanaka Clan’s secret techniques?”

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. “Of course it does. But per our agreement with the Yamanaka, no outsider is allowed to learn them.” She waved a hand dismissively. “If you need something, just request assistance from the clan directly.”

“I’m not looking to learn their entire jutsu set,” Kitazawa clarified. “I only want a memory extraction ninjutsu. When I’m on missions, I can’t exactly bring a Yamanaka along everywhere I go.”

Tsunade sighed. “You could’ve led with that.”

She leaned forward, tapping a finger on the desk. “Memory extraction isn’t exclusive to the Yamanaka. Their version is just… more effective.”

“That’s fine,” Kitazawa said, smiling. “As long as it works. You can’t blame me for asking—the Yamanaka name carries quite the reputation.”

“Fine, fine,” Tsunade muttered, waving a hand. “I’ll have the ANBU fetch the scroll for you.”

“Only the Hokage has the authority to issue that order,” Kitazawa reminded her with a faint grin.

Tsunade shot him a side-eye but didn’t argue.

He wasn’t wrong—ninjutsu scrolls were among the most tightly controlled assets in any shinobi village. Unless a ninja learned them directly from a sensei, access usually required the Hokage’s explicit approval or a formal mission reward.

“How come I never see you follow the rules like this?”

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, giving Kitazawa a suspicious look. Memories of his past stunts—half of which had given her headaches—flashed through her mind.

“Don’t slander me.”

Kitazawa coughed lightly, adopting a mock-serious expression. “I always follow necessary rules.”

“Tch.”

Tsunade rolled her eyes in open disbelief.

“Besides,” Kitazawa said with a grin, “Tsunade-sensei, you’re far too beautiful to get mad over my minor rule-breaking.”

“Hmph, that’s hard to say.”

She straightened up, eyes narrowing playfully. “Never mind. I don’t feel like arguing today. I’ll go get it.”

Her heels clicked rhythmically across the floor as she left the office, the sound fading down the hallway.

A few minutes later, she returned, tossing a sealed Ninjutsu scroll onto his desk.

Kitazawa unrolled it immediately. The title caught his eye—Ninja Art: Memory Vision, ranked B.

Its purpose: to read and extract fragments of a target’s memory.

However, its Chakra consumption was notoriously high—far greater than the Yamanaka Clan’s secret techniques—and its range left much to be desired.

In the Fourth Great Shinobi War, Inoichi had once linked the minds of the entire Allied Shinobi Forces using a similar jutsu, though at a staggering cost.

Still, that wasn’t an issue for Kitazawa. With Two-tails worth of chakra at his disposal, he could afford to be extravagant.

“Anything else?” Tsunade asked, reclining back in her chair, fingers interlocked beneath her chin.

“No, that’s all. I’ll take my leave.”

Kitazawa had originally planned to bring up the Hyuga Clan collaboration but decided against it. Better to wait until the jewelry production was underway—then he could show Tsunade tangible results.

Back in his office at the Ninja Academy, Kitazawa decided to master the new jutsu before anything else.

Despite its classification, it wasn’t particularly difficult—just chakra-intensive.

He had barely begun studying when a soft knock came at the door.

“Come in,” he called.

Konan entered, her expression calm as always. She had returned to the Akatsuki’s base in the past few days—likely to retrieve more medicine.

“These are the medicinal ingredients you requested.”

She placed a summoning scroll on his desk. “However, two of the ingredients couldn’t be located.”

“Which ones?” Kitazawa asked, accepting the scroll.

“Rock Blue Powder and Blood-Boosting Grass,” Konan replied evenly.

Kitazawa wasn’t surprised. “Those two are indeed rare. I’ll arrange for someone to find them.”

“Thank you,” Konan said softly, visibly relieved.

Konoha had far greater resources and manpower than Amegakure or the Akatsuki, so their chances were far higher.

“You’ll still cover the cost of the ingredients,” Kitazawa added with a teasing smile. “But since Konoha will spend time searching, shouldn’t the Akatsuki pay a small reward as well?”

Konan met his gaze steadily. “What kind of reward do you want?”

The Akatsuki, after all, functioned as a mercenary organization—every transaction had to be fair and balanced. Kitazawa’s request was perfectly reasonable.

“Help me locate someone,” he said casually. “A rogue ninja from Konoha—Orochimaru.”

Konan froze.

The request caught her off guard. It was reasonable, sure, but complicated. Orochimaru was still technically a member of Akatsuki. She couldn’t exactly betray him.

“You can take your time,” Kitazawa said smoothly. “He’s been on the run for years. There’s no rush.”

“Understood.”

Konan nodded after a brief pause. Personally, she had no fondness for Orochimaru. His entry into the organization had been questionable from the start.

After failing to seize Nagato’s Rinnegan, Orochimaru had asked to join Akatsuki—an audacity that still unsettled her. Nagato had agreed only to keep a closer eye on him.

In Konan’s view, someone openly hostile to Nagato should never have been allowed in at all.

But she also knew it was only a matter of time before Orochimaru betrayed the organization. When that happened, she would have no qualms about turning him over.

That was precisely what Kitazawa anticipated. With Konan as his inside source, he could learn of Orochimaru’s movements the moment they changed.

“Relay my order to the ANBU,” Kitazawa said lazily. “Have them begin searching for Rock Blue Powder and Blood-Boosting Grass.”

Konan gave a curt nod and left to deliver the command.

Kitazawa returned his attention to the scroll, continuing his study of Ninja Art: Memory Vision.

The next day.

Eight Hyuga Clan ninja departed Konoha for the Land of Waves. Before leaving, they had specifically stopped by to inform Kitazawa.

Time flowed quickly after that. A week passed.

The Genius Class final exams were approaching.

The Ninja Academy followed a three-term schedule—July for finals, August for summer vacation, and September for the new semester.

The final’s practical segment had two formats, as usual.

Kitazawa had already promised Hinata he’d be her team leader, so she was automatically included.

For the remaining two members, he decided on Shino and Shikamaru.

Originally, he had considered Yakumo, but her Kekkei Genkai—her Genjutsu Bloodline Limit—was simply too overwhelming. Missions with her involved were like playing on easy mode.

No, Kitazawa wanted to apply some real pressure this time—especially on Shikamaru.

So, Shino it was.

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