"Ah!"
Jiraiya screamed as he lost his balance and crashed hard onto the ground. He clutched his leg in pain, sweat pouring down his face, his expression full of disbelief.
"W-what kind of Ninjutsu is this?!"
Tsunade stood at the edge of the field, completely stunned.
Nawaki was even more shocked. He stood there blankly, his mouth wide open, muttering to himself.
"Impossible… I must still be trapped in Sharingan Genjutsu… It has to be…"
Senba ignored them. He crouched down and raised his right hand again. A pale green glow appeared in his palm.
He pressed his hand onto Jiraiya's leg, causing the wound to heal. Flesh regrew, and the skin recovered at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Jiraiya stared at his leg in shock. First that seal-less Ninjutsu… and now the Mystical Palm Technique…
"Y-you…"
He didn't know how to react. This was an A-Rank Ninjutsu, and it was even harder to learn than normal A-Rank techniques.
Tsunade quickly stepped forward and crouched beside Senba.
"What was that seal-less Ninjutsu just now?"
"It's a ninjutsu I created myself. It's called Rasengan." Senba said casually, but his words caused great shock to Tsunade.
He continued. "Its power is around A-rank, and difficulty of learning it is also A-rank."
A six-year-old creating an A-rank, seal-less Ninjutsu.
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a look. Both could see the shock in each other's eyes.
This child's potential… it might rival the First Hokage's talent, combined with the Second Hokage's intelligence.
Jiraiya lay on the ground, watching his leg heal. Suddenly, his earlier words about "teaching him a lesson" felt like a bad joke.
"If he were already a Chunin…" Tsunade muttered, "just creating an A-Rank Ninjutsu would be enough to promote him directly to Special Jonin."
Senba looked at her. "Then… are you still going to teach me Super Strength?"
"Of course I will!" Tsunade ruffled his hair, shaking him playfully.
"You always surprise me. I really hit the jackpot!"
Not far away, Nawaki watched the scene in a daze. He suddenly realized how stupid he had been earlier for trying to challenge Senba.
Jiraiya lowered his head and sighed. He had completely embarrassed himself today. If he had known the kid had an A-rank seal-less Ninjutsu, he would have taken it seriously.
He wanted to show off in front of Nawaki, but instead, he made a fool of himself in front of his comrade.
Tsunade glanced at Nawaki. "Did you hear that? Don't look down on Medical Ninja again."
Nawaki blushed and lowered his head, unable to respond.
Tsunade nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Jiraiya.
"Since you look fine, we're leaving."
Jiraiya waved weakly while lying on the ground.
"Yeah, yeah… go ahead. Let me rest…"
He didn't have the heart to face her now despite his thick skin.
Tsunade smiled and grabbed Senba's hand.
"Come on, let's find another place."
She pulled him away from the training ground.
Before leaving, Senba glanced back once. Jiraiya was still lying on the ground, staring at the sky, while Nawaki stood stiffly to the side, like his soul had left his body.
…
After arriving at a secluded training ground, Tsunade released his arm and turned to face him with a serious expression.
"There's something I want to ask you."
"What is it?"
"That A-Rank seal-less Ninjutsu… Rasengan…" She paused for a moment.
"Would you be willing to record it in the Scroll of Seals?"
Her words surprised Senba.
The Scroll of Seals was where Konoha stored its most important ninjutsu. It contained many powerful A-Rank and S-Rank techniques.
Techniques like the Flying Thunder God, Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, and the explosive tag techniques created by the second Hokage, Senju Tobirama… all of them were recorded there.
"If I record it, what do I get?" Senba asked.
Even though a ninja would consider it a great honor to have his ninjutsu recorded, he didn't want to do such a tasteless thing without benefit.
Tsunade quickly explained. "First, as a reward, you can learn three A-Rank Ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals."
Senba's eyes lit up. The A-Rank techniques in the Scroll of Seals were basically forbidden techniques. They were very different from normal ones.
"Second, you'll receive five million ryo."
Five million ryo wasn't a small amount, but to Senba, it wasn't as valuable as the chance to learn three powerful ninjutsu.
Tsunade continued, "Even if Rasengan is recorded there, you can still teach it to others. It just means more people will be able to obtain it through mission records in the future."
Senba nodded in understanding. Konoha ninjas could apply to the Hokage to learn Ninjutsu based on their mission records.
To exchange for a C-Rank Ninjutsu, you needed ten C-Rank missions and one B-Rank mission.
For a B-Rank Ninjutsu, you needed ten B-Rank missions and one A-Rank mission.
A-Rank Ninjutsu was the real dividing line.
For normal A-Rank techniques, you needed ten A-Rank missions and one S-Rank mission.
But for A-Rank techniques in the Scroll of Seals, it was much harder.
You needed the Hokage's approval, plus five S-Rank missions.
As for S-Rank Ninjutsu, they were all in the Scroll of Seals. You needed Hokage approval and thirty S-Rank missions to obtain one.
There was also another restriction.
Any Ninjutsu learned from the Scroll of Seals had a sealing technique placed in the user's brain. That made it impossible to teach it to others in private.
Tsunade looked at him and added, "If you record Rasengan there, you can use it to exchange for other ninjutsu in the future… even S-rank techniques."
Senba's heart skipped a beat.
S-Rank Ninjutsu.
Techniques like Flying Thunder God, Edo Tensei, Spirit Transformation… those legendary forbidden techniques…
"If there's an S-Rank technique you want," Tsunade said, crossing her arms, "I can lend you my contribution and help you make up the requirements.
We can use your three A-Rank rewards, plus my fifteen S-Rank mission records, to exchange for it.
But even if you get an S-Rank Ninjutsu now, you won't be able to learn it yet due to your insufficient chakra. Learning something like that right now would be dangerous."
Senba stared at her blankly. Lend him her contribution?
Why would she go to such lengths? Even if she was his sensei, those were fifteen S-rank missions that she bled for. Yet, she was willing to give them to him.
Senba couldn't help feeling warm at such kindness. But when he remembered her identity, he paused.
The first Hokage granddaughter, relative of the second Hokage, and student of the current Hokage.
Couldn't she look at the book of seals without the need for S-rank missions?