After returning to Konoha, Kyoichi thought for a moment and decided to take the key to Tsunade’s house.

  Tsunade’s house was easy tnize.

  It was the former residence of the First Hokage. Though ne in scale, it was located in a prime area and exuded an a, timeless charm. It was one of the few remaining properties of the Senju .

  Kyoichi arrived at the front door.

  He took out the key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside, only to hear—

  "Who are you? Why do you have the key to this pce?"

  "Huh?"

  Kyoichi turned around and saw a man with white hair and a forehead protector bearing the character for "oil." He immediately reized him.

  One of the Legendary Sannin.

  Jiraiya!

  What a ce…

  Kyoichi bowed slightly and said, "Lord Jiraiya, my name is Kanda Kyoichi. As for the key… well, it was given to me by Lady Tsunade."

  "Tsunade gave it to you?"

  Jiraiya was taken aback.

  Although he had e here immediately after returning to the vilge, he ksunade hadn’t e back. If she hadn’t returned, how did this kid get the key?

  "Yes, I ran into her while on a mission in Hikuen Town."

  Kyoiodded.

  "Hikuen Town…"

  Jiraiya sighed. He had returned directly from Sunagakure and hadn’t passed through that area, missing Tsunade by a hair’s breadth.

  Well, it wouldn’t have mattered even if they had met.

  But…

  Who was this kid?

  Kanda Kyoichi?

  He didn’t recall Tsunade knowing anyone by that name.

  "To put it simply, I’m Lady Tsunade’s cousin."

  Though a distant one.

  Kyoichi thought to himself.

  "Co… cousin? Oh, I see! Hahaha, well, let’s catch up aime. I’ve got things to do."

  Jiraiya stumbled over his words.

  After an awkward ugh, he abruptly ged the subjed made a quick exit.

  Damn…

  He had thought the kid was some random thief.

  Turns out he’s Tsunade’s cousin.

  That could’ve been embarrassing.

  Jiraiya felt a wave of relief. Thank goodsunade hadn’t returned. If she had seen him lurking outside her house right after ing back to the vilge, she probably would’ve beaten him to a pulp.

  As for the authenticity of the "cousin" cim…

  Jiraiya didn’t doubt it.

  Kyoichi was wearing a Konoha forehead protector. In the vilge, no one would dare falsely cim such a retionship. Besides, the Senju had intermarried with many families, and their bloodline was now spread throughout the vilge.

  Having a cousin or two wasn’t unusual.

  ……

  "Jiraiya not going to the hot springs but ing here instead? Weird."

  Kyoichi didn’t know what to say.

  Oh well…

  He might as well go inside and see why Tsunade had given him the key.

  He walked in and closed the door behind him.

  The courtyard was quite spacious.

  But…

  pared to the status of Hashirama Senju, the house he left behind was retively modest, roughly the size of a small leader’s residence. Just by looking at the courtyard, one would never guess this was ohe home of the First Hokage.

  The First and Sed Hokage truly lived by their ideals.

  Kyoichi felt a deep sense of respect.

  The door to the house was covered in dust, as no one had lived here for years. He entered and looked around. Many of the items inside were covered with cloth to protect them from the dust.

  The rooms were rge.

  But the yout was clear. After walking around, he had a good idea of what ea was used for.

  The most important pce was naturally the study.

  The study had its own key, which Tsunade had also given to Kyoichi.

  Inside were many books.

  Some were part of a colle, but most were notes left by the Sed Hokage. They were disanized, with many ideas that hadn’t been fully developed—just fshes of inspiration.

  In addition, there was a shelf filled with Tsunade’s mediotes.

  There were many medical books here.

  For most mediinja, these were nothing short of priceless treasures.

  "Huh? What’s this?"

  Kyoioticed a cloth-ed der oop shelf of the se dedicated to the First Hokage. He took it down, uned it, and was immediately stunned.

  A scroll…

  To be precise, it was the Shikkotsu Forest summoning tract.

  Holy cow!

  Tsunade was way too careless. How could she just leave something like this lying around?

  Wasn’t she afraid someone would steal it?

  He stood there in shock for a while, then thought it over and realized she probably wasn’t worried.

  Shikkotsu Forest was one of the three great sage regions.

  Unlike Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest didn’t have small slugs. The entire forest was home to only one being—Katsuyu, the Slug Sage. What Tsunade and Sakura summoned were merely parts of Katsuyu.

  If someoole the scroll without permission…

  The sequences would be dire.

  Did Tsunade give him the key and send him to the study so he could find this?

  He hesitated.

  This wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

  As Kyoichi pohe symbols on the scroll suddenly lit up. A moment ter, a small slug crawled out and made its way onto Kyoichi’s hand, veying a message.

  "If you’ve found the scroll, this is me asking Katsuyu to pass along a message. This is the Shikkotsu Forest summoning tract that the Senju has. If you’re ied, you sign it. If not, no big deal."

  Tsunade’s voice was casual.

  As if this wasn’t a summoning tract but some trivial item.

  As for why Katsuyu was here…

  With the summoning tract’s symbols, it wasn’t hard for Katsuyu to appear.

  Kyoichi thought about it.

  Iire ninja world, there were few summoning creatures that could pare to Katsuyu.

  The opportunity was right in front of him…

  He’d sign it!

  Without further hesitatio his finger and began signing his name.

  Moments ter…

  Kyoichi felt a e form between himself and Katsuyu.

  "My name is Katsuyu," it said gently.

  "Lord Katsuyu, it’s an honor."

  Though the creature was gentle and small in size, Kyoichi remained respectful. He khat Katsuyu’s true form was likely rger thaire vilge of Konoha.

  This was a sage who had lived sint times.

  "o be so formal. You possess the power of the Senju . When you grow stronger, you visit Shikkotsu Forest… If you need me, you summon me using the summoning teique."

  "Uood!"

  Kyoichi bowed.

  A moment ter, Katsuyu’s e disappeared.

  He pondered for a few seds.

  The meaning behind Katsuyu’s words…

  Could it be…

  That if his physique grew stronger, he might have the ce to learn Shikkotsu Forest’s Sage Mode?

  If that were the case, this was a huge win!

  Kyoichi carefully reed the scroll and pced it ba its inal position. Theurned his attention to the other books—mainly the Sed Hokage’s writings and notes.

  Before he k…

  The light had dimmed, and when he looked outside, it was already dusk.

  "There are too many books here. I ’t possibly read them all. I’ll send a shadow e tomorrow to focus on reading."

  Kyoichi thought to himself.

  But…

  The gains was substantial.

  After reading a few notes osu and bining them with the knowledge of light-based genjutsu he had gained from the system's reward—Dark Mist Teique—Kyoiow uood how to ie genjutsu with his Iaido.

  The fsh of a sword!

  By amplifying the sword’s light with chakra at the moment of the strike, he could blind his oppo, creating an opening to deliver a fatal blow.

  He had the idea.

  As for the Konoha-Style: Willow…

  It was a motion-based genjutsu, which could also be guided by sword movements, but that was a different approach.

  He could work on both simultaneously.

  After all, he now had the theory, aing both wouldn’t be too plicated.

  In fact…

  Kyoichi had already grasped the basics. What he cked ractical experience, and that required a sparring partner.

  Gcell