"I understand. I'll be careful."
Ren Takashi had no idea Tsunade had thought so deeply about the implications of his talent. But hearing the care in her voice moved him deeply.
There was no doubt—he had chosen the right mentor.
And this little test of hers? It had served its purpose perfectly.
"Once the timing is right, and my relationship with her solidifies, maybe I can pull her—and even the Senju—into some of my future development projects," Ren thought.
"That'll definitely smooth the path for my Uchiha benefit-alliance strategy."
Yes—revealing a glimpse of his immense learning aptitude and insight had been a deliberate trial of Tsunade's character.
Had her reaction disappointed him, he'd simply reveal a portion of that talent to Hiruzen instead—and tighten his own caution going forward.
But he'd expected her to pass.
After all… he'd made a wish. And the power of a wish never lied.
As for his future industrial pursuits, Ren envisioned using knowledge of herbs and medical texts to develop tonics that could strengthen the body, replenish cellular and spiritual energy, hone mental acuity, and even purify bloodlines.
Combined with sealing techniques, he could eventually create medical charms—or even ninjutsu talismans.
"Hmm… medical tags… That's a perfect entry point," Ren suddenly realized. "I can use that as a reason to study advanced sealing techniques from Tsunade."
But he didn't bring it up right away. He planned to wait.
First, he would thoroughly absorb the hospital's medical literature, deepen his practical knowledge of medical ninjutsu, and gain Tsunade's full trust and approval.
"Good. As long as you understand," Tsunade nodded, satisfied. She returned the medical text to Ren, then sat back down and resumed reviewing her paperwork.
…
Meanwhile, back at the academy.
When Ren's Shadow Clone returned to his seat, Shikaku and the others immediately turned around.
"Ren," Shikaku asked curiously, "was that Tsunade-sama who came to see you earlier?"
"When did you two meet? And what was that all about—if it's not too private to share?"
By all logic, someone from the Senju shouldn't have any intersection with Ren from the Uchiha clan.
But the moment Shikaku thought about the rumors circulating the village lately—about Ren being a prodigy in medical ninjutsu—it suddenly clicked.
Beside him, Minato was also watching with eager curiosity.
"You already guessed, didn't you?" Ren smiled as he noted the look in Shikaku's eyes.
"Tsunade-sensei saw potential in my medical ninjutsu talent. After testing me last night, she formally accepted me as her disciple."
"She came to the school today to speak with the principal on my behalf. From now on, I'll be spending a lot more time studying medical techniques with her."
"Huh?"
Minato and the others looked stunned.
"Wait, what about our training plans—our 'ditch class and secretly level up' strategy?"
Minato asked, clearly flustered.
Shikaku, on the other hand, squinted at Ren and studied him carefully. "This wouldn't happen to be a Shadow Clone, would it?"
"What? Seriously?!"
Minato, Inoichi, and the others turned to stare at Ren.
Even Choza reached out and poked Ren's arm. "It feels solid…"
"Haha! Shikaku, you're sharp as always."
Ren laughed. "Yep, this is a Shadow Clone."
"And as for our training plan—don't worry. It's going ahead exactly as planned."
"Who said I could only make one Shadow Clone?"
"I'll have a clone handle medical lessons too. For now, most of the work is reading and studying. Not a lot of hands-on training yet."
"And even if there were, my chakra control and clone technique are good enough to get the job done."
"So relax. Focus on mastering the Shadow Clone technique. That's our top priority."
Everyone let out a sigh of relief and nodded in unison.
"Got it! We'll master it as fast as we can!"
Their motivation was simple—Ren's training tips were just too effective. They were improving faster than ever before, and no one wanted to miss the ride.
After all… who didn't want to become a genius?
———
Another half-month passed in the blink of an eye.
That morning, in the training yard behind the Takashi estate…
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Ren was drilling a series of explosive Bajiquan strikes—his fists cutting through the air with forceful precision.
Today, everything felt different.
His blood felt hot and overflowing. His strength surged. And the power within his limbs—once scattered—was finally fusing into a single, unified force.
Boom!
With one final punch, the air split open with a loud sonic boom. The blast wave stirred dust and grass, sending ripples through the training ground.
"...What the—"
Uchiha Nobuyuki and Fugaku had been watching from a distance ever since they sensed something unusual in Ren's movements.
Now, both of them stood frozen, wide-eyed.
That kind of power—without even using chakra?
It was absurd.
"Bright Force... I did it!" Ren retracted his fist and broke into a beaming grin.
After two full months—drawing on insights from his past life's peak martial realm, combined with enhanced medicinal baths—he had finally broken through.
He had reached the Bright Force Realm of traditional martial arts.
And all without compromising his growth or body's potential.
Originally, Ren had estimated he'd achieve this in under a month.
But that would've come at a price.
His current body was still a child—too delicate. Pushing too hard might have damaged his growth plates… or worse, his long-term potential.
That was something Ren absolutely would not accept.
So the moment he felt his body struggling under the strain, he revised his schedule and slowed down.
Along the way, he also studied Konoha's anatomy texts and compared this world's physiology with his own prior knowledge.
Using both the Uchiha clan's and his past-life medicinal recipes, he fused and upgraded a potent new formula.
The result?
A bathing regimen that boosted his growth without sacrificing long-term potential.
In fact, it increased his potential.
Over the past two months, Ren's physical and innate stats had risen by 104 points—an unexpected yet welcome bonus.
"Congratulations, Ren!" Nobuyuki and Fugaku finally stepped forward, smiling as they offered their praise.
"Thanks! Same to you!" Ren grinned. "Dad, your progress is pretty fast too. I'd say you'll break through to Bright Force in about two weeks."
"When that happens—I've got a surprise for you."
He turned to Fugaku next.
"As for you, big brother… you've still got a ways to go. Half a year, give or take."
Fugaku's face fell. "Seriously?! That long?"
…
Author's Note:
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