"Too rigid?"
Tsunade summarized.
Kyōhiko nodded. "Yes. In my view, elite shinobi require a deep theoretical foundation. But for genin and even many chunin, practical experience is far more important than academic knowledge."
He followed up with examples—tree climbing and water walking.
"As a genin, do I need to understand why tree climbing and water walking help develop chakra control? No. I just need to know that doing it will make me stronger!"
Tsunade fell silent in thought.
Kyōhiko's words...
She'd never considered this angle before, but now that she had, it struck her as remarkably sound.
For most genin, theoretical knowledge had limited value. Diving deep into it brought little benefit.
However—
To become a chunin, certain concepts and knowledge were essential.
"But this whole system was created by the Second Hokage…"
"He was a brilliant man—but even he had his limitations. Systems should evolve with the times."
"But a lot of that knowledge is useful."
Tsunade frowned, not out of disagreement, but debating both Kyōhiko and herself. Reforming a long-standing system like the Academy wasn't a matter to take lightly.
"You're saying… chunin need this knowledge, right?"
Kyōhiko asked.
Tsunade nodded.
"Then that's exactly why it shouldn't be crammed into the Academy curriculum. It should be taught after one becomes a genin—when it's actually needed."
Kyōhiko argued.
Tsunade gave it some thought—and found herself reluctantly agreeing.
As a genin, what mattered most were field experience and combat proficiency.
"Categorization… leveling…"
Her thoughts became clearer.
The Academy tried to cram in too much theory. But for most civilian-born kids, that knowledge wasn't actionable—it didn't help them survive. And survival was the foundation of a future.
From their perspective—
It'd be better to skim the theory and focus more on improving real strength. That way, they'd at least stand a chance on the battlefield or during missions.
Tsunade took a breath. "You've got some good ideas. Got any more?"
"I'm just sharing things I've seen or thought about. As for implementation… how would I know?"
Kyōhiko gave a sheepish grin.
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"And you dumped all this on me?"
"Of course! You're stuck in the village waiting for news anyway, right? Gotta keep busy somehow. Better this than losing money at the casino."
Kyōhiko replied with total honesty.
At first, Tsunade agreed.
But by the end—
Vein pop.
"You little brat! Want me to knock some teeth out?!"
What a thing to say!
As if she always loses?
Then again…
Thinking of her gambling luck…
Yeah. Losing is more common than winning.
Suppressing her irritation, Tsunade exhaled. "Fine. Move these inside. It's just a small batch. Once you're done, I'll bring the next set."
"There's more?"
Kyōhiko was shocked.
Tsunade nodded. "Of course. Without knowledge and experience, how do you think my granduncle created so many jutsu?"
She sat down calmly, clearly not intending to help with the books.
In truth, she was still reflecting on what Kyōhiko had said.
The Academy taught only basic jutsu and rudimentary taijutsu. Combat skills? Virtually none.
That might be fine for clan kids.
But for civilians—it was deeply unfair.
Kyōhiko's point was clear:
He wanted her to do something—to reform the Academy system.
Tsunade had the prestige and authority. But she also had her doubts.
While Kyōhiko read, Tsunade sat beside him in silence.
Neither disturbed the other.
After a long while, Tsunade stood up.
"Take your time with the books. If you have questions, ask your teacher."
"Got it."
Kyōhiko didn't even look up.
He was completely absorbed.
The diary in his hands was full of scattered ideas and structured thoughts—based on the writing, it appeared to detail the development process of the Shadow Clone Technique.
"Tobirama Senju really was a genius…"
Kyōhiko couldn't help but mutter in admiration.
Suddenly, his stomach growled.
He was starving!
Glancing outside—
The sun was blazing overhead. His clothes were drenched in sweat.
"It's already noon?!"
Kyōhiko was stunned.
He looked down.
Only four or five notebooks read…
How was he supposed to finish all of these?
"Prioritize. I need to select the most relevant topics and leave the rest for later."
Regaining focus, Kyōhiko strategized.
The books were valuable—but they'd take time. And he couldn't just bury himself in reading.
First, read what matters most—and turn that into power.
At the moment, what he needed most…
Was the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
He left the house, grabbed a bite to eat, and then searched for Jiraiya.
He finally found him at home, ink stains faintly visible on his fingers. He must've been writing something.
"What is it?"
"Sensei, I want to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Kyōhiko said bluntly.
Jiraiya paused, surprised. "You planning to use it… for reading?"
"Yeah. I'll train the techniques I need, while the clone studies. No time wasted."
Kyōhiko nodded seriously.
Jiraiya's expression turned stern. "It's a smart idea—but dangerous. If you lose control, it can kill you. Don't push it too far."
"I understand."
Kyōhiko nodded again.
Jiraiya immediately taught him the hand seals and critical tips.
It was a B-rank jutsu.
Kyōhiko had already studied the theory behind it, and now with the hand seals and guidance, he could skip the trial-and-error phase.
Back home, he began practicing.
Thanks to his enhanced chakra control and the notes from the Second Hokage, he quickly grasped the technique.
Soon—
The [Skills] section of his mental status page gained a new entry: Shadow Clone Jutsu.
After a few more attempts and some refinement—
It reached the "Proficient" level.
"These insights and techniques really speed up my growth… I can save so much time."
Kyōhiko understood.
And that only made him more eager to read.
Shadow Clone Jutsu—
A clone appeared. They exchanged a glance.
Then the clone sat down to read.
Kyōhiko started training.
Following Tobirama Senju's notes and his own ideas, he began refining chakra compression and elemental transformation, turning them into drills for improving chakra control.
That evening, Tsunade found Jiraiya again.
"Well?"
"I thought it over. I think it's doable. Here's what I came up with—shouldn't face too much resistance."
Jiraiya handed over his notes.
They listed:
Tree climbing and water walking
Basic ninjutsu training
Taijutsu drills
Team coordination
Tsunade also passed him her own outline—her proposed changes.
Early specialization.
Jiraiya raised his eyebrows.
"You mean identifying and nurturing potential med-nin early?"
"More like pre-selecting those with the talent and interest," Tsunade explained. "Medical ninjutsu requires a lot of prior knowledge. It's not something you can pick up on the fly."
Jiraiya nodded.
He understood—but was still amazed by the scale of Tsunade's plan.
This wasn't just a new course.
It would completely alter how the Academy functioned—its structure and system.
Just a while ago, she'd been so disheartened. And now… she was fired up.
Is Kyōhiko really that capable?
Could it be…
That he might be the one to keep Tsunade grounded in the village?
Jiraiya pondered this.
Tsunade spoke more softly now.
"My only worry is… the old man, the ANBU geezers, and those two advisors. They're all so inflexible. They didn't support my med-nin proposal back in the day either."
"Ahem… maybe don't call Danzo 'that geezer'. He was the Second Hokage's student. He's done a lot for the village."
Jiraiya coughed awkwardly.
Tsunade scoffed.
"That was then. And now? What have they actually done?"
"Well…"
Jiraiya sighed.
He couldn't deny it.
Take just one example—
The incident with Sakumo Hatake. Hiruzen bore some responsibility for standing by. As for the ANBU's role…
Jiraiya had sensed something off at the time—but never expected Sakumo to take such a tragic turn.
Thinking of it left both of them feeling dejected.
Still—
Looking at the outlines in their hands, their motivation returned.
"Should we ask Orochimaru?"
"Him?"
Tsunade paused, then nodded.
"Might as well. If we get his backing too, the three of us together—there's no way they can