A few days later, Kyoshin arrived at Iwagakure's secret vault.
The vault was located deep beneath the Tsuchikage building, protected by massive stone doors.
Two Iwagakure jonin guarded the entrance. When they saw Kyoshin, they nodded in acknowledgnt.
Onoki had already inford them beforehand. Kyoshin had permission to enter the vault and select ninjutsu.
The stone doors slowly opened, and Kyoshin stepped inside.
The interior was spacious. Rows upon rows of stone shelves were lined with scrolls.
Each scroll was labeled with the ninjutsu's na, rank, and nature type.
The air carried the scent of old paper and ink.
Kyoshin walked along the shelves, his eyes sweeping over the labels.
He needed to choose techniques suited for himself, ones that could supplent the Sharingan.
Based on his chakra affinities, Kyoshin selected several low-level ninjutsu scrolls.
[Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall, a defensive technique]
[Wind Style: Great Breakthrough, a wide-range disruption technique]
[Wind Style: Wind Cutter Technique, a slicing attack technique]
After obtaining copies of the selected scrolls, Kyoshin left the vault and headed to the Tsuchikage's office to report his choices to Onoki.
"These are all good techniques, suitable for your current stage of learning." Onoki sat in his office, looking at the scrolls in Kyoshin's hands. "Facing the temptation of higher-level ninjutsu and still choosing to progress step by step, very good."
"I'll arrange for specific jonin to guide you and make sure you learn them properly."
Kyoshin had just been about to express his thanks when Onoki raised a hand to stop him. Kyoshin also felt that getting overly emotional would be awkward, so he coughed lightly and waited honestly.
Very quickly, Onoki summoned several jonin and assigned them a mission.
"Your mission is to teach Kintsuchi how to use these ninjutsu within seven days."
So Kyoshin followed the jonin to the training grounds.
———
That very evening, the jonin returned to the Tsuchikage's office with extraordinarily colorful expressions on their faces and submitted the mission report.
Kyoshin had already learned every technique. His proficiency wasn't high yet, but he had fully grasped them. All he needed now was more practice and combat application.
After reading the report detailing Kyoshin's learning process, Onoki sighed emotionally, "Truly a clan blessed by Gods…"
———
[Inside Kyoshin's Ho]
After seeing off the temporary teachers, Kyoshin entered the bathroom.
Warm water wrapped around his body, washing away the fatigue of the entire day.
Kyoshin closed his eyes, thinking deeply.
Iwagakure had given him protection, resources, and a new identity.
Those favors needed to be repaid. That was simply the most basic thing any human being should consider.
Otherwise, if you forgot kindness and repaid goodwill with betrayal, could you still even be considered human?
Wouldn't that make you so crow who murders his own master?
But repaynt required strategy. It required long-term planning.
Right now, Kyoshin's strength was improving rapidly, but he still had many shortcomings overall. There was no way he could accomplish anything earthshaking yet.
So he would start with short-term plans.
In the original story, nearly every village had its regrets.
Konoha had the Uchiha, Sakumo Hatake, the Fourth Hokage's son…
Sunagakure had its harsh environnt.
Kirigakure had its corrupt leadership.
Kumogakure had its obsession with bloodline limits.
As for Iwagakure, its role in the story had originally been smaller. The only major thing Kyoshin could think of was Deidara's defection.
That guy with absurd artistic talent but a problematic personality.
If nobody guided him properly, defecting and joining the Akatsuki was only a matter of ti.
Kyoshin couldn't allow that to happen.
Deidara was a genius of Iwagakure. Losing him would be a loss to the village.
Even though…
Nobody else had seen the so-called "original Naruto story."
Nobody knew Deidara would eventually defect.
Even if Kyoshin succeeded in preventing it, nobody would ever credit him for it.
But that was sothing tangible, sothing he could actually accomplish right now.
'Mm…'
Then it was decided.
He would try to change Deidara a little.
———
The following month, at the examination grounds.
Deidara once again applied for early graduation.
He stood in the center of the field, clay clenched in his hands. Compared to last ti, his expression was more focused, and his eyes burned with unwillingness to lose.
During the past month, he had improved his explosive spiders and developed new clay creations.
Kyoshin walked to stand opposite him, calmly watching him.
The mont Deidara saw that face, irritation bubbled up inside him. Grinding his teeth, he said, "This ti I'm definitely going to win, hmm! I improved my art, so let show you! I refuse to believe it, hmm!"
The battle began.
Deidara threw out explosive spiders. This ti, they moved faster and followed trickier paths.
He had also added explosive frogs that could leap through the air, trying to surround Kyoshin from multiple angles.
Kyoshin responded the sa way as before. He observed the spiders' and frogs' movent patterns, analyzing Deidara's tactical intentions.
Then he began moving, using precise footwork to avoid every explosion.
Three minutes later, Deidara was defeated once again.
Kyoshin's kunai rested against his throat, the motion clean and efficient.
Deidara's eyes were full of unwillingness. "Why? I clearly improved things, so why did I still lose?"
Kyoshin lowered his kunai. This ti, instead of leaving imdiately, he hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Your art has potential, but there are problems with how you apply it tactically."
'What?!'
'This brat actually dares lecture ?!'
'No, wait…'
'But he's stronger than , so maybe he really does see things differently?'
Deidara stared at Kyoshin with burning eyes. "What problems?"
Kyoshin analyzed calmly, "First, the creatures you shape."
"Spiders and frogs are both ground creatures. Their movent range is limited."
"Why not try flying creatures instead?"
"You'd increase your attack range and reduce the chance of them being intercepted."
Deidara snorted lightly, "I thought it'd be sothing big. You think I haven't considered that? It's too hard!"
"Then this might help you." Kyoshin smoothly pulled out a scroll from his ninja pouch, as if he had already anticipated Deidara's response.
Deidara's eyes widened. "Huh? What's this?"
Kyoshin answered seriously, "So notes and training thods for improving chakra control."
Deidara swallowed hard and imdiately snatched the scroll away. Suddenly, Kyoshin's face started looking a lot more pleasant to him.
"Very good! What else?"
Kyoshin continued, "Second, your throwing thod."
"You're only tossing the explosives out and relying on their own movent."
"Why not accelerate them? Use miniature explosions as propulsion to speed up their flight and improve their accuracy."
Deidara froze.
The idea was so novel that he had never even considered it before.
"To solve the issue of the miniature explosions affecting the main explosive, all you need is to add so separation layers between them."
After hearing this, Deidara fell silent for a mont.
Then he suddenly broke into a wide grin and slapped Kyoshin hard on the shoulder.
"Thanks, man~ But aren't you afraid I'll surpass you if you tell all this?"
Now ca the real question.
"You and I are both part of Iwagakure. We should help each other." After saying the proper official line, Kyoshin added, "But the chances of you surpassing are pretty low."
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