NOVEL WEB Chapter 53: Chapter 53
Kitazawa followed the ANBU ninja Haru to the village's Ninjutsu Archive.
After thinking it over briefly, he selected his three jutsu.
They were: Water Release: Water Bullet Jutsu, Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu, and Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation, all jutsu that the System has already provided.
For most shinobi, there are three categories of jutsu that are notoriously difficult to obtain.
The first are forbidden Jutsus, like Edo Tensei.
The second are strategic jutsu that can shift the tide of entire battles, like the Flying Thunder God Jutsu.
And the third are clan-exclusive or bloodline Jutsus, passed down through clans, such as the Akimichi Clan's Giantification Jutsu or the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist.
While Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu and Great Fire Annihilation were signature Uchiha jutsu, they didn't fall into any of those three restricted categories.
After securing the three scrolls, Kitazawa realized he had pretty much exhausted the pool of Ninjutsu rewards offered by the system—for now, at least. He'd have to figure out new ways to earn more Jutsus in the future.
Tucking the scrolls away, he headed home.
"Kitazawa-sensei."
Yakumo Kurama, who was sitting on the couch, immediately rose to greet him.
She held the Truth Extraction Jutsu scroll in her hands and was clearly already immersed in studying it.
"Keep going," Kitazawa told her with a small smile.
He glanced around the room but didn't spot Kurenai anywhere.
She was probably still asleep in the bedroom.
After a moment's thought, Kitazawa stepped outside to the clearing behind the house.
There, he began running through Ninjutsu drills, purely for practice—and perhaps a bit of show.
Time passed quietly until midday arrived.
Kurenai finally awoke.
She sat up and stretched luxuriously, then froze as she felt a powerful wave of searing chakra.
'Who's using Fire Release?' she wondered. 'Kitazawa?'
Moving to the window, she peered outside.
As she suspected, Kitazawa stood in the yard, wielding chakra with focused precision.
Under his control, multiple fireballs exploded outward like blossoms from a mythical flower.
It was unmistakably the Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu.
Kurenai recognized it instantly.
Many shinobi could perform this Fire-style jutsu—but Kitazawa's skill stood out.
The way the flames danced and obeyed his every gesture, striking precisely where he directed them—it was as if the fire were alive.
In Kurenai's mind, Kitazawa had always been an ordinary chunin.
But now, he seemed… a bit unfathomable.
She remembered how he'd once told her that if her team ever needed extra manpower on a mission, he'd be willing to help.
Curiosity sparked in her crimson eyes.
Leaving the room, Kurenai slipped on her shoes and stepped outside.
"You're awake. How'd you sleep?" Kitazawa called, dispersing the lingering flames with a flick of his wrist.
"I slept like a log." Kurenai grinned. "I feel like I've got energy to spare."
"Hokage-sama rewarded me with three jutsu." Kitazawa reminded her. "You should head to the Hokage's office when you get a chance to collect yours."
"As expected of Hokage-sama—always generous."
Kurenai paused, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. "The jutsu you were just using—was that one of the jutsu you were given?"
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded.
"You'd never learned the Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu before?"
A hint of surprise colored Kurenai's voice.
"No."
Kitazawa could guess what she was thinking—but he didn't elaborate. That mystery was exactly the effect he wanted.
"You learned the Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu in just one morning?"
Kurenai let out a soft whistle. "Your talent for Fire-style Ninjutsu is incredible."
She sighed and added, "It's honestly a waste for someone like you to be teaching at the Academy."
Most shinobi could join teams, take missions, and constantly polish their skills.
But an Academy instructor? They rarely saw combat or significant challenges.
In Kurenai's eyes, that was why Kitazawa's full potential had yet to shine.
"Wanna spar?"
Kurenai Yuhi asked, her eyes glittering with enthusiasm.
Kitazawa gave her a wary look. "The way you're smiling…it's like you're itching to beat me up."
"Don't worry," Kurenai said sweetly. "I'll go easy on you."
Kitazawa sighed and stretched his shoulders. "Fine. Let's head to the nearest training ground."
There was no harm in sparring with Kurenai, and it was a good chance to show off a bit of his strength.
The two arrived at the training field in short order.
"Get ready!" Kurenai called, already forming hand seals.
But Kitazawa was faster.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A roaring sphere of flames surged toward Kurenai.
Eyes widening, she hastily abandoned the seals for her Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death, switching instead to the Body Flicker Jutsu.
Chakra burst around her legs as she blurred sideways, narrowly evading the monstrous fireball.
Heat washed over her skin, leaving a fine sheen of sweat on her forehead.
Kurenai's mind reeled.
'That wasn't just an ordinary Great Fireball Jutsu… the power and speed were closer to an advanced B-rank jutsu—or even stronger.'
Before she could regain her focus, Kitazawa was already in her face.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
His spinning kick lashed out.
Kurenai barely managed to block with her forearms.
Bang!
The impact sent a shockwave up her arms, leaving them stinging and numb.
She used the force of the blow to leap backward, trying to regain some distance.
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"
She stabilized her breath and quickly formed seals again.
In the blink of an eye, her body vanished.
Kitazawa froze as thick roots exploded from the ground, snaking around his legs and climbing his torso. A towering tree seemed to sprout beneath him, vines binding him tight.
High above, Kurenai appeared among the treetop branches, a kunai poised for a killing strike.
She plunged downward—
—and everything dissolved into nothingness.
Kurenai gasped.
'He broke the Genjutsu…?'
Kitazawa had expected Genjutsu from the very start and was prepared. The instant he fell under her illusion, he'd dispelled it.
A whisper of wind behind her was her only warning.
She spun just in time to see Kitazawa's fist rushing toward her face.
There was no time to dodge.
But instead of a punch, his hand stopped short—and ruffled her hair.
Kurenai froze, eyes wide, then scowled and lifted her leg for a high kick.
Kitazawa darted backward, narrowly avoiding the sweep of her boot.
The open-toed tip of her sandal whizzed past his face.
"Genjutsu: False Surroundings!"
Refusing to concede, Kurenai swiftly wove more seals.
From the swirling smoke, two identical clones of Kurenai stepped out, surrounding Kitazawa.
All three Kurenais lunged at him in perfect unison.
'Genjutsu combined with the Clone Jutsu… clever.'
Kitazawa squinted, struggling to discern the real one. His Byakugan could reveal the truth instantly, but he hesitated to activate it—it would be awkward explaining that to Kurenai.
So instead, he opted for brute force.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
He unleashed a barrage of fireballs, small but precise, like a hail of flaming bullets.
The flames crashed into the Kurenais, two of which vanished in puffs of smoke.
The real Kurenai zipped left and right, narrowly dodging the rapid-fire flames until she finally skidded to a halt a few meters away, panting lightly.
She stared at Kitazawa in stunned silence.
'This guy… he's not just a normal Chunin. His speed and power…'
"With strength like yours, why the hell are you hiding away teaching at the Academy?" she demanded, unable to hold back her disbelief.
Kitazawa just chuckled, shrugging casually. "Didn't I tell you before? It's simply personal preference."
He tilted his head at her, smirking. "So… want to keep going?"
Kurenai hesitated, then lowered her arms, conceding with a sigh.
"No… I've seen enough. If we keep going, I'll be the one looking bad."
She shot him a half-playful, half-exasperated glare.
Kitazawa grinned. "Anytime you want a rematch, just let me know."
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