Chapter 20: Future Teammates

"The patterns have deepened."

"Hmm?"

"It feels like..."

Kai originally thought that this time it would just be another enhancement to his spiritual power, but as he concentrated and carefully sensed the changes, he realized that wasn't the case—his physical stamina seemed to be recovering faster.

No!

It wasn't just his stamina; his overall energy levels had improved as well.

This discovery made him overjoyed. Chakra is composed of both physical and spiritual energy. While there are many ways to restore physical energy, like eating or using food pills, spiritual energy has no quick fix apart from rest.

This latest boon from the Bodhi Seed, although not a direct increase in power, was still immensely valuable to Kai. If this continued, perhaps one day he might even reach the level of the Sage's body.

The thought excited Kai. But after a moment, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Now wasn't the time to get carried away. The Bodhi Seed was incredibly useful, but to truly reap its benefits, he knew he had to keep working hard. He couldn't let himself become complacent with the small gains he had achieved so far.

Thinking back to his recent sparring match with Guy, Kai became even more determined. Even against a restrained Guy, he had to carefully plan each move. When faced with powerful figures like Madara Uchiha in the future, there would be no room for error.

He was still far too weak.

Kai flipped out of the window and, grabbing the medicine bag he brought earlier, made his way home.

Time to train!

Watching from the shadows, the Third Hokage sighed in relief. The current times were not like before, when war was frequent and geniuses popped up everywhere. For a prodigy like Kai, the Hokage's greatest fear was that the boy might become arrogant due to early success.

But seeing how level-headed Kai remained, even after creating a few new jutsu and coming up with medicine formulas, the Hokage was pleased. The boy wasn't proud or complacent and still maintained his drive to improve. This was rare.

However, the boy was so talented that the Hokage now had a new dilemma. After granting Kai full access to the village's archives as a reward for his earlier contributions, and with his latest creation—the strengthening medicinal bath—what kind of reward would be appropriate now?

It was a headache for the Third Hokage. It wouldn't make sense to offer nothing in return, as it might discourage others from submitting secret techniques in the future. But Kai wasn't even a genin yet, so promoting him was also out of the question.

After much deliberation, the Hokage decided to summon Kakashi.

"Kakashi, you've heard about the new medicinal bath formula, right?"

"I've heard. Unfortunately, I couldn't get my hands on any," Kakashi replied, nodding. Earlier that day, he had gone to check out the situation and, seeing the massive line, decided it wasn't worth the wait. He opted for a regular workout instead.

Still, Kakashi wasn't sure why he had been called.

The Hokage laughed. "I've got two doses here if you really want them. But the real reason I called you is because I'm struggling with what to reward Kai. Money won't interest him, and I'm at a loss."

The Hokage was candid. With the formula in hand, backed by the medical corps, the hospital, and supported by the Nara and Akimichi clans, the medicinal bath business was guaranteed to bring in a steady income. Money was the last thing Kai would care about.

Kakashi thought for a moment and suggested, "Lately, Kai has been studying swordsmanship. You could give him the Second Hokage's swordsmanship notes to study. I think that would make him happy."

"Oh? I didn't know he was interested in swordsmanship," the Hokage admitted. While he had the ability to keep an eye on the village using his telescope jutsu, he wasn't constantly monitoring Kai's every move. He only glanced at him from time to time, focusing on other areas when needed.

After hearing Kakashi's suggestion, the Hokage smiled. "I see your point now. Giving him a fully developed sword technique might limit his creativity. Notes, on the other hand, would allow him to develop his own style."

"Exactly," Kakashi nodded. For most people, providing a complete technique like the Crescent Moon Dance would be the best reward. But Kai had already created a prototype of the Rasengan on his own, proving his exceptional intelligence. As long as he had a solid foundation and the right knowledge, Kai would be able to craft a sword style uniquely suited to him.

"Well, the team assignments are coming up soon. Why don't you deliver the notes to him, and while you're at it, make sure you're not neglecting your own swordsmanship," the Hokage said, instructing one of his assistants to retrieve the Second Hokage's swordsmanship notes. He then handed them to Kakashi to deliver to Kai.

Kakashi accepted the task. "By the way, take two packs of the medicine as well. It won't do much for an old man like me, but for someone like you, it could be beneficial. If you don't need them, you can always give them to your future students."

"Of course. But I must warn you, Hokage-sama, that even if they don't pass my tests, I'll send them back to the Academy," Kakashi said seriously. He wasn't going to lower his standards just because someone had talent.

The Hokage had no objections to this. He had chosen Kakashi to lead a team precisely because of the man's intelligence and principles. He hoped that Kakashi could help mentor Kai, which is why he was putting so much effort into the selection.

Two days later, the results of the medicine were clear, and word spread fast. Before long, Kai's home was crowded with people hoping to buy the formula directly from him, as it was nearly impossible to get it from the hospital. Kai, unable to deal with the growing mob, had no choice but to hide.

Fortunately, as a prospective ninja, Kai was well-versed in concealment techniques. He slipped out the window undetected by the eager crowd waiting outside his door.

Just as he landed—

"Hahaha, you really are—mmph!"

"Quiet! Come on, let's go!" Kai quickly clamped his hand over Gekkou Kasa's mouth.

She signaled with her hands that she would stay quiet, and only then did Kai let go. Kasa stifled her laughter but couldn't help giggling softly.

Kai sighed internally. He had grown accustomed to Kasa's lively nature and didn't mind her easygoing attitude. But lately, she had been showing up far too often. Was she deliberately trying to get close to him?

Kai glanced at her with suspicion.

"Hey, stop looking at me like that! I'm just here for some entertainment," Kasa said, stepping back a bit as if worried he'd silence her again.

"Just here for fun? I doubt it."

"Alright, fine. I'm definitely interested in you. Plus, I overheard from my family that after the team assignments, I might be on your squad," Kasa confessed.

"Oh?" Kai raised an eyebrow in surprise. Kasa, on his team? That was… unexpected.

"It's true! My father didn't mention who the jonin-sensei would be, but he said the Hokage has taken a great interest in you. So, I wanted to see for myself what kind of person you are," Kasa explained, sticking out her tongue playfully and apologizing.

Now that she had laid it all out, Kai wasn't particularly bothered anymore. After waving off her apology, he briefly pondered the situation before deciding not to dwell on it. His focus remained on his training.

Kasa followed behind him as he went on his usual run.

After a while, they ran into Tenten, and soon enough, the group had grown by one more person.

Rock Lee had initially considered joining them but, after observing the rather tense atmosphere between Kasa and Tenten, decided to quietly change his route instead.

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Stones?

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