Chapter 27

"Kazuki, why not give the kids some break? We have a few important matters to discuss." Before Yoshino could inform Kazuki of Tsunades arrival, Tsunades voice filled the study room.

Shikamaru, upon hearing Tsunade's voice, quickly seized the opportunity. Before Kazuki could refute, he dropped all the items and dragged the reluctant Choji out to play.

"Sensei, did you really have to do that? You know I am more than capable of multitasking. And please tell me why Kakashi Senpai is here with you." Kazuki was a bit annoyed but let the matter slide as Tsunade was his master and queried why she had paid a surprise visit.

"Ah, that. I just came back after meeting sensei, and we just decided on your new team." Tsunade made a grand reveal, but Kazuki showed no particular reaction, so Tsunade couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

"Fine, kid. In that case, I'll keep that a secret for now. The other matter I came to find you specifically is about this kid here," Tsunade pointed to Kakashi, and even the silver-haired teen was confused about what the Sannin was saying.

"As you know, this kid is Minato's disciple, and recently, as he was taking care of Naruto in his own way, I observed something peculiar."

Kazuki was keenly observing Kakashi, who was standing next to him. With the development of his Kekkei Genkai each passing day, Kazuki's senses had been growing sharper and sharper. He could sense a vague fluctuation in chakra flow in Kakashi's eyes, and Kazuki understood what exactly was peculiar about Kakashi's condition.

Tsunade noticed that Kazuki had already started diagnosing Kakashi with his own methods, so she added, "Jiraiya had once told me that this kid's potential was equal to that of Minato, but recently, upon closer inspection, I seem to have found something wrong with the kid. And with Jiraiya not taking any responsibility, I feel it's my duty to fix the kid up; if not, his talent would surely go to waste."

Kazuki understood what his master was saying. In the original anime, Kakashi was a prodigy who became a Jonin at 12, and although the Sharingan had given him benefits, it was more of a burden to his growth. Currently, Kakashi was still in the emo phase, so he didn't know if Kakashi would accept help. But his master was not going to take no for an answer, as she felt she was helping Kakashi for Jiraiya's sake. After losing Minato and Kushina, the kid held little to no attachment to life, and Tsunade, as someone who personally experienced something similar, wanted to help him.

Kakashi was aware of his own condition and knew that after getting transplanted with Obito's Sharingan, he had been feeling a shackle around him. However, he didn't get it diagnosed, nor did he seek any help, as it felt irrelevant. Now, with Tsunade trying to fix him up, even though he was reluctant about participating, he couldn't do anything about it as the Hokage had assigned him the task of following and assisting Tsunade.

Yoshino had already left earlier to reprimand Shikamaru for running away from studies, so Kazuki gestured for the two to follow him, and they walked to a separate building at the edge of the Nara compound. This was Kazuki's personal medical centre. When Kakashi entered, he was surprised; the room was meticulously prepared, and the equipment in the building was high-end. For a moment, he even doubted if Konoha Hospital had such facilities.

"Kakashi senpai, please," Kazuki pointed at a designated table for diagnosing patients. Kakashi was reluctant and was about to refute. However, before he could say anything in protest, Tsunade punched the wall behind her and growled.

"Kid, if your doctor asks you to sit, you sit; no questions are asked. Hesitate one more time; the next punch will land on your face."

Kazuki couldn't help but comment, "Sensei, please hold back your strength; after you brought down the last room, we had to make sure to apply seals to most of the buildings, and it costs ryo, you know." Tsunade simply snorted because her student did not lack money, nor did he have to find a sealing master.

Kakashi, who watched this exchange, couldn't help but think about his old days with Minato and the others. He simply shook his head and took a seat as directed.

Now that Kakashi was seated, Tsunade and Kazuki started earnestly examining Kakashi. The examination continued for almost twenty minutes. Kakashi was asked to activate his Sharingan, and surprisingly, Kakashi had already developed the Sharingan to the three-tomoe stage. But Kazuki knew that his Mangekyou had already been activated on the day Rin Nohara died.

"So what I suspected was right. The kid's eyes were put in haphazardly, and the medic who performed the transplant must have lacked experience. In addition to the incompatibility of the bloodlines, the feedback from the eye is causing a clash in his chakra network, stunting his growth in chakra capacity," Tsunade declared her verdict and was able to find the root cause of Kakashi's problem. However, Kakashi couldn't help but grit his teeth and clench his arms at the mention of Rin. There was one more reason why Tsunade had decided to help Kakashi. With Kazuki's help, she had already devised a new system for treating issues related to the mind, and Kakashi was going to be her first patient.

"Kazuki, what do you think?" Tsunade questioned her little prodigy to gain his input.

"Sensei, fixing the eye is not going to be an issue, but Kakashi senpai has missed the golden phase of his growth, and even now, he is using most of his chakra to maintain the Sharingan. By my observation, I see that he is not able to control the activation of the Sharingan, and it's always in an active state, proving to be a burden on his body. Kakashi senpai, please follow me."

Kazuki directed Tsunade and Kakashi to a small training area.

"Kakashi senpai, which is your most dominant element affinity?" Kazuki questioned the now-baffled Kakashi. He was still in shock at the way the revered Sannin was treating Kazuki as her peer.

"That would be lightning," Kakashi stated, and Kazuki simply pointed at the large boulder in the training area and executed his strongest lightning Jutsu. The barrier around the training ground was triggered, and Tsunade asked Kakashi not to hold back.

Kakashi gave a quick nod and took a stance, rapidly forming hand seals, and a pale blue light filled his arm. Kazuki realised this was Kakashi's own creation, Raikiri, an upgrade of Chidori. Kazuki had already mastered all the variants of Chidori and even their upgrades, so he keenly kept observing the changes in Kakashi's body.

Kakashi launched the jutsu and pierced the boulder with little to no resistance, and the boulder was blown to smithereens. Kakashi, after executing his signature S-rank ninjutsu without holding back, was panting heavily.

"Hmm, I was right, sensei. Out of the 100 percent chakra, almost 70% was passively wasted due to the clash. It's such a pity. If only Senpai was not adamant and got proper medical attention after he returned from the battlefield, he wouldn't have to pant after executing a single jutsu." Although Kakashi knew Kazuki was right, his pride as a genius didn't let him be reprimanded by a junior for his lack of action.

"Kid, what do you know? This is an S-class ninjutsu. Being exhausted is normal when using such a high-intensity jutsu," Kakashi defended himself. Tsunade couldn't help but smile because she knew Kazuki had equally high mastery over all three of his chakra affinities. Although he normally uses Suiton during his spars, he never neglects the other affinities.

"Kazuki, would you like to show how much the kid is losing out from neglecting his own body?"

Kazuki understood that Tsunade wanted to provoke Kakashi's ego as a genius. After losing his loved ones, Kakashi had settled for mediocrity, and invoking his ego as a genius would help him find his path again.

"Fine, if that's what you want, Sensei. Kakashi senpai, excuse me for my rudeness, as I will be borrowing your jutsu. I will be using the exact same amount of chakra that you consumed to perform the jutsu."

Even before Kakashi could question Kazuki on how he was going to perform his signature jutsu, what he saw made him speechless. Kazuki performed the one-hand seal for his signature jutsu, and black lightning clad around Kazuki's arm [Raiton: Raikiri]. Kakashi couldn't take his eyes away from the magnificent display of jutsu in front of him. For a second, he thought Kazuki was the jutsu's creator, and as the creator, Kakashi could feel the inherent difference between the two executions. Kakashi had to admit that his Raikiri felt like a cheap imitation of the one Kazuki executed, and he couldn't help but sigh, thinking that if he wasn't being held back, maybe he could perform the jutsu with such intensity too.

"Kakashi, do you still think that your body is in perfect condition? It's okay to mourn for your loved ones, kid. But don't neglect yourself and put yourself in a position where you will regret it down the line. If you really want to honour them, fulfil their dreams for them. Don't simply waste away your life. Maybe someday, when you meet them, you can proudly say what you achieved. Remember, Kakashi, when someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure."

Tsunade left Kakashi to contemplate her words and moved to where Kazuki was standing to discuss follow-up treatment.

"Before you say anything, I know why you brought Senpai here. You want him to undergo the chakra ritual to compensate for his lost time." Kazuki knew why his master had wanted to bring Kakashi here. With her medical expertise, fixing him would have been easy, but she wanted to fix him up completely, not take half measures. And Kazuki and Shikaku had shared information about the chakra ritual as Tsunade had found out about the Nara Jonin's peculiarities one after the other, whose chakras abruptly started increasing almost four to five times within a span of a few days. The last time, after examining Jin, she was sure about it, and with Shikaku's permission, Kazuki told her about the chakra ritual. Although Shikaku trusted the Sannin, he agreed to share information only after Tsunade signed a blood contract developed by Kazuki himself, which Tsunade readily signed.

Tsunade gave a sheepish smile, as if she didn't know what Kazuki was talking about. The chakra ritual was something the Nara clan wanted to hold close to heart, and only a total of three people within the clan knew about it. Even most of the Jonin who underwent the procedure were not aware that they had participated in a ritual, as they were knocked out during the process. Everyone who underwent the ritual had a curse seal that Kazuki personally placed on them, and even Shikaku made sure to get one for himself just in case. The curse seal ensured that, no matter the circumstances, the information would be absolutely secure. Even if the Nara fell into enemy hands, no matter the method employed, the information was well protected. In a war-ridden world like the Shinobi world, Shikaku and Kazuki chose not to take any chances.

"Fine, Sensei, but you will need to speak to Uncle personally about this. I was already aware of the intention of having you, elder sister Shizune, and Naruto go through the ritual. Adding one more is not going to make a difference to me. But all of you will have to agree to the curse seal. As for Kakashi Senpai's slot, you will have to get Uncle's permission."

Kazuki simply shared his thoughts. He really was only taking precautions, and with how complex the fuinjutsu ritual was, Kazuki believed that there wouldn't be another soul capable of performing it.

"Aren't you worried about your Nara secrets being revealed? Shikaku even made me sign a blood contract, remember?"