Seisuke's body recovered even faster than Orochimaru had anticipated. In just about ten days, instead of half a month, he completed the hospital discharge procedures.
On the day of his discharge, no one accompanied him. He was pitiful, weak, and helpless, yet he had a big appetite!
He went straight to Ichiraku Ramen and devoured a large bowl of tonkotsu ramen!
Patting his chubby belly, he left contentedly and headed for the Hokage Building. Arriving there, he knocked on the door of the Hokage's office.
"Come in."
"Excuse me, Hokage - sama."
Seisuke entered the office. The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was dealing with documents. Looking up, he smiled and said, "Seisuke, wait a moment. Let me finish these documents. You can take a seat anywhere."
Is there really a place to sit here?
The sofa was piled high with documents, leaving no available space to sit at all.
He could only stand there.
Within a few minutes, Sarutobi Hiruzen finished dealing with one document. Seeing Seisuke still standing and noticing the documents on the sofa, he smiled helplessly. "I've been quite busy, and there's a lot of stuff. You're here to claim your reward, right?"
He had promised Yuhi Shinku that Seisuke could freely choose a ninjutsu from the Book of Seals as a reward for his achievements.
"Yes."
Seisuke was a little excited. The Book of Seals! It recorded ninjutsu that could cause great harm or even death to the user, such as the Reanimation Jutsu, the Mutual Multiplication Exploding Tags, the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, and so on. These techniques were extremely powerful.
Of course, there were other ninjutsu in it as well.
When Seisuke learned about this from Yuhi Shinku, he was really thrilled.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took out a large scroll from under the desk and said, "Look for it yourself. Except for some heinous forbidden jutsu, you can freely choose one."
"Thank you, Hokage - sama." Seisuke reached out to take it and slowly unfurled it. What appeared in front of him was... a table of contents!
A book surely has a table of contents. The ninja world is filled with geniuses, and for those in the ninja profession, memory is of utmost importance. Some people can memorize all the content on a piece of paper with just a glance. Without a table of contents for initial selection, one might end up memorizing the usage methods of all the jutsu while flipping through the scroll.
Looking at the table of contents, Seisuke carefully selected a ninjutsu. Finally, his eyes settled on one and he said, "Hokage - sama, I want the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu created by the Second Hokage!"
The Shadow Clone Jutsu is not a forbidden jutsu, but the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu is.
Since the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu can create hundreds or even thousands of clones at once, it consumes an enormous amount of chakra. One could easily be drained of chakra and die if not careful.
Considering that those without a vast amount of chakra might endanger their lives when using this technique, the Second Hokage classified it as a forbidden jutsu and sealed it in a scroll.
In simple terms, if someone who doesn't have an abundance of chakra (referred to as "chakra - tons" users here) uses it, they could experience anything from being completely drained of strength to losing their life.
If he doesn't use the Ultra Bomb with a large amount of chakra input, his own chakra reserve is decent. He should be able to create less than a hundred clones at once without any issues.
"Have you thought it through? Using it improperly could cost you your life." Sarutobi Hiruzen reminded.
"It's okay. I know what I'm doing."
"Alright, then you can learn it." Sarutobi Hiruzen helped Seisuke position the scroll at the part about the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu. Only this technique was visible, and the rest was rolled up.
Seisuke memorized the hand - seal sequence and all the precautions on it. After a while of recollection, he had memorized all the theoretical knowledge.
"The Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu isn't a particularly difficult ninjutsu. It's an upgraded version of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Besides having some requirements for chakra distribution, there aren't many other complications." The Third Hokage, rightfully known as the "Ninja Doctor," offered his advice.
"It's rated as A - rank not because of its difficulty but due to the danger and practicality of the technique. If you have any questions, you can ask me directly."
Seizing the opportunity, Seisuke asked several questions that had been puzzling him. Sarutobi Hiruzen gave some common - sense examples from daily life, simply and clearly resolving his doubts and helping him understand the technique more thoroughly.
"Thank you, Hokage - sama. I've grasped this technique. All I need to do now is practice."
"If you have any further questions, feel free to come and ask." Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, put away the Book of Seals, and Seisuke took his leave.
"I wonder if you'll grow into a new, thriving leaf, Seisuke. I'm looking forward to your performance."
......
Konoha Training Ground
Yuhi Shinku looked at the three in front of him and said, "I've applied to the Hokage - sama for the right to use the Forest of Death and decided to conduct a three - day wilderness survival training for you."
"Whoa." Seisuke gasped. The mortality rate in the Forest of Death was extremely high. It was filled with venomous snakes, wild beasts, and various traps. Entering it was like asking for trouble. However, it was an ideal location for an exam venue. Naruto's Chunin Exams were held here, and Sasuke met Orochimaru here and was branded with his curse mark.
Their upcoming Chunin Exams probably wouldn't be held here. Otherwise, Yuhi Shinku wouldn't have brought them here. Prematurely revealing the exam questions was not allowed, and he wouldn't do such a thing. That meant they were really going to undergo wilderness survival training.
"You'll have to live in there for three days. Moreover, there will be trackers. Your task is to survive and avoid being caught."
"Teacher Shinku, do we really have to live there for three whole days?" Seisuke raised his hand and asked.
"Yes. When you see the signal flare I launch at this time three days later, you can come out." Yuhi Shinku said.
"I heard it's very dangerous in there. What if we die?" Asuma muttered softly, but Yuhi Shinku still heard him. "If you die here, then you're not fit to be a ninja. The dangers you'll encounter in the future will be ten or twenty times more perilous than this. Don't expect your enemies to show mercy. You won't be lucky every time. Alright, aside from your ninja tool pouches, don't bring anything else. You can go in now."
"Okay."
The three said and stepped into the deep Forest of Death, commencing their three - day survival training.
Watching their retreating figures, Yuhi Shinku silently put on his mask and prepared to follow them shortly.
This training was aimed at cultivating their independent survival abilities, enabling them to survive even without his presence. It was also a test to see if they had absorbed the knowledge he had taught them before.
It was like an in - class assessment.
The Forest of Death was not too much of a concern for these three children, especially with Seisuke around. Venomous snakes and wild beasts wouldn't pose a problem. He had never worried about Seisuke. His concerns were mainly about his daughter and Asuma.
Kurenai, as his daughter, he knew well. Her theoretical knowledge was solid, but she lacked practical combat experience. She often had no (assertiveness) when facing crises.
Asuma was a bit of a rebel, impulsive in his actions, full of the passion and recklessness of a young man.
Seeing that the time was about right, he entered the Forest of Death.