Hokage, no one knows better than me how to cultivate talent.

Chapter 123 Heading to the Kurama Clan

I didn't expect him to be just a Chunin.

But he didn't look down on Qiu Shui.

After all, everyone has their own area of ​​expertise.

Moreover, since the other party was personally brought by Lady Tsunade, he must have some strengths.

"Alright, stop wasting time with the pleasantries." Tsunade frowned, her tone clearly impatient. "Hurry up and take us to see Yakumo."

She had dinner at Qiu Shui's house last night, and on her way home, she stopped by the casino for a small gamble, but the result wasn't very good.

I woke up this morning and got a few more comments from Jingyin, which has put me in a bad mood ever since.

"Alright, alright," Kurama Murakumo said with a smile. "Yakumo is currently in her studio at a house in the back mountains. I'll take you there now."

Qiu Shui followed Anma Congyun into the manor and discovered that it was unusually large.

Several Japanese-style mansions are scattered throughout the building, with deep courtyards, secluded gardens, and meticulously trimmed plants, exuding elegance and grandeur that have been refined over time.

Qiu Shui roughly estimated that the area was about 5,000 square meters. He couldn't help but sigh to himself: "Truly a big dog."

Even though the Kurama clan has declined, with only about twenty ninjas left in the entire clan, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse.

This manor alone is probably worth hundreds of millions.

While Kurama Murakumo and Kurama Rin were leading the way, Akisui quietly gave each of them a "quality check".

【Name: Kurama Congyun】

Chakra: 11000

Quality: A

[Ninjutsu: Illusionary Shackles Technique, Nirvana Abode Technique, Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique...]

[Evaluation: A moderately skilled ordinary Jonin]

Name: Kurama Rin

Chakra: 10300

[Ninjutsu: Illusionary Shackles Technique, Illusionary Naraku Appearance Technique, Illusionary Feather Robe...]

Quality: A—

[Evaluation: An unremarkable Special Jonin]

Qiu Shui glanced at the information on the panel and silently compared it in her mind.

In terms of both chakra reserves and ninjutsu reserves, these two can be considered the weakest Jonin he has seen in recent times.

Led by Kurama Congyun, the group passed through the front yard, circled several corridors, and soon arrived at a mansion in the back mountain.

The surrounding environment was noticeably quieter than the front yard, with lush trees, sparse birdsong, and a faint sense of seclusion in the air.

The group walked along the corridor inwards.

Qiu Shui followed at the very back, her pace neither hurried nor slow, but her gaze subtly surveyed the surrounding environment.

His senses faintly detected a slight fluctuation of chakra, but the fluctuation was extremely unstable, as if it were being heavily suppressed by something, and could only seep out intermittently from the gaps.

At the end of the corridor, a sliding door painted with traditional Chinese ink wash landscapes blocked the way.

"It's right here." Kurama Murakumo stopped and reached out to open the door.

The moment the door slid open, a smell mixed with paint and canvas wafted out, along with a faint, indescribable coolness.

The studio was bigger than I had imagined.

Light streamed in at an angle from a window on one side, casting a bright rectangular shadow on the ground, with dust motes floating slowly within the beam of light.

At the edge of that light, a young girl sat with her back to them in front of the easel.

She wore a dark purple kimono-style top, and her long, dark purple hair cascaded down her shoulders to her waist. Her back was so slender that it was almost frail, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

Qiu Shui's gaze swept across the entire art studio.

Paintings are scattered everywhere—on the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling. Some are landscapes, some are portraits, and some are abstract patterns that are difficult to recognize.

Without exception, the colors in the paintings all carry a strange sense of imbalance, either too intense or too dim, as if the viewer is observing the world through a distorted mirror, each painting seemingly telling a silent story.

"Yakumo," Rin Kurama called softly, "Lady Tsunade and the Red Jonin have come to see you."

Upon hearing this, Yakumo Kurama slowly put down his paintbrush and stood up from in front of the easel.

She turned around, her gaze falling on Tsunade and Kurenai, a look of guilt appearing on her face.

"Lady Tsunade, Senior Kurenai... I'm sorry about what happened last time, I didn't mean to."

Although she was emotionally out of control at the time and her memory was somewhat hazy afterward, she could still vaguely recall what she had done to the two of them.

Tsunade and Kurenai Yuhi haven't come over for the past few days, and her family won't allow her to leave the manor, so she hasn't been able to apologize to them in person.

"Yakumo, it's alright." Kurenai walked to her side, gently raised her hand, placed it on her head, and said softly, "What happened last time wasn't intentional on your part."

"Yakumo, we didn't take that matter to heart." Tsunade smiled and stepped aside to let Shusui behind her pass. "This is Kitagawa Shusui; he will assist me in treating you."

Kurama Yakumo's gaze followed Tsunade's words and landed on Shusui.

She was slightly taken aback.

This was the first time she had seen such a handsome boy. He was tall, with deep-set features, and had a gentle and calm demeanor that made people want to get closer to him.

"Hello, big brother," she said softly, her voice tinged with a shy timidity.

"Hello." Qiu Shui nodded slightly and returned a gentle smile.

After finishing his sentence, Akisui immediately gave Kurama Yakumo a quality check.

【Name: Kurama Congyun】

Chakra: 1800

Quality: SS

[Ninjutsu:]

[Evaluation: Physically weak, extremely talented in illusion magic, possesses a powerful bloodline limit capable of altering reality, recommended for binding]

Shusui wasn't surprised that Kurama Yakumo had SS-rank quality, after all, he was someone who could use genjutsu to trap multiple Jonin at the age of twelve.

If things go smoothly, she'll at least be an elite Jonin, and one that ordinary Jonin would be no match for her.

"Lady Tsunade, Kurenai-senpai..." Yakumo Kurama looked up, her face full of anticipation, and asked, "After this treatment is over, can I go back to school?"

Tsunade did not answer immediately, but walked to Kurama Yakumo's side, put her hand on her shoulder, and began to conduct a preliminary physical examination.

"Lady Tsunade, how is it?" Yakumo Kurama asked cautiously.

"Yakumo, it's nothing too serious. We'll go out for a bit and be right back." Tsunade said, giving the others a wink.

Qiu Shui and the others followed her out of the room and into the conference room.

"Lady Tsunade, has Yakumo's condition worsened again?" Rin Kurama asked with a worried expression.

"There are no obvious physical ailments, but he's weaker than before, and his chakra flow is erratic," Tsunade asked. "Has Yakumo shown any new symptoms in the past few days?"

Kurama Murakumo and Kurama Rin exchanged a glance, their expressions becoming somewhat solemn.

"When I brought food to Yakumo the day before yesterday, I found that she had drawn a picture. After she finished drawing, she fainted and slept for a whole day and night before waking up. After waking up, she said that she had dreamed of something very scary," Kurama Rin said.

"What terrifying thing?" Kurenai asked, her brows furrowing involuntarily.

"She won't tell me." Rin Kurama shook his head.

"What do you think?" Tsunade pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Qiushui. "Maybe there are too many people, and she's nervous and a little reserved. I'll go talk to her alone," Qiushui said.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Akisui," Kurama Rin said.

Although Tsunade didn't say it outright just now, she knew in her heart that it would be very difficult to cure Kurama Yakumo.

Even Tsunade, who stands at the pinnacle of medical ninjutsu, was helpless. How could someone like Shusui, who has little reputation, possibly have a solution?

But at this point, all we could do was try anything, even if it seemed hopeless.

Success is a pleasant surprise; failure simply means things will remain the same.

Qiu Shui pushed open the door and entered the studio, then gently closed it.

"Big brother, how did your discussion go?" Kurama Yakumo asked cautiously as he walked in.

"I'm a teacher at the Ninja Academy. You can call me Teacher Qiushui," Qiushui said with a smile.

He always felt a little strange being called "big brother".

"Shusui-sensei," Kurama Yakumo obediently changed his address, then eagerly asked, "So, how did your discussion go? Can I go to the Ninja Academy?"

Akisui thought to himself, "Kurama Yakumo's obsession with going to school is just too deep."

From the beginning until now, eight out of ten sentences she utters revolve around the word "school".

"Why do you want to go to school so much?" Qiu Shui didn't answer directly, but asked in return.

"Because the Kurama clan used to be a very powerful ninja clan in the village, but now they have declined, and I have awakened the Kurama clan's bloodline limit." Kurama Yakumo lowered his head, remained silent for a moment, and then said softly, "So I want to become a ninja and let the people in the village know about the existence of the Kurama clan again."

After saying that, she lowered her head somewhat shyly, her ear tips turning slightly red.

"If you want to, then you should do it." Qiu Shui looked at her seriously. "What's the point of spending all day here painting?"

"But..." Yakumo Kurama raised his head, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes before dimming again. "My body isn't up to it. I get breathless after just a little training, let alone fight like a ninja."

This was the first time she had ever seen someone support her dream so directly, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart, but it was quickly extinguished by reality.

"Who told you that to become a ninja you have to have a physique far beyond that of an ordinary person?" Qiushui asked.

"Wrong?" Kurama Yakumo was stunned, a look of confusion on his face. "How can you become a ninja without a healthy body? Are there people who can become ninjas even if they have poor health?"

Although she has been living in the mountain villa all these years.