Ninja Pot Shadow

"Wake up, Ino! Hey?! Hurry up and go back. The Third Hokage told me to tell you that the Chunin Exams are about to begin!" Jiraiya shouted into her ear.

Ino tilted her head and looked at him, and it took her about five minutes to realize what he meant.

She was horrified: "Chunin... Chunin? The Chunin Exams! They've already started? What's the date today?!"

She looked around and, after seeing the calendar, breathed a sigh of relief. She was terrified; there were still two weeks until the exam.

Jiraiya burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying himself.

There seems to be still time, but returning to Konoha Village, registering, and reviewing the theory will all take time. It's not necessary to get a perfect score on the exam, but I can't just hand in a blank paper like Naruto, can I? I can't lose my genius persona. If I think about it this way, there really isn't much time left.

She washed her face, combed her hair, and changed her clothes. When she came out, she saw Tsunade beating Jiraiya.

Ino, acting as a fun-loving person, hides in a corner with Shizune to watch the show.

Jiraiya and Tsunade, these two friends who are just one step away from confessing their feelings, are used to this way of getting along. They play around like children for a while before the two fifty-year-olds return to normal.

Jiraiya went to pay the bill, while Tsunade started drinking her porridge by herself.

Ino walked over and scratched her head: "Teacher, um..."

Tsunade handed her a book list and a summoning scroll.

She said with absolute authority, "Your knowledge base is insufficient. Medical ninjutsu is ultimately different from regular ninjutsu; you must build a solid foundation. Learn and observe more. You'd better participate in more surgeries to treat patients. The more you do these things, the more naturally you'll master them!"

"I remember you know necromancy, right? Sign your name, and from now on you'll be considered a member of my Shikkotsu lineage!"

Ino signed her name on the summoning scroll in Shikkotsu Forest, and from then on, she could use the summoning technique to summon the slug sage's clone from Shikkotsu Forest. This thing has amazing healing power; as long as the slug doesn't die on the spot, it can revive the slug.

When Shizune learned that she was going to participate in the Chunin Exams, she taught her a technique: Ninja Art: Poison Mist.

Similar to Jiraiya's oil transformation, Shizune converts chakra into special chemical substances, which are then expelled from her mouth and instantly react with the air to form a poisonous mist.

Ino's learning speed for medical ninjutsu was average, neither fast nor slow, but she learned this kind of ninjutsu, which sounded particularly sinister, exceptionally quickly.

After a silent explanation and demonstration, she was able to form the hand seal and release the energy.

Learning scrolls? No need, I already know how! ...Her learning speed is comparable to Kakashi's ability to directly copy others with his Sharingan activated.

Ino said goodbye to the three of them one by one, and finally tugged at the front paw of her pet pig, Tonton, before leaving the town to return to her village to participate in the Chunin Exams.

"What a polite and well-behaved child." Jiraiya liked Ino's personality very much, and he felt that the two of them were inexplicably compatible.

Tsunade actually thought Ino was nice, but she couldn't say it out loud: "What's the use of being polite? Can it feed you? You've been mooching off my drinks these past few days!"

Jiraiya chuckled dryly. He really wanted to say that he had paid for the drinks himself, but he was afraid of getting beaten up.

When Ino was out of sight in the distance, he whispered, "Teach her well. With such strong ninjutsu talent, she will definitely become an outstanding ninja in the future."

Tsunade snorted. That's just nonsense. Do you even need to tell me?

Shizune whispered to Tsunade, "Actually, I think Ino's talent in ninjutsu far surpasses her talent in medical ninjutsu. Her Yin Release level is also very high, and she also has some secret techniques from the Yamanaka clan... There are similarities, so perhaps we could ask her for help to try and complete the technique that Uncle left behind? Back then, you only obtained a part of that technique, and you've tried to fill in some of the missing parts over the years, but it's still not perfect..."

The mention of this topic immediately soured Tsunade's mood. After careful consideration, she slowly shook her head: "You want me to research ninjutsu with my newly recruited disciple? What about my dignity? No way! ... Neither of us has Yin Release chakra, and we're not even sure if the supplementary technique will work. I need to do some more research. But it's getting late, let's have a drink first! -- Jiraiya, are you coming?"

Jiraiya's smile was radiant: "I'm going to meet a female fan later, hehehehe—"

He let Tsunade and Shizune go back to drinking, and then strolled away.

He knew who the two were talking about, and the topic made him feel bad too.

It's true what they say, childhood sweethearts are never as good as those who fall from the sky! He wanted to compete in a manly way, but his opponent is dead. How could he possibly win against a dead man?

"Sigh—" He sighed heavily, deciding to find two pretty young ladies to chat with to relieve his boredom.

……

Without any delay, Ino returned to Konoha Village and first went to report to the Third Hokage.

The matter of encountering the Fourth Raikage must be clarified.

She recounted where they met and why.

Then it was Tsunade's turn.

Since he has become Tsunade's apprentice, he should naturally follow her and learn from her. Now that the Third Hokage is still alive, there is no reality that Tsunade must shoulder the burden of the village.

At this moment, even if Naruto uses Kototenko, he can't persuade Tsunade to return to the village. But the village will still assign Ino all sorts of tasks. What should she do as a tool?

Chapter 118 The Whole World Is Sick

It's impossible not to do missions; that's the current work pattern for ninjas, unless Ino betrays the village.

Tsunade also has a lot of studies to do.

Ino's method was to "commuter"!

Do two days of missions, use your vacation time to learn from Tsunade, and then return to Konoha as a tool after the vacation ends.

The Third Hokage nodded with satisfaction when he heard that Ino had become Tsunade's apprentice.

Although he wasn't someone who came up through "Ape Tutoring," since he became Tsunade's apprentice, he can be considered a direct descendant of the Hokage.

The Third Hokage's nose twitched twice, and a faint smell of alcohol could be detected...

Goodness, you've had quite a bit to drink, haven't you?

He knew Tsunade, his female disciple, too well to say anything. What could he say? That she was taught by the First Hokage? Or that he, the Third Hokage, was the one who taught her?

All he could say was, "Okay! Drinking is good! It can prevent cardiovascular disease, that's great! You guys keep drinking!"

Tsunade's whereabouts are unpredictable, and Ino now has a reputation for being somewhat of a genius. In order to prevent hunting ninjas from killing her, she needs a pass to leave the village easily.

From now on, when leaving the village, we won't go through the main gate or any formalities, but will instead leave through the secret card of the ANBU ninja.

The Third Hokage agreed on the spot, but on one condition: he had to achieve good results in the Chunin Exams.

What exactly constitutes a good grade? Ino didn't know, but it was also what Inoichi and Rino expected, so she readily agreed.

She had to give it her all for this exam, to get the certificate to leave the village freely.

At the end, the two chatted for a few minutes about everyday things.

"Are Tsunade and Jiraiya alright?" the old man asked.

Ino thought about it seriously for a minute. The Third Generation was quite puzzled. Why did you need to think about such a simple question?

"...I don't know if it counts as good or bad, but as soon as I walked in, I saw Lady Tsunade hitting Lady Jiraiya!"

The third generation nodded stiffly. "That's right, that's exactly how my apprentice is. It seems you haven't chosen the wrong person."

……

The water transformation aspect of the Steam Explosion Technique is ultimately incomplete. Ino has patched it up, and can only achieve partial water transformation now. In addition, this technique is naturally countered by Lightning Release, so her first choice for survival skills is still medical ninjutsu.

Following Tsunade's instructions, while learning basic theoretical knowledge, she also didn't give up on trying to get surgery at Konoha Hospital.

Even if you don't try it yourself, just watching from the sidelines can still give you some experience.

Konoha Hospital still treated her like she was invisible; they weren't exactly ignoring her, but they certainly weren't enthusiastic either.

She couldn't openly discuss her relationship with Tsunade; only Kabuto Yakushi, the "eternal genin," was willing to chat with her for a bit.

Medical ninjas are very busy, and often she can't help much and can only watch from the sidelines. Over time, in the Konoha hospital where the lowest rank is Chunin, the two "genin" naturally became acquainted.

"Ino is also preparing for the Chunin Exams, right?" Kabuto asked kindly.

This actor loves to act, so Ino acts alongside him.

"Yes, is Kabuto-senpai participating this year too?"

"Haha, actually I didn't want to participate. I've participated in the Chunin Exams seven times in the past four years. I know my own limitations. I really don't have much talent for being a ninja. But my two companions are encouraging me, so I haven't made up my mind yet."

"Senior, you can definitely do it. When we get to the exam hall, I'll need your guidance as a junior. I'm already nervous just thinking about the exam."

"Hahaha, let's help each other out, and hopefully we can both pass the exam!"

The two chatted idly for a while, without saying a single truth.

Kabuto basically spends all his time reading books. When he occasionally goes to the operating table, he seems quite clumsy. When Ino asks him about it, he says that he has limited talent and plans to focus more on theoretical research.

Ino could only reply, "I don't believe you for a second!"

The seemingly peaceful ninja world is actually anything but peaceful. The tranquility of the village is due to the sacrifices made by those who bear the burden in the shadows. These ninjas may not possess any earth-shattering ninjutsu, but it is precisely because of their sacrifices that the younger generation has enough time to grow.

Despite the medical ninjas' best efforts, one of the three injured ninjas, who was seriously wounded, could not be saved.

Ino arrived far too late; she didn't even have time to summon the slug.

As the body covered with a white sheet was wheeled out of the operating room, all the medical ninjas watched with rapt attention. Even Kabuto, who was reading a book nearby, stood up to show a degree of respect for the deceased.

The body was wheeled away, and Ino looked at Kabuto: "Compared to the living, I've noticed that you seem to have more respect for the dead?"

This was indeed her discovery. Not only ninjas, but also civilians and merchants who died, Kabuto would show a certain degree of respect. Ino felt that there was some pretense in it, but more or less, there was also some genuine emotion.

She was quite curious about Dou's mindset.

Kabuto pushed up his round glasses on the bridge of his nose with his left hand. The lenses reflected light, making it impossible for Ino to see his eyes clearly from her angle.

"The more you see, the more you realize that many things are meaningless. All living beings are sinking in the sea of ​​suffering, rising and falling... Perhaps only at the moment of death can they find true meaning..." Seemingly realizing that his words were a bit inappropriate, he changed the subject and resumed his gentle smile: "Actually, there are many things I don't understand either. I only read them in books."

"Meaning?" Ino pondered for a while with her head down. The word "meaning" may seem ordinary at first glance, but in the context of the ninja world, it carries an unusually heavy weight.

Bai claims he's just a tool, but what about everyone else? We're all just tools, so what's the point?

He joined the army at fifteen and returned home at eighty. The circumstances the poet described seem tragic enough, but what about the ninja world? It was even more tragic than he described.

Kakashi started killing on the battlefield at the age of six, and Ino and the others graduated from school at the age of twelve and participated in various battles, which was later than those who joined the army at the age of fifteen. The Third Hokage was sixty-nine years old and wanted to enjoy his old age, but his most valued and beloved disciple said "No" I will not allow you to live to be eighty years old. I must kill you!

In the entire ninja world, more than half of the people suffer from mental illness. Ino even suspects that she is sick herself. She morbidly pursues all kinds of powerful ninjutsu. At first, it was for her own life. Is it still for now? When she saw Takigakure Jonin Suiken being blown to ashes by the Steam Burst, she did not feel disgusted or uncomfortable. Instead, she felt a great sense of satisfaction... She has changed. She is sick too, just not as severely as these people.

Ino, moved by the situation, couldn't help but add, "When people are sick, the whole world is sick..."

Seemingly finding her words particularly naive, Kabuto Yakushi retorted with a hint of sarcasm, "Then have you found the cause of the illness?"

Ino gave him a strange look. "You're the one who told me to fool you! You'll regret this!"

Chapter 119 Ino's Underworld Theory

Ino understands Kabuto, while Kabuto only understands the surface of her; the information they possess is severely unequal, and that is her advantage.

She thought about it carefully for a long time, taking into account several factors, and used a perspective that she found quite shocking to describe her understanding.

"I would say, well, it's a kind of resentment. The resentment of the dead cannot be dispelled and lingers in the world, so the world's illness will become more and more serious, eventually sliding into an unknown abyss."