Chapter 27 – Kid, Don’t Let It Get to You!

“I’ve been training specifically in this area for a while now, so I was able to pull it off quickly. It’s not that I’m inherently that much more talented than you,”

Kyōen explained gently, trying to reassure him.

It was obvious—

The kid’s mindset was on the verge of collapsing.

That wasn’t his intention at all!

Kyōen just wanted Kakashi to understand that there’s always someone stronger out there—that no one can do everything alone—and that relying on teammates and comrades is crucial. He wasn’t trying to shake Kakashi’s confidence.

That kind of outcome would be a huge loss!

What if it cost him his reward points?

Kakashi’s mask twitched. After a few seconds, he asked, “…Really?”

“I’ve been training to compress Water Release chakra, hoping to integrate it into Wild Water Wave. This one isn’t technically Water Release, but the principles are similar.”

Kyōen replied kindly.

Jiraiya gave him a deep, thoughtful look.

He was well aware of Kyōen’s previous skill level.

Strong, yes—but only when compared to his peers. In terms of chakra compression alone, Kyōen hadn’t shown signs of being anywhere near this advanced before.

If he had—

Then when he used that technique from Tsunade, his chakra should’ve been sufficient to avoid getting hurt so badly.

That could only mean one thing:
He had made massive progress in just the past few days!

Could it be…

A suspicion began to form in Jiraiya’s mind.

He understood Tsunade’s intentions.

She’d borrowed the Second Hokage’s books for Kyōen to study, mainly to expand his knowledge base, improve his chakra control, and strengthen his fundamentals.

If those aspects improved enough, there was a real chance he might actually master monstrous strength someday.

But…

It had only been a few days since he started reading those books.

The progress was unbelievably fast!

Jiraiya composed himself, glancing at Kakashi with a bit of concern.

He hadn’t paid much attention before, but even he knew that Kakashi had always been praised as a genius since childhood.

Now, with someone even more “genius” appearing, Kakashi’s self-confidence could take a serious hit.

Still…

Jiraiya didn’t say anything about it.

If this was enough to make Kakashi give up, then he would only hold him in lower regard.

In fact, this might actually be a good thing for Kakashi.

As a ninja, resilience is everything.

A few hours later, as evening fell, Kyōen stepped off the carriage.

At the docks, members of the Matsuyama family were already busy unloading and loading cargo. Among the goods were lumber, stone materials, and medicinal herbs from the Nara clan.

There were more than a dozen ships docked—an impressive fleet.

No wonder they needed protection.

If Gato were to make a move and hijack even one shipment, the Matsuyama family would suffer devastating losses.

While Kyōen was lost in thought, Ichirō Matsuyama approached under the guard of escorts.

“Lord Jiraiya…”

“Just Jiraiya is fine.”

Jiraiya replied with a smile.

Ichirō didn’t dare speak too casually, but continued, “We’ll be setting off tomorrow morning. It only takes about an hour by ship to reach the Land of Waves. Would you like to rest on board and grab a meal?”

“That sounds good, but there’s no rush. My students are currently training by the shore, so heading to the ship now would be inconvenient.”

Jiraiya said with a laugh.

Ichirō nodded and didn’t push the issue, though he lingered for a moment, glancing around with a slightly embarrassed look on his face.

“Lord Jiraiya, as you can see, this shipment is massive. Our family’s cash flow isn’t exactly great at the moment. About those rumors from the other clans—it really wasn’t the Matsuyama family trying to stir things up…”

“Relax. It’s true Tsunade owes money, and it’s your right to collect. There’s no shame in that.”

Jiraiya understood what the man was trying to say.

“Besides, with Tsunade’s abilities, it was only a matter of time before she became well-known. Better to address it now than have debt collectors showing up on her doorstep later.”

“Ahem… Though our family runs gambling businesses, I must admit—gambling really isn’t a good habit.”

Ichirō coughed awkwardly.

Wherever Tsunade went, she lost. Some places were even starting to spread rumors of a “walking goldmine.” The gossip hadn’t gone too far yet, but—

It was clear.

If she kept gambling, the debts would only pile higher.

Cutting losses now was definitely a wise move.

Jiraiya didn’t press the issue further.

“Mister Matsuyama, let’s keep business and personal matters separate. I’m more concerned about the situation in the Land of Waves. Based on what you’ve said, if enemy shinobi get involved…”

“Rest assured, I know the rules. If ninja interference happens, we’re prepared to pay a mission fee in line with the threat level.”

Ichirō quickly guaranteed.

Jiraiya nodded, his smile returning.

Debt was one thing—
But that commission better not be shortchanged.

With the deal settled, Ichirō finally relaxed and returned to the ship with a smile.

Jiraiya scanned the area.

Eventually, he spotted Kyōen training near the water’s edge and walked over.

“Kyōen, what are you working on?”

“Sensei, I’m training my Water Release. I want to see if I can reduce the number of hand signs for Water Formation Wall when near a water source.”

Kyōen explained.

Some of the hand seals in that jutsu were to generate Water Release chakra from nothing, but if water was already nearby, theoretically, a few steps could be skipped.

That kind of optimization could prove useful in the Land of Waves.

Hearing that, Jiraiya couldn’t help but admire him—

Kyōen was an elite even among prodigies his age, yet he remained humble and diligent. That kind of mindset was truly rare!

He nodded approvingly.

“It’s true—when water’s already available, you can cut down on some seals…”

After sharing a few technique tips, Jiraiya paused, then asked,
“Have you learned Tsunade’s monstrous strength technique?”

“Not fully. I’ve come up with a crude version on my own. Tsunade-sama checked it out and said it works, but it’s still a bit difficult for others to pull off, so she asked me not to teach it around.”

Kyōen answered honestly.

Under the moonlight, Jiraiya stood frozen, like he’d turned to stone.

As Tsunade’s teammate, he knew all too well how that technique worked.

In her eyes, there were only two categories: those who could learn it, and those who couldn’t. There was no “in-between.”

What the hell did “crude version” even mean?

This was even more shocking than Kyōen bursting that rubber ball earlier!

Jiraiya’s curiosity was piqued.

“Can you show me?”

“Of course.”

Kyōen gathered and focused his chakra. A moment later, he stomped his foot hard—

BOOM!

The ground cracked open, forming a basin-sized crater.

It didn’t compare to Tsunade’s full-power strikes, but that’s exactly why Jiraiya was so stunned.

He could sense the underlying mechanics—

Kyōen slowed the chakra release, reduced the total volume, and in doing so, achieved a safer version of the technique.

It worked—in theory.

But executing it?

That level of chakra control was extremely advanced. You couldn’t simply train your way into it.

Even with talent, theory and execution were two separate things.

Many ninja spend their entire lives unable to optimize even one technique.

Tsunade herself, despite her mastery, had never managed to simplify or lower the difficulty of monstrous strength.

This kid… was truly remarkable.

After a long pause, Jiraiya finally nodded and said,
“Mm. Just listen to Tsunade. I only wanted to understand your real combat capabilities.”

“You’re worried about Kirigakure ninjas, Sensei?”

Kyōen asked.

Jiraiya nodded.

“The Land of Water’s always had ambitions to dominate the sea. The Land of Waves is close to the Fire Country and serves as a key maritime hub. It’s highly likely the Hidden Mist will intervene behind the scenes.”

He spoke with a serious tone.

“If a fight breaks out, do not act on your own. Understood? The enemy won’t care whether you’re genin or chunin.”

“I understand.”