Naruto: The Book Eating Daimyo 2 - The Seal, The Study & The Surprise

[A/N: It's not often I write MCs from their childhood. So I found it a little tough to just skip over all the initial years. I couldn't add any smut in this chapter due to that, although I wanted to. By the next chapter's end, Ikkyu will be 18 years old. And there will 100% be a smut scene.]

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Doc Link - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jCqmrroiOVSVRNRRlFPAj5BE4H5nAe-2BXQ2NNk14R8/edit?usp=sharing
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Gulp!

Gulp!

Ikkyu gulped down the three scrolls that Tsunade had left behind for him. One was for Chakra control, one for the technique of walking on water, and the other was for walking on trees.  

"I…" Ikkyu waited and tried to focus on that new memory. "I know… I can do it!" 

Wasting no time, Ikkyu ran out of his room, into the massive courtyard of the palace. He picked a thick tree randomly and, with no care, rushed towards it. 

"Master Ikkyu!"

"No!"

"Master!"

The servants ran after him, scared for him after the recent incident. The Daimyo had specifically ordered the servants and guards to keep an eye out. 

But Ikkyu could use chakra now, hence he was faster. Although the bodyguards of the Daimyo were also chakra users, they weren't there yet. 

Clop!

Clop!

"Ahahaha—Easy!" Ikkyu ran straight up the tree trunk, all the way to the highest thick branch. 

What a cheat! What's the limit of this ability anyway? What about those forbidden, taboo jutsus? Or Kekkei Genkai related jutsus? 

So excited about it, he came down from the tree and went to the nearby lake. Once again, the servants ran after him, but he was faster, and before he knew it, he was walking on the blue lake's water. 

I guess… Going to Konoha is the best route for now. 

At the same time. He'd decided to rely on his mother for funds. The Daimyo was powerful but not rich, it appeared. His mother held the purse, and seeing how much she doted on him, it was logical. 

Pondering, he walked off the lake. 

"Meow?"

"Hm?" He heard a cat just then, and his eyes turned mischievous. "But first… punishment for the traitors!" 

####

Konoha,

I was right. 

Ikkyu arrived at Konoha after days of slow travel. A large, armored, luxurious carriage of the Daimyo driven by oxen for a slow but smooth journey, guarded by shinobis and horsemen. While it was boring, it was very comfortable. The only complaint he had was his overly chatty mother and the damn cats who joined the journey. 

At the gates of Konoha, the horsemen dispersed, letting only the luxurious carriage go inside the village. Ikkyu was standing on top of the carriage, eyeing everything. Tall buildings dotted the side of the road, and electrical lines sprawled high on light poles. 

It's more of a city than a village. 

And sadly, it was the only city of that size in the entire Land of Fire. Worse, it wasn't under the control of the Daimyo, nor did it pay taxes as much as it should. Heck, it was the opposite, Daimyo having to finance everything. 

Nonetheless, he liked seeing such a developed place. It reminded him of Japan in the eighties, just without cars and most modern technology… and with ninjas. 

"Look there, Ikkyu! That's the Hokage Rock!" 

Hearing his mother's voice, Ikkyu looked forward. They had entered through the main gates and were going straight on the main road, leading them to the Hokage's office. As they came closer, he saw the massive cliff wall behind the Hokage's Residence building, carved with three faces. 

Three… soon to be four, then five… Tsunade… will be the most helpful to me. 

Being close to that woman already, he had plans on ensuring she'd remember him and consider him important on a personal level. 

Soon enough, they arrived at the Hokage's office, and as expected, the Hokage was there to greet them. Well, not Ikkyu but Madam Shijimi. 

No matter the world, all bow to capital. Ikkyu smiled at the sight. Money was still supreme, though in a limited scope in the shinobi world. Personal strength was still first. 

"So, you’re Ikkyu. Welcome to Konoha, young man."

Ikkyu gave the regular greeting with a slight bow. Besides, the man was pretty old and the Hokage. "Thank you for welcoming me, old man. Konoha looks so much fun."

Of course, he maintained his innocence, and using that, chose not to act too subservient to anyone. Being destined to be the next Daimyo, it simply didn't feel right to bow. Nor was that in his character. 

"Haha... That’s right," Hokage chuckled heartily. "I'm Hiruzen Sarutobi. This is the Hokage’s office—come in. There are snacks and tea waiting."

"Awesome!" 

Ikkyu made sure his upbringing was reflected in the way he behaved. Being the Daimyo's son, it was expected that he'd be a proud and confident boy. It was also expected that he'd be a spoiled brat. So, he had room to play around by acting less spoiled and more proud instead.

Where do they store the scrolls? 

Another reason for being in the Hokage's good graces was so he could access the building. Sure, there might be Anbu here and there, but they wouldn't dare harm him. At best, they'd warn the Hokage of his actions. 

I feel quite hungry… for scrolls. 

Finally, they arrived inside the Hokage's office. The wide window gave a beautiful view of the Hokage Rock. The table was filled with scrolls, and the walls were decorated with shurikens, photos, and scrolls. 

“Please, have a seat,” Hiruzen said, motioning to the sofa. “We heard from your attendants. My assistant has prepared a list of properties that may suit you, Madam Shijimi.”

"How lovely." Shijimi clapped her hands gently and took the list. "The young lord will be studying under Lady Mito Uzumaki and attending the academy soon… This looks quite fitting. Right near the Senju and Akimichi estates, no less."

Hiruzen took the list back and looked at the entry she had picked. "A mansion with a private garden and covered warehouse, well chosen. The warehouse can be the young lord's training ground."

"Brilliant! How much will this be?"

Quickly, Hokage's assistant responded. "The mansion being close to Hokage's office, the Senju and Akimichi clan, it's a very safe district. This one… is worth three million ryo, Madam Shijimi."

What?! Ikkyu's ears stood up hearing that price. That's… Fuck, that's more than what the easiest S rank mission earns. Isn't it? 

Being a fanatic of everything Shinobi world, Ikkyu was aware of the conversion rate. Doing simple math, three million ryo was close to three hundred thousand dollars. That, to him, was a hefty price in what was a mere village, not even a city. 

"Just that? My attendant will settle the money." Madam Shijimi didn't even react before agreeing. 

"Wait!" Ikkyu interrupted with a hidden intent. "Mom, shouldn’t we look at the house first? What if it’s all dirty and broken? What if the roof goes drip-drip-drip when it rains? If it’s all bad, shouldn’t it be, y’know... cheaper?"

“Oh!” Madam Shijimi beamed, tugging Ikkyu close and pinching his cheeks. “My clever little lord—just like I knew you'd be. Your grandfather would burst with pride. You’re right, let’s see the house first. Lord Hokage, if you would?”

Ugh… Dammit! 

While he knew she pulled his cheeks because she loved him. That didn't change the fact that it fucking hurt like hell. 

Nonetheless, Lord Hokage sent his assistant with them to see the residence on sale. It was actually in a decent part of town, close to the center of the village, near two major clans. The place was clean and guarded well. 

The mansion in question also had high walls and a big traditional gate. Once they entered, they were greeted with a beautiful entryway made of gravel surrounded by grass. There was a small fish pond as well nearby. 

But the main building appeared pretty old. It was built in a traditional fashion with arched roofs and a wooden structure. Sliding doors and all that. It had two floors and sprawled wide. As told, there was a warehouse nearby, also made in a similar fashion, but taller. 

"I'll go first!" Ikkyu ran into the house first. 

Dust everywhere? Check! 

His goal was only to find faults. 

Hmm… the wood creaks. Sounds hollow! Check!

He ran around purposefully, slamming his feet as hard as he could. The place was also massive, having eight rooms, two large halls, one massive tatami room, one shrine room, and one kitchen on the ground floor itself. 

Hmm, the electrical wires look old and exposed. Cracked even. 

He checked the bathroom then, and it was also pretty old. The seat looked dirty, the sink was rotting, and when he opened the tap, the water came out yellowish, with rust in the pipes. The tiles were also dirty. Of course, all that could be cleaned, but it was still a fault. 

Finally, he started checking the support beams. Yet again, he found a few with cracks, very minor, but major faults. 

On the upper floor, there were six rooms. They were dusty and had no bathroom on that floor. A downside in his view. The house lacked modern amenities, which he and his mother enjoyed in the Daimyo’s palace. Considering that mostly only servants would be living on the upper floor, it made no sense that they'd share the single available bathroom on the lower floor with him and his mother. 

Time to blabber and earn some cash. 

He returned to his mother and Hokage's assistant with a sad face. "Mom, this place is sooo tiny! It’s even smaller than my place back in the palace!"

It was true. He didn't just live in a single room. He had an entire royal suite in the Daimyo Palace, sprawling multiple rooms and a private courtyard. His father had the biggest one, then his mother's. 

Madam Shijimi frowned. "What's the matter, Ikkyu?"

"Umm… there’s no bathroom on the top part. Just one bathroom in the whole house. That’s silly! And it’s all dusty. And makes creaky noises like ‘eek eek’ everywhere. The roof has cracks too! What if it falls when I’m sleeping? That’s scary!" He pinched his nose. "Only the land is kinda nice, but it's teeny! Mom, don’t pay more than a million for it, okay? It's suuuper bad. We’ll have to fix the whole thing!"

At Ikkyu's over exaggeration, Madam Shijimi finally revealed a fierce expression. So what if she was extremely wealthy? Everyone hated being taken advantage of. 

"Show me." She told him. 

Ikkyu cutely grabbed her hand and pulled her into the house to walk with him. He showed her all the faults, exaggerated a lot, and complained. He rarely complained, so she took him seriously. 

In the end, she came to the same conclusion. Other than the land and location, there was nothing of value to buy. 

"Ikkyu is absolutely right. I won’t spend a ryo more than a million. This place needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. What a waste of time and money. I thought my Ikkyu would have peace settling in, but instead—this? Is this truly where my husband’s money goes? A house in ruins, in such a lovely spot?"

The assistant frowned and nodded at the shinobi with him, sending him away. 

"We can renovate the house to your needs, Madam Shijimi."

"No, it must be rebuilt from scratch. The wood creaks by merely walking, and my Ikyu is supposed to run here as he grows big. This is unacceptable," she retorted, firm on her stance. "Do you know what the price to build it will be?"

Holy… She…

For the first time, Ikkyu felt impressed by his mother. Sure, she was spendthrift, vain, and philanthropic, but it turned out, she knew her game well. She went on to list out the price of every single thing that would be used to make the new house. From the wood to the glass, to the tiles. 

She's pretty awesome. Makes sense why she's not broke. 

Just as the Hokage's assistant started to sweat, the shinobi he'd sent returned. He received a message in his ear and smiled towards Madam Shijimi. 

"A million is fine, Madam Shijimi. Lord Hokage agrees. Please, be at ease, we'll aid you in building it anew as well."

Ikkyu was unimpressed, however. He knew negotiations were supposed to be harder than that. 

Knowing that old man, he probably doesn't care about the price. He just wants me to stay in the village and be happy. 

Just like that, the deal was finalized. Madam Shijimi and Ikkyu were escorted to an upscale guesthouse for the time being. 

But that wasn't the end of it. 

As soon as Ikkyu found time in private with his mother, he made the most innocent face and extended his little hand towards her. “I did a super-duper good job today! I saved a whoooole bunch of money! Doesn’t that mean I get a reward? Just a lil’ one?”

Just as expected, she pulled his cheeks, and he tolerated it. 

“Oh, my precious little lord, so smart already! Come here—Mama needs a kiss.” Madam Shijimi ended up planting her lipstick on his forehead and cheeks. “Now, what does my clever boy want as a reward?”

"Money," he chirped, puffing out his chest proudly. "A little from what I saved. Gonna buy a lil’ shop and do big people business stuff, just like Mom and Grampa!”

“Aww… You’re such a sweet boy,” Madam Shijimi cooed, clearly pleased. “Good, starting young is important. Keep the money you saved from that sly Hokage’s trick. Mommy will always stand by Ikkyu.”

Jackpot! 

Ikkyu grinned ear to ear, looking cute. He had to do that at least. 

How else was he supposed to look harmless while doing the business he had in mind—Gambling.

Ugh, but I'm too young to be doing this. 

####

Senju Residence,

I feel so naked here. 

That was the first impression he had when he stood before Mito Uzumaki, a woman who should be dead, but there she was, seated on the tatami with the small table before her, a scroll open on it. Behind her stood a pretty, red-haired girl, eyes sharp, but a smile on her lips. Then there were servants far in the back. 

As for Ikkyu. He wasn't even inside the main building yet. He was made to stand out in the garden on the grass while the audience watched him from the open sliding windows. 

Mito Uzumaki had decided to test him before taking him in as her student. 

Ikkyu knew his special privileges meant nothing in the Senju Residence. The woman was old as fuck with one foot in the grave. She couldn't care less if he was Daimyo's son. She was the First Hokage's wife, after all. 

"Go on, boy. Show us what you can do." 

The fuck? What am I? A monkey? I'm just two years old, woman!

The academy was supposed to start at the age of four. So, it was pointless to expect anything from Ikkyu. But there he was, dark sky, dinner time approaching, a grumpy old lady telling him to do tricks. 

Yet, he looked left and right, scratching his head. "Ummm… I can walk on water, Granny. And walk on trees. Tsuna taught me that."

“Tsunade, huh?” Mito said with a small laugh. “That child’s full of surprises. Well, don’t just stand there—go on, try walking on the pond.”

Ikkyu awkwardly looked at the small pond with koi fish in it. While he was confident, he still felt a little nervous with the old woman staring. 

The scrolls better be worth it. 

Splash!

Instead of just walking, he jumped and splattered the water at first contact. But he didn't fall in and proudly stood there, both arms on his waist, feet wide. "See, I didn't lie. I can walk on water!"

That's it! That's the reaction I wanted. 

Mito looked amused, and Kushina was surprised. A two-year-old walking on water was uncommon since doing it required high chakra control. 

"Not as pampered as I feared," Mito muttered with a faint smile, taking Kushina’s hand to stand. "Now, join us for a meal."

Ikkyu skipped happily towards her. "What will you teach me, Granny?"

"Teach?" Mito smirked. "First comes discipline—You'll mop this corridor every morning."

"..."

Ikkyu's smug smile vanished. 

This wrinkly hag! What about my promised scrolls?!

"Then, you'll learn the stances from Kushina." 

I know that already! What about jutsus?

"Then, if you learn fast, I’ll teach you—eventually."

Fuck that! 

But of course, he couldn't curse loudly. Mito didn't give a fuck about his status. Heck, she was probably teaching him because Hiruzen begged her. 

And honestly, that fact only made Ikkyu more motivated to prove her wrong. That her teachings won't go to waste on him.

I'll show you… Both of you redheads. 

####

That night, Kushina helped Mito into bed as usual. But unlike usual, Kushina stayed behind to speak. 

"Why'd you even agree to teach him, Lady Mito? He barely has enough chakra to throw an enhanced kunai straight."

Lying on the bedding, Mito's face wrinkled as she smiled fondly. "Hiruzen begged. And… he will be the next Daimyo. Konoha’s path is tied to his now. He’s not strong in chakra, true, but the boy has potential, we saw it. And he's less of a brat than I expected.”

"He did look annoyed."

"Like any child denied a treat, he pouts. He came here dreaming of flashy jutsus and bright sparks. But his roots are shaky, and he's still so young."

Kushina chuckled, remembering her own early days. It was true, Ikkyu's ability to walk on water was pretty advanced. And he also knew how to climb trees, a technique she learned only recently, just after becoming a genin.

"My time’s short, Kushina. I’ll teach him what I can, but after that, it’s up to you. Stay close to him until he finishes the academy. If you can, guide him. Help him feel like he belongs here—that this village is home."

Kushina became saddened by Mito's nearing end. It was a miracle that she was still alive despite the transfer of the tailed beast. 

"I will, Lady Mito. I promise."

####

Meanwhile, Ikkyu was in his assigned room, lying in the bed, legs crossed like the little lord he was, arms crossed behind his head. He stared at the ceiling, a frown evident on his face. 

Five million ryo, all my savings, but it's useless like this. 

He couldn't just go around and set up his gambling den while being a two-year-old kid. He'd stand out like a sore thumb, and Hokage likely had eyes on him. What he needed was a proxy, someone he could easily control and use. 

What I need is a dumbass. No shinobi, for sure. 

####

Smack!

Pa!

"Ah! That hurts!" Ikkyu hissed at the punch landing on his face. 

"It's supposed to hurt," Kushina replied sternly. "Again! If you stop, I'll hit harder."

I'll get my payback one day. 

Ikkyu gritted his teeth and stood in a fighting position again. It was hard, but he hid his smirk well. It was hard to act like he didn't know how to fight, after all. A year had passed since he started training at the Senju Residence. He and Kushina had sparred in hand-to-hand combat almost daily. 

She held nothing back. She beat him to a pulp from day one. So, he asked her to make him scrolls of all the fighting techniques and stances. He masked it as his desire to read them at night. But in reality, he just ate them. 

By now, he’d perfected hand-to-hand combat. He was better than Kushina in terms of technique. Meanwhile, Kushina was still far from perfection. 

Learning something by slow practice and learning something by just eating was very different. Whatever he learned was always at its peak; every detailed description in the scroll was a natural memory to him. 

And now, slowly, he was showing improvement to make it appear natural. Not to mention, it was fucking unfair. He was just three years old, and Kushina was thirteen. That ten-year difference was massive in height, experience, strength, and chakra. 

I have to hit her today. 

He hated how they expected him to act like an adult. He was a pre-kindergarten boy. Kids his age weren't even good at talking properly, let alone fighting. 

"Haaa!" He shouted and jumped; that was the only way to reach her face. 

Woosh!

Kushina blocked him. 

He expected that, having read her movements as he'd learned the same fighting techniques as her. He threw a faint roundhouse kick at her, only to change mid-air and use the back of his hand instead. 

Slap!

"YES!" 

He did it. He smacked Kushina on the cheek with the back of his hand. 

"You little runt!" 

Sadly, what happened after that wasn't in his control. Kushina punched him in the chest, a little chakra infused. 

Wooosh!

Splash!

He was thrown back and landed in the pond of koi fish. 

Fffffuck… I-I can't breathe… Agh! 

For the first time, he received a chakra-infused punch. He felt like all the air had been knocked out of his lungs. Even when he tried to breathe in, he couldn't do it properly.

T-This… I'm against this? Shit… I need more chakra.

"Ugh, dang it—I didn’t mean to hit you!" Kushina came running to help him up. "Are you okay?"

Actually, he believed it. He was well aware of her temper. 

Clutching his chest, Ikkyu got out of the pond. He coughed a little and slowly regained his breath. He wasn't enjoying this one bit. He wanted to read the Uzumaki scrolls, or maybe the Senju scrolls. The Senju Residence had them; that was a fact. But soon, Mito was going to die, and the Hokage's office would take it all away. Now was his only chance to get his hands on them. 

But he was stuck throwing hands with a girl ten years older than him. 

"Hold back… a little… Kushina…" He groaned. 

"Want me to carry you?" 

"No." He pushed her hand away. The last time she did that, she carried him like a princess and mocked him for a whole month. 

Alone, manning up, he walked to his home and went to his room. Then, he plopped down. Just thinking that what Kushina did was a tiny fraction of her real power scared him. He was an accountant, now trying to be a fighter. He wasn't scared of battle or death; he was scared of wasting his time. 

What's the point of eating the scrolls when I have no way of using them? 

His limited chakra was too pathetic. He had asked Mito to teach him some jutsus, but each time she refused, saying it's useless since he can't perform them due to biological limits. She pushed him to only focus on taijutsu, even referred him to Might Duy. But Ikkyu humbly refused, declaring that he'd rather return to Daimyo Palace if he couldn't learn anything.

Hearing his threat, Hiruzen personally intervened. Timely, Ikkyu was handed scrolls of the three basic jutsus needed to pass the academy—Transformation Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Clone Jutsu. 

That very night, Ikkyu ate all three and learned them to peak perfection. But when he attempted the Transformation Jutsu, he fell unconscious from chakra depletion, and almost died if not for Kushina saving him, and Biwako Sarutobi healing him. 

The Hokage almost passed out, realising he could have killed Ikkyu. From that day, Ikkyu wasn't allowed to learn any more jutsus. 

Since that day, he lived in continuous depression, barely giving his minimum during training. Instead of the Senju Residence, he moved back to his house, where he dealt with his other plans. Mainly, the money-making ventures. He made his plan to divide it into good and bad businesses. The good would hide the bad. And even if those in power found out it all belonged to him, what could they even do?

"Master, that's all I could do in Konoha. Only one district allows gambling, and even that’s limited to only five buildings. I now own four of them, all thanks to you."

Ikkyu had found his precious dumbass. A non-shinobi man, not that smart, but highly ambitious. When Ikkyu tickled that ambition with his status, the man begged him to join. Being the right-hand man of the future Daimyo was a position of prestige that few could attain. 

Still, the man wasn’t so dumb as not to realise what he was doing. Yashin was the new name the man had taken. It meant ambition, not his, but Ikkyu's. 

"That's great, but it's not enough. Konoha was just to see if you could handle the basics. The next task I'm giving you is the real challenge. You’re going to Tanzaku Quarters. I need you to slowly take control—every gambling den, every... uh…" Ikkyu wondered if he should utter those words with his young mouth. "Brothel—I want to own it all. I want control of everything there. You, Yashin, are gonna run it for me. Do this right, and I’ll make you the Lord of Tanzaku Quarters."

Thud!

Yashin kowtowed so hard he bashed his chubby forehead on the tatami. He was a portly man, looked large, a thug-like face by birth, even. A perfect face for his illegal operations. "Thank you, Master! Thank you, I'm grateful for this opportunity—You took me in, I'm blessed."

I wonder if he even realizes his wife and daughter are pretty much hostages at the Daimyo Palace. Ikkyu stared at the man, questioning his intelligence. 

I need the Yamanaka clan’s Mind Transfer Jutsu. 

“Get up, now. Pack fast. You’ll need cash to hire bodyguards—only shinobis. I can’t recommend anyone, so that’s on you. But remember, don’t trust anyone, no matter how nice they act. Don’t carry too much money unless you’re making a deal. You’re working for the future Daimyo, not some street gambler—Never forget that.”

"Understood!" Yashin roared with pride. "I'll leave right away."

Ikkyu nodded, and once alone, he relaxed. 

He knew he was pretty much walking blindly. He had no control over how good a job Yashin would do. Or if he'd even succeed. He was too young, too small, and too weak. 

“Even Mom’s not around…” He sighed and fell backwards lazily, stretching his back. “No point sticking around here. I should get home—show father I’m useful with numbers, instead of chasing jutsus."

"Master Ikkyu."

"Hmm?" He lazily raised his head and looked at the servant at the door. "Is it lunch already?"

"Not yet, Master. A package came for you. It bears the name of Lady Tsunade."

"Tsuna?!" He was up and energetic in an instant. "Give it to me."

He grabbed the package and shut the sliding door, sitting in complete privacy by the low table. He tore open the box with much excitement. He honestly liked Tsunade the most after his mother. She not only saved him, she taught him chakra control, walking on water, and a tree, albeit unknowingly. 

"Let's see… Oh? A scroll?" 

But containing his excitement, he picked the folded envelope first. A letter, addressed to him. 

"Lord Ikkyu,

I hope you’re doing all right. 

I remember our last meeting, and I wanted to share something with you even then, though it wasn’t quite ready. I’ve since refined the technique, and I believe you’re ready to begin learning about it.

It’s called the Strength of a Hundred Seal, a method that relies on precise chakra control. By gradually storing chakra in a single point on your body, you form a seal. Mine rests on my forehead. Once complete, it allows you to use techniques more efficiently. When released, the stored chakra spreads through your body in patterns.

I’m sending this scroll to help you begin your study. You don’t need to rush. In time, you’ll be able to perform this yourself. But please be cautious—this seal is closely tied to the summon Katsuyu. When we next meet, I’ll guide you through the summoning process, and if she accepts, you can form a contract.

Take care until then, Lord Ikkyu."

"..."

Dumbfounded. 

Speechless.

Jaw-dropped. 

In love?

Excited.

There weren't enough words to describe what he felt. 

There weren't enough words to describe what he felt for this stunning, precious woman. Tsunade just shared, perhaps her most precious technique with him. Why would she do all that? Because of Katsuyu’s insurance? Because she saved him as a baby? Because he's the next Daimyo? 

She sent this by post? Really? 

"Anyone outside?!" 

Shhhh~

The door slid open, and the same servant greeted him. 

"Who left this package? Who delivered it?"

"Replying to Master Ikkyu, it was a man with long white hair and red markings on his face. I believe it was Lord Jiraiya, Master."

Makes sense! Yeah, Tsunade wouldn't trust anyone else with something this precious. Holy shit! 

"You can go." 

As soon as the door closed, he grabbed the scroll and unwrapped it. It was long as fuck and detailed. He could feel his heart beating wildly with no end. He couldn't remember ever being that excited before. 

Man, I love this woman! She's so awesome. Fuck, she can gamble for eternity in my casinos! Fuck that, she can dissect me if she wants… Ah, maybe not that. 

"I owe her for this."

Was he going to wait? Was he going to read it and wait for her to teach him? 

Fuck no!

He rolled the scroll back to as it was and shoved it into his mouth. He opened his lips as wide as he could, and as soon as one tip was in, he felt something strange happen, as if the insides of his mouth spread wider, his throat as well, and then he felt the sensation of it going down. 

Finally, it vanished somewhere deep. 

"Oh… Mmmmh… Yes, yes!" 

He made strange, unmanly sounds. Almost a moan when he felt all the information become available. In an instant, he knew the technique as best as it could be mastered. Not only that, he reckoned he'd already understood it better than Tsunade, because he found the way to not make that seal appear on his forehead. And not only that, he found the way to make multiple of those seals across his body. 

But as expected, the difficulty would increase after every seal, as controlling that insane amount of chakra would become impossible. 

This is… a goldmine! 

Gulping, he looked left and right, ensuring there was nobody nearby. Gathering chakra wasn't a hard task, but gathering and focusing it on one spot required concentration. So, he sat down cross-legged.

Let's focus it here. 

He picked the back of his right hand as a suitable location. 

"Alright, first I need to channel my chakra t—Hm?"

Barely a single drop of chakra had been moved towards the back of his hand when he saw it. A wide, black marking formed on the floor under him. It expanded out of nowhere, looking like rune patterns. 

That looks famil—

POOF!

####

"W-Wha—!"

One moment ago, he was in his home. Now he was in a forest. 

"I got summoned?"

"Yes, you were, child."

He heard a very sweet female voice. It was too ladylike and respectable, with kindness leaking from it. 

"Umm… Lady Katsuyu?" He asked. 

"Oh? Are you familiar with me? That’s kind of you. But may I ask, how do you know of me, and what made you call on me?"

I did? 

Ikkyu tried to look for the source of that sound, but it was all trees around him. "I'm Ikkyu Madoka. Tsuna saved me as a baby and showed me how to move chakra right. She also gave me this scroll about a chakra storage seal. I was just testing it out.”

"Oh, I recognize that seal. Lady Tsunade mentioned you. You're Lord Ikkyu, the next Daimyo? She said she’ll make you her student and teach you this seal. You came very early. I’ll summon Lady Tsu—"

“No! Don’t!” Ikkyu blurted with urgency, sweating. He was sure Tsunade would scold the hell out of him. “I… I mean, I don’t want to disturb her. Since I’m fine.”

"That is true, Lord Ikkyu. You did it perfectly."

Lord? 

"I did?" 

Poof!

A small white slug with a blue stripe appeared on Ikkyu’s shoulder. "Actually, it should be the other way around. You must form a summoning contract with me first. Only then can you properly use the Strength of a Hundred Seal."

He remembered Tsunade writing about that. 

A little shamelessly, he awkwardly asked her. "And… will you? Will you be my summon?"

"Hmm, you have a pitifully low chakra. I can see why you would need this seal more than any. Lady Tsunade hoped for it as well. Hmm… I don’t mind helping a young one like you. Let’s form our contract, yes?"

She’s so kind. I think I drew my entire life's luck today alone. 

On the verge of quitting just a few hours ago. Now with Tsunade's seal and Katsuyu willing to be his summon. It was everything he needed to rise above the limitations of his body. 

"Thank you so much, Lady Katsuyu."

The little slug giggled and presented him with a summoning contract. It appeared out of the smoke and unfolded on the grassy ground. 

Ikkyu knew what he needed to do. He bit his thumb, made the correct hand signs, and slammed his palm on the scroll. He didn't scream the name, though; he cringed at that. 

Poof!

"Beautifully executed, Lord Ikkyu."

Right then appeared a larger Katsuyu, about the size of a hand. She sat on his shoulder. But this time, he felt her presence, like she was connected to him through his chakra. 

"Take a seat now, Lord Ikkyu. Close your eyes gently, and send your chakra into the seal. Oh, you picked your hand to place it—You’ve understood it well. Lady Tsunade would be proud."

After she whacks the life out of me.

Ikkyu wasted no time in doing that. In fact, he really wanted to try it. He reckoned he was in one of the sage regions. The air there felt so refreshing. It was like he'd been living in an endless tunnel all his life, and now he was suddenly thrown under the open sky. 

As time went by, he started to feel the chakra gathering on the back of his right hand. He wanted to gather as much as he could before returning home. It was time to get Mito to hand him what he wanted. 

An hour went by, and then two, and then three. For six total hours, he sat cross-legged on the ground and filled the seal with chakra. It was a slow process for him since his body wasn't made to handle too much in the first place. The seal was his only way to cheat that. It was like trying to fill a well with a tap the size of his pinky. 

I should head home before they start worrying. 

At last, he opened his eyes slowly. The refreshing feeling was out of the world, and honestly, he was hungry for more. He wanted to ask Katsuyu about Sage Mode. But he decided to hold back on that. It was better to first gain Katsuyu's trust. She became his summon, that was already no less than a life debt.

"Lady Katsuyu, can you send me back? I’ve been gone a while—I don't want anyone freaking out."

"I sure can." 

Poof!

####

"Master Ikkyu!"

"Young Lord!"

As expected, the servants were frantically searching for him in the house when he appeared out of thin air. 

"I'm good," he said, eyes on the dark purple rhombus now stamped on the back of his hand. "I’m heading over to the Senju Residence. Gonna spend the night there."

He rushed out of the house right away and ran into the massive Senju estate. Passing through the guarded doors, he ran into the main house, shouting for a certain redhead. 

"Kushina! Where are you?!" 

He ran towards her room. 

"Fight me again, Kushina!" 

Woosh!

He reached her room and slid the door open. 

"..."

A big mistake. 

He realized too late. Kushina was changing clothes, probably just out of the bath, as the towel was pooled around her feet, butt-naked. Her flawless pale skin was in complete bare view for his eyes, and he stared like a dumbass, from her pretty face to her feet.

Woosh!

Bam!

"Argh!" 

A sandal flew and smacked into Ikkyu's forehead. He quickly shut the sliding door after that and silently went out to the courtyard, rubbing the bruise on his forehead.  

I'm fucked, aren't I? But I won't lose today. 

Though he couldn't help but feel like Jiraiya. He… didn't hate what he saw. Kushina was… pretty, and only now he was realising it as his desperation for chakra was gone. 

Woosh!

"YOU BRAT!"

Fuck!

Ikkyu saw the redhead shoot out of the house towards him like a kunai, her hair streaming behind her.

Ikkyu didn’t answer, although his mind screamed ‘pretty’. He crouched low, feet braced, eyes focused. He did as Tsunade's scroll advised and used the sealed chakra without even trying. 

Bam!

The first punch came hard; she was practically flying at him. Kushina’s knuckles cracked against Ikkyu’s forearm as he blocked—it didn’t break through. Her eyes widened slightly.

“Huh?” she muttered, landing and flipping back. “You stopped that?”

Ikkyu smirked, his small feet skidded through the dirt, but he didn’t fall. "Shocked?"

Kushina chuckled, getting in a fighting stance again. “Tch! Don’t get cocky.”

She came again with kicks, sweeps, and elbows. Fast but controlled, not to hurt the young boy.

Boom!

Yet the garden exploded with movement, leaving grass crushed beneath their feet. Ikkyu dodged where he could, blocked where he must. His heart was rejoicing, excited that he was able to finally block her attacks. Using that reserve chakra to strengthen his blocks and punches felt so much different. 

For once, he really started to feel like a shinobi.

But still, skill beats raw chakra. Kushina had a decade over him. 

Bam!

Pat!

They exchanged blows, going back and forth. That was the first time Kushina saw him stand so firmly against her. Usually, it would end within five moves from her. 

"What changed?" She asked and began pushing him back, using some chakra in her attacks as well, step by step. 

Her strikes flowed like water, and with shocking speed, Ikkyu countered her with absolute precision. Sadly, what Ikkyu lacked was speed. And to teach him that lesson, she ducked low and swept at his legs. 

Ikkyu tumbled, but with a smirk that didn't go unnoticed. 

Poof!

He vanished in a puff of smoke.

"What?!" 

Bam!

By pure instinct, Kushina turned around, finding the real Ikkyu there, leaping at her from a bush. But she was still faster and drove up her knee to block him. 

"Ugh!" Ikkyu cursed his short limbs and staggered. But then he smirked and made some hand signs, instantly splitting into three. 

"Oh? Clone Jutsu?!"

She dashed forward, dispersing two clones in a flash. They were mere illusions after all, and her being a genin already, they weren't effective on her, not at that speed. 

But then, the third Ikkyu lunged from her blind spot, his body already warping into a perfect image of Minato.

"What?!" 

Kushina froze, not at the technique, but at the way he used it—Minato was semi-naked. In that tiny moment, she felt his strike press on her ribs. It wasn't powerful, but earned. It stung, but didn't hurt her too much. 

Grip!

"Argh!" 

Instead of attacking back, Kushina grabbed his wrist and lifted him in the air like a hanging fruit. She glared at his face, now back to normal. The last time he tried one of those jutsus, he almost died. And now he used them perfectly. She felt his chakra flow, and it was the same as before, barely there. 

"You used all three jutsus!" She exclaimed. "How did you do that?"

Ikkyu cheekily grinned. "Treat me to Ichiraku’s and I'll tell you."

"You're richer than me," she blurted.

"Treat's a treat."

Genuinely, Kushina was happy about the sudden progress. Having seen Ikkyu struggle for a whole year was depressing. "I guess you don't want me to tell Lady Mito about this."

"Treat's on me," he changed his stance instantly. "Let's go."

Kushina giggled and lowered him to the ground. She patted his back and pushed him ahead to walk with her. "How about a competition? See who can finish more bowls."

"..."

"Kushina, you've won all six times already. I don't have a bottomless stomach like you." Ikkyu pulled out of it right away. "I end up paying the massive bill each time."

"Are you calling me fat?"

Ikkyu paced a little faster and smirked while looking behind. "From what I saw—Flat."

"YOU LITTLE—"

####

The next day, Ikkyu woke up to Kushina smacking his face softly. She dragged him and brought him over to the main hall where Mito and Hiruzen had gathered. 

Rubbing his eyes, sleepy and still in his sleeping attire, he stared at the two oldies. He already knew why they were there, so he made the hand signs quickly. 

Poof!

Substitution Jutsu—Done!

Poof!

Clone Jutsu—Done!

Poof!

Body Transformation Jutsu—Done!

In a row, he performed the three techniques with flawless accuracy. That wasn’t an easy feat, as most kids going to the academy struggle to do it for years. Only by the age of eight or nine, around the time when they graduate, do they become proficient.

Meanwhile, Ikkyu was just three and a half years old. 

"Can I go now? I still wanna sleep a little." 

"Ikkyu," Hiruzen spoke, having grown close enough to him to not use ‘Lord’. "Where is the scroll that Tsunade sent you?"

Like hell I'd give it to you. 

Ikkyu didn't trust the man. Not because Hiruzen was bad, but because his company was bad. Already, his personal guards had told him that someone could be tracking him. Also, Danzo had tried to meet him in private many times. 

Ikkyu knew why from the start. Danzo wanted to be the next Hokage, and that required the Daimyo's approval. So, having the next Daimyo in his pocket could be useful.

"I burned it," Ikkyu said flatly. "It's Tsuna's secret technique. If you want it, ask her."

He would absolutely never betray Tsunade, who was nothing short of a guardian angel to him. 

"Oh wait!" Ikkyu exclaimed, brightly beaming. “Does this mean I can start learning all the jutsu now, Grandma Mito?”

Mito looked at Hiruzen. 

Hiruzen sighed audibly. "Wait outside, Ikkyu. Let me speak with Lady Mito first."

What are you planning now, old man? 

Smiling brightly, Ikkyu bowed his head and stepped out with Kushina, doing what he loved the most, annoying her. 

####

Meanwhile, back in the hall, Hiruzen spoke first. "Lady Mito, his chakra may have started low, but that’s no longer an issue. At just three years old, he learns and speaks like he's already been through the academy. Geniuses like this don’t come along often. I believe he’s ready for the academy.”

Mito shook her head, her wrinkled face even weaker than before. Her voice was hoarse and feeble. “I won’t allow it. Genius or not, he’s still a child. Let him grow with others his age. Hiruzen, the boy has no friends besides Kushina and Minato, who are a decade older than him. You mustn't run so hard toward ambition that you lose sight of what’s truly important. That boy… he was never meant to walk the same path as the rest of us."

With a conflicted look, Hiruzen sighed. "Then, at the very least, begin training him. He's already solid on the basics. Even if he joins the academy, he'll be through it in no time. He'll want to push for chunin soon after. You should prepare him for that, Lady Mito."

To that, Mito nodded. "I will start teaching him."

Hiruzen heaved a sigh of relief. He just wanted to keep Ikkyu in the village for as long as possible. "Then, we should check his chakra affinity. I have brought an induction paper."

Mito just nodded. 

"Ikkyu, Kushina, come here."

####

Soon, Ikkyu was seated in front of the Hokage on the tatami mat. The old man handed him a square piece of paper. 

"Try to channel your chakra into this paper."

Oh, I was waiting for this. 

Excited, Ikkyu easily infused the paper with his chakra and waited. He waited a little more. 

Should I try more? 

He used the chakra stored in the seal. 

Still, nothing happened. 

"Go ahead, Ikkyu. Do it." Hiruzen said. 

"I am doing it. Even used the seal. But nothing's happening."

"Interesting." Hiruzen rubbed his beard and moved. He placed a hand on Ikkyu's shoulder. "Do it again."

He did. 

"No doubt, you are indeed channeling the chakra into it." Hiruzen felt the chakra move inside Ikkyu. "Then the paper…"

Hiruzen grabbed it and tried to use it himself. 

Woosh!

Right away, it got burned. 

All heads turned speechlessly towards Ikkyu. The paper was fine. Ikkyu was indeed doing it right. Then why was there no reaction? Even if it were a Kekkei Genkai, it would have reacted. 

Neither Mito nor Hiruzen said anything. They'd never seen something like this. There was no precedent to rely on.

What happens now? 

Ikkyu was frowning. He had yet to learn any elemental jutsu, so he didn't know if he could even do it. Did he have no affinity? How was that even possible? 

"Umm… Old man." He eyed the Hokage. "Can I… Can I get the beginner elemental scrolls? Fire, water, wind, earth—nothing special. I just want to see which one works."

Hokage's beard scratching intensified for a moment. Some time passed after that. Ikkyu started to grow tired. He'd made up his mind. If Konoha wouldn't give him what he wanted, he'd use his father to force it.

"That should be manageable. If Lady Mito is overseeing it, I trust it'll go smoothly."

"Great!" Ikkyu clapped. "I can't wait to learn it all!" 

####

He didn't have to wait.

Ikkyu received all four scrolls on that same day, and in the name of studying them, he took them to his room at night, made a copy, and ate them all. 

Fireball Jutsu, Wild Water Wave Jutsu, Great Breakthrough Jutsu, and Earth Wall Jutsu—The four scrolls of the four natures. Sadly, he didn't receive any lightning scroll.  

The very next day, in private, he tried to perform them in front of Mito. He had prepared well, filling up the chakra seal on his hand as much as he could. 

The first one he tried was Fireball Jutsu. Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger; he made the proper hand signs and then blew air from his mouth. 

Swoooooooosh!

At first, nothing came out, but within a second, the crimson sparks appeared, followed by a great fireball forming in front of his mouth. The fireball flew away soon enough and smashed into a wall, vanishing after leaving dark marks. 

Kushina's jaw was hanging. Mito's eyes looked focused, though the rest was the same. An almost four-year-old kid performing something like that was unheard of. 

And Ikkyu was well aware of their shock. He didn't have to rely on studying the techniques conventionally. With a single bite, his understanding of every technique would reach its peak. All he had to do was manage his chakra control. 

But then came the second test. Mito asked him to stop since his affinity had already been discovered. But he pushed for it. He had a feeling the results would be shocking. 

Wild Water Wave Jutsu—Dragon, Tiger, Hare.

Woooosh!

A jet of water came out of his mouth and struck the same wall, cleaning the dark marks. 

"..."

Kushina was frozen in shock by then. 

But Ikkyu didn't stop there. Right away, he performed the Great Breakthrough, used the correct hand signs, and blew a massive gust of wind from his mouth, uprooting a nearby tree. 

"..."

At last, even the old, wrinkly Mito had joined the fallen jaw club. 

"And now!" 

Finally, he used the Earth Wall. He used the hand seals and slammed his hand on the ground. 

Grrrr~

A decently high, thick wall emerged from the ground, ruining the garden. 

"..."

And finally, Ikkyu had his answer. He had no chakra affinity, nor did he have all chakra affinities. The truth was… he had no fucking idea what he had. All he had to do was just learn the damn thing and do as the scroll said. 

"L-L-Lady… M-Mito…" Kushina stuttered. "H-He's got… all of them!"

Mito, only then, closed her mouth and nodded. But there was something new in her eyes. The way she looked at Ikkyu, revealed a hint of hope. 

####

Hokage’s Office

“What is this?” Hiruzen’s gaze locked on the scroll, then shifted to the man who brought it. His tone was steady. “I never authorized this. Explain.”

Danzo stood with no regard for where he was, treating the place like his own. “From your reaction, it seems you knew? That boy… he’s valuable, Hiruzen. All five elements, yet no natural affinity. A creature like that should be studied.”

“Creature?” Hiruzen shot a furious glance. “Tread lightly. If the Daimyo catches wind of this, you’ll have more than just me to answer to.”

“And what will he do? Complain?”

“I stopped you from going after that child for a reason. He has potential—real potential. If we guide him right, he could change the future of this village. A shinobi Daimyo could mean real unity.” Hiruzen sternly said and stood up. “I won’t allow you to interfere. One more step, and I’ll be forced to stop you my—”

“The boy… He may be a Shinobi, but he’s not of Konoha.”

“You are mistaken, Danzo. It is we who belong to the land of Fire. The next generation deserves better—a Hokage and Daimyo standing together, united as shinobi against all threats. That’s a future we must protect.”

Danzo scoffed, shaking his head as he headed to the door. “You hesitate too much, Hiruzen. That’s why this village suffers. You have grown weak and indecisive.”

“Better than being senile, my friend. Keep your hands off Lord Ikkyu if you want to keep that head where it is."

Danzo blinked, a rare flicker of surprise showing. He hadn’t expected the Hokage to be so resolute. “I’ll leave him be.”

“As you should.”

####

One year had passed since that incident. Since then, Mito had taught him personally. Although she kept her teachings limited to the basics. But Ikkyu knew what she was trying to do. She was teaching him Sealing Jutsu. The very thing her clan was famous for. 

In that one year, she'd taught him mostly the writing-based sealing techniques. Storage seal arrays, sealing tag barriers, fire sealing method, and such. He learned them easily by making a copy of the scroll and eating it. 

He begged her to let him enter the library in Senju Residence and check out the other scrolls. But Mito refused each time. Finally, after annoying her too much, she agreed to let him enter if he became a chunin. 

It was a trick. Mito didn't have much long left to live. A year or two at best. How she was still alive after transferring the beast was shocking in itself. 

So, as soon as he turned four, he entered Konoha Academy. He got to see the people he expected, Obito, Rin, and Kakashi. But none of them approached him, most too overwhelmed by the title of Daimyo's son. He didn't care since he had no plans of staying. 

As soon as he received the curriculum for the academy, he studied it, made a scroll of what was needed, and ate it. Instantly, he received all the needed theoretical knowledge. 

After that, he threatened Hokage with 'I'm bored. There's nothing to learn in the academy. Maybe I should go home.' 

Just as expected, a week after the academy started, a special test was conducted by the Hokage himself. In fact, Hiruzen was very much in favor of passing him, being one of the three people to know Ikkyu could control all chakra natures. 

So, right in front of the entire academy, his test was conducted to ensure no rumors would arise. Ikkyu was asked to perform Clone Jutsu, and he did it. He performed the other two as well. Finally came the bell test. Usually, a jonin conducted it, but in his case, it was the Hokage. 

While the Hokage could make it so that Ikkyu would never pass. But he allowed it to happen, ensuring the difficulty was high, but not impossible.

Eventually, using some deceptions and Earth elemental jutsu to trap Hiruzen, Ikkyu snatched the bells. 

With that, just at the age of four, Ikkyu became a genin. Not that he was satisfied. He immediately asked Hiruzen to give him more scrolls of chunin-level techniques. He had limited time with Mito's health deteriorating. 

He trained hard for the next few months, and soon enough, his fifth birthday arrived. His fame had reached all corners of Konoha by then. On the street, walking, passing by someone, everyone greeted him with a respectful bow, and called him Lord. 

It was rather thrilling to see that even the Uchihas showed respect towards him. Even if their bows and greetings lacked much respect.

His hair grew out decent length, a dark shade of grey. For clothes, he always wore comfortable black kimono-style robes with golden dragon embroidery, with similar color trousers and combat boots. Mesh undersleeves, loose light grey obi tied around his waist, he was hard to ignore in public. No other genin walked around dressed like that, without the Konoha headband. 

In fact, Hiruzen had asked him to wear one. But Ikkyu had refused, saying that he belonged to the Land of Fire, not just Konoha. Those kinds of words from a five-year-old always shut people up. 

In comparison, his friendship with Kushina grew by leaps and bounds. Though he always warned himself to keep all the slowly awakening thoughts under control. Sure, he often hugged Kushina and his hands… rested lower than they should, but he always corrected them. 

And before he knew it, his threateningly demanded private Chunin Exam was upon him. His brain repository of ninjutsus and throwing techniques had increased. He'd eaten literary books, as many as he could find that focused on theory. He wanted to leave no stone unturned to pass the Chunin Exam. 

The first exam was written. He was given ten questions, and just as expected, they were extremely tough. But just as he'd eaten, he spilled. In ten minutes, he wrote down all the answers and gave the paper back to Hiruzen, who was acting as the assessor.

"..."

Hiruzen checked the paper right away with two more overseers. All the answers were correct, as if copied and pasted from the book. But they were sure Ikkyu hadn't cheated. It was shocking because the very point of that paper was to see if Ikkyu would admit defeat and know when it was best to retreat. If he'd given up, he'd have passed. 

But instead, he passed by writing down the correct answers. 

Fuckers. Trying to fail me? 

Ikkyu was well aware of what they were trying to do. How the fuck was a genin supposed to know which village possessed the eight-tailed beast? That information wasn't even in the books. Sadly, he didn't realize that the very point of the test was for him to fail it.

"You will now begin the practical exam," Hiruzen said calmly. "You’ll face an opponent much stronger than you. Winning isn’t the goal; surviving is. Last fifteen minutes, and you pass."

Isn't he making it too easy for me? I think I can last against a jonin.

"Understood, Lord Hokage. But who will I be fighting?" Ikkyu asked. 

For no reason, Hiruzen smirked. That raised alarm bells in Ikkyu's head. 

"Since Jiraiya has just returned, he'll conduct the test."

"..."

This is… fucking unfair! He's far above a jonin!

Clop! Clop!

And right then, the classroom's door slid open. Poking his nose, a white haired man lazily entered, dressed in a pale green kimono top, trousers, red spotted jacket, and a big scroll on his back.

One look and Ikkyu could feel it. It was all Hiruzen’s plan. It had to be. Jiraiya wasn't there just to test him. No, he was there to humiliate him. Show him how his overconfident speed of learning was nothing but shit. To humble him.

"Yo, kid. Look at you. Didn't stay a runt forever, huh?"

Fuck… He won't go easy, will he? 

Tap!

Jiraiya flicked his finger, and his booger knocked on Ikkyu's forehead. 

Yup, he won't.