CH_104

The old clan head patted Tōji's hand. "So—now that you've reached chūnin level, it's time to see if you have that luck."

"Now… I can try learning it?" Tōji's gaze was already locked onto those three scrolls, unable to look away.

"Start with the method for refining Wood Release chakra. But don't get your hopes up too high. In all these long years, the Kazamatsuri clan has only produced one." The old clan head was preparing Tōji in advance. He himself had been incredibly eager before trying it back then too…

Tōji held the scroll containing the method for refining Wood Release chakra in his hands, opening it carefully and slowly…

There weren't many words on the scroll, but they were enough to explain how Water Release chakra and Earth Release chakra should each circulate through the body's chakra pathways, how to maintain them in both hands, and finally how to mix the two chakras to generate Wood Release chakra…

Tōji looked at the old clan head with questioning eyes.

The old clan head said, "Give it a try!"

Without another word, Tōji followed the scroll's instructions exactly…

Gradually, the two types of chakra in his hands began to draw closer to each other…

『It has to fuse! Please!』 Tōji prayed in his heart! If thoughts had volume, this one would have been deafening!

But after dozens of seconds, the two chakras showed no sign of merging.

Seeing the sweat on Tōji's forehead, the old clan head said, "It's alright, Tōji. It's okay."

Tōji still wouldn't stop.

"…" The old clan head reached out and placed a hand on Tōji's arm. "That's enough… we all went through this. Leave it for the next one to try."

"I…" Tōji was unwilling to accept this! If he could master Wood Release, he could make his mark on the world!

If you had the ability, who would want to be a coward? Who wouldn't want to wear courage on their chest and charge forward?

If you could be a scientist or an inventor, who would want to be a cleaner, a construction worker, a delivery driver, or a food courier…

『Sigh—my luck is terrible!』 Tōji didn't say it out loud, but it was written all over his face.

"Don't be like that, little Tōji." The old clan head pulled out two more scrolls from the box. "There are other jutsu that can improve your strength."

Tōji took them, still dejected. He opened them and saw—one Earth Release C-rank jutsu, one Water Release C-rank jutsu. Nothing special.

But that was the Kazamatsuri clan's entire stockpile…

"Thank you, Clan Head…" Tōji lacked motivation.

Those C-rank jutsu would still be helpful to him at this stage—but compared to the Wood Release he'd just missed out on, they held no appeal at all.

『I'm totally crushed…』 Tōji knew he shouldn't feel this way, but the heart was hard to control. 『The slacker life goes on…』

Tōji forced a smile and said goodbye to the old clan head. "If there's nothing else, Clan Head, I'll head back now. I need to prepare dinner—my parents will be home soon."

"Go on, then." The old clan head shook his head, forming seals to dispel the barrier.

"Don't worry about me, Clan Head." Tōji called back as he left the study.

"I wasn't worried about you." The old clan head muttered to himself. He'd seen since Tōji was a child that this kid had a different temperament from the others—he never really worried about such an unusual child.

『The First's Wood Release conquered the world—Yamato's just uses it for landscaping. Having Wood Release alone isn't that great.』 Tōji consoled himself.

『I don't have a powerful Sage Body anyway.』

『I'll develop my own signature jutsu!』 As he prepared to cook, Tōji thought of Kamizuki Izumo's research into the "Mizuame" technique.

『And I still need to secure a chance to learn the 【Flying Thunder God Technique】!』 Before long, his rationality forced him to pull himself together again. 『I missed out on Wood Release—I can't afford to miss this next chance!』

道吉带着他们，神情依旧沮丧。他打开它们，看到的是一招地系C级术和一招水系C级术，没什么特别之处。