Naruto: I, Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan Princess

Chapter 71 Wind and Water

Konoha Hospital.

Morning light streamed in through the frosted window, condensing into a hazy gray-blue hue amidst the smell of disinfectant.

Kazama lay flat on the hospital bed, his dark green eyes staring at the familiar ceiling, like stagnant water covered with moss.

He had spent a long time in the hospital.

It seems to be this ward as well.

He was carried back from the battlefield of Yunyin. All four limbs were broken, like a puppet that had been dismantled by a naughty child, too broken to be put back together.

Kyoko, Rinyama, teacher...

As time went by, the familiar figure of the past became blurred, and even his appearance became hard to discern. In the end, all that remained for him was a pile of charred, blackened flesh in his midnight dreams.

"Kazama Kotsu, don't think you can skip training just because you have some talent! Your Wind Release technique is far from perfect."

"What does it matter? Anyway, Rinzan will never beat me in his entire life."

"Arrogance will lead you astray."

The teacher's scolding voice still lingered in his ears, and at the time he only felt annoyed.

Until they encountered the elite of Kumogakure on the battlefield, the offensive opportunities created by their teammates were left to the only one in the squad who could counter Lightning Release: Wind Release.

But he.

Kazama closed his eyes in agony, and the scene from that day appeared before him once again.

The slow hand seals, the feeble power—his prized wind—failed to even penetrate the enemy's skin, much to the hope of his teammates.

The despair in the eyes of his teachers and friends is a nightmare he can never forget.

dong dong...

Footsteps and nurses' voices suddenly came from the corridor outside the ward.

"Kazama Koshi... this is it."

"grateful."

Click!

The door opens.

A silver-haired blind woman entered the room carrying a beautifully packaged bouquet of lilies.

Why is she here?

Today isn't a day off either, is it?
Kazama watched as Hairi closed the door and placed the lilies on the bedside table, his mind filled with doubt.

"How did you come?"

"Visiting the teacher."

"to be honest."

"I want to learn Wind Release: Nature Transformation."

Kazama looked at the composed Gray Glass and could hardly believe his ears.

This guy pretended to be a newbie and kicked me so hard I ended up in the hospital, and now he's come back saying he wants to learn ninjutsu from me.

Do I look that magnanimous?

"Don't teach!"

"Your Water Release technique is still very immature. Don't try to learn too much at once. Go back and practice your Water Release properly!"

A straightforward refusal leaves no room for negotiation.

But Hui Li smiled.

Extend your own feelings to others.

If she really doesn't want to talk to someone, she can just say the first two words.

What appears to be sarcastic remarks are actually more of a reminder.

Kazama Koshi is a good guy, much better than Kakashi.

"What's wrong with my water escape technique?"

Hui Li asked the question sincerely.

She truly didn't understand what was wrong with her water escape technique.

Since absorbing and fusing with the power of the Three-Tails, she has used Water Release techniques as if they were second nature. Water Release ninjutsu, which is difficult for ordinary people to control, is as easy as an extension of her arm.

There's something wrong with this water escape technique; Hui Li really can't understand it.

However, in the elite class...

The seemingly mediocre Iruka Umino truly taught her a lesson, and her inspiration for the reverse eight gates was born from this.

From then on, she dared not underestimate any ninja. Kazama Eshimi Kairi, facing his questioning, showed no resentment, but instead sincerely inquired.

I nodded secretly in my heart.

He's incredibly talented, humble, and eager to learn—far superior to how he was when he was younger. If he had studied and practiced as diligently as Hui Li back then, they would probably still be alive today…

Forget the past.

Kazama Etsu's eyes darkened, his emotions churning, and he spoke as if reminiscing or imitating:

"The nature transformation and form transformation of chakra complement each other. You can never become a strong person by relying on only one leg. Your water release nature transformation is passable, but your form transformation is far from good."

Hui Li gently raised her hand.

Transparent water swirled above the palm, condensing into a long sword made of water.

"so?"

"Ah!"

Kazama Etsu let out a mocking laugh.

"To try to imitate a solid sword with flowing water is such a foolish attempt at transformation."

Hui Li was not annoyed, and simply waited for Kazama Etsu's insightful remarks.

Having finally found a teacher willing to teach her, Hui Li cherishes it very much.

The textbooks at the Ninja Academy only contained a few related terms and a superficial introduction to changes in form and nature, but she was already eager to learn more.

Do you know why so many ninjutsu techniques take the form of wild beasts?

"Beast?"

Hui Li carefully recalled that among all the water-style ninjutsu, the two beast-form water-style techniques that impressed her the most were the Water Dragon Bullet Technique and Kisame Hoshigaki's Great Shark Bullet Technique.

She truly didn't understand the reason why ninjutsu could be transformed into complex beast forms without increasing its power.

"Don't you think that beast form is both troublesome and doesn't increase power, and is extremely stupid?" Kazama Yue looked at the ceiling, unsure whether he was speaking to Hai Li or to his past self.

"Beast form transformation does not increase power, but it can greatly enhance the flexibility of ninjutsu."

No matter how powerful a ninjutsu is, if it can't hit the person, it's useless.

Agile, persistent, and controllable, once the enemy is locked on, the beast-form ninjutsu almost never misses.

Wow...

The flowing water condensed into a ball in the air, then slowly stretched out, growing limbs, and transformed into a dragon shape in Gray Glass's hand.

The water dragon danced in the air, but it was extremely mechanical and lacked the sense of agility that Kazama Koshi had described.

"Form transformation is not just about resembling the appearance; the inner form must also be that of a beast. It requires using the simulation ability of chakra to conjure a real dragon. Only then can it be considered a true form transformation."

Kazama glanced at the 'water stick' with four little tufts growing out of Gray's hand, feeling that her transformation was a bit of an eyesore.

The hands struggled to form hand seals.

A gentle breeze stirred in the ward, and then a transparent wind serpent appeared in the space.

The snake's head, body, and tail are all meticulously crafted to resemble a real snake, with even the scales on its head being extremely distinct.

blah blah...

The wind snake flicks its tongue, making a unique sound.

For a moment, Hui Li couldn't tell whether it was the sound of a snake or the sound of the wind.

hum!
Aiming at Gray Glass, the Wind Serpent shrank back, its body taut like a spring.

Whoosh!
It was launched instantly.

So fast!

A gray glint flashed in Hui Li's eyes, and the wind serpent had already bared its fangs and closed in on him.

Wind Release is extremely fast, and snakes are equally fast in attack. The combination of the two is so fast that even Gray's Byakugan can't keep up.

As the wind serpent opened its mouth to bite her throat, Hui Li instinctively reached out to stop it.

hiss!
The wind serpent suddenly turned, coiled around Gray Glass's palm, circled once, and then flew back to Kazama Etsu at lightning speed.

Tick ​​tock!

Blood is flowing.

Fair-skinned hands.

Suddenly, a bright red line of blood split open, connecting the thumb and little finger, leaving a vivid wound resembling an accordion.

"Wind Release - Wind Serpent's Wandering".

Kazama Etsu made a hand seal and said calmly.

(End of this chapter)