The technique was the A-rank Medical Ninjutsu, [Mystical Palm Jutsu]! It was arguably the most widely applicable medical technique, yet those who truly mastered it were few and far between.
[Mystical Palm Jutsu] allows one to heal a patient's wounds using the power of chakra. The principle involves emitting chakra from the palms to accelerate the natural healing ability of the wound or affected area.
The difficulty lies in the fact that the amount of chakra output must be adjusted based on the severity of the ailment; this is an immense test of the practitioner's insight and experience.
Consequently, very few medical ninjas are proficient in its use. Furthermore, excessive chakra output can disrupt the patient's internal circulatory system, knocking them unconscious. However, [Mystical Palm Jutsu] is effective not only for external trauma but also for internal illnesses.
"Thank you, Nono-sensei."
Kiyoshi felt a flicker of joy in his heart. This was his first A-rank ninjutsu! Once mastered, it might even upgrade his medical ninjutsu Trait from Chunin to Jonin, providing yet another buff. It also meant Kiyoshi's medical skills were reaching a point of mastery; many ninjas in the medical field didn't even know this technique.
"It's nothing."
Nono Yakushi shook her head and handed Kiyoshi several more ninjutsu scrolls. These were B-rank, not quite as difficult as [Mystical Palm Jutsu], such as the [Delicate Illness Extraction Technique].
Afterward, Nono took Kiyoshi out for a simple meal before heading home to rest. Kiyoshi knew that the next time he saw Nono, it would likely be at the orphanage. He wasn't in a hurry; he was determined to save Nono. However, if she were to help increase his ocular power of her own volition, Kiyoshi wouldn't mind that either.
...
The following day.
"When are we going to Kushina's place?" Obito asked, resting his head on his hands.
The three-man team walked down the village streets. Minato Namikaze's Space-Time Ninjutsu was incredibly useful for relaying intel and launching ambushes on the battlefield. At this moment, he was still active on a front thousands of miles away.
"Let's go tomorrow evening," Rin Nohara said softly. Upon their return, Minato-sensei had asked them to check in on Kushina.
"Fine by me." Kakashi's expression was indifferent, his dead-fish eyes showing no ripple of emotion. "If there's nothing else, I'm heading back."
Kakashi had heard of Kiyoshi's outstanding performance on the intel escort mission and felt the pressure. He dimly remembered a time when Kiyoshi was weaker than him, yet at some point, he had begun to lose to him time and again.
Whether in swordsmanship or other areas, he seemed to have fallen behind. A ninja's priority is completing missions; if Kiyoshi practiced day in and day out without fail, how could Kakashi afford to be lazy?
Kakashi turned and leaped onto the staggered rooftops. For a ninja, these roofs were a faster, more direct path, allowing them to gain momentum without worrying about pedestrians.
"Kakashi..." Rin wanted to call him back, but he was already gone.
"Just leave him be," Obito muttered, adjusting his precious yellow goggles. He still hadn't achieved [Awakening]. However, Obito believed it wouldn't be long before he unlocked his Sharingan and saw a massive surge in strength! The only reason he appeared inferior to Kakashi and Kiyoshi was that he hadn't tapped into his true potential yet.
"...Obito, I'm heading home too," Rin said in a small voice. She felt a strange heat in her body and just wanted to take a hot bath. These symptoms had persisted for a while now, seemingly appearing after she started practicing Lightning Style with Kiyoshi. According to him, this was normal—her body was simply adapting to the nature transformation of [Lightning] chakra.
"Alright, see you tomorrow." Obito waved goodbye to his beloved goddess and walked toward his home alone.
Rin headed in a different direction. She decided to wash up first and then go look for Kiyoshi.
...
The afternoon sun was harsh, its scorching light piercing through the sparse branches in the courtyard to cast shadows on the ground. The white snake curled up in the shade under a tree for a nap, watching its master train with slitted eyes, occasionally flicking its crimson tongue with a lazy air.
"A new Trait."
Kiyoshi looked at his Trait panel. A new entry had appeared: [[Medical Jonin (Purple)]]. The requirement was to complete the mastery of two A-rank medical ninjutsu. Kiyoshi had only read through [Mystical Palm Jutsu] once, but with his deep knowledge base and chakra control skills, he already had a significant grasp of it. The overall progress bar sat at 1%.
'It seems if I learn more B-rank medical techniques or perform surgeries on patients, I should be able to gain a Blue Trait, which I can then fuse and advance into a Purple one.'
Kiyoshi was figuring out the advancement rules of the Trait panel. Practicing an A-rank medical technique had directly unlocked a Purple Trait without needing synthesis. This meant that learning high-difficulty jutsu could unlock higher-tier Traits directly. This was faster than synthesis, though the requirements were much steeper.
'Is the next step Gold?' Kiyoshi speculated.
Unfortunately, he only had one complete Purple Trait right now, and he was far from obtaining a Gold one. Every time a Trait advanced, the requirements became significantly higher. Conversely, the power of the Trait would be even more formidable. The effects of a Purple Trait were already magnificent; Kiyoshi looked forward to seeing how strong a higher-tier one would be!
"Kiyoshi, are you there?"
Samui's voice came from outside. Kiyoshi's eyes remained calm; he had expected her to come. He closed the panel and opened the door.
He was met with Samui in civilian clothes—a short skirt and a white short-sleeved top. It made her look youthful and vibrant while further accentuating her remarkably grand and impressive figure. Kiyoshi took a few extra glances before gesturing for her to enter.
Sensing Kiyoshi's gaze, Samui's cheeks flushed. She clenched her hands, suppressing the urge to cover herself, and followed him inside with her head bowed.
"Miss Samui, you look even more beautiful than when we first met."
Kiyoshi smiled as he sat at the low table. Samui followed suit, kneeling on the tatami mat with her thighs folded over her calves. The kneeling posture caused her skirt to ride up, revealing a bit of her thighs.
One could catch a glimpse of a healthy muscle line on her rounded thighs, giving off a sense of athletic vigor. Cloud ninjas had great physical talent, and the women were no exception; with a little exercise, they possessed bodies with exaggerated curves.
"After all, it's been several years since we first met."
Samui followed Kiyoshi's lead in the conversation. The Kiyoshi of today was no longer the frail boy of years ago; he had grown taller and sturdier, his brow filled with a heroic and valiant aura. He lacked the typical Uchiha arrogance, paranoia, and coldness.
As Samui secretly observed the changes in him, Kiyoshi reached out toward the kitchen. The teapot, teacups, and tea bricks all flew over to the low table. This display caused Samui's eyes to widen in shock.