This wasn't the kind of thing a proper Konoha shinobi should be saying. Hell, it wasn't the kind of thing any ninja should be saying.
Tsunade and Hatake Sakumo (Konoha's White Fang) just stared at Uchiha Jinzō. Meanwhile, Akimichi Chōza tugged nervously at Jinzō's sleeve, like he wanted to whisper, "Are you crazy?!"
The three of them couldn't handle the atmosphere. Since when did Jinzō have the guts to throw demands at Konoha's powerhouses? These were legends, and yet… here he was, grinning at them like he owned the place.
Jinzō didn't flinch. As his strength grew, so did his options. And now? He could afford to voice his desires.
"Alright then," Tsunade finally said, arms crossed, glaring down at him. "What do you want?"
"I want access to the Sealed Book."
The words stunned the camp. Tsunade and White Fang exchanged a look. That was it? Not power, not command, not forbidden techniques to conquer the world? Just the Sealed Book?
True, the book was heavily restricted. Outsiders? Forget it. Most shinobi? Denied. But there were exceptions. Tsunade and White Fang, for instance, could look at it whenever they wanted—though neither bothered much. The jutsu inside were either absurdly dangerous or came with crippling drawbacks.
Still…
"Wait a second," Tsunade frowned, "you invented that whole internal strength method, didn't you?"
"Yep." Jinzō nodded. "That's my ticket in."
"Then you should already have the right to view the Sealed Book," Tsunade snapped. "Why the hell are you acting like you've gotta threaten us for it?"
Jinzō blinked, jaw dropping. "...Threaten? Lady, I didn't even get a single coin for my contribution, let alone permission to look at the Sealed Book!"
"What?!" Tsunade's face darkened. That was impossible. Normally, any shinobi who developed a technique valuable enough to be recorded in the Sealed Book earned the privilege of studying it. Civilian shinobi usually had to fight tooth and nail for approval, sure, but an Uchiha? That should've been automatic.
White Fang pieced it together before anyone else: this was deliberate suppression. A quiet, insidious way to keep Uchiha genius under wraps.
Tsunade's expression grew grim. Yes, her granduncle, Tobirama Senju, had never liked the Uchiha—but even he hadn't restricted them like this.
"Fine," Tsunade said firmly, "if you can solve the mess in front of us, I'll personally apply for you. And if none of our people die here, I'll guarantee you see the Sealed Book—even if the village elders pitch a fit."
Jinzō didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned to White Fang.
Sakumo met his gaze and nodded. "I'll back your request too."
Jinzō's grin widened.
"So, brat," Tsunade said, "how exactly are you planning to pull this off?"
"Not me," Jinzō shook his head, smirking.
"You little—!" Tsunade cracked her knuckles, ready to introduce his face to her fists. Unless he had a good explanation, he was about to get flattened.
"I've developed a jutsu specifically for detoxifying poisons," Jinzō explained quickly. "It doesn't cure poison directly, but with the right medical skill, it makes detoxification possible."
"Oh?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "You mean… you'll teach me this jutsu?"
Jinzō nodded. "Exactly. Whether we can save them or not depends on how fast you can master it, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade's lips curled into a sharp grin. "Then let's get started."
Jinzō raised his hand. "The technique is called Thousand Spiders, Ten Thousand Poison Hands. It absorbs toxins into the hand, condenses them into a poisonous palm, and the more venom you draw in, the more devastating the attack."
He began teaching the steps, breaking it down piece by piece. The concept was bizarre—even Sakumo furrowed his brow in confusion. But Tsunade? Her sharp mind was already putting the puzzle together.
Absorbing poison, sealing it in the palm, converting chakra into a water attribute to neutralize and contain the venom… It was advanced, complex, borderline A-rank. And yet—if you had medical expertise like hers, it was doable.
Still, one detail stood out to her: this jutsu wasn't generic. It was tailor-made for her.
She shot Jinzō a long, appraising look. Could it be… that this Uchiha brat rivaled even her granduncle Tobirama in creating ninjutsu? Was she actually thinking Second Grandpa might lose in this comparison?
Before she could dwell on it, Jinzō leaned closer with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, and Tsunade-sama… after the war's over, how about you and I go on a date?"
The silence was deafening.
Hatake Sakumo: "…"Nara Shikaku: "…This lunatic."
Tsunade's smile widened dangerously. "Figures. All Jiraiya's students turn out the same."
"W-wait! Let's talk about this—don't clench your fists—!!"
BOOM.
Jinzō's body went flying through a tent, collapsing the whole thing on top of him.
"You had that coming," Shikaku muttered.
Meanwhile, Tsunade turned back, already forming the seals of Jinzō's jutsu. To her surprise, it worked—the first toxic patient groaned as green chakra light flared. The poison condensed painfully into her palm, but it stabilized, allowing her to seal it away.
"...Thousand Spiders, Ten Thousand Poison Hands!" Tsunade announced, moving on to the next patient. The technique was grueling, but it was real. And thanks to Jinzō—reckless, infuriating Jinzō—lives would be saved.