Most of the funds in Shiraishi's hands had been advanced by the Kitajima family.
Soon after, the reward sent by the Wind Daimyō arrived—and it exceeded Shiraishi's expectations by nearly twenty percent. Evidently, the Wind Daimyō's coffers were far deeper than rumored.
Beyond the Daimyō, once the Kitajima family obtained Shiraishi's authorization, they began distributing the Three Great Human Body Secret Techniques throughout every social stratum of the Land of Wind. Through layered intermediaries, the techniques gradually leaked beyond the nation's borders.
The rumor that Black Mist Shiraishi had personally developed these techniques for one of the Three Sannin—Tsunade spread rapidly across the shinobi world.
Even high-ranking figures in Konoha took notice.
"This technique… is an extremely high-value medical ninjutsu."
Within Konoha, Orochimaru—temporarily returned to submit his report on the Battle of Kikyo Pass—sat inside a research laboratory, carefully studying the scroll in his hands.
He quickly concluded.
At the same time, he felt genuine admiration for the creator of the technique—Black Mist Shiraishi—who had approached medical ninjutsu from such an unorthodox yet ingenious angle.
The milk produced by this technique was extraordinarily valuable.
It did not merely heal injuries—it prolonged life, enhanced stamina, and improved overall physical conditioning.
The Third Hokage had taken a particular liking to the milk produced by these techniques. According to rumors, his spirit and vitality had improved noticeably in a short time.
"I agree with Orochimaru."
Jiraiya appeared at some point, wearing a knowing grin.
Orochimaru's expression darkened instantly.
"When did I ever need your agreement, you idiot?"
After hurling the insult, Orochimaru drifted away without another word, leaving behind a grinning Jiraiya.
Moments later, even that grin faded—replaced by quiet resignation.
In any case, Black Mist Shiraishi's name had now truly shaken the shinobi world.
"Have you lost your mind?!"
Within the Oasis Ring District, Ebizō was furious.
"You actually dared to develop such a shameless technique?! Do you realize the entire world now knows that Sunagakure's genius youth is responsible for this kind of human-body secret art? Have you thought about your future at all?!"
Once tied to such techniques, Shiraishi's political career should have been utterly destroyed.
Creating vulgar techniques to curry favor with the Daimyō and nobles—how could the upper echelons of Sunagakure possibly view him positively?
"The news that the Fourth Kazekage deliberately restricted funding to the ninja academy—forcing me to develop these techniques—has already spread everywhere."
Shiraishi was calm.
"Reputation," he continued evenly, "is nothing more than something shaped by those who wish to manipulate it."
Ebizō fell silent for a moment before sighing heavily.
"You brat… sometimes you're far too reckless. Many things require patience. Without endurance, how can you become a truly qualified shinobi?"
The Elder Council was indeed embarrassed.
But for now, they managed to suppress the worst of the backlash.
As soon as the secret technique incident erupted, Ebizō's faction swiftly released information accusing the Fourth Kazekage of financially strangling the public ninja academy, forcing Shiraishi to resort to such methods to save it.
The narrative shifted overnight.
What had been a scandal turned into a story of sacrifice.
Among Sunagakure's civilian population, Shiraishi's reputation soared—he was seen as noble, principled, and selfless.
At just sixteen years old, Special Jōnin Shiraishi was now dangerously brilliant.
Creator of the Black Mist Technique.
Founder of the Mental Force Art.
Champion of public education.
With the Elder Council's backing, some had even begun whispering that he possessed the bearing of a future Fifth Kazekage.
This was precisely what triggered Rasa's sense of crisis.
As a result, the Fourth Kazekage became increasingly hostile toward the Elder Council, drawing ever closer to the great clans instead.
Under the Elder Council's orchestration—and with the Kitajima family's tacit cooperation—the true cause behind the human-body techniques spread to other villages.
The verdict from outside Sunagakure was damning.
To suppress rivals, the Kazekage had been willing to let a public ninja academy rot—pouring everything into an elite institution instead.
Such behavior did not befit a true Kage.
Rasa's image transformed.
From leader to self-serving politician, obsessed with authority and the elimination of dissent.
Rasa, who had once waited to see Shiraishi mocked, was now grinding his teeth in fury.
He never imagined such fallout would rebound onto him.
At the next high-level meeting, Ebizō directly pressed him over teacher salaries and school funding, leaving the Kazekage in an exceptionally passive position.
Inside the ninja academy—
After two weeks of training, the improvement among the genin candidates was unmistakable.
Hoshino Mai's trio, in particular, stood far above the rest.
Shiraishi had already assigned them as a fixed squad, focusing on coordination and teamwork.
They were not the only ones.
Other students with strong compatibility were also paired into teams.
Waiting until the eve of the Chūnin Exams to form squads would have been disastrous. Team synergy required time.
Because Hoshino Mai's group far surpassed the others, Shiraishi personally taught them a commonly used Wind Release technique—
Wind Style: Whirlwind Blade.
Strictly speaking, Shiraishi's version was a Multi-Whirlwind Blade, capable of generating numerous wind blades simultaneously.
What they learned was a simplified form, condensing only a single blade.
The chakra consumption was far lower.
A D-rank Wind Release technique.
The massive bull-headed moon glaive came down in a sweeping arc, transforming midair into a terrifying spiral wind blade that surged toward Nagase Bizen and Morimoto Ryōji below.
The black sword and long blade were drawn simultaneously.
Two similar whirlwinds erupted.
The three forces collided violently.
Hoshino Mai, gripping the moon glaive, pressed down with overwhelming force, her weapon crushing theirs as a suffocating pressure bore down on the two boys, their feet sinking slightly into the ground.
Though a civilian, Hoshino Mai's strength far exceeded that of her peers.
The reason lay in her childhood.
Years ago, she had saved a special yak—a rare summoning beast native to the Land of Wind, one possessing remarkable intelligence.
To repay her kindness, the yak gifted her a pair of horns.
Those horns carried a unique form of natural energy.
Once reforged into the bull-headed moon glaive, they granted Hoshino Mai immense strength and explosive power—far surpassing her male teammates.
Yet brute force was not everything.
Compared to Mai's raw might, Morimoto Ryōji was the more balanced fighter.
Genjutsu, taijutsu, ninjutsu—his development was stable across all fronts, with excellent chakra control.
The black sword in his hands had belonged to his father, a constant reminder of past teachings.
As for Nagase Bizen, his speed was exceptional.
His blade could scatter countless sword blossoms in mere moments.
Faced with Mai's overwhelming suppression, Nagase and Morimoto shifted tactics simultaneously.
They retreated.
Morimoto's eyes flared as mental force activated—subtle genjutsu interference surged toward Mai.
At the same time, Nagase's body dissolved into ghostly afterimages, flickering across multiple angles.
Watching the three clash, adapt, and synchronize—
This was what Shiraishi valued most.
The upcoming Joint Chūnin Exams would hinge on these three.
At the same time—
Inside a casino in Konoha.
A woman's furious roar exploded outward.
The next instant, overwhelming monstrous strength obliterated the entire interior.
"I'LL KILL HIM!"
If you want to read more, join my Patreon/kazama677
I will drop 1 bonus chapter for every 50 Power Stones