Chapter 29: The Origin of the Seduction Technique
Konoha Village is vast. Though it is called a village, it is actually the second-largest city in the Land of Fire, surpassed only by the capital. This is because being a ninja is a high-risk, high-reward profession, and high-level ninjas are often wealthy. As a result, Konoha's business sector is thriving, from legitimate enterprises to more... questionable establishments.
Ninjas live on the edge, and it's common for them to indulge in vices like alcohol and more. This has led to the flourishing of certain industries, making Konoha second only to the bustling entertainment district of the Land of Fire, Short Book Street.
Near the Hyuga compound, along Tetsuya's route home, there is a mysterious street. It's quiet during the day but comes alive at night with bright lights and loud music. Tetsuya often laments the world's ways, thinking, "A world where kids become ninjas at five or six and go to battle—yet need to be adults to enter such places?"
Today, he saw someone who should never have been there.
...
"Let go of me, let go of me!" Naruto's legs kicked in the air as two burly men held him up.
"Kid, this is no place for you. Go back to your ninja games," one of the men mocked as they tossed Naruto to the ground outside the establishment.
"Damn it! I'll definitely come back!" Naruto shouted, but no one paid him any attention.
"Naruto, why are you here?" Tetsuya's voice came from behind, making Naruto jump.
"Tetsuya? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, surprised.
"I should ask you that," Tetsuya replied, looking at Naruto with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.
Naruto scratched his head. "I came here to perfect a new jutsu."
"A jutsu?" Tetsuya was even more confused. "What kind of jutsu requires coming to the red-light district?"
Naruto explained, "I've noticed that a lot of men get nosebleeds when they see women wearing little clothing. If I incorporate that into my Transformation Technique, I can definitely beat Sasuke."
The mention of Sasuke set Naruto ablaze with determination, and Tetsuya burst out laughing. So, this was how the infamous Seduction Technique came to be. No wonder Naruto's technique was so effective—it was inspired by real-life observations.
"So, you're gathering 'material,' huh?" Tetsuya said, chuckling.
"Yep, that's it! Material," Naruto nodded enthusiastically, completely unaware of the double meaning.
Since they had met, Tetsuya invited Naruto to his house for dinner. Despite making friends at school, many villagers still treated Naruto as an outcast and refused to serve him. Tetsuya often had Naruto over for meals to ensure he got proper nutrition.
...
School life continued, but things had changed. After losing to Tetsuya, Sasuke became obsessed with defeating him. Over the week, he challenged Tetsuya three times, each ending in failure. Tetsuya always ensured he won narrowly, so Sasuke wouldn't lose his fighting spirit and would keep challenging him.
Tetsuya discovered a pattern—Naruto and Sasuke, as children of destiny, provided substantial points even when their strength was low. Despite not obtaining Indra's Chakra, Tetsuya found the frequent challenges rewarding.
Saturday arrived, and Tetsuya headed to Training Ground No. 1 as instructed by the Third Hokage. After waiting impatiently for two hours, Kakashi finally appeared, engrossed in a small book.
"Well, it looks like I'm late again," Kakashi said, not even looking up.
Recognizing him, Tetsuya greeted, "Kakashi-senpai."
"You know me?" Kakashi asked, slightly surprised.
"Of course. You're Konoha's Copy Ninja, Kakashi," Tetsuya replied.
Kakashi didn't dwell on it and got straight to the point. "I was asked by Lord Third Hokage to teach you some ninjutsu. Do you have any specific needs?"
Tetsuya was a bit disappointed that it wasn't the Third Hokage himself teaching him but tried not to show it. "I prefer to learn some powerful ninjutsu that can kill with one hit. Also, Kakashi-senpai, what book are you reading? It looks interesting."
Kakashi quickly put the book away, a bit embarrassed. "It's just a little story about ninjas, nothing special."
Tetsuya smirked, recognizing the book as one of Jiraiya's works. He was curious but too young to buy it himself. "Alright, I want to learn powerful ninjutsu."
Kakashi nodded. "Okay, let's see your abilities first."
Tetsuya agreed, eager to experience a real fight with Kakashi and test his limits. As they prepared to spar, Tetsuya couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. This was a chance to prove himself and learn from one of Konoha's best.