Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 305 The Essence of Sealing Techniques

On the snow-white Xuan paper, a warm, moist ink stain slowly spreads.

It wasn't a sharp, forceful stroke, nor was it a neat, orderly line.

The first stroke that Nagato made was a small, clumsy circle.

He was very nervous, his small hands gripping the pen handle tightly, his knuckles working hard. The ink flowed down the bristles of the pen, leaving a slightly plump dot on the paper.

Mito Uzumaki didn't urge them; she simply stood quietly to the side. Her very presence carried a reassuring power.

Nagato looked up at Mito-sensei, then looked down again, carefully adding new strokes around the small circle.

One stroke, two strokes, three strokes...

He drew slowly and intently, as if the whole world consisted only of the paper in front of him and the pen in his hand.

It wasn't a complicated pattern, nor was it a powerful spell.

It was a simple flower, facing the sun.

A round flower head, surrounded by several equally round petals.

The childlike strokes, even somewhat crooked, convey an indescribable earnestness and warmth.

As the last stroke was made, Nagato let out a soft sigh of relief, as if he had accomplished something of paramount importance.

"It's... a sunflower."

Mito's voice was soft, with a hint of understanding.

Nagato nodded and added quietly, "That day... an old woman gave it to Kushina."

"Um."

Mito responded, "A very heartwarming painting."

She reached out, but instead of taking the painting, she gently placed her hand on Nagato's small hand that was holding the pen.

A gentle flow of chakra slowly trickled into Nagato's body through her palm.

Nagato shuddered. He could feel that this chakra was so similar to his own—warm, peaceful, and full of life.

"The essence of sealing techniques is not merely to imprison, but to protect."

Mito took his hand and guided the pen tip, drawing the first and most basic sealing rune on the blank space of the white paper with sunflowers drawn on it.

A simple spiral.

"Look, just like your sunflower, all its petals are arranged around a center."

"The same applies to sealing techniques; they concentrate power instead of letting it disperse. Dispersed power causes destruction, while concentrated power can establish order."

She moved slowly, explaining as she drew.

"This spiral represents circulation and endless life. It can guide chakra, keeping it running in a fixed orbit, like a river flowing in its channel instead of overflowing."

Nagato stared blankly.

Under Mito's guidance, he felt the chakra within his body begin to flow gently in an unprecedented way, following the movement of the pen tip.

They are no longer scattered throughout the body, but rather converge into a small stream, flowing over the arm and into the penholder.

The ink stains on the paper seemed to have gained a subtle, almost imperceptible sheen as a result.

"Remember this feeling."

Mito loosened her grip.

"Now, try to draw the same pattern using your own strength."

Nagato looked at the perfect spiral beside her, then at the pen in her hand.

Take a deep breath, and just like before, close your eyes and try to feel the warm stream flowing through your body.

Then, he solemnly put down his pen.

……

Outside the classroom, under the shade of trees on the training field.

"Ugh—it's so slow!"

Yahiko, holding the back of his head, paced restlessly under the tree, occasionally standing on tiptoe to look towards the teaching building.

"What kind of special training is Mito-sensei giving Nagato? It's been so long."

He muttered somewhat resentfully.

"Is he being taught some super-powerful ninjutsu? Hmm, I want to learn too!"

Xiao Nan sat quietly on a rock to the side, a light blue piece of paper on her lap.

Her fingers flew deftly, and soon another small paper crane took shape in her hands.

"Don't rush."

She gently placed the paper crane in her palm, tilted her head, and looked in the direction of the teaching building.

"Perhaps... what Mito-sensei taught him is just what's best for him."

"Suitable for him?"

Yahiko leaned closer, looking curious. "What kind of thing is suitable to learn quietly? Is it illusion magic? Or some kind of silent killing technique?"

His imagination began to run wild.

"I know! It must be that super cool assassination technique where you sneak up behind enemy lines and then, 'poof!' take out the enemy general!"

Xiao Nan was amused by his appearance and gently shook her head.

"I think it might be something very gentle."

"Something gentle?"

Yahiko pouted. "Can something gentle protect everyone? Jiraiya-sensei said that to protect peace, one must possess great power!"

As he spoke, he clenched his fist forcefully, making a powerful sound.

"I'm going to learn the strongest Fire Release technique someday and burn all the bad guys to ashes!"

Xiao Nan didn't refute him, but just looked down at the paper crane in her palm.

"But... Mito-sensei also said that the purpose of building up Konoha's strength is so that everyone won't have to fight anymore."

Her voice was very soft.

"Perhaps there are other ways to protect us?"

Yahiko paused for a moment, then scratched his orange hair.

"Hmm...that seems to make sense."

He recalled the stories that Mito-sensei had told him in class, about how the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha put aside their hatred and joined hands to build the village.

That kind of power is indeed not simply destructive.

"Forget it, forget it, I don't want to think about it anymore!"

Yahiko quickly put his worries aside, "We can just ask Nagato directly when he comes out!"

As he spoke, he ran to the edge of the training field and began practicing throwing kunai at a wooden stake.

The sunlight stretched his shadow long.

Xiao Nan watched his energetic back, then looked at the quiet teaching building in the distance, and gently blew on the paper crane in her hand.

The paper crane flapped its wings, circled and flew into the sky, heading towards the window that had been dyed gold.