"Damn it! Damn the Hidden Mist Village, damn the Mizukage!"
After returning to the Root base, Danzo erupted in fury, smashing everything within reach.
"Lord Danzo, please don't be angry. We still have a chance!"
One of the Root operatives cautiously stepped forward to speak.
Danzo's single exposed eye narrowed, cold killing intent flaring.
A sudden whoosh—a blade of wind split the Root Ninja in half. Blood splattered across the floor. The others remained silent, unfazed; such scenes were far too common under Danzo's command.
The boy had only recently joined Root. Clearly, he hadn't heeded the warnings of his seniors.
Lord Danzo is terrifying. Nothing about him should surprise us anymore.
"Drag him out. Dispose of the body."
Danzo's voice was like a venomous whisper.
"Yes, sir."
Another Root ninja silently stepped forward and removed the corpse.
"Damn the Hidden Mist… how dare they slight me. When I become Hokage, I'll make them pay in full!"
Danzo's curses echoed through the chamber. Almost unconsciously, his hand rose to his bandaged right eye.
...
Hokage's Office
A cloud of smoke lingered in the room as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, exhaled from his pipe. He hadn't expected even Danzo to fail.
"It seems the Hidden Mist really is the power behind the Seven Colors Trading Company. Most likely, their clans have united, creating this vast enterprise to revive their strength."
His voice was low and hoarse. Smoke curled in the air, drawing faint frowns from Danzo and the two advisors present. Still, the pressing issue remained the Mist.
"Danzo, let this matter rest for now. We cannot afford to start a war."
Hiruzen's tone carried weight. He knew well—if Danzo's schemes pushed too far, they could ignite the wrath of the Hidden Mist, dragging the world into conflict once more.
Yes, the Seven Colors' economic growth was enviable. But the Land of Fire was already rich and abundant. A war would bring far more loss than gain.
"You needn't concern yourself, Sarutobi. I'll remember this."
The cold edge in Danzo's voice made Hiruzen's heart sink. He knew Danzo would not let it go so easily.
"Danzo, enough. Root requires restructuring. Do you understand? We cannot provoke war. If conflict breaks out, the other Hidden Villages will exploit our weakness."
Hiruzen's gaze hardened. With the Uchiha clan gone, Konoha's military strength had taken a heavy blow.
"Hmph. Sarutobi… you're old. You'll regret this."
Danzo turned sharply, storming out.
The room fell into uneasy silence.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. Lately, Danzo's defiance had grown bolder—less and less respectful to the Hokage's authority.
In Hiruzen's judgment, Danzo's actions were reckless, threatening the fragile peace they had managed to preserve. Yet what Hiruzen himself failed to see was that with age, his own will as the "Professor" and "Ninja Hero" had softened.
The advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, remained quiet, sharing only a look before leaving the office.
Hiruzen alone stayed behind. Slowly, he returned to reviewing documents. His irritation faded, replaced by a strange calm… even a hint of satisfaction.
Two hours later, he finally leaned back, setting aside his pen. Something occurred to him. He reached for his crystal ball. Chakra swirled, and soon, an image came into focus—
Naruto Uzumaki.
The boy was in the middle of training.
Naruto suddenly stiffened. This feeling…? Someone's watching me?
"The Telescope Jutsu…" he muttered under his breath.
At once, he used the mental link of the "Chakra Dialogue Room" to warn Sasuke and Neji, who were sparring nearby.
Receiving Naruto's signal, both immediately suppressed their power, scaling back to the level of ordinary Genin. Their movements looked slightly stronger than average, but nothing too suspicious.
Meanwhile, Naruto sat cross-legged, immersed in thought, conceptualizing a new technique.
He had already given it a name—Wind Riding Technique.
Using the Mist's "Moonwalk"-like method for flight was cumbersome. Instead, he wanted to refine a ninjutsu that harnessed wind chakra itself to carry him through the air.
In his mind, a familiar notification echoed:
Wind Riding Technique proficiency +6…
Wind Riding Technique proficiency +7…
The voice confirmed it. His idea was working.
This progress was only possible thanks to the vast body of ninjutsu knowledge he had absorbed, much of it drawn from Danzo's Root archives. Naruto's grasp of ninjutsu theory had already reached an extraordinary level.
Originally, Naruto had dreamed of directly developing a technique that would let him soar freely through the skies.
But the painfully slow progress in his mind forced him to reconsider. Instead of forcing a full-flight technique, he shifted toward something more achievable—the Wind Riding Technique.
The name sounded simple, but in essence, as long as there was air, Naruto could ride it to fly. Even in a vacuum, he could still manipulate chakra to create propulsion, mimicking the effect of flight.
He wanted to test the technique immediately, but the "old dog" Third Hokage was still monitoring him. That made Naruto grit his teeth in frustration.
If I can't test it outside, I'll just keep constructing it in my head… but it's so much slower.
The Heaven Rewards Diligence ability was powerful, but not omnipotent. It was a guide, a catalyst—but the effort still had to come from him. Only his persistence could turn impossible dreams into reality.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's Office, the Third Hokage quietly observed through the crystal ball, his gaze falling on Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji.
So Neji has joined them as well…?
Hiruzen thought. Perhaps it's the natural bond between geniuses.
Watching the three train so earnestly, the Hokage's old heart softened. These young shinobi were Konoha's future, its hope.
It struck him that he hadn't visited Naruto in some time. After the Uchiha clan's downfall, the village had been stretched thin, and he had reassigned Uzuki Yugao away from Naruto's side. Without her reports, Naruto's growth had slipped past his notice.
Yet from the bits he had seen and heard… Uzumaki Naruto was truly a genius. Worthy of being Minato's son.
At the thought of Minato, a pang of guilt stirred in him. Looking back on Naruto's childhood, Hiruzen couldn't help but wonder if he had failed the boy—giving him too little attention, and sometimes, not even ensuring his financial needs were met.
Whether it was because he truly couldn't spare more, or because he wanted Naruto dependent on the Hokage's goodwill, even Hiruzen himself wasn't sure anymore.
Back at the training grounds, Naruto suddenly felt the watchful gaze fade away. He relaxed slightly, meditating for a while. Just as he was preparing to test his new technique, he sensed someone approaching—a chakra signature he knew very well.
The Third Hokage? What's he doing here?
When the old man finally arrived, Naruto plastered on a bright, natural smile, slipping into his perfected act.
"Grandpa Third Hokage! You know, I've run out of living expenses again. A Seven Colors Department Store just opened, and… well, I don't have enough money."
His eyes shone with genuine expectation.
The Third Hokage: "…"
He had almost forgotten about this part of Naruto. The boy was brilliant, hardworking, brave… but always had a knack for money.
Suppressing a sigh, Hiruzen forced a smile and pulled out his wallet, handing it over.
Naruto's grin widened as he peeked inside. Several thousand ryō. Enough to keep him satisfied for a while.
"Thanks, Grandpa Hokage!" Naruto said cheerfully, pocketing the cash.
The Third Hokage, however, felt as if a kunai had pierced straight through his heart. That had been his personal stash—most of his savings were already tied up with family obligations.
Thankfully, he still had a few secret hiding spots.
...
TN:
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