Early in the morning, Yuichi deliberately got up and cleaned his room before heading out.
This time, Yuichi wasn't the last to arrive.
He was the first.
He waited quietly for his team to assemble. Another day's mission was about to begin.
[Daily selection enabled]
[Please choose]
Complete the Genin mission excellently → Reward: Water Style – Water Severing Wave.
(A powerful jutsu created by the Second Hokage. A water jet from the mouth forms a blade sharp enough to cut through even the roots of the Divine Tree.)
Be lazy during the mission → Reward: Wind Style – Gale Palm.
(By clapping your hands, compress the wind into a violent gust that easily blows enemies away.)
Between Wind Style and Water Style, there was no real choice.
By noon, Yuichi, Feng Taihe, and Jidou had completed their mission flawlessly.
They helped an old woman in Konoha clear weeds from her yard, and Yuichi even cleaned up the whole place afterward.
[Congratulations! Host has acquired Water Style – Water Severing Wave]
There was only one mission assigned today. It seemed the Third Hokage had given prior instructions—too many missions couldn't be completed at once, or other Genin squads would have none left.
At lunchtime, Yuichi ate with Feng Taihe and Jidou. He had refused invitations last time, so it would feel too distant to refuse again.
After lunch, however, Yuichi had another destination—
the Hokage's office.
Under the guidance of their Jōnin, Kazuya, Yuichi headed to meet the Third Hokage.
Inside the office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was still busy with paperwork. Half-finished bento boxes sat cooling on his desk.
Kazuya bowed respectfully and said softly,
"Third Hokage-sama, Yuichi has arrived."
"Ah, just give me a moment," Hiruzen replied without looking up.
Yuichi's attention, however, was on the system.
[Detection: Host has arrived at a special location – Hokage's Office]
[Please choose]
Sit in the Hokage's chair → Reward: Fire attribute Chakra + 3 random Fire Style jutsu.
Look around → Reward: Chakra capacity doubled.
Stand still → Reward: Konoha-ryū Sword Technique – Dance of the Crescent Moon.
It triggered!
The rewards weren't as good as the Valley of the End or the Hokage Rock, but they were still tempting.
Especially option one.
To sit in the Hokage's seat…
At that moment, the Third Hokage finally put down his file and looked at Yuichi.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Yuichi." He stood. "Kazuya, you may go. Yuichi, come with me."
Kazuya bowed and left, but not before giving Yuichi one last glance.
(So the Third Hokage is really taking him as a personal apprentice… with three Chakra attributes, no less.)
Once Kazuya was gone, the Hokage turned toward another door, preparing to leave. But Yuichi didn't move.
"What is it, Yuichi?" the Hokage asked, glancing back.
"Third Hokage-sama… may I sit in that chair?" Yuichi asked carefully, pointing at the Hokage's seat.
Hiruzen followed his gaze, then suddenly laughed.
"Hahaha! So you want to try it out? Of course, go ahead."
Yuichi hurried forward and sat in the Hokage's chair.
It felt… surprisingly ordinary.
But then—
[Congratulations! Host has acquired Fire attribute Chakra]
[Fire Style – Fire Dragon Flame Bullet]
[Fire Style – Great Fire Dragon Flame Bullet]
[Fire Style – Phoenix Fire Jutsu]
Now Yuichi had four Chakra attributes. Only Lightning, Yin, and Yang were missing.
The satisfied smile on Yuichi's face didn't escape the Hokage's notice.
He didn't need to ask anymore—Yuichi clearly had secrets. And his goal was obvious: to become Hokage.
This made Hiruzen secretly pleased.
"If you work hard, perhaps one day you truly will sit in that chair," the Hokage said warmly.
Yuichi glanced back at the seat and nodded.
"I will work hard."
"Good," Hiruzen said. "Now, come with me."
They left through the other door, exiting the Hokage building and walking toward a wide training field. Wooden dummies and practice posts stood scattered across the grounds.
"I used to practice ninjutsu here," Hiruzen said with a nostalgic smile. "Yuichi, I told you yesterday—your talent shouldn't be wasted. That's why I've brought you here today: to teach you ninjutsu."
"You have Chakra of three attributes already. If you don't learn ninjutsu, it would be a terrible waste."
He paused and looked at Yuichi.
"Water, Earth, and Wind. You can learn any of them. Which will you choose?"
For ordinary civilians, learning ninjutsu was nearly impossible without a teacher. This was clearly the Hokage's way of drawing him in.
But Yuichi hesitated. Could he really learn ninjutsu on his own, without relying on the system?
After some thought, he answered,
"Water Style."
"Water Style, hmm…" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then I'll teach you the basics. Water Style: Water Formation Wall."
Yuichi already knew this jutsu. And not the basic version—he could already cast it at high-level mastery, needing only a single seal.
Watching the slight shift in the Hokage's eyes, Yuichi realized something.
This wasn't just teaching.
It was a test.
Did the Hokage already know what he was capable of? Could he really see all the way to the Valley of the End with his crystal ball technique?
If Yuichi pretended ignorance, he risked exposing himself. After all, skill level in ninjutsu was impossible to fake in front of the Hokage.
So Yuichi decided to be honest.
"Third Hokage-sama… I already know this jutsu."
"Oh?" Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Then show me. I'll give you some pointers."
Yuichi froze for a second, then smiled. If the Hokage wasn't going to ask how he learned it, then there was no need for excuses.
He raised one hand, forming only a single seal.
"Water Style: Water Chaos!"
WHOOSH!
A torrent of water erupted instantly, slamming into more than a dozen wooden dummies and knocking them violently across the field.
The Hokage's eyes sharpened as he watched Yuichi's single-handed seal.
(With just one seal, he can cast a large-scale Water Style… and in a place without any natural water source!)
(This child's Chakra reserves are as vast as Kakashi reported… and he truly has the physique of the Senju clan.)