The atmosphere inside the Hokage's chambers felt heavy, yet oddly expectant. Sarutobi Hiruzen's measured stare carried both warmth and unspoken challenge.
Lucien's instincts sharpened. This old man wants to test me... and maybe teach me something along the way.
"Yes," Lucien replied evenly, "I've already mastered the use of compound ninjutsu quite well."
The Third Hokage's brows lifted slightly. "Hmm... your talent exceeds what I'd imagined. Your chakra reserves... far greater than most Uchiha. Even your ninjutsu, when infused with such control and power, shines brighter." A faint smile curved his lips.
"I believe you already know what today is about. I will teach you."
Lucien's heart stirred.
Hiruzen continued with a teacher's cadence: "Being a ninja is not only ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. There are arts beyond those. Your clan prides itself on the 'Uchiha throwing style,' but since you lost your parents, you never inherited it. So today... I will show you some of what I know."
The Hokage removed his red cloak with practiced ease, flicking it onto a hanger across the room. He inhaled a long pull from his pipe, exhaled lazy smoke rings into the air, then crushed the ember out.
Gone was the mild elder. In his place stood Sarutobi Hiruzen: Professor of Ninjutsu, the Third Hokage.
"Come," he beckoned softly.
In the next instant, his figure blurred, disappearing with precision that dared anyone to call him old.
Lucien's lips curled faintly. "The man called the Doctor of Ninjutsu... if someone like Orochimaru fought the Hokage of this moment... his death would be certain."
With a flicker, Lucien followed.
The two appeared in a training field. Without preamble, Hiruzen plucked a shuriken and flicked it. Lucien barely had time to process before it whistled past, followed by another pair.
"A reaction test, hm?" Lucien smirked, his Body Flicker whisking him aside.
"That's right... but it's not over yet!"
Suddenly, Hiruzen's hands moved—and countless shuriken fanned outward in a lethal storm.
Lucien's Sharingan ignited; red tomoe spun. Through its clarity, he traced lines of chakra like threads, tethering and guiding the steel.
"Ah... chakra strings. You control their trajectory mid-air?" His tone held genuine admiration. "As expected of you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen's voice boomed back: "I didn't show you this to earn compliments—Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
The number of blades multiplied in a blink into an overwhelming barrage. Even Lucien's eyes couldn't discern clone from real. The storm became a web of death.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
Stone surged to shield him, hand seals flashing nearly as fast as thought.
Hiruzen's eyes glimmered. Such speed... even swifter than Orochimaru when he was this age.
But before Lucien could ease, the shuriken twisted again, angling overhead. Hiruzen's mastery made them seem alive, curving for another strike.
"Needle Jizō!"
Hair burst outward, hardening into spiked armor around him. The shuriken rang uselessly off the barbs.
Hiruzen chuckled with delight. "Jiraiya's ninjutsu? You've stolen your senior brother's tricks as well, I see—how fascinating."
Lucien gave no ground, his hair whipping forward. "Chaotic Lion's Mane Technique!" His barbed mane lunged like a fanged beast, snapping over his barrier toward Hiruzen with startling reach.
"Well done!" Hiruzen praised heartily, releasing his shuriken control to evade. "Even the distance on that extension... remarkable."
The old Hokage's hands blurred in turn. "Now—watch closely. Combined Style: Lightning and Water—Thunderous Water Dragon Bullet!"
Twin forces surged, crashing like a storm, obliterating the wall of earth Lucien had raised. The torrent bore down on him fiercely.
But his Sharingan had already read the flow. "Body Flicker!"
He vanished in a twisting blur, narrowly escaping the elemental crash.
Unmoved, Hiruzen pressed further, a monstrous giant shuriken appearing as if from nowhere. He charged forward with surprising vitality, shouting:
"Shuriken Enlargement—let us see your close combat!"
Lucien's lips split in excitement. Finally. A real test.
He drew from his waist the blade of rare meteorite steel—Shi Yu. Blade met giant shuriken with a crash, sparks spilling into the air.
"Hizashi spoke of this sword," Hiruzen grunted mid-clash, eyes narrowing. "But it's clear—you wield no true kenjutsu. You rely solely on raw power."
Even as he pressed, his foot lashed up—kicking Lucien's side sharply. Taken aback, Lucien staggered backward. His eyes flashed with realization.
He doesn't restrict himself. This is real battle.
"Got you."
Before Lucien could recover, Hiruzen's figure blurred behind him. A weight smacked his chest. Looking down, Lucien froze to see a sealing talisman latched onto him.
For a long moment, silence hung.
Finally, Lucien exhaled slowly. His sword lowered. "...I lost, Hokage-sama."
His Sharingan dimmed back, acknowledgement glinting in his eyes. The moment he touched me, my defeat was sealed.
The Third Hokage smiled—not of arrogance, but of proud approval.
"Not bad," he said warmly. "Not bad at all."
--
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