The sun was setting over the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
Under the fading light, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Leo—one old, one young—met formally for the first time.
Of course, this was one of the Third Hokage's incognito visits.
Even in later years, this old man would often sneak out in plain clothes to check up on Naruto.
So Leo wasn't surprised in the least.
"Training alone, are you? Why not play with the other students?" Sarutobi asked gently.
Hearing this, Leo immediately understood—it was a test. After a brief pause, he replied calmly,
"Hokage-sama, you already know my situation. I'm a survivor from a small shinobi village. I've seen how cruel the ninja world can be. That's why I seek strength—to protect myself."
"Just to protect yourself?" Sarutobi's tone was casual, but his eyes watched closely.
"Of course, also to protect those precious to me… and this village that saved my life."
Leo spoke smoothly, without the slightest change in expression, deftly binding his fate to that of Konoha.
He truly had no intention of opposing the Leaf—especially while he was still in his "Hidden Dragon" phase. There was no reason to stir up trouble.
But if the village forced his hand, then he would have to make a choice.
Sarutobi nodded, clearly pleased with the answer.
A ninja must not live only for killing. He must also have the heart to protect—the will to safeguard bonds.
Without that, what separates a shinobi from a walking corpse?
Only with that spirit could the Will of Fire, the flame of Konoha, be passed down forever.
Smiling kindly, the Third Hokage said,
"Child, I'm glad you think that way. We've neglected you a bit these past days. I hope you can understand—right now, the great ninja villages are all fighting for territory, viewing each other as enemies.
Even Konoha is no exception. Ordinary people despise war, and so they distrust outsiders. I hope you can forgive them."
Leo replied evenly, "I understand, Hokage-sama. It's human nature."
He wasn't some naïve child—or a hotheaded fool who couldn't stand a little unfairness.
To be respected, one first had to stand as an equal. Otherwise, respect was meaningless.
Sarutobi's smile deepened. Leo was perceptive and composed—a promising youth worth investing in. He continued,
"Leo, you've made an enemy of the Uchiha clan. That's not something they'll let go easily."
"I hope Hokage-sama can be my judge in this matter," Leo said, clasping his hands in salute—neatly tossing the problem into Sarutobi's lap.
"Haha…"
Sarutobi chuckled softly. That was exactly the reaction he wanted.
"The Uchiha are, after all, one of Konoha's great clans. Their power is not insignificant. Even for the Hokage, dealing with them can be troublesome.
Leo, with your current ability, there's no need for you to stay in the Academy any longer. Report to the ANBU. Once you're part of the Hokage's direct unit, even the Uchiha won't dare touch you."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Leo said seriously.
"No need to thank me. With your strength, this is the natural step," Sarutobi replied with a gentle laugh.
Leo took a deep breath. Joining the ANBU was, indeed, the safest and most practical move for now.
Besides, the ANBU handled countless missions—perfect for honing one's skills.
He looked at Sarutobi thoughtfully before asking,
"Hokage-sama, during the combat trials, why didn't I see my instructor, Okamoto?"
"Ah, Okamoto. He's on a secret mission and has already left the village," the Third Hokage explained.
Of course, he didn't elaborate on what the mission was—Leo's current rank didn't qualify him to know.
But even without being told, Leo could guess what was coming.
The Second Great Ninja War was about to begin.
The great shinobi villages were no longer content with the status quo—each sought to seize resources, expand territory, and strengthen their influence.
Especially the Village Hidden in the Sand, in the Land of Wind. Their desert homeland was harsh and barren, their resources scarce. Sharing a border with the Land of Fire, they constantly eyed Konoha's rich lands with envy and greed.
Indeed, they envied, resented, and coveted the Land of Fire more than anyone else.
Konoha's territory was the most fertile and vibrant of the Five Great Nations.
But was the Land of Fire naturally so blessed—with lush forests and fresh air?
Of course not. It was all thanks to the legendary First Hokage—Senju Hashirama.
That man could stroll through the Land of Fire and casually unleash a Wood Release: Art of Reforestation, creating vast artificial forests within minutes.
And if the land ran dry, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, would just perform a Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique to flood the region.
Who in the world could surpass Hashirama in Wood Release?
Who could rival Tobirama in Water Release?
With such heaven-blessed advantages, who wouldn't envy Konoha?
But after the deaths of the First and Second Hokage—was peace still possible?
Of course not. Every village dreamed of expansion, especially when Konoha's blessings were so tempting.
Leo thought deeply. That was why he trained so hard—so that he would never become cannon fodder.
If war broke out, the younger generation might well be thrown onto the battlefield ahead of schedule.
Just like in the Third Great Ninja War, which gave rise to countless prodigies forged by blood—like Kakashi and Uchiha Obito.
After chatting a bit more about daily matters, the Third Hokage finally took his leave.
Watching Sarutobi's departure, Leo began quietly planning his future.
Now that he didn't need to attend the Academy, he could chart his own course.
After another round of taijutsu practice and body training, he took a shower and began reviewing the gains from his fight with Namikaze Minato.
He opened his status panel:
Host: Leo
Abilities:
Conqueror's Haki Lv2
Observation Haki Lv2
Armament Haki Lv3
Tornado Secret Art Lv2
Soru Lv2 (Next Level: 10,000 EXP)
Devil Fruit: Mera Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit) Lv2 (Next Level: 1,000 EXP)
Experience: 1650 / 10000
Should he enhance his Haki, or level up his Flame-Flame Fruit ability? Leo hesitated.
He hadn't revealed his Devil Fruit powers during the ninja combat trials. That secrecy made it a perfect trump card.
In the ninja world, walking around without any hidden cards was a sure way to die early.
After some thought, he concluded—power was the only truth.
"System, upgrade the Flame-Flame Fruit."
With a soft chime, a thousand experience points vanished, leaving him with 650, and the Flame-Flame Fruit rose to Lv3—equal to his Armament Haki.
Leo could feel the surge of energy within his body—distinct from chakra, foreign yet potent.
At Lv2, his Armament Haki could already shatter a C-rank jutsu; at Lv3, he could obliterate such techniques outright.
C-rank jutsu were typically mastered by Chūnin-level shinobi!
He had even crushed Namikaze Minato's A-rank Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique with a single punch.
Not because A-rank ninjutsu was weak—but because Minato couldn't yet bring out its full power.
Evaluating his combined strength—Haki and Devil Fruit both—Leo might still be a Genin in title,
but his true combat power had already surpassed most Elite Chūnin—perhaps even more.
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