Early the next morning, when the sky was still dimly lit, Hyūga Shinichi arrived at the Hokage Tower.
The Fourth Hokage had not yet started his "workday." The on-duty ninjas did not dare to allow Hyūga Shinichi into the Hokage's office privately. Reluctantly, two Chūnin were forced to stop Shinichi at the door and make him wait in the open space in front of the tower.
The match between Hyūga Shinichi and Kakashi yesterday had spread widely throughout the ninja circles after a day and a night of buzz. Hyūga Shinichi's name became known to Konoha's ninjas by stepping on the fame of the genius ninja Kakashi.
At the same time, his identity as a Hyūga Main Family member was deeply tied to his name. When Shinichi was mentioned, the ninjas' first reaction was: "Oh! The Hyūga genius!"
Although Hyūga Shinichi did not even have the "title" of Genin, the Chūnin guarding the Hokage Tower still addressed him as "Shinichi-sama." The respect he received from the ninjas came only slightly from his strength; the greater part was due to his status as the Hyūga Main Family heir.
Hyūga Shinichi was a person who understood the rules and naturally would not make things difficult for these ordinary ninjas who were just following orders.
This was only his second time in this area. Since it was still early, Shinichi sat down beneath a patch of shade near the building and seriously observed the surrounding environment.
Hyūga Shinichi's nerves had been taut for years, and he hadn't properly looked at the village he lived in for a long time. The Hokage Tower... this was considered one of the "historical sites" that transmigrators needed to visit, but Shinichi had never properly explored it before.
As the dawn broke, a cool breeze wafted past. The sounds of insects and birds filled the air. Listening to the surrounding white noise, Hyūga Shinichi leaned comfortably against the tree trunk, slowly closed his eyes, and entered a state of meditation.
Meditation affects everyone differently. For Shinichi, it allowed him to quiet his mind, improve his concentration, and ensured that he wouldn't experience mental fog for a long time afterward.
Peaceful, tranquil.
The aura Hyūga Shinichi subtly exuded in his meditative state attracted the attention of some guarding ninjas. Compared to ordinary children, Shinichi was far too unique in both his demeanor and personal aura.
After an unknown duration, Namikaze Minato finally arrived for "work," accompanied by his wife, Kushina. The moment he entered the area, Minato immediately noticed Hyūga Shinichi sitting beneath the tree's shade, eyes closed in meditation.
"That child..."
In Minato's eyes, Shinichi seemed to have merged with nature. A siskin even flew down from the tree and landed on Hyūga Shinichi's shoulder. The siskin preened its feathers, looking utterly at ease, seemingly unaware that its perch was a person's shoulder.
"If he were to practice Sage Mode, with his aptitude, he could probably pass the second stage in no time."
Watching Hyūga Shinichi's state of deep contemplation, Minato recalled his own time training Sage Mode on Mount Myōboku.
The first stage of Sage Mode training required the use of toad oil to first sense the presence of natural energy. The second stage required the practitioner to enter a state of near-absolute stillness and absorb natural energy from the outside world.
Hyūga Shinichi's current state of contemplation, in Minato's view, was "near-absolute stillness," perfectly fulfilling one of the prerequisites for absorbing natural energy.
To make a person completely still required countless hours of training, even for Minato himself in the past.
Hyūga Shinichi, at his age, was typically full of energy, active, and curious about everything in the outside world. Being able to achieve a state of "stillness" like Shinichi was simply impossible for most children. Besides sighing, "genius," Minato had no better word to describe Shinichi.
"Minato, did that child named Shinichi really defeat that boy Kakashi?"
"Was Kakashi that idiot, underestimating his opponent?"
While Minato was observing Hyūga Shinichi, Kushina, who was holding Minato's arm, also directed her gaze toward Shinichi.
"Underestimation was definitely a factor, but... even if Kakashi had gone all out, winning against that child would not have been easy."
"In terms of Taijutsu alone, he has already surpassed many ordinary Jōnin."
Namikaze Minato's evaluation of Hyūga Shinichi's Taijutsu ability was very high, and his words greatly surprised Kushina. Although a ninja's strength could not be simply categorized by titles like "Genin," "Chūnin," or "Jōnin," each level had a minimum standard. For Hyūga Shinichi to receive such an evaluation from Minato at his age was proof of his immense strength.
"That powerful, huh..."
Kushina murmured in amazement. Looking at Shinichi, she subconsciously gently rubbed her lower abdomen, which still showed no obvious signs of pregnancy.
"I hope our child will also have such outstanding talent."
Kushina suddenly expressed her hope with a smile. Hearing this, Minato gently wrapped his arm around Kushina's shoulder and smiled: "They will. I believe our child will definitely become an excellent ninja in the future."
Just as Minato and Kushina were speaking, Hyūga Shinichi, in his state of contemplation, seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes. Although he was in meditation, Hyūga Shinichi could still feel when someone was watching him.
Seeing the Minato couple not far away, Hyūga Shinichi quickly got up, brushed the grass off his clothes, and walked over to greet the couple politely:
"Good morning, Big Brother Minato, Big Sister Kushina."
By leveraging his age advantage, Hyūga Shinichi didn't need to worry about saying the wrong thing. He was consciously trying to close the gap in their relationship.
Indeed, hearing Shinichi's form of address, Minato smiled gently and lightly patted Shinichi's head:
"You came so early?"
"What is your plan for today? Will you continue reviewing other techniques, or do you intend to focus on the Flying Thunder God?"
Minato was genuinely concerned about Hyūga Shinichi's "study progress." He truly didn't want to see Shinichi waste this precious opportunity.
"Following your advice, Big Brother Minato, I seriously reviewed some Sealing Technique scrolls after I went back yesterday."
"Today, I want to prioritize the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Shinichi naturally understood Minato's underlying message and replied with a smile.
Hearing the exchange between Minato and Shinichi, Kushina suddenly looked excited and interjected:
"You want to learn the Flying Thunder God?"
"How about I teach you?"
Kushina's sudden interruption made both Shinichi and Minato pause. Minato was the first to react. He gently pulled on Kushina's sleeve and said with a hint of helplessness:
"Don't be reckless, Kushina. Shinichi has his own study plan. If he encounters any difficulties during the process, he will come and ask me."
"Don't complicate things..."
Minato was also a young talent who had made a name for himself and was called a genius. He had even mentored an excellent ninja like Kakashi and knew well that these geniuses often had their own learning pace. A teacher, for these geniuses, was often just a guide.
Furthermore, Minato was certain that the Hyūga Clan had a fixed plan for Shinichi's cultivation. It would be better if he and his wife didn't blindly interfere.
However, Kushina didn't overthink things. Her offer came partly because she genuinely liked Shinichi, this composed child.
At the same time, she harbored the thought of "alleviating Minato's burdens." Despite Kushina's seemingly brash demeanor, her mind was actually very subtle. Establishing a deep relationship with Hyūga Shinichi, the future leader of the Hyūga Clan, would benefit Minato's exercise of the Hokage's authority.
Another factor was that as a Jinchūriki, she was inherently idle, even more so now that she was pregnant. She didn't want to be merely an appendage to Minato and wished to have something to do.
Mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique required a profound foundation in Sealing Techniques.
Minato was able to fully master the technique with her help. Although Kushina herself couldn't use the Flying Thunder God, she understood the technique very well.
Kushina believed that teaching a little sprout like Hyūga Shinichi wouldn't be a problem. Mentoring this child would help strengthen ties with the Hyūga Clan and also keep her from being completely idle during her pregnancy.
For the Minato couple, this was a consideration for both the present and the future.
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