If he steadily chose to train a B-rank Wind Release Ninjutsu or Taijutsu, he would earn a high evaluation in Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind. If he chose a Sealing Technique or other elemental Ninjutsu, it would still be above average. Even choosing only Yin Seal would earn him a slightly below average mark.
In Hiruzen Sarutobi's opinion, there was no way Yunchuan Hyuga could master Yin Seal in a short time. At least, it could allow him to make full use of his strong Chakra control. But if he chose both Lightning Cutter and Yin Seal at the same time, the result was obvious.
"Bottom tier," Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed in disappointment. "He does not even understand that biting off too much means chewing nothing. This kid is far too confused and greedy."
His original intention was for the boy to pick techniques that suited him before leaving the village, so he could raise his current strength as much as possible. Once on the battlefield, blades and jutsu showed no mercy. If he could earn merit in battle, there would be another chance to learn stronger Ninjutsu later.
At that time, it would no longer be ordinary B-rank techniques. He might even touch something like the "Spirit Transformation Technique" that Kato Dan had once mastered. Unfortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that the boy was still not mature enough.
Allowing Yunchuan Hyuga to enter the Forbidden Techniques Vault was also a sign that he himself had been somewhat emotional and restless lately. Thinking this, Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped watching, shut down the long-distance viewing technique, and lowered his head to continue reviewing the documents on his desk. The vanguard forces of Konoha had already been assembled, and there was still much that required his attention.
Inside the Forbidden Techniques Vault, when Yunchuan Hyuga sensed that the feeling of being watched had disappeared, he finally smiled. He stood up and walked back to the clan secret techniques, laying them all out in front of him. Now it depended on how much he could truly master in this limited time.
Otsutsuki Bloodline, let me see your limit.
Some time later, Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long breath and put down the last document. He turned his head toward the window without thinking. Winter nights came early, and the sky was already dark, with white streetlights lit one by one and stretching his shadow long across the wall.
His gaze drifted toward the horizon, where opaque snow covered everything in sight. The laughter of children playing outside floated in, faint and broken, like sounds rising up from underwater before finally breaking the surface. It made the office feel momentarily distant from the world outside.
"Is it already six?" Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the time, and his stomach answered with a quiet protest. Only then did he remember that he had skipped lunch. Before going home to eat, however, there was still one more thing he needed to do.
With that in mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi left the office and walked unhurriedly toward the underground levels of the building. He thought to himself that if nothing unexpected had happened, Yunchuan Hyuga was probably already regretting his choice. If necessary, he planned to give the boy some direct advice and temporarily hand over the Scroll for Yin Seal, since that technique truly did suit him.
When he reached the tightly sealed door, Hiruzen Sarutobi formed seals and removed the Barrier Technique and Sealing Technique placed on it, then gently pushed it open. A sharp, noisy sound rushed out, making him halt instinctively. When he looked up, his pupils shrank.
Yunchuan Hyuga was sitting cross-legged in a corner far from the shelves. Sweat had soaked his white high-collared shirt, clinging to his back and chest, outlining a frame that looked lean yet packed with strength. The sight was far beyond what Hiruzen Sarutobi had expected.
Violent and chaotic Chakra surged toward his right palm, turning into countless thin arcs of electricity that crawled outward. Bright blue trails flashed briefly in the air before vanishing. The intensity made the space feel alive with motion.
His fingers were drawn tight until the knuckles turned white, and thick veins stood out across the back of his hand. His skin showed an unhealthy scorched brown color, with a few small cuts seeping tiny threads of blood. The blood was instantly dried by the burning arcs of electricity.
"So that is how it works…"
Yunchuan Hyuga stared at his arm with his Byakugan, understanding dawning on his face as the words slipped out. Hearing the door open, he lifted his head. When Hiruzen Sarutobi met his gaze, he found those eyes brighter than he had ever seen.
In the next moment, Yunchuan Hyuga closed his hand. The scattered, wild arcs of electricity suddenly contracted inward. The chaotic crackling vanished for an instant, then erupted into a sharper, denser, and far more piercing sound.
The shrill cry echoed like countless fierce birds screaming at once, making Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears ring. The pressure of the sound alone made his scalp tingle. It was nothing like the crude noise from before.
"Third Hokage!"
Yunchuan Hyuga jumped to his feet and looked at the stunned Hiruzen Sarutobi. His voice was filled with excitement as he spoke again. "I learned it!"
The violent Lightning Release Chakra was now confined within the narrow space of his palm. It was no longer scattered sparks, but something close to solid form, made entirely of highly condensed, visible lightning. Countless fine but deadly arcs moved across its surface like living snakes.
The space around it seemed distorted and blurred by the dense lightning. Pure blue light flooded the room and completely illuminated Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, overpowering the faint glow of the candles. For a brief moment, there was nothing else in his vision.
"You…"
Looking at the boy before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth. Words failed him, and he suddenly felt his throat go dry.
"You..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils trembled slightly as he stared at Yunchuan Hyuga. He pressed his dry lips together before speaking. "You actually learned Lightning Cutter?"
"I am sorry, Third Hokage. It still feels far from Kakashi Hatake's version of Lightning Cutter."
Yunchuan Hyuga shook his head and looked at the crackling light in his hand with a troubled expression. "My control over the nature and shape transformation of Lightning Release Chakra is still far below Senior Kakashi Hatake. Right now, it only reaches the level and difficulty of an A-rank Ninjutsu."
"It does not really deserve the name Lightning Cutter. Maybe it should just be called Chidori."
After saying that, Yunchuan Hyuga lifted his head and looked at the stunned Hiruzen Sarutobi. His expression was modest, with a hint of shame.
[ Ding. Your lie has been judged as 'nonsense'. Hiruzen Sarutobi experienced intense emotional fluctuation and reached the level of 'questioning life'. You obtained 800 Reality Points. ]
Only A-rank Ninjutsu, and you still feel ashamed…
The corner of Hiruzen Sarutobi's eye twitched. He did not know how to express his feelings, so he forced out a complicated smile. "That is already very good."
After all, this Third Hokage was truly recognized across the entire Ninja World as a "Ninjutsu professor."
This was not some title like "god of the Ninja World" or "strongest Hokage" that Orochimaru used to flatter his teacher.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had been able to combine five different elemental Ninjutsu even as a child. Later, he could use thousands of techniques, with extreme mastery over the five major Chakra nature transformations. Secret arts, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu were all areas where he was strong.