The next moment, Sharly stopped. Suddenly, he realized that, in his perception, he seemed to have lost his connection with the Flying Thunder God kunai he had long established.
A look of surprise crossed Sharly's face.
The Third Hokage watched and nodded approvingly. Discovering it so quickly was impressive. "If time permits, it can be completed before tomorrow. Jiraiya, stay nearby and watch," he said.
As he spoke, the Third picked up a nearby document and began reading. He knew achieving this goal would not be easy for Sharly.
"You know I'm watching," Jiraiya said, yawning, glancing at the Third, then casually addressing Sharly: "Kid, if it doesn't work, just give up. I need to go collect some intel—I haven't been back in years. Make sure to keep an eye on Konoha!"
Sharly said nothing. He had calmed himself and focused all his attention on sensing the connection.
After a while, he could still feel the faint thread of connection, though it had become extremely weak. What exactly had the Third and Jiraiya done? Why did the kunai he had such a deep bond with appear utterly disconnected?
Though puzzled, the connection should have been enough to guide the spirit. Should he use the spell he had previously established?
Yet the bond was nearly severed. Could such a technique even work?
Sharly hesitated for a moment, then resolved not to give up. Tomorrow was still far away; he might as well try now.
The next instant, Sharly bit his finger and formed a mental seal.
Jiraiya, though outwardly nonchalant, had been watching Sharly closely. The speed with which Sharly formed the seal shocked him. So fast? He must have trained extensively. This alone convinced Jiraiya that what the Third Hokage wrote in his letter—the child's effort—was genuine.
Yet when Jiraiya observed Sharly's abilities, he shook his head in disbelief. This was impossible.
Chapter 56 – The Flying Thunder God is Mine!
Sharly stared at the still ground. Normally, the Flying Thunder God kunai should have been guided out by now, but it remained motionless.
He frowned but did not panic. Slowly closing his eyes, he tried to locate the connection through sensing.
"His mindset is excellent, and he found the correct method so quickly. He won't struggle long with this challenge; a few more sessions and he'll succeed," Jiraiya's eyes sparkled. The Third Hokage had not lied—this child truly had talent.
Moreover, this mindset was not mentioned in the Third's letter. Jiraiya had expected Sharly to panic after a first failure, yet he remained calm. Such confidence was rare.
Soon, Jiraiya saw Sharly move again, his eyes lighting up. He had noticed so quickly?
Sharly opened his eyes, grasped the connection he finally sensed, and attempted mental control again.
Yet it still failed. The familiar Flying Thunder God kunai did not appear in his vision, sending a thrill of determination through him. He took a deep breath, resolve flashing in his eyes. No matter what, he would make it work. He had learned the Flying Thunder God technique.
Unbeknownst to him, Jiraiya and the Third Hokage exchanged a look, both seeing surprise mirrored in the other's eyes.
This was their second real connection with the kunai, aided by the seal. Though a special type of seal, not fully binding, it explained a lot.
"Whoosh…" Jiraiya drew in a sharp breath. From this perspective, Sharly's natural talent for the Flying Thunder God might rival Minato Namikaze.
The Third was first surprised, then smiled in satisfaction, continuing to examine the scroll carefully.
As for Jiraiya, seeing Sharly's reaction earlier stirred his emotions briefly before settling, leaving him extremely pleased.
At that moment, Jiraiya decided to take this child as a student. Even if he was unlikely to be the "Child of Prophecy," it didn't matter. If he couldn't accept a genius like this as a student, what was the point?
Time seemed to slow. Sharly found the connection again, clearer than before.
He did not hesitate and attempted mental control once more, yet failed. This time, however, his sensing remained steady. If it failed, he would keep adjusting. He speculated that perhaps the Third had given him a day to figure it out.
Indeed, when Sharly felt the connection again, it was even clearer.
So this was why a whole day had been allocated—to repeatedly use the summoning technique, overcoming whatever concealment had masked the connection.
Sharly estimated it would take about two hours, not the whole day. This should allow him to pass the test.
But he was not content with mere procedural success. This was a chance to demonstrate his talent. To go through the motions would be a waste. No!
Thus, Sharly chose not to rely on his superpowers.
He didn't know that Jiraiya had already recognized his talent. Even if he had, Sharly wouldn't have stopped; he would keep pushing forward. His resources were limited, and the stronger his talent, the more opportunities he could access.
Jiraiya watched Sharly. Based on the intervals between the first and second attempts, the third should suffice to establish a connection. Why wasn't he using mental control?
"Could you be mistaken?" Jiraiya frowned. He had promised to accept the student if the test was passed. If Sharly couldn't guide the kunai, wouldn't he be making a mistake?
Initially confident, Jiraiya now felt a twinge of worry.
Soon, Jiraiya noticed something different—Sharly's demeanor had become more confident. This moved and surprised him.
"Could it be…?"
The next moment, Sharly completed the sealing array.
This time, under Jiraiya's watchful eyes, the Flying Thunder God kunai vanished directly, without any psychic shock.
It had been successfully guided. How was this possible?
Sharly smiled, gripping the familiar kunai, and looked at the Third Hokage and Jiraiya, his voice crisp and confident:
"Third Hokage, Master Jiraiya, I did it!"
Jiraiya gaped in disbelief at the kunai in Sharly's hands.
The Third's scroll had dropped unnoticed on the desk. He hadn't reacted initially—he must have only skimmed it. Was this considered success?
Yet upon seeing the familiar kunai, the Third Hokage's expression shifted to one of genuine delight and joy.
Even the Third, a veteran, hesitated at whether teaching a genius like Jiraiya was worthwhile. Though short on time, finding room to take another student was not impossible.
Judging by Sharly's skill with the Flying Thunder God, he required no guidance from Jiraiya. Moreover, Jiraiya himself didn't fully understand the technique; it was Minato's familiarity that had allowed mastery. Now Sharly seemed capable of learning it on his own.
Two highly respected ninja in Konoha were astonished by a mere seven-year-old.
Chapter 57 – The Apprenticeship
The Third Hokage and Jiraiya had both attempted this test before. Because of this, they knew neither had the natural talent to master the Flying Thunder God technique, and they understood its difficulty.
Certainly, with their abilities, they could learn parts, such as the formation, but mastering the full technique would be impractical.
Yet, they considered the potential. Honestly, it would have embarrassed the Flying Thunder God itself. Best to leave it unlearned, as its strategic value was immense—an inheritance across four generations.
"Cough. Jiraiya, if you need to continue the prophecy, searching for the prophesied child, and time is short, let me take you as your master," the Third Hokage said expressionlessly.
Jiraiya froze, scrutinizing the Third, and noticed he showed no sign of embarrassment. "Teacher, your face… Are you competing with your own student?"
In an instant, the Third's expression darkened, his hands forming seals.
"Hey, old man!" Jiraiya's expression changed, and he was unexpectedly knocked to the ground by the Third Hokage.
Sharly watched and sighed. This was the Third Hokage, one of the Sannin; such playful antics were hard to resist.
Yet this was the first time Sharly had seen the Third act this way. Though he seldom saw him, he could tell the Third's demeanor had shifted.
Sharly reflected that all the Hokage had grown old. Only with age did one become sentimental, cherishing memories, and unable to fully control emotions.
Even so, he was still safe; without Jiraiya, the Flying Thunder God might never have been entrusted to him.
Truthfully, Sharly had always known the Third had aged. Even so, he believed he could claim the Flying Thunder God with his own skill. Perhaps there was a gap, but time would bridge it.
Reality reminded him that the Third remained fundamentally the same, just older—some basic calculations and judgment still intact.
Sharly had not expected Jiraiya to appear. Though aware it was possible, the uncertainty had made him focus on Sakura Haruno from seventh grade rather than Jiraiya.
Still, Sharly smiled. Though slightly disappointed, the outcome was good.
The skirmish between the Third Hokage and Jiraiya soon ended, with the Third giving up.
Sharly exhaled in relief. Here, he had no choice but to be chosen. He wanted to be Jiraiya's disciple, and if the Third Hokage selected him, how could he refuse? Of course not!
Yet both the Third and Jiraiya were great advantages to Sharly.
"Heh, kid, from now on, you are this sage's student," Jiraiya said, smiling.
"Yes! I have met my teacher," Sharly replied, genuinely excited this time.
He didn't mind following the traditional apprenticeship process with Jiraiya. There were few formalities from the Hokage's side, so he just needed to remember.
"Since it's decided, let's go," the Third Hokage said casually.
Jiraiya gave the Third a casual nod and began to take Sharly away. Sharly, however, was more deliberate. After receiving the Third's signal, he followed Jiraiya.
Once they left, the Third suppressed a smile, tapped his desk with his pipe, and a masked figure appeared before him.
"Go tell Danzo to behave himself recently," the Third Hokage's shadowed voice said from under his hat.
"Yes!"
The Anbu captain responded without question and left the office.
The Third Hokage gazed into the distance, slightly relieved. Jiraiya was stronger than he had imagined. Though prophesied by the Toad Sage, he still hoped Sharly would keep Jiraiya in Konoha. Even if unlikely, his brilliant disciple could cultivate more talents.
Soon, Danzo scowled at the Anbu captain, seeing roots scattered across the ground, apparently forcibly uprooted and thrown there.
"What do you mean by this, Hiruzen Sarutobi? I've had enough," Danzo said coldly.
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