Sarutobi Hiruzen officially accepted the mission.
After that, he led his team, along with Amakaze Kaede and Uchiha Shiori, to their usual training ground.
The Hokage Rock.
"Kaede… are you really sure about this?"
Hiruzen asked again, clearly unable to understand why a six-year-old was this stubborn.
Kaede met his eyes.
"I'm serious."
That was all he said.
Utatane Koharu leaned toward Shimura Danzo and whispered, "Can you stop this?"
Danzo shook his head.
"When Hiruzen gets like this, there's no stopping him."
Koharu sighed.
She could only hope Hiruzen kept things under control.
Hiruzen cracked his knuckles.
"I'll let you move first."
Kaede nodded.
No ceremony.
No countdown.
He vanished forward, dropped low, and swept his leg toward Hiruzen's ankles.
Hiruzen jumped cleanly over it.
Midair, he pulled an iron staff from his back and slammed it downward.
Kaede rolled aside.
Boom!
The staff cratered the stone, spiderweb cracks racing outward.
"Fast," Hiruzen said with a grin.
Kaede didn't reply.
He created distance.
Then—
"Shōton: Hexagonal Shuriken Dance."
Dozens of crystal shuriken burst into existence and shot toward Hiruzen from every direction, refracting sunlight into blinding flashes.
Hiruzen calmly planted his staff.
He flicked several shuriken outward.
Not enough.
Then his hands blurred.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu."
The few shuriken multiplied into a storm.
Metal and crystal collided.
Sparks flew.
Fragments scattered.
Dust rolled across the ground.
Neither side was hurt.
Hiruzen's grin widened.
This kid isn't normal.
He lunged.
Staff raised.
Kaede reached into his pouch and unsealed a scroll.
A slender sword slid into his hand.
The moment it appeared, a clear, piercing cry echoed through the air.
Like a crane calling across clouds.
Hiruzen's staff slammed into the blade.
Crack.
The iron staff snapped in half.
Hiruzen stared.
"…What kind of sword is that?"
Kaede angled the blade slightly.
"The Crane Cry Sword."
He stepped forward and thrust.
Without his weapon, Hiruzen was forced onto the defensive.
For several exchanges, Kaede held the advantage.
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
He bit his thumb and slapped his palm on the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Smoke exploded.
A small monkey in armor appeared.
"Ape King," Hiruzen said. "Let's go."
The monkey nodded.
Its body twisted and stretched, transforming into a massive black staff with gold bands.
The watching teammates tensed.
Hiruzen had brought out his partner.
Kaede felt a flicker of envy.
A personal summoning contract… must be nice.
The transformed staff extended and shrank freely, striking from unpredictable angles.
Kaede was pushed back, blocking again and again with the Crane Cry Sword.
Hiruzen pressed harder.
"Kaede. You're strong. But this is exactly why you shouldn't be on that mission."
Kaede's breathing stayed steady.
"I haven't gone all out."
Hiruzen blinked.
Kaede poured chakra into his sword.
White-blue light surged along the blade.
Mist began to gather around his body, swirling like drifting clouds.
"Tenpūton: Crane Cry Slash."
Kaede swung.
A massive arc of blade energy tore forward.
The mist followed, shaping itself into a flying cloud-crane that slammed into Hiruzen.
Hiruzen was blasted backward.
He hit the ground hard.
Cold flooded his limbs.
His body locked for a split second before the sensation faded.
He pushed himself up with the staff.
Stared at Kaede.
Serious now.
"…That was Tenpūton."
He exhaled.
"I get it."
Hiruzen straightened.
"You're coming with us."
The mountain wind blew between them.
Kaede lowered his sword.
One hurdle cleared.