In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen released the crystal ball, a hint of relief flashing across his face.
"Phew!"
There was no way those three kids could defeat Jiraiya.
But.
The fact that they had performed so exceptionally well in the bell-stealing mission far exceeded the Third Hokage's expectations.
Originally, he had thought—
If the three of them could set aside their differences and maintain some degree of teamwork, Jiraiya might have turned a blind eye and let them pass.
Yet now, Kyohiko and Kurenai had deliberately created a tactical opening to give Kakashi an opportunity.
And Kakashi, instead of sulking, had seized the chance without hesitation.
There were conflicts, but they didn't interfere with the test.
One thing at a time.
That was the mindset of a mature shinobi.
At the same time—
The one who had orchestrated all of this was the very child he hadn't paid much attention to before.
No wonder Jiraiya had specifically picked him out.
---
At the familiar Ichiraku Ramen stand.
The difference was—
Teuchi, now in the prime of his youth, exuded vitality, his strong features brimming with youthful energy.
Kakashi had put his mask back on.
As soon as Jiraiya entered, he shouted, "Boss, four bowls of ramen!"
"Coming right up! Please, take a seat!"
Teuchi greeted them with a smile.
"You three stay here. I'll go… buy some grilled meat as a bonus."
Jiraiya glanced around.
But—
After a sidelong look, he still didn't feel entirely at ease.
"Kyohiko, come with me. Let's see what you'd like to eat."
"Sure."
Kyohiko stood up respectfully.
The two of them left.
Kurenai couldn't help but murmur softly, "Lord Jiraiya really values Kyohiko, huh?"
"Uh…"
Kakashi's gaze grew slightly vacant, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
He remembered very clearly—
At that moment—
Jiraiya had suddenly frozen for a split second, his attention wavering, which was why Kakashi had been able to cut the rope in coordination.
It was almost like…
Something along the lines of "You wouldn't want to…" or something similar.
"Kakashi, do you know something?"
As a genjutsu specialist with keen perception, Kurenai immediately noticed the slight shift in Kakashi's demeanor.
Kakashi thought for a moment before answering cautiously and succinctly.
"Maybe they know each other."
"Lord Jiraiya and Kyohiko?"
"Yeah."
---
"Kyohiko, you did well today."
"It's only because you went easy on us. Otherwise, there's no way we could've passed." Kyohiko wasn't Naruto or Obito.
He was well aware that the gap between himself and one of the Legendary Sannin wasn't just a small one. If Jiraiya had truly not wanted them to get the bells, it would've been effortless—
A single Needle Jizo would've crushed any hope they had.
Yet—
From start to finish, the strongest jutsu Jiraiya had used was an incomplete version of Lion's Mane Binding, merely employing it as a rope.
This wasn't just going easy—it was practically handing them the win.
Jiraiya coughed lightly. "Well, it's a genin exam, after all. The focus is on teamwork and attitude, not strength. Also, about that matter earlier…"
"Lord Jiraiya, there are certain places in the village you should probably avoid. After all, you're one of the Sannin—you represent the image of Konoha's shinobi."
Kyohiko maintained the righteous demeanor of a young boy.
Jiraiya's face flushed slightly.
He had initially thought Kyohiko had merely been passing by earlier, unaware of his… activities.
But now, it seemed the boy had simply been too intimidated to call him out.
Embarrassed, he replied, "That was for research purposes. Don't misunderstand."
"Oh."
Kyohiko wore an expression that said, Sure, I believe you.
Jiraiya felt even more awkward.
He knew full well how unconvincing that excuse was.
"Order whatever you want—my treat!"
"You're not making me pay, right?"
"You little brat!"
---
By the time they finished their ramen and grilled meat, it was already afternoon.
Jiraiya, unusually serious, addressed the three of them.
"From now on, you're officially a team. I hope you'll maintain the same level of cooperation you showed this morning. Also—"
He looked at each of them in turn. "Have you all practiced tree-walking and water-walking?"
"Yes."
All three nodded.
Jiraiya pulled out a sheet of paper.
"Kakashi and Kurenai should've already tested theirs. Kyohiko, you try it—let's see which nature suits you best for jutsu training. Your teamwork is good, but Kakashi's Lightning Release and sword skills are suited for assassination and ambush tactics, while Kurenai's genjutsu is more for suppression and support. What you're missing is a frontline fighter."
The implication was clear.
Kyohiko was the most suitable candidate to take on the role of the team's main combatant.
"Understood."
If Kyohiko hadn't trained in ninjutsu before, was it because he didn't want to?
Of course not—it was because he'd never had the chance!
Though a descendant of the Senju, his branch of the family had long since separated from the main clan, leaving them with almost no inherited techniques. After two generations, all that remained was a meager pension—no jutsu scrolls to speak of.
Buying chakra paper would've been a waste of money.
He took the chakra paper.
Soon, the sheet grew damp.
Jiraiya nodded. "Based on the paper's reaction, you naturally possess an affinity for Water Release. Learning water-based jutsu will be the fastest and easiest for you."
While elemental affinities were innate, additional natures could be developed later.
Kyohiko's affinity simply meant Water Release would come more naturally to him.
In theory, he could train in other elements as well.
"I've heard Kakashi is skilled in Lightning Release. If I learn Water Release, our techniques can complement each other."
Then, a hint of admiration flashed across his face. "Besides, my idol is the Second Hokage. His Water Release was renowned across the shinobi world—even Kirigakure was no match for him!"
The Second Hokage…
A trace of nostalgia flickered across Jiraiya's expression.
That man's Water Release had indeed been peerless.
It seemed—
Despite the hardships this kid had endured, and though his personality had changed drastically, his heart was still in the right place.
After a brief moment of reflection, Jiraiya snapped back to attention.
"Good. Later, I'll teach you Suiton: Water Gun. Kurenai, your genjutsu is strong, but you need to work on your taijutsu. Kakashi, your issue is the least obvious but the most critical—you have to learn to cooperate with your teammates. Understood?"
He critiqued each of them in turn.
All three nodded.
With Kurenai and Kakashi observing from the side, Jiraiya began instructing Kyohiko in ninjutsu.
"Suiton: Water Gun is a basic Water Release technique, but it's versatile and convenient. The difficulty isn't too high, so it's a good starting point."
Then, he demonstrated the hand seals.
Snake, Ox, Rabbit.
Before Jiraiya could even finish explaining, Kyohiko had already formed the seals—
"Suiton: Water Gun!"
A surge of water erupted from his mouth, transforming into a rushing torrent.
Jiraiya blinked, momentarily stunned.
Despite the added complexity of hand seals and chakra manipulation, Kyohiko had executed it flawlessly.
His chakra control wasn't bad at all!
For a genin—
Kyohiko's skill level was already impressive.
"So strong!"
Kurenai couldn't help but whisper in awe.
Learning it on the first try… And mastering it instantly. This level of talent was downright terrifying. However—
Kyohiko knew full well that his success wasn't due to some innate genius.
It was simply because Water Gun was a relatively simple technique, and secondly—
Thanks to the rewards from this morning.
With his improved chakra control, performing ninjutsu had become ridiculously easy.
Not wanting him to grow complacent, Jiraiya pondered for a moment before saying, "It's only a C-rank, just a basic Water Release. Let's try Suiton: Water Wall next—it's a B-rank defensive technique."
"Got it."
Kyohiko nodded.
He listened carefully to the hand seal sequence, then increased his chakra output, spewing forth a stream of water.
Within moments—
A wall of water, roughly his own height, rose around him, perfectly shielding his body.
Jiraiya was left utterly speechless.
You little—! Since when was your chakra control this good?!
It's almost on par with Kurenai's!
That girl was a genjutsu specialist—she'd been training in illusionary techniques since childhood, and even then, her chakra control was considered exceptional.
But Kyohiko?
For the past year or so, he'd been focusing on taijutsu, substitution, and body flicker techniques. His chakra control training probably hadn't gone beyond tree-walking and water-walking.
How the hell is this even fair?!
Remembering his own struggles when learning ninjutsu back in the day, Jiraiya's mentality took a slight hit, plunging him into deep contemplation.
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Every 50 power stones = 1 Extra Chapter
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