Sakumo walked toward home, his body battered and aching, his steps unsteady.
"Creak—" The wooden door opened. His father, Hatake Gen, stood in the hall, his back turned and hands clasped behind him, his figure as steady and resolute as a mountain. He was gazing at the powerfully written character for "Shinobi" hanging on the wall.
Whenever Sakumo saw that back, his heart, like a small boat in a violent storm, would instantly calm down, having found a safe harbor.
Hatake Gen heard the sound of the door and knew his son was back. However, listening to the unusually faltering footsteps and the heavy breathing that clearly indicated injury, he couldn't help but frown slightly. He turned around with concern.
Looking at his battered son, who was clutching his chest with his right hand and grimacing from periodic pain, a barely visible yet profound concern flashed in Hatake Gen's eyes. A rare, deep anger also surprisingly welled up in his heart.
Hatake Gen faced Sakumo, placing his hands on his thighs, and respectfully knelt in a formal seiza posture. His calm voice held a faint tremor of worry: "Come here, Sakumo!"
Sakumo did as he was told, removed his shoes, and entered the hall. The strict etiquette his father always adhered to forced him to straighten his back. He then knelt respectfully before his father.
"How did you end up like this?" Hatake Gen's voice held a deeply hidden anger.
Sakumo dejectedly began to recount the entire incident, starting from the throwing competition during P.E. and ending with his utter defeat even after drawing the White Fang blade.
Hatake Gen listened intently. The deep anger gradually dissipated. He knew his son was a genius, but now that someone had completely suppressed and defeated him one-on-one, he didn't feel angry. His son had been outmatched, and there was no one to blame. Furthermore, Hatake Gen considered Sakumo's consistently arrogant demeanor. Experiencing this kind of setback was an excellent opportunity to temper his character. Not only did the anger vanish, but he began to feel a sense of anticipation for the boy Sakumo described.
As Sakumo spoke, he also watched his father's expression. Being mature for his age, he had some understanding of his father's thoughts.
When he finished, Hatake Gen instead nodded and said seriously, "This incident is actually a good thing for you. It shows you that there's always someone better, and you must train even harder in the future!"
"Yes, Father! I will personally wash away today's humiliation!" Sakumo replied with determination.
Hatake Gen nodded in satisfaction, smiling with relief.
Hatake Gen then ran through the young geniuses of the village's various clans in his mind. When he didn't get the expected match, he asked, "What is the name of the child you fought, and is he from another clan?"
Sakumo thought for a moment before replying, "His name is Orochimaru. He has a pair of strange, dark-golden eyes!"
Upon hearing Sakumo's words, Hatake Gen's expression briefly stiffened. He recalled the child he had encountered in the Konoha forest outside the village earlier. A look of realization flashed in his eyes.
Sakumo took in his father's reaction and asked with a hint of urgency, "What is it, Father? Do you know him?"
Hatake Gen slowly nodded. The memories of that brief encounter ran through his mind like a slideshow. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Yes, I don't know the child's background, but I once ran into him training while returning from a mission and had a small 'clash' with him. If it's that child, then yes, it makes sense."
Sakumo's heart sank. He knew his father was strong, though he wasn't sure exactly how strong. But his reputation as the Anbu Vice-Commander in the village was a testament to his immense power. Yet, his father had encountered that Orochimaru and still praised him highly. A huge sense of pressure rose in Sakumo's heart.
Hatake Gen was aware of Sakumo's thoughts, but he continued, "If it's that child, he likely held back a great deal against you. It's even possible that he was using a Shadow Clone in your fight!"
If Sakumo's heart had been weighed down by a boulder before, it now felt like it was carrying an entire mountain after hearing his father's words. He couldn't believe he had been utterly defeated by the Shadow Clone of a peer.
Sakumo subconsciously wanted to find a reason to argue.
Hatake Gen, who had been intently watching Sakumo's eyes, knew exactly what his son was thinking. He immediately said, "Nothing is impossible. He used the Shadow Clone Jutsu that day. The clever combination of the clone and the original body in their joint attack clearly showed extremely rich combat experience."
"Furthermore, he had already used multiple jutsu before fighting me. And during our skirmish, that child used two C-rank jutsu and one D-rank jutsu to force me to use thirty percent of my strength. That child is absolutely the greatest genius I have ever seen, bar none!"
Hatake Gen mercilessly added layer after layer of pressure onto Sakumo.
Sakumo's head drooped lower and lower. Hatake Gen remained silent, just sitting there, seemingly waiting for something.
After a long time, Sakumo finally raised his head. A brilliant look of knife-like resolve shone in his young eyes. He spoke slowly, one word at a time, with grave seriousness: "Father, I wish to learn the Hatake Instant Blade Style. Please grant my request!"
Hatake Gen showed a nearly imperceptible smile of gratification. He asked solemnly, "I only learned the Hatake Deceptive Blade Style. You know the difficulty of the Instant Blade Style. If you can't master it, you will be a second-rate ninja for life. I only ask you: Have you thought this through?"
"I want to learn the Instant Blade Style, Father!" Sakumo repeated, his voice firm beyond question.
Hatake Gen smiled.
Night fell. Mikawa took a stack of graduation class assessment reports and went to Hiruzen's Hokage Aide office.
"Tap, tap, tap—"
He respectfully knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Hiruzen's kind voice sounded from inside.
Mikawa entered and placed the assessment reports on Hiruzen's desk.
Hiruzen looked up at Mikawa, habitually putting on his friendly smile, and asked gently, "Oh, Mikawa! How is the Academy lately? Are the children behaving themselves? Heh heh!"
A slight feeling of gratitude flashed in Mikawa's heart. He bowed and replied, "Lord Hiruzen, the child you inquired about last time, Orochimaru, is—if I may be frank—a genius ninja rarely seen in a century!"
"Hmm?" Hearing Mikawa's words, Hiruzen stopped writing and looked at him seriously.
Hiruzen was a little surprised. He knew a bit about Mikawa—this Special Jōnin was a prudent and highly responsible ninja, which was why he had assigned Mikawa to teach at the Academy. He immediately asked with interest, "Mikawa, tell me more!"
Encouraged by Hiruzen, Mikawa spoke with greater confidence, respectfully reporting, "Lord Hiruzen, Orochimaru's strength seems to have made huge strides recently. Today, he even used a Shadow Clone to attend class! Furthermore, his kunai throwing technique surpasses that of some Jōnin, and from his performance, it seems he was even holding back!"
"I see. Mikawa, you've done well!" Hiruzen said calmly.
Mikawa knew he had said enough. He also understood Hiruzen's meaning. He respectfully excused himself and left.
After Mikawa was gone, a faint smile appeared on Hiruzen's face. A determined light shone in his eyes, suggesting he had made a significant decision.
✨ Announcement: Tier Benefits and New Series Launch
I'll be updating the number of exclusive chapters available for each tier!
For The King of the Bay Area, the early-access chapters will increase as follows:
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