At dawn the next morning, when the sky was still faintly grey, Hyuga Satoru was already standing before the Hokage Building.
The Fourth Hokage had yet to "clock in," and the shinobi on duty naturally didn't dare to let Satoru wait inside the office without permission. Helpless, the two chunin guarding the doors had no choice but to stop him outside, asking him to wait in the open square before the building.
The spar between Hyuga Satoru and Kakashi the day before had already spread like wildfire throughout Konoha's ninja circles overnight.
Satoru's name was now known across the village—his fame built upon the reputation of the genius ninja Kakashi himself. Naturally, his Hyuga Clan background had also become inseparable from his name.
Whenever someone mentioned "Satoru," the first reaction was almost always:
"Oh! That Hyuga genius kid!"
Although Satoru didn't even hold the official title of genin yet, the chunin guarding the Hokage Building still had to address him respectfully as "sir."
Their respect came only partly from his skill—the greater reason was, of course, his status as a member of the Hyuga Main Family.
But Satoru was not someone who would take advantage of rules or status. Understanding the position of the guards, he didn't make things difficult for them.
This was only his second time visiting the building, and since it was still early, he simply sat down under the shade of a nearby tree, quietly observing his surroundings.
For years, Satoru's nerves had always been strung tight—he had never really stopped to look at the village he lived in.
The Hokage Building…
It was, in a sense, a must-see "landmark" for any transmigrator. Yet, until now, he had never really appreciated it.
Morning light crept across the rooftops. A cool breeze brushed past.
The faint chirping of insects and birds filled the air—a soft white noise that lulled the senses.
Leaning against the tree trunk, Satoru slowly closed his eyes and slipped into meditation.
Meditation affected everyone differently. For him, it was a means of calming his mind and sharpening his focus. After a good meditation session, he would be free of mental fog for quite some time.
Peaceful. Serene.
Even while sitting still, the quiet aura that emanated from him drew the attention of a few of the guard shinobi.
Compared to ordinary children, Hyuga Satoru's demeanor and temperament were simply too extraordinary.
No one knew how long had passed when Namikaze Minato finally arrived for work, his wife Uzumaki Kushina walking beside him.
The moment they stepped into the courtyard, Minato's eyes immediately found Satoru, sitting cross-legged in the shade, eyes closed in deep concentration.
"This child…"
In Minato's gaze, Satoru seemed to have become one with nature itself. A small bluebird fluttered down from a branch and landed gently on his shoulder, calmly preening its feathers—completely at ease, as if it hadn't even noticed it was perching on a human.
"If he were to train in Sage Mode, with his natural aptitude, he'd probably breeze through the second stage in no time."
Watching Satoru's state, Minato couldn't help but recall his own training in Sage Arts at Mount Myoboku.
The first stage of Sage training involved using toad oil to sense natural energy.
The second stage required the practitioner to enter an almost absolute stillness, drawing in nature's energy unaided.
Satoru's current state, in Minato's eyes, already bordered on that absolute stillness—he had met one of the essential preconditions for gathering natural energy.
To reach such inner calm—Minato himself had needed countless attempts to succeed back in the day.
And for a boy Satoru's age, when most children were restless and endlessly curious, to "still" himself so completely was almost unthinkable.
For that, Minato could only sigh in admiration. There was no other word for it but—genius.
"Minato," Kushina asked suddenly, watching the boy curiously, "that kid Satoru—did he really beat Kakashi?"
"Did Kakashi get careless or something?"
As Minato continued observing Satoru, Kushina, still holding his arm, tilted her head toward him.
"There was some carelessness, sure," Minato admitted, "but even if Kakashi had gone all out, defeating that child wouldn't have been easy."
"In terms of taijutsu alone, he already surpasses many jonin."
Coming from the Yellow Flash himself, that was no small praise—and it genuinely surprised Kushina.
Though ninja ranks—genin, chunin, jonin—weren't absolute indicators of power, each rank did imply a minimum standard. For someone of Satoru's age to earn such an evaluation spoke volumes.
"So strong already, huh…" Kushina murmured in awe.
Her hand unconsciously drifted to her stomach, where no visible signs of pregnancy yet showed.
"I hope our child will have talent like that someday," she said with a soft laugh.
Minato chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure of it. I believe our child will become an outstanding shinobi."
As the couple spoke, Satoru stirred from his meditation. Though he'd been deeply focused, he could still feel when others were watching him.
Opening his eyes slowly, he noticed Minato and Kushina standing a short distance away. Rising to his feet, he brushed the grass from his clothes and approached them, bowing politely.
"Good morning, Brother Minato, Sister Kushina."
Thanks to his young age, he could speak casually without fear of offending anyone. In truth, he was deliberately closing the distance between himself and the Hokage couple.
As expected, Minato smiled warmly at the address, reaching out to pat Satoru's head.
"You came this early?"
"So, what's your plan for today? Continuing with other techniques, or diving into the Flying Thunder God?"
Minato was genuinely concerned about the boy's "learning progress." He didn't want Satoru to waste this rare opportunity.
"I took your advice to heart, Brother Minato," Satoru replied with a smile. "After I got home yesterday, I studied several scrolls on sealing techniques. Today, I'd like to focus on the Flying Thunder God."
Kushina's eyes lit up in surprise at their conversation.
"You're learning the Flying Thunder God?" she exclaimed. "How about I teach you instead?"
Both Minato and Satoru froze at her sudden enthusiasm. Minato recovered first, tugging gently on her sleeve with a helpless smile.
"Don't be reckless, Kushina. Satoru has his own training plan. If he really hits a roadblock, he'll come ask me for help."
"No need to stir things up…"
Minato knew better than anyone what kind of person a genius like Satoru was. As someone who had also risen young and had personally trained prodigies like Kakashi, he understood that true talents had their own pace and rhythm.
A teacher, for them, was more a guide than a constant instructor.
And besides, he was certain the Hyuga Clan already had a carefully laid plan for Satoru's training. It wouldn't be right for him and Kushina to interfere too much.
But Kushina didn't think that far ahead. She genuinely liked the calm, well-mannered boy—and deep down, she also wanted to help Minato in her own way.
Though she seemed carefree and bold, her heart was delicate and thoughtful.
Satoru was the son of Hyuga Hiashi—the future head of the clan. Building a bond with him would only strengthen Minato's position as Hokage.
And, truthfully, since she had become pregnant, she had far less to do. Teaching the boy would give her something meaningful—and enjoyable—to occupy her time.
To master the Flying Thunder God required a strong grasp of sealing arts.
Minato's full command of the technique had, in fact, been possible in part because of Kushina's help.
Though she couldn't perform the Flying Thunder God herself, she understood its structure deeply. In her mind, teaching a bright little prodigy like Satoru was hardly a problem.
For the couple, this was both a gesture of goodwill toward the Hyuga—and a small preparation for the future.
…
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 50 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/Nova5tudios