When the group exited the duel arena, a wave of soreness and fatigue swept over them.
It was the aftermath of six straight hours of training, not harmful to the body, but certainly exhausting. A scientifically balanced workout, all things considered.
Feeling his legs wobble slightly, Yuki Seisui muttered under his breath, "Man, if only there was a foot spa nearby... I'd love a massage."
No one seemed to hear his grumbling, but Nara Shikaku was clearly energized as he turned to the group and declared, "Tomorrow's the weekend, let's keep training!"
Minato didn't respond, still rubbing his sore calves. Akimichi Choza, however, looked like he'd just seen a ghost.
Since when did Shikaku ever suggest training on his own?
From the moment they met, Shikaku had to be dragged into training. Now he was volunteering?
"Heh… Full of energy, I see," a voice chuckled from the side.
It was Sarutobi Hiruzen, stepping into view with a kind smile as he looked over the group.
"Ah, Hokage-sama!" Minato jumped up, startled and tried to stand at attention. But his legs gave out from the fatigue, and he nearly collapsed, if not for Seisui catching him just in time.
"Relax. You all clearly trained hard," Hiruzen said warmly as he gestured for them to sit down. "When I was your age, I trained just as diligently."
As he walked over to Seisui, he asked, "You must be the child of Santo and Yukiko, correct?"
"Yes, sir." Seisui nodded respectfully. "I'm Yuki Seisui."
"Good child. I heard you awakened a new Kekkei Genkai?"
"I'm not sure if that's what it is exactly. One day I just woke up with this strange new ability."
"Oh? Fascinating." Hiruzen's curiosity was piqued.
"Could you demonstrate this so-called duel arena for me?"
Most Kekkei Genkai are formed from the fusion of two chakra natures, resulting in abilities that affect the body on a genetic level. They're usually powers that can be activated at will.
But an ability like Seisui's, one that manifests a separate space like the duel arena, was unheard of in the shinobi world.
Hearing the Hokage's request, Seisui hesitated for a moment. After all, exiting the duel arena required either waiting six hours or dying once. And dying on purpose wasn't something he was eager to do.
Still, there was no point in hiding it. It was better to let the old man experience it for himself.
With that in mind, Seisui nodded and raised his hand, making a grasping motion toward empty air. In an instant, both he and Hiruzen vanished into the duel arena.
To the others outside, it looked like the two had suddenly gone motionless, silently facing each other without moving.
Yet all three remaining boys could feel an invisible pressure radiating from the Third Hokage, it was suffocating.
Inside the duel arena, Hiruzen examined their surroundings in astonishment. He had braced himself the moment Seisui made that grasping motion, but still got pulled in without any resistance.
"This is the duel arena, Hokage-sama," Seisui explained calmly.
"A truly remarkable ability," Hiruzen replied with a gentle smile. "Even I couldn't resist being brought here."
Then he added with a slight sigh, "It's a pity it doesn't seem useful for combat, only for training."
"That alone is more than enough," Seisui responded. "While my physical body trains outside, I can practice ninjutsu here. It's like getting twice the training time."
Hiruzen was momentarily stunned, then smiled again. "You're right. I was overthinking it."
"Seisui, work hard."
"I will!" Seisui nodded seriously. "I'll become Hokage one day!"
"Hahaha! I'll look forward to seeing you grow," Hiruzen laughed, patting Seisui's head. "Then hurry up and grow strong enough, I'll leave the title of Hokage to you!"
"Understood!"
Seisui answered joyfully, looking every bit like a newly brainwashed recruit.
"And starting next month, I'll double your and Minato's monthly living allowance. Come by the Hokage's office first to collect it."
As if suddenly remembering something, Hiruzen reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll. Smiling warmly, he said, "Here. This scroll contains a jutsu, consider it a gift."
Seisui accepted the scroll and bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
"Haha, no need to thank me. My own teacher treated us the same way."
"This... this is the Will of Fire!"
"Mm-hmm!"
"Where the leaves dance, the fire will burn. The fire's shadow will shine upon the village and allow new leaves to grow."
"You are those new leaves now!"
"Let me ask you this, Seisui, will you inherit the Will of Fire?" Hiruzen asked solemnly.
Seisui knew exactly what to say at a time like this.
"I will!" he shouted with conviction.
"Hahaha, good! No need to thank me, after all, you are the future of the village!"
Seisui stood there trembling, looking as if he'd give his life for this man on the spot.
If someone didn't know better, they might just fall for it.
Then Hiruzen glanced around again. "This space lasts six hours, right?"
"Yes, that's correct," Seisui confirmed.
"In that case, I'll take a look around."
He patted Seisui's head again and said kindly, "Get some rest. I'll be back later."
And with that, Hiruzen jogged off into the distance.
Watching him disappear into the horizon, Seisui gritted his teeth.
"That old geezer… he actually patted my head!"
An angry emoji seemed to shimmer above his head as he fumed.
"One day, I'll pat yours in return!"
He knew exactly what Hiruzen was up to.
Guys like the Third and Danzo would never just accept what someone told them. There was no way Hiruzen would trust him outright.
Even now, he was clearly off to test the duel arena's limits on his own, away from Seisui's eyes.
"Wait until I summon Eternal Mangekyo Sasuke. I'll teach you to respect personal space. No more unsolicited head pats!"
Seisui pulled up the recruitment interface. He already had five wins under his belt. Just fifteen more and he'd get ten recruitment scrolls.
"Please let me get something good… ideally a Kizaru. If I had him, I wouldn't even need ninjutsu, I'd pat the heads of everyone in the entire ninja world."
Of course, he knew he was dreaming.
Still, with time, everything was possible.
At the very least, by the time he graduated, he'd have the strength to protect himself.
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250 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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