Hiruzen Sarutobi stood his ground, a faint, grandfatherly smile on his face. He made no move, simply existing in that space, yet the imposing aura radiating from him made it impossible for anyone to launch a rash attack.
To the side, Koharu Utatane watched with a complex expression. They had all grown old, but even in his twilight years, Hiruzen Sarutobi commanded a respect that banished any thought of rivalry. She sighed softly, shifting her gaze to Masahiko.
Just as she was wondering if the young man would actually dare to strike—
He moved.
With a burst of speed from the Body Flicker Technique, Masahiko appeared instantly before the Third Hokage. Simultaneously, the chakra within the tenketsu of his arm erupted. It formed a turbulent, conical stream of high-pressure water, thrusting forward like a spear meant to pierce through everything.
Whoosh.
Hiruzen vanished from his spot. It was an afterimage.
Boom!
The earth beneath Masahiko cracked open. A hand shot up from the soil, grabbing at his ankles.
Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!
Splash.
The "Masahiko" that was seized dissolved instantly into a splash of water.
"A combination of the Water Clone and Substitution Jutsu?" Homura Mitokado nodded in approval. "And his hand seals were incredibly fast."
Although the two elders were past their prime, their experience was absolute. They could see the nuances of the battle clearly. Yagyu Masahiko was indeed no weakling. Their expressions turned grave as they watched.
In the split second following the substitution, multiple clones materialized around the perimeter. Three figures lunged at Hiruzen simultaneously, their blades slashing in arcs reminiscent of the moon.
Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon!
Under the concealment of his stealth techniques, the chakra signatures of the main body and the clones were identical, making them impossible to distinguish.
Hiruzen, however, simply wove a string of hand seals. The surrounding water from the previous attack surged upward with a roar, sweeping all the clones into its current and transforming into a ferocious Water Dragon.
But at that same moment, a fireball shot out from the mouth of a clone hiding in the corner.
"Fireball Jutsu?"
Homura squinted, unsure. The fireball was small, and the chakra volume appeared low, but the hand seals Masahiko had used didn't match the standard sequence for the Great Fireball Technique.
'Is it a modified version?' he and Koharu wondered, watching intently.
Boom!
The fireball collided with the head of the Water Dragon. The chakra inside the flame clashed violently, causing it to detonate instantly like an explosive tag.
Then came four more fireballs, following the first in rapid succession. With each subsequent sphere, the flames appeared more condensed and solid.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The chain of explosions blasted the Water Dragon apart, drastically reducing its momentum. The high temperature instantly vaporized the water, filling the area with a thick, scalding mist.
Swish!
Masahiko, blade in hand, charged into the mist alongside three clones.
Hiruzen's expression tightened. 'Genjutsu.'
He immediately flared his chakra to dispel the illusion. Relying on his battle instincts and sensory perception, he raised his kunai to block an attack coming from the blurred white fog.
Clang!
Metal sparked against metal.
Immediately following the block, the sound of a blade slicing through the wind came from behind him, while the rushing sound of water approached from his flank.
'So, this is what it feels like to be on the receiving end,' Hiruzen chuckled internally. His hands moved in a blur. The ground beneath his feet softened instantly, transforming into a raging mudslide in the blink of an eye.
The torrent of mud surged outward. The Water Clone bearing down on him was swallowed up and crushed, bursting into water. But at the same time—
A violent fluctuation of chakra came from directly above.
Hiruzen leaped, his body splitting in two mid-air. One copy intercepted the Shadow Clone slashing from the side, while the other began weaving signs...
It was the Water Dragon Bullet again.
But this time, the flames in Masahiko's mouth were condensed to the point of discoloration. He expelled the mass of super-heated chakra, watching it tumble and expand as it flew. Finally, his hands clapped together, altering the seal.
"Explode!"
Inside the massive fireball, the chakra expanded in a chaotic, frenzied reaction, resulting in a devastating, fiery explosion. A rolling wave of heat washed over the training ground.
Hiruzen's heart skipped a beat. He engaged the Body Flicker Technique to retreat while simultaneously forming defensive seals. Wall after wall of earth rose from the ground to intercept the blast.
Watching from the sidelines, Koharu and Homura were forced to deploy their own defensive ninjutsu to contain the terrifying destructive force within a safe radius.
After the continuous bombardment of flames...
Hiruzen himself was unharmed. The figure on the surface had been an Earth Clone that turned into a pile of mud, while his true body emerged from the ground some distance away.
Masahiko hurriedly used Water Style: Wild Water Wave to extinguish the lingering flames.
However, after the barrage of Water, Fire, and Earth techniques, the training field was completely ruined.
"That was too reckless!" Homura couldn't help but scold. "What if a massive explosion jutsu like that damaged the Academy's facilities?"
"I apologize. I shouldn't have used Fire Style," Masahiko admitted quickly, bowing his head in contrition.
Hiruzen's face reddened slightly, and he coughed into his fist. "Think nothing of it. I was the one who told him to go all out."
He looked at Masahiko, hesitation visible in his eyes. Finally, he asked, "Did you come up with that technique yourself?"
"I improved upon the standard Fireball Jutsu," Masahiko nodded.
Hiruzen fell silent for a moment. "You truly have a gift for research. It is a pity... a pity you weren't exposed to this knowledge sooner."
In Hiruzen's eyes, Masahiko was undoubtedly a genius in ninjutsu development. The tragedy was that due to his background and circumstances, this pearl had been covered in dust, unable to access the resources he needed until now.
Hiruzen turned to his old friends. "What do you think?"
"I approve of Yagyu Masahiko serving as the Acting Head of the Education Unit, pending future performance," Homura stated firmly. He held a position within the Academy administration and knew Masahiko's capabilities; witnessing this battle only confirmed that the young man had the strength to back it up.
Koharu opened her mouth to speak but stopped. She sighed with resignation. "Does my objection even matter?"
She looked at Masahiko but found she had nothing to say. Whether it was raw power, creativity, or tactical mindset, the young man before her possessed talent far beyond the norm. Putting aside age and political stance, she had no valid reason to oppose him.
"Then it's settled."
Hiruzen smiled and dusted off his robes. He looked around at the devastated training field, and his smile stiffened. This level of destruction was not quite what he had anticipated.
"About this—"
"Since I destroyed it, I will clean it up," Masahiko volunteered immediately.
Hiruzen cleared his throat again, stepping closer to pat Masahiko on the shoulder.
"Do your best," he whispered, lowering his voice so only Masahiko could hear. "Work hard at the Academy. In a short while, I will have an important mission for you."
Masahiko gave a subtle nod, remaining silent.
Hiruzen turned and walked away. Homura followed closely behind. Koharu gave Masahiko one last complicated look before turning to leave.
After leaving the Ninja Academy and parting ways with Hiruzen, Koharu finally spoke in a low voice to Homura. "I've dragged you into this."
"Don't talk about dragging..." Homura sighed deeply. "Although I don't agree with what you and Danzō are doing, I can't think of a better strategy."
Both of them knew the truth perfectly well.
Although they were both candidates for the Head of the Education Unit, Yagyu Masahiko and Watanabe Shōji were fundamentally different.
The former was young and unburdened by clan politics, which was why Hiruzen supported him so strongly. The latter was different; Watanabe had too many fetters and connections, preventing him from acting freely.
"Perhaps it's for the best. We are old, and our minds aren't as sharp as the youth. Maybe it is time to hand over what needs to be handed over," Homura said, seeming to accept the situation.
Koharu, however, disagreed. "They are too naive. For the sake of Konoha, we must do the things that they will not."
Homura looked at her for several seconds before letting out a helpless sigh. "I do not approve, nor will I get involved in the affairs between you two."
With that, he turned and walked away.