Danzō had almost never considered the possibility that Yuya might win—let alone counter-kill Uchiha Han.
Uchiha Han was, at the very least, an elite chūnin.
In Danzō's original calculations, there were only two possible outcomes.
Either Yuya would be killed outright.
Or, at the very last moment, the Root operative hidden in the shadows would rescue the dying Yuya, bring him back for treatment, and then implant a special secret technique to place him under control—
—turning Yuya into a tool.
Yet neither outcome occurred.
Instead, the least likely third outcome had come to pass.
"That brat… in just three months, he's grown to this extent!"
For the first time, even Danzō felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Yuya's talent was simply too terrifying.
Calling him a genius wasn't enough—
—he was a monster.
Still… it was not beyond control.
Taking a deep breath, Danzō gradually regained his composure. His eyes flickered with uncertain, calculating light.
Not Far from Konoha
At a solitary base hidden away from the village—
A facility built by Orochimaru himself, dedicated entirely to experimentation.
"So… was Yuya's corpse delivered here?"
"Or did that child overturn everything?"
"Orochimaru-sama," a ninja reported,
"Yuya killed Uchiha Han."
Even as he spoke, the shock in his eyes had yet to fade.
Orochimaru paused briefly—then a strange smile spread across his face.
"As expected… that child is anything but simple. The Uchiha clan, Danzō, and even Hiruzen-sensei all underestimated him."
"Things are going to become far more interesting."
His smile grew increasingly sinister, betraying none of the thoughts swirling in his mind.
At Yuya's age, defeating an elite chūnin was enough to shock countless people—
—but it was still within the bounds of comprehension.
After all, the shinobi world had already produced monsters like Kakashi Hatake—
—who graduated from the Ninja Academy at five, and became a chūnin at six.
Hokage's Office
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind his desk.
Even now, his eyes still held shock that he had yet to fully suppress.
"This is simply… unbelievable."
"Yes," someone replied softly.
"That child truly exceeded everyone's expectations."
Standing quietly beside Hiruzen was a man with silver hair.
He wore the standard uniform of a Konoha elite jōnin, neat and proper—
—but his identity was far more than that.
He was Hatake Sakumo—
The White Fang of Konoha, and Kakashi Hatake's father.
Hiruzen took a deep breath, and only after a long moment did he finally calm down.
"Sakumo… what do you think we should do next?"
"I believe," Sakumo said after a brief pause,
"that child can graduate early—and then be brought into the ANBU."
Hiruzen frowned slightly.
"After this incident, the Uchiha clan won't let things go easily. And Yuya is sharp—how could he not guess that I was involved in this matter…"
"Hokage-sama," Sakumo said calmly,
"with respect, there's no need to consider so much."
"Yuya is intelligent. He may be able to infer what happened behind the scenes—but even if he does, it won't change anything."
"He is a shinobi of Konoha. If he leaves the village, he has nowhere to go."
"Now, what he faces are the Uchiha clan—and Danzō."
"And precisely because he is intelligent, he will understand that the best path available to him is to become an ANBU operative directly under the Hokage."
Sakumo's words brought sudden clarity to Hiruzen.
That was right.
Yuya had nowhere else to go.
Even if he understood that Hiruzen had abandoned him this time—
—he still had no choice but to rely on the Hokage's side.
"Still…" Hiruzen hesitated slightly.
"I worry that after this incident, his heart may—"
"It's fine," Sakumo said calmly.
His tone carried deep confidence.
"As long as I'm here, he is a shinobi of Konoha. That will never change."
"And besides," Sakumo added with a faint smile,
"hasn't Tsunade already formed a good relationship with him?"
"Hah… true."
Hiruzen nodded and finally smiled.
Hatake Sakumo was the current commander of Konoha's ANBU.
With Sakumo overseeing things, Yuya entering the ANBU was something Hiruzen could feel at ease about.
Even if Yuya grew rapidly in strength—
—as long as Sakumo was there, Yuya would remain under control.
Moreover, Tsunade was Hiruzen's disciple.
Now that she seemed to have formed a mentor-like bond with Yuya, that connection alone would help smooth over any resentment Yuya might harbor.
"Then it's settled," Hiruzen said after a moment of thought.
"We'll apply for his early graduation—and for now, have him enter ANBU as a candidate member."
"Only a candidate?" Sakumo asked.
"Yes," Hiruzen nodded.
"Combat-wise, defeating Uchiha Han speaks for itself. But he's still too young—he needs further refinement."
"That's reasonable," Sakumo agreed.
With that, Hiruzen walked over to the window and looked out over Konoha from the Hokage Tower.
The village lay peaceful below.
A trace of complexity and emotion surfaced on his face.
He was the Hokage.
What he bore on his shoulders was the entire village.
And so, he had to think in terms of the greater picture.
As long as the outcome benefited Konoha's future—
—anything could be done.
This was Hiruzen Sarutobi's Will of Fire.
For the sake of Konoha, everything could be sacrificed.
Just as he had long turned a blind eye to Danzō's constant seizure of power.
Just as, in canon history, he would even forgive Danzō after being betrayed.
This was Hiruzen Sarutobi—
A true giant of the shinobi world.
A Quiet Street Corner
After winding through several alleys, one would arrive at Yuya's home.
Although Yuya had won a life-and-death duel against Uchiha Han, it caused no upheaval within Konoha.
Those who knew of it were limited to the upper echelons of the village.
The Uchiha clan certainly wouldn't publicize it—
—it was a humiliation beyond words.
At this moment, Yuya sat inside his home, gazing thoughtfully at several items laid out on the table.
On the table were:
A shinobi forehead protector,
a document,
and a scroll.
The scroll contained the training method for Superhuman Strength, which Yuya had just received.
The forehead protector came with a sudden notification—
Yuya had been officially approved for early graduation from the Ninja Academy.
The protector had not been handed to him by the Hokage personally, nor delivered by an Academy instructor—
—but by an ANBU operative.
There was no need to think deeply about it.
Yuya defeating Uchiha Han had prompted a direct order from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After all, someone capable of defeating an elite chūnin continuing to attend the Ninja Academy would be absurd.
Early graduation.
Promotion to genin.
No application required—only a formal notice.
Of course, Yuya didn't care much about the rank of genin.
It meant very little to him.
What truly caught his attention—
—was the document lying quietly beside the forehead protector.
That document was an official notice of induction—
From Konoha's ANBU—
The Special Assassination and Tactical Squad.
Yuya had been listed as an ANBU Candidate.
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