It was afternoon, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, having enjoyed a hearty meal, was preparing to dive back into his work.
"Kakashi's gone to the hospital to rest, Guy is accompanying him, and Jiraiya has taken Kitagawa Minamoto under his wing. Finally, a bit of peace and quiet."
Sitting in his chair, Hiruzen couldn't help but muse to himself.
"That kid Minamoto... can he really master Sage Mode?"
To be honest, he wasn't entirely certain. However, considering that the boy had already mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, there might just be another surprise in store.
"Well, back to work."
With his pipe in hand, Hiruzen glanced at the mountain of paperwork on his desk and fell silent for a moment.
His gaze shifted to a towel-covered crystal ball nearby, and he stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"It's still early. A little rest wouldn't hurt, right? Observing the 'state' of Konohagakure is technically part of my duties too!"
"Old man!"
Just as he reached out his hand, Jiraiya's sudden shout startled him, causing him to pull back immediately.
Looking up, sure enough, Jiraiya had burst in through the window, his face filled with urgency.
"What's the matter? Has something happened?"
Hiruzen forced himself to remain calm and asked in a low voice,
"Why are you in such a rush? What kind of behavior is this?"
"Minamoto! That kid—he's done it!"
"Hmm? Done what?"
"Sage Mode! That kid has already mastered Sage Mode!"
Seeing Jiraiya's excitement, Hiruzen felt his hand tremble even more.
"How long has it been? How could he have mastered it so quickly?"
"You're not joking, are you?"
As the Hokage, Hiruzen had seen his fair share of extraordinary events. Regaining his composure, he asked seriously,
"Didn't you say Sage Mode is extremely difficult to master? How did he..."
"You might not believe this, but that kid seems to have a natural affinity for sensing Chakra."
Jiraiya, his throat dry from excitement, explained earnestly,
"I gave him a brief explanation of Sage Mode, and then he told me he could sense Natural Energy.
Before I could even stop him, he had already absorbed Senjutsu Chakra and controlled it perfectly!"
"Is that so..."
Hiruzen was utterly stunned by this revelation.
But he quickly recalled what Jiraiya and Kakashi had mentioned before—Minamoto's exceptional control over Chakra.
This allowed him to learn any technique at an astonishing speed.
"Exceptional Chakra control... able to sense Natural Energy..."
Hiruzen, pipe in hand, nodded slowly. Though surprised and excited, he quickly regained his composure.
As Hokage, he had access to extensive information and knew that a few individuals had indeed been blessed by Natural Energy.
However, those who couldn't utilize it properly often became violent, losing their rationality and turning into beasts.
He also recalled some fragmented notes left behind in Orochimaru's research after his defection from the village.
"I see. How skilled is he now?"
"Not bad, but he's just started, so it's hard to say for certain."
Jiraiya thought for a moment and answered truthfully.
"Then teach him well. Make sure he becomes proficient in using this power."
Hiruzen's expression turned serious. He clapped his hands, summoning an Anbu member who appeared before them.
"I've already ordered the retrieval of the First Hokage's records. Once they've been compiled, use them during your training sessions with Minamoto. Make sure to nurture him properly. Understood?"
"Got it."
Jiraiya nodded. Even if Hiruzen hadn't said anything, he would have ensured this task was done to the best of his ability.
"This is truly great news..."
A smile spread across Hiruzen's face. He genuinely felt that Konohagakure was thriving.
But before he could fully savor the moment, Jiraiya's next words nearly made him choke.
"Old man, you never gave me those resources back when I was learning. Playing favorites, are we?"
"Cough, cough, cough! You were learning directly at Mount Myōboku! What would you need those materials for?!"
"Still, you owe me some compensation. How about we take a look at that crystal ball together?"
"You! Get out! Now!"
"Sage Art: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
By a pond in the forests of Konohagakure, Minamoto stood with one hand raised, seemingly completing a seal.
In the next instant, a massive red fire dragon roared to life.
Its enormous form covered the entire pond, and as it surged forward, a thick mist rose in its wake.
Boom!
The fire dragon crashed onto the opposite shore, igniting a raging inferno that seemed poised to consume the forest.
But Minamoto remained calm, forming another seal at a deliberate pace.
"Sage Art: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
As his Chakra surged, a water dragon quickly formed in the pond, no less imposing than the fire dragon before it.
The water dragon roared as it shot forward, extinguishing the blazing inferno in an instant.
All that remained was a dense mist, enveloping the entire forest.
"Jiraiya-sensei, how did I do?"
After completing the techniques, Minamoto turned to Jiraiya, who twitched his lips before nodding.
"Very... very good."
In truth, Jiraiya was starting to feel numb. He had seen such displays countless times over the past month and a half.
Time flew by, and a month and a half passed in the blink of an eye.
After learning of Minamoto's progress, Hiruzen had expedited the retrieval of the First Hokage's records, which were promptly delivered.
Minamoto studied them diligently and made rapid progress, leaving Jiraiya both amazed and exasperated.
Jiraiya had also reviewed the materials, but they hadn't been of much help to him.
"This is a true genius!"
Jiraiya felt a bit defeated as he watched Minamoto effortlessly enter Sage Mode. Unable to hold back, he asked,
"How long can you maintain it now?"
"I'm not sure. Probably around ten minutes?"
Minamoto tilted his head and casually gave an estimate. In truth, he could sustain it much longer if he wanted to.
"That's not bad..."
Jiraiya nodded. That duration should be sufficient to end most battles.
"Jiraiya-sama, staying in Konohagakure doesn't seem to be helping me much anymore."
As Jiraiya pondered, Minamoto suddenly spoke up.
"I think I need more experience. How about we go on a journey?"
"A journey?"
Jiraiya had been toying with the same idea. His last attempt to track Orochimaru had been fruitless, leaving him with lingering regret.
Watching Minamoto's rapid progress over the past month had been satisfying but also somewhat disheartening.
While Jiraiya needed the assistance of two toad sages to maintain Sage Mode, Minamoto could transition into it seamlessly. The disparity was striking.
He felt it might be time for a change of scenery, not only to clear his mind but also to gather new intelligence on Orochimaru and that mysterious organization.
Moreover, Minamoto indeed needed more practical experience.
"That's worth considering. I'll discuss it with the old man and see if there's any intelligence worth following up on."
"Alright. I'll keep training in the meantime."
"Good."
Watching Jiraiya's departing figure, Minamoto deactivated his Sage Mode, feeling a surge of satisfaction.
Finally, he could openly use his "Byakugan"!
"Plus, the materials the Third Hokage found have been incredibly helpful."
[Name: Kitagawa Minamoto] [Age: 13] [Bloodline: Ōtsutsuki Clan (Development: 24%)] [Chakra Capacity: SS (High Kage Level)] [Chakra Attributes: Water, Fire, Earth, Lightning, Wind, Yin, Yang] [Special Skill: Ice Release]
Looking at his Status Panel, Minamoto felt immensely satisfied. His instincts had been correct—further developing his affinity for Natural Energy had indeed enhanced his bloodline!
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain, atop the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Pain opened his eyes.
Around him, ghostly Chakra projections began to materialize, one by one.
Pain's gaze swept across them, and in a calm voice, he declared:
"Since everyone is here, let's begin the meeting."
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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