Chapter 34: The Third Hokage's Right-Hand Man
Early the next morning, Uchiha Asuka borrowed two large bowls from Teuchi and brought freshly made ramen straight to Kakashi's house.
Knock! Knock!
After a series of knocks, the door quickly opened from the inside.
Seeing Kakashi still groggy and lacking energy, Uchiha Asuka handed him the bowl of ramen in his right hand, gestured toward the morning glow in the east, and sighed.
"It really isn't easy to catch you."
"Catch me?"
The aroma of the ramen drifted into his nose, making his stomach rumble.
Kakashi looked at the steaming bowl of ramen, then at Uchiha Asuka with a puzzled expression.
"Why are you looking for me?"
"Eat first."
"We'll talk after you're done."
Seeing the bowl forcibly shoved into his hands, Kakashi let out a huge yawn.
He glanced at the clock on the wall behind him, and his expression immediately stiffened.
It was only...
Five o'clock.
Had he only slept for an hour?
Soon afterward, each holding a bowl of ramen, the two of them jumped onto the roof of the Hatake residence and ate while facing the rising dawn.
"Kakashi, I didn't expect your mission clearance level to be so high."
"I couldn't find any information at all."
Slurp!
After taking a mouthful of ramen, Kakashi finally recovered some of his energy.
Looking toward the distant sunrise, he mumbled,
"Anbu missions are all like that."
"The confidentiality level is very high."
"How about we have a spar after breakfast?"
Pfft!
A mouthful of hot soup sprayed straight out of Kakashi's mouth.
He turned to look at the excited Uchiha Asuka before lowering his head to the still-steaming bowl in his hands, utterly speechless.
Sure enough...
His bad premonition had come true.
He had known Asuka wouldn't treat him to ramen for no reason.
With his usual dead-fish eyes, Kakashi quietly slurped his noodles and replied,
"Let's postpone the spar."
"I'm on a long-term mission."
"Using too much chakra will affect it."
He didn't actually mind sparring with Uchiha Asuka.
Back when his father was still alive, Asuka often visited the Hatake household to seek advice on swordsmanship.
Later, after his father passed away, Asuka had also taken good care of him.
Even after he received the Sharingan, Uchiha Asuka was one of only two members of the Uchiha Clan who supported not immediately taking it back.
"No time like the present."
Uchiha Asuka took a sip of hot soup, placed his empty bowl on the roof, and said comfortably,
"I'm joining the Anbu soon."
"By then, maybe you'll have time and I won't."
"Or maybe I won't have time and you will."
Seeing the anticipation in Asuka's eyes, Kakashi twitched the corner of his mouth.
After finishing the last of his soup, he refused again.
"Ah..."
"I've been too busy lately."
Slap!
Uchiha Asuka pulled a magazine from inside his clothes and tossed it onto Kakashi's lap.
"Next ti—"
Slap!
Before Kakashi could finish speaking, another magazine landed in his lap.
"Next—"
Seeing that Kakashi still hadn't wavered—and that he hadn't yet reached his limit—Asuka pulled out a third magazine from his chest and slapped it into Kakashi's hands.
This time...
He could clearly see Kakashi beginning to panic.
Very much so.
His face instantly flushed bright red.
"A-ah..."
"These three beginner magazines are for you."
"I'll wait for you in the small forest tonight."
After saying that, Uchiha Asuka picked up the two empty bowls and ran straight toward Teuchi's Ramen Shop.
Those magazines weren't sold anywhere on the market.
After all...
He had drawn them himself.
As for the Ninja's Three Prohibitions...
The reason beginner books are called beginner books is because they're meant to open the door to an entirely new world.
And women...
One of the Ninja's Three Prohibitions...
Represented that new world.
The Ninja's Three Prohibitions and beginner reading material were two completely different things.
As time passed and the sun rose above the horizon, Konoha gradually awakened beneath the morning mist.
The streets steadily grew busier as more pedestrians appeared.
By the time Uchiha Asuka returned the empty bowls and leisurely made his way to the Hokage Building...
A bustling new day had already begun.
"Excuse me."
"Where do I report for the Anbu?"
Stopping a nearby ninja, Uchiha Asuka pointed toward Minato Namikaze's house and said,
"Hokage-sama told me to report today."
"But when I passed by his house just now..."
"I vaguely heard Lady Kushina roaring."
"I estimate Lord Fourth will be late today."
"Tsk."
The ninja sympathetically glanced toward the Fourth Hokage's house before pointing at the office next door with a smile.
"Register over there."
"Then take your paperwork to Hokage-sama for his signature."
"Thank you."
Watching Uchiha Asuka walk away, the ninja glanced at the Uchiha crest on his back and raised an eyebrow.
This Uchiha is surprisingly approachable.
Knock! Knock!
After knocking twice with his knuckles, Uchiha Asuka heard an elderly man's voice from inside.
"Come in."
Pushing open the door, he entered the brightly lit office.
Looking at the simply furnished room and the old man sitting behind the desk, Uchiha Asuka said seriously,
"Hello."
"I'm here to report for Anbu duty."
"Name."
"Uchiha Asuka."
An Uchiha, huh...
The old man's pen paused while writing.
He looked at Uchiha Asuka with some surprise.
Although there were Uchiha who joined the Anbu, most preferred serving in the Military Police Force.
He hadn't expected three Uchiha to report today.
That was truly rare.
Lowering his head again, he continued asking,
"Primary ninjutsu affinity."
"Fire Release."
"Rank."
"Jōnin."
"Your dream."
"...?"
Uchiha Asuka looked at the old man with a face full of question marks.
Do you need a dream to join the Anbu?
Saying he wanted to live a peaceful life didn't seem appropriate.
After thinking for a moment, Uchiha Asuka took a deep breath and shouted,
"I am the man who will become the Fifth Hokage!"
His roar echoed from the room all the way onto the street outside.
Pedestrians stopped and looked toward the Hokage Building, unable to hide their admiration.
Listen to that.
From this single shout alone...
One could feel his determination, ambition, and unwavering will.
Another ninja aspiring to become Hokage.
Well done.
Meanwhile...
Inside the office...
The old man was covering both ears while staring at Uchiha Asuka with a speechless expression.
If you want to become Hokage, that's your business.
But why are you shouting?
He scratched one ear, scribbled a few more notes, and continued asking,
"After joining the Anbu..."
"Do you have any goals?"
"For example, how many missions do you plan to complete?"
"How long do you intend to serve before retiring from the Anbu?"
"No."
"I'll simply complete whatever missions I'm assigned."
Hmm.
A mission fanatic.
After writing that down, the old man set his pen aside.
Looking at Uchiha Asuka kindly, he said,
"Welcome to the Anbu."
"Now we just need Hokage-sama's approval."
"After that, you'll be assigned to a squad."
"With your abilities..."
"You'll most likely be assigned to Squad Three."
"There are many hidden experts within the Anbu."
"The top fifteen are practically all jōnin."
"Although they don't possess the Sharingan..."
"Their personal strength is still exceptionally formidable."
"As for the platoon leaders..."
"They're not only powerful individually."
"The number of missions they've completed—and their success rates—are astonishing."
"Even if you work tirelessly..."
"It'll be difficult to catch up to them in a short time."
"Once you join..."
"You should also rein in that Uchiha pride of yours."
"It'll help you avoid unpleasantness with your teammates."
Hiss!
Uchiha Asuka took a sharp breath, stepped closer, and leaned both hands on the desk.
Curiously, he asked,
"So..."
"Does that mean the strength of Anbu platoon leaders and captains..."
"That's right."
"Anbu captains are extremely powerful."
"Their abilities are also very well-rounded."
"Although 'captain' and 'platoon leader' differ by only one rank..."
"The gap in both strength and mission experience is enormous."
"It's just like the gap between you and a platoon leader."
"May I ask..."
"Are there any senior members of the Anbu whose identities can be publicly disclosed?"
"The Third Hokage's right-hand man occupies an important position within the Anbu and possesses tremendous strength."
"As for the specifics..."
"This old man cannot reveal them to you just yet."
"That's all?"
Uchiha Asuka blinked in confusion.
Of course he knew who Hiruzen Sarutobi's right-hand men were.
Weren't they the Third Hokage's son and daughter-in-law?
An Anbu captain was probably around elite jōnin level.
Kage level seemed unlikely.
As for platoon leaders...
They were probably either special jōnin or regular jōnin.
After all...
The gap between one jōnin and another could be even greater than the gap between a person and a dog.