Amamiya Rei gripped his longsword, the blade drawing closer and closer to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
For a fleeting instant, a glint of black passed across Rei's eyes.
The very next moment—
A harsh, grating clash rang out from the sword in his hand, making one's teeth ache at the sound.
Rei's brows furrowed as he glanced at the source. A black iron cage had suddenly formed around Hiruzen, locking him in with unshakable protection.
Countless slashes rained down, carving the air itself, but every strike landed harmlessly against the cage. Not a single scratch appeared.
Rei flipped backward, landing firmly on the ground. Sword still in hand, he fixed his gaze on the cage—only to watch it twist and collapse, reshaping itself into a black staff that now rested in Hiruzen's grip.
Rei recognized it instantly.
This was Sarutobi Hiruzen's weapon—the Adamantine Staff.
How convenient.
If Rei's memory served him right, this weapon was none other than Enma, the Monkey King himself, transformed into battle form.
It possessed hardness rivaling diamond and could freely extend or shrink at will. What made it even more troublesome was that, even in the form of the staff, Enma retained his own will and could launch attacks independently. His claws and fangs could erupt from the weapon at any moment, making for unpredictable and versatile strikes.
The staff blurred, turning into a streak of shadow right before Rei's eyes.
His pupils followed the motion instinctively, but the speed was nearly too fast for the naked eye to catch.
A sharp glint flashed in Rei's crimson gaze.
Enma's claw was suddenly in striking range, mere centimeters away.
Just one more instant, and it would rip across Rei's face.
But—it stopped. The claw hung frozen, unable to advance even a single centimeter further.
At some point, a wooden dragon had twined itself tightly around Enma's body.
Not only did it immobilize him, but his body was steadily weakening as the wooden dragon drained away his chakra.
Enma quickly reverted into the form of the staff, returning to Hiruzen's hand.
Hiruzen's eyes lit up with recognition as he took in the massive wooden dragon coiling before Rei.
"Excellent!" he praised, his tone filled with genuine satisfaction.
Hiruzen swung the staff and lunged forward once more.
The wooden dragon let out a deafening roar and charged.
Boom!
Its jaws clamped down on the black staff.
Hiruzen immediately felt his chakra leaking away in torrents.
His body sprang back instinctively, and with a decisive seal, he dispelled the Summoning Technique.
A cloud of smoke burst outward.
The adamantine staff vanished between the dragon's teeth.
The wooden dragon's form flickered, launching itself skyward before materializing behind Hiruzen in an instant.
"Fire Style: Majestic Flame Jutsu!"
Behind the dragon, three more Hiruzen appeared out of thin air.
In the blink of an eye, scorching flames swept across the field.
Waves of fire surged forward, swallowing the wooden dragon whole.
But it didn't stop there. The shadow clones pressed on, weaving seals one after another:
"Lightning Style: Thunderclap!"
"Earth Style: Earth Flow River!"
"Wind Style: Cyclone!"
Amamiya Rei: "…"
If his memory wasn't failing him, this was supposed to be a sparring match.
Was Hiruzen actually trying to kill him?
A breath of heated air slipped from Rei's lips.
The hem of his cloak lifted high, and his figure tore through space like invisible lightning, vanishing from sight. In the next instant, he was behind the true Hiruzen.
"Breath of Thunder, First Form—Thunderclap and Flash!"
The sword swept across Hiruzen's neck.
But no blood flew.
Only a pool of mud splattered onto the ground where the body dissolved.
A substitution.
From a short distance away, Hiruzen fixed his gaze on Rei, his heart weighed with complex emotions.
This child's strength… it was beyond anything he had anticipated.
Hiruzen could almost say with certainty that Amamiya Rei would one day become the strongest shinobi in the world.
And yet, unease crept in.
For such overwhelming talent and power had been paired with a heart far too soft.
When Rei's blade neared his neck, Hiruzen had clearly sensed the hesitation.
Only after confirming the body before him was not the real one did Rei allow his strike to land.
Hiruzen sighed heavily.
Softness of heart was the greatest taboo in battle.
Softness could grant the weak a chance to turn defeat into victory, and bring about the death of the strong.
The fight was over.
Rei pressed his lips together and sheathed his blade.
Although his chakra had grown tremendously, it was still not enough to rival Sarutobi Hiruzen.
If the battle dragged on, it could only end in his defeat.
Besides, he had no intention of laying bare all his trump cards before Hiruzen.
Having one's hand revealed, one's true strength known to others—that was a deeply unsettling, unsafe prospect for Rei.
And so, this battle would end here.
Rei bowed his head respectfully before Hiruzen. "I concede. As expected, the Hokage-sama is truly formidable."
Hiruzen studied Rei's expression closely, missing not the slightest detail.
But there was no trace of resentment, no flicker of unwillingness in Rei's eyes—only respect and a hint of shame.
"…," Hiruzen exhaled quietly.
He had no choice but to admit it. Rei's openness and integrity left him deeply moved.
Yet, on second thought—was it not precisely because Rei's heart bore no malice, no envy, and no hatred, that she was able to progress so swiftly along the path of training?
Hiruzen finally spoke, his tone serious: "What you must focus on now is developing your Mokuton, learning new techniques, practice chakra control, and steadily build your reserves."
Of course, there was another method to accelerate chakra growth.
Rei very nearly asked if Hiruzen would be willing to make a personal contribution toward his growth.
After all, just one bite of Hiruzen's flesh, and Rei's power would surge to a whole new level.
And besides—Hiruzen was already so old, with barely more than skin clinging to his bones. Rei wouldn't even complain.
Skin and bones, was it?
Rei's gaze lingered on Hiruzen's frail, thin frame.
Suddenly, he slammed his fist into his open palm.
No, this wouldn't do!
How could the Hokage be so scrawny?
Rei made up his mind then and there—from now on, he would prepare an extra serving of pig feed for Hiruzen.
The old Hokage shrank his neck slightly, glancing toward the sun sinking in the west. With a sigh, he murmured,"The sun sets, and the air grows colder…"
…
"Hokage-sama, today's breakfast consists of a tuna sandwich platter, tomato-egg noodles, thick tamagoyaki with seasonal vegetables, a fresh vegetable salad, grilled fish, and pumpkin soup."
Whenever it was Rei's turn on duty, he personally prepared all three of Hiruzen's daily meals.
Hiruzen stared at the mountain of food spread across the entire table, then shifted his gaze to Rei—who stared at him without blinking.
"Hokage-sama carries the weight of countless duties. You must replenish your nutrition. I'm certain this little food is nothing for a sharp blade such as yourself, still unyielding despite the years."
Though Rei's face was hidden behind her mask, Hiruzen could distinctly sense the oppressive aura rolling off him—a nameless, indescribable pressure that chilled him to the core.
"And for lunch today, Hokage-sama, we have braised prawns, stir-fried eggs with green peppers, pork rib and corn soup, braised chicken, and scallions with glazed pork tenderloin…"
Hiruzen's hand trembled as he picked up his chopsticks.
This… this…
Surely, this had to count as elder abuse.
Sarutobi Hiruzen resolved then and there: he would use his authority to reassign Amamiya Rei away from his side.
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