The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a twilight glow over Konoha. In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his aged face a mask of deep contemplation as he read Kurenai's mission report.
"Forced back an Akatsuki's member."
"Completely destroyed over ten bridges and construction structures..."
With each line, Hiruzen's bewilderment grew.
'This was supposed to be a C-Rank mission. How had Takumi turned it into what sounded like an S-Rank operation?'
Destroying enemy infrastructure in front of hundreds of hostile Shinobi, battling and defeating an Akatsuki's member, and returning without a scratch… It was unbelievable for a rookie.
"The situation is as reported, Sandaime-sama." Yuhi Kurenai said, her expression troubled, "Takumi's abilities... they far surpass anything we imagined. His explosive Ninjutsu, in particular, is... sublime."
She had been reluctant to disclose the full details, fearing an investigation would disrupt Takumi's life.
But with so many witnesses, silence was impossible. So, she told him everything… except for Takumi's claimed heritage.
"That boy's power..." Hiruzen murmured, his brow deeply furrowed. He had gravely underestimated Takumi, thinking him merely a clever, village-loving Chunin-level talent.
To single-handedly repel an Akatsuki's member was a feat only a select few of Konoha's Jonin could claim.
"Dismissed." Hiruzen said finally. Kurenai bowed and left, her mind a whirlwind as she walked the streets.
Suddenly, she spotted a flash of white and red… Jiraiya.
"Lord Jiraiya!" She called, rushing over. She needed an answer.
"Well, hello there, Kurenai-chan! Fancy a drink?" Jiraiya leered.
"This is serious!" She retorted, cheeks puffing out, "I need to ask you about the Sage of the Six Paths!"
Jiraiya's lecherous grin faded slightly, "The Sage? What about him?"
"Did he truly exist? What was his name? His characteristics?"
Jiraiya stroked his chin, "Exist? Oh, he existed, alright. His name... that's lost to time, I'm afraid. But his eyes... the Rinnegan. You know, the ones that control the cycle of rebirth."
He crouched, sketching the distinctive spiral pattern in the dirt with a twig, "Looked like this. Circles within circles..."
Kurenai's blood ran cold, 'It was true. Takumi's story checked out.'
In that moment, her worry shifted from Takumi to the Hokage himself. After all, if Hiruzen mishandled this and provoked Takumi... the consequences could be catastrophic.
"So, how about that drink?" Jiraiya tried again.
"Go bother Utatane-sama!" Kurenai snapped, turning on her heel.
That night, in his home, Takumi relaxed after a bath.
"I'm exhausted." He sighed, lying back, 'A flying ability like Kurotsuchi's would be nice right now... I wonder how she's doing. I hope she got the memories...'
Unbeknownst to him, Kurotsuchi, far away in Iwagakure, hadn't slept properly in three days.
Vivid dreams of a life with Takumi haunted her every time she closed her eyes, leaving her blushing and restless.
'I should have stayed longer.' Takumi mused, 'At least met her properly.'
After an hour, he rose and sat at his desk, pulling out a notebook and pen. He began to write with intense focus.
Outside, hidden on a rooftop, an Anbu's member watched, "What's he doing? Writing a letter?"
The operative was there on the Hokage's orders. After Kurenai's report, surveillance was a necessary precaution.
'Let's see... this part needs to be just right...' Takumi's expression shifted between conflict and resolution. He wasn't writing a letter, or even a real diary.
This was a performance, a script written for a single audience member: the Sandaime Hokage.
He knew his display of power would trigger an investigation. But Hiruzen was still useful to him.
Rather than be a pawn, Takumi would be the puppeteer, guiding the Hokage's perceptions without his knowledge.
This 'diary' was the first string.
After a solid hour of writing, Takumi closed the book with a satisfied sigh. He was getting good at this… a side effect, perhaps, of those high-intelligence simulations.
He placed the notebook in a desk drawer, deliberately hiding it under the second book from the top, which is easy enough for the Anbu to find, but not so obvious that he'd notice its absence immediately.
He then went to bed, 'The stage is set.'
The next morning, Takumi left for breakfast as if it were any other day. The moment he was gone, the Anbu's member slipped inside and retrieved the notebook.
"This is..." The operative muttered, skimming the contents, "Hokage-sama needs to see this."
In his office, Hiruzen was already pacing, pipe in hand. He'd arrived early, his mind restless.
Takumi was his chosen hope for Konoha's future, the key to a unified shinobi world. But this hidden power... was it a blessing or a threat? He needed answers.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Report!" Hiruzen demanded as the member entered.
"He wrote a diary entry last night, sir."
"A diary?" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, "Let me see it."
He took the notebook and opened it to the most recent entry.
'Recording My First Official Mission'
The title was straightforward. A mission log.
[I was so happy that Hokage-sama trusted me with such an important mission. He really is a good and respectable man.]
Hiruzen blinked, momentarily disarmed. Such high praise from the boy eased his anxiety slightly.
[To be honest, I was really nervous about this mission. The Land of Earth is so far, and I didn't know the area at all. If I'd messed up, it would have been a disaster.]
[For the first few days, I was scared. Scared of failing.]
[I didn't want Kurenai-sensei to get hurt. I didn't want to let the village down. It was hard, but I pushed through.]
[Looking back, I'm glad I persevered. I didn't disappoint Hokage-sama or the village.]
"Hmm." Hiruzen hummed, taking a thoughtful drag from his pipe, 'So he was conflicted and nervous after leaving the village.'
The description felt genuine, the authentic voice of a rookie on his first major assignment.
[After a few more days, I saw how kind and gentle Kurenai-sensei is. She's really pretty, too. I think she and Asuma-sensei are a great match. They belong together.]
[Speaking of Asuma-sensei... I get the feeling he doesn't like me much.]
[That trip to the Anbu's headquarters was his idea too, wasn't it? It ended so badly. I felt terrible about it.]
Hiruzen's frown returned, 'So the boy had noticed Asuma's hostility.'
The comparison between his petty, jealous son and this perceptive, yet forgiving, Genin was not flattering to Asuma.
He read on.
[We traveled for days and finally arrived.]
[I'd never seen so many shinobi in one place. They all looked so fierce, working on those bridges.]
[There was one girl, though, a bit older than me... she was pretty. I found out later she's Sandaime Tsuchikage's granddaughter.]
[Kurenai-sensei thought they were building the bridges to attack the Land of Grass later.]
[When I heard that, I knew it was bad.]
[The Land of Earth is always causing trouble, and they're strong. If they took the Land of Grass, they'd be right on our border.]
[I felt so torn.]
[Our mission was just to scout. Not to fight or sabotage. We didn't even have the gear to blow up those bridges.]
[But if we did nothing and just left, they'd finish the bridges, and the Land of Fire would be in danger.]
[I was really conflicted.]
[Because I knew I could do it.]
[That explosive power... I've never used it. There are other things I can do, too...]
[I know they're too strong. If I used them, I'd stand out.]
[I just want to be a normal Genin. I want to be with Naruto, Sakura and the others. I just want to protect everyone quietly. I don't want to be pushed away for being different...]
[And if I used that power... I think it would have scared Kurenai-sensei...]
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FOR EVERY 50 POWER STONES, I'LL UPLOAD ONE CHAPTER