Inside the ANBU base, after finishing their meal and with plenty of time before their shift began, Makoto, Hayate, and Yūgao rested in the activity room reserved exclusively for the Hokage Guard Platoon.
The Genma squad had taken over when they got off duty and was now stationed inside the Hokage's office, ensuring that someone was there at all times.
Why not follow Minato?
They would have liked to, but the problem was—who could keep up with someone who could use Flying Thunder God? Besides, because of the Jinchūriki situation, there were always ANBU guards posted near the Fourth Hokage's residence, so there was no need for them to escort him home.
Yūgao complained, "Why can't we get off work yet? I have a date this afternoon."
Hayate's ears twitched. He sensed that something about this was not so simple.
Makoto, however, wasn't worried about some sudden romantic rival appearing. He was just curious about the date: "Who are you going out with?"
"Hmph, why should I tell you?" After enjoying a brief moment of smug satisfaction, she finally gave the answer. "It's Meko and Anko. Kurenai might come too."
Hayate was somewhat surprised. "Since when did you get so close to them?"
"What, am I not allowed to have a few close girlfriends?"
"Of course you are."
"Ahem!" Makoto said solemnly, "It's good to make more friends. But I'm afraid you'll have to cancel today—schedule it for another time. When you do, we can go with you. I kind of miss Rocky."
The young girl looked at him expressionlessly. "Do you really miss that dog?"
"Of course. I swear."
"Hmph, I don't believe a word you say. I'm not taking you to a girls' gathering."
Hayate spread his hands toward Makoto: No chance.
Makoto put on a serious face. "Yūgao, I'm the captain. You have to obey orders!"
Yūgao lowered her voice in retort, "Higashino Makoto, you're going to regret this!"
"…"
"Hahahahaha!" ×3
After a moment of silence, the three burst into cheerful laughter, and the activity room was instantly filled with a lively atmosphere.
Since becoming members of the Hokage Guard Platoon, they had seen Danzō twice in the Hokage's office. None of them liked that gloomy old man.
Every time he came, he would argue with the Fourth Hokage. The first time, Danzō had unconsciously blurted out his classic line. Today was the second time—he had finally realized what the problem was and forcefully stopped himself mid-sentence.
Even now, whenever they thought of the pained expression he had worn while holding it in, they felt happy, and could not help but mentally finish the line he had failed to say.
In the afternoon, after arriving at the Hokage's office, Minato handled the few documents that required attention, then brought his Hokage Guard Platoon to a secluded training ground within Konohagakure.
This place could also be considered exclusive to the Hokage.
What is the most important thing about being Hokage?
Affinity? Political acumen? Administrative competence?
No—those are only the basics. The most important thing is strength. Without powerful strength, how can you convince the masses? In the end, shinobi judge heroes by combat ability.
As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages' Kage, if you cannot defeat anyone, who would submit to you? Konohagakure is not the pacifist Yugakure that decided to forget war.
Therefore, as a Kage, aside from work, one naturally cannot neglect the training of one's own strength. The difference is that Sarutobi Hiruzen has already entered old age; frequent training is merely to keep his strength from declining too quickly, so that he does not become useless like his two old friends.
And Minato is only twenty-four, in the prime of youth. His strength still has vast room for growth. Naturally, just because he has taken the seat of Hokage, he would not begin to slack off and neglect the improvement of his own strength.
That would be putting the cart before the horse.
Generally, after handling affairs in the morning, he would spend the afternoon training. The Genma squad would stand guard around the perimeter.
No one knew why today he had brought the Makoto squad along.
Around the training ground, Makoto and the other two, working overtime, had no complaints. Together with Genma's squad, they were positioned around the area, carrying out their duties.
In the training ground, Minato raised a hand and condensed a sphere in his palm. He maintained it, brows tightly furrowed, seemingly exerting effort at something.
After a while, the sphere in his palm finally failed to hold and dissipated completely. The next few attempts were the same.
After pondering again to no avail, he beckoned toward a certain direction.
Makoto's Body Flicker Technique was very fast; like a flash, he appeared before him.
"Minato-senpai, what is it?"
In informal settings, he generally addressed him this way. That was Minato's request.
Minato asked with slight embarrassment, "Makoto, I know you have delved deeply into the nature transformation training of Wind Release chakra. Would it be convenient for you to demonstrate it for me?"
As Hokage, having to consult a subordinate about chakra training made him feel extremely lame at this moment.
"No problem." Makoto agreed readily. "Regarding the training of Wind Release nature transformation, I mainly focus on two aspects: lightness and flow, and sharpness."
As he spoke, Makoto jumped a few times in place, his body light as a falling leaf. "As for lightness and flow, my initial goal was mainly to increase my own speed and to solve the problem that we shinobi cannot change direction flexibly in midair."
"But as my training deepened, I discovered that this nature has great potential to be further developed. For example, just now—that was the Wind Release: Light Air Technique that I developed."
Then Makoto floated half a meter above the ground. "This is the further-advanced Wind Release: Levitation Technique. It not only solves the problem of changing direction, but even allows us to fly with our physical bodies."
Minato's eyes lit up as he marveled, "Is this the flying ability you displayed when dealing with Rōshi of Iwagakure? It truly is remarkable—using Wind Release to achieve a flight effect like that of the Tsuchikage."
"Yes, Minato-senpai. But this technique also has a problem—that is, it can only sustain flight briefly, because it consumes too much chakra. It cannot float in the air for long periods like the Tsuchikage."
"Although my chakra reserves are quite large, I can only maintain it for less than ten minutes. If it were someone else, they might not last even half a minute. So, at present, it is not very practical."
"Have you thought of a way to solve it?"
"Yes. The feeling of the wind tells me that if this nature can be further deepened, it should reach the effect of merging into the wind—like the Tsuchikage—making flight become instinctive without consuming too much chakra."
Minato also primarily specialized in Wind Release. Upon hearing this, he nodded, then suddenly thought of something. "That would be the third stage, right? What should it be called? It should have a cool name. Wait, let me think for a moment."
Makoto immediately interrupted his train of thought. "Wind Release: Dancing Sky Technique. I've already thought of the name!"
Minato looked somewhat regretful. "Is that so? It's quite good—concise and clear."
Yes, how could it not be concise? If I let you think of it, I'm afraid it would look like padding the word count.
"There's another issue, Minato-senpai. I've discovered that I'm somewhat different from ordinary people in chakra nature training. For most people, it would probably be very difficult to reach my level. That's not conducive to promoting this series of ninjutsu."
Minato smiled. "That's only natural. Everything depends on talent. And you, Makoto, are undoubtedly above others in ninjutsu. If it were so easy to achieve, Iwagakure wouldn't have only one Tsuchikage capable of flight."
"Is that so? That's a bit of a pity. I was thinking that maybe one day everyone could fly."
"There's no need to force such things. The fact that you're willing to contribute the ninjutsu you've developed already makes me very happy. The Third-sama and the others feel the same. This is precisely the embodiment of the Will of Fire."
"Additionally, according to intelligence records, you seem to use a special ninjutsu that can paralyze a person's entire body. I assume that's an application of the sharp nature of Wind Release chakra."
This was his true purpose in seeking out Makoto today. At present, he was painstakingly working on this very nature, attempting to incorporate it into the Rasengan, but he had yet to succeed.
"It's the Wind Release: Wind Finger Spear that I developed."
Makoto already knew of the Fourth Hokage's insistence on naming things, so he reported the name first to save him the trouble of thinking.
A tiny chakra sphere formed at the tip of Makoto's right index finger, resembling a miniature Rasengan.
As Makoto infused Wind Release chakra into it, the small sphere seemed to grow rotating wings at its tail, gradually transforming into the shape of a miniature shuttlecock.
Minato's eyes shone. "Yes, yes, that's it—that's it. The sharp nature of Wind Release integrated into the chakra sphere, achieving a fused effect. I just wonder how destructive it is."
"The destructive power is quite remarkable."
With a thought, Makoto fired the Wind Finger Spear into a large tree beside them.
After the "Wind Finger Spear" bullet drilled into the large tree, it burst briefly—then that was it.
Minato walked closer to take a look. A small hole had been punched through the trunk. "The penetration and destructive power shouldn't be this low."
"No, Minato-senpai. This tree is already dead—it just hasn't shown it yet. The sharp nature of Wind Release chakra has already destroyed the plant cells in this section. The branches and leaves above will no longer receive nutrients from the roots. Its death is already sealed."
"Is that so? Right, that makes sense. If it struck a human body, it would sever the connection between the cells and the chakra pathways. And because wind overcomes lightning, even the nerve signals would be disrupted along with it—that's why it causes total paralysis. What a terrifying ninjutsu."
As he spoke, Minato formed a Rasengan in his hand and, drawing on the inspiration he had just gained, began trying again.
But when he added Wind Release chakra, the Rasengan began to grow unstable, showing signs of collapsing at any moment.
Makoto glanced at it and shamelessly said, "This looks a bit like the preliminary chakra sphere of my Wind Finger Spear—just enlarged many times over."
"Exactly. So, Makoto, you should be able to use this technique as well, right? By the way, I call it Wind Release: Light Wheel Ice Pop Launching Whorl Jiraiya Twin Style Sphere."
You're lying. This is clearly just the Rasengan. If you have the guts, try using that name in front of your wife. If you don't get beaten, I'll take your surname.
Makoto silently complained in his heart, then extended his right hand and easily condensed an identical sphere.
"Like this, Minato-senpai?"
Minato dispelled the unstable Rasengan in his hand and said excitedly, "Yes, that's it. Use the idea behind your Wind Finger Spear and try adding Wind Release."
After hearing this, Makoto gradually infused Wind Release chakra into it.
As a large amount of sharp-nature Wind Release chakra was added, the Rasengan began to expand—and also began to destabilize.
Fortunately, Makoto "exerted himself to control it." In the end, the ninjutsu seemed to reach equilibrium. Then four wings slowly grew from around it, rotating together with the Rasengan, transforming the whole into a large, rapidly spinning shuriken-like form.
The moment the ninjutsu was completed, it emitted a piercing sound. The extremely high frequency seemed capable of tearing eardrums. Not only the two of them in the field, but even Yūgao and the others around the perimeter felt discomfort and turned to look—only to see a rapidly rotating chakra sphere condensed in Makoto's hand.
They did not know what ninjutsu it was, but instinct told them: dangerous—extremely dangerous. If struck, death was certain.
Minato was stunned. This—was the complete form of the Rasengan as he had envisioned it. Yet after so much effort, he had never succeeded.
And Makoto had accomplished it in a single attempt.
While he was abnormally excited, he could not help but feel somewhat dejected, as though his heart had suffered a crushing blow.
I always thought I was a genius. Others said so too.
I was foolish—truly foolish.
So this… this is what a genius really is.
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