At this moment, the entire plaza was completely silent.
Everyone's eyes were locked tightly on the figure standing behind Lone Wolf.
Lone Wolf's final attack had been overwhelmingly powerful.
The pressure coming from it was enough to make anyone feel fear deep in their hearts.
Facing such an attack, no one believed Natsuhiko still had any chance.
It could even be said that the attack's speed, power, and angle were perfect—impossible to escape.
And yet, something happened that no one could have imagined.
Natsuhiko avoided the fatal strike.
Not only had he dodged it, but a kunai had appeared in his hand, and it was now placed precisely against Lone Wolf's throat.
What just happened?
How did Nightingale get there?
Wasn't he completely locked down?
What exactly happened in that instant?
All the ANBU stared blankly at Natsuhiko, unable to understand what had just occurred.
From their perspective, the moment Lone Wolf was about to hit Nightingale—
Nightingale's figure disappeared.
Like instant teleportation, he appeared unbelievably behind Lone Wolf, with his kunai already at Lone Wolf's neck.
It sounded simple when described like that.
But accomplishing something like this was unimaginably difficult.
In fact, without a special technique to support it, such a feat would be completely impossible.
Lone Wolf himself was stunned.
He was certain he hadn't misseen anything—his Byakugan had been locked onto Natsuhiko the entire time.
And yet, at this moment, an invisible sense of fear crept into his heart.
He had clearly seen it.
Just as he was about to strike Natsuhiko, the man in front of him suddenly pulled out a kunai.
In the next instant, his figure vanished.
And the moment he disappeared—
he appeared directly behind him.
This wasn't something that could be explained by speed alone.
Because what had happened was clearly spatial movement.
A space-time ninjutsu?
Lone Wolf thought to himself.
And when he looked at Minato Namikaze, who had arrived in the arena in almost the exact same manner, he already had his answer.
No wonder…
No wonder Nightingale had chosen to compete for the commander position.
No wonder the Fourth Hokage had personally recommended him.
No wonder he had deliberately left a mark on his leg earlier.
So that was it.
This man possessed such a technique.
Taking a deep breath, Lone Wolf slowly withdrew his fist.
His aura quickly faded.
The chakra within his body also calmed down along with it. In just a few moments, he looked almost like an ordinary person.
Seeing this, Natsuhiko also withdrew the kunai from Lone Wolf's neck.
He understood that Lone Wolf's actions clearly conveyed one message—
He had conceded.
"You've learned the Flying Thunder God, haven't you?" Lone Wolf slowly turned around.
His Byakugan stared directly at Natsuhiko through the mask.
"The mark you left earlier… that was a Flying Thunder God mark."
"Yes." Natsuhiko nodded gently, his voice still calm and warm.
"Thanks to the generous guidance of the Fourth Hokage, I was fortunate enough to learn a little of the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Natsuhiko remained extremely humble.
He showed no pride in having learned the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In fact, his attitude made it seem as if mastering such a legendary technique was not his own achievement—but rather the result of Minato Namikaze's excellent teaching.
This attitude made Minato, who stood nearby, feel somewhat embarrassed.
To be honest, he didn't believe he had taught Natsuhiko very much at all.
Perhaps he deserved a small portion of credit for the sealing techniques.
But when it came to the Flying Thunder God Technique, aside from explaining some of his own experience using it—
he had hardly taught anything at all.
Although Minato Namikaze felt somewhat embarrassed internally, the shock he felt was still undeniable.
He sighed slightly that Natsuhiko had actually revealed the fact that the two of them had met privately.
But thinking about it carefully, if Natsuhiko hadn't said that, it might have caused even more trouble.
What truly shocked Minato, however, was that despite only teaching Natsuhiko sealing techniques, and merely sharing some personal experience about the Flying Thunder God Technique, Natsuhiko had actually managed to learn and use the Flying Thunder God.
Such talent and learning ability left Minato in complete admiration.
What was even more frightening was that when Natsuhiko used the Flying Thunder God just now, there were no negative side effects at all.
The Flying Thunder God placed extremely high demands on the user's body.
Both reaction speed and physical coordination were absolutely essential.
Minato silently glanced at Natsuhiko.
The boy's talent was truly astonishing.
Flying Thunder God Technique, huh… Hiruzen Sarutobi also quietly observed everything, calming the chakra that had surged within him.
As he looked at Natsuhiko, his emotions were complicated.
Especially after confirming that this young man had truly mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, a trace of killing intent even surfaced in his heart.
But ultimately, he wasn't Danzo Shimura.
He quickly suppressed those inappropriate emotions.
No matter how he looked at it, such thoughts should not exist.
Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen made a decision.
He slowly walked down from the viewing platform and stepped into the center of the plaza.
Almost every ANBU present instinctively stood up the moment they saw him.
However, he paid them no attention.
His gaze first turned toward Lone Wolf, and after giving him a serious nod, he looked at Natsuhiko.
"Unbelievable," Hiruzen said with clear amazement in his voice.
At this moment, there was even a hint of gratification in his eyes.
"Truly unbelievable. The Flying Thunder God Technique… you actually learned the Flying Thunder God Technique."
"It was merely good fortune," Natsuhiko said with a slight smile.
He bowed politely toward Hiruzen.
"This was all thanks to the careful guidance of the Fourth Hokage. Otherwise, I would never have been able to learn such a profound technique."
"Is that so?" Hiruzen nodded meaningfully. "That technique is not easy to learn. It requires not only time, but also talent. Of course… things are different if someone personally teaches it."
Hiruzen's words caused Minato, who had been about to speak, to fall silent.
He couldn't quite understand the deeper meaning behind Hiruzen's words.
Was he criticizing Minato for teaching Natsuhiko?
Or was he implying something else?
Minato couldn't figure it out.
But Hiruzen didn't give him time to think further.
Turning around, he immediately announced:
"In that case, I declare that the winner of this match is Nightingale! And…"
Hiruzen took a deep breath before continuing.
"According to our prior decision, the new ANBU Division Commander will be—"
"Third Hokage-sama," Before Hiruzen could finish speaking, Natsuhiko suddenly interrupted.
"I apologize for interrupting the Hokage. Please forgive my rudeness."
"Do you have a question?" Hiruzen asked calmly, looking at him with slight confusion.
"Hokage-sama, although I am honored to have defeated Captain Lone Wolf and earned the opportunity to become the Commander…"
Natsuhiko paused briefly before continuing with a serious and resolute tone.
"Without participating in the theoretical examination, it would be impossible to prove that one is a qualified commander."
"Therefore, I respectfully request that the Hokage withdraw the previous decision…"
"And reopen the theoretical examination."
Natsuhiko's words made Minato Namikaze's eyes light up slightly, while Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression twitched faintly.
It was obvious that Hiruzen wanted to be angry.
He even seemed ready to refute Natsuhiko.
But the timing of Natsuhiko's words was perfect.
He had spoken in front of all the ANBU members, and his tone had been sincere and respectful.
Under these circumstances, it became very difficult for Hiruzen to reject him outright.
If he refuted Natsuhiko now, to a certain extent it would remove the blame that had been placed on Natsuhiko.
But if he didn't refute him, then Natsuhiko would regain a bit of ground—and might even gain a better reputation within the ANBU.
In Hiruzen's view, Natsuhiko stood behind Minato Namikaze, and Natsuhiko's reputation was essentially Minato's reputation.
He had never expected Natsuhiko to defeat Lone Wolf.
No matter how one looked at it, Natsuhiko should not have been able to defeat a Hyuga clan fighter like him.
Minato Namikaze had followed the rules and given Hiruzen an opportunity.
But after calculating everything, Hiruzen still hadn't expected that this boy had actually learned the Flying Thunder God Technique.
After thinking it through carefully, however, Hiruzen eventually agreed to Natsuhiko's proposal.
A theoretical exam wasn't real combat.
Since Natsuhiko insisted on following the rules, others would surely make him understand how foolish that decision really was.
Still, this time Hiruzen kept something in mind.
If Natsuhiko dared to make such a choice, then one of two possibilities must be true.
Either he never intended to become the ANBU division commander, and was simply following Minato's plan to build a reputation inside the ANBU.
Or he was completely confident that he could pass the theoretical examination.
After all, this boy possessed a rather impressive "Hokage-style way of thinking."
Regardless of the outcome, Hiruzen had already made up his mind.
If the result satisfied him, he wouldn't mind doing something interesting afterward.
Natsuhiko naturally had no idea what Hiruzen was thinking.
After dealing with the matter, he left the plaza together with Kakashi.
As he departed, he clearly noticed that almost all the ANBU were looking at him with strange expressions in their eyes.
However, the strongest emotion among them was still respect.
...
Later, during their patrol mission, Kakashi asked curiously:
"Captain… why did you refuse the Third Hokage's decision? Didn't you want to become the division commander?"
"Kakashi, you don't understand."
Natsuhiko was in a very good mood. His voice carried a gentle smile.
"I naturally have my own considerations for doing this. And…"
He suddenly paused, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings.
Then he continued with a smile:
"And we still have a mission to complete. Let's proceed as usual. Some things… I'll explain to you later."
Kakashi immediately nodded.
He understood Natsuhiko's personality well—if Natsuhiko didn't want to say something, asking now would be useless.
As for "as usual," that meant following their normal patrol method.
After all, the area they had to cover was quite large, and with only two people, they couldn't stay together the entire time.
Kakashi quickly turned and left, running toward the southern area.
Natsuhiko remained where he stood.
Only after confirming that Kakashi had completely left did he suddenly turn around and bow slightly toward a nearby tree.
"Third Hokage-sama."
"It seems your sensory abilities are indeed quite sharp."
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly stepped out from behind the tree.
He was still wearing his red-and-white Hokage robe, with the Hokage's hat resting on his head.
Looking calmly at Natsuhiko, he suddenly asked curiously:
"Why don't we continue the conversation you didn't finish with Kakashi earlier? Why did you voluntarily give up? What exactly were your considerations?"
"If I say it, Hokage-sama may not believe me."
Natsuhiko maintained his polite smile.
"My considerations… have already been fulfilled."
"Oh?"
Hiruzen paused for a moment, then immediately understood what Natsuhiko meant.
"You mean… you wanted to meet me?"
"Yes."
Natsuhiko nodded lightly.
"I did want to meet the Hokage. But to meet the Hokage, one must first demonstrate their value, and also show that they are different from others."
"And now…"
"My goal has been achieved. Hasn't it?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly as he looked at Natsuhiko with a calm expression.
From Natsuhiko's words, he had already understood quite a lot.
Although Natsuhiko hadn't said things directly, the information he revealed was extremely clear.
He wanted to meet Hiruzen personally. And he had deeper intentions.
But why do this?
Hiruzen tilted his head slightly. Suddenly, he became interested.
This young man from the Senju clan was starting to seem very interesting to him.
"Go ahead and speak," Hiruzen said calmly, lifting his head slightly.
"You wanted to see me, so naturally you must have something you wish to say. Right now, it's just the two of us here. I believe you understand that."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Natsuhiko bowed slightly again.
"But before that, there is something I must inform you about. I am actually from the Senju clan."
"Oh?"
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"No wonder you're so proficient with Water Release, and no wonder you were able to master the Flying Thunder God Technique. It seems you've been studying it for quite some time."
"No. Actually, I only obtained it a little over two months ago."
Natsuhiko noticed that Hiruzen didn't look surprised at all, but he wasn't surprised by that reaction either.
He continued speaking calmly.
"When I joined the ANBU, it was actually—"
Hiruzen suddenly raised a hand, signaling him to stop.
Naturally, Hiruzen already understood what Natsuhiko was trying to say.
Still, he rather appreciated Natsuhiko's honesty.
To reveal one's family situation so directly was a very dangerous move.
Such confidential information could easily bring unimaginable disaster to his family.
This boy really did live up to being someone with "Hokage-level thinking."
"Family matters shouldn't be discussed casually," Hiruzen said with a smile, placing a hand on Natsuhiko's shoulder.
"Even if I am the Hokage."
"I believe you can handle such matters well, because you are a ninja of Konoha, a ninja who has inherited the Will of Fire."
"I… understand." Natsuhiko seemed momentarily stunned, then lowered his head as if deeply moved.
"I won't disappoint you, Hokage-sama."
"Now, tell me why you're doing this. You and Minato..." Hiruzen withdrew his hand and looked at him calmly.
"It was a mission requested by the clan elders," Natsuhiko blurted out before Hiruzen could finish.
"But as an ANBU, I know and believe that Third Hokage-sama is the one who can truly guide the ANBU—and Konoha—onto the correct path."
"Compared to the inexperienced Fourth Hokage, I trust the Third Hokage more."
Hiruzen silently watched Natsuhiko.
His mind rapidly analyzed everything.
In truth, he didn't believe Natsuhiko's words at all.
As an old fox, how could he trust someone so easily?
He was certain that this boy's motives were not so simple.
Suddenly, he seemed to realize something, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
"I'm afraid it's not just that, is it?" Hiruzen asked with a smile.
"After all, Minato personally taught you the Flying Thunder God Technique. I don't believe you could be so heartless."
"You have another objective… a bigger one, don't you?"
"Th-that…"
Natsuhiko looked momentarily stunned and stood there silently, as if hesitating.
But soon he spoke seriously.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I do indeed have another idea."
"Let's hear it," Hiruzen said, still smiling.
"Since you've come this far, you might as well speak plainly."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Natsuhiko took a deep breath before slowly continuing.
"To resolve the problems within my clan, simply being an ANBU member is not enough."
"I want more."
"My first step is to become the ANBU Commander."
"However, before that, becoming a division commander is the more realistic step."
"I once asked the Fourth Hokage to promote me directly, but he refused."
"He is a very good teacher and an excellent ninja."
"But…"
"He isn't decisive enough to be Hokage."
"He is not a good Hokage.
"Therefore—"
"Indeed, when someone isn't decisive enough, it can sometimes make their subordinates feel uneasy." Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile seemed to widen slightly.
"So you chose me? As expected… your dream is to become Hokage."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Natsuhiko lowered his head slightly. "Every child in Konoha carries the dream of becoming Hokage. Especially since I am a descendant of the Senju clan."
At this moment, it seemed as if Natsuhiko had finally revealed all of his thoughts.
His tone was no longer as gentle as before. Instead, it sounded firm, resolute, and filled with confidence.
Hiruzen quietly observed him.
From squad captain, to ANBU Commander, then stepping from the shadows into the spotlight and eventually becoming Hokage…
It was certainly an interesting path.
Through Yamanaka Inoichi, Hiruzen already knew that Natsuhiko truly possessed the ambition to become Hokage.
Natsuhiko's current attitude satisfied him.
Anyone who wished to become Hokage had to possess determination.
Of course, determination alone was not enough.
They also needed their own ideas and plans.
Natsuhiko possessed both.
Although he was still somewhat immature, Hiruzen could see a reflection of his younger self in him.
Back then, he had also been decisive and determined.
That was how he earned the recognition of Tobirama Senju and eventually ascended to the position of Hokage.
"I understand now," Hiruzen said, nodding.
"I know what you're thinking."
"I have high hopes for you… Senju Natsuhiko."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Natsuhiko bowed again, and this time it seemed even more sincere.
"Continue your patrol," Hiruzen said after thinking for a moment.
"And forget that the two of us ever met here."
He seemed to have decided how to handle the situation, so he turned around.
"Maintain your relationship with Minato. Right now, he is the Hokage, and his thoughts are important. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Hokage-sama."
Natsuhiko's voice returned to its previous gentle tone. "I will continue to maintain my relationship with the Fourth Hokage… and try to improve it further."
"Not try—you must."
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
"I have faith in you, Natsuhiko. I believe you know what to do."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Natsuhiko quietly watched as Hiruzen's figure gradually disappeared into the forest.
He remained standing there.
Only after his sensory ability could no longer detect Hiruzen did he finally turn and leave silently.
Beneath the mask on his face, however, his smile grew even brighter.
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi doesn't trust me at all… this is already enough.
Natsuhiko slowly walked forward, his gaze drifting up toward the sky.
A triple agent… this is really interesting.