Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window of his office, staring quietly at the dark sky. Tobirama stood angled to the door with folded arms. A habit he formed a long time ago. Kakashi leaned near a wall and looked relaxed while Jiraiya was sprawled in a chair with elbows on knees and a thoughtful look on his face.
'Around twenty four hours. That's what Daichi bought for Tsunade. But it's going to be nowhere near enough to heal her… No. He's only just completed a preliminary treatment. Once he's fully rested I'm sure Daichi will find a way to save her.' Despite the grim situation Hiruzen forced himself to think positively.
"I'll keep this short. I'm sure you're tired Jiraiya, Kakashi." The Third Hokage broke the silence. "Our primary crisis is contained for the moment—thanks to Daichi. But now we have another strategic nightmare on our hands."
There was silence in the room. Then a slow exhale came from Jiraiya. "Yeah. Dragon. We need to talk about him."
Kakashi straightened. "There are so many strange things about him. Why attack us one day and then help us the next?"
"We've certainly faced some grave threats recently, but this man called Dragon… He concerns me deeply." The Third Hokage sighed and folded his arms behind him.
Tobirama's gaze hardened at the mention of the mysterious shinobi. "The moment he attacked Danzo, he became far more than a concern, Hiruzen. He's meticulous, powerful, and incredibly resourceful. Undoubtedly a dangerous individual."
"Based on the reports I read, he raided the Foundation's vault and stole scrolls containing hidden jutsu from multiple clans. Powerful techniques that are strictly forbidden to some even amongst their clans. Do you think he has any plans to spread them to other nations?" Kakashi asked Jiraiya as he was the only one in the group who met the man.
Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what he plans to do with them. But he's already learned some mind reading techniques from the Yamanaka clan."
"What?" Hiruzen was surprised. "So quickly?"
"Yeah. He admitted that himself." The Sannin nodded to confirm.
Hiruzen sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. "The secret techniques of the Sarutobi clan's Fire Style techniques, the Aburame clan's Insect Sphere, Inuzuka clan combat styles, Hyuga's taijutsu and the Yamanaka mind techniques— all are in his possession. If the village finds out about this there will be considerable instability and backlash from the elders of the clans. Not to mention what the other nations would do."
Kakashi could already see their next move. "They'd either try to find Dragon in an attempt to make a deal with him or try and kill him to get whatever he has in his hands. Either way everyone will be in a mad race to find him."
"That's assuming he'll share what he has with other villages." Jiraiya suddenly interjected, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"What do you mean?" Tobirama questioned with a frown.
"When I met him in the Land of Earth, he claimed he was acting against Orochimaru. He provided intel about everything the Finance Minister did for Orochimaru. He just walked straight up to me and handed it all to me on a silver platter." He gave a humorless laugh. "Then he let me see his face before vanishing the instant I tried to tag him with your marker."
'He wanted me to have that intel. Wanted us pointed where he wanted us pointed. Why?' Jiraiya's fingers drummed his knee.
Tobirama shook his head. "It's clearly to send us on a false trail. He could be using a transformation jutsu or some disguise. And the name he provided. Monkey D Dragon. It's clearly an alias."
"I know. Of course I know. I'm not taking everything he said at face value. It's just that… He didn't seem hostile to me. And what he said at the end. It's been bothering me."
"What did he say, Jiraiya?" Hiruzen asked.
"He said he's both a Leaf shinobi and not. That he's fighting against corruption, specifically targeting Danzo and Orochimaru. 'Our goals align', he said."
Tobirama exhaled slowly. "His alliance was probably tactical. Temporary cooperation to achieve some mutual goals."
"Is it possible he knows Lady Tsunade?" Kakashi suddenly proposed a theory that quieted everyone. "Is it possible that his goal is to save Lady Tsunade and Shizune from Orochimaru? Maybe that's why he helped us…"
Jiraiya crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "If that's true then why beat around the bush? He could have just said that outright. We would be less hostile. Why mask such a relationship?"
"Maybe so that we wouldn't doubt Tsunade?" Hiruzen spoke slowly but even he couldn't believe such a theory. "No. That's not it. He should know that I trust her explicitly no matter what he says."
Tobirama shook his head. "Tsunade would never betray the village no matter what happened in the past. If she knew him and what he had planned she would have alerted us. I'm certain of it… I think it's just as he said. It's a matter of convenience. He's not our ally, and his true agenda remains unclear. Even worse is that he could be here in the village."
Hiruzen's brow furrowed deeper. "Yes. A rogue element within the village targeting specific corrupt figures? His methods and intentions are certainly contradictory. If he wanted to fight against corruption in the village, then his target would have been Danzo and maybe the Root forces by extension. But he had no need to take the Hidden Jutsus and secrets stored in Danzo's archives."
"That's exactly why he's dangerous," Tobirama stated firmly. "His actions suggest he has no problems stealing from us and he has extensive knowledge of the village's inner workings. He also demonstrated knowledge of matters classified above top secret clearance. The headquarters of Root, the specifics of the Uchiha massacre, their forbidden Izanagi technique. That level of compartmentalized intel does not come from rumor."
Kakashi's eyes slightly narrowed. 'Specifics of the Uchiha massacre? Is there more to it than what I know?' The way the Second Hokage worded it created some doubt in Kakashi's heart.
Tobirama shifted his weight, eyes narrowing as he looked at everyone in the room. "I have two possibilities in my mind regarding his identity. An Uchiha survivor with clandestine access, or someone who obtained their secrets through stolen Sharingan and records."
Kakashi crossed his arms and looked at the Third Hokage. "He's dangerous for certain but whether we like to admit it or not he did give us information that steered our two pronged approach. Without that critical intel we might have lost the window on rescuing Lady Tsunade and Shizune."
Tobirama inclined his head a fraction. 'He's right. As much as I loathe to admit it, he's right.' "His data did accelerate our timetable and allowed for simultaneous reconnaissance. But is it intentional aid… or manipulation aligning with our interests. We can't be sure of anything."
Hiruzen clasped his hands. "Whatever his motives, we cannot ignore the risk. Danzo's dealings with Orochimaru stocked Root with forbidden assets. Dragon now possesses many of them." 'Lord Hashirama's cells, multiple Sharingan, a Mangekyo Sharingan capable of powerful Genjutsu and records of classified missions the Root shinobi performed over the last several decades and Hidden jutsus of multiple clans. He has enough materials to cause catastrophic damage to the village in his hands. I have to find him by all means necessary.'
Jiraiya looked up. "Do you think he's trying to start a war? Eliminate Orochimaru, consolidate Root tech, leverage political fallout in Earth Country, maybe destabilize the Five Great Nations?"
"Possibly," Tobirama said. "Or he's waging a shadow war we only intersected by coincidence. His operational profile—precision infiltration, psychological leverage, multi‑nature mastery—suggests he has high discipline."
Jiraiya leaned back, gaze sliding toward the ceiling. "He talked about revolution. Corrupt systems. Said Danzo was a blight. That kind of rhetoric plays well with disillusioned shinobi. If that narrative spreads it'll be a headache for you sensei..."
"I know… And he demonstrated familiarity with Anbu kill‑patterns during his fight with Danzo. That means he's either had elite training or a very good study time with Root archives." Hiruzen added.
"Since Danzo confronted him during the raid, was he able to get any more information on him?" Kakashi asked the Hokage.
"During Danzo's fight, he said Dragon recognized Hotaru, Danzo's reanimated second-in-command. After that Dragon was furious and fought Danzo like he was driven by some deeper personal vendetta."
"Based on what I read, Hotaru was once a Root operative, and died during a mission." Kakashi noted quietly. "For him to react like that to a dead ninja… There must be a personal history between those two."
"Yes." Hiruzen nodded. "And Danzo further suspected a tenuous but possible link between Dragon and the retired shinobi Kensei Yasaji. Hotaru's father."
Kakashi and Jiraiya exchanged curious glances. "Daichi's grandfather."
Hiruzen inclined his head slightly. "Yes. He's still outside the village on approved travel. Recall orders are already in motion."
"If Dragon is tied to Kensei, we may have a domestic insurgent on our hands with personal motives masked as ideology."
Hearing Tobirama's words, Jiraiya jumped to his feet in shock while Kakashi became tense. "Whoa! Whoa! Hold on! There's no proof of that. Kensei is loyal to the village," Jiraiya said, defending the retired ninja.
He turned and looked at his old teacher. "Do you really think he would have any connection to someone so dangerous?"
"Not directly, perhaps," Hiruzen explained, "but Kensei has been around for decades. His knowledge, his network, his history… it's possible Dragon has ties that even Kensei himself might not be fully aware of."
"You don't know that for certain." The Sannin spoke with a decisive tone.
"No. I don't. That's why I'll personally question him here, in this office the moment he returns. Until then, nothing. No arrests, no public notice. But somehow if Dragon is connected to him, I'll force him into the open carefully." Hiruzen replied as he went to his desk and took his pipe. He took a smoke and tried to calm his nerves.
'If I misstep and Dragon really is connected to Kensei, the fallout could fracture what's left of our internal trust.' Hiruzen weighed the risk.
"Lord Hokage, Daichi isn't going to stand by and just let his grandfather be interrogated." Kakashi spoke up as he looked at the old leader.
"I know. I've considered the boy's reaction. And it's not an interrogation, Kakashi. I'm just going to chat with an old friend, that's all."
'I need to handle this carefully. Especially now that he's treating Tsunade. Distractions will only cause more problems… What a headache.' Hiruzen took another puff and let it out.
A tense silence settled over the group.
After a few moments, Kakashi broke it. "Speaking of Daichi, his performance these last few days has been extraordinary." His visible eye was filled with pride as when he spoke.
"Yeah. I couldn't believe it. He fought Orochimaru to a standstill. No, more than that. He dominated him once he released his Yin seal." Jiraiya nodded his head with a small grin.
'And I couldn't even track him…' Kakashi suppressed a shiver.
Hiruzen nodded. "Based on what I understand, his way of using the Yin seal is fundamentally different from how Tsunade uses it."
Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, the old Kage began his theory. "She already has a way to increase the strength of her attacks with her precise chakra control. She mainly uses the Yin seal to heal any life threatening wounds. Daichi on the other hand uses the seal to increase the strength of his muscles. He's augmenting his speed and strength to unprecedented levels similar to the functions of the eight gates."
"But the Eight Inner gates have drawbacks. There's severe backlash to the body." Kakashi spoke as he was well familiar with the power of the Eight Gates from his fights with Guy.
Hiruzen nodded. "Yes but you should know better than most Kakashi, Daichi's body is much stronger than a normal shinobi. His chakra control is also greater than Tsunade. He can use such excess chakra without any drawbacks. He may also use a small portion of the Yin seal chakra to heal any internal wounds or muscle tears."
Tobirama rubbed his chin as he understood the mechanism of the boy's seal. "So that's why he was able to show such overwhelming power against even Orochimaru. You're right, Hiruzen. I believe that in his Yin release state, Daichi's physical strength can be comparable to the Raikage. Able to wield extreme speed and immense power."
"Well, this is just my theory. We'll have to ask him if we want to confirm." Hiruzen replied as took another smoke.
"But that's trivial compared to the ninjutsu he used later." Tobirama turned slightly, recalling the battlefield turned molten crucible. "He fused simultaneous high‑density nature manipulations. Fire and wind. Each already stabilized in Rasengan form, then externally vectored them through a barrier and created an autonomous construct… the flaming hydra." He let out a short breath. "That is not improvisation, Hiruzen. That is research, rehearsal, iteration."
"I know." The old Kage turned to Kakashi. "I remember you telling me he created a Rasengan variant using the Water chakra nature. But did you know about the other two?"
The silver haired Jonin shook his head. "No. That was the first time I saw them. I knew he was working on other Rasengan variants but I never thought he completed it."
"Completing the jutsu that Minato left behind. And combining those two S-rank jutsu simultaneously and controlling it perfectly… I've never seen anything quite like that." Jiraiya spoke with admiration in his voice.
"The Rasengan is already an A rank Jutsu. The completed version is no doubt an S Rank. But that Giant Fire Hydra…" Hiruzen had seen the technique through Tobirama's eyes and knew something like that took massive effort and extreme talent.
Tobirama's eyes wandered outside the office and fell to the Hokage Monument. "During the Warring Era, a shinobi who could use that level of battlefield chakra transmutation would not be debating rank. He'd be leading troops, making tactical decisions and sitting on the clan war councils deciding which territories be conquered or burned. His strength is beyond ordinary."
'Brother would've dragged him into a strategy tent and never let him leave.' Tobirama's lips twitched as he thought about what Hashirama would do.
Hiruzen exhaled through his nose. "Which raises our next issue. What do we do with him now? Officially he's a Genin. Unofficially he just saved one Sannin, neutralized another, and prevented an international catastrophe."
"It's frankly ridiculous for someone of his skills to still be called a Genin." Tobirama spoke as he looked at his student.
Hiruzen smiled faintly at that. "Exactly my thoughts. I intend to promote Daichi to Chunin. Frankly I would have had the boy take the Jonin exams if I thought it wouldn't cause commotions."
Kakashi hesitated. "Lord Hokage, Daichi is already somewhat famous. If we bump him straight to Chūnin tomorrow then the other villages will notice. Especially after the disturbances in Earth Country. They'll correlate the timeline, and assume we fielded black‑ops through a 'Genin' smokescreen. We'll have diplomatic storms we don't need."
Jiraiya nodded. "Kakashi is right. On any other day, this wouldn't have even been an issue. But the Land of Earth is already going to be asking questions once they find out what happened to their Finance Minister and their demolished mountains. And we already have the attention of every nation with our increased border patrols and lockdowns. If it was any other Genin being promoted, this wouldn't be a problem. But Daichi is different. If we promote him now, we practically sign a confession. The last thing we need is more tension. Especially now, with Tsunade out of commission."
"I'm aware that promoting him immediately after all the recent incidents could raise suspicion among other villages." Hiruzen tapped the table with his finger and thought of a solution. "So here's my proposal: provisional reassignment. Kakashi, you will take one of the newly graduated teams. Daichi transfers under a different Jōnin for 'specialized medical/nature‑control apprenticeship'. It will be truth adjacent and classified details will be redacted. He'll operate as a field specialist on higher‑grade missions and assist other teams if need be. At the coming Chūnin Exams we present his promotion retroactively. Waived participation. The paperwork will cite sustained A‑rank support missions and medical breakthroughs. That way we can manage optics."
Kakashi inclined his head. "Understood."
Jiraiya rubbed his chin as he thought about that strategy. "So he'll still be a Genin in rank but he'll have access to Chunin level missions and resources. And for the next few months he'll go on special missions to gain more experience and won't need to participate in the next Chunin exams."
Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. And once the exams conclude, he becomes Chunin without much suspicion…"
"At that time, even if he doesn't participate, it won't cause much waves... Hmm… That'll work." Jiraiya nodded as he agreed with the idea.
'It'll also showcase his growth as more natural.' Kakashi knew Daichi didn't care about ranks. So he was sure his student would have no problems waiting for a few more months before his promotion came through.
Tobirama nodded once more. "His potential and talent aren't in doubt. What truly concerns me is the magnitude of his latest creation, that fiery Hydra jutsu. It surpasses even the S-rank designation."
The old kage also agreed. "Two S‑class rotational matrices braided under feedback amplification, then given behavioral directives through chakra sculpting… That qualifies as esoteric ninjutsu."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Esoteric ninjutsu? What do you mean?"
Hiruzen crossed his arms and looked out the window from his seat. "There's a category of ninjutsu that even surpasses our current classification system. Beyond S Rank. They're called 'Esoteric Ninjutsu'. They're techniques that surpass ordinary mastery. They aren't simply powerful—they're fundamentally different. They're forged from an extraordinary understanding of chakra and nature transformations. Only very few can create, control, or wield such jutsu effectively."
"They're extremely rare. Jutsus capable of changing the topography and atmosphere just as an aftermath. I've only seen two people who could use Esoteric ninjutsu. My elder brother and Madara Uchiha… Well, until today anyway." Tobirama said, crossing his arms.
Kakashi and Jiraiya's eyes widened. "It's that rare?" The Jonin was shocked.
"Kakashi, Esoteric ninjutsu techniques exceed the conventional ranking because only shinobi with Kage‑tier reserves, control, and extraordinary talent and theoretical knowledge can hope to create and execute them. Most S‑rank jutsu are singular in nature. Daichi created one by chaining two S Rank jutsu to birth the new stronger jutsu." Hiruzen explained the gravity of the new powerful jutsu Daichi had unveiled.
Kakashi and Jiraiya absorbed that quietly. Finally, Jiraiya spoke, his voice thoughtful. "So Daichi, a Genin—though not for long—has already developed a technique that even most Kage would find impossible."
"Exactly," Hiruzen confirmed. "His potential is unprecedented, but it also means that we have to guide him carefully. At the moment I don't think even he fully realizes what he's achieved. The attention he'll attract from other villages and organizations if this gets out could become problematic."
Tobirama's expression darkened slightly. "If someone like Dragon learns of Daichi's abilities, he could certainly become a target."
The Third Hokage nodded solemnly. "That's precisely why we have to move with caution. We'll have to protect and nurture his talent. The village's future may depend on it."
"But that's all in the future. Right now, I say we let Daichi focus on healing Tsunade. That's all that matters." Jiraiya said and everyone agreed to it.
Tobirama turned his head and glanced at the Hokage. "Hiruzen. Make sure only the boy comes in contact with my brother's blood sample. And at the end, any unwanted cell culture should be disposed of by either you or Jiraiya. No one else should go near them."
"I know. I'll take the necessary precautions." The Third Hokage replied.
Another beat of quiet settled in the room.
After a few more seconds of silence Jiraiya asked about the focus of their previous topic. "So what's our posture if Dragon reappears? Kill on sight? Capture at all costs? Or parley?"
Hiruzen thought for a few moments before making a decision. "Contain and capture if low‑risk. Engage diplomatically if he offers intel on Orochimaru's allies or other high‑value threats. But I don't see that happening. And we still don't know his true motive. So under no circumstances can we allow him to get near Tsunade."
Kakashi inclined his head. "If he is connected to Kensei, we'll need Daichi in the loop eventually. He deserves to know if his family's implicated."
Hiruzen disagreed. "We don't know anything for sure. So for now, don't tell him anything. I'll talk to Kensei before making a decision."
Hiruzen was silent for several moments before he rose from his chair. His bones protested and his soul felt heavier. As he stood, everyone else stood with him. "At this moment our priorities are to keep Tsunade safe, stabilize our internal security, trace Dragon's network, and control the narrative of our actions before the other villages craft one for us."
He looked at everyone with a grave expression before continuing. "It is undeniable that he helped us get to Tsunade and Shizune. But it is also undeniable that he attacked Danzo and stole multiple properties of the village. He also attacked the Minister of the Land of Earth. They'll find out about it soon enough if he didn't cover his tracks well. We have to make sure to show that we have no involvement in anything related to it because if they suspect otherwise, that will lead to a greater conflict."
"So you've decided that course of action huh?" Tobirama murmured and nodded in approval.
Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. We're going to release a statement and a wanted notice. Monkey D Dragon infiltrated and attacked certain facilities of the Leaf village yesterday. By morning he will be in the Bingo Books as an S Rank criminal for the murder of Danzo Shimura. For now, we will treat him as a threat to the village."
"Understood!"
—---------------
Author's Note:
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