After discovering that Magnet Release was different from what he had imagined, Natsuro began questioning whether some of his prior impressions were mistaken.
So, he started reviewing some records he usually ignored.
For example, the records on the Konoha 12, which he had never really examined in detail.After all, he had already seen them plenty of times in the original story, so whenever he glanced at their files, it was always a quick skim.
But this time, Natsuro read through them carefully, and found that most of the information matched his memory.
However, there was one exception that caught him off guard.
Rock Lee.
He saw in the records that Lee possessed an innate talent for Drunken Fist.Once he got drunk, he would go wild, and even several elite shinobi struggled to restrain him.Even when Guy was present, the situation was still the same.
As a result, Guy had specifically warned people not to let Lee near alcohol, not only because he would cause chaos, but also because his alcohol tolerance was incredibly low…
"Drunken Fist, huh?" Natsuro rubbed his forehead. Seeing this information, he vaguely remembered it.
But since Lee had few appearances later on, and the Drunken Fist gimmick gradually faded from the story, it hadn't left a strong impression on him.
So before reading these records, Natsuro had completely forgotten that Lee had this talent.
At that moment, he stroked his chin while studying Lee's file.
From what he remembered, Lee couldn't use ninjutsu at all. Even in taijutsu, he had to break it down into physical ability ("Tai") and technique ("Jutsu").And in the "Jutsu" aspect, his talent wasn't particularly high despite constant training, his attacks always seemed rigid and mechanical, like a programmed robot.
If Lee had any true talent, it was likely pure physical endurance, a body that couldn't be broken no matter how hard he trained.
But now, things looked different. Lee wasn't just naturally durable, he was a born Drunken Fist master? A fighter whose body instinctively reacted? And once drunk, his attacks became completely unpredictable?
That was a complete contrast to his usual rigid taijutsu style.
Natsuro started thinking. Even though he didn't expect Lee to play a major role in the future, Lee had been his sparring partner when they were younger.
If he could help him unlock his true potential, then he was willing to lend a hand.
After a long period of thought, Natsuro had Shikaku summon Guy.
Inside the Hokage's Office
"HOKAGE-SAMA! WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?!" Guy burst into the room with his usual loud, energetic voice.
"It's about Rock Lee." Natsuro handed Guy the file.
Hearing this, Guy's expression shifted. He looked at the document, then furrowed his brows and said,
"I don't see any issues. Most of this information comes from my own reports."
"I'm talking about the Drunken Fist section, I have some suggestions regarding it," Natsuro explained.
"Please, tell me!" Guy immediately became serious. Anything related to Lee was important to him.
Natsuro got straight to the point: Lee should train with Drunken Fist more often.
His true power came from his natural instincts, Drunken Fist was merely a trigger that put him in a state where those instincts could manifest.
But if Lee could only fight at his best when drunk, then it was useless. Because drunkenness directly conflicted with the Eight Gates.
Once the later Gates were opened, even Lee's blood would be evaporating, alcohol wouldn't even last in his system.
So the key was for Lee to access that power while sober.
Otherwise, no matter how strong Drunken Fist was, it had a hard limit, if it couldn't even break through an enemy's defenses, what was the point?
Might Guy scratched his head and asked, "I understand the logic, but how exactly do we train Lee to access his instinctive power?"
At that moment, Natsuro smirked—an evil, knowing smile. "Simple. Expose Lee to alcohol more often. And after that, it's all up to you as his teacher."
Guy's face instantly paled.
Because drunken Lee was nearly uncontrollable. Even he himself would struggle to subdue Lee without opening the Eight Gates!
But… Natsuro had a point.
If Lee could truly tap into his body's natural instincts, his growth potential would skyrocket.
Realizing this, Guy clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and nodded.
"LEAVE IT TO ME! FOR LEE'S SAKE, I WILL BURN WITH YOUTH ONCE MORE! OOOOOH!!!"
Fire figuratively erupted around him as he charged out of the office, likely heading straight to find Lee.
Shikaku, watching Guy's dramatic exit, rubbed his forehead.
"What a simple-minded guy… Good thing the Hokage doesn't mind his antics."
If the Hokage had been anyone else, Guy's tendency to ignore formalities could have offended many people.
Natsuro chuckled, watching the spectacle. "That's just how Guy is. You'll get used to it."
Shikaku nodded. He already knew.
"And don't underestimate him," Natsuro added. "He's insanely strong."
At that moment, his mind wandered to the past, to that one final kick called Night Guy.
A kick that almost ended everything.
At the time, Madara Uchiha hadn't yet fused with the God Tree, meaning he still had human weaknesses.
If things had gone just slightly differently, Guy could have straight-up killed him.
Unlike after absorbing the God Tree, where Madara could survive being sliced in half without issue.
By that point, Madara wasn't even human anymore.
Natsuro sighed, then said something that even he found unbelievable. "If he fights at full power, Guy is stronger than I am right now."
Hearing this, Shikaku's eyes widened in shock.
Did Might Guy really have that kind of power?!
However, as the Sixth Hokage, and given the serious nature of the discussion, Natsuro wouldn't lie about something like this. So…
Nara Shikaku pondered Might Guy's strength. Could the Eight Gates really be that powerful?
And when Natsuro mentioned it being a one-time technique, Shikaku couldn't help but recall Guy's father, Might Duy.
Duy had single-handedly fought the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and ultimately won.
Now, in his normal state, Guy was undoubtedly stronger than his father had been.After all, Duy remained a lifelong Genin, while Guy had reached Jonin-level using only taijutsu.
The difference in strength between them was significant.
So, if Guy were to unleash the final stage of the Eight Gates…
Shikaku inhaled sharply.
Perhaps Natsuro wasn't exaggerating, Guy might truly be a terrifying force at his peak.
That said, while Natsuro admitted Guy was stronger in raw power, if they ever faced off in a real battle, Natsuro would still win.
Unlike Madara, he had no intention of taking a Night Guy head-on.
All he had to do was stall for time until the Eight Gates wore off, which, for someone like Natsuro, was not difficult at all.
More specifically, he just had to avoid getting locked onto by Night Guy.
After all, once it locked onto a target, its sheer power could even distort space itself. And if space was twisted, who knew whether Flying Thunder God would still function safely?
There was no way to test it beforehand, so avoiding that scenario altogether was the best approach.
After finishing the remaining documents, Natsuro double-checked to ensure there were no other misunderstandings caused by his preconceptions.
Ultimately, the only mistake he made was about Rock Lee.
Well… it wasn't really a mistake, he had simply forgotten.
So, maybe his memory wasn't that reliable~
A few days later, Natsuro received some good news.
It was Tsunade who told him, while visiting his house to mooch another meal.
Apparently, Kakashi and Shizune still hadn't officially confirmed their relationship, but…
Lately, Shizune had been preparing all of Kakashi's meals, three times a day.
It seemed like Shizune was very satisfied with Kakashi, and she was even taking the initiative.
Natsuro wasn't surprised.
After all, even though Kakashi always wore a mask, he was still a very handsome man.
From his perspective, his looks were on par with Sasuke's.
So, it wasn't surprising that Shizune fell for him.
Natsuro also checked in with Naruto, who confirmed that Kakashi wasn't rejecting her advances.
So…
The chances of this pairing working out were pretty high.
After hearing the news, Natsuro smiled in satisfaction.
Kakashi had finally found someone who could bring him happiness.
Hopefully, settling down would heal some of the emotional wounds he carried.
Kakashi's life had been filled with tragedy, so he genuinely wished that his second half of life would be peaceful and fulfilling.
If you want to read more...
Check out the patreon and get 55 chapters in advance -> SaintXI
Currently on Chapter 345 - Adamantine Sealing Chains