Yamamoto Hideyoshi's hopes for Zhao Yi Qianming were quickly shelved by Zhao Yi Qianming himself. Power struggles and political games were not what he sought.
This was a world that revered strength. Only those with power were respected. The weak were discarded.
Zhao Yi Qianming couldn't help feeling a little sorry for Yamamoto Hideyoshi. He didn't know what exactly had happened to the man, but Yamamoto was someone abandoned by the times. No one cared what he thought.
As for the civilian powerhouses Yamamoto pinned his hopes on—Jiraiya and Orochimaru—they would not spare a thought for such things either.
The next morning, Hokage Building.
At dawn, Yamamoto Hideyoshi received a summons from the Third Hokage. With a trace of doubt, he went to the Hokage's office.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
After knocking and hearing permission, Yamamoto pushed the door open.
"Sorry to intrude, Lord Hokage." He stopped before the desk and bowed. "You called for me."
"Ah, Hideyoshi." The Third Hokage glanced at him and asked, "Is the student in your class, Zhao Yi Qianming, planning to apply for graduation?"
He was no longer young. Middle age had begun to weigh on him. But compared to the wrinkled elder with age spots from later years, this Third Hokage was still vigorous—the 'Ninja Hero' whose name shook the shinobi world.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. My student Zhao Yi Qianming has applied to graduate. His strength has reached the level of a genin. He can sit the graduation exam." Yamamoto did not know why someone as exalted as the Hokage was asking about a child who hadn't even graduated, but he answered respectfully.
"Hm." The Third Hokage nodded noncommittally and fell into thought as he looked over the file in his hands.
It contained Zhao Yi Qianming's performance and the instructors' evaluations.
There was no question his strength had reached genin level. With three years of Yamamoto's guidance behind him, there was little left to learn at the Academy. With such aptitude, he should indeed be placed under a jōnin to be taught higher-level skills.
As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi had a keen nose for the state of the shinobi world. The Five Great Villages were not yet at war, but it was only a matter of time. In a few years at most, the Third Shinobi World War would break out.
In wartime, fresh genin and genin with a few years' experience would be assigned very differently.
Both were fodder, but those just out of school would not be sent on overly dangerous missions at first. The village would give them time to acclimate to war.
So the Third Hokage did not want Zhao Yi Qianming to graduate too early. The growth of a prodigy was vital to the village.
On this point, however, his view differed from Zhao Yi Qianming's.
If Konoha got mired in war, even besieged on multiple fronts, then even fresh genin would be sent straight to the front lines.
Early graduation also meant earlier guidance from a jōnin and earlier lessons in how to survive. Once war erupted, those jōnin pillars would have no time to mentor a brand-new genin.
"Seems you rate this Zhao Yi Qianming quite highly," the Third Hokage said after flipping a few more pages.
"His talent is excellent, and he trains hard. I would prefer he not graduate yet, but he appears to have made up his mind," Yamamoto replied truthfully.
"Very well. I understand. You may go. Schedule the graduation exam for one week from now." The Third Hokage closed the file and approved the application.
Zhao Yi Qianming was indeed gifted. But only a prodigy who survived was useful to Konoha.
The Will of Fire was to protect Konoha's future. In practice, only the 'future' that possessed talent was deemed worth protecting.
"Yes." Yamamoto bowed and left the building.
After school, Zhao Yi Qianming and Yamamoto returned to the woods behind the Hokage Rock.
"Lord Hokage summoned me this morning and approved your graduation. The date is one week from now," Yamamoto said.
Lord Hokage?
Zhao Yi Qianming's eyes flickered. Hidden in Yamamoto's words was a message: the Third Hokage had begun to pay attention to him. That pleased Zhao Yi Qianming. At least he would not be forced onto suicide missions later.
And, barring surprises, the Third Hokage would assign him a strong jōnin sensei. That was exactly what he needed now.
"Early graduation isn't the same as the regular kind," Yamamoto continued. "In a week the exam won't only test the Three Basic Techniques. A genin will fight you so your shinobi qualities can be observed in combat. At your current level, if you face a genin with rich field experience, your chances aren't high. But losing doesn't mean you fail to graduate. As long as your overall qualities meet the genin standard, the village will pass you."
"Leaking so much about the exam… that's probably against the rules, isn't it?" Zhao Yi Qianming smiled faintly.
"Telling you the content doesn't matter. On the day, you're on your own," Yamamoto said blandly.
"I have to win. Please help me, Instructor Yamamoto." Zhao Yi Qianming bowed deeply, solemn.
Even if meeting the standard meant passing either way, winning and losing carried very different weight. He had to win.
If he lost, he might not graduate at all. He would become a laughingstock. Failure would cripple his position in the village, push his rise even farther away, and waste three years of careful groundwork.
He could not afford the cost of failure.
"I understand, Qianming," Yamamoto said seriously.
"Instructor…" Zhao Yi Qianming hesitated.
"What is it?"
"I want to ask you to teach me a jutsu," he said.
For a student to proactively ask to learn someone else's jutsu was very forward. But they did have a teacher-student bond, and Zhao Yi Qianming urgently needed one specific technique.
"Oh? Which one?" Yamamoto asked, not displeased but curious.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu. I saw it described in a book. It divides the user's Chakra between body and clone, but it pairs well with many combat strategies and is very practical in the field," Zhao Yi Qianming explained.
[Shadow Clone Jutsu] differs from [Multi-Shadow Clone]. The former produces only one physical clone; the latter has no limit on number.
Because when a shadow clone disperses its experiences return to the original, too many clones flooding back can damage the brain. That is why [Multi-Shadow Clone] is a forbidden technique.
[Shadow Clone Jutsu], however, is only mid-level. Many in the village can use it.
"Good." Yamamoto's eyes lit with approval. Generously, he taught the technique to Zhao Yi Qianming on the spot.
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