HOKAGE'S OFFICE
The Third Hokage studied the crystal ball before him with the intensity of a scholar examining ancient texts. The translucent sphere swirled with chakra, displaying the image of Class A, Grade One in perfect clarity.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had two sons. His eldest had already joined the ANBU and distinguished himself as an exceptional ninja. His second son, Asuma, however, was at that age where defiance came as naturally as breathing—a constant source of exasperation.
Hiruzen couldn't help but smile at the sight of his wayward son.
Still just a boy, he thought. But competition breeds growth.
Asuma's position as the Hokage's son had granted him too much easy success. Perhaps having a genuine rival would shake him out of his complacency. Perhaps Hanekawa was exactly what he needed.
"Clear the image," Hiruzen commanded.
"Yes, Lord Hokage," came the response from the shadows—his ANBU operative, Aoi.
"I want a full report on Hanekawa's activities over the past three days. Everything."
"Understood."
Hiruzen had invested considerable political capital in retrieving Hanekawa from Danzo's grasp. The boy was worth it. If he could simultaneously inspire Asuma to reach higher and keep Danzo's ambitions in check, that was a victory on multiple fronts.
Less than three minutes later, Aoi materialized before him, her frog mask catching the light. She carried a folder thick with observations.
Hiruzen flipped through the pages, his expression darkening slightly. Danzo hadn't completely abandoned his interest—there had been subtle probing, careful reconnaissance. But nothing had escalated into actual interference. Good.
He continued reading, and a genuine smile crossed his face. The boy worked hard. Genuinely hard. No shortcuts, no arrogance. Just steady, methodical progress.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter."
The door opened to admit a young man with distinctive blonde hair and kind eyes. Minato Namikaze.
"Lord Hokage," Minato greeted respectfully. "I apologize for the interruption. I wanted to report on... a situation with Kushina."
Hiruzen's expression sharpened immediately. Kushina Uzumaki. The Nine-Tailed Beast Jinchūriki.
The Nine-Tails possessed power enough to reshape mountains. Of all the tailed beasts, it was the most formidable—and the most dangerous. A Jinchūriki who lost control could level an entire village. The constant threat of the beast's chakra destabilizing, combined with the ever-present danger of enemy villages attempting to capture or kill her, made Kushina's security a matter of national importance.
"What's happened?" Hiruzen asked, his tone brooking no evasion.
"She escaped the containment barrier again today," Minato admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "The two ANBU assigned to protect her were caught in her sealing technique. They're fine, but... she's becoming increasingly difficult to contain."
Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe. "Minato, I understand your feelings for Kushina. But this isn't a matter of personal concern. The Nine-Tails is involved. You cannot allow her to act recklessly."
"You're right, Lord Hokage. I apologize. I'll speak with her more firmly."
"Don't be too harsh on yourself," Hiruzen said, his tone softening. "Besides, you've now mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, haven't you?"
Minato's eyes brightened. The Flying Thunder God was a space-time ninjutsu of extraordinary power—it allowed instantaneous teleportation to marked locations. With that technique, Minato could reach Kushina in a heartbeat, no matter where she went or who tried to take her.
"From now on," Hiruzen continued, "you'll be the fastest man in the ninja world. That alone should be enough to deter any kidnapping attempts."
"Thank you for your confidence, Lord Hokage."
"Is Jiraiya still in the village?"
"Yes. He's been helping me develop a new technique."
Hiruzen's eyebrow rose with interest. "A new technique? What could possibly require both your talents?"
"It's still incomplete," Minato said with a modest smile. "I'll demonstrate it once we've perfected it."
"I look forward to it," Hiruzen said warmly.
The office filled with the comfortable silence of mutual respect.
---
CLASS A, GRADE ONE
Hanekawa stared at the mathematics problem on the board and felt something inside him wither.
Why does being a ninja require calculus?
The problem demanded he calculate the parabolic trajectory of a kunai throw. He understood the physics perfectly well. But understanding and caring were two different things. When he was inevitably facing down a Susanoo or some other world-ending jutsu, he doubted he'd have time to work through differential equations.
A commotion erupted near the training grounds outside the classroom.
Hanekawa glanced up to see a familiar procession: Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Obito, heading toward the sparring area. Again.
"Another challenge?" Hanekawa asked Shizune, who sat nearby.
"The third one this week," she sighed. "Kakashi wins every single time. He's recognized as a genius throughout the village."
Hanekawa nodded absently. In just three days, he'd come to understand Kakashi's reputation. The boy was essentially the Sasuke Uchiha of this era—prodigiously talented, arrogant in that quiet way geniuses often were, and utterly dominant among his peers.
He watched as Obito launched into his challenge. The outcome was never in doubt. Kakashi didn't even bother with hand seals—he simply unleashed a Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique that sent Obito coughing and sputtering, his throat raw.
But Obito didn't seem to mind the pain. Not when Rin rushed over to fuss over him with gentle concern.
Poor bastard, Hanekawa thought. He has no idea what's coming.
Obito's future was written in tragedy. To save his life, Hanekawa needed to keep studying, keep improving, keep surviving. He had no intention of being "optimized" when Obito eventually tried to reshape reality.
---
SUNDAY MORNING
A week had passed in the blur of classes, training, and integration. Hanekawa had made friends with most of his classmates, including the lesser-known students like Mizuki, who would later become infamous for his betrayal of the village.
Now, in the quiet of the training ground, Hanekawa threw a kunai with casual precision. It struck the wooden post dead center.
Text materialized in his vision:
[E-Rank Talent Entry: Ninja Tool Throwing - ACQUIRED]
[Trigger Condition: Shuriken and kunai throwing reach entry-level proficiency]
[Effect: Increase arm strength by 10%; guaranteed accuracy on stationary targets within 20 meters]
[Note: Synthesis path available. Combine with E-Rank Entry "Seven Ninja Tools" to synthesize D-Rank Entry "Ninja Tool Mastery"]
Hanekawa clenched his fist experimentally. New strength surged through his arm—subtle but noticeable. A 10% increase from just the first entry. Once he mastered the full skill tree, he'd have the arm strength of a professional athlete.
I could play basketball with this, he mused. Iron elbow for days.
He pulled up his entry panel and examined the new information:
[E-Rank Talent Entry: Seven Ninja Tools - NOT ACQUIRED]
[Trigger Condition: Master all seven types of ninja tools]
[Current Progress: 10%]
Interesting. Both were E-Rank, but the Seven Ninja Tools entry had higher difficulty—probably because synthesizing it into a D-Rank ability required greater mastery. The progress bar indicated he'd already counted shuriken and kunai. Five more tools to learn.
Hanekawa gathered his scattered weapons and turned toward the village exit. He'd already arranged leave with Uncle Shinku, claiming he wanted to visit the orphanage.
In truth, he had a meeting with his contact from the Hidden Cloud.
The spy work continued, even as his new life in Konoha deepened. The contradiction didn't bother him. He'd learned long ago to compartmentalize.