'What a wonderful sword style. He turned his chakra into Wind Nature and perfectly imbued it into his weapon, turning it into a wind slash as destructive as a B-level jutsu,' Minato thought, his eyes observing Ryou from the shadows of the nearby trees.
'This boy's talent is remarkable, on par with Kakashi. He has the potential. I'll keep an eye on him.'
The world was growing more dangerous by the day. The constant threat of war loomed over Konoha from all sides, and powerful young talents like Ryou would be crucial for Konoha's future.
After a few more moments of observation, Minato vanished from the treetops in a flash.
At that same instant, Ryou, who had been fully immersed in his training, paused. He then turned his head sharply toward the direction Minato had disappeared, narrowing his eyes. 'Who was that?'
Though his Observation Haki was still at a basic level, it was enough to alert him when someone looked at him with any kind of intention. There was no malice, but he couldn't see who it was.
Ryou pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and resumed his training, only when his physique reached the Advanced level he will feel at ease.
--
Hokage Office
Minato stepped into the Hokage's office and saw the Third Hokage, who sat behind his desk, looking more burdened than usual.
"Hokage-sama," Minato called.
"Minato," Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke, his tone serious and also kind at the same time. "Thanks to you, Iwa has stopped sending more reinforcements into the war, but it's only temporary.
So, I've been thinking about proposing a peace treaty with Iwagakure."
"A peace treaty?" Minato repeated, carefully considering the implications.
"Yes," Hiruzen continued, "establishing a policy of reconciliation to end the war. And, I don't plan to seek any reparations from Iwa despite the damages caused by the war."
Minato's eyes turned serious. He could understand the reason behind the Third Hokage's decision. The village had endured heavy losses, and the people of Konoha were also deeply affected.
A peace treaty with Iwa may end the war, but not seeking reparations? That would be seen as a sign of weakness by many in the village. There will be heavy opposition, from both people and various clans of Konoha.
Hiruzen continued. "I am aware. This decision will appear weak to many. But after so much bloodshed, continuing this cycle of hate will only harm us more. I know that dissatisfaction in the village is growing... which is why I've decided to step down as Hokage."
Minato's expression changed. The Third Hokage had ruled for decades, guiding the village through war and peace. Stepping down was no small decision.
"Hokage-sama..."
Before Minato could respond, Hiruzen interrupted. "It's just my opinion for now. We need to consult with the Fire Nation Daimyo and the Konoha council before making a final decision.
"The reason I'm telling you this is because I plan to propose you as the next Hokage. Be prepared, and don't tell anyone until it's decided."
Hearing those words, Minato froze. Becoming Hokage had always been his dream, but the sudden announcement left his mind momentarily paralyzed.
After a moment of silence, Minato spoke seriously, "Thank you for your trust in me, Hokage-sama. But I believe there are others more qualified for this position—like Orochimaru-sama, Jiraiya-sama, or Tsunade-sama..."
Hiruzen shook his head, "They are not suitable. I made my decision." He then changed the subject.
"I called you for another important matter. Our skirmishes with the Cloud Village have intensified at the border. They're trying to take advantage of the situation with Iwa and our current weakness."
Minato's expression turned serious. The Cloud Village had always been known for their bold and aggressive actions, and they were formidable in their own right.
"You're the fastest, Minato. I need you to head to the border and take command of our forces there. Your presence alone may be enough to prevent the situation from escalating further," Hiruzen said, his voice filled with trust.
Minato's reputation as Konoha's Yellow Flash was more than enough to deter the enemy to some extent.
"I'll leave immediately, Hokage-sama," Minato said immediately, as he knew the importance of this mission.
As Minato turned to leave, Hiruzen's voice softened. "Minato... be careful. The future of the village rests on people like you."
Minato nodded and disappeared in a flash.
---
A few days passed, and the Chunin Exam was now only two days away.
During the past few days, Ryou, Tenga, and Shisui had been busy with various D-rank missions and even completed three C-rank missions that took them outside the village once again.
One mission had tasked them with eliminating a group of bandits who had been robbing and terrorizing merchants traveling along the road between two towns. The bandits were just an ordinary group of people, so there were no major difficulties.
The other two C-rank missions were relatively simple. One involved conducting a background investigation on someone, which required them to gather information discreetly.
The second mission involved capturing a wild animal that had been disturbing agricultural land, causing damage to crops, and creating chaos for local farmers.
These missions allowed Ryou, Tenga, and Shisui to enhance the skills they learned in the Ninja Academy and strengthened their teamwork and bond.
For now, Daichi had given them two days off, telling them to rest and prepare for the upcoming Chunin Exam. They needed to be in their best condition, both physically and mentally.
Now, in one of the training grounds, Ryou was making use of this time to train his observation Haki and the various ninjutsu he had recently learned from Shisui and Tenga.
He stood in the center of the field with his eyes closed and ears plugged, focusing entirely on his surroundings. Two of his shadow clones stood at a distance, throwing shurikens one by one.
Ryou evaded by anticipating each shuriken, but it wasn't perfect even though the clones reduced the speed of the shurikens.
After some time, Ryou stopped and opened his eyes. He had been training intensely over the past few days, trying to advance his Observation Haki to the next level. However, despite his efforts, it seemed he still needed more time to reach the next level.
--
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