"Iruka, what brings you here again?" The Third Hokage said with some surprise, having almost put away his crystal ball due to the frequent visits.
"This time, it's about Natsuro. I want to help him get a library card" Iruka said. The library he referred to was not an ordinary one but one that stored materials on ninjutsu.
"Oh? Why the sudden interest in getting him a library card?" The Third Hokage asked, puzzled.
Iruka helplessly explained Natsuro's situation, noting that the boy's talent was such that he couldn't teach him much more. Thus, getting him a library card seemed more practical.
"Shadow Clones? Are you sure it's safe?" The Third Hokage furrowed his brow. Unlike Iruka, as Hokage, he was well aware of the risks associated with this technique.
"Yes, Natsuro has been using Shadow Clones for a while now, and his condition has always been good" Iruka answered.
"I see. Talent, then?" The Third Hokage mused. Learning Shadow Clones was impressive but not entirely surprising, as it was a technique that could be learned.
What was surprising was using Shadow Clones for learning, which pointed to his exceptional talent. The Third Hokage had encountered many talented individuals, but his case was particularly noteworthy.
Given Natsuro's clean background, his talent, and his evident diligence and maturity, the Third Hokage decided to grant access to more advanced knowledge beyond just ninjutsu.
A library card was soon issued from the Third Hokage's hands to Iruka.
"Just have Natsuro take a photo to attach to it later." the Third Hokage said.
"Understood!" Iruka took the card, feeling both delighted and surprised. The level of access granted was much higher than he had anticipated, as even knowledge is usually tiered.
While Iruka was amazed, he also felt pleased for Natsuro. Being recognized by the Third Hokage meant a bright future for his student.
After Iruka left, the Third Hokage took a deep breath from his pipe and exhaled a cloud of smoke. He had previously written to Jiraiya but was frustrated by Jiraiya's lack of response.
Now, having seen Natsuro's talent and effort, the Third Hokage decided to write another letter. Talented individuals needed proper guidance, and both Jiraiya and Tsunade were ideal candidates for providing such mentorship.
The Third Hokage handed the letter to a toad and sighed deeply.
"Ah!"
The next day, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage watched the scene in the crystal ball.
The crystal ball displayed Natsuro's training. After a while, the Third Hokage shifted the view to the ninja school, with Natsuro still as the main focus.
This time, the Third Hokage was taken aback to see Naruto alongside him, and they seemed to be getting along well.
This combination made the Third Hokage ponder. If Natsuro proved strong enough, he could contribute during times when the Tailed Beasts were uncontrollable, and perhaps he could help awaken Naruto due to their bond...
Natsuro, of course, was unaware of being observed through the crystal ball. Even if he did, he wouldn't have minded, as he had no secrets to hide.
Natsuro successfully obtained his library card from Iruka and visited the heavily guarded library to borrow books.
The results were gratifying. He could directly access B-rank knowledge. Although jutsu were not available for borrowing, this was more than enough for Natsuro.
Currently, he had no plans to learn any new jutsu due to his chakra levels.
The library card was evidently beyond what a mere Chunin like Iruka could issue. He soon realized that the Third Hokage had noticed him and granted significant convenience.
So he was content. He never expected to acquire the Flying Thunder God Technique, a dream for him.
While learning the Flying Thunder God wasn't a necessity in his plan, it was a high priority due to its fame, especially with the Fourth Hokage.
The most important aspect was that its chakra consumption wasn't too high, as the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, didn't have a special lineage, implying his chakra wasn't superior to the monsters. Thus, Natsuro's chakra, even if insufficient now, would be adequate for the Flying Thunder God in the future.
However, mastering the Flying Thunder God required not just talent in space-time techniques but also exceptional reflexes and combat skills.
With the Flying Thunder God, the Fourth Hokage became a terrifying figure to enemies, as it was nearly impossible to counter without significant strength.
Against opponents like the Third Raikage, the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God would be less intimidating, as the Third Raikage's defenses were formidable. The outcome of a direct confrontation would be uncertain.
Thinking about this, he was struck by the fact that the Third Raikage was a standout among ordinary people, while the Fourth Hokage's early demise was regrettable.
Had he lived longer, the Fourth Hokage could have developed techniques like the Rasengan Shuriken, potentially filling the gaps in his offensive capabilities. Then, he wouldn't have had to worry about the Third Raikage.
Moreover, he speculated that the Rasengan Shuriken's negative impact wouldn't affect the Fourth Hokage, or rather, wouldn't impact a ninja proficient in the Flying Thunder God.
At the moment of Rasengan Shuriken's explosion, the Fourth Hokage could use the Flying Thunder God to escape the blast range, with a higher accuracy than Sage Mode techniques, though less powerful.
Considering that the Fourth Hokage also knew Sage Mode, though not well-practiced and requiring significant time to gather natural energy, he could use Sage Mode Rasengan Shuriken at critical moments. Combined with the Flying Thunder God to strike the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, it would be quite impressive...
Narrowing his eyes, he resolved to accomplish what the Fourth Hokage hadn't, fulfilling his potential.
Though he was somewhat concerned about whether he had the talent to learn the Flying Thunder God. After all, even those with the Kamui like Obito or Kakashi appeared to have gained such abilities due to their bloodline, not necessarily talent.
Only the Second Hokage and the Fourth Hokage, the creators of the technique, had mastered the Flying Thunder God.
The stringent requirements for learning the Flying Thunder God were very high, but Natsuro's eyes revealed determination. He could only trust in his own talent.
For now, he would continue to work hard, adding library knowledge to his plans. The feeling of getting stronger day by day was rewarding, and the increasing chakra volume was proof of his progress!