Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with some surprise, "Is there something else?"
Kakashi, with a heavy expression, replied, "Today, I saw Sensei's son."
After parting ways with Kirito, Kakashi didn't return to report to the Hokage immediately. Instead, he went to observe Naruto in secret. The result left Kakashi feeling disheartened.
Naruto was undisciplined, isolated by the villagers, and resorted to pranks to gain attention and recognition. Unfortunately, this only made people resent him more.
His financial situation was dire, barely managing to afford food. He often ate instant noodles, which provided no nutrition, and even drank expired milk that the villagers had sold to him. Naruto was unaware of any of this.
His education was equally disastrous. Without parental guidance, he made mistakes in the basics, including chakra control. Aside from the Transformation Jutsu, he was ignorant of the Three Basic Techniques. It was difficult to fathom how Naruto had survived so long under such circumstances.
"Minato's child..." Sarutobi Hiruzen mused.
He was well aware of Naruto's struggles. Although part of the issue was rooted in Danzo spreading malicious rumors, most of it was due to his own tacit approval or, at the very least, his indifference.
After the Nine-Tails' attack, the villagers needed someone to direct their anger toward, and Naruto became the scapegoat. As Hokage, Hiruzen could have ensured Naruto lived as a hero's son, but he deliberately allowed this situation to develop. His reasoning was calculated: as long as the villagers despised, isolated, and rejected Naruto, Naruto would grow up lonely, desperate for recognition and love.
That's where Hiruzen would come in, providing comfort and guidance. By doing so, Naruto would become attached to him, relying on him as his only source of warmth and hope. This emotional manipulation ensured that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki remained firmly under the Hokage's control.
"The boy's current life is unbearable," Kakashi continued. "He's living off instant noodles and expired milk. Hokage-sama, I request permission to provide Naruto with the minimum living security he deserves."
"I understand. This is my negligence as Hokage," Sarutobi Hiruzen responded, feigning regret. "I will personally ensure this doesn't happen again."
Even though Kakashi's concern was genuine, Hiruzen had no intention of allowing him to get too close to Naruto. He deflected the responsibility to himself as he often did, making it seem like he was personally wronged by the situation and would now take action.
Kakashi, upon hearing this, felt immediate gratitude, not realizing Hiruzen's manipulation. In this way, any potential distrust Kakashi might have felt toward the Hokage was swiftly averted, and his faith in Hiruzen as the "strongest Hokage" grew even stronger.
If Kirito had been present to hear this conversation, he would have sneered inwardly at Hiruzen's words, thinking, *What have you been doing all this time? Only when someone brings it up do you act, as if to right a wrong.*
If even a fraction of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina's inheritance had been used for Naruto's care, he wouldn't have had such a miserable childhood.
Meanwhile, as Kakashi spoke with the Third Hokage, outside Konoha Village, Kirito had already returned to the mountaintop where he had once trained with Kakashi.
Lightning crackled from his right hand, his entire body occasionally enveloped in it. At times, the lightning transformed into bolts that shot outward, piercing the surrounding rock. Other times, it turned into chains of electricity, cutting and binding everything in its path.
In some instances, the lightning morphed into a hound, crashing into and shattering boulders. Other times, it shaped into a perfect copy of Kirito himself, continuously shifting forms.
Finally, the lightning condensed into a sharp spear, cutting and piercing through everything in its way.
These were the evolved forms of Chidori that Kirito had developed based on Kakashi's and Sasuke's original techniques, using perfect mastery over the lightning chakra nature: Chidori Stream, Chidori Senbon, Lightning Chain, Lightning Beast Tracking Fang, Lightning Shadow Clone, Chidori Sharp Spear, and a series of other lightning techniques.
Soon, the mountaintop was utterly devastated by the training session.
"With perfect control over the lightning chakra nature, combined with the original techniques from Kakashi and Sasuke, it's surprisingly easy to elevate Chidori to new heights," Kirito thought with satisfaction. "It seems I can begin experimenting with the possibility of developing a Kekkei Genkai or even a Kekkei Tōta in the future."
Looking over the wreckage of the mountaintop, Kirito mused silently, "System, show me my personal stats."
[Ding, opening the status panel...]
**[Host: Kirito Fujiwara]**
- **Gender:** Male
- **Age:** 12
- **Bloodline Limit:** Sharingan
- **Chakra Attributes:** Fire, Lightning, Earth, Water, Yin, Yang
- **Chakra Reserves:** 5 cards (up to 60 cards in Sage Mode)
- **Secret Techniques:** Tiangang Jue (5th level; includes defensive energy and flash step)
- **Ninjutsu:** Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, Phoenix Flower Jutsu, Great Dragon Fire Jutsu; Shadow Clone Jutsu, Three Body Jutsu, Body Flicker Jutsu, Summoning Jutsu, Chidori series, Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu, Earth Flow Wall
- **Summoning Beast:** Crow
- **Special Abilities:** Kyōka Suigetsu (once witnessed, it directly affects the soul and controls the five senses, including chakra perception)
- **Illusions:** Kotoamatsukami, Sharingan Genjutsu, Tree Binding Death, Cherry Blossom Triple Illusion
- **Taijutsu:** Basic Konoha Taijutsu, Tiangang Jue's unique moves, Uchiha Shuriken and Kunai throwing techniques
- **Chakra Nature Transformations:** Fire, Lightning, Earth, Water
- **Inventory:** Kyōka Suigetsu (Zanpakutō), kunai × 225, shuriken × 311, various clothes, space storage scrolls × 5, substitution logs × 39
"After reaching the fifth level of Tiangang Jue, my chakra reserves increased to five cards, and my Sage Mode multiplier rose from ten to twelve times. Chakra exhaustion won't be an issue from now on," Kirito thought with satisfaction.
Just then, Kirito sensed someone approaching rapidly—it was Kakashi.
Quickly, he sheathed Kyōka Suigetsu at his waist, activating its power to alter the appearance of the mountaintop. By the time Kakashi arrived, the damage appeared minimal, with only a few marks from Chidori remaining, disguising the true extent of Kirito's destructive training.
"I knew you'd be here," Kakashi remarked, glancing around. "You've really improved. My limit is four Chidori in a day, and that's already pushing it. You've used four or five today, and you still seem fine. It's impressive."
"You have your own burdens," Kirito smiled, shifting the conversation. "So, what brings you here?"
Kakashi's expression grew serious. "Hokage-sama has requested your presence."
**End of Chapter**
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