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This felt like having a mountain of treasures but not being able to take any of them.
When Yuhi Shinku taught Yuuki Yuichi illusions, she broke them down and spoon-fed them to him. However, the scroll he had now detailed everything—from how to control chakra, to how to condense it into flames, and then how to release it.
Even though both were C-rank jutsus, Yuuki couldn't understand a word of this scroll. On the other hand, when it came to the Great Fireball Technique, the one that Uchiha Sasuke (with his Sharingan) mastered, he could use it instinctively, without even needing to form hand signs.
This was one of the hidden benefits of his character template. Once he obtained a ninjutsu, his proficiency skyrocketed.
Hatake Kakashi, watching from the side, was curious about what was written in the scroll, but he knew better than to ask—ninja techniques were considered private.
"They'll teach you all this at the academy," Namikaze Minato explained. He gave the two of them a stern look and added, "So you both should stop skipping classes from now on."
"Brother Minato, how did you know we were skipping classes?" Kakashi, following Yuuki's lead in calling Minato "brother," asked with wide eyes.
Minato sighed, exasperated. "The academy just started yesterday. I saw you both skipping classes on your first day!"
Realizing his blunder, Kakashi quietly averted his gaze, knowing he'd asked a foolish question.
At that moment, the ramen was served. Noticing that his portion was significantly larger than Minato's and Kakashi's, Yuuki Yuu smiled at the shopkeeper. "Thank you, Uncle Teuchi!"
Teuchi laughed heartily. "You're the first to call me that! I'll take good care of you!"
Kakashi glanced over at Yuuki's bowl and teased, "Seems like you're popular."
"Hahaha! This is the treatment for the future legend of the ninja world!" Yuuki declared.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Legend? I doubt you'll surpass me."
"Just wait and see!" Yuuki shot back confidently. "The long-lost throne of the sky will soon have its rightful owner!"
Kakashi: "???"
He had merely sighed, yet somehow Yuuki had turned it into a competition.
---
Meanwhile, back in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen had just sat down when the door was kicked open with a loud bang.
Without looking up, he already knew who it was. Only one person would make an entrance like this—Danzo.
As expected, Danzo stormed into the room, slamming a document on the desk. "Hiruzen! What is the meaning of this?"
Hiruzen glanced at the document, which was labeled "Budget Cuts," then calmly raised his eyes to meet Danzo's.
"What are you talking about? I don't know what you mean."
Danzo scoffed. "Don't play dumb with me! Why are you cutting the Root's budget?!"
"I'm not targeting just the Root, Danzo. All of Anbu's budget is being reduced."
"I don't care about the others!" Danzo growled. "My budget can't be cut!"
Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk. "Danzo! This isn't up to you!"
Seeing that Hiruzen wasn't going to budge, Danzo calmed himself down and took a seat opposite the Hokage.
"Fine. If you insist on cutting the budget, then give me two people in return."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Who do you want?"
Danzo's eyes gleamed. "Uzumaki Kushina and Yuuki Yuichi."
"Impossible!" Hiruzen slammed the desk again, his voice resolute.
Danzo stood up, furious. "Hiruzen! I've told you many times before, give me control of the Nine-Tails! I will train a real weapon for Konoha!"
"I've told you before, Danzo," Hiruzen snapped. "The Nine-Tails is off-limits. Kushina will remain under my protection, and you will give up on this foolish idea!"
Danzo, however, wasn't deterred. He hadn't truly expected Hiruzen to give him Kushina—his real target was Yuuki Yuichi.
"Then at least give me Yuuki Yuichi!" Danzo demanded, revealing his true intentions.
Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe and exhaled slowly. "So that's your true goal, Danzo."
After all these years, Hiruzen knew Danzo better than anyone. The initial request for Kushina and the Nine-Tails had merely been a cover for his real objective—Yuuki Yuichi.
"Danzo," Hiruzen said firmly, "Yuuki Yuichi will not be given to you."
Danzo's face twisted with anger. "Hiruzen! You won't give me the funds, you won't give me the Nine-Tails, and now you won't even give me this one child?!" He slammed his fists on the desk. "You're going too far!"
Hiruzen remained calm. "He is not yours to take. He belongs in the light, Danzo."
Danzo sneered. "He's an Uchiha—an evil one at that! His place is in the darkness, where he can become the Root of the great Konoha tree!"
"Yuuki isn't an Uchiha," Hiruzen retorted coldly. "He's from the Yuuki clan. He carries the blood of Kushina's clan."
But Danzo wasn't listening. "He awakened the Sharingan yesterday!" he snapped. "At the age of six! Earlier than any Uchiha before him! And you say he's not evil?"
"Give up, Danzo. He is not for you," Hiruzen said, his tone final. "Yuuki Yuichi will bathe in the sun and grow into a leaf of the village. He will never join your Root."
Realizing that Hiruzen wouldn't budge, Danzo gritted his teeth and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.
Once Danzo was gone, Hiruzen sighed deeply and called for an Anbu operative. "Restore the original budget for Anbu."
The operative nodded and was about to leave when Hiruzen added, "However, the budget for Root will remain cut."
After the Anbu left, Hiruzen stared at the door for a long while.
"Forgive me, Danzo," he muttered softly.
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