A new day had begun.
Eichiro stood at the podium, passionately teaching about the Will of Fire.
Hanekawa was at a loss for words.
He never imagined that the first lesson of the fourth grade would be about the Will of Fire. If it weren't for the class schedule, he would have suspected it was Hiruzen Sarutobi's way of retaliating against him for sneaking out yesterday.
But on second thought, a Hokage wouldn't bother targeting a single student like him.
Tuning out Eichiro, Hanekawa took out a scroll on Lightning Release techniques.
As he read, Kakashi Hatake's Chidori suddenly came to mind.
It was said that Chidori was a technique Kakashi created during his youth.
Was this his youth now?
In the original story, two jutsu stood out as lasting until the final arc: Rasengan and Chidori.
Hanekawa was particularly interested in learning them.
Chidori wasn't an option for now, but Rasengan might be within reach.
Like Tsunade's monster strength, Rasengan was a seal-less jutsu, ideal for catching opponents off guard. Furthermore, it could incorporate chakra of any nature, making it extremely versatile.
---
Before long, the school day ended.
As Eichiro left, the classroom buzzed with chatter.
"Rin!"
Uchiha Obito approached her with a wide grin. "I made a contract with a ninja cat over the break! Want to see it?"
The Uchiha clan had a strong relationship with the ninja cat clan, making cats their primary summoning choice, followed by crows.
"Sorry," Rin replied, shaking her head. "I'm training today."
"What kind of training?" Obito asked, surprised.
"I'm not sure yet," she explained. "I'm training with Hanekawa."
"No way!" Obito exclaimed the moment Hanekawa's name was mentioned. "What could he possibly teach you?"
"Hanekawa is Lady Tsunade's student. He can guide me in my medical ninja training,"
Rin said, pausing before adding, "Kakashi will be there too. Do you want to come?"
"No!" Obito refused immediately but quickly regretted it.
He didn't want to train with Hanekawa, but if he wasn't there and something happened to Rin, he couldn't bear the thought.
"I... I'll go with you," he said awkwardly, his face flushed.
"Let's go," Kakashi said, standing up and ending the conversation. "Hanekawa is waiting for us."
"I'll ask him," Rin said, walking over to Hanekawa. "Hanekawa, can Obito join us?"
"Sure," Hanekawa replied, unsurprised. Wherever Rin went, Obito was sure to follow.
---
The group arrived at Tsunade's house.
Kurenai Yuhi wasn't present, as she was off learning Water Release techniques from Maruboshi Kosuke.
In the outdoor training ground, Uchiha Shisui had already arrived.
After exchanging greetings, everyone began their training.
Shisui and Kakashi moved to a nearby clearing to spar in kenjutsu.
Asuma Sarutobi practiced new Wind Release techniques with a series of hand seals.
Only Obito seemed unsure of what to do. Though he trained occasionally, he wasn't particularly diligent.
"Rin."
Hanekawa stood by a tree, waving her over.
Obito followed, determined to keep an eye on Hanekawa.
"To become a medical ninja, you must have exceptional chakra control," Hanekawa explained as he demonstrated. "Focus chakra on the soles of your feet and walk up the tree. It's the simplest and most effective training method."
"I understand!" Rin said enthusiastically as she watched him climb the tree.
"Start training," Hanekawa said with a smile. "Once you master tree climbing, you can move to the next stage."
"Thank you." Rin mimicked Hanekawa, slowly walking up the tree.
"Rin, I'll do it with you! Ahhhh!" Obito barely took two steps before falling with a scream.
Rin hesitated but continued climbing. Halfway up, she lost her balance and jumped down.
"Rin, you're so much better than me!" Obito exclaimed, wincing as he stood up.
Rin finally understood why Obito always struggled with Fire Release jutsu—it was his chakra control.
Ignoring them, Hanekawa moved to an open area to begin his own training.
Today, he was focusing on Lightning Release techniques. He planned to return to Konoha Hospital tomorrow for more medical ninjutsu and poison-making practice.
---
From a window nearby, Tsunade watched the scene, arms crossed.
"This kid really does have the makings of a Hokage," she mused.
A Hokage couldn't be a lone wolf—they had to be a leader among leaders, someone others respected and rallied behind.
Hanekawa already exhibited such qualities.
Every ninja who interacted with him had nothing but praise for him, and his peers willingly trained alongside him.
In ten years—perhaps even less—geniuses like Kakashi and Shisui would make their names known. If they supported Hanekawa, it would significantly boost his chances of becoming Hokage.
"Unfortunately, he's too young," Tsunade sighed.
As Hanekawa himself had said, if he were to become Hokage, it would likely be as the Fifth Hokage.
As for the Fourth Hokage… Tsunade fell into deep thought.
If she wanted to compete, she had a chance.
"Why have I been thinking about becoming Hokage so much lately?" she muttered, rubbing her temples. "It's all that kid's fault!"
Ever since the deaths of Hashirama Senju and Nawaki, she had lost interest in the position. But Hanekawa's occasional remarks had subtly influenced her thoughts.
___
As night fell, the training continued.
The group finished their training, leaving only Hanekawa behind, as he still had to cook dinner for Tsunade.
"Have they left?" Tsunade asked lazily from the sofa, holding a cup of tea.
"Yes." Hanekawa nodded slightly.
He stepped closer and glanced at the tea, finding it odd—it was the first time he had seen Tsunade drink tea.
"Want some?" Tsunade extended the cup toward him.
"Thanks." Without hesitation, Hanekawa bent down and took a sip.
"Before I knew it, you've grown so tall," Tsunade said with a sigh, as if noticing it for the first time.
"What's with you today?" Hanekawa rolled his eyes and asked, "Why so sentimental?"
"It's nothing," Tsunade replied, setting the cup down.
Her mind was preoccupied with whether or not to vie for the Hokage position.
"Uh-huh." Hanekawa observed her delicate face and remarked, "If you're feeling restless, go gamble a little. Losing some money will keep you from overthinking."
"Can't you say something nice for once, you brat?" Tsunade raised her eyebrows in dissatisfaction. "If I lose money tomorrow, you'd better watch out!"
"Hey!" Hanekawa couldn't help but retort, "That's just bullying an honest person!"
"Honest? You?" Tsunade chuckled and wiggled her bare toes. "There's not a shred of honesty in you."
"That's slander!" Hanekawa said indignantly.
"I'm your teacher!" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, emphasizing her authority.
"Even teachers can't just make baseless claims," Hanekawa replied with a serious expression.
"You little brat!" Tsunade raised her leg to kick him.
Hanekawa leaned back just in time, barely avoiding her toes by a few centimeters.
"I'm off to make dinner!" he said, turning and dashing away.
Tsunade watched his figure disappear and shook her head. That kid was really sharp.
She closed her eyes, letting go of her thoughts about the Hokage position. "The road will reveal itself when the time comes," she muttered.
---
The next day, Hanekawa arrived at the classroom to find Nohara Rin sitting in his seat.
"Hanekawa," Rin quickly stood up and said, "I have some questions to ask you."
"Go ahead." Hanekawa sat beside her, catching a faint whiff of her fragrance.
Instinctively, he glanced at her and wondered why she always painted those two purple markings on her cheeks.
"It's about tree-climbing," Rin said with a troubled expression. "I only got halfway up yesterday before I couldn't continue."
"How are you gathering your chakra?" Hanekawa asked after a moment of thought.
Tree-climbing didn't require a large amount of chakra but demanded precise control. If there were issues, it was likely due to improper chakra distribution.
"Let me show you," Rin said. Unsure how to explain, she rolled up her pant leg, removed her shoe, and revealed her smooth, pale foot.
Taking a deep breath, she focused her chakra, gathering it at the sole of her foot.
Hanekawa's eyes narrowed slightly.
Although he didn't have the Byakugan, he could vaguely sense the flow of her chakra.
"Well… how is it?" Rin asked nervously, her face flushing as she noticed his focused gaze.
"I think I know the problem," Hanekawa said calmly, reaching out to touch the top of her foot.
Rin trembled slightly but suppressed the odd sensation, listening attentively as he explained.
"Got it?" Hanekawa asked after finishing his explanation.
"Yes," Rin said, hurriedly putting her shoe back on, her face red like an apple. "Thank you."
"It's nothing." Hanekawa instinctively patted her head.
Rin's heart skipped a beat. Her lips moved, but she didn't avoid his hand.
"Ah, sorry—force of habit," Hanekawa said, quickly withdrawing his hand. He often patted Kurenai Yuhi's head during their interactions and had done it without thinking.
"It's okay," Rin murmured, her head lowered. "I… I don't mind."
"After school, try climbing the tree again," Hanekawa said with a slight nod. "If you run into any problems, come find me."
"Okay." Rin stood up and said, "I… I'll head back to my seat now!"
---
The school bell rang, and the group once again headed to Tsunade's house.
This time, however, Hanekawa was absent, as he had gone to Konoha Hospital.
Rin stood before the same tree from the previous day, taking a deep breath.
Following Hanekawa's instructions, she gathered chakra at her feet and climbed step by step.
This time, she successfully reached the top of the tree.
A smile spread across Rin's face.
"Rin! That's amazing!" Obito exclaimed, unable to hold back his admiration.
In comparison, he was far behind, barely making it a third of the way up.
"It's all thanks to Hanekawa," Rin said cheerfully.
"...?" Obito froze, as if struck by lightning.
-
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