Hokage’s office.
Across from Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kakashi Hatake had just finished a ten-minute report.
The office was silent, with only the hiss of burning tobacco.
After a long while, the Third Hokage finally took the pipe from his mouth and spoke with some disbelief:
“Kakashi, let me confirm again, are you saying that Uchiha Sasuke has basically learned all the C-rank and B-rank Ninjutsu you know in just three months?”
This conclusion was too startling, even for Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was known as the Professor of Ninjutsu, to not confirm it again.
“Yes, Hokage-sama, except for a few techniques that require secret arts to perform, he can basically master anything I demonstrate after seeing it once.
“…” Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.
He picked up his pipe and took a deep puff.
“Is it those eyes?” he asked in a low voice.
“Yes, but not entirely.”
Kakashi explained, “The main reason is that child’s attitude towards learning.”
Recalling the three months of Cultivate, even he sometimes felt a chill.
During Cultivate, Sasuke never complained, never asked questions, and never showed the slightest bit of slack.
He just watched, then learned, and then mastered it at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary people.
“I have no more regular Ninjutsu to teach him.”
Kakashi spread his hands.
“So, I’m going to start teaching him Chakra shape transformation, to prepare for that technique.”
“Chidori?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s your signature technique, an S-rank Ninjutsu.
Isn’t it too early for a seven-year-old child?”
“For him, there’s no difference between early and late, only between usable and unusable.”
Kakashi’s tone became serious.
“His speed, reactions, and those eyes perfectly match the requirements for Chidori.
Teaching it to him is the most logical choice.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment, then nodded, tacitly agreeing to Kakashi’s decision.
Then, as if thinking of something, he slowly injected Chakra into the crystal ball in front of him.
Ripples appeared on the surface of the sphere, which then reflected the scene of Training Ground Three.
However, the scene in the picture made both the Third Hokage and Kakashi show somewhat subtle expressions.
Inside the crystal ball, Sasuke was forming a hand seal with one hand, a highly unstable, flickering electric Chakra gathered in his palm, clearly practicing Lightning Release nature transformation.
Not far from him, a familiar figure was repeatedly charging at the trunk of a large tree in a comical posture.
“Bang!”
“Ouch!”
“Damn it!
One more time!”
Uzumaki Naruto rubbed his reddened knees, grimacing, but his eyes were full of defiance.
He then charged again, only to be bounced back once more.
“That child Naruto…
when did he get together with Sasuke?” Hiruzen Sarutobi’s tone carried a hint of unexpected pleasant surprise.
“About two weeks ago.”
Kakashi scratched his head, recalling, “Initially, Naruto was just unilaterally peeking from outside the training ground.”
“Later, he got bolder, ran in, and practiced by himself next to Sasuke, mimicking him.”
“Sasuke didn’t drive him away?”
“No.”
Kakashi’s eyes became somewhat meaningful.
“I think you might remember my previous report that Sasuke could see the loneliness behind that child Naruto’s behavior.”
“Perhaps in his eyes, a ‘noisy idiot’ like Naruto is much more tolerable than those girls who try to save him with pity.”
Kakashi continued, “So, he just let Naruto be there, ignoring him, but not driving him away.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly watched the two children through the crystal ball.
“Is that so…”
The Third Hokage slowly exhaled a long puff of white smoke, the worry in his eyes seeming to dissipate a little.
“Perhaps, this isn’t bad either.” He murmured to himself.
“Yes.” Kakashi agreed.
“At least for Naruto, he finally has a playmate who won’t disdain him.”
“As for Sasuke, he probably finds a single-minded creature like Naruto much less trouble than dealing with other people.”
“It seems my decision to have you guide Sasuke was correct.” Hiruzen Sarutobi showed a long-lost smile on his face.
“Mm.” Kakashi softly responded, his gaze falling on the crystal ball.
He tilted his head slightly and added, “But that Naruto, he’s not the type to give up just because he’s ignored.”
No sooner had he spoken than, as if to confirm his statement, a new change occurred in the scene within the crystal ball.
On the training ground, Uzumaki Naruto, who had been diligently practicing tree climbing, finally couldn’t take it anymore after sliding down the tree trunk one more time.
“Damn it, why won’t it work, I say!” He complained, grimacing and clutching his numb backside.
His gaze quickly and involuntarily fell upon the back not far away.
Why did that guy never even look at him from beginning to end?
Naruto didn’t want to be ignored anymore, didn’t want to be excluded alone.
He suddenly sprang up from the ground and shouted at that back:
“Hey, Uchiha Sasuke!”
Sasuke, who was concentrating Lightning Release Chakra, had the restless electric light in his palm directly dissipate due to this sudden roar.
He slowly opened his eyes and finally turned his head.
“Are you done or not?”
“I…”
Naruto froze under his cold gaze, instinctively taking half a step back.
But remembering his purpose here, he found courage from somewhere and shouted loudly: “Then you teach me!
If you teach me this, I won’t bother you anymore!”
After shouting, he looked at Sasuke’s expressionless face, and a strange sense of grievance welled up in his heart.
“I want to become stronger too!
If I become as strong as you, everyone won’t look at me like that anymore!”
“Please, teach me!”
His eyes were now filled with obsession and the despair of grasping at a last straw.
Sasuke’s heart trembled violently the moment he saw those eyes.
That gaze…
he seemed to see himself three years ago in Rukongai, covered in injuries, yet still vowing to gain power to return to the Human World for revenge.
Just as naive, just as annoying.
A strange emotion rose from the bottom of his heart, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.
“Shut up, don’t look at me with those eyes.” Sasuke’s voice was a little hoarse.
He suddenly stood up and walked in front of Naruto.
“Those eyes, they disgust me the most.”
A suffocating silence.
Naruto stood frozen, thinking he had messed up again, and his eyes began to redden slightly.
Just as he was about to give up and turn to flee, Sasuke spoke again.
“Don’t just stand there, come here.”
…..