"Senpai, did Tsunade-sama really summon me, or are you just trying to prevent a conflict with Asuma?"
"Both."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke let out a sigh. He knew Kyohiko wasn't an ordinary child. Though only nine this year, he already possessed abilities and wisdom surpassing his peers and even many adults. Even Tsunade and Jiraiya relied on his insights.
His father had mentioned that Kyohiko resembled the Second Hokage in his youth - someone who contemplated the future and solutions from an early age, not to be underestimated as just a child. Such a person couldn't be treated as a mere child; Shinnosuke regarded Kyohiko as his equal.
"Asuma has caused you trouble."
"I heard among the Sandaime's sons, one serves in ANBU?"
"Hn."
Shinnosuke didn't answer directly.
Kyohiko skipped further questioning and smiled. "Asuma is just expressing youthful passion. We're all part of the same village, future contributors to Konoha. I won't hold it against him."
"I've always been grateful to you."
Shinnosuke expressed sincere thanks. Both he and his father had rarely given Asuma family warmth over the years, causing certain psychological and personality deviations. He also knew... that "tree hole" was Kyohiko's suggestion. Its existence had normalized Asuma somewhat, at least making him less overtly cold at home.
"Asuma? Don't mention it." Kyohiko shook his head. He held no grudge against Asuma—it was just youthful rivalry. They might even become friends someday!
Shinnosuke nodded. Instead of heading toward the Hokage Building, he led Kyohiko along another path, winding through routes subtly affected by genjutsu. Kyohiko didn't dispel the illusion.
When it lifted, he found himself in darkness, standing in an underground passage—the ANBU headquarters!
Shinnosuke remained silent as they proceeded deeper, only speaking when they reached the innermost area: "This is where ANBU detains dangerous criminals. Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama are just ahead."
"Thank you." Kyohiko's expression turned serious. With both of them present, this must be important. Related to Kuroda?
He moved forward. This was indeed a prison, flanked by the Sealing Team's workspace. The special cells were covered in sealing formulas that could suppress the chakra of those inside. The deeper they went, the more pronounced the seals became.
At the core, Kyohiko saw Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kuroda, the boy he'd rescued earlier—and next to the boy, a cold-faced kunoichi glaring at them.
"You're here." Tsunade turned and waved.
Kyohiko approached quickly. Tsunade touched his face affectionately, but Kyohiko could feel her chakra flowing across his skin—medical chakra sensing. She was examining his internal condition.
After a long while, she exhaled in relief. "Nothing's wrong. You're too bold! Creating three reservoirs at once could have drained your chakra completely, didn't you know?"
"I was completely confident. Even if I couldn't sustain it, I could immediately seal the reservoirs." Kyohiko responded.
Tsunade paused. "You can seal them?"
"Just need to install valves. With deeper study and mastery of Yin Seal, shouldn't this be easy?" Kyohiko answered. This resealing capability came from reaching the mastery level. In the other timeline, Tsunade and Haruno Sakura later demonstrated that completely filling the reservoirs wasn't essential for combat effectiveness.
Normally, shouldn't Tsunade be capable? Shouldn't she...?
Tsunade fell silent. So did Kyohiko. Apparently, Tsunade couldn't do this yet. He'd spoken too soon, creating awkwardness.
Jiraiya wanted to interject but feared becoming Tsunade's outlet for embarrassment. Kyohiko smoothly changed the subject. "As acting Hokage, you must be very busy now?"
"Extremely busy. No free time at all, let alone for research..." Tsunade sighed. The floodgates opened as she complained about her workload, seemingly forgetting the earlier awkwardness.
Of course, she soon steered back to the main topic—anything to avoid discussing Yin Seal. Having previously studied Yin Seal, she thought she'd grasped it deeply. But Kyohiko achieved in months what she couldn't comprehend in over a year, leaving her mortified—she'd wanted to bury herself alive earlier.
Thankfully... her little brother was so considerate!
She gestured toward Kurokawa nonchalantly.
"His power has been confirmed by Jiraiya as a special sage chakra. Orochimaru would normally handle such research, but for certain reasons, we'd prefer he not get involved."
Tsunade explained. She'd heard about Orochimaru's condition from Jiraiya—Hashirama cells, Sage Body. Combining these would fuel Orochimaru's madness with unpredictable consequences.
Kyohiko nodded. Hashirama cells... His gaze turned to the future Yamato.
"You want him to master sage chakra? Or possess both this Sage Body and Wood Release?"
"Just sage chakra." Jiraiya answered, explaining his concerns: Moku's current balance might collapse from additional foreign cells, potentially destroying his body.
"If that's the case, I can't help either." Unless... Kyohiko had a thought. Was Jiraiya suggesting he try learning sage chakra? The idea excited him.
"I want to take you somewhere to attempt sage chakra training. With your talent, if you can master it, you might develop techniques to help him control it safely—or create methods for him to acquire sage chakra." Konoha deeply desired Wood Release. Otherwise... they wouldn't have conducted such experiments for over a decade. Even after the Sandaime shut them down, Danzo and Orochimaru persisted relentlessly.
Now, with one successful result, and Jiraiya understanding both powers, Tsunade hoped for a Wood Release user with sage chakra. Even if not matching Shodaime's level, such a ninja could still protect Konoha!
Kyohiko nodded. "I can try." But no guarantees. Setting aside his system, Kyohiko didn't consider himself smarter than Namikaze Minato. If even Minato couldn't advance Sage Mode much beyond basic proficiency, its difficulty must be extreme.
Moreover... Would the Great Toad Sage notice anomalies? Definitely. Both Jiraiya and Tsunade's fates had changed, altering the shinobi world's trajectory. The Great Sage would surely detect this. With that realization, Kyohiko relaxed. Worrying was pointless.
He added, "When fighting the monk Chiriku, I noticed his chakra differed from normal. He called it 'Sage Clan Talent'—is that also sage chakra?"
"Likely a unique sage art." Jiraiya pondered before explaining: "Sage chakra fundamentally balances physical, spiritual, and natural energies in equal measure..."
"And imbalance causes conditions like his?" Kyohiko pointed at unconscious Kurokawa.
"Mount Myoboku practitioners turn to stone toads. His case is new to me."
"When do we begin?"
"Two days." Tsunade pursed her lips.
"Tomorrow's my inauguration. I want you there."
"Understood."
---
The next morning, Konoha bustled with celebration. Below the Hokage Building, crowds gathered expectantly. Most villagers packed the surrounding streets, gazing upward like pilgrims awaiting revelation.
As moments passed... Tsunade emerged resplendent in new Hokage robes and hat.
"I am the Yondaime Hokage, Tsunade. From today onward, I will lead you all!" With this declaration, she tossed her hat skyward. Thunderous cheers erupted below. Behind her, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled.
For Yondaime... no one suited better than Tsunade now. His gaze shifted to the child beside her—the future Godaime, he hoped, not another Orochimaru or Sasori. Hiruzen's eyes dimmed slightly. Perhaps he hadn't been the best teacher. As the ceremony concluded with formalities, he quietly departed.
"Hiruzen." Mitokado Homura followed. Hiruzen turned to his old friend. Since stepping down, Homura had grown—or rather, regained some youthful vigor. "Oh?"
"The village still needs you..."
"Of course. But first, I must visit the capital to speak with the Daimyo." Hiruzen produced a letter. "His orders."
"I'll accompany you."
"Unnecessary. I'll handle this alone." Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.
"If Danzo plans anything, let him come! I'll remind him that even aged, I can still discipline him!"
Exhaling, he added: "Our generation's affairs shouldn't burden the next. Old friend, please advise Tsunade on the Academy. She's impulsive. Without Kyohiko's presence, she might lose direction."
"Speaking as if Kyohiko were Hokage..." Homura remarked.
Hiruzen chuckled. "Perhaps that's the truth? Farewell." His departure was but a footnote in the ceremony's grandeur, unnoticed by most.
---
Post-ceremony... Kyohiko searched the village—locating Gai, Asuma, even Dai with his ANBU escort—but not Kakashi. Near the Hokage Mountain, his chakra-enhanced hearing detected strange noises—a sharp, unsettling hum. Normally imperceptible, the dissonance grew louder as he approached.
Kakashi? Dropping the auditory enhancement, he shunshined toward the sound's origin. There sat Hatake Kakashi, panting as he swallowed a soldier pill. One hand formed a Rasengan, the other crackled with silver lightning. Then—fusion. Zzzt! Krrkt! The chaotic screech resumed.
Observation revealed Kakashi's method—infusing Lightning Release into Rasengan's spirals, creating violent torsion between normal and lightning chakra. Not a perfect Lightning Rasengan. But... with vibrational nature transformation, its piercing potential rivaled future Chidori. More flexibly too. Unlike Chidori's full-body Lightning Armor speed boost, this only required arm coverage—activation being optional. Yet mastery remained elusive.
Suddenly, the Rasengan dispersed into wild sparks.
"Congratulations. Your ninjutsu talent is truly superior." Kyohiko descended. Kakashi lay exhausted, unable to even lift his eyelids.
"Talent... Hah."
After a silence, he conceded Kyohiko's point. His ninjutsu gifts surpassed his kenjutsu. Since switching focus, his progress had been meteoric—now second only to Kyohiko himself. Even versus Might Gai—assuming no Eight Gates, of course.
Abruptly, he sat up. "With shadow clone assistance, it works. But alone... Any suggestions?"
"That Lightning jutsu—derived from Earth-Style Migration?" Kyohiko inquired.
Kakashi nodded.
"Your Water Turbulence inspired me. And your books—I deconstructed Earth-Style Migration, compressing and focusing its lightning while adding vibrations." He detailed his creative process without reservation.
Kyohiko analyzed: "Your Rasengan has twin vortex cores. Instability may come from single-handed imbalance, whereas clones allow stronger input from one side for equilibrium."
"Balance..." Kakashi absorbed this. Not wrong.
"Suggestions?"
"Try adding Water Release. Lightning may stabilize more easily with water synergy, though learning difficulty increases." Even without nature transformation fusion, simple combination could work—water stabilizing lightning's volatility. The trade-off? Water's stability would reduce lightning's piercing effect... unless achieving perfect fusion preserving both natures. That would be Ranton, Storm Release.
Kakashi contemplated. Extensive reading informed him of these pros/cons, but Kyohiko's direction was sound. Perhaps... one day mastering Storm Release? He inhaled deeply: "Thank you. Understood!"
"One more thing—I'll be away temporarily. Please watch over 'Dust' for me."
"Understood." Kakashi assented.
Currently, the Dust mutual improvement group's benefits were moderate, but months of collaboration had markedly enhanced Ebisu and Might Gai's teams—particularly Yamashiro Aoba and Shiranui Genma. As for Gai... his unique taijutsu path required less theoretical exchange, though he enthusiastically shared training innovations.
"A mission?"
"Not exactly. Jiraiya-sensei wants me to research a technique I'm interested in—probably an extended absence." Here, Kyohiko realized—if he couldn't find Minato, perhaps Minato had also gone to Mount Myoboku!