Young Master, Please Become Hokage

Akira Sarutobi, sensing a bad premonition, immediately grabbed Ino Yamanaka's hand and quickly turned back.

Ino Yamanaka: "Ah~, Young Master... the shopkeeper hasn't given us our change yet..."

Meanwhile.

The courtyard rented by Yakushi Nonō.

A dozen Root ninja rushed over from various nearby areas, preparing to capture their target together.

Just as Nonō nodded, finished counting the numbers, and was about to brief them.

Outside the wall... a figure appeared, and a bell-like laugh echoed through the scene.

"Konoha ninja..."

"Huh?!"

Nonō and the dozen Root ninja immediately looked over.

They saw a figure adorned in dazzling jewelry soar into the sky, leaping over the outer wall.

"The target has appeared! Capture her!"

Nonō shouted loudly.

The well-trained group, however, froze for a second.

This was because most ninja didn't pursue extreme material enjoyment.

Even the Sannin, who indulged in gambling, women, and drugs, didn't live lives of excessive luxury, let alone dress in gaudy jewelry.

It was as astonishing as a soldier wearing gold and silver, even with a large gold chain around their neck.

From this, one could see the difference between the Twelve Guardian Shinobi and regular ninja.

Nonō immediately realized that the scout responsible for monitoring and tracking the target had been killed.

Not only that, but the enemy had followed the trail and directly found their assembly point.

And in that second of hesitation, much could happen.

Swish!

A sharp whistling sound was heard as the target, drawing her katana, pointed it at the group.

The next moment, the stunning figure landed in the courtyard and charged towards the crowd.

Roars, exclamations, low shouts, and pained groans erupted continuously.

In just a few seconds, several people died by her hand.

A moment later.

Akira Sarutobi and Ino Yamanaka returned: "As expected... the one just now was a 'Shadow Clone,' this is the real body."

Shadow Clone is a Ninjutsu of B-Rank Jonin difficulty, capable of creating one or more lifelike clones.

Neither sensory ninja nor dōjutsu users can discern the authenticity of a Shadow Clone.

This Ninjutsu, invented by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, was later developed and widely adopted by ninja.

Akira Sarutobi hadn't rashly pursued earlier because he considered that if the enemy used a diversionary tactic, Nonō and the others might be in danger.

Now, it seemed, that was exactly what had happened.

Hum.

Seeing her comrades fall, Nonō immediately raised both arms and joined the battle.

Her hands began to glow with a faint green light, the A-Rank medical Ninjutsu, Mystical Palm Technique!

This Ninjutsu could easily cut through a person's skin, flesh, and even bone! It possessed a sharpness even greater than a surgical scalpel.

"A-Rank Mystical Palm Technique?"

When the enemy saw this, they immediately dropped their dismissive expressions.

Because throughout the Shinobi World, there were only a handful of medical ninja whose medical Ninjutsu aptitude reached A-Rank.

"However... medical Ninjutsu talent doesn't equate to combat prowess!"

A low shout.

The enemy lunged towards Nonō, and after just one exchange, the gap between them became apparent.

Younger than Akira Sarutobi, Nonō, despite her physique, was at most a young girl.

Strictly speaking, a child.

Currently a Chunin, she was no match for a "Jonin"-level monster.

And just as Nonō found herself in mortal danger, about to perish...

A palm strike, accompanied by a thunderous roar, landed from behind the enemy.

Sensing the terrifying gust of wind vibrating behind him.

The enemy's eyes widened, their sword-drawing motion changing to a sidestep as they dodged to the side.

Her reaction was undoubtedly fast, but... she was still a beat too late.

Bang!

The blast of energy, fired from a distance, struck her directly.

"Crushing Palm!"

Only then did Akira Sarutobi's low murmur echo from the darkness.

Chapter Twenty-Five: I'm Stronger Than You Think!

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm from the Hyuga Clan?!"

The moment she was hit, an alarm quickly sounded in her mind.

Crack!

Her body stumbled a few times. She steadied herself and looked back, her expression immediately relaxing.

"It's not... from the Hyuga Clan..."

Because of Akira Sarutobi's appearance, the people who had been utterly routed and killed were able to regroup.

"Young Master Ryo! Be careful... the opponent is very powerful!" Yakushi Nonō kindly warned him.

"Understood."

Akira Sarutobi nodded and assumed his stance again.

At the same time, Akira Sarutobi's thoughts raced: "An enemy of Jonin-level... their quality is certainly different..."

As everyone knows, the world of Naruto is a world dominated by "Chakra."

Chakra is a mysterious energy that resides within everyone, even every living being.

The professions that can utilize Chakra are called Ninja, Samurai, Miko...

And as one's strength increases, Chakra can have unimaginable effects on the human body.

A common effect is resistance to damage.

A Chunin, like Obito in the original story, was hit by a rock over a meter square falling from a height, and half his body was almost crushed.

A Kage-level powerhouse, like Kakashi, who awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan in Shippuden, was kicked flying by Kakuzu, crashing through over a dozen towering trees. Kakashi's reaction was simply to sit on the ground for less than 2 seconds before recovering.

Chakra, this energy, subtly strengthens and even modifies the human body.

For example, the Second Kazekage, Shamon, invented Magnet Release for humans based on Shukaku's Magnet Release. Once humans learn Magnet Release, this Kekkei Genkai will alter the host's DNA, making them fundamentally different from ordinary people.

Therefore.

It was perfectly reasonable that the woman only stumbled a few steps after being hit by that palm strike from a distance.

If it were an ordinary person, that one palm strike would have likely shattered their heart.

In Akira Sarutobi's view, the physical condition of the woman before him was even stronger than the Kirigakure ninja he encountered during the "Land of Whirlpools mission" last time.

Of course, whether she or Ringo Ameyuri was stronger was another matter.

"The Third Hokage's son... Akira Sarutobi..."

It was clear the opponent recognized his identity.

"We meet again."

Suddenly, she added this.

As she spoke, visibly, the Chakra on her body began to surge.

It was as if... she had suddenly become stronger out of nowhere.

Combined with her words and actions, Akira Sarutobi knew that the opponent had most likely dispelled the "Shadow Clone" she had just used against him.

Shadow Clones consume the main body's Chakra.

But when the Shadow Clone is dispelled, that Chakra returns to the main body.

It appears as if she had suddenly become stronger.

At the same time, the memories of the Shadow Clone also return to the main body, shared with it.

Watching the enemy's Chakra intensity climb and the heat radiating from her intensify, Akira Sarutobi... felt only soaring fighting spirit.

Because...

"You're the one profiting from the nation's misfortune, aren't you?" Before they truly began fighting, he still wanted to clarify.

"Heh heh... That's me. So what?"

As the two exchanged words, Yakushi Nonō raised her hand, preparing to issue an order.

Akira Sarutobi, however, looked at her and said, "You all stay put. Leave this to me!"

From the corpses on the ground and their brief exchange, Akira Sarutobi knew that Yakushi Nonō and the others couldn't handle this opponent.

It wasn't that the ninjas of "Root" were incompetent.

Within an organization, ninja strength is also divided into different tiers.

Danzō naturally had many experts under him, but they weren't here right now.

After all, this was just an Anbu assessment mission, an introductory one, so it was impossible to send a bunch of strong individuals to spectate.

Nonō hesitated for a second before reissuing the standby order.

Thus, pairs of eyes began to focus on the confrontation unfolding on the scene.

"Alright, let's begin! Now, for the crime of betraying the country... I arrest or kill you!" Akira Sarutobi shouted.

A Jonin, even if not part of the Anbu, had significant authority to act.

Such an act of betraying the country could, of course, be executed on the spot.

"Hehehe..." A string of bell-like laughter rang out, and the opponent seemed to have regained her arrogant demeanor.

"A pampered young master, just how strong can he really be..."

"I advise you not to look down on people with a dog's eyes, old woman!" Ino Yamanaka snapped first, beginning to form hand seals as she spoke.

Seeing the distinctive traits of the Yamanaka clan – the blonde single ponytail, fair skin, and thin lips – the opponent immediately recognized her.

The enemy suddenly leaped, beginning to maneuver their body.

With their hands together in a peculiar hand seal formation, Ino Yamanaka was actually just firing blanks to scare them. She hadn't actually used any secret techniques.