Nearby, Ino Yamanaka was still somewhat curious, but her curiosity quickly turned to surprise.
A soft green glow shimmered.
Its rank was actually already B-Rank... the level of a Jonin!
Seeing Ino Yamanaka's astonished expression, Akira Sarutobi thought, This is nothing yet.
In another two years, Rin Nohara would even be able to learn an A-Rank Mystical Palm Technique.
One had to know that while the A-Rank Mystical Palm Technique seemed to appear many times in the manga, the official guidebook, The Book of Training, made it clear.
Even in Konoha, with its advanced medical system, only a handful of elite medical personnel could master the Mystical Palm Technique! It was an exceptionally rare skill!
From this... one could see just how remarkable Rin Nohara's talent was!
The A-Rank Mystical Palm Technique was already the normal ceiling of the medical field.
Beyond that, only Tsunade's S-Rank Hundred Healings Jutsu, Chiyo's Reanimation Jutsu, and Senju Hashirama's Unsigned Self-Healing could compare.
For a skilled medic, mastering an A-Rank Mystical Palm Technique was already enough to dominate the ninja world.
Not to mention that Rin Nohara also possessed the aptitude to serve as the Three-Tails' Jinchuriki vessel...
In some ways, Rin Nohara was an even more important talent than Kakashi.
After all, combat personnel were never in short supply, while every skilled medic was highly sought after.
Even Orochimaru from the original story needed Kabuto Yakushi, who was proficient in Medical Ninjutsu, as an assistant to solve countless difficult problems.
The role of Medical Ninja went far beyond simply treating illnesses.
With a little guidance, they could go far down the path of human body research.
"Young Master Ryo, you should be fine after resting for a few more days..."
Rin Nohara stopped the treatment and wrote several prescriptions for Akira Sarutobi.
Seeing how clearly she explained everything, Akira Sarutobi could not help but nod slightly, feeling even more approving of her.
To become a Medical Ninja, one first needed intelligence, followed by extensive knowledge—that was wisdom.
Among their classmates, Rin Nohara, Kakashi, Obito Uchiha, Ibiki, Ebisu, and the others... Rin Nohara's "Wisdom" stat was probably the highest.
—The lowest was Obito, with only Wisdom "2."
"Kakashi, congratulations on becoming a Genin~!"
Nearby, Obito revealed the reason they had come.
When they learned that Kakashi had left the academy because he had graduated early, every student in the class had been shocked. Obito, especially, felt as though he had been left far behind.
But no matter what, congratulations were still in order.
"Mm."
Kakashi, standing nearby with an aloof air, accepted the gift from Obito. Of course, he had already received Rin's gift earlier.
Casually setting the gift aside, Kakashi looked toward Akira Sarutobi, who was chatting with Rin nearby, and began to weigh things in his mind.
"Young Master Ryo, I met Lord Jiraiya, one of the Three Ninja, today."
Kakashi wore a smug expression. In truth, he was still bothered by what Akira Sarutobi had said during the day.
"Lord Jiraiya taught me all day."
This sort of showing off and competitive mentality was very common at that age.
With his father still alive, having never experienced the coldness of human nature or the pain of life-and-death partings, Kakashi truly was very immature.
"You can't."
Akira Sarutobi glared at him and directly denied Kakashi once more.
Kakashi immediately became anxious, but someone was even more anxious than him—Obito.
How could you say that about Kakashi?! Kakashi was a genius unanimously recognized by all the teachers!
Obito gritted his teeth. Though he too refused to accept Kakashi, it was indeed a fact—Kakashi was the most exceptional genius.
"Obito will surpass you in the future."
Akira Sarutobi turned his head, called him by name, and pointed directly to Obito's future achievements.
Obito immediately perked up. "Haha, Rin, did you hear that? Even Young Master Ryo praised me. I told you... I'll definitely become really powerful in the future..."
"Hmph!"
Kakashi's cheeks instantly flushed red.
Inferior even to Obito? How was that possible?
At that moment, Kakashi simply did not believe that a fool like Obito could ever surpass him. He angrily got to his feet and headed out into the courtyard, treating Akira Sarutobi's words as nonsense.
"Kakashi~." Seeing that Kakashi was unhappy, Rin Nohara's expression changed slightly, and she immediately rose to chase after him.
"Rin~!" Obito hurried after her.
This alone showed the nature of the three people's relationship.
Rin Nohara admired Kakashi, while Obito had a crush on Rin Nohara.
As for Kakashi... although he was currently a dense fool, he would gradually catch on later.
In the official manga, Kakashi and Rin Nohara later grew increasingly close, even reaching the point where they draped their arms over each other's shoulders, with Kakashi taking the initiative to place his hand on Rin Nohara's shoulder. This continued until Obito "died," and Kakashi, out of guilt, rejected Rin Nohara's confession. In the end, unable to receive any response, Rin Nohara naturally chose to throw herself onto Kakashi's Chidori.
The three of them were hopelessly entangled. Three perfectly good children ultimately all walked down tragic paths.
In truth, things did not need to be so troublesome...
"Young Master, you seem quite concerned about those two children?"
As the noisy voices gradually faded away, only Ino Yamanaka and Akira Sarutobi remained seated in the living room.
Waves of fragrance drifted from the kitchen, where Hatake Sakumo was making dinner.
Akira Sarutobi said, "Those two both have limitless potential in the future."
Seeing her young master give such high praise to two children, Ino Yamanaka was briefly at a loss for words.
"I can understand that little girl Rin Nohara has outstanding medical talent, but that Obito..."
To put it bluntly, the Uchiha were despised by everyone in Konoha's upper ranks. They had always been excluded and discriminated against.
Normal people would not want to have any close ties with them.
Half a century after Konoha's founding, the Uchiha still could not enter Konoha's core. They could only work in the Police Force, serving as petty officials, city inspectors, and security guards. Every day, they battled wits with vegetable sellers and street vendors...
Besides, that child named Obito looked rather foolish at a glance...
Some time later.
The three children who had gone out to play returned.
Obito was bruised and battered, Rin Nohara was looking at him reproachfully, and Kakashi looked refreshed.
What had happened was self-evident. Emboldened by Akira Sarutobi's words, Obito felt like he was capable again and went to provoke Kakashi, only to receive a thorough beating. Kakashi, having vented his frustrations, believed Akira Sarutobi's words even less.
"Dinner's ready."
At that moment, Hatake Sakumo brought out the final main dish—grilled Pacific saury.
Seeing the table full of food, Obito immediately became excited. "Wow~! So much delicious food... It's as lavish as Grandma's New Year's feast..."
Seeing Obito's delighted, drooling expression, Hatake Sakumo naturally felt happy as well. "You two... I'll have to trouble you to look after Kakashi from now on."
As Kakashi's childhood friends.
Obito and Rin Nohara had grown up playing together with Kakashi.
Though graduation had temporarily separated them, Hatake Sakumo believed that the three of them would surely become comrades in the future.
"Hmph, Young Master Ryo, did you bring a gift?"
At that moment, Kakashi cast a sidelong glance at him.
He came here every few days to mooch a meal and never brought a gift...
"..."
Akira Sarutobi said nothing.
Calmly reaching into his clothes, he finally pulled out a scroll.
"Release."
Smoke rose up as several items were released from within.
First came a short sword.
That spendthrift Kakashi should stop coveting his father's "White Fang."
In the original story, the only idiot who had taken the White Fang short sword, without reinforcing it or doing anything to it, and directly clashed it against an enemy blade until it snapped, was Kakashi.
"This is a blade made in the Hidden Mist. It is a trophy Young Master obtained after killing an enemy."
Ino Yamanaka leaned closer and immediately explained.
Kakashi's eyes lit up as he promptly picked up the blade to inspect it.
Cold light flowed across the short sword, which carried the faint scent of blood.
Though it was not some peerless famous blade, its material and craftsmanship were of a type Konoha could not forge.
"A fine blade..." Kakashi muttered, very satisfied with his Genin graduation gift.
"Teacher, this is your gift."
Akira Sarutobi took out another item and gave it to Hatake Sakumo.
A powerhouse like Hatake Sakumo had carried out countless S-Rank missions and did not lack money. Therefore, the gift was light, but the sentiment was weighty.
Teapots, furniture, ornaments... these items had all been obtained from the female Guardian Ninja.
Hatake Sakumo's home decor was somewhat plain. With these additions, it would look much better.
"Thank you..."
Hatake Sakumo accepted the gift, his eyes curving into crescents as he looked extremely happy.
After dinner.
The three children went to Kakashi's room and continued discussing training and various everyday matters.
In the living room, Hatake Sakumo, Akira Sarutobi, and Ino Yamanaka continued discussing matters.
"My dream... is to live an ordinary life. I don't want to get involved in political scheming..."
Hatake Sakumo's tone was somewhat wistful.
His previous efforts had failed.
No matter what, the higher-ups refused to transfer Kakashi away from Minato Namikaze's command.
Akira Sarutobi thought, It seems Konoha High Command is determined to ruin Hatake Sakumo.
Thinking of Ringo Ameyuri's experience, Akira Sarutobi felt that... he could not stand by and do nothing.
That was also the true purpose of coming here today.
Konoha had begun laying the groundwork to harm Hatake Sakumo, so he too needed to prepare a rescue in advance.
"Teacher Sakumo, if the village falls into crisis and needs someone to turn the tide and take on the role of Hokage, and that person... just happens to be you..."
Akira Sarutobi stared intensely at the gentle-faced man before him.
Hatake Sakumo looked like nothing more than a kind and agreeable man.
Yet in terms of ability, he truly was the most suitable candidate to become the Fourth Hokage.
Akira Sarutobi's question made Hatake Sakumo pause slightly. Then he scratched his head and nodded softly. "Then I could only accept the duty in a time of crisis..."
Exactly.
Before you continue