Preparations Before the Mission

Konoha's White Fang—Hatake Sakumo's reputation was simply too resounding...

The three might not have intended to kill Hatake Sakumo, but they had surely discussed it in private. They planned to first bring Hatake Sakumo under control, perhaps even bury him away, clearing the path for someone else to become the Fourth Hokage.

Otherwise, in terms of both sentiment and reason, Hatake Sakumo—the strongest and the most popular among the people—would undoubtedly become the next Hokage without issue.

"Father, Mother."

At that moment, Akira Sarutobi stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention the instant he spoke.

"Teacher Sakumo has no interest in politics, nor does he wish for Kakashi to become involved in it. Being able to serve Konoha peacefully is his greatest wish."

Akira Sarutobi's words rang through the Hokage's Office.

He raised his head and swept his gaze around the room.

One ugly face after another came into view, utterly clear.

Heh.

You wanted to devour people, yet you still put on an act and did not dare say it openly.

You spoke of the Will of Fire, but when I opened it up, every page was about eating people.

Preparations Before the Mission

At some point, the Will of Fire had changed from protecting those one cherished into... being willing to kill one's family, friends, even one's wife and children, for the sake of the village.

Had they forgotten their original aspirations? Or had dragon slayers ultimately become dragons themselves?

Those within the situation were blinded by it; observers saw clearly.

Having lived two lives, Akira Sarutobi saw everything with crystal clarity.

"Young Master Ryo..."

Seeing Akira Sarutobi stand up and speak for him, Hatake Sakumo's eyes filled with gratitude.

He had seen many gifted juniors, but those with steadfast convictions and outstanding character were few and far between.

Akira Sarutobi called Hatake Sakumo his teacher because he had long studied swordsmanship under him.

Just as Konohamaru would later have Ebisu as his private tutor.

Akira Sarutobi had also taken Hatake Sakumo as his teacher to guide his swordsmanship training.

Seven Elemental Natures Jutsu and Summoning Jutsu were nothing rare.

But powerful swordsmanship... throughout all of Konoha, only Hatake Sakumo possessed it.

It was precisely through his sharp swordsmanship that Hatake Sakumo had earned the title of Konoha's White Fang.

"Mm, Akira Sarutobi, you spoke well."

Mitokado Homura nodded.

So stop talking now.

"Then it's settled. Once Kakashi graduates, Minato will become his jonin squad leader."

Mitokado Homura looked toward his colleagues. After a brief discussion, they finalized the future arrangements.

Akira Sarutobi's advice, meanwhile, was ignored.

This scene further proved the importance of power.

Without power, mere strength gave one no freedom to choose one's own fate.

Looking at the Main Quest prompt flashing before his eyes, Akira Sarutobi silently made up his mind.

The path to becoming the Anbu Squad Six Leader...

"En, Koharu, Danzo, perhaps we should hear Sakumo out..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly at his colleagues, then turned to Hatake Sakumo with a softened expression.

"Sakumo, speak your demands without worry..."

"Lord Hokage..."

Hatake Sakumo raised his head and looked around at the faces of the high command.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's kindly expression stood in stark contrast to the coldness in the eyes of the remaining high-ranking officials.

The icy gazes of elders like Koharu seemed to warn him: Hatake Sakumo, watch your words. Even if you do not think of yourself, think of your son.

As the saying went... it was easy to see the King of Hell, but hard to deal with his petty demons. Though Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, showed goodwill, Hatake Sakumo still had to mind the expressions of the high command beside him.

Faced with the weakness he possessed, Hatake Sakumo could only open his mouth and compromise with difficulty. "Lord Hokage... I... have no objections..."

Not long after.

Everyone left the Hokage Building.

The jonin exam mission was scheduled for tomorrow.

The participants included Akira Sarutobi, Ino Yamanaka, Hyuga Ruri, Minato Namikaze, Uzumaki Kushina, Shirakumo Hayama... and many other Konoha Ninja.

Their destination was the "Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools."

Several years ago, the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed during the Shinobi World War.

The Konoha High Command's mistaken judgment regarding reinforcements had also led to Dan Katō's death.

Faithful bones lay buried beneath green hills.

Princess Tsunade's lover had died in the reinforcement campaign.

That was because the invaders of the Land of Whirlpools had not been merely a handful of scattered powerful enemies, but the joint forces of two great nations—Kumogakure and Kirigakure!

Countless enemy ninja had poured in like a tide. In only a few days, the entire country had been utterly destroyed.

Of course, the division of spoils later caused Kumogakure and Kirigakure to continue fighting over those ruins, but that was another matter.

After that, conspiracy theories quietly began to emerge...

Some claimed that the Konoha High Command had deliberately abandoned the Land of Whirlpools...

After several years of brewing, such conspiracy theories among the public showed signs of growing increasingly intense.

To silence everyone and quell those rumors.

The Konoha High Command decided to dispatch a team to the Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools and drive out the scattered enemy ninja entrenched there.

Now that the great war had ended, they had entered the period known as "Post-War."

Though the fighting was not as brutal as during wartime, those who had survived the war were all elites among elites.

This made many Post-War missions potentially even more dangerous than wartime missions.

On the surface, this was an ordinary jonin exam.

In truth, it was a display of the Konoha High Command's resolve.

The core of this mission was Akira Sarutobi.

As the eldest son of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, everything Akira Sarutobi did was constantly under everyone's watchful eyes.

Sending his own son to the dangerous Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools was enough to dispel public dissatisfaction and conspiracy theories.

After all, even the Hokage's son had been sent to the most dangerous region.

What reason would anyone else have to continue condemning the high command?

"Young Master Ryo, your exam mission is extremely dangerous. You must survive..."

Hatake Sakumo walked side by side with Akira Sarutobi along the road.

If Akira Sarutobi died at the Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, it would instead deepen the loyalty of more Konoha Ninja and ordinary people toward the village, while also reducing the number of competitors for the next Hokage. It was an open scheme.

—Just like Senju Nawaki's death.

"Teacher Sakumo, I should be fine. But you... you'll suffer in the future..."

Akira Sarutobi looked at the gentle man before him.

Although Hatake Sakumo possessed incomparable talent and strength surpassing the Three Sannin.

Temperamentally, he was not suited to be a cold-blooded killing machine. A pastoral life was where he truly belonged.

As Kakashi was about to graduate and be placed under Minato Namikaze's leadership.

Hatake Sakumo's life of being suppressed and manipulated by the Konoha High Command would begin as well.

Under the Konoha High Command's step-by-step destruction, this man, as gentle as a friendly neighbor, would inevitably slip into the abyss.

"Well..."

Hatake Sakumo scratched his silver hair.

"I think it shouldn't be much of a problem for me either."

His eyes curved into crescents with his smile. At this moment, Hatake Sakumo had not yet realized what his future might hold.

That night, the bright moon hung high in the sky.

After dinner, Akira Sarutobi stood in the courtyard of his home and assumed a stance.

As a chunin about to take the jonin exam.

Akira Sarutobi's actual strength had already met the standard. There would be no problem treating him as a jonin.

However, since he had not truly become a jonin, the resources currently available to him were still at the chunin level.

For instance, among the five basic elemental natures, the jutsu Akira Sarutobi had mastered ranged in difficulty from E-Rank to D-Rank to C-Rank.

The same was true for taijutsu, genjutsu, Yin Release, and Yang Release.

C-Rank represented chunin-level difficulty.

Once he truly became a jonin and received his qualification assessment, he would naturally gain access to B-Rank resources... resources at the jonin level.

A jutsu's rank did not absolutely determine its power.

But usually, the rank of a jutsu equaled or exceeded its actual power.

For example, a C-Rank Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.

Its power would begin at C-Rank.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi used it, he could unleash B-Rank power, or even something of a higher level.

However, if a child or beginner used it, they might only spit out a tiny fireball with D-Rank, or even E-Rank, power.

Akira Sarutobi reviewed everything he had learned in his mind, preparing for tomorrow's "Jonin Exam."

After reviewing all the jutsu, Akira Sarutobi assumed a stance and began training in taijutsu.

As long as ninjutsu was learned and retained through muscle memory, it could remain at a certain level.

Taijutsu, however, would rapidly deteriorate without training.

Therefore... exercising every day had become Akira Sarutobi's essential routine.

D-Rank Taijutsu included techniques such as Konoha Whirlwind and Konoha Violent Wind.

C-Rank Taijutsu included techniques such as Konoha Great Whirlwind, Konoha Rising Wind, and Shadow Leaf Dance.

As Akira Sarutobi performed the techniques, fierce gusts whipped through the courtyard, stirring up the surroundings.

The Sarutobi Clan possessed Innate Divine Strength and had unique natural advantages, yet they were not as cumbersome as the Akimichi Clan.

Thus, they were highly suited to practicing all kinds of taijutsu.

By combining immense power with suitable techniques, they could maximize the might of their bloodline.

"Konoha Whirlwind!"

Akira Sarutobi twisted his body, spinning like a whirlwind as his left leg lashed out and churned the air.

Immediately after came his right leg.