The Third Hokage watched the events unfolding at Training Ground Seven through his crystal ball. He was quite impressed by Tsukishiro Yuexi and Qing Yan's current strength. Both were children with great potential!
The old man's gaze shifted to Ming Jing. This child left him somewhat baffled. Konoha's two recent crises had both been cleverly turned into his own strength. The Third Hokage was all too familiar with that kind of talent—his teacher, the Second Hokage Senju Hiden, had been that sort of person as well. The difference was that Ming Jing's methods were more mature and more effective than the Second Hokage's. Combined with his ability to cultivate and command subordinates, as well as his own misty, unfathomable strength, five words surfaced in the Third Hokage's mind.
Born Hokage!
That was why, when the daimyo proposed sending Ming Jing to govern the Land of Fire, his first reaction had been to refuse. Unfortunately, many things were beyond one's control. The daimyo was determined to take Ming Jing away, and the Third Hokage could not forcibly keep him.
That was also why the Third Hokage had chosen Asuma as the captain of the Kurama Squad. First, Asuma was very familiar with the daimyo. Second, the younger Asuma would be more likely to earn Ming Jing's approval. Kakashi Hatake was too experienced; the moment Kakashi approached, Ming Jing's first reaction would likely be caution. Might Guy was passionate and simple-minded, and the Third Hokage worried Ming Jing would sweet-talk him into doing hard labor everywhere while helping count someone else's money. Asuma stood right between those two extremes, making him the most suitable candidate. As long as Asuma gained Ming Jing's approval, Ming Jing would naturally have one more tie to Konoha.
"I wonder whether this is good or bad," the Third Hokage muttered as he smoked, silently watching the boy in the crystal ball. Suddenly, he felt as though the screen had flickered. The Third Hokage frowned, wondering if he had simply grown so old that his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Inside the training ground, Asuma was having trouble holding his own after Tsukishiro Yuexi and Qing Yan joined forces. Several times, he had even narrowly escaped danger, making the spectators jump in alarm. Suddenly, a shadow blocked Ming Jing's view. Asuma crouched in front of Ming Jing with a cigarette in his mouth. It seemed the one fighting Yuexi and Qing Yan was a Shadow Clone. No jonin could be underestimated!
Asuma asked curiously, "How did you know I was one of the Guardians of the Twelve?"
"Your waist cloth." Ming Jing gestured with his chin.
"But I remember we hadn't met before." Asuma scratched his hair and thought carefully before speaking.
"We have," Ming Jing said seriously. "I saw you at the Fourth Hokage's funeral."
"Hmm... You were that child beside Koji?!" Asuma struggled to recall it, then finally remembered. How old had Ming Jing been back then? Yet he had remembered it.
"It is wonderful that Captain remembered," Ming Jing said with a smile.
"Is that you mocking my bad memory?" Asuma sighed and asked.
"You saw through it," Ming Jing said, still smiling.
"Uh... That directness hurts," Asuma said, scratching his hair again. He exhaled a puff of smoke and asked, "You should know what mission we're carrying out. Do you have any thoughts?"
"Can we abandon the mission?" Ming Jing asked hopefully.
"No!" Asuma shook his head firmly.
Ming Jing frowned and thought for a while. "Hmm... Could you pull me out first? Being buried like this feels rather strange."
Asuma fell silent for a moment before saying, "Didn't you confidently say you could get out yourself?"
"I need to maintain my authority in front of my subordinates! After all, I am as wise as I am brilliant," Ming Jing said with a solemn expression.
Authority, my ass! Do you think you have any authority left after getting buried in the ground in front of your subordinates?!
Asuma roared inwardly, then silently pulled Ming Jing out of the dirt...
"Ah... My clothes are dirty. Captain, why don't we go to the Kurama Clan and rest for a while? I can also take a bath and change clothes," Ming Jing said, immediately checking himself after getting out. Sure enough, he was covered in dirt and dust.
"You still have to snatch the bells!" Asuma sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted.
"Oh? Do you mean these?" Ming Jing smiled faintly and opened his palm, tossing two bells toward Asuma.
Asuma raised a hand and caught them, unable to stop himself from frowning. He had not noticed at all when Ming Jing had taken the bells. Even a jonin had failed to notice—was this child's strength really that formidable?
"When Captain pulled me out just now, these bells were dangling beside my hand. The position was too perfect, so I couldn't resist casually grabbing them," Ming Jing said with a grin, looking completely harmless.
"Even so, hiding it from a jonin isn't easy!" Asuma stared at Ming Jing, feeling that his dignity as a jonin had been challenged.
"That is because I am a genjutsu-type ninja!" Ming Jing said carelessly.
"I didn't sense you using genjutsu. Or has your genjutsu already reached the point where it can deceive a jonin?" Asuma pressed the matter with considerable determination.
"This is where your understanding of genjutsu-type ninja is mistaken." Ming Jing thought for a moment. This seemed difficult to explain—after all, he had only just grasped it himself. Looking at the thirst for knowledge in Asuma's eyes, Ming Jing organized his words and said, "Genjutsu is a form of mental attack. Through one's powerful spiritual will, along with seemingly casual yet covert movements, sounds, images, drugs, or objects, it causes the opponent to fall into a dazed mental state and produce all kinds of illusions within their consciousness. In other words, some simple genjutsu do not require Chakra. Just like taijutsu-type ninja do not use Chakra for an ordinary punch or kick."
Seeing Asuma's dumbfounded expression, Ming Jing was deeply puzzled about how this guy had later managed to win over the genjutsu-type ninja Kurenai Yuhi. Had he used his status as the Third Hokage's son? What a scumbag!
Thus, the way Ming Jing looked at Asuma changed...
"Cough, cough, cough... Even if I don't quite understand it right now, you don't need to look at me like that, do you?" Asuma said awkwardly after coughing.
"Simply put, it is psychological suggestion." Ming Jing sighed. For Mirai Sarutobi's sake, he should not make things difficult for her father.
At that point, Ming Jing could not help falling into deep thought. That guy Kishimoto... he was an elder-level member of the FFF Group, wasn't he?! He definitely was, right?!
Looking across the entire Naruto series, every heterosexual suffered in all kinds of ways!
Tsunade Senju was heterosexual. First her boyfriend died, then her younger brother died.
Jiraiya was heterosexual. First his disciple died, then his master died.
Konan was heterosexual. Her boyfriend died...
Uzuki Yugao was heterosexual. Her boyfriend died...
Shikamaru Nara was heterosexual. Her biological father died...
Ino Yamanaka was heterosexual. Her biological father died...
Temari was heterosexual. Her biological father died...
Neji Hyuga was heterosexual. Her biological father died...
Rock Lee was heterosexual. First his friend died, then his crippled master died...
Sai was heterosexual. Brother died...
Uchiha Itachi was heterosexual. Both his father and mother died...
Kurenai Yuhi was heterosexual. Her fiancé died...
Hinata Hyuga was heterosexual. First her uncle died, then Brother died, and she herself nearly died twice.
Sakura Haruno was heterosexual. Although none of her family or friends died, just thinking about the loneliness of her husband never coming home and leaving her alone year after year was damn tragic too, wasn't it?!
And more importantly, the more significant the character, the more family and friends died!!!
Don't believe it??
Second Pillar was heterosexual. His entire family died...
Uzumaki Naruto was heterosexual. His entire family died...
And throughout Naruto, the only heterosexual whose parents were still alive, whose partner cared for the family, and whose child was adorable was actually Choji Akimichi!!!
It was Choji Akimichi!
That fat guy who used the Expansion Jutsu!
Kishimoto, just how much do you hate heterosexuals?! (flips table manually)
"Whew..." Ming Jing could not help wiping away cold sweat. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became!
"Hm? What's wrong, Ming Jing? Why are you suddenly sweating so much?" Asuma asked, looking at Ming Jing in confusion.
"Nothing, nothing." Ming Jing hurriedly shook his head, feeling as if the world's consciousness had fixed its gaze on him! After all, strange sounds had appeared in the sky when he kidnapped Hinata. It seemed he should not get too close to the protagonist or the main supporting characters for now. Of course, Hinata was an exception. Even if he had to become the enemy of the entire world, Ming Jing would not leave Hinata.
If...
If a world truly possessed consciousness, then faced with an altered plot, what would it do? Following that line of reasoning, if there had been a deviation in Hinata's case, it would very likely seek a replacement. Among Konoha's peers, who would be the most suitable replacement?
Hinata Hyuga: beautiful, devoted, serious, backed by the powerful Hyuga Clan and the Byakugan Bloodline Limit.
Sakura Haruno: beautiful, devoted, serious, has a lover.
Ino Yamanaka: beautiful, backed by the Yamanaka Clan, has a lover.
Tenten: beautiful, devoted, serious, has a lover.
Judging from the later plot, Tenten seemed to fit the requirements for a replacement rather well??
Wait!!!
Ming Jing suddenly realized he had overlooked someone, and he immediately became flustered.
Kurama Yakumo: beautiful, devoted, serious, backed by the powerful Kurama Clan and a Bloodline Limit that controlled the five senses!
Damn it...
Before you continue