The Boy Is Home Alone

Veigar was completely unaware of Hiruzen Sarutobi's surveillance. After countless attempts at practicing the Body Flicker Technique, he had finally managed to use it for the first time.

However...

"Ouch!"

Having used the Body Flicker Technique for the first time, Veigar had no control over the distance and slammed straight into a tree. Clutching his head, he cried out in pain.

Through the Scrying Technique, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Veigar's battered appearance and wore an unmistakable smile.

"Practicing by referring to a notebook really is less effective than having someone teach you."

Once the pain had eased a little, Veigar pulled out that notebook and began studying it again.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi saw the notebook Veigar had taken out and the name signed on it, he understood where Veigar had learned the Body Flicker Technique.

At the same time, he felt that Veigar's current achievements were inseparable from the training notes left behind by Viking Koshima, in addition to his own talent and hard work.

After seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi also ended the Scrying Technique. After all, as the Village's Kage, he still had plenty of official business to handle.

More than ten minutes later, Veigar closed the notebook again and continued practicing the Body Flicker Technique.

However, he failed again.

If not for the pain in his forehead, Veigar would have thought he had imagined what had just happened.

One day, two days, three days!

After three days of unremitting effort, Veigar finally learned the Body Flicker Technique to an elementary level. From then on, he only needed to keep practicing until he could use it proficiently.

This was precisely what the saying "practice makes perfect" meant.

Any ninjutsu could gradually become more familiar to the body through repeated use, allowing it to adapt to the technique's rhythm and become increasingly precise. Especially for a practical technique like the Body Flicker Technique, which was not overly complicated, every ninja would practice it until they could use it without Hand Seals.

Just after leaving the slaughterhouse, Veigar unexpectedly ran into Tomohisa Ishikawa on his way home.

"Good evening, Teacher Tomohisa!"

When Veigar saw Tomohisa Ishikawa, he hurriedly greeted him.

Tomohisa Ishikawa had actually been waiting for Veigar. Before Veigar noticed him, he had already spotted Veigar. After Veigar spoke, he answered with a smile, "I know you've been working nearby, so I came over to take a look at you."

"How has it been? Have you been practicing hard during your days off?"

Tomohisa Ishikawa did not ask whether work had been difficult or tiring. Asking such questions would only make him look foolish.

What job in the world was not difficult? Besides, Veigar was only seven years old, and he was working somewhere physically demanding like a slaughterhouse.

"Yes!"

"I just learned a new ninjutsu these past few days. Teacher Tomohisa, could you give me some guidance?"

Tomohisa Ishikawa readily replied, "No problem."

"But it's already so late. How about I treat you to some barbecue?"

"After we finish eating, I'll guide you in your practice."

Seeing that Tomohisa Ishikawa had agreed and was even treating him to dinner, Veigar happily replied, "Okay."

"Thank you, Teacher."

By the time they finished eating, Konoha was already brightly lit, and Veigar had invited Tomohisa Ishikawa to his home.

"Teacher Tomohisa, this is the training notebook my father left me."

"The new technique I mentioned is the Body Flicker Technique recorded in it, but there are still many things I don't understand."

In the living room, Veigar took out the training notebook left behind by Viking Koshima and pushed it in front of Tomohisa Ishikawa as he spoke.

"Let me take a look first. I'll explain it to you in a moment."

Tomohisa Ishikawa accepted the training notebook and flipped through it for a while before looking up at Veigar. "These notes are very detailed."

"Now, I'll explain the essentials of the Body Flicker Technique."

However, the explanation lasted for more than an hour. Many of the difficulties Veigar had encountered while practicing the Body Flicker Technique were resolved one by one, and Tomohisa Ishikawa even taught him a few tricks for using it.

For example, how to make the Body Flicker Technique faster, how to use less Chakra, and so on.

After Tomohisa Ishikawa left, Veigar practiced the Body Flicker Technique for a while longer before falling into a deep sleep, exhausted in both body and mind.

Another two days passed. Having finally become proficient at using the Body Flicker Technique, Veigar was ready to begin a new training plan.

Sword Technique and Chakra control.

There was a One-Style Sword Technique Scroll in his home, so Veigar naturally would not miss the opportunity. Once he mastered it, he would have another means of attack.

As for Chakra control, Veigar needed it to practice the Body Strengthening Technique.

The scroll contained an annotation stating that anyone who wanted to practice the Body Strengthening Technique would face countless difficulties if their Chakra control was insufficient.

Although the Body Strengthening Technique was not difficult to learn at the entry level, it was the kind that was easy to learn but difficult to master.

Besides, improving Chakra control had no drawbacks and countless benefits.

Just as Veigar took out the Sword Technique Scroll, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had gotten off work early, took some time to come to Veigar's front door.

Veigar, who was upstairs, was startled when he heard the knock. Who would come looking for him so late at night?

When he reached the first floor and heard another knock, Veigar immediately grew alert and asked, "Who's knocking?"

"Are you Veigar? I'm the Third Hokage."

When Veigar heard the person outside claim to be the Third Hokage, his first reaction was disbelief. He thought the man was an impostor.

However, after thinking it over, the voice really did sound very much like the Third Hokage's.

With his initial assumption taking hold, Veigar probed, "Impossible. Why would Lord Hokage come looking for me?"

"Your voice does sound similar, but you must be an impostor."

"Mom said that when a boy is home alone, he must be careful to protect himself."

"If you don't leave, I'll call for help and have the ninjas from the Police Force arrest you."

Veigar's tone was stern, but it also carried a hint of unease. He did not open the door either.

Outside the door, Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned when he heard Veigar say, "When a boy is home alone, he must be careful to protect himself."

However, after detecting the unease in Veigar's voice, Hiruzen Sarutobi understood that Veigar was afraid he might be a bad person, and he sighed inwardly.

What Hiruzen Sarutobi did not know was that Veigar had faked all of this. Still, the performance fit perfectly with how an orphan should act when a stranger came to his home.

"Veigar, you don't have to be afraid. I really am the Third Hokage."

"I won't come in for now. Come to the Hokage Building tomorrow and find me, all right?"

After saying this, Hiruzen Sarutobi prepared to leave. At the same time, he waved to the Anbu ninjas around him, signaling them to withdraw.

Before leaving, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his head and glanced at the tightly closed door of Veigar's home.