In Leaf Village: Starting Out by Slapping White Fang

As the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi was once again kicked out of the bedroom by his wife, Biwako.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had remained relatively rational over Sarutobi Shinnosuke's death.

But Sarutobi Biwako did not possess that same calm.

After hearing about it, she had nearly gone to fight Gengetsu to the death.

Combined with what Gengetsu had said before leaving Leaf Village.

She was almost one hundred percent certain that her son had died at Hatake Gengetsu's hands.

In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi had barely managed to stop her.

And the price he paid was—

Sleep in the study by yourself!

That was too much. Even a fifty-year-old had needs, okay?

Jiraiya's statement to Hiruzen Sarutobi a few days ago—"I didn't see Sarutobi Shinnosuke die at the Second Kazekage's hands"—had raised Hiruzen Sarutobi's suspicion that his eldest son had died at Gengetsu's hands to ninety-nine percent.

If Jiraiya had not seen it, that meant Shinnosuke was very likely not killed by the Kazekage.

He had been killed by Gengetsu!

Even if that was not the case, Gengetsu's refusal to save his son alone.

Was enough to earn Hiruzen Sarutobi's hatred.

If Gengetsu knew what Hiruzen Sarutobi was thinking right now.

Even knowing the old bastard's true nature.

He would probably still be unable to stop himself from pissing on him to wake him up.

And he could not eat candy beforehand. What if the old bastard got addicted because it tasted sweet?

Saving him was wrong, and not saving him was wrong.

How the hell could you be this unreasonable?

But if Jiraiya's answer had been, "I never saw Sarutobi Shinnosuke during the mission at all," then it would have been one hundred percent certain.

Yet even with only a one percent difference, the gap was worlds apart.

Because no matter how much Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected him, he had no proof.

Of course, the more important reason was Gengetsu's strength.

If it had been some ordinary genin or chunin, or even a jonin without any special background.

Who needed proof? He could have simply ordered the Anbu to tie them up while they slept.

The Elder Council had held the Land of Fire's highest authority for nearly thirty years. Since when did they need evidence?

"Lord Hokage."

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi sat alone in the corridor of his estate, hollow, lonely, and cold.

A streak of light descended into the courtyard at incredible speed.

Its speed was so astonishing that even most of Leaf Village's jonin could not compare.

Because of that conspicuous blond hair, anyone who had seen him once could recognize him at a glance, even with a mask on.

Minato Namikaze, one of the current Anbu members, codename [Light].

Rather than Leaf Village's elite force, the Anbu were more like a cradle for Leaf Village's elite.

Every genius from the original story, such as Minato Namikaze, Kakashi, Shisui, and Itachi Uchiha, had once served in the Anbu for a period of time.

But because the Anbu were a covert operations unit.

Once even the masks on their faces could no longer conceal their fame, they would remove those masks, leave the Anbu, and become ordinary shinobi in the public eye.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi had another purpose in placing so many village geniuses in the Anbu.

It was to influence them... or, to put it plainly, brainwash them.

That place was a concentration camp for those most deeply influenced by the Will of Fire.

You did not need to be strong to join the Anbu, but you absolutely had to be a loyal inheritor of the Will of Fire.

Staying in such a place.

Even if you had no interest whatsoever in the Will of Fire at the start, in that sort of environment.

Given enough time, you would inevitably be influenced.

And Minato Namikaze before him needed no further explanation.

Only fourteen years old, born a civilian with no bloodline limit whatsoever, he already possessed strength that made even ordinary jonin wary.

Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help thinking of his younger self...

Bullshit. When he was young, he had not possessed even a fraction of that kid's ability.

On top of that, Minato Namikaze was extremely close to Kushina Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails' new Jinchuriki.

Hiruzen Sarutobi absolutely had to pull someone like this into his camp.

"How is the mission I assigned you coming along?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly composed himself after the embarrassment of being kicked out of his room by his wife and asked solemnly.

"Lord Gengetsu and Lord Sakumo both possessed strength worthy of their reputations. Their practice battle today truly broadened my horizons."

Minato Namikaze first sighed in admiration, then asked somewhat puzzledly:

"But Lord Hokage, why did you want me to observe Lord Gengetsu?"

"His character is too dangerous."

Hiruzen Sarutobi put on an expression of heartfelt sorrow and sighed:

"You heard what he said before, didn't you? He is a cold-blooded man willing to sacrifice his comrades to complete a mission, one who has failed to comprehend the meaning of the Will of Fire."

"The Will of Fire means that the older generation burns their lives to become the guiding flame for the next generation. Yet when his junior, Shinnosuke, faced danger, he chose to stand by and watch. With such a cold nature, I believe a certain degree of surveillance is necessary."

Although Minato Namikaze had been thoroughly indoctrinated with the Will of Fire due to his civilian background.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words still left him stunned.

Didn't Hatake Sakumo nearly get cursed into suicide for saving your son before?

And now Hatake Gengetsu was to be monitored for not saving your son?

So saving him was wrong, and not saving him was wrong. What exactly was he supposed to do?

Of course, Minato Namikaze only thought those words to himself. He did not dare say them aloud.

"There is one more matter I need to report to you, Lord Hokage."

Minato Namikaze suddenly recalled something and said to Hiruzen Sarutobi:

"Lord Jiraiya found me today and said he wanted to take me as his disciple. Therefore... I hope to temporarily suspend my mission of monitoring Lord Gengetsu and train under Lord Jiraiya."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback.

Jiraiya was currently the only one of his three disciples in whom he still placed urgent hopes. He had even considered passing the position of Hokage to him.

But compared to Jiraiya, Hiruzen Sarutobi still placed his biological son Asuma ahead of him.

After all, between a son and a disciple, a son was naturally more important.

But... should Minato Namikaze become Jiraiya's disciple?

Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his still-black beard. After pondering for a moment, he smiled.

"That would be very good. Go train properly under Jiraiya."

According to Hiruzen Sarutobi's thinking.

Jiraiya was the only one among the three who still shared a deep bond of master and disciple with him.

But he was also the one who displayed the least desire for the position of Hokage.

Based on Hiruzen Sarutobi's understanding of Jiraiya, even if he truly asked him to become Hokage one day in the future, Jiraiya would not want it.

Minato Namikaze, on the other hand, was the complete opposite in this regard.

On the first day of school, he had declared that his dream was to become the greatest shinobi in Leaf Village's history.

If Minato Namikaze became Jiraiya's disciple, then he would become Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciple's disciple.

And if he could bind the master and disciple, along with the new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, completely to his camp, that would be even more perfect.

"However, the surveillance of Gengetsu cannot stop. I will have someone else take your place. For now, focus on training under Jiraiya."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled.

Minato Namikaze opened his mouth, looking as though he wanted to say something but hesitated.

But in the end, he said nothing.

He felt that sending people to monitor a hero of Leaf Village was truly inappropriate.

But given his status, he did not dare question Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He could only leave awkwardly.

Several days later.

Training Ground Seven outside Leaf Village.

"Ninjutsu: Summoning Technique!"

Under Jiraiya's watchful gaze, Minato Namikaze bit his thumb and pressed it against the ground.

After summoning Gamabunta, with whom he had fought alongside Jiraiya in the Land of Wind, he and Gamabunta rapidly formed hand seals together.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"

The massive fireball that roared from his throat merged with the toad oil spewed out by Gamabunta.

Unleashing an overwhelmingly powerful Fire Style beyond A-rank.

It was Jiraiya's signature combination ninjutsu, Oil Flame Bullet!

"Th-this kid's talent is even more outrageous than I imagined..."

After witnessing this from the ground, Jiraiya's feelings could no longer be described as mere admiration. He was utterly shocked.

Leaving aside the fact that Minato Namikaze had summoned Gamabunta on his first attempt at the Summoning Jutsu.

He could also learn any ninjutsu Jiraiya taught him after seeing it just once.

The shock Minato Namikaze brought Jiraiya was even greater than what Nagato had brought him in the past.

After all, Nagato had the Rinnegan as a cheat, while Minato Namikaze was a complete civilian!

"Jiraiya, your new disciple's talent is on an entirely different level from yours."

Even Gamabunta was awed by Minato Namikaze's talent and could not help sighing.

"Shut up!"