Shock

After leaving the Scroll of Seals Storage Vault, the flush on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face had yet to fade.

He looked at Tejima Shinichi beside him with unprecedented warmth and said with a smile,

"Training in Wood Release is by no means easy. Yamato has unique experience in this area, so if there is anything you do not understand, you may consult him first. If you encounter a bottleneck, come find me anytime."

"Yes, Teacher." Tejima Shinichi nodded. With Yamato, a ready-made "senior," around, he could indeed save himself a great deal of trial and error.

"Alright, come back to the office with me." Sarutobi Hiruzen adjusted his Hokage Robe and looked toward the Hokage Building. "It is also time to make this news public."

Meanwhile, the Mission Assignment Area in front of the Hokage Building was rather lively.

Kakashi Hatake of Team 7 had brought Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke. Yugao of Team 8 had brought Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Sarutobi Asuma of Team 10 had brought Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Yamanaka Ino. The three teams had gathered here, waiting for the Hokage to assign their missions for the day.

"So slow—!" Uzumaki Naruto squatted on the ground, drawing circles out of boredom as he complained loudly, "Why isn't Grandpa Third here yet?!"

"Naruto, quiet down." Haruno Sakura frowned as she scolded him, though her gaze could not help drifting toward the end of the corridor.

Uchiha Sasuke stood against the wall with his hands in his pockets, his eyes closed as though resting. Yet the slight furrow between his brows showed that he was not entirely unconcerned.

Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru were somewhat restless, while Nara Shikamaru wore an expression that said, What a pain. Choji was wholeheartedly focused on eating potato chips. Yamanaka Ino was whispering with Hyuga Hinata, though Hinata seemed distracted. Her fingers pressed together unconsciously, and after occasionally darting a quick glance at Uzumaki Naruto, she would immediately lower her head again.

The sole exception was Aburame Shino, whose presence was the faintest of all. He stood quietly in the shadows of a corner, as though he had blended into the wall, alone and silent.

Honestly, looking at Team 8's lineup, one could reasonably wonder why Sarutobi Hiruzen had put Hyuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kiba in the same team as Aburame Shino...

After all, the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan observation, capable of seeing through obstacles, and the Inuzuka Clan's exceptional sense of smell combined with Akamaru's coordinated tracking were all top-tier reconnaissance abilities.

Otherwise, with Aburame Shino's extraordinary "you can't see me" talent, if he had been paired with anyone else, his teammates might turn around during a mission and be unable to find where he had gone.

Just then, footsteps sounded from the end of the corridor.

Everyone perked up and straightened themselves.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, slowly approached. Behind him followed only one person—Tejima Shinichi.

"Hokage!" ×N

Everyone greeted him in unison, but their gazes all landed on Tejima Shinichi, carrying varying degrees of surprise.

What was going on... Why was Shinichi with the Hokage? And... where were the other two members of Team 1?

Uzumaki Naruto was the least capable of holding back his words. He directly pointed at Shinichi and shouted, "Huh?! Shinichi? Why are you the only one here? Where are Kobayashi and Sato?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. Wearing his usual smile, he explained on Tejima Shinichi's behalf.

"Shinichi's Team 1 only returned yesterday after completing a C-rank mission. Yamato was considerate enough to give them a day off to rest. As for Shinichi, I have other matters to discuss with him."

"A C-rank mission?!"

Those words immediately stirred up a commotion among the Genin!

"They... they have already carried out a C-rank mission?!" Inuzuka Kiba's eyes widened, his face full of envy. "So soon?!"

Ino clasped her hands to her chest and looked at Tejima Shinichi with admiration sparkling in her eyes. "Shinichi is amazing! He only graduated not long ago, and he has already done a C-rank mission!"

Haruno Sakura also covered her mouth in surprise, looking at Tejima Shinichi with a few more traces of amazement in her eyes.

Uchiha Sasuke, who had been leaning against the wall, abruptly opened his closed eyes the instant he heard "C-rank mission," his gaze immediately locking onto Tejima Shinichi!

A powerful sense of unwillingness and competitiveness churned within him.

"Damn it... Tejima Shinichi...!" His hand gripping his ninja tool pouch tightened unconsciously. "...He got ahead of me again!"

"A C-rank mission?!" The moment Uzumaki Naruto heard it, he exploded, jumping up and shouting, "Why do they get to carry out C-rank missions?! We are still doing those boring D-rank missions! Finding cats and dogs, cleaning riverbeds! I want to do more impressive missions too! Kakashi, when are you going to let us take higher-rank missions!?"

Kakashi Hatake's dead-fish eyes drooped as he lazily scratched his hair. "Now, now... Naruto, calm down. Mission ranks need to be evaluated..."

Sarutobi Asuma held a senbon in his mouth and smiled. "Looks like Team 1 is full of drive."

Yugao also nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on Tejima Shinichi for a moment with appreciation.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took in everyone's reactions and chuckled. He offered no further explanation, merely gesturing for them to follow before taking the lead into the Hokage's Office.

The teams stepped forward in turn to receive their mission scrolls for the day. Most contained familiar D-rank tasks. Naruto pouted high as he looked at the "clean riverbed" assignment in his hands, while Sasuke's expression turned even colder.

Just as everyone assumed the day would proceed as usual and prepared to leave, Sarutobi Hiruzen gave a light cough, drawing everyone's attention.

The office fell silent.

Sarutobi Hiruzen rose to his feet. His gaze slowly passed over every Jonin and Genin present before finally settling on Tejima Shinichi. His voice carried through the entire room.

"Oh, and while all the Jonin and Genin are here, I have an announcement to make—"

His gaze swept over the curious crowd, and amid their puzzled looks, he solemnly declared,

"Starting today, I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, formally accept Tejima Shinichi as my disciple!"

"..."

The moment those words fell, the entire Hokage Building sank into dead silence.

Silence!

At that moment, the Hokage's Office was incomparably quiet!

Everyone seemed to have been struck by a paralysis technique, frozen where they stood, their faces filled with utter shock and disbelief!

The Hokage... had taken a disciple?!

The Third Hokage had taken another disciple after so many years?!

And it was... a Genin who had only just graduated?!

Even Kakashi Hatake's perpetually half-lidded dead-fish eyes snapped open, revealing the shock beneath them.

Yugao covered her mouth.

"Gasp... Old man, are you serious!?"

Sarutobi Asuma sucked in a sharp breath, staring in astonishment at his father before looking at Tejima Shinichi.

As Jonin, they naturally understood what it meant for the Third Hokage to take a disciple in his old age. That was why they were so shocked!

To the Twelve Rookie Genin, this news was no less than a thunderbolt!

They all knew Tejima Shinichi was exceptional, a true genius who stood above them. Yet hearing the news with their own ears still left them utterly stunned.

According to the knowledge recorded at the Ninja Academy—the Third Hokage was a man hailed as the strongest Hokage of all generations!

"W-What?!" Nara Shikamaru was the first to cry out in shock, his usually lazy face filled with horror. "You have got to be kidding... This..."

Even someone like him, who always had "what a pain" on his lips, was completely stunned by the earth-shattering news before him.

The Nara Clan's innate intelligence immediately made him realize what it meant... The Third Hokage was clearly sending a signal about his Heir.

"Grandpa Third's... disciple?!"

Uzumaki Naruto's mouth hung open, his mind unable to process it for the moment.

Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were both dumbfounded, and Ino's eyes burst with delighted light.

Uchiha Sasuke looked as if he had been struck by lightning. His body jolted as he stared at Tejima Shinichi, his eyes full of shock. An unprecedented sense of defeat and... concealed jealousy nearly swallowed him whole!

Top Student... C-rank missions... And now, he had become the Hokage's disciple?!

Had the gap between them already grown this enormous?!

Tejima Shinichi stood quietly there, enduring all kinds of gazes shooting at him from every direction—shock, envy, jealousy, disbelief...

Sarutobi Hiruzen observed everyone's reactions and understood the impact this news would bring.

But that was exactly the effect he wanted.

He wanted everyone to know that Tejima Shinichi was the Heir chosen by him, Sarutobi Hiruzen—the unquestionable core of Konoha's future!

"My, my... there is no need to be so shocked." Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled and raised a hand to suppress the commotion. "I have thought this matter through carefully. It is precisely because I trust all of you that I am informing you first."

"Later, I will also announce it to the entire village."

Perhaps knowing that the news was difficult for them to digest at once, Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand again.

"Alright."

"Today's missions have already been issued. Everyone, go carry them out!"

At his command, no matter how turbulent their hearts were, everyone could only leave the Hokage's Office.

As everyone departed, the news that the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had accepted Tejima Shinichi as his disciple seemed to sprout Wings and swiftly spread to every corner of Konoha.

The news swept through Konoha's streets and alleys like the wind.

People gathered together in the marketplace, whispering among themselves with gossip-hungry expressions on their faces.

"Did you hear? The Hokage has taken a disciple!"

"That child from the Tejima Clan..."

"The Top Student who graduated from the Ninja Academy this year!"

"Unbelievable..."

Mori Chie left her home carrying a vegetable basket. Thinking of her son's recent unusual behavior, she was preoccupied. Though she vaguely sensed that the atmosphere on the streets was strange today, she did not think much of it at first.

"Chie! Chie!" An acquaintance hurried over, her face overflowing with smiles. "Congratulations! Your Shinichi is truly incredible!"

Mori Chie froze, utterly confused. "Congratulations? Shinichi!? Did something happen!?"

"You do not know yet?" Another vendor leaned in. "Your Shinichi has been accepted as a disciple by the Third Hokage!"

Clatter.

The vegetable basket fell from Mori Chie's hands.

Her eyes widened, and her lips trembled slightly.

"Y-You... what did you say?"

Meanwhile, at Konoha Hospital, after Teshima Kazuto finished changing the medicine for the last injured patient, he leisurely stretched!

He glanced at the time and muttered softly,

"Today has been fairly quiet. All the work is done, so there should not be anything else, right?"

As he spoke, he began putting away the equipment. Yet waves of discussion came from outside the corridor, growing louder and louder. Amid them, he seemed to vaguely hear a familiar name.

Teshima Kazuto could not help frowning. Curious, he pushed open the door and peeked out.

The moment his colleagues in the hallway saw him, their discussions abruptly stopped.

Several nurses exchanged looks, their expressions complicated.

An older Medical Ninja quickly stepped forward and gave his shoulder a firm pat.

"Kazuto! I never expected your Shinichi to be so accomplished!"

Teshima Kazuto froze. "What accomplishment?"

The older Medical Ninja found his reaction both amusing and exasperating, then burst into laughter.

"Hahaha... so you do not know yet. News just came in—Lord Third Hokage has accepted Shinichi as his disciple!"

Teshima Kazuto stood rooted to the spot, his mouth open, unable to say a word for a long while.

After learning the news, the heads of the Secret Technique Clans—the Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, and others—immediately convened clan meetings.

The three Ino-Shika-Cho clans had always stood together, and now they needed to urgently discuss how to respond to this sudden shift in the political winds.

Tejima Shinichi's name might once have only meant "someone else's genius," but from this day onward, he would represent the will of the Hokage's faction. His rise would inevitably affect the village's future Power Structure.

Inside the Hyuga Main Family Mansion, Hyuga Hiashi listened to his clansman's report with a blank expression, but the hand resting on his knee tightened unconsciously.

Meanwhile, in the offices of Advisor Elders Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, the two elders fell into a long silence after their brief shock.

"So that is it..." Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses, complicated emotions flickering behind the lenses. "No wonder Hiruzen was willing to completely break with Danzo over that Tejima boy, even using such thunderous measures..."

Utatane Koharu sighed, a trace of weariness crossing her face.

"We both underestimated Hiruzen's determination... and underestimated that child's value in Hiruzen's eyes. Perhaps Hiruzen had never acted on a whim at all. Perhaps he had long begun planning to regard Tejima Shinichi as... his Heir."

Only now did they understand why Sarutobi Hiruzen had been so furious and reacted so fiercely to Shimura Danzō's overstepping.

Shimura Danzō's residence.

Inside the pavilion, a teacup shattered in Shimura Danzō's hand. Hot tea mixed with blood and dripped through the gaps between his fingers.

"Sarutobi... Hiruzen..."

He squeezed out the name through clenched teeth. Blood vessels spread through his single eye like a spiderweb.

Root had been disbanded, and his authority stripped away... Now, even his final opportunity had been completely cut off.

Because of Tejima Shinichi, not only had years of his efforts been ruined, but Sarutobi now even intended to elevate him to the position of Heir.

How could he endure this!?

Danzo slowly raised his mangled hand, a crazed, icy glint flashing in his single eye.

"Very good... since you want to push him onto the stage..."

"Then let him be... completely destroyed beneath the eyes of all."

Though his authority had been stripped away, Root's imprint, formed over decades, had long seeped into his bones. Those subordinates controlled by the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal could still answer his summons at any time.

Yet little did he know, while he plotted how to drag Tejima Shinichi into the abyss, Tejima Shinichi was just as intent on killing him!

It would simply come down to whose strength was greater and whose hand was more ruthless!!