004 Aren't You Hurt? The Super-Male Hokage's First Glimmer

The second wave to arrive was Konoha's Military Police Force.

In other words, the Uchiha Clan.

"The Earth-Style Wall will scorch your feet." Seeing the Uchiha Clan about to charge up, Hatake Sakumo, who had come to hand over the post, reminded them.

But Uchiha Fugaku merely crooked his lips and paid it no mind.

Now the Deputy Chief of the Military Police Force, he was already in his twenties—an age when a ninja was supposed to have matured...

Yet perhaps it was Uchiha blood, or perhaps life had not yet worn down his edges, but he still had a touch of youthful delusion.

The elders of the clan all said that he would mature somewhat once his son was born.

But Uchiha Fugaku disagreed.

Raising a son and all that—he had never done it before, but it sounded like a very simple thing, didn't it?

Scorch my feet? Uchiha won't find it hot. Even if it is hot, it's merely part of a ninja's training! With that thought flashing through his mind, Uchiha Fugaku leaped onto the Earth-Style Wall.

The other Uchiha followed suit.

Hatake Sakumo raised a brow, silently wrapped Chakra around his footwear, and stepped up beside Uchiha Fugaku.

The moment Uchiha Fugaku stood on it, he regretted it.

He had assumed it would only be a little hot. After all, the earthen wall looked fine from the other side.

As a ninja, endurance training often involved projects bordering on self-torture...

But after stepping onto it, Uchiha Fugaku looked down.

The center of the earthen wall had already melted, taking on the gelatinous texture of Magma and constantly radiating heat.

Such profound Fire Release! Was this the Third Hokage's handiwork? He melted through such a thick layer of earth and stone? Uchiha Fugaku had intended to secretly gather Chakra while no one was paying attention.

But from the corner of his eye, he noticed Hatake Sakumo beside him silently watching, his eyebrows twitching.

"Hot, isn't it?" Hatake Sakumo wore an utterly blank expression. "It'd be better to use Chakra for protection..."

Uchiha Fugaku had wanted to keep putting on a brave front, but seeing that the other clan members were also on the verge of losing composure, he reluctantly nodded.

"Lord Sakumo is right."

The Anbu laughed happily. No one could see them behind their masks anyway.

What was this?

A scheming type taking on a tsundere?

Uchiha Fugaku activated his Sharingan. The Chakra fluctuations within the field drew his attention.

"What kind of technique is this?" Uchiha Fugaku muttered.

He reacted this way because, in his field of vision, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was covered from head to toe in a layer of hard black material. Even the staff in his hand was coated in it, making him look like a black diamond...

"It feels like some kind of Earth Style? Probably something like a Hardening Technique?"

Hatake Sakumo analyzed it seriously. "Judging by Lord Third's intentions, he probably wants to cover his entire body and maintain it at all times, similar to Kumogakure's Lightning Style Nintaijutsu?"

"Wouldn't that affect his agility?"

Uchiha Fugaku pondered. "Most Earth Style Hardening Techniques have that side effect. And while mobilizing Earth Style Chakra, it would also affect the release of other ninjutsu..."

"Besides, maintaining a Hardening Technique constantly would consume quite a bit of Chakra, wouldn't it? Lord Third, he..."

Uchiha Fugaku suddenly fell silent.

No matter what, discussing a Hokage having less Chakra was a sensitive subject.

But Hatake Sakumo looked at him curiously. "You mean Lord Hokage doesn't have enough Chakra?"

Uchiha Fugaku covered his face. He really had no way to deal with Hatake Sakumo.

Who said Hatake Sakumo had a rigid personality? In his view, the man was clearly a deceptively dark, terribly reserved fellow!

"I didn't say that! What I meant was, was..."

Uchiha Fugaku chose silence.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke gave Uchiha Fugaku a surprised look.

This clan was really hard to judge.

Not only did they love acting cool and aloof, their emotional intelligence was low enough that after barely exchanging a few words, they were already sharply criticizing his own father for being too old to maintain several techniques.

Yet they were fairly reliable too. They had arrived not much slower than the Anbu, and the Military Police Force had fulfilled its duties well.

They had the aesthetic of wanting to be rebels but lacking the resolve to actually rebel...

A true case of divine-rabbit duality.

As for the technique Hiruzen Sarutobi had released, he called it:

Earth Style: Earth Spear: Full-Time Coverage

It was indeed an Earth Style Hardening Technique, and it did have the side effects Uchiha Fugaku had mentioned.

But those applied to other people.

For Hiruzen Sarutobi, now brimming with Chakra and thoroughly versed in all Five Releases, those flaws did not exist.

"A ninja's body is far too frail—like a cannon made of glass..."

"You must protect yourself at all times! Not a single bit of Chakra that needs to be used can be spared!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and exhaled a massive cloud of smoke into the arena, blanketing the Rashomon Formation.

Fire Release Chakra gathered at his fingertips, and flames instantly erupted!

"Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning won't be blocked by the Rashomon..."

Hatake Sakumo's eyes lit up. "And Lord Third hasn't been affected by the Hardening Technique. He can still use the Five Releases freely."

"As expected of Lord Third..."

Uchiha Fugaku nodded, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan fixed tightly on Orochimaru. Then, without realizing it, he bluntly commented, "That vitality and posture... he's practically a Monster..."

Within the vision of his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, although Orochimaru had been struck by the Fire Release, he seemed completely unaffected. He kept shedding his skin like a snake as he slithered across the ground.

Was that still human?

"Oh, what were you about to say?" Hatake Sakumo asked again, his face full of curiosity.

"No, no, Lord Sakumo, I wasn't thinking of saying anything..." Uchiha Fugaku's face darkened.

Why could he never control his mouth?

Did he really need to get married and have children to become a little more mature? Would that even help?

The Anbu present were all struggling to hold it together.

First, he said Lord Hokage was old. Then he commented that Lord Orochimaru wasn't human...

What a sharp-tongued Uchiha!

Inside the arena.

Hiruzen Sarutobi formed two hand seals in an instant, and a massive Water Dragon Tornado rose from the ground.

Water and fire collided, unleashing scorching steam.

The Rashomon, whose internal structure had been damaged by the intense heat, abruptly contracted upon meeting the cold water. Cracks immediately spread across its doors.

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his Adamantine Staff, Chakra wrapping around it as he charged straight into the steam...

Wind Release empowered it, and he swung with all his might!

In an instant, several Rashomon were blasted apart by the shockwave of that immense force, shattering into fragments!

Uchiha Fugaku's Three-Tomoe Sharingan caught the scene, but his mind had yet to process it.

What he saw was this:

Hiruzen Sarutobi charged into the water and fire, then swept away both the steam and the towering Rashomon with a single strike of his staff...

Huh?

This scene was also witnessed by the arriving Shimura Danzō and Root, as well as Jiraiya, who was carrying Asuma and Kakashi, and Tsunade.

"Fuck, the Old Man's gone berserk! He's cleaning house and trying to kill Stinky Snake!" Jiraiya's vision went black. He tossed the two little twerps to Hatake Sakumo at the side and was about to rush into the arena to stop the fight.

"Spare him! Old Man!"

"It's not a crime worthy of death! It's not a crime worthy of death!"

Hatake Sakumo casually tossed the two little ones to Shinnosuke beside him.

Asuma and Kakashi were tossed back and forth without the slightest ability to resist.

At that moment, Kakashi, known as the Ninja Academy's greatest genius, finally realized the gap between Ninja Academy students and veteran Jonin. A deep sense of loss swept over him.

And over Asuma as well.

Hatake Sakumo instantly blocked Jiraiya's path. "Lord Hokage has not ordered anyone to enter."

Jiraiya stomped anxiously. "What if Stinky Snake gets beaten to death?! Be flexible, Lord Sakumo!"

Uchiha Fugaku's expression turned grave.

Hatake Sakumo was so fast that even his Three-Tomoe Sharingan had difficulty tracking him.

If they fought at close range...

"Sure enough, a great reputation is never without merit."

But as Uchiha Fugaku watched Hatake Sakumo stand unmoved before Jiraiya, one hand even hovering over the White Fang short blade at his waist as he intimidated Tsunade—who also seemed ready to move—with his gaze, he began silently critiquing again. This is a family matter. Stopping others like this—isn't that just offending people...

"Besides."

Thinking of the Third Hokage's violent assault, Uchiha Fugaku's teeth ached. Didn't Clan Leader Isshin say the Third Hokage was old? Where exactly is he old?

"With a single blow from that staff, even the legendary Susanoo probably wouldn't be able to take it head-on!"

Shimura Danzō's eyes were somewhat vacant.

Hadn't this old man been crushed by the pressure and anxiety of being Hokage?

The vitality he displayed now was about the same as when he had been at his peak, wasn't it?!

What did this even mean?

Had a serious illness given him some great enlightenment, or had one of the previous Hokage possessed him? Maybe he should find time to run a fever himself...

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued forming hand seals in midair.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Rampart!"

An entire section of ground was forcibly raised by Hiruzen Sarutobi. Under the impact, Orochimaru, who had been hiding within it, had no choice but to reveal himself.

His hit-and-run plan had failed.

But the sparring match wasn't over yet!

Master and disciple exchanged a glance, gauging each other's condition.

There was no need to stop.

Orochimaru reached into his own throat and pulled out a finely crafted Ninja Sword. As he swung it at Hiruzen Sarutobi, he shouted, "You idiot, Jiraiya! Stay there and watch—don't interfere with my sparring match against my teacher!"

"It's good that you came down. I was just about to test what you're made of, brat..." Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted, swinging his staff.

Jiraiya immediately wilted, but then quickly perked up again. "Old Man, beat that Stinky Snake to death!"

Master and disciple began their Ninja Tool clash.

As blade and staff collided, Orochimaru's vertical pupils contracted, and he inwardly cursed, This is bad. Since when did the Old Man become this strong? He's not that much weaker than Tsunade...

Orochimaru's entire body trembled, ripples spreading across his skin as he used this method to dissipate the force.

This was thanks to his unique technique—Soft Physique Modification.

If anyone else tried something like this, internal bleeding would be the least of their problems...

"Good lad. Impervious to blades and spears, immune to water and fire..."

The more excited Hiruzen Sarutobi became, the harder he fought. The thrill of wielding extraordinary power and the novelty of witnessing so many different ninjutsu intoxicated him.

"Take this staff strike!"

More and more Chakra gathered around the staff as Hiruzen Sarutobi swung it down with all his strength.

BOOM!

Orochimaru's pupils shrank. The instant blade met staff, he sensed something was wrong. He swiftly twisted aside to redirect the force, yet was still sent flying through the air.

The Adamantine Staff smashed into the ground, blasting out a massive crater as sand, stones, and broken earth flew everywhere.

Uchiha Fugaku wrinkled his nose and bared his teeth, deeply moved by the sight.

No wonder the Uchiha Clan had fallen behind the Hokage Faction...

Looking at the intensity of this master-disciple exchange, anyone who didn't know better would think they were settling some deadly internal dispute!

Look at them—they were really going at each other with real weapons.

If he had a son in the future, he would educate him this way too!

He would throw him onto the battlefield from childhood and let him properly experience the intensity of the ninja world!

"Teacher, your surname is Sarutobi, not Senju!"

After being sent flying, Orochimaru complained inwardly. Then, lying flat on the ground, he opened his mouth wide. A giant snake shot out from his throat and charged straight at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Slime dripped continuously from the snake's body. Upon touching the ground, it gave off a corrosive sizzle, like some acidic substance.

During this time, the Jonin arrived one after another, along with some Chunin and Genin.

Naturally, they arrived in batches. The Ino-Shika-Cho, the Sarutobi Clan's allies, were among the first to arrive in this wave.

"Good timing!"

It was unclear whether he meant the ninja or Orochimaru's attack, but Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted and swung his hardened fist directly at the snake's head without hesitation!

The exploding snake head sent flesh and blood spraying into the air.

From the lower half of the snake's body, a brand-new Orochimaru emerged and drove a heavy punch into Hiruzen Sarutobi's abdomen!

Hiruzen Sarutobi had no intention of dodging and threw a punch in return.

They traded a punch each, then staggered back several steps.

Hiruzen Sarutobi swept his gaze around. Nearly everyone had arrived, so he halted his attack.

"You really do have to fear the vigor of youth. This punch of yours will have this old man recovering for days..." Hiruzen Sarutobi said sincerely, rubbing his ribs and feeling the soreness. "I really don't have a young man's sturdy body anymore. You aren't hurt, are you, my old disciple?"

Sure enough, Earth Release: Earth Spear alone simply wasn't enough. Even after he had worked out how to strengthen it, it still wasn't sufficient.

He still needed to learn some other Nintaijutsu—techniques that could attack and defend were simply too useful.

"Teacher, don't you think saying that is a little hurtful to me?"

Blood was streaming from Orochimaru's mouth, making the remark somewhat comical.

For once, he showed an expression he could no longer hold back. "Whose fist is stronger, exactly? Sensei, I'm human too. If I cough up blood, of course that counts as being injured!"

"Then it's definitely yours. This old man only has this fleshly body, after all. That move just now was pretty good—teach it to me sometime." Hiruzen Sarutobi replied with a chuckle, giving him a thumbs-up.

"This was a combination of Yang Release form and nature transformation, wasn't it? And there was a trace of the Summoning Technique too..."

He was referring to the Orochimaru-style Substitution Technique.

Orochimaru's expression was somewhat complicated.

All of a sudden, he felt just the tiniest bit nostalgic for that stubborn old man from before.

Somewhere deep down, Orochimaru had a feeling that if his teacher, known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," began piling ninjutsu onto himself like Orochimaru had...

Something terrifying might happen.

"Though the time has not yet come, I'm greatly pleased by your growth."

"You're outstanding, Orochimaru..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over, loosening his muscles and bones. One hand pressed against his injured area, while the other rested on Orochimaru's wounded chest. A soft green glow rose from his palm.

Orochimaru's thoughts shifted. Seeing the contemplative expressions on everyone's faces, the corners of his mouth curled upward slightly.

"With Sensei's current condition, if he had gotten serious, I really would have been unable to save face today..."

"Stopping it in time and even treating my wounds in public..."

There was no doubt that this gave Orochimaru plenty of face, while subtly leaving room for everyone's imaginations to wander.

Who had been spreading rumors that Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were drifting apart?

Couldn't they see this scene of "a kind father and filial son"? It was clearly a heartfelt display of the bond between master and disciple!

"Even though you won, I'm taking this Bell with me. I'm used to keeping it here." Hiruzen Sarutobi carefully placed the Bell back into his Ninja Tool Pouch.

The curve of Orochimaru's lips rose even higher.

At that moment, Hizashi Hyuga of the Hyuga Clan arrived. The Anbu, Root, and other ninja who had arrived before him cast meaningful looks his way.

The Hyuga Clan should have been the first to notice activity within the village; they possessed the Byakugan.

They were also renowned for Taijutsu, so their speed certainly should not have been slow...

Then why had they arrived so late?

Faced with the scrutinizing gazes directed at him, Hizashi Hyuga had grievances he could not voice.

There was no helping it. A village had village rules, and a clan had clan rules.

As a member of the Branch Family, he had no way of making decisions on his own.

Although he had discovered it immediately, he still had to report to the Main Branch and wait for the Elders to make a decision.

That back-and-forth naturally delayed him.

The Hyuga Main Branch of this generation had adopted a policy of "not taking sides." They were unwilling to involve themselves in village affairs unless war broke out.

Seeing that the match had ended, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, who had arrived alongside the third wave of ninja, exchanged a glance.

Utatane Koharu stepped forward and said, "Hiruzen, what are you doing—"

She wanted to ask why he had caused such a huge disturbance without telling her...

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze turned stern. "Advisor, address me by my title while on duty! Now is not the time for you to speak."

Utatane Koharu choked on her words. She still wanted to say something, but upon seeing that extremely serious gaze...

She ultimately chose to remain silent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi rapidly formed a series of hand seals.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

In an instant, the training ground was engulfed by a swamp. The debris from several Rashomon gates and the mangled remains of countless venomous snakes were dragged into the depths of the earth.

Then, with masterful Fire Release, blazing red-white flames scorched the ground at full power.

In the blink of an eye, the mud bog was baked dry, while blade-like Wind Release precisely cut away the uneven portions of the ground.

The training ground became clean and level.

"The old man's Chakra reserves are unbelievable..." Orochimaru stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose face was not flushed and whose breathing remained steady, and fell into thought.

This set of ninjutsu looked like it was simply cleaning up the training ground.

But if it were used on people instead...

How many ninja could survive such a large-scale barrage of ninjutsu? He was practically a walking mowing machine...

Clearly, quite a few people were thinking the same thing as Orochimaru.

The Chunin and Genin stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi with worshipful eyes.

His younger son, Asuma, was dumbfounded. "No way, Dad's this strong? Isn't he way stronger than Sensei?"

One middle-aged ninja dressed in a green bodysuit, with thick brows and a heavy beard, was even shedding tears. "Lord Hokage, is this the Youth of the Lord Hokage? I feel like I'm about to burst into flames!"

That eye-catching outfit drew Hiruzen Sarutobi's attention, and he gave the man a kindly nod.

Shimura Danzō sank into reflection, roaring inwardly, That cunning Hiruzen—when did he cultivate the Secret Technique of Yang Release? He actually regained his youth...

"That day, he was wearing the Hokage Hat, and I didn't even notice!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi clasped his hands behind his back and shook his head with a sigh. "I'm still too old..."

He took out his signature tobacco pipe, lit it, and drew in a deep breath.

Then he shouted in a deep voice, "All ninjas present, assemble!"

At that moment, the ninjas swiftly gathered before Hiruzen Sarutobi.

This was not only respect for the title of Hokage.

It was also admiration for overwhelming strength.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took in the scene before him.

Just as he had thought, in a world of the extraordinary, interpersonal connections and authority were naturally important, but strength was absolutely inseparable from it all.

He rehearsed the words in his mind.

The lecture to come was the true "main event" of this sparring match!

Everything before this had merely been setting the stage.

PS: Here's a major update of over five thousand words~

As always, please keep reading and add it to your favorites. The book has already been contracted; it'll just take another couple of days, so everyone can read without worry.

This time, I've prepared an outline. I'll definitely be a writing machine who pumps out updates after launch and finishes the novel!

Xiaofan has been thinking about stockpiling some chapters these past couple of days, getting ready to update at fixed times so everyone can read more comfortably.