Sorry, Hinata, Only You Can Help Me With This Training

Sorry, Hinata, Only You Can Help Me With This Training

After everyone had left, only Hiruzen Sarutobi and Feng An remained in the arena.

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled kindly. "I saw your match. You're quite capable."

Feng An smiled along with him. "Thank you for the praise, Lord Hokage."

"Not arrogant or impatient. You have an excellent temperament as well."

Feng An nodded on the surface while inwardly cursing the old fox for beating around the bush.

After nodding like mad for a while, he finally endured Hiruzen Sarutobi's endless stream of flattery.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been smiling kindly just moments ago, suddenly turned serious.

"Feng An, do you know of the Will of Fire?"

Fire my ass. I still need to roast wild boar for Hinata!

Without any change in expression, Feng An said, "I know a little."

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Feng An's shoulder, forcing a trace of a hero in his twilight years into his aged gaze.

"The Will of Fire: wherever Konoha's leaves dance, the fire lives on. Its light will not be extinguished. It will continue to illuminate the village and nurture the budding growth of new leaves."

"And you are one such newly born leaf."

Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Feng An clenched his teeth and fists.

Otherwise, he was afraid he would punch that hypocritical old face of his.

The things he had tacitly allowed Danzō to do—wasn't he afraid the fire would grow too great and burn him alive?

Though he really was about to die anyway.

Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed Feng An's trembling fists and widened eyes, and he could not help but sigh.

To enter such a state from a single sentence... even I must feel ashamed before his Will of Fire.

"Good. I was right about you. I can already see the Will of Fire you have inherited."

"Would you like to take another careful look?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand. "There's no need. Polite, principled, powerful—these are all manifestations of your Will of Fire."

"Join the Anbu. Become my direct subordinate."

After dragging this out for so long, you finally showed your true colors, huh?

Feng An said awkwardly, "I'm only a genin who just graduated from the Ninja Academy. This..."

That is precisely why I want someone who just graduated. How else could I brainwash you and instill the Will of Fire once you're older?

Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed lightly. "The Chunin exam evaluates overall ability, and the final decision lies with the Hokage. I highly recognize your abilities. From this moment on, you are a chunin."

Feng An despised him even more.

Wasn't Kakashi Hatake recruited into the Anbu by you in exactly this way when he was a teenager?

"Thank you for recognizing me, Lord Hokage. Since I've become a chunin, I must strive to become a jonin from this very moment!"

Feng An put on an incomparably serious expression.

"Very good!"

With his pipe between his lips, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked thoroughly pleased.

"Lord Hokage, I can't wait to begin training! Every second I spend not training is an insult to the Will of Fire!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng An used the Body Flicker Technique and appeared at the exit. Without looking back, he turned and left.

He still had to roast wild boar for Hinata.

Only Hiruzen Sarutobi remained, his face stiff.

After Feng An's figure vanished, an old man with a cane and bandages wrapped around his body slowly emerged from behind a statue. It was Danzō Shimura.

"Hiruzen, have you gone senile? You're letting a brat like that join the Anbu?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not get angry at his words.

He said calmly, "Haven't you also been expanding the Anbu's ranks lately?"

"The people I recruit are loyal to Konoha."

"Loyal to the Konoha that has you, Danzō, in it."

Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi speak so bluntly, Danzō Shimura left the arena with a dark expression.

When he reached the exit, he spoke in a low voice with his back to Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Hiruzen, you will regret this."

"Danzō! Don't forget that I am the Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not hold back in calling him out.

Both men narrowed their eyes slightly, their gazes filled with dissatisfaction toward one another.

You won't live much longer, Hiruzen.

Danzō hardened his resolve inwardly.

He paused for only a second before leaving with a cold expression.

At dusk, Feng An indeed found Hinata and the others at the training ground.

Kurenai and the others had really prepared a huge wild boar.

Unlike last time's dry meal, they had also brought a pile of seasonings and some light snacks this time.

Kiba Inuzuka's keen sense of smell was the first to notice Feng An's presence.

He turned excitedly and shouted, "You're finally here! We were waiting for you!"

"Feng An!"

Everyone immediately turned to look at Feng An. The joy in their eyes and their sincere feelings were completely undisguised.

Feng An's heart warmed.

Is this what it feels like to have family?

Having family is really nice... my ass.

After Feng An ran over in gratitude, he realized they had gathered around because they were waiting for him to use Fire Release to roast the huge wild boar.

Fūka said, "We deliberately left the most crucial part to you. Aren't you touched?"

"What a blessing you all are."

Feng An helplessly shook his head at their expectant wide eyes.

He then formed hand seals and spat out a small fireball, lighting the branches and firewood they had prepared beforehand.

During this exam, his control over Chakra had become much more natural. He would no longer accidentally produce something enormous.

While eating snacks, everyone curiously asked why Hiruzen Sarutobi had singled Feng An out and kept him behind.

"What did Lord Hokage say to you?"

"Nothing much. He just said I didn't need to take the exam and could become a chunin directly, then invited me to join the Anbu. I refused, though. I hate pulling strings more than anything."

Fūka looked at him disdainfully.

The Lord Hokage personally invited you into the Anbu, and you refused?

"Bullshit. Who would believe that?"

She turned to Kiba Inuzuka. "Do you believe him?"

Kiba hurriedly shook his head. "No."

Feng An shrugged.

He knew that even if he told the truth, they would not believe him.

The image Hiruzen Sarutobi had built in their hearts was far too lofty. They simply could not imagine him doing something like that.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they chatted for a while before going their separate ways.

Under the night sky, only Feng An and Hinata remained.

"Will this really help with training?"

Hinata blinked, looking a little bashful.

Feng An said with a serious expression, "Really. I won't lie to you."

Hinata nodded slightly. "Is it also true that you said it won't hurt?"

Feng An nodded and patiently explained.

"It might hurt just a tiny bit, but that's also part of the path every training session must take."

"All right, come on."

Hinata bit her lip.

Though she was extremely unwilling, she still followed Feng An's instructions.

She reached out with her fair little hand and touched Feng An's sturdy skin.

"Ah, so cold."

The moment Feng An felt the chill of Hinata's hand, he could not help crying out.

"Maybe we should forget it..."

Feng An looked at her seriously.

"Sorry, Hinata. Only you can help me with this training."

Seeing him emphasize it again and again, Hinata knew he was serious.

"Then I'm doing it."

Hinata narrowed her eyes into slits, turned her head away, grabbed Feng An's arm with both hands, and pulled back hard.

Crack.

A dislocation sound immediately came from Feng An's arm.

Hinata's expression changed, and she panicked as she released her little hands.

"Feng An! Maybe we should forget it. The training method recorded in this scroll doesn't seem normal..."

Feng An bared his teeth and shook his head.

"Keep going, Hinata."

The Multi-Size Technique was a clan secret technique, so he had no way to obtain it. But he could not possibly miss Ken Misumi's ability again.

He already had Cell Activation, which could harden his body. If he gained Ken Misumi's ability as well, he would be able to step into the highest ranks of the ninja world.

The two of them busied themselves in the darkness for the entire night.