The Third Generation's Esteem

I will bring up the rear!

Covering the retreat is, of course, a task for the captain.

(Luring the enemy is, of course, a task for the Hokage.)

Kakashi, from this moment on, you are the captain.

(Monkey, from this moment on, you are the Hokage.)

I leave the intelligence in your hands to protect.

(I leave the village in your hands to protect.)

Inside the Hokage office, the clear and resolute voice of the young boy echoing from the Crystal Ball spoke those words that sounded so familiar.

A scene, etched deep into the soul of the Third Hokage—incredibly vivid and intensely powerful—suddenly surged to the surface.

For that fleeting moment, the calm and determined profile of the black-haired boy in the pouring rain overlapped, with startling precision, with the face his teacher had looked back at one last time in his memory.

A profound sense of bewilderment washed over the Third Hokage; the barriers of time seemed to have been breached in that instant.

After a long while, he inhaled slowly—extremely slowly—and closed his eyes, smoothing out the surging torrents within his heart.

Mature from a young age, raised in the orphanage, taking the initiative to help with chores and care for the younger children.

Kind to others, concerned for his companions, running errands for the elderly nearby, helping the neighbors, and getting along well with his classmates.

Grateful and reciprocating kindness; with the meager income earned from part-time work, he never forgot to give back to the orphanage that raised him, and he even hosted a banquet of gratitude for the teacher who taught him swordsmanship...

Fragments of information regarding that child flashed through the Third Hokage's mind.

A moment later, the Third Hokage opened his eyes again, his gaze returning to its usual depth and clarity.

His eyes fell upon the desktop, where an application report submitted just this afternoon lay—a formal request from a Ninja Academy student to learn the Shadow Clone Technique.

He picked up his brush and fluently wrote two large characters:

[Approved]

The tip of the brush paused; he felt this was not quite enough.

Thus, below "Approved," he added another line of instructions:

"He may, at discretion, be granted access to practical B-Rank and C-Rank Ninjutsu outside the standard library to encourage his growth. The specific list is to be determined by the Academic Affairs Office in consultation with his instructor."

After writing this, he pondered for a few seconds, still feeling it was insufficient.

"Furthermore: should the student encounter difficulties during his training, his instructor may submit an application to arrange for appropriate personnel to provide periodic or specialized guidance. I will oversee this matter personally."

Setting down the brush after the final stroke, the Third Hokage gently set the report aside and turned his gaze once more toward the rain, which was gradually subsiding outside the window.

Some time later, on the weekend.

At Konoha Training Ground 4, the dawn light was faint.

Shinichi was performing basic physical training—push-ups.

His movements were standard and steady, with a clear rhythm to every descent and rise. Sweat dripped continuously from his chin and neck, soaking into the earth beneath him to leave dark stains.

At this moment, he was not carrying the massive boulders he used to; instead, he wore a dark-colored Weighted Vest that clung to his body, with several metal plates etched with faint runes strapped to his limbs and abdomen.

This was professional equipment he had carefully selected from the Ninja Tool Shop, similar in style to the gear Rock Lee would use later.

Realizing that the conditions for generating a Blue-tier Trait were harsh—requiring a shocking impact that rippled across all of Konoha, and likely needing the recognition of core figures with high influence—he had adjusted his strategy.

Seeking attention through exaggerated behavior was no longer the priority; at this stage, efficiency was the key.

This gear, which allowed for a more uniform and scientific distribution of load, was better suited for his current physical conditioning.

Surrounding him were seven or eight figures identical to him in appearance and attire—Shadow Clones.

These Shadow Clones were either treading water to practice Chakra control, holding long swords to practice swordsmanship, or studying from a scroll.

For Shinichi, who now possessed [Genius] for an all-encompassing leap in learning efficiency, [Quick Wit] to accelerate his thought processes, and the [Ninja Academy Student] occupation for a slight boost to his ninja aptitude.

Once he received a scroll, he only needed to read it once to master it.

Chakra originates from the fusion of physical and mental energy. Shinichi's body and mind—especially his body, bolstered by various traits—were already exceptional. If he went all out, he could create a little over ten Shadow Clones, reaching just over half of the maximum limit for the technique. (Note:)

But the burden of doing so was too great. To pursue more sustainable and efficient auxiliary training, he currently maintained only seven or eight.

Everything was proceeding according to plan, and in some areas, it had even exceeded expectations.

Not long ago, he had received official notice from the school that his application to learn the Shadow Clone Technique had been approved.

When he received the issued Ninjutsu scroll, he discovered that it contained more than just the Shadow Clone Technique; the scroll also included several practical Konoha Style Taijutsu and sword techniques, as well as one B-Rank and several C-Rank Fire Release Ninjutsu.

This made Shinichi realize that his actions at the cemetery that day must have been observed by the Third Hokage. In particular, the words he spoke at the end—which perfectly aligned with the core of the Second Hokage's final testament—must have deeply touched this Hokage.

Consequently, his application was not only approved, but he had also received extra benefits.

Over these years, through various actions, Shinichi had not only been generating traits but had also genuinely and carefully crafted an image: mature, sensible, kind, hardworking, diligent, and grateful.

Such a clean-background, righteous, talented orphan with budding potential and a pure, upright character was undoubtedly very much to the liking of Konoha's top brass.

Even a man like Shimura Danzō might mock such naivety in his heart, but he would never refuse to have subordinates or friends who were reliable, controllable, and possessed pure convictions.

Because even a villain hopes that the people around them are good.

It seems now that this long-term image cultivation was undoubtedly successful; it has led the Third Hokage to make up his mind to list him as a key object for development.

Just as they discovered and nurtured Minato Namikaze back in the day, the upper echelons of Konoha are happy to see and support such a loyal, righteous, and "red-rooted" Genius, bringing him into their own fold.

"The focus for the next Trait upgrade should be on Tenacious."

While doing Push-ups, he focused his mind on the Tenacious Trait in his Personal Panel.

[Tenacious (White): Your physical tolerance and recovery are superior to the average person. You can recover from blunt force trauma faster and have a higher pain threshold.]

In the future, he would change his morning rock-carrying run at the academy to having his Shadow Clones perform public, high-intensity strike training on his original body, so that every student arriving at the academy in the morning could see him gritting his teeth to withstand attacks, only to stand tall again and again.

At the same time, [Foodie], a Trait that allows for rapid replenishment of consumption through food, also has great upgrade value; perhaps he could intentionally consume large amounts of food during lunch breaks or between training sessions.

He would also keep an eye on the occasional Big Eater competitions held in the village, participating whenever possible to release the label of having an astonishing appetite and being a voracious eater.

With his thoughts cleared, he finished the last set of Push-ups, slowly stood up, and cast his gaze over the Shadow Clones still busy with their own tasks on the training ground.