Summoned by the Third Hokage

The next day, Jiogan was helping his mother at their Fruit Shop when a figure clad in a black robe and wearing a mask appeared before him. "Genin Jiogan, Lord Hokage summons you. Please proceed to the Hokage's Office immediately!"

"Huh? An Anbu member!" Jiogan froze.

"Yes! I'll go right away!" Jiogan quickly replied.

The Anbu member nodded, then vanished in a flash!

This is my first time dealing with Anbu personnel, and the Third Hokage is summoning me for the first time too! Could it be because of the Chunin Exam? Jiogan wondered.

After notifying his mother, he left the Fruit Shop and headed toward the Hokage Building.

Knock, knock, knock!

Jiogan knocked on the door to the Hokage's Office. In his previous life, he had been extremely familiar with this office from watching the anime, but since crossing over, this was his first time coming here!

He even felt a little nervous.

"Come in!" Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice came from inside.

Jiogan opened the door and walked in.

The moment he entered, he saw the iconic desk and the Third Hokage seated behind it. The Third Hokage at this time was far younger than in the Anime Timeline. Unlike his kindly appearance in the anime, he now carried the imposing presence of one in power.

"Lord Hokage! Genin Jiogan has answered your summons. What are your orders?" Jiogan dropped to one knee and lowered his head.

"Jiogan, there's no need to be nervous! I summoned you only for a conversation; there is no mission to assign. Rise!" Hiruzen Sarutobi took two puffs from his pipe.

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Jiogan rose at once.

The two met each other's gaze. Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke first. "Jiogan, your performance in the Chunin Exam greatly surprised me. To push Tsunade to that extent and nearly make Orochimaru suffer a loss as well—an ordinary Jonin couldn't have done that!"

"Lord Hokage, you flatter me! It was merely luck. Both Lord Orochimaru and Lady Tsunade held back. If they had gone all out from the beginning, I would have had no way to deal with them!" Jiogan was telling the truth. Orochimaru and Tsunade had mostly been testing his abilities, which was why they allowed him to reveal his skills bit by bit. Jiogan was not so full of himself that he truly believed he could rival the current Sannin.

Hearing Jiogan's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi inwardly approved. He knew his place and could see himself clearly. Then he said, "Even so, your performance was outstanding. You are a rare talent in recent years!"

"Lord Hokage, you flatter me!" Jiogan waited for Hiruzen Sarutobi to continue.

"Actually, long before you graduated from the Ninja Academy, your homeroom teacher, Kiyokatsu Sarutobi, mentioned your name to me more than once. He hoped you would receive a good assignment when the classes were divided!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

"Teacher Kiyokatsu Sarutobi has always taken good care of me at the Ninja Academy. He held no prejudice and treated children from civilian families and Ninja Clans equally. I would not be where I am today without his guidance back then!" Jiogan said.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was clearly very satisfied with Jiogan's words, and his smile deepened. "When the teams were originally assigned, I had planned to place you in another team. But Kurama Heiji, a Jonin, volunteered to have you join his class. After giving it some thought, I felt Team 11 had a more balanced overall composition and strength, which would be more beneficial to your growth, so I did not object."

"I'm doing very well in Team 11. Yoru, Feiyun, and I often spent time together back at the Ninja Academy. Heiji-sensei truly treats us as his disciples and has taught us a great deal. He even showed me the Kurama Clan's collection of Water Release Scrolls, laying the foundation for me to develop my own Water Release Ninjutsu. I owe my progress today to your decision back then!" With that, Jiogan gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a deep bow, expressing his sincere gratitude.

As for the matter of the team assignments, Jiogan knew it had been because Feiyun had put in a good word for him with her father.

Listening to Jiogan, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded again, and his favorable impression of Jiogan soared!

"I have reviewed Team 11's mission records. On your first mission, you encountered B-rank difficulty, yet without the help of your Jonin Instructor, you led the team to complete it perfectly. In the missions afterward as well, you relied on your leadership ability to complete them smoothly. Jiogan, the exceptional ninja talent shown in your record is what I value most!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

"This will determine your future path. Will you be a lone combatant? A strategist? A commander? Or a supreme commander?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

"Clearly, your outstanding performance has already shown the potential for the role of a commander!" Hiruzen Sarutobi took two puffs from his pipe.

"Lord Hokage, you flatter me! I still have a long way to go and need more missions to temper myself!" Jiogan did not know what the Third Hokage intended by praising him so highly.

"Before the Chunin Exam, Maruboshi Kosuke came to see me and told me about some matters concerning you. He thought very highly of your talent for Water Release, and your performance in the Chunin Exam confirmed his judgment. Your talent for Water Release is no less than that of my teacher, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju!" As he spoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked toward the portraits of the First Hokage and Second Hokage hanging on the office's side wall, a nostalgic expression appearing on his face.

"I never expected Senior Kosuke to speak to you about me. The Second Hokage has always been my idol. Becoming a powerful Water Release ninja like him is the goal I pursue! I will continue working toward it!" Jiogan said.

"As expected of a junior Kosuke has taken a liking to, you already have your own ninja way to uphold. I have also seen your bonds with your companions and with the village!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

At this point, Jiogan knew that after laying the groundwork for so long, the main point had finally arrived!

"You have already passed the Chunin Exam, and now you must make a choice. I have three paths for you to choose from. The first is to serve as a Chunin of the village, accepting missions normally and freely forming teams."

This was the path taken by the vast majority of Chunin.

"The second path is to enter the Hokage Building and work in the Strategic Operations Department!"

This was clearly recognition of Jiogan's command talent, training him toward becoming a commander. At worst, he could become a strategist and would not need to leave the camp to personally take the battlefield. During wartime, it would be much safer.

"The third path is to join the Anbu directly under the Hokage and become an Anbu member!"

When Jiogan heard the first two paths, he had already guessed that this might be the third.

"These three paths correspond to different directions of development, but all of them are ways to shine for Konoha. All of them embody the Will of Fire. There is no distinction between high and low!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said, taking another two puffs from his pipe.

He really has quite the smoking habit! Jiogan could not help but complain inwardly.

"So, Jiogan, which path do you choose?" Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Jiogan.