You'll Regret This, Hokage

"What... is that?"

From Kakashi's point of view, all he could see in the dim, pouring rain was a blue-white lightning bolt enveloping Akiyama Shun.

Frantic lightning burst wildly in every direction, flickering and flashing uncontrollably like a trapped beast. Now and then, several jagged chains of lightning ripped through the surrounding air.

The dancing electric light illuminated Akiyama Shun's face, casting shifting shadows across it.

The scene unfolding before him left Kakashi stunned. For a moment, he even forgot to channel chakra and form Hand Seals.

But even though Kakashi stood motionless, Akiyama Shun wasn't going to just stand there after using Chidori.

The next second, Akiyama Shun lowered his stance and moved.

He was already fast, and the speed boost from Lightning Release chakra activating his body after he used Chidori made him even more terrifyingly quick!

From Kakashi's perspective, Akiyama Shun had just lowered his stance—and in the next instant, he was right in front of him!

Still, Akiyama Shun hadn't come to kill Kakashi. He certainly wasn't about to turn him into a Konoha ghost.

From the moment he began his charge, Akiyama Shun had deliberately adjusted his angle.

Now, Akiyama Shun brushed right past the stunned Kakashi, Chidori's piercing shriek flashing by Kakashi's ear.

In the end, under Akiyama Shun's careful control, Chidori struck a tree a short distance behind Kakashi.

Against Chidori, the thick trunk was no different from paper. The instant Akiyama Shun hit it, the tree was effortlessly pierced by the jutsu's force!

"Phew."

Once Chidori faded, Akiyama Shun exhaled, pulled his arm free, and turned to look at Kakashi.

Kakashi sat on the ground with his back to him, panting heavily.

But after Akiyama Shun had both angered and frightened him earlier, at least his eyes no longer looked so lifeless.

Akiyama Shun first picked up the umbrella, then walked over to Kakashi.

"Looks like you're feeling a lot better after that fight. You'll have to work hard to get stronger, too, so you won't be faced with impossible choices in the future."

"Oh, and I won't be going back to school after this. I'm growing too slowly there, so I plan to apply for early graduation."

After saying that, Akiyama Shun patted Kakashi on the shoulder and left.

Only after Akiyama Shun had disappeared completely from view did Kakashi quietly get to his feet.

He brushed at the mud on his clothes, but when it wouldn't come off, he gave up and silently headed home.

The Hokage's office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had gained an even deeper understanding of just how wide the gap between geniuses could be.

Ever since Hatake Sakumo's suicide, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been worried about Kakashi, so he had kept an eye on him through the Crystal Ball. That meant he'd watched everything that happened after Akiyama Shun and Kakashi met.

The moment Akiyama Shun had used Chidori kept replaying in Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind.

As the Professor of Ninjutsu, he had absolute confidence in his understanding of ninjutsu. The jutsu Akiyama Shun had just used was definitely something he'd never seen before.

There was only one possibility: he had created it himself!

Just thinking of the words was enough to leave Sarutobi Hiruzen incredulous.

Many people were capable of creating their own jutsu, but most of what they came up with was of little use. Some techniques could barely even be called ninjutsu.

But Akiyama Shun's performance had been different.

With the discerning eye of a Professor of Ninjutsu, Sarutobi Hiruzen had immediately spotted Chidori's key features!

It was undoubtedly an A-rank jutsu!

It was fast and had immense penetrating power!

But its speed might make it difficult to change direction, and could make it hard to read an enemy's movements.

Still...

Thinking of Akiyama Shun's past performances, Sarutobi Hiruzen's serious expression suddenly gave way to a smile.

For that child, were those problems really problems?

As Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered, the door to the Hokage's office was shoved open with a bang.

"Danzo, what brings you here?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned at the way the other man had come in without knocking, but he still said nothing.

"Hiruzen, hand Akiyama Shun over to me after he graduates!"

Shimura Danzō came to the desk, braced both hands against it, and got straight to the point.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression gave nothing away as he listened to Shimura Danzō's request. He simply took a puff from his pipe. "I won't hand Akiyama Shun over to you. He isn't suited to your Root."

"No! You're wrong! He's the perfect fit for Root!"

As soon as Sarutobi Hiruzen finished speaking, Shimura Danzō raised his voice to object, his words coming faster and faster.

"You have no idea how perfectly that child fits Root! You already know how terrifying his talent is. If he trained according to Root's methods, he could realize the full extent of his potential! He'd be a fourth Sannin, alongside Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade! He might even surpass them!"

"Or take the jutsu he just used. Speed! Penetrating power! The first jutsu he created was this kind of extreme killing technique. How could he not be suited to Root? You think he's suited to Anbu instead?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes and exhaled a puff of smoke after hearing Danzō out.

"No, Danzō. It's precisely because of the child's talent that we can't send him to Root. His speed in learning Mystical Palm Technique shows that his talent isn't limited to combat—it's well-rounded. Root would only restrict his versatility and lower his ceiling!"

"Besides, that child's Will of Fire is practically perfect. It's not just what he wrote on the written exam; his actions speak for themselves. When Might Guy was being bullied, he stepped in to defend him. When Kakashi was in a bad mood, he comforted him in his own way. Even when an ordinary female classmate asked him to teach her Konoha Style Swordsmanship, he didn't refuse. He patiently taught her."

"A child like that absolutely isn't suited to Anbu. He belongs in the open, where the people around him will naturally feel his warmth. Whether it's his classmates, Yuhi Shinku, or... Tsunade."

Seeing the resolve in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes and hearing him bring up Tsunade, Shimura Danzō pulled his hands back from the desk and glared at Sarutobi Hiruzen through gritted teeth.

"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"

At those words, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally lost his temper completely. His immense chakra began to spill out, and his Hokage robe billowed in a windless room.

"Danzō, I'm the Hokage!"

"I'm the one who guides this village, not you!"

At the mention of "Hokage," memories of the past began to flood Shimura Danzō's mind. His expression darkened completely.

"Hmph!"

Shimura Danzō didn't bother arguing further. He turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

"Bang!"