First Day of School and Danzo's Recruitment

With the new semester beginning, classmates who had been apart for so long gathered once more, with endless topics to talk about. Over there, the little fatty Akimichi Todō was showing off the delicacies he had eaten a few days ago to Yamanaka Shinno and Nara Shikaji. Over here, Obito Uchiha and Kakashi had started arguing again.

When Taichi Matsushita entered the classroom, this was the "harmonious" scene he saw.

"Taiichi, I heard you interned at the hospital over summer break?" Guy was the first to spot Taiichi entering. He rushed over in a blaze of speed, then only belatedly asked.

Taiichi rolled his eyes. "You're probably the last person in the class to find out."

"Ah—how could that be? Everyone knows?" Guy looked utterly shocked. How was he the only one who hadn't heard?

At that moment, Rin Nohara, who had been busy trying to break up the fight, also noticed Taiichi. She forcibly dragged the still-arguing Kakashi and Obito over. "Taiichi, thank you so much for what happened at the hospital." She knew that with an injury like hers, if it hadn't been Taiichi, other doctors might not have used Ninjutsu to treat her. She would have suffered much more otherwise.

Kakashi and Obito, having come to their senses, also expressed their thanks.

"Haha, Rin, you're being too polite. We're friends. Even if it hadn't been at the hospital, I would've helped you." Taiichi was generous about it.

"By the way, how did everyone find out that I was interning? Even Director Fujita ended up getting involved later." Taiichi was puzzled as well.

Rin and Kakashi both turned to look at Obito at the same time.

"Ah—haha, I accidentally let it slip when I went out with everyone once. I didn't expect everyone to run to the hospital looking for you." Obito looked embarrassed.

Seeing Obito like this, Kakashi and Rin were both speechless. That had not been an accident at all. Obito had clearly blabbed while showing off. Of course, neither of them was going to expose him now.

"Fine." Taiichi did not care much. "By the way, Kakashi, Guy, let's go to the woods after school. I'll show you the results of my training lately."

"Sure, sure! Youth is all about constant challenges! My blood is boiling!" Guy said with tears in his eyes.

Just then, the class bell rang. The students gradually returned to their seats and began the first lesson of the new semester.

After school, in the woods.

A continuous series of cracking impacts echoed through the trees. Taiichi and the other two had agreed to spar here after school. At the moment, Taiichi was exchanging taijutsu blows with Guy while Kakashi watched from the side.

They had already exchanged dozens of moves. Taiichi realized that he was not the only one improving; Guy's progress had been remarkable as well.

After another exchange, the two stopped at the same time.

"Taiichi, you're amazing. I went through special training over the break, but I never expected you to match me evenly using only taijutsu." Guy said dejectedly.

Before Taiichi could comfort him, Guy's fighting spirit reignited. "This is youth! Never give up, and keep working hard!"

With that, he took off running, leaving only his voice drifting back from afar. "I'm going to train first! Today, I'm running ten laps around Konoha! If I can't finish, then..." His figure gradually disappeared into the distance. Taiichi and Kakashi both stared after him with dark expressions.

"Taiichi, do you need to rest for a while?" Kakashi asked as he slowly loosened up his limbs.

"Sure, give me a moment." Taiichi adjusted his breathing and slowly recovered the stamina he had spent fighting Guy.

Ten minutes later, the two stood facing each other. As a leaf drifted between them, Taiichi launched the first attack.

Taiichi charged straight at Kakashi, flicking out three shuriken along the way while drawing the short sword from his back with his other hand. Kakashi did not hesitate either. He drew his short sword, knocked away the incoming shuriken, and met Taiichi head-on.

Clang, clang, clang—the sound of colliding blades rang out without pause. In just four or five seconds, the two had exchanged more than a dozen slashes.

After several more moves, they passed each other. Taiichi seized the opportunity to form hand seals. "Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!" He spat out nearly thirty fireballs in one breath, sending them toward Kakashi from different directions.

Kakashi did not falter. His hands rapidly formed seals, then he slapped the ground. A wall of earth rose up—"Earth Style: Earth Style Wall!"

The incoming fireballs struck the earth wall one after another, producing booming explosions. Kakashi, who had been preparing the seals for his next Ninjutsu, sensed something was wrong. The explosions had already surpassed the usual twelve fireballs of Phoenix Sage Fire, and by far too much.

Before Kakashi could finish preparing his Ninjutsu, the earth wall could no longer withstand the bombardment and collapsed. The remaining fireballs continued rushing toward him.

Kakashi was caught completely off guard. Taiichi followed up with another "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" A fierce gale swept the earlier fireballs toward Kakashi, while Taiichi used the wind's momentum to rapidly close in.

After repeatedly evading, Kakashi barely endured the attacks from the two Ninjutsu, only to face Taiichi's close-range assault. This made it difficult for him to respond. Having lost the initiative, he could only defend continuously. After more than a dozen exchanges, he finally turned the disadvantage around through his greater familiarity with Hatake Style Kenjutsu.

Taiichi was not discouraged. Kakashi had a father who was a master swordsman to guide him, while he could only train hard on his own. Being able to fight Kakashi to this extent with swordsmanship alone already satisfied him.

Kakashi then went on the offensive, using Fire Style as well. However, he used the Great Fireball Technique. The fireball, over two meters tall, completely blocked Taiichi's vision. Kakashi took the opportunity to use the Clone Technique, then charged at Taiichi alongside his clone.

Taiichi did not panic in the face of the blazing fireball. He swiftly retreated to avoid it, and while his vision was obscured, he also used the Clone Technique. Once both sides had avoided the fireball, they were instantly dumbfounded. Two Kakashis faced two Taiichis. After briefly observing each other, both sides chose their targets and began fighting. With two pops, the clones dispersed one after another, while the originals continued their swordsmanship duel.

The battle continued until both had exhausted their chakra. Naturally, it ended in a draw.

The two sat on tree stumps after stopping, slowly recovering their chakra. The exhilarating match had left them both thoroughly satisfied, and they began telling each other about their experiences over the break.

When Kakashi learned that Taiichi had not only interned at the hospital but had also received guidance from the Sannin, he could not help sighing at Taiichi's good fortune. No wonder he had improved so much. Taiichi was now no weaker than him at all. Moreover, Kakashi was certain that Taiichi had not gone all out in their fight. He had only used two Ninjutsu at the beginning; afterward, he had relied entirely on swordsmanship to fight him...

The setting sun gradually lengthened their shadows. After resting, the two boys bid each other farewell and headed toward their respective homes.

As Taiichi passed through the bustling streets, fewer and fewer people appeared the closer he got to home. Eventually, there was not a single person left on the road. Taiichi sensed that something was wrong. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Three shuriken struck the ground before his feet, their kunai-like tips glinting with an ominous purple light.

"Not bad reflexes." Danzo stepped out from the shadows atop a wall. The sound of his cane striking the blue bricks seemed to freeze the air. Taiichi immediately formed hand seals, and three smoke bombs exploded in his palm. "Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire!" Sixteen fireballs pierced through the thick smoke, only to be swallowed by an Earth Style Wall that suddenly rose two meters before Danzo.

Amid scattering rubble, Taiichi drew his blade and leaped up. When his diagonal slash was blocked by the cane, he spun with the momentum and kicked toward Danzo's ribs. Chains suddenly shot from Danzo's sleeve, and the iron links grazed Taiichi's cheek before carving a deep pit into the wall.

"To last several moves against this old man." Danzo shook brick dust from the chains. "You're comparable to some Chunin."

Taiichi panted as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. More than half of his chakra had already been spent. He saw three Root ninja blocking the mouth of the alley, moonlight shining on their ferocious animal masks.

"Join Root, and you can receive real training." Danzo hooked up Taiichi's fallen short sword with the tip of his cane. "Medical Ninjutsu combined with assassination techniques would be quite something."

"I appreciate the offer." Taiichi secretly gathered chakra in his heels. "But the Ninja Academy's rules..."

"Those rules only bind the mediocre!" Danzo suddenly raised his voice, startling the crows beneath the eaves into flight. "Your blade should not be used to cut bandages!"

Taiichi took half a step back and stepped into a puddle. Danzo's sinister single eye was reflected in its surface. "Last time, Hokage-sama said..."

"Bang!" The cane smashed the puddle, and Danzo's face twisted amid the splashing water. "My Root exists specifically to train Anbu for the Hokage! Besides, should your talent be wasted in a sickroom?"

A chilling whirlwind swept through the alley. Taiichi gripped his sword hilt and met Danzo's gaze. "If Hokage-sama agrees, I'll report to Root tomorrow."

The air suddenly became so quiet that a pin could be heard dropping. Danzo's single eye narrowed into a slit, and he suddenly let out a cold laugh like a night owl. "Good... very good!" As he turned, his black robe billowed. A kunai grazed Taiichi's hair and embedded itself in the wall—a show of force and a warning.

The three Root ninja vanished along with Danzo. Taiichi leaned against the wall and slowly sat down. Today had truly been too thrilling. Moonlight illuminated a tattered Hokage Rock poster at the mouth of the alley, the stone face of the Third Hokage faintly visible in the night.

It seemed he would have to find the Hokage tomorrow. He did not know whether he would even get to meet him. If not, he would have to find Tsunade again, but he did not know where she had gone now. Taiichi had a headache just thinking about it.