Jiraiya: "Sensei, What About the Position of Fourth Hokage?"

"Is this the strength of the Ninja World's greatest taijutsu master?"

Masaichi rubbed his chest.

A's face reddened uncontrollably at Masaichi's words.

F-Father wasn't dead yet. It was still too soon to call him the Ninja World's greatest taijutsu master.

You bastard!

You really suited my taste!!

A hated being told to apologize. Even though Masaichi had been demanding that he apologize to Orochimaru, he forgot all about it because of that flattering praise.

After all, some people admired him, while others saw him as a terrifying monster. This was the first time anyone had called him the Ninja World's greatest taijutsu master.

"Come!" A did not mind showing off his muscles and demonstrating the strength of the Ninja World's greatest taijutsu master in front of so many people.

He held out his pinky at Masaichi. "Sorry, I don't have a smaller finger than this."

"Arika, isn't that the finger you usually use to dig out earwax?" Killer B's puzzled question made A's vanity soar. "No helping it. He's still a child."

"OH!!!" The Cloud Shinobi behind them erupted in cheers.

Masaichi: "?"

Everything he had done earlier was to buy time for his teacher.

But now, he was genuinely angry.

Who did you think you were? What were you putting on airs for?

The Konoha people were furious. If you had the guts, try soloing with your pinky against Konoha's strongest Jonin of the new generation, Minato Namikaze.

What kind of skill was bullying a child?

Unforgivable.

There was an age gap like a chasm between Masaichi and the current A. His body had not even fully developed yet.

So he could only be knocked down by A again and again.

Then he rose again and again, only to be knocked down again and again, like a war machine that never knew exhaustion.

"Why don't you run?" In the end, even A was moved, marveling at Masaichi's willpower.

"Apologize to my teacher."

"And what if I refuse?"

"I can fight you all day!" As the sun gradually set, its afterglow fell over him. Masaichi shakily raised his fists. His eyes had been beaten so badly that he could barely open them.

Everything was for his teacher.

Sensei! Hurry up!!

I really can't hold on much longer.

"Arika, just apologize to his teacher." At some point, Killer B had started biting a handkerchief. Little pearls of tears fell one by one. Oh! When he got back, he would write a song for Masaichi. This was the only Konoha person he admired.

Even Gyuki inside him was moved. What kind of creatures were humans? Could they truly die for their beliefs?

"Lord A, sob..." The Cloud Shinobi could not bear to watch this either.

"To protect his teacher, he burns with the will of youth! What should I do? Should I step in?!" In a corner of the Konoha group stood a man in a green bodysuit.

"Hey, Dai, you're just a Genin. This isn't a situation where you can step in. Don't make trouble." Stopped by his companions, the man named Dai could only watch Masaichi burn with determination and shed sweat through tears. This was youth...

At that moment, everyone's eyes were focused on A and Masaichi.

A was silent for a long time. Then he suddenly rushed forward and knocked Masaichi down with a punch. This time, Masaichi truly could not get back up.

If his companions had not stopped him, Dai would have really risked his life against A to protect that child's youth. Why? Why destroy a child's perseverance?

Masaichi lay on the ground, staring at the sky and gulping in air.

"Your name." A looked Masaichi straight in the face. That face, once known as the most handsome at the Konoha Ninja Academy, was now a complete mess.

"Masaichi."

"My goal is to surpass you."

"Hmph." A snorted, but inwardly, he acknowledged this future opponent.

When Orochimaru finally returned, dusty from the road, he saw Masaichi covering his eyes and crying loudly. "Sensei, I'll never lose again."

"Did you hear that, future Fourth Hokage?"

Orochimaru's toes curled in embarrassment. Hadn't he merely given Masaichi the order to hold back the A-B brothers?

Was it really that difficult?

"Sob, sob, sob." Yet so many people were moved by this awkward scene. Hidden Cloud Village and Konoha Village were both touched beyond measure.

"Orochimaru, you have a good student. It seems you aren't a coward after all." After laughing heartily, A withdrew his earlier words for Masaichi's sake.

"Let's go, B."

A had enjoyed today's fight. Masaichi had just happened to give him a warm-up, so when he got back, he would train properly with B.

Orochimaru had rented a plot of land to open a ranch, planning to produce large amounts of protein powder to strengthen Konoha's ninja forces.

But Konoha's cows produced very little milk.

So he set his sights on the dairy cows of the Land of Lightning.

During wartime, if he placed a large order for cows, they would either jack up the prices or cheat him with underweight, sick cattle.

Wouldn't it be better to just steal them?

So he gave Masaichi a strict order: he did not care about Konoha's casualty count. He only wanted Masaichi to keep the A-B brothers occupied so they would not discover anything when they returned.

Sure enough!

Masaichi had never disappointed him. Any task entrusted to him would definitely be completed perfectly.

Orochimaru's trust in Masaichi soared at that moment.

He counted the cattle his subordinates had driven back. If he stole a few more times, Konoha would never lack protein powder again.

Although Orochimaru loved research, he also understood one principle: the stronger Konoha became, the stronger his future laboratory would become. Whatever materials he needed, with a single order, Konoha's ninja could seize them for him.

Strengthening Konoha's ninja was urgent.

The first person he would strengthen was his most loyal student, Masaichi.

Outsiders did not know what Orochimaru and Masaichi had done. Since it was such a shady affair, neither of them could go shouting about it everywhere.

So! During this time of war, when the people of Konoha were anxious and unsettled, Hiruzen Sarutobi put Masaichi on the front page of the newspaper as an example to inspire children.

<What Has the Child With a Hokage's Mindset at Four Become Like Today?>

It clearly recorded Masaichi's actions that day, with some artistic embellishment added.

"Minato, this Masaichi is a lot like you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had rushed back to rest and praised the blond Jonin who had come to report his mission.

Their Hokage faction... truly produced talent after talent, every one of them respectful toward their teachers and elders.

It was rather irritating.

Maybe they took after him, the root of it all.

"What a good child, yet he ended up following Orochimaru. What a pity." Jiraiya, who had not even had time to remove his armor, immediately felt regret.

Although Orochimaru was his good brother, Jiraiya had never protected his own. Orochimaru's heart had gradually become more extreme over the years, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Maybe...

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya simultaneously thought of Little Orochimaru in his childhood, and Orochimaru as he was now, dark and gloomy.

One puffed out smoke, while the other beat his chest in grief.

"Old man, what do you think about the position of Fourth Hokage?" Jiraiya waggled his eyebrows at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Oh~~ I think Orochimaru would be quite suitable." Hiruzen Sarutobi deliberately drew out his words to scare Jiraiya.

"Don't do that. Didn't we agree?" Jiraiya plopped down on the Hokage's desk.

"That depends on your performance."

Minato looked completely bewildered, with a hint of innocent confusion. What were his teachers talking about, the Fourth Hokage?