Encountering Sasuke Again

Rasengan training was simpler than he had imagined. Perhaps because he was already an expert at manipulating chakra, he completed the basic Rasengan training in just a few days.

It was only when he tried to add the wind attribute afterward that he began to feel the pressure.

Wind Release: Big Ball Rasengan was a Senjutsu-level ninjutsu. Its power was so immense that few people or techniques in the entire Shinobi World could withstand it.

But actually mastering this technique was far more difficult than an ordinary Rasengan.

In truth, the Rasengan was already an S-rank ninjutsu. Even if it had been widely spread, there were not many in all of Konoha who could learn it. Kakashi could barely use it, but he used it terribly. It was nowhere near as useful as his own Raikiri.

The ones in all of Konoha who used it best were Jiraiya and the future Naruto.

Big Ball Rasengan was a step further beyond that. Its difficulty was at least SSS-rank. What Aoba wanted was not only to incorporate wind-nature transformation into it, but also to add Senjutsu Chakra. He wanted to create an overwhelmingly powerful ninjutsu capable of deciding a battle with a single blow.

At the very least, it had to be capable of flattening the Raikage head-on.

Secret experiments and ninjutsu training filled Aoba's days to the brim. Sometimes, even Kakashi found it hard to understand.

Aoba was already so powerful, yet he still worked with such near-madness.

"Don't tell me you really want to become Hokage?"

"Hehe, whether in terms of strength or popularity, I definitely have the qualifications to contend for the next Hokage. But listen to your tone, Kakashi. Deep down, you feel that I could never become Hokage, don't you?"

Sometimes, Kakashi found Aoba rather irritating, because Aoba always stabbed straight into the heart with a single sentence. Just like what he had said now—it was exactly what Kakashi had wanted to say deep down but did not know how to voice.

How could Aoba possibly become Hokage? He had absolutely no connection to the current Hokage faction. That alone made it impossible for him to take the position.

"Think whatever you want. I just feel that your ideas are somewhat different from those of the Hokage."

"No, Kakashi. My ideas are only different from those of the current Hokage. But don't forget, if I became Hokage, then my ideas would become the Hokage's ideas. Still, I can answer your original question now. I never intended to become Hokage."

Kakashi looked into Aoba's eyes, then nodded. Then, in a tone that was impossible to tell whether it held relief or disappointment, he said,

"I believe you."

"Is that so? I answered your question. Can you answer the question I asked earlier now?"

Kakashi looked slightly embarrassed. The question Aoba had asked earlier was what Konoha truly was.

Kakashi was not unintelligent; he could even be said to be highly intelligent. Naturally, he understood what Aoba meant. What Aoba was asking was whether the Hokage represented Konoha, or whether the common people at the bottom represented Konoha.

But he could not answer that question for the time being, because he could not figure it out.

Based on the education he had received, he should have said without hesitation that it was the Hokage. But emotionally, he felt that it should be the common people.

The two answers lingered in his mind, yet he could never reach the best conclusion.

"Looks like you still haven't figured it out. That's fine. Take your time and think about it. Oh, the New Year is coming soon. Three days from now, I invited Guy and the others to get together before the holiday. At the Akimichi family barbecue restaurant. Don't forget to come."

"Okay."

After returning home, Aoba burrowed into the laboratory once more. But this time, he did not continue advancing his previous research. Instead, he began fiddling with several small objects.

One day, while walking down the street, Aoba encountered a familiar figure. The other person's eyes lit up upon seeing him as well, but he hesitated, unsure how to greet him.

"Hey, Sasuke. Don't you recognize me?"

The little boy was Sasuke Uchiha. No matter what, the Sasuke Uchiha of this time was truly an innocent victim. In Aoba's eyes, he was merely a pitiful little boy.

However, there was a reason Sasuke Uchiha would later be called Uchiha Sasuke. This kid had a proud, tsundere personality. On top of that, he carried far too much on his shoulders. It had caused problems with his personality at such a young age.

In Aoba's view, Konoha's education was basically a pile of shit aside from being good at brainwashing. It showed no concern whatsoever for Sasuke's psychological problems. No wonder the boy later insisted on seeking out Orochimaru.

Konoha's teaching standards—or perhaps the arrangements of those higher up—simply made it impossible for his growth to satisfy himself.

Sasuke Uchiha had actually wanted to see Aoba again. Although he had only spoken with Aoba once, the tree-climbing and water-walking techniques he had learned from him were extremely practical skills.

He might have been tsundere, but he was not stupid. After practicing repeatedly, he immediately understood that these were highly important skills for a ninja.

After learning those two things, he wanted to continue studying under Aoba. But being naturally tsundere, he did not know how to ask.

Moreover, as a Jonin, Aoba often had to go on missions. Even when he returned to Konoha, he stayed cooped up in the laboratory conducting experiments. Sasuke could not even arrange a few chance encounters.

Recently, with the year-end approaching, Aoba had relaxed a little. Only then had Sasuke been able to run into him on the street. The two walked and chatted at the same time.

"Why aren't you at school... Ah, school's on break, right? I forgot about that. At your age, you should be spending more time playing with your friends."

"I know, but I don't have time. I need to become stronger. I need to..."

"You need to defeat that person. I know. But balancing work and rest is important too. And if I remember correctly, aside from defeating that person, you have another goal, right?"

"...Yes. I want to revive the Uchiha Clan."

Hearing those words come from the young Sasuke's mouth, Aoba did not find them amusing. Instead, he found them rather tragic.

Konoha, Danzo, Itachi Uchiha, Obito Uchiha—these people had jointly created that tragedy, yet all the consequences had been placed upon the child before him. Aoba could not even imagine how this boy fell asleep every night.

"Then do you know how to revive the Uchiha Clan?"

"Uh, as long as I become the strongest ninja, the Uchiha Clan's reputation will naturally be restored."

"Is that so? Is that what you think reviving the Uchiha Clan means?"

"Isn't it?"

"Hahaha, all right, Sasuke. Let me describe a situation. Think about it carefully. Suppose you accomplish your first goal and become a powerful ninja.

Then one day, you grow old and eventually die. What do you think will happen to the Uchiha name then?"

"...It will disappear!!!"