Konoha: Starting with the Tenseigan, Taking Charge of Team 7

And Cangyue?

Cangyue called the Third Hokage an old dog!

Was that what respecting your elders meant?

"How should I put it? He was probably incredibly strong. After all, he was the strongest Ninja when he was young," Aogetsu Hyuga answered honestly.

The Third Hokage had indeed been powerful in his youth—the strongest Ninja in the Entire Shinobi World, the pinnacle of what a "civilian" Ninja could achieve!

Of course.

The Third Hokage's claim to being the strongest only applied to civilian Ninja: those without a Kekkei Genkai.

As for now?

The Third Hokage was nearly at death's door. His overall strength barely reached Weak Kage Level.

Sasuke Uchiha got straight to the point. "Who's stronger, you or the Third Hokage?"

He wanted to know how strong Aogetsu Hyuga was.

Was Their Training Climbing Trees?

Sakura Haruno bowed slightly and apologized like a model student. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cangyue. Sasuke's question was rude."

The Third Hokage was the village's current Hokage.

Cangyue was Team 7's teacher.

Asking Cangyue who was stronger than the Third Hokage while they were in the village really was rude. But Sasuke had asked, so it had nothing to do with Sakura Haruno.

Yes!

Good question, Sasuke!

Naruto Uzumaki glared at Sasuke and scolded him. "Sasuke, that's going too far! Grandpa Third is the Hokage—the greatest Ninja in the whole village!"

He respected the Third Hokage deeply. To him, the Third Hokage was the greatest Ninja in the village, perhaps even in the Entire Shinobi World!

The Third Hokage had also played a huge part in inspiring his dream of becoming Hokage.

"Please answer me, Mr. Cangyue." Ignoring Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha stared coldly at Cangyue.

"Who's stronger? Hard to say. If the old man were as strong as he was in his youth, he'd probably be pretty troublesome. It's hard to be certain about something I haven't experienced." Aogetsu Hyuga pinched his chin and sucked on his Lollipop as he considered the question seriously.

He had never fought the Third Hokage, and he rarely drew conclusions about things he had not experienced. Besides, the Third Hokage seemed to have been quite formidable when he was young.

His Summoning Animal was especially troublesome.

Sasuke Uchiha asked, "Would you lose?"

Aogetsu Hyuga answered without a moment's hesitation, his voice firm. "I'd win."

They had never fought, so he could not say for certain who was stronger.

But he, Aogetsu Hyuga, would definitely win.

Forget the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, a devastating move capable of slicing through the moon. If the Third Hokage could withstand a single Super Chibaku Tensei, Cangyue would count it as the Third Hokage's victory.

The threshold of the Six Paths and Weak Kage Level were worlds apart!

"Mr. Cangyue... would win?"

Everyone on Team 7 froze. They could tell Aogetsu Hyuga had taken the question seriously, and his answer had been utterly certain.

Aogetsu Hyuga would win against the Third Hokage himself?

No way!

Was he really that strong?

Maybe...

Maybe Team 7 had struck gold. Maybe they'd been given an incredibly powerful Ninja as their teacher.

"If you'd win, why be so mysterious about it?" Sakura Haruno complained. From what Mr. Cangyue had said earlier, she had thought he would lose.

"Adults are careful about what they say. Remember this, you little brats: don't jump to conclusions about things you haven't experienced," Aogetsu Hyuga said. "Whatever you encounter, experience it, see it for yourself, and then think it through."

Naruto Uzumaki clasped his hands behind his head and kicked a small stone beside him. "Tch. Grandpa Third is really strong!"

He truly respected the Third Hokage from the bottom of his heart.

"It's fine, it's fine. One day you'll understand how great Mr. Cangyue is." Aogetsu Hyuga waved a hand, no longer interested in discussing it.

Man.

That old dog really was good at brainwashing the Nine-Tails brat.

"Back to the point. Once you can control your Chakra perfectly, all your techniques will become much more powerful. That's what I was demonstrating with the Fireball Jutsu earlier." Aogetsu Hyuga clapped his hands, steering the conversation back to training.

He had deliberately used the Fireball Jutsu to set this up. He wanted everyone on Team 7 interested enough to give their all to Tree-Climbing Training.

Sasuke Uchiha asked, puzzled, "Once I can control my Chakra, will my Fireball Jutsu be as powerful as yours... as yours is, Mr. Cangyue?"

"Probably not, but you'll get stronger." Aogetsu Hyuga smiled faintly, a hint of mockery in his voice. "There's no need to compare yourself to me. Pick someone weaker—Uchiha Itachi, for instance. That little bastard."

"Mr. Cangyue, are you saying that if I can control my Chakra freely, I'll be able to defeat that man?" Sasuke Uchiha asked, his emotions surging.

"That's right. Chakra control is the foundation of everything. It'll make it easier for you to gain power later," Aogetsu Hyuga said.

"Uchiha Itachi...!" Sasuke Uchiha's face darkened. He clenched his fists, hatred filling his eyes. He was more excited than he had ever been.

Finally... I can finally gain power!

Controlling Chakra was only the foundation, but that was enough to excite him.

Because he could finally see a path to gaining power!

"Sasuke..." Sakura Haruno looked worried. In this state, Sasuke Uchiha felt like a stranger to her.

"And you, brat. Before you can become Hokage, you need to master Chakra control," Aogetsu Hyuga said, glancing at Naruto.

Naruto Uzumaki flashed a bright smile and punched one fist into his palm. "Yeah! Don't worry, Mr. Cangyue. I'll definitely learn to control my Chakra, and then I'll become Hokage. Just watch!"

Whenever something had to do with becoming Hokage, he worked many times harder than usual!

"Flat-chested brat, you'd better work hard too. If that idiot Naruto overtakes you, I might laugh so hard my stomach hurts," Aogetsu Hyuga said.

"Getting overtaken by Naruto..." Sakura Haruno felt embarrassed just thinking about it.

Aogetsu Hyuga chuckled to himself.

They're kids after all. Too easy to motivate.

At their current pace, Naruto and Sasuke should learn to climb trees faster than he had expected.

As for Sakura Haruno... she was pretty clever.

Sakura Haruno asked curiously, "Mr. Cangyue, how do we control our Chakra?"

"Practice is more effective than theory. First, you need to..." Aogetsu Hyuga walked to a large tree and tapped its trunk. "Climb a tree."

"Climb... a tree?"

Everyone on Team 7 stared at Cangyue, their faces stiff with disbelief. He had to be joking.

"Hey, Mr. Cangyue, are you messing with us?" Once Naruto Uzumaki recovered, he pointed at Aogetsu Hyuga and protested loudly. "It's just climbing a tree! I could reach the top when I was three!"

Climb a tree?

You've got to be kidding!

He, Naruto Uzumaki, could climb straight to the top of a tree when he was three!

"Impatient brat." Aogetsu Hyuga sighed and fixed the clowning Naruto Uzumaki with an impassive stare.

"Naruto, interrupt me again and I'll strip off your clothes and hang you at the village entrance, so everyone can admire that little worm of yours that hasn't finished growing," Aogetsu Hyuga said flatly.

Sakura Haruno's cheeks reddened slightly as she complained inwardly.

Bastard!

Cangyue, what are you saying? There's a girl here!

Pervert teacher!

Sasuke Uchiha turned his head away and gave a cold snort. "Little worm."

"Mmmph!" Naruto Uzumaki hurriedly covered his mouth and glared at Sasuke, his eyes blazing.

"As for climbing trees... just watch." With his hands in his pockets, Aogetsu Hyuga placed a foot against the trunk and walked up it step by step as though he were strolling across level ground, all the way to the top.

"He... he walked up it?" Naruto Uzumaki's eyes widened as he stared at Cangyue standing on the trunk.

"That's amazing!" Sakura Haruno exclaimed.

Sasuke Uchiha was a little surprised. Was this what controlling Chakra could do?

"There are two things you need to do." Aogetsu Hyuga leaped from the treetop and landed before Team 7, raising one finger. "First, feel your Chakra."

"Second, direct your Chakra into the soles of your feet," Aogetsu Hyuga said.

Team 7's Training: An Incredibly Powerful Technique?

"I've got it!" Naruto Uzumaki rubbed his nose and strode confidently up to the tree. He closed his eyes and formed Hand Seals, looking as though he knew exactly what he was doing.

Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha watched him in confusion, waiting to see him climb the tree.

Could Naruto...

Could the dead last...

"Just watch! Climbing a tree isn't hard!" Naruto Uzumaki planted a foot against the trunk and rushed upward.

He managed one step.

Thud! Naruto Uzumaki landed flat on his back with all four limbs in the air, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Aaah! That hurts! That hurts!" Naruto Uzumaki clutched the back of his head and rolled around on the ground in pain.

Everyone's lips twitched.

"Idiot." Sakura Haruno pressed a hand to her forehead. She could hardly bear to watch him.

"Complete moron." Even Sasuke Uchiha was speechless. For a moment, he had thought that dead last had figured out the trick to climbing trees.

Naruto Uzumaki snapped, "You can't climb it either, so who are you to laugh at me?"

"I'm from the Uchiha Clan. Don't compare me to a dead last like you." Sasuke Uchiha walked to the tree with his hands in his pockets and placed a foot against the trunk. A moment later, his face reddened slightly, and he quietly pulled his foot back.

How was he supposed to climb it?

If he had kept going, he would probably have fallen flat on his back and made a fool of himself, just like that idiot Naruto.

"What's this? Why has our great genius pulled his foot back? How strange." Aogetsu Hyuga covered his mouth and snickered. "Pfft. That's hilarious."

Naruto Uzumaki pointed at Sasuke and laughed, clutching his stomach. "Hahaha! You can't do it either, stuck-up Sasuke!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke Uchiha growled. His hands clenched into fists inside his pockets, and he lowered his head until his dark hair hid his eyes. No one could see his expression, but they could see how red his face was.

"Oh? Why is your face so red? Don't be shy," Aogetsu Hyuga teased.

He rather enjoyed watching a self-important genius make a fool of himself.

Sakura Haruno ignored them, pinching her chin as she considered what Aogetsu Hyuga had said.

Feel the Chakra, then direct it into the soles of my feet.

Sakura Haruno looked down at her pale toes and fell deep into thought.

How do I direct Chakra into the soles of my feet?

"Dismissed. You're free until tomorrow. Eat, sleep, train hard—do whatever you want," Aogetsu Hyuga said. "Team 7 has a mission tomorrow. In any case, all of you need to complete Tree-Climbing Training within three days."

"Awesome! I can finally eat!" Naruto Uzumaki cheered. The moment he heard they were dismissed, he forgot about training and decided to go devour a few bowls of Ramen.

He couldn't help it. He had been hungry all day.

Sasuke and Sakura also breathed a sigh of relief. They were exhausted.

"Anyone who finishes this training can move on to the next stage. That means you'll get to learn an incredibly powerful technique before the others," Aogetsu Hyuga added, dangling a reward before them.

"An incredibly powerful technique?"

Everyone on Team 7 looked puzzled.

"Incredibly powerful!" Aogetsu Hyuga deliberately drew out the words. He had not decided what technique to teach Team 7 yet. For now, he just needed a reward to motivate them to finish the Mentor-Disciple System's task sooner.