The Third Hokage had seen Lei Dou's swordsmanship firsthand.
That unique breathing method, combined with his sword techniques, could let an ordinary Chunin unleash killing power on par with a Jonin.
Hiruzen would never hand something of such strategic value over to Danzo.
"Go back, Danzo. I will never let you get your hands on the Shimozuki clan's Water Breathing."
"Besides, it's pure swordsmanship, not ninjutsu. It falls outside your jurisdiction!"
Seeing how utterly unmoved Hiruzen Sarutobi was, Danzo's bandaged face twisted slightly.
With most of his face covered, the expression looked especially vicious.
"It's a killing art that even ninjutsu can't match! It requires no hand seals, and sword pressure alone can produce the effects of nature transformation!"
"Even those sword-swinging samurai in the Land of Iron can't achieve anything like that!"
"This has gone beyond swordsmanship. It's a weapon of war, Hiruzen!"
"Even so, I have no intention of forcibly requisitioning it." The Third's gaze remained calm, yet carried an unquestionable authority.
Seeing that the old monkey was determined to protect the boy, Danzo laughed in fury. "Fine. You're the Hokage. You call the shots!"
He spun around sharply, his black robe sweeping a fierce arc through the air.
After leaving the Hokage's office, Danzo stopped and looked back at the tightly shut door, as though he could see the weak old man inside through the wood.
"You're the Hokage, you call the shots... but with that softhearted foolishness of yours, you don't deserve to sit in that chair!"
Danzo had originally thought Hiruzen would confiscate the secret art for the village's "greater good," just as he always had.
Once the secret art entered the archives, it would be as good as Danzo's.
If the Shimozuki clan were ever "unfortunately" wiped out on a mission, this swordsmanship could legitimately be assigned to the new recruits trained by Root.
But now Hiruzen had actually changed his ways.
Sarutobi, since you refuse to take it, don't blame me for doing it myself!
Danzo vanished from the end of the corridor in an instant, leaving only a cold, sinister killing intent behind.
Inside the office, Hiruzen took out the document again, his gaze settling on Lei Dou's photograph.
"Lei Dou, your talent really is remarkable. Even an old fox like Danzo can't restrain his appetite anymore."
The Third stacked the other two files together, a sharp gleam flashing through his eyes.
"That old fellow won't let this go. Looks like I'll need someone reliable to keep a secret watch over these three youngsters."
Several figures appeared in the crystal ball. Hiruzen already had suitable candidates in mind.
At that very moment.
Lei Dou, blissfully unaware, had already returned to his warm bed and drifted contentedly off to sleep.
Water Release combined with Water Breathing-the power of this ninjutsu and taijutsu combination was even more explosive than he had imagined.
If Great Sage hadn't been running at full capacity to work out Ice Release, Lei Dou would have loved to develop a few more combos right away.
Going by the thirty-hour progress bar, he would have his third kekkei genkai when he woke up tomorrow morning.
Transparent Release, Boil Release, Ice Release-with such a luxurious lineup, he was practically unmatched across the entire Shinobi World.
Once Ice Release was finished, which kekkei genkai should he choose next?
In his sleep, Lei Dou adjusted his passive skill slots:
[Passive skill 1: Chakra Refinement (idle leveling)] [Passive skill 2: Advanced Taijutsu (physical enhancement)] [Passive skill 3: Basic Visual Genjutsu (mental defense)] [Passive skill 4: Water Breathing Swordsmanship (nurturing sword intent)]
He still had to go to school tomorrow and play the good student.
Early the next morning, sunlight spilled onto the bed through a gap in the curtains.
Lei Dou stretched, feeling that his chakra reserves had grown yet again, and his mood soared.
The physical boost from Advanced Taijutsu had practically instant results. His physical fitness had risen another level overnight.
Standing before the mirror, he examined his young but well-defined body, the outlines of his six-pack clearly visible.
This was hardly the physique of an elementary school student. He looked like a miniature muscleman.
He arrived at the Ninja Academy.
Lei Dou had just greeted Ino when he saw a shy, blushing Hinata approach.
"Lei Dou... g-good luck on tomorrow's exam!"
Lei Dou paused, then nodded instinctively. "Oh, thanks!"
Wait, an exam tomorrow? What exam?
"Lei Dou! You're feeling pretty confident about tomorrow's exam too, right?"
Naruto's trademark booming voice suddenly blasted beside his ear.
Lei Dou turned to the blond boy grinning foolishly at him. "What exam?"
"Huh? Are you still half asleep? Tomorrow's the graduation exam!"
The-graduation-exam?!
Wasn't there supposed to be another week? Why spring it on us all of a sudden?
Seeing Lei Dou's bewildered expression, Naruto instantly felt a huge weight lift from his chest.
So I'm not the only one panicking. Even the top student didn't know about it. Great!
"You actually got the date wrong! Guess you haven't done much reviewing either!"
"Hahaha! Now I can relax. Someone's joining me at the bottom!"
Naruto gloated, laughing so hard his eyes narrowed to slits.
Lei Dou rolled his eyes irritably.
In the past, a surprise like this really would have sent him into a panic.
But things were different now. He had three mighty kekkei genkai in his cheat-powered arsenal. A mere Three Body Technique exam? He could pass it with his eyes closed.
Even setting everything else aside, Lei Dou now had seven times as much chakra as Naruto, the so-called jinchūriki.
Did he even need to prepare?
"Even without reviewing, passing the exam will be a breeze. What about you, Naruto? Are you confident?"
Naruto's smile froze instantly, and he deflated like a punctured ball.
Lei Dou never talked big. If he said he was confident, then he really had it in the bag.
Doesn't that mean... I'll be the only one who can't graduate?
Naruto's face visibly turned a dark, purplish red.
At the back of the classroom, Shikamaru lay slumped over his desk and shook his head speechlessly. Had these naive fools forgotten that this kid had single-handedly taken on more than a hundred ninja not long ago?
And they were worried he wouldn't graduate? They were fretting over something the person involved wasn't worried about at all.
"You're so strong, Lei Dou. You'll definitely be fine! We should get assigned to the same team and go on missions together!"
Ino cupped her face in both hands, gazing at Lei Dou with stars in her eyes.
Going on missions together would be fine, but being assigned to the same team was out of the question.
Ino-Shika-Cho was Konoha's iron triangle, an unshakable combination bound by political alliances. How could they possibly split it up?
As for joining the main cast's team? A small, minor clan like the Shimozuki would most likely get assigned to some background-extra squad.
The dismissal bell rang.
Though Lei Dou was a little puzzled about the exam being moved up, he didn't dwell on it.
He was just about to go home and keep quietly building his strength when Naruto blocked his path for once.
Normally, the two went their separate ways after school. One lived in a bustling district and the other in the slums, so their routes didn't overlap at all.
"Lei Dou!"
"I need your help!"
Huh?
Lei Dou looked in confusion at the boy before him, who seemed desperate enough to cry.
"Help with what? Writing your last will?"
Without another word, Naruto grabbed Lei Dou's arm and dragged him in the opposite direction. "I'll explain on the way. I'll treat you to something good!"
A treat?
Had the sun risen in the west? Naruto's wallet was emptier than empty. He normally agonized over buying instant noodles, and now he was willing to treat someone?
Ichiraku Ramen.
The piping-hot steam warmed his face as Lei Dou stared at the deluxe ramen piled like a small mountain before him. The chashu pork was almost spilling out.
"Thanks, boss!"
Teuchi gave Lei Dou a warm, honest smile. "Dig in. Any friend of Naruto's is an honored guest."
The man's kindness toward Naruto was beyond reproach. He practically treated him like his own son.
Naruto pressed his palms together and shouted excitedly, "Let's eat!"
Looking at the bowl of noodles, Lei Dou felt rather moved himself.
If you lived in the Naruto world and had never eaten Ichiraku Ramen, you'd be embarrassed to call yourself a powerhouse.
These noodles had been made by the legendary "Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku" himself!
Lei Dou didn't stand on ceremony either and began slurping away.
Halfway through, he couldn't resist asking, "Come on, Naruto. Why are you suddenly being so generous today? Want to borrow money?"
"If I can help, I'll do my best."
Lei Dou hadn't spoken loudly, but Teuchi and Ayame, who were pretending to wipe tables nearby, both pricked up their ears.
Naruto put down his chopsticks and wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, his eyes full of sincerity.
"Thanks, Lei Dou! Actually... I'm worried about tomorrow's exam!"
"You said you were confident, and I can tell too. You've gotten really strong lately, almost like you're a completely different person!"
By this point, Lei Dou had pretty much guessed what the boy wanted.
"We used to be the bottom two. Now you've suddenly shot ahead, and I'm the only one still floundering in the mud..."
Naruto clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. "I want to ask you how I can get strong like you! I want to graduate too!"
Sure enough, he had come looking for lessons.
Lei Dou set down his chopsticks and looked into Naruto's clear blue eyes. "Getting stronger isn't something I can explain in a few words. But... if you just want to pass tomorrow's exam, I do have a shortcut."
The first half made Naruto's eyes dim. The second brought him straight back to life.
"R-really?!"
Lei Dou pointed to the empty bowl. "For the sake of this ramen you bought me."
"Boss, get him another extra-large bowl! Don't skimp on the meat!"
Before Teuchi could reply, Lei Dou quickly waved his hands. "I'm done. Give it to him instead. I'm full!"
Teuchi smiled so broadly his eyes disappeared. "Coming right up! This one's on me. Good luck on your exam!"
Was this the protagonist's halo?
Everywhere he went, someone offered an assist.
"Hurry up and eat. You need a full stomach for special training!"
"Whether you can turn things around tonight depends on these next few hours!"
Hearing that he had a chance, Naruto became so fired up that he slurped the whole bowl down in a few mouthfuls, even draining every drop of broth.
The two arrived at the lakeside deep within the park. Everything around them was quiet.
Naruto looked at Lei Dou expectantly. "Teacher Lei Dou, what ultimate move are we practicing?"
Lei Dou cleared his throat. "Tomorrow's exam will just test one of the Three Body Technique skills at random."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
"I'm doomed, I'm doomed! I'm okay at the Transformation Technique and Substitution Technique, but that Clone Technique fails every single time I practice it..." Naruto's face turned green.
Lei Dou gave a mysterious smile. "That's why tonight, I'm not teaching you the ordinary Clone Technique. I'm teaching you a technique that'll scare the examiner out of his wits."
"This technique is called-the Shadow Clone Technique!"
For someone like Naruto, who had more chakra than he knew what to do with, the ordinary Clone Technique required a level of precise chakra control that was simply too difficult.
By contrast, the straightforward Shadow Clone Technique, which let him pour in as much chakra as he had, was practically tailor-made for him.
"Remember the hand seal sequence?"
"Send your chakra surging along the route I just told you!"
"Remember one thing: don't hold back. Use everything you've got. The more clones, the better!"
Like a strict coach, Lei Dou stood beside him and guided him step by step.
Though Naruto wasn't particularly quick-witted, his instincts when it came to actually performing ninjutsu were astonishing.
"All right! Watch this!"
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
BOOM!!!
A thunderous blast rang out, and clouds of white smoke instantly erupted across the lake.
When the smoke cleared, the entire park was packed with orange-clad Narutos-at least a thousand of them!
The spectacular sight stunned even Naruto himself.
One second, two seconds...
He stood dumbstruck for more than ten seconds before finally coming to his senses, wild joy flooding his heart.
"Lei Dou! I did it! I can make clones too! Look, look!"
"With this move, tomorrow's exam will be a total cakewalk!"
Lei Dou nodded calmly. "All right, dismiss your clones. Save some energy."
Naruto howled with excitement and rushed over, trying to sweep Lei Dou into a bear hug.
"Lei Dou, you're incredible! From now on, you're my big brother!"
"I'll pay for tomorrow's ramen... uh, looks like I'm out of money..."
Naruto felt his deflated frog wallet, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Lei Dou smiled. "Forget the ramen. Come over to my place after the exam tomorrow and help me give it a thorough cleaning. Consider that repayment."
"No problem! Leave it to me!"
Just as the two were basking in their joy, Lei Dou's brow suddenly twitched.
A sharp wave of killing intent instantly locked onto them.
The next second, a dark figure appeared before Lei Dou like a phantom.
The Body Flicker Technique?
So fast!
Lei Dou's body reacted faster than his mind. He instinctively sprang backward, narrowly avoiding the kunai slashing toward his throat.
Only after putting five or six meters between them did Lei Dou get a clear look at the newcomer.
Dressed entirely in black, with a covered face-the classic assassin's outfit.
Before Lei Dou could speak, the figure in black struck the back of Naruto's neck with a backhanded chop.
Naruto's eyes rolled back, and he passed out without so much as a grunt.
The figure in black slung Naruto over one shoulder, formed hand seals with one hand, and flickered out of sight again, vanishing on the spot.
Kidnapping the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?!
At a time like this? Why had I never heard of this plotline?
Who had the nerve to pull something like this in the heart of Konoha?
Lei Dou had no time to dwell on it. Saving Naruto came first!
"Water Release: Water Body Flicker!"
He formed hand seals with one hand, and his body instantly transformed into countless jets of water that shot skyward, tracing sparkling trails through the air.
He raced straight in the direction where the figure in black had vanished.
The next second, Lei Dou's body coalesced on a rooftop. The kidnapper carrying Naruto glanced back, eyes filled with shock.