Chapter 29: Genius!
Danzo had always coveted the position of Hokage.
The reason he had always believed he had a chance to become Hokage was because he controlled Konohagakure's Root.
Within Konohagakure, his authority was second only to the Third Hokage.
If the Third Hokage developed some powerful weapon, Danzo's voice in Konohagakure would drop drastically.
Of course, the reason Danzo thought this way was also because the Third Hokage had been too indecisive in the past.
In truth, with the Third Hokage's prestige and strength, if he truly resolved to eliminate Danzo, Danzo would have very little ability to resist.
Meanwhile, the Third Hokage and Kakashi arrived at Naruto's home.
Naruto hadn't been awakened by the disturbance outside. He was lying in bed, sleeping soundly.
Looking at Naruto's condition, the Third Hokage became completely certain that tonight's incident had absolutely nothing to do with Naruto.
After quietly leaving Naruto's house, the Third Hokage and Kakashi came to the back of the Hokage Rock.
Standing there and looking down over the whole of Konohagakure, the Third Hokage spoke in a low voice.
"Kakashi, that person is connected to you, isn't he?"
The Third Hokage's tone was calm, but Kakashi could hear the certainty in it.
Kakashi's heart jolted.
Kakashi's brief lapse made the Third Hokage even more certain.
In fact, only just now had it occurred to him that Kakashi had been somewhat different tonight from usual.
He had been too calm.
If something like this had happened before, Kakashi definitely wouldn't have been this composed.
So the Third Hokage guessed that it might have something to do with Kakashi.
"Kakashi, it seems you don't trust me."
The Third Hokage's voice sank.
Kakashi said nothing.
But remembering that Kakashi had once served in the Anbu, the Third Hokage could understand.
Back then, Kakashi had indeed learned too much about him.
The Third Hokage continued, "Kakashi, you should know that since I've already guessed it, you won't be able to keep it hidden for long."
"If it's someone who poses no threat to the village, I will definitely protect him, even though I don't want infighting within the village."
"But that doesn't mean I'll compromise without limits."
"As long as that person poses no threat to the village, I can guarantee his safety. Even against Danzo, I won't back down."
The Third Hokage turned to look at Kakashi.
His tone was stern.
Kakashi still didn't want to tell him.
But after hearing the Third Hokage's words, he knew that now that the old man had his eyes on him, Yoruha being exposed was only a matter of time.
Kakashi let out a sigh. "You really did notice."
The Third Hokage's gaze tightened. "So it really is someone from our village?"
Kakashi raised his head and nodded. "That's right."
"Before, I was worried about his safety. Right now, he still doesn't have the ability to protect himself."
The Third Hokage froze for a moment. "You mean the person who released a Ninjutsu that powerful still can't protect himself?"
He almost thought he'd misheard.
That technique just now was something even he couldn't achieve.
Kakashi nodded seriously. "That's right. The technique he used just now was actually the 'Chidori' I taught him."
"I just don't know what happened for it to produce such a terrifying effect."
The Third Hokage was stunned. "You're saying that technique just now was 'Chidori'?!"
If Kakashi hadn't said it himself, the Third Hokage never would have believed it.
Although Chidori was an A-rank Ninjutsu with tremendous killing power, it absolutely shouldn't have had that level of destructive force.
At most, it could pierce a boulder several meters wide.
But the technique just now had been enough to blast apart an entire mountain.
That was a Ninjutsu on the level of a Tailed Beast Ball, not something Chidori could compare to.
No matter how hard it was to believe, Kakashi still nodded.
"It was Chidori."
The Third Hokage was silent for a long time, unable to digest such bizarre information.
Only after quite a while did he speak again. "You mean you're teaching that person Ninjutsu?"
"Who exactly is it? Chidori is your exclusive secret technique. How could you teach it to someone else so casually?"
At present, Kakashi was the only person in all of Konohagakure who had mastered Chidori.
It was a Ninjutsu Kakashi had developed himself. If he didn't want to teach it, no one could force him.
Yet Kakashi had taught that person this technique, which was enough to show how important that person was to him.
More importantly, if Kakashi was teaching that person Ninjutsu, then that person absolutely couldn't be very old.
A genius!
That word instantly appeared in the Third Hokage's mind.
Someone so powerful, yet still so young—only a genius could be like that.
And the fact that this person had received Kakashi's direct instruction in a secret technique was enough to show that his character could be trusted.
After all, even if Kakashi didn't entirely trust him, the Third Hokage acknowledged Kakashi's loyalty to the village.
The Third Hokage was a little excited.
Konohagakure was currently in a difficult period between generations.
If there were someone who could take over his position, he would have retired early already.
Originally, Kakashi had been the one he was focused on grooming as the next Hokage.
That was also why Kakashi had become the Jonin instructor of Team 7.
Because Naruto and Sasuke were candidates for the generation after that—the Third Hokage's "next-next" Hokage candidates.
That was basically how the Hokage position was passed down; it was an open secret.
The higher-ups all knew it, and it was precisely for that reason that Danzo was so hostile toward Naruto and Sasuke.
Aside from the fact that Naruto was the Nine-Tails jinchūriki and Sasuke belonged to the Uchiha Clan, what Danzo cared about most was that the Third Hokage regarded the two of them as Hokage candidates.
Even while grooming two children, the Third Hokage had never considered him. Naturally, Danzo found Naruto and Sasuke unpleasant to look at.
But in truth, whether it was Kakashi, Naruto, or Sasuke, the Third Hokage wasn't entirely satisfied with any of them.
Kakashi was very strong, enough to contend with ordinary Kage-level opponents.
But his deterrence was too low, far from truly reaching Kage-level standards.
Naruto and Sasuke were both people he valued highly, but both of them had problems.
If Naruto still couldn't control Kurama in the future and couldn't become a perfect jinchūriki, then he was destined to have no chance at the seat of Hokage.
If Sasuke turned out like the other Uchiha Clan ninja and went mad when he grew up, then he also could never become Hokage.
And after the two of them grew up, both possibilities were highly likely.
The Third Hokage understood Kurama's power very well. It wasn't something so easy to control.
Sasuke's personality already had some issues now. If he grew up into someone with a temperament like Madara's, then he definitely wouldn't be suited to become Hokage either.
But these two were already the best among this generation.
Naruto might have been dead last at the Ninja Academy, but the Third Hokage knew very well that only after becoming a ninja would his true potential be awakened.
Still, if there were someone even more outstanding, the Third Hokage would absolutely include him among his choices.
Looking at the Third Hokage's serious expression, Kakashi thought for a moment and said, "One of Toichi's students."
The solemn Third Hokage paused.
"What did you say? One of Toichi's students?"
"Which one?"
"Yamada Juki or Tanako Hon?"
"Don't tell me it's Tanako Hon?"
The reason the Third Hokage was so certain was because although Tanako Hon wasn't from a ninja clan on her father's side, her mother was a pure-blooded member of the Senju Clan.
It was perfectly normal for Tanako Hon to have inherited the Senju Clan's genes.
After all, Naruto, the son of the civilian Minato and Kushina, had also inherited Kushina's Uzumaki Clan bloodline.
And the kind of Ninjutsu from just now required an immense amount of Chakra. The Senju Clan also possessed enormous Chakra reserves, which fit the conditions exactly.