That man standing before him was no ordinary jōnin.
He was Hatake Sakumo—the legendary genius who had risen to fame during the Second Great Ninja War, a shinobi whose name still echoed across the Five Great Nations. Even years after withdrawing from the battlefield, his reputation had not faded in the slightest.
He was known as the White Fang of Konoha.
A shinobi whose power had once overshadowed the Sannin themselves.
He was also the father of Hatake Kakashi, the future jōnin instructor of Uzumaki Naruto's Team Seven. But compared to Kakashi's later fame, Sakumo's legend was far more brutal, direct, and terrifying.
His strength was unquestionably Kage-level.
Even the "Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha" had once held him in the highest regard.
And now—
He stood here as Aomizu's examiner.
An Unexpected Examiner
"I didn't expect it to be you," Aomizu said, his eyes narrowing slightly in surprise. "To think the assessing jōnin would be Hatake Sakumo."
Given Sakumo's status, using him for a second-stage assessment was clearly excessive.
Aomizu immediately understood.
This must be Lord Third's arrangement.
At present, there were very few jōnin in Konoha qualified to evaluate him properly. Anyone weaker would only embarrass themselves.
And indeed—
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was watching everything unfold through the Telescope Technique, his expression calm but eyes filled with keen interest.
How far has this child grown?
"Hirakawa Qingshui," Sakumo said slowly, drawing his weapon. "The genius who rose to fame two years ago. I hope you won't disappoint me."
They were both shinobi of Konoha, yet they had barely interacted before.
This assessment marked their first true encounter.
The White Fang
Sakumo unsheathed the chakra short sword strapped across his back.
The blade gleamed white.
Its name was White Fang—the very origin of his title.
Hatake Sakumo's greatest weapon was not ninjutsu, nor genjutsu, but his perfectly refined swordsmanship.
Fast.
Precise.
Merciless.
A single flash of white light was often all it took to end a life.
His combat style bore a striking resemblance to another future legend—Minato Namikaze. Both were the type of shinobi who, when facing a weaker opponent, could kill in the instant their gazes met.
They were living weapons.
Battlefield executioners.
And yet—
Aomizu felt no fear.
On the contrary, excitement surged through his veins.
So this is the White Fang…
He wanted to know the answer to a single question.
Without using the Rinnegan—who is stronger?
Aomizu drew his own ninja sword and took a stance.
"Please teach me," he said sincerely.
Before the words had even fully left his mouth—
He moved.
First Clash
Chakra exploded beneath Aomizu's feet.
Using the Body Flicker Technique, he vanished.
In an instant, he appeared behind Sakumo Hatake, blade flashing toward the man's back.
Compared to two years ago, Aomizu's speed had increased dramatically.
Against an ordinary jōnin, this strike would have ended the battle before it even began.
Clang!
Sakumo reacted.
His sword moved in a perfect horizontal arc, blocking the attack with surgical precision.
"Good speed," Sakumo said, genuine surprise flashing across his face.
That alone spoke volumes.
Hatake Swordsmanship was renowned for its speed—yet Aomizu's movement had nearly surpassed it.
This was astonishing.
After all, Aomizu was known primarily for three things:
His monstrous chakra reserves
His talent for creating ninjutsu
His ability to perform Water Release with a single hand seal
For a ninjutsu-focused shinobi to suddenly display swordsmanship and speed that even Hatake Sakumo could not ignore—
It shattered expectations.
Sakumo's interest deepened.
White Fang's Counterattack
Shing!
The sound of air being sliced apart rang out.
Sakumo counterattacked instantly.
The White Fang glowed with brilliant chakra, slashing forward at a speed that defied human perception.
This was his signature technique.
Simple.
Deadly.
Among jōnin, countless lives had ended under this single strike.
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen leaned forward slightly.
Aomizu… how will you respond?
The speed was terrifying.
Even with his enhanced perception, Aomizu saw little more than a streak of white light rushing toward him.
At the critical moment—
A Rasengan formed in his palm.
Boom!
The spinning sphere of chakra collided directly with the White Fang.
The resulting explosion shook the ground, obliterating everything nearby. Trees snapped. Earth cracked. Dust and debris filled the air.
Both shinobi were forced to retreat.
When the smoke cleared, neither was injured.
They faced each other again, eyes sharp.
Mutual Recognition
"As expected of the White Fang of Konoha," Aomizu said sincerely. "Your reputation is well-deserved."
This was the first time he had truly witnessed Hatake Swordsmanship in its prime.
In the original timeline, Kakashi had inherited his father's skills—but after Sakumo's tragic death and Kakashi's emotional collapse, swordsmanship had been abandoned in favor of ninjutsu.
Seeing the true White Fang now—
It was awe-inspiring.
"You're impressive as well," Sakumo replied. "To react to my blade at that moment… few can."
His praise was genuine.
"But if you wish to pass," he continued calmly, "this is still not enough."
Hiruzen's earlier instructions echoed in Sakumo's mind.
Do not hold back.
Escalation
Aomizu's expression sharpened.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
With a single hand seal, a massive dragon of water surged forth, roaring as it charged.
But—
Slash!
The water dragon was severed in half by a single stroke.
In the next instant, Sakumo was already in front of Aomizu.
Once serious, Sakumo did not allow opponents the time to form hand seals.
Only techniques like the Rasengan could be used under such pressure.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Their blades collided again and again.
Steel screamed.
Sparks flew.
Aomizu supplemented his defense with Rasengan counters, forcing Sakumo to remain cautious.
Even Sakumo knew—
A direct hit from that technique would cause severe damage.
Suddenly, Sakumo vanished.
He reappeared behind Aomizu, blade raised for a killing blow.
But—
Aomizu reacted as if he had foreseen it.
He blocked with his sword and twisted his body, chakra flooding into his leg.
Then—
He kicked.
The Decisive Blow
The kick struck Sakumo's raised arm.
Crack!
Sakumo's expression changed instantly.
What terrifying power!
This was Super Strength—the technique inherited from Tsunade.
By concentrating chakra into the limbs, one could unleash devastating force.
Boulders shattered like paper.
Mountains trembled.
Bang!
Sakumo was sent flying.
He smashed through several trees before crashing into a massive rock, carving a deep crater into it.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His arm hung limp.
Even the White Fang could not withstand that blow unscathed.
A New Era
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in stunned silence.
"To think… even Sakumo was defeated."
He had believed Aomizu might win—but only after a brutal, drawn-out battle.
Not like this.
Not so decisively.
"Shodai-sama… Tobirama-sensei," Hiruzen murmured softly, gazing at the battlefield.
"It seems Konoha is about to give birth to another Hokage… one capable of rivaling the God of Shinobi himself."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)