Whoosh!
The blade fell, but Natsuhiko struck nothing but air.
Minato Namikaze, who had been standing before him, had already disappeared without a trace.
However, Natsuhiko showed no reaction. He slowly lowered his ninja blade and looked to the side.
Minato was standing on the branch of a large tree, watching him.
There was a hint of gratification in Minato's gaze, but also a touch of disbelief.
The gratification came naturally from seeing how well Natsuhiko had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique. After all, Minato himself had played a role in teaching Natsuhiko this technique.
Watching someone take what you've taught them, fully integrate it, and display it effectively in battle—
That kind of accomplishment naturally made Minato very happy and proud.
But what truly surprised him was just how proficient Natsuhiko had become with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Minato had already realized when Natsuhiko had placed the mark on him.
And precisely because he knew, he found it even more unbelievable.
It had happened after Minato placed a mark on Natsuhiko—at the instant Natsuhiko's attack connected with him!
Minato had indeed dodged that punch, but at the same time, Natsuhiko had also undeniably touched him.
They had been fighting for quite a while, and after Natsuhiko activated Sage Mode, the number of times they truly made physical contact with each other could be counted on one hand.
Both of them had extremely fast reactions, and they were also exceptionally good at protecting themselves.
The reason Minato could seize such opportunities so easily was because his mastery of Flying Thunder God had reached the pinnacle.
In the original story, when Kakashi first used Chidori in real combat, Minato effortlessly performed a similar feat—saving Kakashi while simultaneously leaving a marking on the enemy in an instant.
But how long had Natsuhiko been learning Flying Thunder God?
How long had he even known the technique?
Minato had personally witnessed Natsuhiko learn sealing techniques, and he had even seen the first time he used the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Back then, Natsuhiko's opponent had been very strong.
However, that opponent specialized in taijutsu, which meant Natsuhiko had plenty of time to prepare.
But today was completely different.
Neither of them knew when they would truly manage to catch the other.
And yet, at such a critical moment, Natsuhiko had seized the opportunity—and had done so without even giving Minato, a master of Flying Thunder God, much chance to notice.
At this point, it almost seemed like something beyond mere talent.
Yet Minato could only attribute it to talent.
Otherwise, he couldn't find any explanation.
Could it be that someone had been secretly helping him train?
Or perhaps this boy could master any technique the moment he came into contact with it?
Shaking his head, Minato felt that his thoughts were becoming more and more ridiculous.
Even if the Sage of Six Paths himself were alive, he might not be able to do something like that.
"Truly impressive," Minato said, looking at Natsuhiko in the distance, his tone filled with admiration.
"I never expected that Natsuhiko-kun's mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique had already reached this level."
"Without Hokage-sama's guidance, I wouldn't be who I am now."
Natsuhiko bowed slightly with great respect.
When it came to Flying Thunder God, he truly meant what he said.
If Minato Namikaze hadn't personally taught him, he would never have progressed so quickly.
Of course, Natsuhiko knew that the one he should truly thank was his cheat ability (system).
But a cheat wasn't a person, and it certainly didn't have feelings.
Most importantly, his cheat ability (system) had no way of communicating with him at all.
"This is your own talent. I didn't actually help you that much."
Minato Namikaze lowered the kunai in his hand. He could feel the sincerity in Natsuhiko's tone, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Seeing Minato's action, Natsuhiko also decisively sheathed his ninja blade. It was clear that Minato didn't intend to continue the fight.
In truth, the battle had already gone far enough.
Through this fight, Natsuhiko had also gained a clear understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.
His overall strength was indeed considerable, but compared to true top-tier experts, there was still a significant gap.
After all, although Natsuhiko had once toyed with Kakuzu and later managed to escape from Sasori, he understood something very clearly:
Neither of them had actually fought him seriously, and more importantly, they didn't know anything about his abilities.
For a ninja, intelligence gathering had always been extremely important.
Given how limited a ninja's defensive capabilities were, once you understood your opponent's abilities and discovered their weaknesses—
Even if you were weaker, with careful planning you could still eliminate them.
Natsuhiko often wondered: If Jiraiya had known the secrets of Nagato's Rinnegan before their battle, could he have ended the cycle of student killing master? He suspected Jiraiya would have had a massive chance—after all, his clone (Kashin Koji) later managed to push Jigen to his absolute limits.
Minato, however, held the advantage of both superior stats and a partial understanding of Natsuhiko's cards, especially after Natsuhiko revealed Sage Mode. Under these conditions, Natsuhiko was satisfied with the outcome.
And it's probably for the best we stop now.
After sheathing his blade, Natsuhiko glanced around.
The ground was full of craters and scars, and broken branches were scattered everywhere. Before long, the ANBU would probably arrive to investigate.
Although Natsuhiko himself was an ANBU member, and Minato was the Hokage, neither of them wanted this battle to be noticed by everyone.
"It's late. Let's call it a night," Minato nodded lightly to Natsuhiko. "Although there's not much I can do, I still hope you truly become the Division Commander."
"I hope so as well," Natsuhiko once again showed his gentle smile. "Although it's a little regrettable, I respect Hokage-sama's decision."
Hearing this, Minato sighed softly.
The smile on his face gradually faded, and his expression became somewhat serious.
But the seriousness didn't last long.
Soon it was replaced with a look of helplessness and a bitter smile.
"Perhaps Natsuhiko-kun still blames me for not making the decision directly, doesn't he?"
Minato said quietly.
He lifted his gaze toward the silver moon in the sky, and his thoughts seemed to drift far away.
"In truth, I know that I could have used a stronger stance to ensure you obtained that position.
After all, I also know that being overly cautious and strictly following so-called rules—
Under normal circumstances, such behavior is understandable and even a good quality.
But at certain times, acting that way can cause great harm, both to the person making the decision and to those who follow them."
When Natsuhiko heard those words, cold sweat almost broke out on his back, because Hiruzen Sarutobi had once said something very similar—it had been his evaluation of Minato Namikaze.
However, Natsuhiko forced himself to remain calm and composed.
Even though he was somewhat uneasy now, panicking at a moment like this would definitely cause serious problems. It was better to wait and see what Minato actually intended to say.
"However, the ANBU belongs to Konoha."
Minato withdrew his gaze and looked at Natsuhiko with a serious expression.
"It does not belong to me, nor does it belong to the Third Hokage.
The ANBU's duty is to protect Konoha, and the division commander is an important member of the ANBU.
I do not want an unqualified person sitting in a position they should not have.
This way of thinking may sound somewhat rigid and old-fashioned, but I always remember that I am a ninja of Konoha.
I am the Hokage of Konoha."
...
The Hokage of Konoha, huh?
Later that night, Natsuhiko lay on his bed, staring at the bright moon in the sky, thinking about the words Minato had spoken earlier.
They sounded simple.
Yet they were also deeply moving.
If he had to evaluate them, Natsuhiko would say they represented a great ideal—but also something a little naive.
Not allowing unfit people to sit in positions they shouldn't occupy…
Was something like that really possible in this world?
Natsuhiko shook his head. Personally, he didn't think it was very realistic.
In his previous life, he had read many interesting materials.
For example, in many Western countries, the people occupying important positions were often the result of political compromises and exchanges of interests.
Sometimes people were even placed in important positions to cover up mistakes, or deliberately assigned there so they could later be dealt with.
Natsuhiko once heard a classic joke:
A man who was highly skilled in agriculture was placed in charge of foreign affairs instead of working in the field he excelled at.
The reason was simple.
If he were allowed to work in the field he truly understood, he might discover a large number of problems he wasn't supposed to see, which could lead to serious trouble.
But if he were placed in a position like diplomacy—something he knew nothing about—then he wouldn't discover those problems.
And because he lacked expertise in that field, he would naturally make mistakes.
Once he made mistakes, dealing with him would become much more flexible.
If the situation wasn't serious, they could show magnanimity, forgive him, and gain his loyalty.
But if the problem became severe, they could simply push him out as the scapegoat, letting him take the blame.
"But someone who actually thinks like that—and truly tries to act on it—probably only exists in someone like Minato Namikaze."
Shaking his head, Natsuhiko stopped thinking about these matters.
Whether Minato had just taken office and his thinking hadn't yet changed…
Or whether he truly intended to stick to those ideals…
None of that was something Natsuhiko needed to worry about right now.
He still had something else to prepare.
He needed to carefully organize the report he would submit to Hiruzen Sarutobi, regarding the interaction between himself and Minato.
In truth, there wasn't much to select from, because Natsuhiko had already decided what to do.
He would remove any deeper conversations between himself and Minato.
If tonight's events hadn't happened, he might have considered demonstrating his value to Hiruzen by revealing some of the deeper discussions he had with Minato.
But now, he had decided that the relationship he would present to Hiruzen would simply look like a teacher–student relationship, one of instruction and learning.
Therefore, when preparing the materials, Natsuhiko would filter out quite a lot of information.
Everything else, however, he could honestly report to Hiruzen.
After all, none of it was particularly important.
At most, it involved Minato teaching him sealing techniques.
In addition, to make sure Hiruzen had nothing to criticize, Natsuhiko even planned to submit some of his own insights into the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Though… my Flying Thunder God Technique isn't something a normal person could learn."
After all, it was the system that helped him master it.
The most complete and original version of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Natsuhiko couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He was actually looking forward to seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi take the complete materials he provided and have someone try to learn from them.
If someone really managed to learn it, then Natsuhiko could only say that Tobirama Senju must have been reincarnated.
..
Early the next morning, Natsuhiko woke up very early.
However, he didn't go to the barracks of the division he belonged to. Instead, he stayed at home and quickly finished writing the materials he had prepared.
Today, he didn't need to rush to report in, because he had to go to ANBU headquarters to submit some documents regarding himself.
At the same time, he could take the opportunity to hand over the materials he had prepared for Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The documents he needed to prepare were actually quite simple.
The only troublesome part was his notes on the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He truly intended to submit them in full, but after thinking about it, he decided it would be better to cut out a few parts.
In any case, Natsuhiko didn't believe that anyone could actually learn the technique even if he submitted the full version.
If that was the case, then trimming a few parts probably wouldn't be noticed by Hiruzen and the others anyway. So why bother writing it out in such painstaking detail?
After everything was ready, he set out and went directly to ANBU headquarters.
For the sake of convenience in both missions and management, each ANBU Division was stationed in different locations.
Those who remained at headquarters were mostly reserve members, along with administrative, intelligence, and other departments.
However, every division base was still located relatively close to headquarters.
This ensured that whenever there was an important meeting or mission, they could arrive immediately.
Wearing his mask and keeping his head lowered, Natsuhiko silently walked deeper into the facility.
Along the way, several ANBU members noticed him, and some stepped forward to conduct inspections.
But Natsuhiko was a legitimate ANBU operative, so he naturally had the proper passes and identification.
Without much difficulty, he entered the core area of the ANBU, and under supervision, he eventually arrived at the Commander's office.
Natsuhiko was well aware that such surveillance was completely normal.
Strictly speaking, this level of monitoring was nothing unusual.
In fact, from the moment he stepped into the Commander's office, he could already sense even more eyes watching him.
"It's you—Nightingale?"
Murashima Takumi was already inside the office. After just one glance, he immediately recognized Natsuhiko.
"Here to submit your report?"
"Yes. In addition to my own report, I also have another document. I hope the Commander can pass it along to the Hokage."
Natsuhiko bowed slightly.
Then he placed one report on the desk while handing another document directly to Murashima Takumi.
"Thank you for your trouble, Commander."
A report for the Hokage?
Murashima Takumi stared at Natsuhiko for a moment.
Then, without even looking at the document, he simply lowered his head again and continued handling his own work.
He had no intention of accepting the file that Natsuhiko offered.
This action made Natsuhiko frown slightly.
He didn't understand what the man meant by this.
Was he deliberately making things difficult and putting on airs?
Or had Hiruzen not informed him, and he simply didn't trust Natsuhiko at all?
"If the document is meant for the Hokage, then you should deliver it yourself."
Murashima Takumi spoke slowly without even lifting his head.
His voice was calm and cold—like ice—making it unsettling to hear.
"I have not received any orders to deliver documents on your behalf. Therefore, I will absolutely not do such a thing. Do you understand?"
"Commander, what I meant was to deliver this document to the Third Hokage."
Natsuhiko frowned slightly and spoke again.
"Was my statement not clear enough?"
This time, Murashima Takumi finally raised his head and looked at Natsuhiko with an icy expression.
"Then I will say it again. I hope Captain Nightingale remembers this well.
I have received no such order.
Therefore, I will not deliver it for you."
No orders, so he refuses to act?
Natsuhiko stared at Murashima Takumi, and the look in his eyes gradually became strange.
Suddenly, he felt that something about Murashima Takumi was off.
Was this man truly this rigid and inflexible?