Chapter 35: Changing Faces Without Losing Points, Third Hokage, You Can Do That Too?
"Finally, a bit of peace!"
After tidying everything up, Byakuya finally had a chance to taste his Ichiraku Tonkotsu Ramen.
"Lord Byakuya, the Hokage-sama requests your presence!"
"Slap!"
Byakuya immediately slapped the table.
Does that old man, the Third Hokage, have a problem? I just want to eat my ramen in peace, can't even finish it properly.
Byakuya turned around displeased, and a head of purple hair came into view.
Can't deny it, it has a certain charm. Does purple have charm?
"Wait until I finish this bowl!"
Byakuya had been training at home for a full week. It wasn't easy to get out for a meal, and even that wasn't peaceful.
But the Anbu Ninja before him showed no intention of hurrying him at all.
So, under her watchful gaze, Byakuya finished his bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen.
Afterward, Byakuya casually took out ten thousand ryo and placed it on the table.
"Uncle Ichiraku, keep the change on my tab!"
Ever since he received that large sum of dirty money from Kado last time, the smallest denomination Byakuya carries now is ten thousand ryo.
Without giving Uncle Ichiraku time to react, Byakuya followed the purple-haired Anbu to the Hokage Building.
"By the way, you're Uzuki Yūgao, right?"
Byakuya's unexpected question caught the Anbu off guard.
"No!"
A crisp voice replied.
"I am Nightingale!!!"
Beneath the mask, no one knew what her reaction was.
"And you still say you're not Uzuki Yūgao!"
Byakuya originally knew very few people in the Anbu. The only ones he knew were Kakashi, Yamato, and Uzuki Yūgao.
That crisp voice, the familiar purple hair, and the name Nightingale.
How could she not be Uzuki Yūgao!
"You really got me, kid. We haven't met before, have we?"
After a long silence, Yūgao indirectly admitted her identity.
Faced with this handsome young man with black hair, black eyes, and delicate features,
Uzuki Yūgao couldn't figure out when they might have met.
"Haven't met doesn't mean I haven't heard of you."
"By the way, what does that old man, the Third Hokage, want with me?"
Uzuki Yūgao automatically filtered out the 'old man' part from earlier.
In all of Konoha, who would dare address the Third Hokage like that?
Only Byakuya, the top genius so highly valued by the Third Hokage, could shout it out like that.
"Forget it, looks like you don't know either!"
Seeing Uzuki Yūgao steadfastly adhering to the principle of'silence is golden,' Byakuya knew she was clueless.
No matter, he'd find out once he reached the Hokage Office.
Soon, under Uzuki Yūgao's guidance, Byakuya arrived at Hiruzen Sarutobi's place.
"Finally managed to get you out here!"
Seeing Byakuya's arrival, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but exclaim.
No other Ninja would stay cooped up at home for a whole week without coming out.
If he hadn't heard that Byakuya had gone to Ichiraku for ramen, he might have thought something had happened.
"I was just researching a Ninjutsu!"
Byakuya rolled his eyes at the Third Hokage.
"Researching Ninjutsu!"
The Third Hokage was almost shocked to the point of dropping his jaw.
Although he was known as the professor of the ninja world, at Byakuya's age, he was still competing with Danzo for attention.
Yet here was Byakuya, already developing Ninjutsu!
Truly, the younger generation is formidable!
"Do you need any help? I can provide assistance on behalf of Konoha!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought he was just asking symbolically. He expected Byakuya to politely decline.
After all, what help could an old man offer in Byakuya's Ninjutsu research?
"Actually, I do need some help right now."
Byakuya, however, didn't play by the usual rules.
"Uh..."
The Third Hokage kind of wanted to smack his own mouth.
But since he had said it, as the Hokage, he couldn't go back on his word.
"I need the Ninjutsu scroll for the Eight Gates."
When Byakuya stated his request, it almost gave the Third Hokage a fright.
"He even knows about the Eight Gates!"
The old man looked at Byakuya, who had practically grown up under his watch.
For a moment, he couldn't understand him at all.
"How do you know about the Eight Gates!"
The Third Hokage's question was directly interrupted by Byakuya's impatience.
"Just tell me if you'll give it or not!"
Byakuya knew full well that he didn't actually want the Eight Gates technique; he had already mastered it long ago.
What he needed was a legitimate reason to use the Eight Gates publicly without raising suspicion.
Of course, there was another way: go find Might Guy and learn from him.
But honestly, Byakuya felt that dealing with the old man was slightly preferable.
"Byakuya, you must understand that the Eight Gates cause immense damage to the user."
The Third Hokage began to persuade him.
For a genius like Byakuya, destined to reach the pinnacle of the Ninja World, why bother with such an extreme technique?
Seeing the Third Hokage being so stubborn, Byakuya simply stopped pretending.
"Forget it. I was planning to research a way to eliminate the drawbacks of the Eight Gates. But if that's how it is..."
"This old man will fetch it for you right away!"
The Third Hokage practically performed a masterclass in face-changing right in front of Byakuya.
Seriously, you should have said so earlier!
The Third Hokage didn't doubt Byakuya's ability for a second.
After all, Byakuya had created an A-rank Ninjutsu right after graduation. The Third Hokage knew Byakuya wouldn't propose something he wasn't confident about.
If Byakuya said he had an idea, then he must have an idea.
The Third Hokage practically ran to get the Eight Gates scroll and handed it to Byakuya.
"Should've done this from the start!"
Byakuya casually accepted the scroll.
"By the way, Third Hokage, what did you call me here for?"
Byakuya remembered the original purpose of the summons.
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