A few days later, the group returned to the village safely.
After a brief report of their return, the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, gave a short summary and encouragement to the ninjas who participated in the Chunin exam. He then told everyone to disperse and rest, except for Shinichi Higashino, who was about to leave.
"Shinichi, stay here for a moment."
Inside the office, only the old and Shinichi remained.
The third Hokage sat behind his large desk, his smile even more amiable than usual.
"You did an excellent job on this trip to the Village Hidden in the Sand."
The third Hokage said slowly. "Not only did you win the championship for Konoha, but you also demonstrated the magnanimity and strength of Konoha's younger generation in front of many ninjas from other villages and even to the Kazekage."
He paused, took a drag of his cigarette, and continued, "As is customary, the village always gives extra rewards to ninjas who perform exceptionally well in the Chunin exams, especially those who win first place, as encouragement. Tell me, Shinichi, you've made such a contribution this time. Is there any reward you particularly want? As long as it's within reasonable limits, I can try to get it for you."
Shinichi stood in front of his desk. Upon hearing this, he didn't answer immediately, but lowered his gaze slightly, seemingly deep in thought.
After a moment of silence, he looked up and said: "Hokage-sama, actually, on the way back to the village these past few days, I've been thinking about... What path should I take next?"
"Oh?"
The third Hokage showed interest and leaned forward slightly. "Tell me, what are your thoughts?"
"Yes."
Shinichi nodded, his tone extremely serious. "Through this exam, I have a clearer understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. I am good at Taijutsu, my chakra nature is fire, and I have some experience in nature transformation. However, I have found that when dealing with certain enemies or complex situations, simple Taijutsu or Ninjutsu that are not enough to change the situation instantly have limitations."
He paused briefly, as if organizing his thoughts for more precise expression: "I'm wondering if there's a way to combine my Taijutsu with Fire Style Jutsus more deeply? Not the kind of tactical coordination where I finish a Taijutsu with a Fire Style Jutsu, or use Fire Style Jutsu's to create opportunities for Taijutsu, but rather a more fundamental integration of the nature and power of fire into every punch, every step, and even the body's defense and evasion, forming a truly unique and seamless combat system of my own."
Shinichi continued, "Then, I thought of a possible direction, fusion of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu."
"Fusion of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu?"
The third Hokage repeated the word softly, his fingers tracing the surface of his pipe. His surprise deepened as he slowly said, "This idea... is very ambitious! But Shinichi, integrating Fire Style Ninjutsu into one's Taijutsu for combat is extremely difficult. The requirements for body control and chakra manipulation are incredibly demanding. In Konoha, and even throughout the entire Shinobi World, a truly complete system of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu with powerful practical combat capabilities..."
He paused, then continued, "Strictly speaking, perhaps only the Lightning Style Armour, passed down through generations in the Village Hidden in the Cloud and used to establish the village, can be considered a successful and powerful example. It is a legacy they have honed with countless efforts and time. Currently... Our Konoha does not have such a system of inheritance."
The third Hokage looked at Shinichi and reminded him, "This also means that you are almost required to start from scratch on your own. Do you understand the difficulties and uncertainties involved?"
Shinichi met the third Hokage's gaze without flinching. Instead, his eyes shone even brighter because of the third Hokage's attention: "I understand, third Hokage. I think that since Lightning Style can bring power, speed, and defense by activating cells, why can't the blazing, burning, and exploding fire explore its own path and form its own fire nature chakra mode?"
"You see, Village Hidden in the Mist excels in Water Style, Village Hidden in the Stones is skilled in Earth Style, Village Hidden in the Sand controls wind and sand, and Village Hidden in the Cloud is known for its Lightning Style. Each village has a distinct style. But our Konoha..."
Shinichi paused, seemingly choosing his words, before finally saying simply: "All-powerful!"
"Our Konoha is full of an inclusive spirit. The first Hokage pacified the chaotic world with his powerful Wood Style, the second Hokage laid the foundation of the village with his space–time ninjutsu and exquisite Water Style, and you are proficient in all five elements and are revered as the Professor of Ninjutsu. Each of you has a fighting style that is unparalleled and admirable."
"But I'm wondering if this versatility and diversity is missing something that is uniquely fire-related, something that corresponds to the country's name, something that would immediately evoke the Land of Fire, the Will of Fire, and the iconic fire-based combat system when mentioned?"
"So, although I am not very talented, I would like to try in this direction. I do not dare to hope to be on par with my predecessors. I only hope to explore a path and try to create a combat system with fire as its core and a distinctive and strong style. Even if it can only lay a brick for those who come after, it may be able to leave a different mark on the Will of Fire of Hokage."
Although Shinichi didn't directly say, I want to be Hokage, his words clearly revealed his desire to improve and become the Hokage known for his Fire Style Jutsus.
Wanting to become Hokage is a good thing!
The third Hokage showed no aversion whatsoever; instead, his eyes revealed a sense of satisfaction. The young man in front of him had lofty ideals and goals to strive for, which was precisely the hope for the village's future.
His smile softened, and he encouraged, "Having ideas, courage, and ambition is a good thing. The village needs young people like you who dare to explore new frontiers."
Then, he returned to the practical issue and reminded him, "However, Shinichi, you should know that fire nature chakra, like lightning nature chakra, is known for its violent, dangerous, and unstable nature. The difficulty and risk of safely integrating this type of power into the body may be even greater than that of lightning nature."
Shinichi had clearly considered this beforehand. He calmly replied, "Yes, third Hokage. That's why I won't try to develop the fire nature chakra mode directly from the start; that's too unrealistic."
"I plan to proceed step by step. The first step is to complete the Fire Style nature transformation of the Rasengan, combining this Change in Chakra Form, which I am most familiar with, with the nature of fire to develop a Fire Style Ninjutsu without hand seals. This will serve as the starting point and testing ground for exploring the fusion of the two."
He paused briefly, then added, "In addition, I have also noticed that the Raikage of each generation is known for his incredibly strong physique and amazing defensive capabilities! I think this may not only be due to the activation effect of Lightning Style, but also because a strong physique is the foundation for bearing and controlling that dangerous chakra. Since the fire nature chakra is equally dangerous and violent, strengthening my own physique and tempering my body must be an essential prerequisite."
At this point, Shinichi took the opportunity to make his request: "So, third Hokage, the reward I want is not a specific Ninjutsu or material. I would like to ask if the village has any unique training methods to strengthen the physique and hone the body. Or, is there any senior in the village with an exceptionally strong physique and a body toughness far beyond that of ordinary people? I hope to have the opportunity to learn from them and exchange ideas, so as to gain experience and lay the most solid foundation for my future explorations."
Training methods for strengthening the body and honing one's physique?
The third Hokage pondered for a moment and concluded that if they were to talk about a systematic, secret training method designed specifically for forging an ultimate physique, Konoha's Strong Fist Style was already an excellent training path for honing the body and tempering the will.
However, if they were talking about reaching the level of the previous Raikage of the Village Hidden in the Cloud, who forged their mortal bodies to a terrifying strength capable of directly confronting tailed beasts, Konoha's Strong Fist Style is truly insufficient.
As for the predecessors with exceptionally strong physiques and incredibly resilient bodies? The third Hokage thought about it for a moment and realized that it actually existed.