That night, Saiki sped up his breathing.
He needed to find an opportunity to get a spiritual power cultivation method.
But right now?
Watching the continuously rising experience bar of the Chakra Cultivation Method, he focused on something more immediate.
Almost full.
Currently at level forty-nine.
One more level up would make it level fifty.
This was the first ability to break level fifty.
Saiki cared about this milestone.
'Come on. Come on.'
Finally, under his "hard work"—
The Chakra Cultivation Method reached level fifty.
He originally thought his chakra would just increase a bit.
Was getting ready to rest.
But then—
[Detected that the host's Chakra Cultivation Method has reached Level 50.]
[A new ability has been derived!]
[Chakra Burst Technique acquired!]
'...'
'Derived a new skill?'
'What's this?'
[Status Panel]
Host: Saiki
Nin: 41
Tai: 37
Gen: 0
Simplified Abilities:
Chakra Cultivation Method (LV: 50) Shuriken Throwing Technique (LV: 43) Hand Seals (LV: 44) Taijutsu (LV: 48)
Derived Skills:
Chakra Burst Technique
Sure enough, even on the character panel, a new column had appeared.
'Damn it.'
'If I had known that reaching level fifty would derive a new skill...'
'Would I have just trained step by step?'
'Hell no. I would have been grinding like a madman.'
With this in mind, Saiki looked at his other skills approaching level fifty.
His gaze became much more heated.
'But first—what exactly is the Chakra Burst Technique?'
This was his first derived skill after all.
[Chakra Burst Technique]
[Description: Instantly releases a powerful chakra energy attack. Power scales with the amount of chakra released.]
Simply put—materialize chakra into an explosive attack.
More chakra = more power.
Less chakra = less power.
Straightforward.
It seemed like just a rough application of chakra.
But it made Saiki endlessly happy.
'Not bad. Not bad at all.'
This was the first ninjutsu he had learned.
What's more, this was only the first derivation.
'Who knows what else might unlock at higher levels?'
'Level seventy-five? Level one hundred?'
'The possibilities are exciting.'
[Meanwhile — Hokage's Office]
At night, the Hokage's office was still brightly lit.
Looking at the mountain of documents in front of him, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe.
Continued processing paperwork.
The eternal struggle of the Hokage position.
Not fighting enemies.
Signing papers.
"Hiruzen!"
A figure walked directly into the office.
No knock. No announcement.
The only one who could enter so brazenly in the current Hidden Leaf Village?
Danzo Shimura.
The man who ran Konoha's black ops.
"Danzo?"
The arrival obviously surprised Hiruzen.
But after a moment, he figured it out.
"Is this about the Uchiha orphan? I told you—I will not hand that child over to you."
Ever since the Uchiha massacre, Danzo had tried multiple times to pull Sasuke into Root.
Every attempt was discovered and stopped by Hiruzen.
"Hmph!"
Danzo's expression darkened.
"If you won't give me the Uchiha orphan, then give me the Jinchuriki. I will train that Jinchuriki into the strongest weapon in the village."
'This guy never gives up.'
Hiruzen didn't even bother with a proper response.
"Absolutely impossible."
Even the Uchiha orphan was off-limits.
Let alone the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
'He's dreaming.'
"Hiruzen!"
Being rejected again made Danzo's face twist with displeasure.
"Danzo."
But facing that glare, Hiruzen stared right back.
Equal pressure.
Neither backing down.
"..."
In the end, Danzo gave up.
But not entirely.
"In that case—give me this one."
Changing tactics, he threw a document onto the desk.
The document was an introduction about... Saiki.
'The top civilian student caught his attention, huh.'
"Impossible!"
Like a reflex, Hiruzen rejected it immediately.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi."
Danzo's voice went cold.
"Don't push it. He's just a civilian ninja."
He was genuinely angry now.
The Uchiha kid? Fine.
The Nine-Tails? Understandable.
But now even a random civilian was off-limits?
'Why won't you give me anything?'
"Ahem."
Hiruzen awkwardly cleared his throat.
'Rejecting Danzo has become a habit. I can't help it.'
However, he glanced at the document's contents.
Saiki?
He completely didn't recognize the name.
But as a true old fox, Hiruzen's mind started working.
'If Danzo wants this kid for Root... there must be something special about him.'
'Which means...'
'I should keep him away from Danzo.'
"Actually!"
Hiruzen put on his most sincere expression.
"I have been paying attention to Saiki for a long time. So Danzo—give up."
A complete lie.
But with Hiruzen's experience, telling such a lie brought zero psychological pressure.
"Hiruzen!"
'Infuriating!'
"Danzo. I am the Hokage of Konoha."
"..."
This sentence again.
Always this sentence.
At the end of every dispute, Hiruzen would pull out this card.
And Danzo had no way to counter it.
Missing out on the Hokage position all those years ago?
A wound that never healed.
"Hiruzen. You will regret this."
Leaving behind one last threat, Danzo turned and left.
Hiruzen had heard this kind of thing countless times.
Didn't care at all.
'He says that every week.'
After Danzo left, Hiruzen finally picked up the document.
"Saiki... Both parents died in the Nine-Tails rampage?"
This was the first time he'd seen the name.
'How did a random civilian catch Danzo's attention?'
He was genuinely curious now.
"Anbu."
With a single call—
An Anbu ninja wearing a special mask instantly appeared.
"Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen nodded slightly, handing over the document.
"Investigate all of this youth's activities over recent years."
"Yes."
Concise. Clear.
The Anbu vanished with a Body Flicker.
'I wonder if Saiki realizes he's now on the radar of two old foxes.'
'Hiruzen Sarutobi. Danzo Shimura.'
'Well...'
Back in his courtyard, Saiki suddenly felt a chill.
'Weird. Must be the wind.'
He went back to punching air.
'Actually, being noticed was always part of the plan.'
'You can't become strong without drawing some attention eventually.'
'The key is making sure the attention is... manageable.'