Chapter 9 — Meeting the Hokage
Konoha Ninja Village—at the very top of its tallest building stood the Hokage's office.
Under the guidance of the middle-aged ninja, Obuya arrived at the door.
Just as the man was about to knock, a calm voice came from within.
"Bring him in."
The door opened on its own, as if pushed by an unseen force.
Obuya stepped inside and immediately saw an elderly man dressed in a white Hokage robe, wearing the traditional red conical hat. His hair was completely white, and his figure, though thin, carried a steady presence.
Even without turning around, there was no doubt—it was Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Standing beside him was someone far more familiar.
Namikaze Minato.
The man who had brought him into Konoha.
At this moment, Minato looked at him with a gentle, reassuring smile.
Obuya felt no fear. He walked forward with steady steps.
"Obuya pays his respects to Hokage-sama."
He performed a standard shinobi salute, then turned slightly and bowed respectfully toward Minato as well.
Hiruzen slowly turned around, a pipe in hand, smoke curling lazily into the air. A mild smile rested on his face as he observed Obuya carefully, his gaze calm yet penetrating.
Obuya also took the opportunity to study the man before him.
This was the Hokage—the one who stood at the very top of Konoha.
"Minato has already told me about you," Hiruzen said slowly. "He mentioned that you possess an extremely rare Kekkei Genkai. That piqued my interest, so I had someone bring you here to take a closer look."
Obuya didn't say much.
He understood clearly—this meeting was an evaluation.
Without hesitation, he raised his right hand, palm facing downward. A swirl of pale white light gathered in his palm before he pressed it down sharply.
In an instant, the air in the room shifted.
There was no wind, yet the space itself seemed to ripple.
A semi-circular dome of light expanded outward, enclosing the entire office.
"This… a barrier?"
Hiruzen's pipe paused midair as a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
Minato narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the phenomenon. "It does resemble a barrier… but it's strange. Normally, barriers require multiple people working together to form. I've never seen one deployed so easily—just by raising a hand."
Hiruzen stepped forward slightly, feeling the changes within the space.
"There's a force inside this barrier," he said thoughtfully. "It doesn't seem to be purely chakra-based… yet anyone within it experiences a certain level of suppression."
Minato nodded in agreement.
Obuya spoke calmly, explaining at the right moment.
"I call this ability the Surgical Barrier. Within this space, anyone I operate on—no matter how many pieces their body is divided into—will not die, bleed, or feel pain."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened slightly, clearly impressed.
"A remarkable ability."
He glanced toward the ninja who had escorted Obuya.
The man immediately understood and stepped forward.
"Show us," he said. "Use me as an example. Let the Hokage see whether your ability is truly as extraordinary as you claim."
With that, he tossed his katana toward Obuya.
Obuya caught it smoothly, his movements steady. With a single motion, he drew the blade.
Shing—
A flash of steel.
The ninja's head separated cleanly from his body, falling to the floor.
The scene was shocking.
Even Hiruzen and Minato blinked in surprise at the sudden display.
Then—
"Hokage-sama," the severed head spoke calmly. "As he said, the pain is minimal. For a shinobi, it's negligible."
Hiruzen stepped forward, examining the cut closely.
The surface of the wound was smooth, as if polished. There was no blood flowing, no sign of damage spreading.
"Amazing… truly unbelievable," Hiruzen murmured. "To think such a Kekkei Genkai exists… this is an extraordinary discovery for the shinobi world."
His tone shifted slightly as he continued.
"However…"
A hint of seriousness appeared in his expression.
Minato understood immediately and spoke in his place.
"However, this feels like only the initial stage of something greater," Minato said. "You mentioned that within the barrier, you can rearrange a person's body like assembling blocks."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"If those parts belonged to different individuals… could you assemble them together?"
The question was direct.
Obuya immediately understood the implication.
If the answer were yes, it would mean he could transplant Kekkei Genkai.
That kind of ability… would shake the entire ninja world.
He also understood something else.
Revealing too much now would be dangerous.
At his current level, he lacked the power to protect himself if others decided to exploit him.
After a brief pause, Obuya answered calmly.
"At present, I don't have that ability. As for the future… I can't say. No one can predict what lies ahead."
He wasn't lying.
Right now, he truly couldn't do it. That capability would only come after reaching One-Star Demon.
Hiruzen and Minato exchanged a subtle glance, both nodding slightly, though their thoughts remained unreadable.
After a moment, Hiruzen smiled again.
"Obuya, Konoha has always welcomed talented individuals. You are exceptional, and your potential is undeniable."
He looked directly at him.
"Are you willing to join Konoha?"
Without hesitation, Obuya answered.
"Hokage-sama, I was a dying man. It was Minato-sama who saved me and brought me here. The village gave me a second chance at life. I am willing to join Konoha and give everything in return—even my life."
His tone was steady, without the slightest hesitation.
That sincerity pleased Hiruzen, who nodded repeatedly.
"Good. Very good."
He turned slightly.
"Minato."
Minato stepped forward, holding two items.
"These represent your identity as a Konoha ninja," he said, handing them over. "A forehead protector… and a standard Konoha vest. Once you accept them, you are officially one of us."
Obuya accepted them without hesitation, his expression calm but resolute.
…
Hiruzen walked to the window, taking a slow draw from his pipe as he looked down at the village below.
In the distance, Obuya's figure could be seen gradually moving away.
For a long moment, Hiruzen remained silent.
Minato stood quietly behind him.
"Minato," Hiruzen said at last, "where did you find him? I've lived a long life, yet I've never heard of such a Kekkei Genkai."
Minato replied calmly, "I found him near a destroyed village. It was small—only a dozen households. From what I saw, it had been wiped out by bandits."
Hiruzen nodded slightly.
"This Kekkei Genkai… I have a feeling it is more than it appears," he said thoughtfully. "It may be a rare evolving ability, similar to the Sharingan."
He paused, his expression turning serious.
"Or perhaps… something even more dangerous."
Minato's gaze sharpened.
"In the future, he may gain the ability to transplant Kekkei Genkai."
Minato's expression changed. "If that's true… it would shake the entire ninja world."
"Hm."
Hiruzen exhaled a slow stream of smoke.
"It seems the boy has already run into trouble."
Minato stepped forward and looked out the window.
Outside, Obuya's path had been blocked by a man.