Yamanaka Heichi, having narrowly escaped death, felt like a whole new person.
For the first time, Gekko Chizan saw him in a new light.
This guy was a chatterbox! He just wouldn't stop talking the whole way.
If he weren't one of his own, Chizan honestly would've silenced him with a mouthful of powder.
Believe him—he could totally do it.
They took a detour through the Land of Hot Water before reaching the Land of Rice Fields.
Only when they crossed the border into the Land of Rice Fields did Gekko Chizan finally relax his taut nerves.
The rest of the journey would be much easier now.
The Land of Rice Fields was where the future Hidden Sound Village would eventually be founded, but for now, it was still just the Land of Rice Fields.
After all, Orochimaru was still doing research in Konoha at the moment.
Speaking of Orochimaru, Gekko Chizan couldn't help but feel a little itch in his heart.
That guy was the most badass researcher in the entire Naruto series—he had to find a chance to sneak into his lab one day.
Maybe he could swipe something nice while he was there.
Once an idea like that takes root, it's like a floodgate opening—impossible to stop.
Gekko Chizan and Yamanaka Heichi didn't stay in the Land of Rice Fields for long.
They went straight through the southern part and into their own territory.
By the time they stepped through the gates of Konoha again, three days had already passed.
Originally, Gekko Chizan could've just used Flying Thunder God to get back, but since he was with Yamanaka Heichi, that wasn't an option. The chakra cost of teleporting alone versus teleporting with someone else was completely different.
Teleporting alone only used about 5% of his chakra, but bringing someone along? That took 15% in one go.
Only an idiot would use Flying Thunder God for long-distance travel.
...
Inside the Hokage's office, the travel-worn Gekko Chizan and Yamanaka Heichi stood before the Hokage and reported everything that had happened in Kumogakure.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was extremely grim, and Hatake Sakumo standing beside him didn't look much better.
They had suspected Kumogakure might take action, but they hadn't expected their response to be so swift—and so targeted.
"You two did well on this mission. The sacrifices of Mizuno Kawa and Yoshimori Hiroshin were not in vain. The village will remember their contributions."
"Heichi, go get some rest. Chizan, stay behind."
Gekko Chizan: Knew I wouldn't get away that easily.
Just earlier, during the report, Yamanaka Heichi had blurted out that he could use Flying Thunder God.
Not that it was really his fault—when you're facing someone like A, son of the Third Raikage, that kind of detail couldn't be omitted from a mission report.
Once only Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hatake Sakumo, and Gekko Chizan were left in the room, the Hokage spoke.
"You little bastard, where did you learn the Flying Thunder God technique?!"
Feeling the suspicious stares of his two commanding officers, Gekko Chizan was helpless.
If he could help it, he really didn't want to expose this.
"I just learned it, that's all. I've got exceptional talent, and the Second Hokage came to me in a dream."
"And then I just picked it up."
Looking at Gekko Chizan's sincere expression, both old veterans almost burst out laughing from sheer exasperation.
"Chizan, you brat, even if you don't say it, I already know."
"The Scroll of Seals was tampered with before. I could never figure out who did it."
"But now it's clear—you snuck in using Transparent Release, didn't you?"
"Come on, aside from Flying Thunder God, what other forbidden techniques did you sneak a peek at?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a drag from his pipe, eyes filled with confidence, as if he had already cornered Gekko Chizan.
"Absolutely not, Hokage-sama. The Scroll of Seals is such a precious item—how could I possibly steal a look?"
"At most, I might sneak a peek at the curves of the ladies to help supplement Jiraiya-sama's inspiration bank."
Hmph! As long as he didn't admit to it, no one could say for sure he read the Scroll of Seals.
"It's fine if you don't admit it. Since you've mastered Flying Thunder God, from now on, you're a jonin of the village."
"I hope you can live up to the responsibility and pass on the Will of Fire."
Gekko Chizan: What the *****—how did this turn into a promotion?!
Seeing Gekko Chizan's twitching mouth, Sarutobi Hiruzen was in an excellent mood.
After all, there were so few people who could master time-space Ninjutsu. Other than Gekko Chizan, only Namikaze Minato had just started to grasp its concepts.
A rising force in Konoha—not bad at all.
"Alright, go get some rest."
Without giving Gekko Chizan a chance to argue, Sarutobi Hiruzen directly dismissed him.
...
After Gekko Chizan left,
Sarutobi Hiruzen lit his pipe again.
As smoke curled into the air, he asked:
"Sakumo, what do you think?"
Hatake Sakumo had been observing Gekko Chizan ever since he entered the room.
With his years of experience, he was certain this brat was still hiding his true strength.
"He definitely stole the Flying Thunder God technique, but since he's already learned it—and even used it to save his comrade this time—it counts as making up for it."
"We're in a sensitive period right now. Having a ninja skilled in stealth and time-space Ninjutsu is crucial for the battlefield."
"And he's different from Namikaze Minato. His offensive capability is far weaker."
"Based on the battle reports, he only killed the enemy's sensory ninja."
"In my view, he prioritized retreat. Taking out the sensory type was the only way he could escape quickly."
"This brat's got skills, but he's too timid in battle."
As Hatake Sakumo spoke, a flicker of fighting spirit flashed in his eyes.
The son of the Third Raikage, A, huh? Kind of makes him want a match.
They both used Lightning Release techniques, and it had been a long time since he drew his blade.
"Sigh, with the war looming, any extra strength is welcome."
"It's just this little bastard—using a kekkei genkai to sneak a peek at the Scroll of Seals."
"Hmph! Couldn't he have just completed a mission to earn the right to study it? That would've saved this old man a headache."
What really pissed off Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't just the stealing—it was his bloodline limit.
"Who knows if this brat won't pull another stunt down the line."
Hatake Sakumo chuckled softly at that.
Seriously, what a waste of such a rare kekkei genkai—using it to peep. Just saying it out loud sounded embarrassing.
Gekko Chizan: Embarrassing? So what? It works, doesn't it?
"Sakumo, what do you think about assigning him to the Anbu?"
"A promising seedling like him can't be left to run wild."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had mixed feelings about Gekko Chizan—equal parts love and frustration.
"Probably won't work. His personality's not suited for Anbu. Anbu's all about assassination—look at him, where does he fit in?"
"Then let him follow Orochimaru. With Orochimaru keeping an eye on him, maybe it'll straighten him out a bit."
That suggestion got Sakumo's approval.
After all, at this point, Orochimaru was still playing the obedient role.
Of course, that was only on the surface—behind the scenes, he'd already started working with Danzo.
After wrapping up the discussion, Hatake Sakumo didn't linger and took his leave.
He had a lot on his plate—especially now, when guarding against potential sneak attacks from Kumogakure was crucial.
Left alone, Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly walked to the window, gazing out at the village scenery, and let out a heavy sigh.
"What a turbulent time..."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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