Sarutobi Hiruzen was genuinely shocked.
As he continued to block the relentless strikes from Kamisato Tsukika, he could hardly believe the boy's strength.
If they were judging purely by speed and raw power—Tsukika had already reached the Jōnin level.
His techniques and experience were still rough around the edges, yes. But Tsukika's reaction time was astonishing. His ability to adapt mid-combat made up for any inexperience.
And that wasn't what surprised the Third Hokage the most.
Konoha had seen young prodigies before—Hatake Kakashi was a Jōnin at twelve. By comparison, Tsukika might not be more talented… yet.
No, what truly shook Sarutobi was how quickly Tsukika was improving.
He was like a sponge dropped into water—soaking up every technique, every movement, every tactic Sarutobi used.
So, the Third Hokage stopped holding back.
He switched from defense to offense, purposefully exposing Tsukika to his real skills—his combat knowledge, his taijutsu finesse, his decades of battlefield experience.
And Tsukika didn't waste a second. He learned on the spot, countered what he could, and even began mimicking some of the Hokage's footwork and timing.
The two clashed for a long while.
Finally, Sarutobi stepped back and raised a hand—signaling the end of the spar.
It wasn't that Tsukika had absorbed everything. But for one night, he'd taken in more than most shinobi could in a year.
Sarutobi glanced at him thoughtfully.
Even though Tsukika seemed completely at ease in his Fourth Gate state, it was unwise to push further. Growth had to come in steps—too much too fast would risk collapse.
"Haste makes waste," the old Hokage thought. He wanted Tsukika to walk a stable path.
Meanwhile, Tsukika let out a small sigh.
This kind of sparring partner—an "experience book" like Sarutobi—was a treasure. He didn't know when he'd get another chance like this.
But he had to restrain himself. He couldn't reveal everything—not yet.
He had already opened the Fourth Gate (Gate of Pain), and even that was enough to be called a genius.
If he showed the Sixth or Seventh Gate this early, it wouldn't just raise eyebrows—it might draw the attention of someone like Shimura Danzō.
And Tsukika had no interest in ending up on Danzō's dissection table.
"Excellent, Tsukika," Sarutobi said with a proud smile. "Your taijutsu is far beyond Chūnin level. I can see now why Mizuki never stood a chance. You're a true genius of Konoha."
Tsukika gave a modest bow, his tone humble.
"You're too kind, Hokage-sama… My taijutsu may be a bit decent, but I still have a long way to go in ninjutsu and genjutsu."
But Sarutobi's eyes glinted with interest.
"Oh? Then let's test those as well."
He straightened his robes, smiling like a curious teacher.
"You've shown me your taijutsu. Now show me the rest. Use every trick you have—don't hold back, Chief Student."
Tsukika's eyes lit up.
"The experience book is open again!" he thought excitedly.
Without hesitation, he made the first move.
He flicked his wrist—several kunai shot out toward Sarutobi.
The angles were sharp, the speed fast. Under the moonlight, the attack would've been fatal to most Chūnin.
But Sarutobi was no ordinary shinobi.
He dodged smoothly, as expected from a Kage-level veteran, even in old age.
However, the kunai weren't the real threat.
As Sarutobi landed, he felt a sudden stiffness in his limbs.
"Genjutsu…! Release!"
With a quick hand seal, he dispelled the illusion almost instantly.
Still, his expression changed slightly.
"That was well-timed."
Tsukika's genjutsu was basic—just the kind taught at the Academy. But the timing and delivery were near perfect.
Enough to catch even the Hokage off guard for a second.
Most kids would never be able to do that.
Tsukika didn't stop.
"Clone Technique!"
With a flicker of chakra, over a dozen clones surrounded Sarutobi in an instant, leaping from the shadows.
They were standard clones—not Shadow Clones—but under the cover of darkness, they served their purpose well.
Each moved realistically, and in the night, it became difficult to immediately distinguish real from fake.
Even the Hokage had to pause.
Tsukika surged forward, using the confusion to attack.
But Sarutobi wasn't the Hokage for nothing.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Clones began popping in rapid succession, scattered by precise counters.
In seconds, only one remained—lurking behind Sarutobi.
He didn't turn.
"You used the darkness and clones well to conceal your position and attack from a blind spot. Clever."
Sarutobi spoke calmly, still facing away.
"But the tactic has a flaw. Clone Techniques are for distraction or escape—not direct assault. The moment your clone attacked, your intent was clear."
He turned slowly toward the last clone, his voice sure and confident.
"This one's the real—"
He stopped.
Eyes narrowed.
Because standing in front of him—
—was another clone.
From behind, a voice rang out.
"Wrong guess, Hokage-sama!"
Sarutobi turned in surprise.
A kunai on the ground transformed mid-air—Tsukika, hidden in plain sight through Transformation Jutsu, stabbed toward him from the back.
The old Hokage barely managed to dodge.
But he was grinning.
"Well played…"