In the evening, Yōkō hid behind a chimney and watched as Hatake Sakumo and his son left their home and headed for the training ground.
Hatake Kakashi was only 3 years old, looking very small.
The two arrived at a training ground and began basic tool training.
Like other civilian-born ninja, Hatake Sakumo placed special emphasis on basic training: fundamental taijutsu and tool usage.
Before long, Namikaze Minato arrived at the training ground and greeted Sakumo and his son.
This was already their fifth meeting.
During this period, they had been sharing the same training ground.
Namikaze Minato first trained alone for a while in taijutsu. During his break, Hatake Sakumo called him over.
Hatake Sakumo pointed at Namikaze Minato's feet, seemingly saying his lower body stance wasn't stable enough.
He patiently instructed Namikaze Minato on how to attach chakra to his legs and feet to strengthen his lower body power.
Afterwards, he taught him some preliminary techniques for the Body Flicker Technique, specifically how to use chakra to increase the force generated from the feet.
Namikaze Minato was greatly inspired. After hearing it once, he couldn't wait to rest and went to test it out, finding his movement speed had indeed increased noticeably.
Minato was an orphan with no formal master, relying solely on being serious and sensible at school, which made him well-liked by the teachers, allowing him to learn a bit more.
Now, encountering a white-haired uncle who carefully taught him, he was very excited.
After training ended, the three left the training ground.
Hatake Sakumo nodded towards a large tree to the side.
He had just seen the ANBU ninja deliberately reveal his fox mask.
For some unknown reason, the ANBU had sent Fox to monitor him.
For several consecutive days, Yōkō came to this training ground to monitor Hatake Sakumo and Namikaze Minato.
He watched as Namikaze Minato and Kakashi trained seriously under Hatake Sakumo's instruction.
He thought to himself, the Third Hokage actually fears that Hatake Sakumo is trying to contact the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki through Namikaze Minato. In reality, Hatake Sakumo's target is Namikaze Minato himself, not the Jinchūriki at all.
The Third Hokage's house is about to be stolen, and he doesn't even know it yet.
In the ANBU and Ninja Academy reports, Namikaze Minato is described as a talented youth.
There are many geniuses in the Ninja Academy; every year has four or five. Only Yōkō knows that Namikaze Minato is not just a genius, but also Konoha's future.
The greatest achievement of Sarutobi Hiruzen's twenty-year rule was waiting for Namikaze Minato to mature.
Remove Namikaze Minato, and Sarutobi Hiruzen's later twenty years couldn't be said to be completely without accomplishment, but at the very least, he achieved nothing significant.
After more than a week of surveillance, the Third Hokage summoned Yōkō.
In the Hokage's office, both Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo were present.
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Fox, report your surveillance findings from the past week."
"Hokage-sama, Lord Danzo, this past week I have monitored Hatake Sakumo daily."
"When not on missions, his main focus is accompanying his son, Kakashi."
"Hatake Kakashi displays considerable talent, with astonishing taijutsu skills."
"Every afternoon, Hatake Sakumo takes Kakashi to the training ground."
"Usually, Hatake Sakumo arrives first, and Namikaze Minato arrives after school."
"While instructing Kakashi, Hatake Sakumo occasionally instructs Namikaze Minato as well."
"Namikaze Minato doesn't yet know that Hatake Sakumo is Konoha's White Fang, but he cherishes the opportunity to receive guidance."
"Hokage-sama, I've checked the Ninja Academy teachers' evaluations of Namikaze Minato. He is a clever, mature genius, highly praised by the teachers."
"After meeting Namikaze Minato, Hatake Sakumo seems exceptionally fond of him and teaches him very meticulously."
"The day before yesterday, Hatake Sakumo brought Chakra Sensing Paper for Namikaze Minato and Hatake Kakashi."
"Kakashi's chakra nature is Lightning. Namikaze Minato's chakra nature is Wind."
"From chakra nature, to chakra control, to minor flaws in taijutsu movements, Hatake Sakumo's guidance is steadily progressing. It appears he intends to provide long-term instruction."
"Hokage-sama, Lord Danzo, I cannot determine if Hatake Sakumo intends to use Namikaze Minato to make contact with the Jinchūriki. There is no evidence for that at this time."
After listening, the Third Hokage truly couldn't determine Hatake Sakumo's real intention.
Taking a genius as a disciple brings a unique sense of accomplishment. Sarutobi Hiruzen's proudest achievement now is having taken the Sannin as disciples.
It's a pity that after the Sannin grew up, none of them were obedient, each more disobedient than the last.
Finding a rare treasure and holding it in your palm... perhaps Hatake Sakumo simply appreciates Namikaze Minato and has no intention of interfering with the Jinchūriki.
Danzo said, "Hiruzen, if you don't control the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, others will try."
"My spy in Kumogakure obtained the latest intelligence on their Jinchūriki. You will feel a greater sense of urgency after hearing it."
"Oh? What intelligence?"
Danzo first glanced at Fox, then said:
"Fox Squad obtained information on the battlefield performance of Kumogakure's Jinchūriki from the Land of Earth. Kumogakure's Jinchūriki does not have a retrieval problem; they can control the Tailed Beast chakra freely."
"I had my spies in Kumogakure focus their investigation on their Jinchūriki. After six spies died, we finally obtained crucial intelligence."
"Kumogakure acquired sealing techniques from the Uzumaki clan and are implementing a plan called the 'Perfect Jinchūriki'."
"Perfect Jinchūriki, as the name implies, is a Jinchūriki who perfectly controls the Tailed Beast."
"The development of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki must be put on the agenda."
"The Senju clan says the Nine-Tails' seal is very stable, but we know nothing about the seal."
"War could break out at any time. If Kumogakure deploys a Perfect Jinchūriki in the next war, what will we in Konoha use to resist it?"
"What we need to do now is confirm the safety of the Nine-Tails' seal."
Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered. Hatake Sakumo and Tsunade colluding was truly troublesome.
Not only did they form an alliance within the Jōnin Commander meeting, but they are also openly and covertly joining forces regarding the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
"Alright, I approve your plan. Root can go verify the Jinchūriki's seal. However, an ANBU squad must accompany you to ensure safety. Send Fox Squad."
Yōkō received another task from the Hokage's office. Danzo didn't tell him how Root planned to deal with Uzumaki Kushina, so he could only have his subordinates follow Uzumaki Kushina in two shifts.
Soon, a trend of school bullying emerged within the Ninja Academy.
Uzumaki Kushina's status as a transfer student and her unique red hair inexplicably made her a target for bullying.
Four boys cornered Kushina in the shadows behind the school building.
The area behind the teaching building was bordered by the school wall, forming a narrow alley about 3 meters wide.
"Tomato, you still want to become Konoha's female Hokage?"
"The village would never let an outsider become Hokage!"
"Who knows if you'd use Konoha for revenge for your destroyed Uzumaki clan?"
Uzumaki Kushina had once said she wanted to be Hokage, just like Uzumaki Naruto in the original story.
Her ideal was mocked by others.
Yōkō stood by a second-floor window, listening to the people downstairs calling Kushina by the nickname "Tomato."
He asked a teacher who had suddenly appeared beside him, "Aren't you going to do anything about the school bullying?"
"Huh? Isn't this what you requested? An ANBU member came by earlier and told us not to interfere."
"That was Root, not ANBU."
Generally, without the teachers' tacit permission, school bullying couldn't happen.
Kushina was no delicate little girl. She single-handedly beat up the four boys, even riding on one of them and raining punches down on his head.
Just at that moment, two more people jumped out from the school building's window.
These two were short in stature, but their eyes showed they weren't students; they lacked the foolish clarity of students.
One of them grabbed Kushina's red hair and yanked it back hard.
Yōkō thought to himself, Root's work is really sloppy.
***
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(Chapter End)