Konoha: Tsunade, I Am the Hokage! [2]

No wonder the Chidori needs the Sharingan to be used at full potential.

Kagenori was encountering the same problem with his current use of the Body Flicker Technique.

His eyes and body couldn’t quite keep up.

It wasn’t as dangerous as the Chidori’s tunnel vision charge, but it still limited the technique’s performance.

There were only two ways to fix it—

Either enhance his vision, so his eyes could keep up with his body.

Or train his body to keep pace with his speed.

The first required natural talent—someone like Namikaze Minato was a prime example.

The second?

Might Guy embodied it.

Keep training!

Kagenori’s gaze sharpened with determination as he began chaining the Body Flicker with punches, kicks, and kunai throws.

At first—

He moved with dazzling speed.

Gradually, the speed tapered down, but his attacks became increasingly fierce and accurate.

Above him, Jiraiya lounged across a tree branch, hidden by a jutsu among the leaves. Shock was written plainly on his face.

As one of the Legendary Sannin—

He immediately saw what the boy was training.

Control over speed.

The boy’s Body Flicker was already refined, but raw speed wasn’t the goal. If it went beyond what the user could handle, it became a vulnerability in combat.

And this kid’s Body Flicker was excellent.

Some Jōnin might not match the boy’s mastery if it were judged on this technique alone.

But that wasn’t what impressed Jiraiya most.

What really caught him off guard—

Was that the boy understood speed wasn’t about going faster and faster, but about staying within the limits of control first—then increasing speed only once mastery was achieved.

That understanding—mastery before acceleration—was often more important than speed itself.

It sounded simple, but many shinobi only realized it after surviving near-death encounters.

Remarkable.

Another Minato, perhaps?

Jiraiya’s gaze turned contemplative.

This wasn’t his first time seeing the boy.

In fact, Kagenori passed by the bathhouse nearly every day during his training.

A few times, he’d almost given away Jiraiya’s hiding spot—but because of that, Jiraiya had a clear impression of him.

Hardworking. Focused.

The kid trained daily, without fail. But most impressive of all was how he thought.

Kagenori wasn’t the only one who worked hard.

Jiraiya also recalled a green-clad boy with a loud personality who trained relentlessly—but the two had taken entirely different paths.

That one trained exclusively in Taijutsu.

Kagenori, on the other hand, had consistently focused on Taijutsu, Body Flicker, and the Substitution Jutsu. Everything was purposeful. He wasn’t just swinging blindly.

And now, having pushed the Body Flicker to new levels through sheer effort, he’d started delving into controlling speed—all on his own.

That kind of awareness was rare.

A genius.

Just like Minato used to be.

Jiraiya remained perched in the tree, watching the boy below sweat through his training, thoughts and memories flowing freely.

As one of the Sannin, he had no trouble hiding. Kagenori didn’t notice a thing.

Until evening fell, and Kagenori collapsed beneath the tree in exhaustion.

He gazed up at the dappled canopy above, blinking lazily—then—

Wait... that patch of shadow looks off under the moonlight.

Kagenori sat up.

“Who’s there?”

Whoosh!

A bird-like blur shot across the branches, vanishing into the dark.

...

Konoha Ninja Academy.

A group of newly graduated genin lounged inside the classroom, waiting for their instructor.

The teacher hadn’t arrived yet.

Most of the students were crowded at the windows, pointing and laughing at the younger students outside still busting their asses in training.

Except for two.

One of them was Might Guy.

He was tucked into a corner, doing one-handed handstands to strengthen his body—a posture so extreme it almost looked like performance art.

The other was Kagenori.

He was watching Guy.

Eventually, Guy couldn't take it anymore.

Kagenori had always been a bit of a loner in class. After transmigrating, he’d thrown himself into training and self-improvement, with no time or interest in socializing. He kept a low profile.

His relationship with Guy? Barely acquaintances. They knew each other’s names and faces, and that was about it.

So—

“Kagenori-kun, am I... disturbing your training?”

Guy asked nervously.

Kagenori shook his head. “No. I was just admiring you.”

“Admiring... me?”

Guy blinked. Then flipped upright in a flash and plopped down next to him, looking excited, disbelieving—and just a little insecure.

“You’re not... making fun of me, right? I nearly failed my graduation exam.”

“At least you passed, didn’t you?”

Kagenori shrugged casually.

Then, more seriously: “Guy I’ve been watching. Your Ninjutsu skills aren’t great, and your learning speed is pretty average...”

He started with a laundry list of flaws.

Guy’s smile faltered; his face turned a little bitter.

And then—

“But you’ve got something nobody else has: incredible perseverance, and the guts not to care what others think. That’s a kind of talent too. Guy, you’re a genius of hard work.”

“A genius... of hard work?”

Might Guy froze.

For the first time—aside from his father—someone had called him a genius.

His face turned red.

“M-Me, a genius? That’s a bit much...”

“Why not? Lord Hokage once said that perseverance is the greatest gift—but most people just don’t have it. Look around this room. Who else besides you is training right now?”

Kagenori kept his voice low, calm.

Guy looked around the classroom—

And realized it was true.

Everyone else was loafing around. Meanwhile, Kagenori was twirling a kunai between his fingers with practiced ease, and his other hand was moving through hand seals in slow, steady repetition.

Also—

There was that kunoichi, Yūhi Kurenai.

She sat quietly at her desk, uninvolved with the noisy crowd.

Guy scanned the room again, then glanced curiously at Kagenori.

“Did... did Lord Hokage really say that?”

That’s what you’re fixated on?

Of course Sarutobi Hiruzen never said it—it was future Hokage Shiba Kagenori who would one day say those words!

Kagenori quieted his thoughts and let go of the idea of scamming the system for a cheap reward.

Right then, Might Guy lunged forward and hugged him tightly.

“But I’m still really grateful, Kagenori! You’re the second person—besides my dad—who’s ever believed in me!”

And then came the waterworks.

Even Kagenori, who prided himself on composure, was momentarily taken aback.

That escalated fast...

The sound of Guy sobbing drew the attention of the entire room.

It wasn’t every day they saw something like this. Everyone who had been snickering at the underclassmen stopped—and turned to look.

Kagenori squinted, feeling like he’d just had a social death moment.

Even worse—

He’d made the emotional investment, and the system gave him nothing. He felt like a clown.

Guy cried his heart out.

Kagenori fell into deep reflection.

Their sorrows were not the same.

Suddenly, a girl’s voice cut through the tension and redirected everyone’s attention:

“Guy-kun. So... who was the first person?”

Right!

Who was the first?

Everyone wanted to know.

Guy stopped crying.

All eyes were on him.

But he didn’t flinch—on the contrary, he stood tall, brimming with pride:

“Of course—it’s my eternal rival, Hatake Kakashi!”

Kakashi...?

Everyone paused, the name sobering them for a moment.

And then—doubt.

Seriously? You?

Followed by—

“HAHAHAHAHA!”

Except for Kurenai and Kagenori, the entire classroom burst out laughing.

“Tch, I could say Kakashi’s my eternal rival too!”

“Haha! Me too! Kakashi’s my eternal rival!”

“Yeah, same here!”

The room filled with laughter and mockery.

Kakashi had graduated at five. Became a chūnin at six.

Guy, at seven, had just become a genin. Solid, sure—but in a totally different league. And yet here he was, claiming Kakashi as his “eternal rival.”

Guy fell silent.

Kagenori patted him on the shoulder, voice low but sincere:

If I didn’t get a reward, it must mean I wasn’t sincere enough.

Time to double down.

“If you aim to be number one, you might land second or third. But if your goal is only second or third, you’ll be lucky to hit fourth or fifth. Guy, believe in yourself. You are Kakashi’s eternal rival!”

“Kagenori-kun!”

Guy threw his arms around him again. This time, he wasn’t crying out of sorrow—he was beaming with joy.

This—this is what it means to have a kindred spirit!

Father, someone finally understands me!

Guy laughed and laughed—and still, the tears rolled down his cheeks.

Kagenori watched him and couldn’t help but think—

Guy set his sights on Kakashi. I once set mine on Guy

Looks like we all have a bright future ahead.

He was lost in thought when—

[Mental fortitude is a key component of a Hokage’s duty. You have strengthened a genin’s will and inspired unshakable determination.]

[Reward: Basic Taijutsu Techniques improved]

Basic Taijutsu techniques?

Kagenori mulled over the phrase. Then, his mind was filled once again with insight—this time focused on the mechanics of strikes, particularly generating power through the legs and controlling tension.

He grew more certain—

The reward is tied to how deeply the event affects others—and what they’re good at.

For example—

Yesterday, he earned complete trust in himself, so the reward was an upgrade to his best technique: Body Flicker.

With Guy, his strengths lay in his body and Taijutsu.

So the reward followed suit.

---

This is a fan translation of 木叶：纲手，我才是火影！by 卖身葬节操 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!