The next day.
Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked fondly at the young ninja standing before him.
These are the future of Konoha, he thought warmly.
"This year's Chunin Exams have officially concluded," he said with a bright smile. "And you three have been successfully promoted to Chunin!"
As he spoke, Hiruzen pulled out several standard-issue Chunin vests.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, students became Genin, receiving their forehead protectors and serving as apprentice shinobi. But to be officially recognized, they first had to pass their Jonin instructor's assessment.
Those who failed were sent back to the academy for retraining, and their forehead protectors reclaimed, just like the unlucky teams Kakashi once failed in the original history.
Becoming a Chunin granted them not only recognition but also the iconic vest, a piece of gear as functional as it was symbolic, designed like a bulletproof jacket for protection.
Seeing someone in that vest and a Konoha forehead protector meant one thing: they were at least Chunin level.
Above that rank, there were no more standard uniforms.
Konoha had only so many Jonin, and most knew each other by face alone, their reputation carried more recognition than any uniform could.
So most Jonin simply wore their headbands. (Except for the occasional eccentric like Asuma.)
Meaning, in Konoha, someone wearing only a forehead protector wasn't necessarily a Genin, they might just be a Jonin.
Hiruzen distributed the Chunin vests and offered a few wise words about "wherever the leaves dance, fire burns."
After the brief ceremony, he dismissed everyone except Yuki Seisui and his two teammates.
Among this new generation, there was no one Hiruzen valued more than Seisui.
"You three graduated at six, and became Chunin at seven," Hiruzen said proudly. "That's a new record for the entire shinobi world."
The three exchanged glances. Seisui scratched his head awkwardly. "Just luck, really. All luck."
"That's not something luck can explain," Hiruzen chuckled. "Now that you're Chunin, it's time for me to fulfill my promise to you."
"For the next three years, you won't need to take any missions."
"Use that time to train well. When I see you again, I want to meet a completely new you!"
"Yes, sir!" Minato replied eagerly, gripping his new vest.
Chunin!
He was now one step closer to his dream, to become Hokage.
Minato glanced sideways at Seisui, silently vowing: I'll become Hokage before you do, Seisui.
Seisui felt his gaze but didn't respond. Instead, he looked straight at Hiruzen.
"I'll be reborn," he said with conviction. "I'll shed my old skin, and ascend like a snake turning into a dragon."
"Hahaha! Then I'll be waiting for that day!" Hiruzen laughed heartily.
When the three finally left, the Hokage's office fell silent, until a shadow stirred by the window.
"Hiruzen," came Shimura Danzo's cold voice, "that brat, Yuki Seisui, should be placed in my Root division."
"He's perfect material for Root!"
Through the window, Danzo's eyes followed Seisui's departing figure. He could feel the talented boy slipping further from his grasp.
"Leave him to me," Danzo said, ambition flashing in his eyes. "He'll be the next leader of Root!"
Lately, he'd been scouring the village for talent, he'd even approached Might Duy.
After all, he'd felt Duy's overwhelming chakra when the man opened the Eight Gates in the Forest of Death.
But when Danzo finally met him, he decided against it.
Too eccentric. Too loud. Always shouting about youth. Root had no need for such people.
"Stop daydreaming," Hiruzen said mildly, puffing on his pipe. "You heard what Mito-sama said."
"Don't even think about touching Seisui."
He paused, then added, "In fact, don't even think about taking any of the kids who were just here."
"You, !" Danzo snapped, anger flaring. All this time cleaning up the village's dirty work, and I can't even recruit one promising shinobi?!
"You've really changed, Hiruzen!"
Grinding his teeth, he spat, "Fine! I'll go to the orphanage and recruit my own!"
"I'll train them myself!"
Hiruzen hesitated, then sighed and nodded. "Do as you wish."
Danzo snorted coldly. If you won't give me subordinates, I'll make my own.
One day, he vowed silently, I'll become Hokage, through Root!
BANG!
The door slammed violently as Danzo stormed out.
Hiruzen frowned at the trembling frame. Something about the moment left him uneasy.
A few seconds later, BANG!, the door burst open again.
Danzo stuck his head in just long enough to shout, "You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"
Then, SLAM!, he was gone again.
Hiruzen stared at the cracked doorframe for a long while, speechless.
"…Someone fix that," he muttered finally.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," an Anbu operative said, kneeling at his side.
"And get a good craftsman," Hiruzen added. "Make sure it's sturdy this time."
"Yes, sir!"
==========
Meanwhile, Yuki Seisui had no idea about the Hokage and Danzo's argument.
At that moment, he was surrounded by several familiar faces, Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi.
"Seisui, you guys are amazing," Choza said, munching on snacks. "We haven't even graduated yet, and you're already Chunin."
Inoichi nodded seriously. "Without your guidance lately, I've felt… empty inside."
Seisui stared wordlessly at the notebook in Inoichi's hand.
Yeah, no thanks. I could do without that kind of "guidance."
"Wait, shouldn't you be in class right now?" he asked. "Aren't you afraid your teacher's going to kill you for skipping?"
Shikaku yawned lazily. "Come on, Seisui, you know this isn't our first time skipping."
He smirked. "How about something more exciting, "
"A duel?" Seisui interrupted before he could finish. "Sure."
"No, I meant shogi."
There was no way Shikaku would fight him seriously. Even if the three of them teamed up, they'd just get flattened.
Seisui sighed in disappointment. "What a shame. I was really hoping for a good fight."
"How about this," he suggested, eyes gleaming. "Let's spar. I'll only use taijutsu."
He was itching to try out his Overlord Body Technique.
"No thanks," Shikaku said flatly. "Ask Minato instead. He's been dying to beat you."
"Fine." Seisui shrugged. "Though I've already beaten him about two hundred times."
Sometimes multiple times in a single day.
By now, he practically knew Minato's body structure better than Minato did.
Nearby, Inoichi leaned toward Minato with a grin. "Hey, Minato. I've got a new edition of my Love Guide. Want to read it?"
Minato blinked, then shook his head. "No need."
Inoichi's smile froze. "What?! Have you forgotten our solemn vow?!"
"I haven't forgotten," Minato said seriously. "But I've already won Kushina's heart."
"I don't need the Love Guide anymore."
Inoichi's expression fell instantly as he stared mournfully at his bright yellow notebook.
"But even if I don't need it," Minato added kindly, patting his friend's shoulder, "your book could still help others."
Inoichi's eyes lit up. He's right, I could publish it!
"Minato! If Master Seisui ever says something profound, you must tell me immediately!" Inoichi said, bowing ninety degrees.
"Of course!" Minato nodded firmly.
After all, without Inoichi's "advice," he might never have managed to date Kushina.
Watching them whispering, bowing, and muttering about "solemn vows," Seisui could only stare blankly.
"What's wrong with you two?"
"Nothing," Inoichi said quickly. "Just talking about publishing a book."
Seisui glanced at the little yellow booklet titled Love Guide and sighed.
"Do whatever you want. Just don't put my name on it."
At that moment, a quiet voice came from beside him.
"My grandfather wants to meet you," said Uchiha Haru softly.
"Meet me?" Seisui frowned. "What does that old man want with me?"
He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. We'll go tonight."
Haru nodded as well, it made no difference whether they went now or later.
==========
Meanwhile, in the Uchiha compound, Uchiha Setsuna sat at his table, sipping tea and glancing at the clock.
"Why aren't they back yet?" he muttered.
"It's just picking up a Chunin vest. How long could that take?"
Sitting alone in the quiet room, staring at his teacup, he looked like a lonely old man waiting for his children to return home.
While Setsuna waited, Seisui and the others had already made their way to their secret training base.
They lay sprawled across the grass, gazing up at the bright blue sky.
"This is life," Shikaku sighed contentedly.
It had been a while since he'd skipped class like this.
"I wish it could always stay like this. I'll marry a simple woman, live a peaceful life, that'd be perfect."
That was his plain, honest dream.
"Wrong!" Inoichi declared dramatically. "The perfect woman is one whose parents are dead, who's strong, beautiful, gentle, rich, and absolutely devoted to me!"
"Give up on that idea," Nara Shikaku chuckled dryly. "Otherwise, the next generation of Ino–Shika–Cho will only have two people left."
"You guys just don't understand," Yamanaka Inoichi said disdainfully. "You've already turned into a lazy person, no drive at all!"
"You don't understand my pursuit!"
Hearing that, Yuki Seisui silently pondered to himself.
Haru's parents are already gone. She's among the strongest of her generation…
Uchiha Setsuna, that old fox, must've hoarded a fortune from the clan treasury, so the family's definitely rich.
She's pale, beautiful, kind, and gentle toward me. She's never rejected me… always delicate, like a porcelain doll.
The more Seisui thought about it, the more he realized, he had already fulfilled Inoichi's dream.
The only imperfection… was that Uchiha Haru still had that old geezer of a grandfather.
Lost in thought, Seisui didn't even notice Haru quietly gazing at him.
She sat beside him, head lowered slightly, watching how his reddish hair glowed under the sunlight.
Everything felt so calm and peaceful, like a painting of still time.
But then,
"Youth is about striving with all your might!"
Might Duy came jogging past energetically, waving as he shouted, "Good afternoon!"
"Good afternoon, Brother Duy," Seisui greeted back.
"You avenged me, I haven't even properly thanked you yet!" Tears welled up in Duy's eyes, as if he might burst into sobs at any moment.
"It's fine. Just a small favor," Seisui waved his hand dismissively.
"No!" Duy cried passionately. "If it weren't for you demanding compensation on my behalf, I'd still be bedridden!"
"Even Elder Danzo wouldn't have come to invite me to join the Anbu!"
The toll money Seisui demanded at the Forest of Death entrance had been fully paid the very next day.
After all, he'd made them sign debt notes. None of the major villages could afford the humiliation of defaulting.
If word got out that their ninjas had been blocked during the Chunin Exams and didn't pay up, they'd never live it down.
Even the Uchiha and Hyuga clans had quietly settled their dues.
As noble houses, reputation was everything.
The Hyūga were stern and traditional; the Uchiha, proud and unyielding.
Though commoners whispered unpleasant rumors about the Uchiha, most still feared their name.
They were a thousand-year-old clan, respected, if not particularly charismatic.
Might Duy, however, was truly grateful to Seisui.
If not for him, his injuries wouldn't have healed so quickly.
Years of using the Eight Gates had left Duy's body riddled with internal damage, there wasn't a single part of him unscarred.
Whenever he opened five gates or more, those hidden injuries flared violently with the technique's side effects.
But Seisui wasn't paying much attention to the gratitude, his mind was caught on another detail.
"Elder Danzo invited you… to join the Anbu?" he asked, uncertain.
Duy nodded, though his expression turned regretful.
"Unfortunately, I failed the entrance test."
"Otherwise, I'd already be part of the Anbu!"
Seisui fell silent for a moment.
Anbu, my ass. That's clearly ROOT!
Still, he felt relieved that Duy hadn't been accepted.
"Why did you fail?" he asked curiously.
In his impression, Danzo would recruit anyone with a pulse.
Duy scratched his cheek awkwardly and said, "Elder Danzo wanted to test my strength…"
"So I opened four gates right away, and charged straight at him!"
"But Elder Danzo didn't seem to appreciate my Red Youth Battle Cry."
"He said my shouting would blow my cover… then told me I failed!"
Seisui went speechless.
Honestly, if he were Danzo, he wouldn't have accepted Duy either.
To someone who didn't understand, Duy probably looked completely insane.
But Duy clenched his fist with burning spirit. "Even if I fail, I still have a son!"
"I'll train Guy into an outstanding ninja!"
"And one day, he'll join Elder Danzo's Anbu in my place!"
"I'll pass on my unfulfilled dream to the next generation!"
His voice trembled with passion as he spoke.
Seisui, Minato, and Haru exchanged looks.
Minato hesitated, he wanted to tell Duy that Danzo wasn't exactly a good person…
But before he could speak, Seisui shook his head slightly.
There was no need.
If even Duy's overwhelming power at the Forest of Death hadn't made Danzo recruit him, then Guy, an even louder version of his father, stood no chance.
Better to let Duy keep his dream alive.
Nearby, Akimichi Choza and Yamanaka Inoichi looked on enviously.
"Man, it must be nice," Choza sighed. "To even be considered for the Anbu exams."
"Seisui, you guys really are on another level now."
While they spoke with envy, Shikaku's sharp eyes caught the subtle looks exchanged between Seisui's trio.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
He might act lazy, but he wasn't stupid.
As the brains of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, he was trained by his father to stay calm and rational.
On the battlefield, he'd be their strategist, and a single mistake from him could mean death for all three.
So yes, he was lazy, but not a fool.
"Seisui!" Duy suddenly shouted, striking a dramatic pose. "Youth means cherishing every second!"
Seisui's expression grew serious.
"Only youth that dances is true youth!" he declared solemnly.
"Brother Duy, while you're working hard, we're working just as hard too!"
"Youth should burn with passion!" Duy bellowed, overwhelmed with emotion.
He lunged forward, trying to hug Seisui in a tearful embrace, but Uchiha Haru quickly stepped between them, blocking the way.
Seeing her, Duy stopped mid-motion, then smiled proudly and gave Seisui a big thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming white even through his tears.
"Youth… is endless training!" he proclaimed, before turning and jogging away, sparkling tears trailing behind him.
So this is youth… Minato thought aloud, flashing his own dazzling grin behind Seisui.
"Come on, Seisui, let's fight!"
"This time, I'll defeat you for sure!"
"Really?" Seisui smiled faintly. "I don't believe you."
"Damn you, Seisui!" Minato shouted, jumping up. "I've already started learning the Flying Raijin Jutsu!"
"Today will be your first defeat!"
He looked confident as he spoke, but deep down, he felt uncertain.
There was a time when their duels had been even, his speed versus Seisui's raw strength.
But somewhere along the line, he'd begun to fall behind… always chasing that back he couldn't catch.
"Give it up, Minato," Seisui said calmly.
Then, for some reason, a mischievous smile tugged at his lips.
He clasped his hands together and summoned the Panda Sage with a puff of smoke.
With both hands folded behind his back, he turned away from Minato, letting a faint breeze of chakra lift the hem of his clothes.
"The ones who fall to me," he said softly, "have never been my rivals."
"I'll give you time to catch up, until you can no longer even see my shadow."
"Good! Good! You brat!" the Panda Sage exclaimed the moment he appeared, slapping his furry paws together in admiration.
He felt like a clown now, he'd spent years showing off his "cool" poses, but Seisui's effortless confidence made them all look childish in comparison.
The Panda Sage immediately tried to jot down Seisui's words, only to notice Inoichi already writing in his notebook.
"Give me that!" he shouted, rushing over to snatch the paper.
Inoichi bristled, ready to teach the fat panda a lesson, but Shikaku grabbed his shoulder and shook his head.
"Don't," he murmured.
"What the hell are you even saying?" Minato groaned, face contorting like he'd just swallowed a bug.
=============
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