"Clan Head Zenshu, is it acceptable to let this continue?" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly.
Zenshu glanced at Gojo Satoru with his dim blue eyes. "That's simply his personality."
"Such a personality will cost him eventually. No matter how talented he is, he's too young." Hiruzen took a slow draw from his pipe.
"He is young. But the technique this child inherited gives him the capital to act this way."
Hiruzen paused mid-motion.
He had indeed witnessed various highly distinctive techniques today, each powerful in its own right.
But as the disciple of Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, he had watched his master develop those legendary jutsu firsthand. He knew exactly how formidable some of them were.
Setting everything else aside—the Flying Thunder God Technique alone surpassed all others.
Except for that unknown technique capable of shaping souls and physical bodies, nothing compared to Flying Thunder God.
And even that unknown jutsu, in Hiruzen's assessment, couldn't match the Impure World Reincarnation.
Therefore, while others might be astonished by these peculiar secret techniques, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained perfectly calm.
"That actually makes me curious as well." He chuckled lightly. "Why not give a demonstration? It could resolve the misunderstanding with the Hyuga clan. After all, we'll all be sharing the same village from now on."
Hiashi Hyuga breathed an internal sigh of relief—but then the Fourth Elder spoke.
"Lord Hokage, how exactly should he demonstrate?" The pressing tone made several onlookers frown with displeasure.
Hiruzen paused his smoking, casting a glance at the Fourth Elder before shifting his gaze to Hiashi.
He couldn't determine whether this represented the Hyuga clan's internal attitude or merely this one elder's personal stance.
Either way, it reflected poorly on Hiashi's leadership.
"That's simple." Gojo Satoru hovered in midair, beckoning mockingly toward the Fourth Elder. "Exchange a few blows with me and you'll understand."
"Fine!" The Fourth Elder agreed impatiently.
He was now convinced that Gojo Satoru's eyes came from his son. No matter what, he had to find a way to kill this child.
Or force out the stolen Byakugan.
Without giving anyone a chance to interfere, veins bulged hideously around the Fourth Elder's eyes.
He charged.
Chakra surged from his palms, and he struck directly at Gojo Satoru's forehead.
Clearly aiming for a killing blow.
Such viciousness immediately made Hiruzen, Minato, and the others frown.
Minato's hand moved—but he hesitated, turning to glance at Zenshu.
The old man's expression remained utterly calm. No worry. No intention to intervene.
In that moment of hesitation, the Fourth Elder's palm struck Gojo Satoru solidly.
Succeeding with the first blow, he executed a rapid combination.
Smack. Smack. Smack.
Palm phantoms surrounded Gojo Satoru. Multiple strikes seemed to land simultaneously—a full-body assault.
"How is this possible?" Hiashi's astonished voice broke the silence.
Hideous veins traced around his eyes. His Byakugan was clearly active.
"Why?" A suppressed, furious voice emerged from the Fourth Elder. "Why can't I seal your tenketsu?"
He retreated several steps, hands clenched into fists. Staring at the child floating motionlessly in midair, he couldn't contain his rage.
"What did you do? What ability do your eyes possess?"
Gojo Satoru's entire body emitted a faint glow. His delicate features and jewel-like transparent eyes radiated an almost sacred presence.
He genuinely resembled a divine child.
"Chakra. A special kind of chakra is attached to that brat." A low voice emerged from the Uchiha contingent.
Compared to the Byakugan, the Sharingan excelled at observing chakra flow rather than seeing through objects to detect internal energy.
They could identify anomalies earlier.
Gojo Satoru floated in midair, clapping his hands continuously. He bent slightly, tilting his head to regard the Uchiha members.
"Very sharp."
"Bastard!" The Fourth Elder charged again like a desperate fool.
His two fingers struck Gojo Satoru's body in a pinching motion, then continuously shifted techniques, landing consecutive blows.
Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms—every strike connected.
The Fourth Elder's face twisted with shock and fury. His chakra was clearly being expelled—why was there no effect?
"What? Why haven't your meridians been sealed?" he roared.
Gojo Satoru looked down at him from above.
Then he moved.
His hand rose, palm extended toward the advancing elder.
Powerful chakra force erupted.
The Fourth Elder's white pupils contracted. Staring at the palm hovering before his eyes, fear flickered across his face.
BOOM.
He launched backward like a cannonball, crashing heavily to the ground.
He rolled several times, kicking up a massive dust cloud before finally stopping. Slowly, he lowered the hands shielding his face.
Fresh blood flowed continuously from his arms, dripping from his fingertips.
Dead silence.
The Hyuga contingent stood frozen. Hiashi's expression turned thunderous. The surrounding atmosphere pressed down like a physical weight.
He'd expected this arrogant child to be strong—perhaps capable of fighting the elderly Fourth Elder to a draw.
He'd never anticipated such an ugly defeat.
More importantly, he still hadn't seen how the Gentle Fist had been negated.
"How exactly did you accomplish that?" Hiashi's voice came out dangerously low. "Why did the Gentle Fist fail?"
As someone who believed the Byakugan was Konoha's supreme Kekkei Genkai, he absolutely could not tolerate a fundamental flaw in his clan's signature technique.
"It's very simple." Gojo Satoru spread his hands, smiling faintly. "Because he didn't hit me."
"Didn't hit you?"
"Impossible—my Sharingan saw it clearly. Every single strike landed."
"I saw it too. Clearly."
"Is this brat playing us for fools?"
Several Uchiha ninjas who'd been watching with activated Sharingan began murmuring amongst themselves.
Hiruzen took a draw from his pipe. Doubt flickered in his eyes.
Didn't hit him? ...Genjutsu?
No one had expected this answer. Most ninjas simply didn't believe it—they'd watched the attacks connect with their own eyes.
"...Space-Time Ninjutsu?" Thought flickered through Orochimaru's gaze before crystallizing into a guess.
"Ding dong! Correct!" Gojo Satoru snapped his fingers casually.
Everyone froze. Hiruzen's eyes brightened—he knew all too well just how powerful Space-Time Ninjutsu could be.
After all, his chosen candidate for Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was living proof.
Seven years old... slightly old to begin, but there's still time. Once I retire, I can teach him properly—one-on-one.
Hot blood surged through Hiruzen's veins.
To cultivate another Hokage who carried the Will of Fire—that would be an excellent goal for the remainder of his life.
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