"Nani? What did I say wrong?" Sarutobi Hiruzen looked genuinely baffled.
Kakuzu was from the same era as Tobirama Senju. Jiraiya was Sarutobi's disciple, so calling Kakuzu "Grandfather" didn't seem too far-fetched. Then again, Kakuzu never taught Jiraiya ninjutsu, so maybe dropping "sensei" and sticking with "grandpa" was more appropriate?
Hiruzen just couldn't figure out where he had gone wrong.
"Heh, you didn't say anything wrong. I just feel like punching you today," Kakuzu replied with a dry chuckle as he swung his iron fist.
People said his character was inconsistent, but the truth was that Hiruzen's words had stirred something deep in Kakuzu's long-buried modern soul. Being called "grandpa" when he wasn't even forty yet? Could anyone blame him for being upset?
Hiruzen dodged the strike, still unable to understand the issue.
Uzumaki Mito was 45 this year, already a grandmother. Kakuzu wasn't as old as her but came from the same era. Finally, it clicked for Hiruzen.
"Oh, I get it! Kakuzu-sama doesn't want to sound too old. So maybe I should call him 'Little Grandpa' instead?"
Kakuzu wasn't sure if Hiruzen was being genuinely clueless or deliberately provoking him. Either way, he'd made up his mind.
"Today, I'll help Tobirama clean up this mess."
Hiruzen took a step back, raising his guard as he questioned, "Why?"
As a grown man, he felt it was only fair to ask for a reason.
Kakuzu's answer was simple: "Because you're a closet pervert—a textbook case of a repressed man."
"Don't think I don't know about your habit of using Tobirama's crystal ball to peek into the women's bathhouses."
Kakuzu threw another punch, which Hiruzen narrowly dodged. This time, it was clear the Hokage was shaken.
Nearby, Jiraiya was grinning in a way that could only be described as... skeevy.
"Oh wow, sensei! Who knew you had this side to you? This is some hot gossip. I gotta share this with the whole village—consider it my gift to our master-disciple bond. Hehehe…"
Hiruzen's composure crumbled further at the sight of Jiraiya's knowing smirk. His student would absolutely spread the news.
What made it worse was the look of disdain from Tsunade.
"Sensei, is what Kakuzu-sama said true? You're so gross! You're just like Jiraiya. I'm going to confirm this with Lady Biwako!"
Tsunade, still in the awkward stage of adolescence, was particularly sensitive about matters of propriety. The mere thought of being watched while bathing made her glare at Hiruzen with utter contempt.
The look of disgust from a teenage girl? It stung, deeply.
Hiruzen's face turned crimson. But as mortifying as his students' reactions were, he had bigger concerns.
"Tsu—Tsunade, don't do anything rash!"
"Oh, ho! Hiruzen, didn't know you were so henpecked," Kakuzu said, his fists slowing as he chuckled at the Hokage's plight.
Hiruzen dodged another swing, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation.
"Kakuzu-sama, you wouldn't understand—you're not married. My marriage with Biwako was arranged..."
The weight of his words spoke volumes.
Hiruzen and Biwako Sarutobi were tied together by their clans. There wasn't much affection, but in the world of the great ninja clans, love had little place. Like so many others, he'd had no choice but to follow orders and marry when the time came.
For the first few years, things had been relatively peaceful. But lately, Hiruzen couldn't help feeling trapped by the constraints of his marriage.
Before Hiruzen could finish explaining, Kakuzu cut him off.
"So now you're saying you're feeling… what, powerless?"
"Well, yes… Wait, no!" Hiruzen's head snapped up in protest, only to meet Kakuzu's unrelenting smirk.
"Powerless is normal. But you're the Hokage, the head of the village. Technically, you could switch wives daily if you wanted to. Yet you stick to your 'powerlessness'—that says something about Biwako, doesn't it?"
"So instead, you put on the act of a perfect student in front of Tobirama and Biwako during the day, only to use the Telescope Technique to 'unwind' at night. What a closet pervert."
"It's not like that, Kakuzu-sama! Please, let me explain—I'm still the Hokage! My students are here—can you give me some dignity?"
"Dignity? You're dreaming, Sarutobi. Forget being Hokage—I'm putting Danzo in charge."
"No! Danzo's not fit to be Hokage!"
Suddenly, Hiruzen's hands formed a series of seals.
The next moment, a shadow thread extended from the ground, binding Kakuzu in place.
Under the bright sunlight, a thin black line now connected the two combatants, successfully halting Kakuzu's advance.
[Shadow Imitation Jutsu, successful.]
Sarutobi Hiruzen finally let out a sigh of relief, a relaxed smile spreading across his face. He knew that Kakuzu wasn't entirely serious in this sparring match, but even so, the extent of the "joke" felt a bit much. As the Hokage, he had to put a stop to Kakuzu's antics.
"Kakuzu-sama, if I recall correctly, you met my teacher on the black market, didn't you?" Hiruzen asked, his tone light but cautious.
"Oh?" Kakuzu replied, glancing briefly at the shadow on the ground.
Was Sarutobi Hiruzen weak? Not at all. In fact, his future nickname in the shinobi world—"The Professor"—spoke volumes about his capabilities. It indicated that in his youth, he was a formidable and renowned shinobi. However, Hiruzen often preferred to keep his true strength hidden.
Now, as he stood before Kakuzu, Hiruzen wielded chakra of all five elements and had mastered over a hundred jutsu. He might not have yet reached his peak, but his youth and versatility gave him a significant edge. His strength was not to be underestimated.
"Sarutobi, are you trying to imply your bounty's not low these days?" Kakuzu's lips curled into a sly grin.
"Ahem." Hiruzen coughed lightly, but his expression betrayed a hint of pride.
He vividly remembered the day he'd stumbled upon his bounty in the black market—an impressive 96.8 million ryō. Even his mentor, Senju Tobirama, had a peak bounty of only 136 million ryō. The disparity between their bounties felt like a progress bar, constantly driving Hiruzen's ambition forward.
It was like a student growing strong enough to challenge their teacher—not out of disrespect, but out of a desire to surpass them. Yet in the world of shinobi, where the tradition of "killing one's master" wasn't unheard of, such ambition came with dangerous implications.
Now that Tobirama was gone, Kakuzu seemed like the perfect replacement to fill that rival position.
Kakuzu's grin deepened. "Sarutobi, it looks like you're planning to rebel today."
"No, no, you're mistaken," Hiruzen said, chuckling. "I merely wish to exchange a few pointers with you."
As he spoke, a smile played at the corners of Hiruzen's lips. Once, his teacher had been an insurmountable presence, towering far above him. But today, Hiruzen was ready to see if he could surpass that shadow.
Bang! Bang!
Two shadow clones appeared beside Hiruzen in an instant.
One of them clasped its hands together, limbs expanding rapidly.
"Multi-Size Jutsu!"
The other closed its eyes, forming a triangular hand sign.
"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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