"Why are you two holding me back? That bastard! Trying to skip out on his debt! Next time I see him, I'm definitely cutting him down!"
Jin wanted to give chase, but with Kurenai and Rin gripping his arms on either side, he could only grumble in dissatisfaction.
"Don't be angry, Jin-kun. I'll bring you two more bottles of good wine tomorrow," Kurenai comforted softly.
"Yeah, Jin! I found where my family hides the liquor. I'll bring some for you tomorrow," Rin added with a smile.
Only then did Jin temporarily set aside the matter of Kakashi's unpaid debt.
"Did... did you see that? Jin beat Kakashi in one move!"
"So... so strong—And Kakashi became a Chūnin ages ago!"
"And that dark purple light that cut the tree? What was that?!"
"If that hit a person..."
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The classmates murmured amongst themselves, shivering involuntarily.
Such a thick tree, cut in half by Jin from so far away.
If Jin were actually trying to cut a person, wouldn't they be utterly dead?!
Asuma listened to his classmates' discussion.
Despite his father Hiruzen's comforting words, and the "courage" shown by the dead-last Obito daring to challenge Jin—
Any fighting spirit that had just begun to rekindle within him was instantly extinguished again.
'Whoever wants to challenge Jin can go ahead! I don't want to be cut in half!'
<><><><><><><><>
"Teacher, we will report back to Lord Hokage now," Shisui said, approaching Mr. Tanaka.
"Ah... Ah! Thank you for your hard work! Thank you so much!"
Mr. Tanaka snapped back to reality and quickly expressed his gratitude.
"You're too kind."
Shisui looked at Mr. Tanaka's somewhat dazed state with complete understanding.
Even he hadn't fully recovered yet.
This genius from the Konoha Ninja Academy was truly extraordinary.
Not just his strength, but also...
Thinking back on Jin's earlier antics, Shisui felt his lips twitch uncontrollably.
The three of them came to the Ninja Academy on a mission, only to nearly be cut down as spies.
By a student currently enrolled in the academy!
If word of this got out, it would be incredibly embarrassing!
Taking one last deep look at Jin, Shisui didn't linger. Chakra surged under his feet as he leaped towards the Hokage Tower.
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Konoha, Hokage Tower
Shisui, Kakashi, and the other ANBU were reporting the details of their recent mission to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
This mission had been personally assigned by Hiruzen, dispatching them to the Ninja Academy.
Shisui had initially been puzzled.
After all, was it really necessary to dispatch two Jōnin and Kakashi—a recognized genius who had long since become a Chūnin—for a mere combat assessment at the Ninja Academy?
But now, Shisui understood.
There was a monster in that Ninja Academy!
"That is the summary of events, Lord Hokage," Shisui reported respectfully.
Beside him, Kakashi lowered his head, embarrassed.
He had specifically volunteered for this mission.
Yet he ended up nearly being cut down as a spy by Jin. It was humiliating beyond belief!
Hearing Shisui's report, Hiruzen's eye twitched violently.
'Jin, you damn brat!!!'
Hiruzen cursed inwardly.
Nearly mistaking Kakashi and the others for spies and trying to cut them down—only Jin would pull something like this!
'In the future, I absolutely must find a way to make Jin quit drinking!'
"Alright, I understand. You are dismissed," Hiruzen said, rubbing his temples wearily.
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
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After Kakashi and the others left, Hiruzen stood up and looked out the window at the bustling village of Konoha.
"A flying slash... It's hard to imagine Jin achieving this at his age," Hiruzen murmured to himself.
Jin's performance inevitably reminded Hiruzen of one person—
The man who overshadowed Konoha's "Sannin," a killing machine on the battlefield!
Who wielded the Hatake sword style to cut down countless powerful shinobi across the world, dominating the ninja world.
Kakashi's deceased father, Sakumo Hatake, the "White Fang of Konoha"!
Does Jin have the potential to become the next White Fang?
Judging by the current situation—
Thinking of the "White Fang," Hiruzen's eyes flickered, a pang of heartache gripping him.
After losing the White Fang, Konoha's top-tier combat strength was no longer as abundant as before.
Coupled with the currently unstable situation—although the Second Great Ninja War had ended, its repercussions were slowly emerging.
The devastation brought by the war hadn't allowed the villages to recuperate.
Instead, it intensified their urgency to divert internal conflicts outward.
Especially the Cloud Village, a village whose primary strategy was military expansion—their recent activities had been very frequent.
Even the Mist Village—one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages that hadn't participated in the Second Great Ninja War—was beginning to stir restlessly.
Konoha was situated in the Land of Fire, the most resource-rich land among the Five Great Nations.
Sitting atop a treasure trove meant they would always be coveted.
Combined with the death of the "White Fang"—
Konoha's strength, in the eyes of the other major villages, no longer seemed as unchallengeable as before.
"I need to find a way to display Konoha's strength."
Hiruzen's eyes gleamed. Recalling Shisui's report just now, an idea suddenly sparked.
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