Talent System In The Naruto Universe

On Saturday, Hanekawa had just opened his door when he was greeted by an excited voice.

"Hanekawa! Look at this!"

Kurenai ran up to him, beaming.

"Look at what?" Hanekawa asked, yawning.

Kurenai didn't answer immediately. Instead, she twirled around in front of him.

It was then that Hanekawa noticed she was wearing a white tracksuit and had tied her hair into a single ponytail. The new look gave her an energetic and sporty vibe, quite different from her usual loose hairstyle. She appeared full of vitality.

"Not bad, very lively," Hanekawa said, smiling and nodding in approval.

"Mm!" Kurenai flashed a bright smile.

"What are you two up to?" A curious Yuhi Shinku stepped out of his room. "Isn't it Saturday? Are you going out?"

"We're heading to Uncle Kosuke's place," Kurenai said firmly, clenching her fists. "I'm determined to master Water Release today!"

"Kosuke? Water Release?" Shinku's eyes widened in surprise.

What was going on?

Not only was his daughter doing something unexpected, but she also seemed to be making a decision that went against their family's traditions.

Was she giving up on genjutsu?

"It's like this," Hanekawa began, explaining the situation. However, he left out the part where he had encouraged Kurenai to learn Water Release. Instead, he claimed that Kosuke was teaching her as a favor to Shinku

"I didn't expect old Kosuke to still remember me," Shinku said happily after hearing the explanation.

Kurenai blinked, aware that Hanekawa had told a small lie, but she chose not to expose him.

"Kurenai," Shinku said, "even though Kosuke is a genin, his skills shouldn't be underestimated. Learn well under him."

After giving it some thought, he concluded that learning Water Release wasn't a bad idea. After all, genjutsu could always be dispelled.

As a girl, Kurenai learning taijutsu or swordsmanship like Hanekawa didn't seem very elegant, but Water Release was a good alternative.

Moreover, Shinku knew that Kosuke's Water Release techniques were directly taught by the Second Hokage—an opportunity not to be missed.

"Got it, Dad. We're off!"

After breakfast, Kurenai grabbed Hanekawa's hand and ran outside.

"Slow down!" Shinku called after them. "Don't exercise right after eating breakfast!"

"Okay!" Kurenai shouted back without turning her head.

The March sunshine was neither too warm nor too cold, making it a perfect day.

Walking hand-in-hand down the street, they passed by mostly closed shops since it was still early on a weekend.

"Since when has there been a new ramen shop here?" Kurenai asked, noticing an Ichiraku Ramen stand nearby.

"Let's try it when it opens," Hanekawa said, glancing at the stand and spotting a man in a white chef's uniform—it was unmistakably Teuchi.

In the original story, Ichiraku Ramen was one of the safest places in Konoha. Even when Pain destroyed the village, the ramen shop remained untouched, leading fans to jokingly theorize that Teuchi was secretly a powerful figure.

"Okay," Kurenai replied, her face lighting up with excitement.

For her, the highlight wasn't the food but the company.

---

Before long, they arrived at Kosuke's home.

"Uncle Kosuke!" Kurenai and Hanekawa greeted in unison.

"Good morning," Kosuke said with a warm, grandfatherly smile.

He had always been a solitary person, but the presence of these two lively kids brought him great joy.

After exchanging pleasantries, they began training.

Hanekawa, with his katana in hand, focused on refining his techniques.

"Kurenai," Kosuke said after some thought, "I've already taught you the basics of Water Release over the past few days. Today, we'll work on Water Release: Wild Water Wave. It's a fundamental Water Release technique and not too difficult."

"Got it!" Kurenai replied enthusiastically.

Kurenai was visibly excited, nodding repeatedly.

"The power of this jutsu depends on the amount of chakra you output," Kosuke Maruboshi explained.

Forming hand seals, he opened his mouth and released a small wave of water, no larger than the size of an arm. Then, he performed the technique again, this time unleashing what could only be described as a river.

"Amazing!" Kurenai exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. "This feels way more practical than genjutsu!"

Hanekawa tugged at the corners of his mouth, suppressing a smile.

Good thing Yuhi Shinku wasn't around to hear this. If he were, it might result in a scolding—if not for his daughter, then certainly out of frustration.

But Hanekawa knew Kurenai didn't mean to undermine genjutsu. Compared to Water Release, genjutsu's effectiveness wasn't necessarily inferior. It was just that Water Release had a much stronger visual impact, which made it more exciting for a beginner.

Setting his thoughts aside, Hanekawa continued his training.

---

At the Hokage's Office

Standing at the door, Sakumo Hatake hesitated for a few moments before raising his hand to knock.

"Come in," came Hiruzen Sarutobi's calm voice.

Sakumo opened the door and stepped inside.

"Oh, Sakumo," Hiruzen greeted him with a smile. "What brings you here today?"

"I came to express my gratitude regarding those rumors," Sakumo said, bowing slightly.

He had heard the rumors circulating about him in the village but chose to ignore them, staying true to his own ninja code. However, just a few days ago, he noticed that all the gossip had suddenly disappeared.

Only a handful of individuals in Konoha had the authority and ability to silence such rumors, and the Third Hokage was undoubtedly the most likely candidate.

Realizing this, Sakumo felt both relieved and grateful. In his mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi represented the Will of Fire. For the Hokage to take his side affirmed that his actions had not been wrong.

"It was Tsunade who requested it," Hiruzen said with a smile.

"Tsunade?" Sakumo froze for a moment, surprised.

That was unexpected. While Tsunade was a member of Konoha's upper ranks, she wasn't known for intervening in such matters like Danzo Shimura.

"She's in the mission hall right now," Hiruzen added casually, puffing on his pipe. "You can thank her directly if you like."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," Sakumo said, bowing again before leaving the office.

Hiruzen watched his retreating figure, taking a slow drag from his pipe. He understood Sakumo well. If Tsunade had done him a favor and also harbored ambitions to become Hokage, Sakumo would likely step aside—or even support her candidacy.

---

At the Mission Hall

Tsunade had just finalized Hanekawa's first mission: traveling to the Land of Water to rendezvous with a Konoha intelligence operative.

The mission was classified as B-rank, meaning there was a likelihood of encountering enemy ninja, but not jonin—most likely only chunin-level opponents.

Beyond the moderate difficulty, Tsunade's main reason for selecting this mission was to expose Hanekawa to the harsh realities of the ninja world. The Land of Water and Kirigakure were ideal backdrops for such a lesson.

As she reviewed the details, a familiar figure approached.

"Tsunade," Sakumo Hatake said as he walked up to her. "Thank you for your help with those rumors."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow slightly, quickly guessing Hiruzen's intentions.

"It was Hanekawa who asked me to help," Tsunade replied with a small smile. "If you want to thank someone, thank that kid."

Sakumo was momentarily stunned.

How did this matter involve Hanekawa?

Because of Kakashi, he was somewhat acquainted with Hanekawa, but at the end of the day, the boy was just a child. It felt unbelievable that someone so young could play a role in such an issue.

"Regardless, I'm grateful to you," Sakumo said, bowing slightly again.

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