Chapter 128: Kyohiko, You Should Become the ANBU Captain!

After a long absence from Konoha, the four of them wore different expressions on their faces. Minato was like a man reunited with his beloved after a long separation. Yuuhi Kurenai was filled with both joy and apprehension— She was about to return and face another examination. As for Kakashi and Kyohiko, their expressions were similar, though Kakashi seemed slightly more lost. "Let’s go." Minato took a deep breath. As they passed through the gates, he forced a smile and was about to greet the guards, Hatake and Tsuchihara, when the two stood up first, their faces lighting up with excitement. "Lord Minato! Lord Kyohiko! You’re back!" Their voices trembled with barely contained admiration. And then— With a loud shout, nearby villagers and shinobi turned their heads. Upon confirming it was really Minato’s team, they immediately swarmed over. "Lord Minato, did we win at the front?" "What’s the situation?" "Is it true that—" The barrage of questions made Minato’s scalp tingle. Yet, given his nature, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse, so he awkwardly answered them one by one. Unnoticed by him— Kyohiko quietly borrowed a pen from Hatake, signed the entry log, then raised a finger to his lips in a "shush" gesture. And then— Whoosh! Kyohiko grabbed Kurenai, while Kakashi followed with a Body Flicker. Minato’s lips twitched. They just ran off without hesitation! Not a shred of loyalty! At least help block some of the crowd! On a nearby rooftop, the three of them lay flat on the tiles, peering cautiously at the scene below. Damn! The crowd surged like a hero’s welcome. "Is this really okay?" Kurenai whispered. "Why wouldn’t it be?" Kyohiko said matter-of-factly. "Minato just has to answer a few questions. He’ll sacrifice some time and see Kushina a little later. Meanwhile, we have much more important things to consider." His reasoning was so shamelessly sound that even Kakashi had no rebuttal. But thinking about it— It was true. Though he and Kyohiko didn’t have urgent business—just a debrief with Tsunade—Kurenai had an important report to deliver. Kakashi glanced at her with concern. "Kurenai, is your proposal ready?" "Thanks to your help, it’s all prepared. I plan to submit it to Lady Tsunade now." Kurenai smiled sweetly. "If I can provide even the slightest help to our teacher, I’ll be satisfied. And since I’ve saved up some money from hospital work, I’ll treat you all to a feast this afternoon." "Guess I’ll have to run a few laps to work up an appetite then," Kyohiko joked. Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Go ahead. With Minato trapped, you’re the only jonin left in the squad. And... let’s be honest, most decisions in the team come from you anyway, don’t they?" Kakashi’s lips curled slightly. Kyohiko fired back a retort, and the three of them chuckled quietly, watching Minato struggle below before flickering away toward the Hokage’s office. --- Hokage’s Office. Tsunade held Kurenai’s notebook, flipping through the summarized contents and additional insights. She read in silence. Finally, she looked up, her face breaking into a satisfied smile. Kurenai exhaled in relief. Thank goodness. It passed! Tsunade gestured for them to pull up chairs, then leaned back, her posture relaxed. "I’ve already received ANBU reports on the frontlines. You all performed exceptionally well—especially you, Kyohiko. Eliminating the Third Kazekage and reducing our losses against Sunagakure was a tremendous achievement." Her expression turned serious. Then, she turned to Kakashi. "Your growth has also been remarkable. Both in skill and temperament, you’ve improved leaps and bounds since you were seven." Kakashi paused for a second before bowing slightly in thanks. Tsunade continued, "By my assessment, your overall abilities have reached jonin level." "Jonin? Me?" Kakashi was stunned. He quickly protested, "I’m not qualified for that yet." Tsunade raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "The fact that you think so only proves your maturity. That’s exactly why I believe you’re ready. Of course, the final decision requires further evaluation—don’t get your hopes up just yet." "Yes!" Though his mask hid his expression, Kakashi’s flickering gaze and trembling fingers betrayed his inner turmoil. "Alright, Kurenai, Kakashi—you’re dismissed for now. We’ll discuss specifics later." The latter part was directed at Kurenai, who nodded, happy for her teammate yet unenvious— She knew her own skills still fell short of chunin, let alone jonin. Being promoted prematurely would only humiliate her. Once the two left, Tsunade tapped the notebook. "You taught her this?" "Only a little." Kyohiko lounged comfortably. Tsunade smirked, setting the notebook aside. A little... The core framework bore Kyohiko’s unmistakable strategic fingerprints. "It’s well-considered. Only minor details need polishing. I’ll submit it for discussion in the next council meeting." Kyohiko nodded, then frowned. "You didn’t keep me behind just for this, did you?" Though they shared a good rapport, official business took precedence in the Hokage’s office. Small talk was unlikely. "Of course not." Tsunade folded her hands. "Shinnosuke resigned." "What?" Kyohiko blinked. Tsunade quickly explained the circumstances, emphasizing it wasn’t her doing, before he relaxed. That guy... Well, between Hiruzen’s influence and his own, Asuma had indeed grown more withdrawn. Hope he’s doing alright. Kyohiko sent silent well-wishes. But with Shinnosuke’s departure, the ANBU captain position now stood vacant. "Me?" "Yes." Tsunade confirmed. "Before, I wouldn’t have pushed you into this role. Even if you wanted it, Minato or Orochimaru would’ve been primary candidates, with you assisting. But your reputation has changed." War brought suffering and calamity—yet for the capable, it also brought opportunity. Take Kakashi. Though Tsunade stressed nothing was guaranteed, once skills were proven, few would deliberately obstruct his promotion. Kyohiko was no different. Creating a jutsu to kill the Third Kazekage, swiftly ending the conflict, even influencing Ōnoki’s decisions—these were ironclad achievements no one could dispute. With such merits, who in Konoha or ANBU would dare oppose him? The only question was— "Kyohiko, will you help me?" "Of course. My goal is to become the youngest Hokage, after all. What kind of future leader would I be if I didn’t strive while young?" Kyohiko grinned. He was genuinely interested in ANBU! Then, his lips quirked. "If I’m to be ANBU captain, I’d like to request one person." "Kakashi?" "Mhm." "Granted." Tsunade agreed. Though Kakashi’s promotion to jonin was imminent, his youth and inexperience would still hinder his growth. ANBU offered a viable path. "Any other requests?" "I’m inexperienced in espionage. I’ll need an expert’s guidance." *Chapter 128: Kyohiko, You Should Become the ANBU Captain! (Continued)* Kyohiko spoke. Tsunade smiled and said, "Don’t worry about that. I’ll assign you a very capable assistant. However, you’ll need to get along with him." Kyohiko’s eyelids twitched. "It’s not Orochimaru, is it?" "Guess." Tsunade gave a mysterious smile. Looks like it is. Kyohiko hesitated. Orochimaru was too capable. Having him around would mean triple the vigilance in ANBU. However, since he already had a cooperative agreement with Orochimaru, keeping a closer eye on him wouldn’t be too much trouble. In fact, he might even squeeze some benefits out of the situation. Thinking about it this way... "I have no further questions. However, I’d like to select some promising talents for ANBU’s training division." "Granted." --- That afternoon, Might Guy, Shiranui Genma, and other members of Team Dust who weren’t on missions swarmed around Kakashi as he stepped out for training. "Come on, tell us! What really happened?" "Yeah!" "How many did you take down? Any jonin?" At that moment, Kakashi understood Minato’s earlier suffering. He sighed softly and sat down on the side. "A few jonin, not many. As for chunin... I didn’t keep count..." Kakashi glanced around and sighed. "Compared to Kyohiko, my results were too ordinary." At first, everyone was stunned, but then they nodded as if it were obvious. Of course! Kyohiko was stronger than Kakashi. If even Kakashi had taken down several jonin, Kyohiko’s achievements must have been even more outrageous. "Kyohiko was even more impressive?" "How many jonin did he kill?" Guy asked eagerly. Kakashi chuckled. "Guess." "Twenty?" "Thirty?" "Forty...?" Seeing Kakashi continuously shaking his head, they slumped back in defeat. Kakashi’s mask shifted slightly. "Truth is, I don’t know either. Too many. More than I could count." "Huh?!" The three exchanged bewildered glances. Too many to count... Did that mean Kyohiko dealt with jonin as effortlessly as Kakashi handled chunin? That’s insane! Guy pondered for a moment but then nodded as if it made perfect sense. "Given Kyohiko’s speed and explosive power, it would be nearly impossible for opponents of the same level to defeat him." Incredible speed, terrifying strength, and Lightning Release specialized in bursts and piercing attacks— Kyohiko’s combat prowess was terrifying. Very few jonin could actually beat him. So envious... Guy sighed inwardly. Just then— Whoosh! A soft sound. "What are you all talking about?" "Kyohiko! Hey, we were just talking about you!" Guy grinned. Kyohiko understood immediately. He glanced at Kakashi, who gave a slight shake of his head, confirming he hadn’t revealed too much. With a smile, Kyohiko asked, "Just the four of you? Where’s Raidō and the others?" "Deployed to the eastern front." Guy’s voice was thick with envy. While everyone else fought to protect the village and nation, they were stuck training inside Konoha. It was frustrating. "I see..." Kyohiko nodded knowingly. He didn’t elaborate, instead engaging in casual conversation. Naturally, they asked about the war, but he kept his answers vague. As genin, there were many things they weren’t yet privy to. After chatting for a while, they all went for a run and training. Midway, Kyohiko subtly fell back beside Shiranui Genma. "Genma, got a moment?" "Eh? Me?" Genma blinked in confusion. Kyohiko nodded. Shiranui Genma, Hagane Kotetsu, and Kamizuki Izumo. These three would later master the Flying Thunder God Formation. Now that he was reorganizing ANBU’s training division, Kyohiko wanted to recruit them early to lay the groundwork. However, Kamizuki Izumo was three or four years younger and likely still in the Academy. They slowed their pace, letting the others pull ahead. "Genma, would you be interested in joining ANBU’s training program?" "ANBU... training?" Genma froze for a long moment. "Me?" He couldn’t believe it. Was he, of all people, actually qualified for ANBU? "It’s just training. I think your skills, potential, and temperament make you a better fit than most of your peers. That’s why I’m inviting you." Kyohiko explained. Genma’s senbon nearly fell from his mouth before he caught it. The real shock wasn’t the invitation—it was that Kyohiko had the authority to make this decision! "Wait, so you’re now...?" "Just testing the waters. No guarantees I’ll do well." Kyohiko replied modestly. Genma clutched his senbon, staring blankly. He was three years older than Kyohiko and had only recently made chunin through sheer persistence and exam grinding. Meanwhile... Kyohiko was already becoming an ANBU captain. The gap between people... "So? What do you think?" "Of course I’m in!" Genma nodded vigorously. This was an opportunity—one most could only dream of! But... "What about Kakashi?" "He’ll be there too, but training won’t mean much for him. Oh, and keep this confidential. No leaks." "Understood!" Genma nodded, unconsciously slipping into a more respectful tone, his emotions complex. He got it. ANBU training didn’t guarantee ANBU membership. For someone like Kakashi, participating would just be bullying. Kyohiko, Kakashi—both were far stronger. Even their old teammate Might Guy had grown terrifyingly powerful, mastering Lightning Release. Tch. The competition’s brutal. By the time Genma snapped out of his thoughts, Kyohiko was already gone. "Hey, where’d Kyohiko go?" "Oh, he had something urgent. Told us to keep running." --- That evening, the reunited team of four gathered at a barbecue restaurant. Kurenai raised her glass, thanking Minato, Kakashi, and Kyohiko for their guidance like a proper adult. War had matured them all— Including Kyohiko and Kakashi. As they ate and drank, Kyohiko leaned back, still mulling over ANBU training matters when a notification chimed in his mind. [Through your influence, Konoha, Kusagakure, and Iwagakure have reached a peace agreement. Your village has received substantial economic compensation.] [Reward: White Fang Sword Technique proficiency increased.] Kyohiko paused, then sighed inwardly— A three-party peace deal. The war was over. He wondered how things were on the eastern front. Picking up his drink, Kyohiko glanced at the other three. Instead of immediately absorbing the memories, he smiled and joined the conversation. "Kyohiko, why the long face? Is the drink that bad?" "Bitter!" He needed to cherish this downtime. Once work began, free time would be scarce. Minato chuckled and raised his glass. "It’s been an honor working with you all. No matter what, we’re all Master Jiraiya’s students. Let’s stay in touch." Clearly, he’d caught wind of the changes too. The team was splitting up. Such was the life of a shinobi—growth meant shared hardships and inevitable goodbyes. "Friendship unchanged!" Kyohiko raised his cup, emotions tangled. On one hand... Partings were sad. On the other, Minato and Kakashi—originally master and disciple—had become comrades and friends thanks to his influence. Their seniority had jumped a whole generation. If Obito ever became Minato’s student in the future, wouldn’t that make him their junior? The thought almost made Kyohiko laugh aloud. Clink! Their glasses met. Kakashi looked dazed as he set his cup down. "So we’re really splitting up?" "Kurenai continues training, while the three of us... Three jonin in one team? What kind of mission would even need that?" Minato pointed at them. Kakashi quickly said, "Nothing’s confirmed yet!" "Relax. The Hokage said it’s practically guaranteed. Besides..." Minato looked at Kyohiko and smiled. "Working with Kyohiko taught me a lot. But staying together would only limit my growth." Under the shade of a towering tree, one finds shelter—but also constraints. "Everyone here is exceptional. But excellence shouldn’t be limited to just us. We must pass on what we’ve learned." "Well said. Now, eat up!"