With One Blade, Overturning Konoha!

Not everyone has Hakken’s physique.

By the time the sword-swinging practice ended, the genin were already sprawled across the ground, completely worn out. It was only the first day, yet some were already at their limit. What reassured Hakken, though, was that the Twelve Genin of Konoha still managed to hold out.

“Do you know why I make you practice sword swings even though you have no talent for kenjutsu?”

After dismissing the group, Hakken sat down beside Naruto, who was resting, and asked.

“Not really.”

Naruto scratched his head. “But if you say it’s training, big bro, then you must have a reason.”

Their conversation drew the attention of the nearby genin. The Little Strong Ones, who had been about to leave, all stopped and listened.

Indeed... For ninja, this type of sword practice wasn’t even as effective as throwing a few extra rounds of shuriken. Aside from building some arm strength, it didn’t seem to offer much practical improvement. And for those with clan secret techniques, this kind of sword practice was even more optional.

After all, very few in the entire village had ever mastered swordsmanship to true perfection, let alone gained fame across the ninja world. There had been Konoha’s White Fang, and now Konoha’s Kenpachi. Only those two.

And now, Kenpachi-sama seemed to be hinting—intentionally or not—at the true purpose of this training.

“Will.”

With one hand resting on Naruto’s head and the other on Sasuke, Hakken spoke just two words. Will.

The simplicity of those two words made the young genin fall into deep thought.

“Repeating the same action over and over—that’s how you test a person’s will.”

“This will becomes your strongest ally in desperate moments. It’s the stubborn belief that lets you save yourself and your comrades.”

“Like right now.”

With one hand gripping Sasuke’s throat, Hakken calmly looked at Naruto.

“Imagine I’m the enemy. Your comrade has been captured and could die any second. You’ve burned through all your chakra and have nothing left.”

“Do you give up… or do you risk everything to swing that one decisive blade?”

Your comrade captured, your own strength gone... Could he deliver that crucial strike?

Naruto stared blankly at the “suffering” Sasuke. What should he do? Was the thing pushing him to swing the blade the very will his big brother spoke of?

Letting go of Sasuke, Hakken sat back down. Whether Naruto understood or not was now up to him.

Because of Hakken’s existence, this child had never been ostracized since he was young. No one would dare throw stones at the Hokage’s son. At the Academy, he wasn’t the one always at the bottom either.

Would this Naruto still possess that unyielding spirit from the original story? Hakken didn’t know. As for the paths Naruto and Sasuke would eventually walk, all he could do was guide them in his own way.

As he always said: they weren’t Ashura and Indra. They were Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha of Konohagakure. The choice was theirs.

“I still don’t really get it, big bro… but if someone tried to kill Sasuke, even if I didn’t have any strength left, I’d still force some out!”

“I will protect my comrades!”

Naruto suddenly clenched his fist and declared.

Comrades, huh. So he’s beginning to understand?

Hakken nodded, satisfied. When some people get serious, they really do show a charisma all their own. What he inherited from the Little Sun wasn’t just that blond hair, but this warm, uplifting presence as well.

“There are many forms of will.”

“To protect, to fight, to resist… as long as you hold to even one of them, you’ll accomplish something as a ninja.”

“And before you awaken that will, swinging a blade is a form of tempering. When you’re pushed to the brink, ask yourself why your sword feels unsteady. Think about what you’re trying to protect.”

“That’s all.”

He patted Naruto’s shoulder, then stood and walked toward Hinata.

“Let’s go home.”

Taking her small hand, the two of them turned and walked out of the training field.

…

The days of intensive training continued.

This time, Hakken chose to act as a guide. With the exam still some time away, Sasuke and Naruto’s individual specialty selections would take place after the written portion.

“Minato-sensei, no matter how I look at it, the most suitable person to guide Naruto and Sasuke to become jōnin should be Owl.”

In the Hokage’s office, Kakashi studied the roster in his hands, puzzled.

With the ANBU elite now firmly controlling the smaller nations, Team Night Owl’s missions had eased up. Following the principle of not wasting manpower, Minato planned to have the members of Team Night Owl serve as Jōnin instructors.

Kakashi, meanwhile, had been assigned to Team 7.

Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Haruno Sakura.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. No matter how he looked at it, swapping Sakura for Hinata seemed far more reasonable. Without a bloodline, relying purely on effort in Team 7 would put tremendous pressure on her.

Of course, that wasn’t the main issue.

The real point was that he felt Hakken was the most suitable person to guide this team.

“He’s not getting out of it anyway. The title of New Genin Chief Instructor has been reserved for him. Whatever missions you carry out, how you train and coordinate—he’ll be the one calling the shots.”

Minato shook his head.

Because new special training subjects had been added unexpectedly, the class assignment process kept getting delayed. It wasn’t until yesterday that Minato finally selected the appropriate candidates.

Moreover, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had personally visited Minato—not for any major matter, but because he felt that Asuma, who had recently returned to Konoha, still hadn’t grasped what the “Konoha Jade” truly was. He wanted Asuma to serve as an instructor as well.

After years of wandering, even serving as a Guardian Ninja, Asuma had matured considerably. He had let go of his feelings for Red and focused wholeheartedly on understanding the meaning of Konoha’s jade and what it was meant to protect.

Minato decided to honor the Third’s request, granting him this favor. After all, the Third had devoted himself earnestly to the Ninja Academy over the years.

The final team assignments were at last confirmed.

As for why this differed from the original story, where teams were formed immediately after graduation, it was because the Academy’s curriculum was demanding. After finally graduating, taking some time to relax was inevitable.

Thus, a regulation had been established long ago: graduates would receive a one-month vacation to help them transition smoothly into their ninja careers.

Once team assignments were fully completed, they would form squads and begin their missions.

“Genin Instructor?”

Kakashi’s mouth twitched. What kind of position was that?

“Mm. Once the special training with Hakken ends, Team 7 will form officially. Follow your own plan from there.”

Minato nodded, gazing out the window.

Outside lay the village’s vibrant scenery.

Konoha had been completely reborn.

“I wonder if people from other villages will be shocked when they see it…”

...

Days passed one after another.

The genin trained tirelessly alongside the figure they admired, swinging their swords again and again.

Finally, the half-month of special training came to an end.

Hakken had no way of knowing whether they had truly learned the meaning of perseverance during those two weeks, or the will to persist even when utterly exhausted.

But he had done everything he could.

Raising kids was clearly not his specialty, and he had no interest in it. As for their future training, whatever direction they chose, each department had its own specialized program. That wasn’t his job.

With the Chūnin Exams registration deadline approaching, participants from the various ninja villages began arriving in Konoha.

On this particular day—

At the village gates.

Three ninja in odd clothing slowly walked in.

The Three Giants of the Sand!

Gaara, Kankurō, and Temari!

The Kazekage had yet to arrive, so they had set out a little earlier.

Thud.

From around the corner, Naruto and his newly adopted little brother, Konohamaru, came running. Thıs content belongs to novęlfire.net

Unfortunately, Konohamaru crashed right into the tall man in black carrying a puppet.

“Hey, where’d you come from, kid?”

Kankurō grinned, deliberately putting on a cruel expression—an expression that made Sasuke, watching from a nearby tree, want to laugh.

He, Naruto, and Sakura had just completed the traditional Konoha bell-snatching test. With nothing else to do, they’d headed to the village gate to observe the arriving Chūnin Exam candidates.

Grabbing Konohamaru by the neck with one hand, Kankurō lifted him into the air. Yet despite his supposed intelligence, he completely failed to notice the atmosphere around him shifting into something cold and ominous. The looks the villagers gave him were filled with amusement and ridicule.

Someone trying to pick a fight with a Konoha resident—in Konoha?

“Kankurō, don’t cause trouble.”

Just as Kankurō was about to act, Temari stepped up behind him.

“I’m just playing around.”

Kankurō chuckled and suddenly tightened his grip on Konohamaru’s arm.

“Konoha Anal Fissure Whirlwind!”

Boom!

A furious shout split the air as a green figure suddenly appeared behind Kankurō, and his massive foot drove straight into the man’s backside.

Red, yellow, and some unidentified liquid sprayed into the air before splattering across the ground.

The Kankurō who had been shouting moments earlier had already fainted.

The upgraded version of Leaf’s Fierce Whirlwind—

The Konoha Anal Fissure Whirlwind!

After being defeated countless times by Kakashi’s One Thousand Years of Death, Guy finally had an epiphany.

This was the move he created after comprehending that technique.

“No one causes trouble in Konoha!”

Pointing a thumbs-up toward the ground, Guy’s gleaming white teeth made Temari recoil in horror, stumbling back several steps until she slammed into a wall.

This man was absolutely not someone they could provoke.

That kick…

She was convinced it could literally end a person’s life.

No doubt about it—Kankurō had definitely been split open.

“Konoha…”

Sand surged upward, lifting Kankurō’s body into the air.

A boy with deep crimson hair, the character “love” carved into his forehead, walked forward slowly.

From his furious expression, it was clear his heart was overflowing with murderous intent.

“Gaara…”

As if grasping onto a lifeline, Temari rushed behind him for protection.

She really had told Kankurō not to start anything—yet he was the one who ended up beaten half to death.

“I’ll kill you!”

Sand erupted. The life-or-death-obsessed Gaara reached his hand toward Guy.

“Sand Coffin!”

“Killing intent!”

Who was Guy?

The man who nearly kicked out someone’s ending.

His strength was obvious—just look at Lee, who inherited his taijutsu.

Right as the Sand Coffin was about to engulf him, Guy vanished. In the next instant, he reappeared directly in front of Gaara, grabbed him by the throat with one hand, and slammed him into the ground.

Then, with his free hand, he began punching Gaara’s face repeatedly as if punches were free of charge.

“The exam guide stated it clearly!”

Thud!

“No fighting at the Konoha village gates!”

Thud!

“No causing trouble!”

Thud!

“No—”

After more than twenty punches, Guy finally released him and stood up, bowing to the surrounding foreign shinobi who were staring in stunned silence. He gave them a big thumbs-up.

“This is youth! Feel free to cause trouble!”

Cause your ass!

Someone just grabbed a Konoha shinobi by the neck—didn’t even do anything else—and you acted like that.

Then when they tried to retaliate, you almost killed them?

Who would dare cause trouble now?

Shinobi all clutched their backsides and shook their heads vigorously.

Who would dare in Konoha?

“Gaara…”

Temari stared blankly at the deep crater in the earth, then cautiously approached.

But when she saw what lay inside, she screamed and scrambled backward frantically.

“It came out! That thing came out!”

What thing?

Guy looked over, confused.

“Ugh! My eyes, my eyes!”

What was that? A writhing monster?

“The One-Tail, Shukaku of Sunagakure. If I’m not wrong, he’s Sunagakure’s One-Tailed Jinchūriki.”

Just then, footsteps approached rapidly—the Uchiha patrol unit responsible for village security had finally arrived.

Fugaku’s three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, then twisted into the unique Mangekyō.

“Calm yourself. Shukaku!”

Buzz—

His ocular power activated.

The monster that had just emerged instantly shrank back into Gaara’s body.

On the ground, only the unconscious brothers remained.

Gaara and Kankurō.

“Take them to the rest area. Remember—this is Konoha. The only outcome for causing trouble here is death.”

After issuing Temari a warning, Fugaku bowed to Guy.

“It was my failure. I’ll strengthen security to prevent incidents like this.”

Guy said nothing, simply giving Fugaku a thumbs-up in approval before turning and leaving.

“Everyone, before you think of causing trouble—remember, this is Konoha!”

“We have our hospitality, but we will not tolerate troublemakers!”

Surveying the area, Fugaku gestured to the Uchiha security unit behind him.

They immediately dispersed, beginning a new round of covert patrols.

“Guy-sensei is amazing.”

“And Clan Head Fugaku is so cool.”

Naruto’s eyes sparkled as he finally snapped out of shock.

Maybe this was the kind of person he wanted to become—someone others acknowledged.

Sasuke said nothing. Watching from the tree, he looked at his father with pure admiration.

A single glance could quell that monster.

This was the Uchiha clan.

...

“This is Konoha?”

Once the commotion settled, several unusual groups suddenly arrived at the gates of the village.

The Kage of the Four Great Shinobi Villages—

Along with their entourages.

It was as if they had agreed beforehand—they all arrived together.

But when they stood at Konoha’s entrance, they were completely stunned.

“You’re telling me… this is Konoha?”

Ōnoki’s jaw hung open as he stiffly turned to his granddaughter, Kurotsuchi.

He had heard rumors that Konoha had changed dramatically, but since his last visit to apologize… the rate of development was absurd.

“This is Konoha.”

The Raikage exhaled, a trace of envy in his gaze as he looked upon the bustling streets and the villagers who genuinely smiled.

The village had expanded several times over.

Standing at the gate, they could only see the tip of the iceberg.

“Suddenly, that proposal from that Mr. Da doesn’t seem so easy. A Konoha like this… can it really collapse so easily?”

Terumi smiled, revealing hints of the secret behind why they had all arrived together.

“Lord Kazekage!”

“Your son has been attacked!”

Just as the Kage were marveling at Konoha’s rapid development, a shinobi rushed over.

He was part of the vanguard that had traveled to Konoha with Temari.

“My son? Who?”

Rasa frowned.

“Both of them! Kankurō suffered severe anal fissures, and Gaara’s face… his face is ruined…”