It had been three months since Hoshino Kaede last collapsed from overtraining.
Since that day, his life had been anything but peaceful. In fact, if anything, it had become even more brutal.
Every single day followed a rigorous routine, leaving barely any breathing room. Of the twenty-four hours, only six were reserved for sleep. The rest were consumed entirely by relentless training.
Morning began with ninjutsu—perfecting hand seals, experimenting with elemental nature transformations, and understanding the deeper mechanics behind his Wood Style.
Afternoons were for physical training. Strength conditioning, agility drills, flexibility routines, and running laps around the entire village under increasingly heavier weights. The old ten laps soon became fifteen, then twenty. Kaede no longer counted.
Evenings were reserved for swordsmanship. Under the dim light of lanterns and moonshine, he trained in silence, slicing through wooden dummies and air alike until his arms trembled from fatigue.
He had no time to waste, and more importantly, no time to complain.
Despite the intensity, the rewards were undeniable. His body, once lean and frail, was now firm with defined muscles and far more resilient. His reflexes had sharpened, his speed increased, and even his mental clarity was at an all-time high. His chakra reserves, too, had nearly doubled.
One surprising development during these months came from the Hatake clan. While retrieving a standard-issue sword from the village armory, Kaede was approached by Hatake Isshin—father of the future prodigy Kakashi and a skilled swordsman in his own right. Isshin, friendly and enigmatic, often invited Kaede to his estate for tea and conversation. What began as polite visits slowly turned into late-night sparring sessions.
Kaede, ever cautious, couldn't help but wonder if Isshin had ulterior motives.
After all, by now, everyone in Konoha knew he was Hashirama Senju's direct disciple.
He voiced his suspicions once during a particularly intense training session.
Isshin didn't dodge the question.
He simply smiled and replied, "Yes, I do have selfish reasons for helping you. But mostly... I think you and I were destined to cross paths. That's all."
The honesty in his voice disarmed Kaede, and he slowly dropped his guard.
Their bond grew stronger with each passing week.
Time flew by.
Kaede's physical growth was only part of the story. He had improved in every aspect. Whether it was genjutsu countermeasures, chakra control, or practical combat, he had evolved dramatically. If he fought himself from three months ago, he could probably defeat a hundred of that past version.
Even without fully utilizing his Wood Style or eye ability, he now had the combat prowess of a high-level Jōnin. Still, only Hashirama and Tobirama knew the full extent of his strength.
He sensed that this rapid growth would soon hit a plateau. After all, there were limits to how much the body could evolve at his current age.
Even so, the clock within his mind—the mysterious ability that had awakened alongside his bloodline—had undergone another transformation. The previously hazy time dial had become clearer and now marked one-sixth of a full rotation.
His chakra capacity had risen to that of one full "Kakashi unit"—a measurement he privately used as a benchmark.
More intriguingly, his time-based ocular powers had expanded. In addition to speeding up and slowing down time in his perception, he could now freeze a target's movement for a few seconds. Not long, but enough to gain a significant advantage in combat.
---
That afternoon, Kaede was on his usual run around the village. His weighted training gear had been upgraded again, pushing his endurance to the edge every time he trained.
Sweat dripped down his chin. The sun was high, and his shirt clung to his back. He paused briefly to wipe his brow and continued running, his breathing measured but heavy.
Then—
A subtle rustle behind him.
Kaede reacted instantly. He spun around mid-sprint and lashed out with a brutal whip kick, all his strength poured into the strike.
At the last second, he recognized the face of the person he'd just aimed for.
"T-Tobirama-sama?!"
His eyes widened in horror as he halted the force of the kick. But momentum betrayed him. Off-balance in midair, he crashed to the ground in a graceless heap.
Tobirama raised an eyebrow but didn't flinch.
He'd felt that strike—it wasn't just a blind reaction. Kaede had improved immensely. His instincts, his precision, his physical strength—it was all far beyond what a child his age should possess.
Tobirama was rarely impressed, but this left him momentarily thoughtful.
Is the fusion of bloodline and time manipulation really this potent?
Kaede scrambled to his feet and hurried over.
"I'm so sorry! Are you hurt, Lord Tobirama?"
Tobirama coughed once and smoothed his robes, hiding any sign of surprise. "No harm done."
Then his tone shifted to something more serious.
"You've probably heard a lot of rumors circulating lately."
Kaede tilted his head, feigning confusion.
"I've been training so much, I barely have time to sleep, let alone listen to gossip."
Tobirama raised an eyebrow in mild amusement. "Truly? Then perhaps I came here for nothing."
He studied Kaede a moment longer, then seemed to change his mind.
"Come. You're attending a meeting."
Kaede blinked. "A… meeting?"
"I don't have an official title. I'm not even a registered genin."
"Don't underestimate yourself," Tobirama replied sharply. "Your rank may be undefined, but your status already surpasses that of many clan heirs."
Kaede stiffened. There was something in Tobirama's tone—something layered, perhaps even slightly teasing.
Still, before Kaede could respond, Tobirama turned and added, "Oh, right. This is for you."
He reached into his sleeve and handed Kaede a forehead protector engraved with Konoha's symbol.
Kaede took it slowly, staring at the metal plate. "…I've never even taken the graduation exam."
"No need. Your ability speaks for itself. No one will challenge it."
With that, Tobirama grabbed Kaede by the collar, and the world warped.
Flying Thunder God.
In an instant, they reappeared outside the village council chamber.
Kaede barely had time to orient himself when the doors opened. Tobirama led the way.
Inside, a long table stretched through the room. At its sides sat the clan leaders of Konoha—Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga, Aburame, Nara, Akimichi, Inuzuka, and more.
At the head of the table sat Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage.
To his right was Uchiha Madara, the indomitable leader of the Uchiha clan, still a major force in village politics.
Behind Hashirama stood Tobirama.
And now, Kaede—one unknown child among legends.
He swallowed hard as every eye turned toward him.
The pressure was crushing.
Still, he followed Tobirama to the front of the room, shoulders straight despite the knots in his stomach.
"Xiao Kaede," Hashirama greeted warmly. "Come, sit beside me."
Relief flooded Kaede's chest. He scurried to Hashirama's side and took the seat gratefully.
But the room did not fall quiet.
Low murmurs rippled across the room as clan leaders exchanged glances. Who was this child who dared sit among the highest-ranking shinobi?
Hashirama gave no sign of acknowledging the whispers.
Kaede dared a glance to his left.
Uchiha Madara sat there in silence, arms crossed. His gaze was unreadable, his face like carved stone.
On his right, Senju Tobirama stood with his usual aloofness, eyes like ice.
Kaede suddenly felt like a piece of kindling sitting between two roaring bonfires.
He understood why some of the clan leaders looked annoyed. Rank, strength, and bloodline carried immense weight in these meetings. Kaede, though talented, was young and still unknown to the larger political sphere.
But here he was—seated between Konoha's greatest.
A rookie among titans.
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