Naruto: Hidden Hokage

"First place: Yorin."

Eijiro couldn't help but praise, "Yorin's progress since joining has been remarkable. Everyone should learn from his example."

Kakashi Hatake instinctively clenched his fists.

Although it was just a minor physical training exercise, he couldn't ignore the slight sting of defeat.

Until now, he had always been the top student in every aspect.

"Ahhh!" Might Guy groaned, clutching his head in frustration.

If it weren't for the sudden cramp before the finish line, maybe he could have won.

Still, it didn't matter much.

For him, discovering a new rival was far more exciting.

"Kakashi actually lost?" Obito Uchiha muttered in disbelief, as if someone had stolen his thunder. "Damn it! Kakashi is only allowed to lose to me!"

Rin Nohara, glancing at Yorin—still composed despite being drenched in sweat—blinked in curiosity.

A civilian ninja being this strong? Defeating Asuma Sarutobi and now outrunning both Kakashi and Guy—could it be their class was producing another civilian genius?

Rin thought of Minato Namikaze, who had been taken as Jiraiya's pupil.

"It's just physical training," Asuma Sarutobi grumbled, his tone bitter.

The next second, the sight of a petite figure standing beside Yorin made his heart sink further.

Suddenly, he wanted to go home. Life was exhausting.

"Yorin, you're amazing!"

Kurenai ran up to Yorin and sat beside him.

Taking a deep breath, she swept her sweat-soaked hair behind her ear, revealing a fair forehead.

Yorin nodded weakly.

The final burst he used to overtake Kakashi and Guy had drained him, leaving him visibly sluggish.

But inside, he was thrilled.

Two skill traits and a month of effort had brought him close to their level. The system truly delivered.

Of course, this was just in terms of running—he definitely couldn't win in a fight yet.

Once physical training was over, school ended for the day.

Yorin told Kurenai to head home, while he ventured northward.

Having trained in the Fourth Training Ground for weeks, he had a clear sense of the surrounding area.

North of the training ground lay the infamous Forest of Death, a wonder created by Hashirama Senju's Wood Release.

As Yorin walked, he heard footsteps behind him.

Turning, he saw Kakashi Hatake.

"Off to train?" Yorin asked.

Kakashi nodded slightly, the sting of losing during physical training still fresh in his mind.

"You too?" Kakashi asked.

"Sort of," Yorin replied thoughtfully.

A typical ninja wouldn't train with explosive tags—it would seem wasteful and foolish. But for Yorin, progress bars needed filling.

At the Fourth Training Ground, Yorin pressed onward while Kakashi paused, curious but not questioning.

After a moment of consideration, Kakashi began his own training.

"Sorry I'm late; I had a mission," Sakumo Hatake said, appearing half an hour later.

Kakashi shook his head, indicating it wasn't an issue.

"Why are you running laps today?" Sakumo asked, surprised.

"Warming up," Kakashi said, keeping his tone neutral.

For some reason, he didn't want to mention losing to Yorin during training.

But he had to admit his father's keen observation had been spot-on—Yorin's rapid improvement was undeniable.

Still, Kakashi firmly believed he would come out on top in the end.

The Forest of Death

Thick branches cast a near-impenetrable canopy, turning daylight into a dim twilight.

Though it was midday, the forest felt like evening.

Yorin's eyes lit up as he quickened his pace, arriving at a wide riverbank.

Taking out an explosive tag, he casually tossed it.

Boom!

The ground shook, leaving a shallow crater and scorched soil.

Cheap items were, indeed, cheap for a reason.

Yorin sighed.

The 300-ryo tags were noticeably weaker than even the most basic Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

Checking his progress bar, he noticed a 1% increase.

The tags counted as ninja tools and were effective for his goal.

Continuing his practice, Yorin felt a nostalgic thrill akin to playing with firecrackers during childhood.

Unfortunately, adulthood often robbed such simple joys.

Before long, the ground became pitted with craters, and a faint heat wave lingered in the air.

"Who the hell is blowing things up?!"

A voice rang out, furious and drawing near.

Yorin turned to see a red-haired woman storming toward him.

"Was this you?"

Her expression softened upon spotting him, though her tone remained stern.

"I was practicing with explosive tags," Yorin admitted, blinking innocently.

"Explosive tags?"

She glanced at him and sighed. "No wonder I couldn't catch any fish."

Seeing it was just a child, her irritation faded.

"Fish?"

Realizing his mistake, Yorin added, "Wait here."

He approached the riverbank, where most of the fish had fled due to his explosions.

Feeling a bit guilty, he moved upstream, spotting a group of fish. Tossing another tag, he watched the resulting blast send stunned fish floating to the surface.

"Over here!" Yorin called.

"You're blowing up fish with tags? How extravagant," the red-haired woman said, laughing.

The cost of the tags likely outweighed the fish's value.

With a casual wave, she formed a chakra net, gathering the fish effortlessly.

Yorin winced at her impeccable chakra control.

Red hair had significant meaning in the ninja world, and he quickly pieced together her identity.

"What's your name, kid?" she asked, placing the fish in a bucket.

"I'm Yorin," he replied.

"Kushina Uzumaki."

Hoisting the bucket, she smiled. "There's enough fish for two people. Want to join us?"

Two people? Could the other be Minato?

As a fan of the original series, Yorin wasn't about to miss this opportunity.

Nodding eagerly, he followed her.

Within minutes, they reached a clearing where a blond young man was cooking.

"Minato! Look!" Kushina beamed. "I caught three or four pounds!"

Who asked?

The scene reminded Yorin of a fishing-obsessed neighbor from his past life who boasted loudly about every catch.

"I smell explosive tags," Minato said, sniffing the air.

"Sharp as ever," Kushina chuckled. "He used tags to fish."

Minato took the bucket, skillfully preparing the catch.

Meanwhile, Kushina pulled Yorin aside, chatting animatedly.

She was a natural talker, carrying the conversation effortlessly while Yorin struggled to get a word in.