Yoruha looked at Kakashi, unsure of what to say for a moment.
Although he thought Kakashi's idea was a bit naïve—after all, how could Jiraiya possibly agree to teach him Sage Arts—he could still sense the sincerity behind Kakashi's words. Kakashi truly wanted him to master the power within his body, and genuinely worried about his safety.
At this moment, Kakashi was treating Yoruha as a true personal disciple.
Yoruha fell silent.
Kakashi thought he hadn't understood and repeated himself.
Yoruha waved his hand. "Kakashi-sensei, I understand what you mean. It's just that I doubt Lord Jiraiya would be willing to teach me Sage Arts."
"Since you said Sage Arts are an extremely powerful ability that only a few have ever mastered, do you really think someone like Lord Jiraiya would take me as a student?"
"He and I share no connection at all."
Seeing the disbelief on Yoruha's face, Kakashi chuckled. "Lord Jiraiya is quite kindhearted. Once he realizes your potential and considers the village's future, he won't refuse."
Yoruha turned to Kakashi with a faint, ambiguous smile. "And what if he thinks my power is a threat to the village, and doesn't want me to learn Sage Arts?"
"If the Third Hokage were to find out about my current strength, I doubt he'd remain as calm as before."
Kakashi froze for a moment.
He had been so focused on Yoruha's chakra that he'd completely forgotten about the Third Hokage. And, knowing Jiraiya, it was entirely possible that he would think the same way Yoruha did—believing Yoruha's rapid growth posed a danger to the village.
After a long silence, Kakashi said quietly, "But the Chūnin Exams are coming up soon. The Third Hokage will definitely find out about your condition then."
Yoruha shrugged indifferently. "Then I'll just leave it to fate."
He truly couldn't think of any better solution.
Konoha had too many ways to detect the power within him—the Hyūga clan, the Yamanaka clan, and various sensory-type ninja could all sense the abnormal chakra in his body.
Hiding it was impossible.
So Yoruha didn't even plan to try.
He had already accepted it with surprising ease. Defection wasn't something he'd consider unless he was forced to the brink of death.
After all, he had no desire to wander as a rogue ninja.
Seeing Yoruha's indifferent expression, Kakashi grew more worried. "Then we can't let the Third Hokage find out you've already mastered those few jutsu from earlier."
"Although I trust the Third, I don't believe he can truly trust you completely."
"Your chakra reserves are enormous, but as long as we make him think you haven't mastered those highly destructive techniques, he probably won't act against you."
"Don't worry—As long as you're in Konoha, you have me and Tōichi on your side. If the Third ever tries to harm you, neither of us would allow it."
Yoruha only smiled faintly at those words.
He knew Kakashi's loyalty lay first and foremost with the village.
He didn't believe Kakashi would betray Konoha for his sake.
Still, it didn't matter much to him. If one day he truly couldn't remain in Konoha, then even if he didn't want to become a missing-nin, he would have no other choice.
He might not have any grand ambitions, but he also didn't want this life to end before it even reached halfway.
Kakashi, who just moments ago had been planning Yoruha's future in detail, now had no trace of that earlier confidence.
At this point, all he wanted was to protect Yoruha.
He didn't want Yoruha to end up like Yamato—spending his life in the shadows of the ANBU—or to live under constant surveillance like the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
If anyone had it worse, it wasn't Naruto—it was his mother, Uzumaki Kushina.
As an outsider from another village, even after marrying Minato Namikaze, she had been constantly monitored by the ANBU.
For most of her time in Konoha, her home was surrounded by a sealing barrier, and she wasn't allowed to leave freely.
You can imagine how miserable that must have been.
At least Naruto grew up completely free—perhaps too free. He could even graffiti the Hokage Rock without consequence.
Anyone else would've been executed on the spot, or at the very least thrown into a cell.
It was only because the Third Hokage allowed it that Naruto lived so unrestrained.
Loneliness—every jinchūriki experiences it. But to live as freely as Naruto did—there were very few like him.
What's most absurd is that despite how many people lost loved ones to the Nine-Tails' rampage, the villagers never once tried to assassinate Naruto.
Contrast that with Killer Bee, who was attacked multiple times by his own village because the previous Eight-Tails host had gone berserk.
That Konoha's villagers only shunned Naruto instead of killing him was almost unbelievable.
But life under ANBU surveillance? That's no better.
Kakashi knew that all too well—he himself had spent many years in the ANBU. Back then, he'd even been assigned by the Fourth Hokage to guard Kushina.
But "guarding" also meant "watching."
Of course, Minato had no ill intent—he only feared that Kushina might lose control of the Nine-Tails during her pregnancy.
Still, being under surveillance is suffocating, no matter the reason.
Kakashi didn't want Yoruha to live that kind of life.
Yet he truly couldn't think of a way to help him.
All he could do was help Yoruha keep it secret from the Third Hokage—that he had already mastered three S-rank destructive jutsu.
Yoruha, however, wasn't too worried.
After all, he was a Konoha ninja.
As long as he didn't show hostility toward the village, the Third Hokage wouldn't move against him.
If the Hokage really killed every genius who appeared, Konoha would've collapsed long ago.
Looking at Kakashi, Yoruha smiled. "You don't need to worry that much. I don't think the Third Hokage would go that far."
Kakashi's expression grew complicated. He didn't share Yoruha's optimism.
He'd spent too long in the ANBU and knew well the other side of the Third Hokage.
But Yoruha wasn't wrong—he was still a Konoha ninja.
Aside from the Uchiha, the Third Hokage rarely acted extremely toward other clans.
At least, not like Danzō.
And even Danzō's extremism was mostly directed toward the Uchiha. As long as others didn't interfere with his ambition to become Hokage, he didn't bother them.
He even rejected strong individuals who didn't fit his ideals—like Might Guy, for example.
Guy had begged to join Root, but Danzō flatly refused.
The Third and Danzō had inherited the Second Hokage's ideology: they viewed the Uchiha as dangerous extremists, potential lunatics.
Aside from them, they'd never done anything particularly cruel to other clans.
Even their actions toward the Uchiha were a direct consequence of the Nine-Tails' attack.
After all, that night, when the Nine-Tails broke free, everyone saw those massive eyes—bearing the Sharingan.
Even if the Third hadn't wanted to target the Uchiha, he couldn't help it.
No one could've avoided suspicion after that.
But Yoruha was different. He was a civilian-born ninja, with no clan or political ties behind him.
At worst, he'd just grow into someone like the Fourth Hokage—a lone prodigy.
That was why Yoruha wasn't too worried.
The Third might be cunning at times, but he wasn't insane. He wouldn't kill someone simply for being talented.
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