After one last look at them, Arata vanished in a flash of golden lightning.
Kimura and Taiko stared at the empty space he'd left behind.
Kimura exhaled bitterly.
"The gap is too big. Even that speed… he's completely different now."
Arata's casual Body Flicker alone was something they couldn't touch.
If he fought seriously, they wouldn't last a second.
Kimura even suspected that their instructor—Honmoto Tōichi—might no longer be Arata's equal.
Taiko clenched her hands.
"Do you think… we can ever catch up?"
Kimura was silent for a long time.
Finally, he shook his head with a bitter smile.
"We can only try. Being able to see his back would already be enough."
"As for catching up…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Meanwhile, Arata headed straight for the Hokage Tower.
The Third Hokage had granted him unrestricted access to the archives.
No one stopped him.
The archives contained Konoha's most guarded knowledge—historical records, secret techniques, classified research.
Kakashi had once sneaked in here to look up information on Wood Release.
Instead of punishing him, the Third had simply handed him the relevant documents.
Naruto had stolen the Scroll of Seals from this very place—
and the fact that he'd suffered no consequences meant only one thing:
The Third had allowed it.
Now, Arata was the only chūnin in Konoha—perhaps the only shinobi without an official position—who could enter freely.
The moment he stepped inside, he sensed it.
The Third Hokage was already there.
Arata wasn't surprised.
"Hokage-sama," he said calmly. "I'd like to consult the archives."
The Third smiled.
"You're quick. What are you looking for?"
"Ninjutsu resources," Arata replied.
"Specifically… sealing techniques."
The Third blinked.
That wasn't what he expected.
He had assumed Arata came for advanced combat jutsu.
Still, he nodded and led Arata to a shelf, selecting several scrolls.
"These are basic fūinjutsu techniques," he said.
"See if you can understand them."
"Sealing techniques require patience. Even the Fourth Hokage spent years studying them."
He mentioned Minato deliberately.
Arata took the scrolls—and felt awkward.
They were all techniques Kakashi had already taught him.
He scratched his head.
"Hokage-sama… to be honest, I've already learned these."
The Third froze.
"…What?"
"Kakashi-sensei taught me fūinjutsu," Arata explained.
"I've already mastered these scrolls."
The Third stared at him in silence.
Even Minato hadn't been like this at twelve.
Fūinjutsu wasn't flashy—but it was notoriously difficult.
And yet…
"You've mastered them?" the Third asked again.
Arata nodded.
"Yes."
The Third finally exhaled and laughed softly.
"Remarkable. Even learning basic sealing techniques at your age is rare."
"You really do remind me of the Fourth Hokage."
Then he asked gently,
"Are you familiar with him?"
Arata nodded.
"Of course. He was Kakashi-sensei's teacher."
"He sealed the Nine-Tails and saved the village by sacrificing his life."
"He was a hero."
The Third looked at him for a long moment—
and smiled.
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