Chương 132

"Was that..?"

"No way.."

"Did he just..." Meanwhile the two operatives seeing that their attack didn't land at the person they intended to, went for a long range attack. The second operative weaved hand seals with astonishing speed.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" A roaring inferno engulfed half the battlefield before anyone could blink. Without hesitation, Rei slammed his palm onto the ground.

"Earth Release: Earth Wall!" A massive barrier erupted upward, completely intercepting the flames before shattering beneath the immense heat. The smoke had barely begun to clear when sharp chirping filled the arena. Blue lightning erupted around Rei's arm as Chidori crackled violently, illuminating the battlefield with brilliant flashes. The ANBU barely managed to evade the direct thrust, twisting aside at the final instant.

Even so, the concentrated lightning carved cleanly through his armored vest before continuing into the earth behind him. Both operatives immediately realized they could not afford prolonged individual exchanges. Instantly adjusting their strategy, they synchronized once more, launching simultaneous earth spikes, wind blades and a relentless barrage of kunai from multiple directions. To every observer present, Rei appeared completely trapped with no visible avenue of escape.

Rei instantly took out multiple kunai and threw them at multiple locations, some even rained down near the operatives. The operatives had a bad feeling about it as they saw the special kunai around. And they were right to be uncomfortable. The next moment a brilliant yellow flash erupted across the battlefield. Rei disappeared once again before instantly reappearing behind the first operative without traversing the intervening distance.

"... He.. He really mastered it.. Hiruzen really gave this young kid that technique?" Koharu abruptly rose from her seat.

"... That technique..." Homura's weathered eyes widened in genuine disbelief as realization struck him like lightning.

"No... it can't be..." Even the masked ANBU Commander unconsciously took a single step forward.

"... Flying Thunder God..." The battlefield erupted into motion once more before the shock could settle over the spectators. The ANBU operative instinctively spun around, his blade sweeping horizontally toward Rei's neck, but the young shinobi had already disappeared in another yellow flash. The sword sliced harmlessly through empty air as Rei materialized beside one of the marked kunai embedded several meters away, never allowing the two operatives even a moment to predict his position.

"Stay together!" one ANBU shouted to his partner. Now they knew what kind of monster they were facing. This person was the ghost of the 4th Hokage. No wonder the new Hokage wanted him as the guard. Both operatives immediately regrouped back-to-back, their senses stretched to the limit as they searched every corner of the arena. Flying Thunder God was a technique they had only read about in classified records. Facing it firsthand was an entirely different experience.

Every marked kunai scattered across the battlefield had suddenly become a possible point of attack. A golden flash erupted behind the second operative. Before the ANBU could even begin turning around, a perfectly formed sphere of swirling chakra had already appeared in Rei's palm.

"Rasengan." The spiraling orb slammed squarely into the operative's back. The impact detonated with a deafening roar, sending the masked shinobi flying across the battlefield before crashing through the remains of the shattered Earth Wall. He rolled several times before finally coming to a stop, his mask cracked and his armor completely destroyed. Though still conscious, he no longer possessed the strength to stand. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road.

Please report it. The remaining operative reacted instantly, charging toward Rei with admirable determination despite witnessing his partner's defeat. Lightning coated his blade as he attempted a desperate finishing strike. Another yellow flash. The operative's eyes widened.

"... Behind—!" Too late. A second Rasengan drove directly into his abdomen. The spiraling force lifted him clean off the ground before hurling him across the training field. He struck the earth hard, bounced once, then slid several more meters before coming to a complete stop. His sword slipped from his grasp as he coughed violently, unable to continue. An overwhelming silence settled across the entire training ground. Even the birds perched upon the surrounding trees seemed to have stopped singing.

Two elite ANBU... Defeated within minutes. The ANBU Commander slowly lowered his crossed arms, his gaze never leaving Rei.

"... The Hokage's bodyguard position..." he said quietly, "... has been earned." Before Tsunade could even open her mouth to make the announcement official, another voice echoed across the silent training ground.

"I object." Every head turned toward the entrance. An elderly man wrapped in white robes walked forward with measured steps, his right eye and arm concealed beneath heavy bandages while a wooden cane tapped rhythmically against the stone pathway. Behind him followed several Root operatives who remained hidden beneath emotionless masks. Tsunade's expression immediately darkened.

"... Danzo." For the first time since arriving in this world, Rei finally laid eyes upon Shimura Danzo in person. His expression, however, remained completely unchanged. No surprise, no hostility, no curiosity. He simply watched the elder as though meeting another village official for the very first time, careful not to reveal even the slightest hint that he knew exactly who this man was. Danzo stopped before the assembled council, briefly surveying the battlefield before his lone visible eye settled upon Rei.

"I have no intention of denying the boy's strength," he began calmly.

"His performance has been remarkable, and even I acknowledge that his abilities are already comparable to those of an accomplished jōnin. However..." His gaze shifted toward Tsunade.

"... strength alone does not qualify one to become the Hokage's personal guard."

"And why not?"

"Because a Hokage's guard protects not merely with power, but with judgment." Danzo spoke without raising his voice, forcing everyone present to listen carefully.

"Every ANBU assigned to protect the Hokage has repeatedly demonstrated independent decision-making during high-risk missions. Many have successfully completed S-rank assignments alone, where failure would have endangered the village itself. Amagi Rei possesses no such record." Several shinobi frowned, but Danzo continued before anyone could interrupt.

"He has never completed an S-rank mission independently. His ability to make life-and-death decisions under the burden of absolute responsibility has never been tested." Naruto immediately stepped forward.

"That's stupid! Rei beat two ANBU all by himself!"

"And he saved Lee during the Chūnin Exams!" Sakura added firmly.

"He only failed because he chose to help someone else!" Several other spectators nodded in agreement. Danzo merely looked toward them.

"Precisely. He abandoned the objective of the examination." Naruto frowned.

"But he saved a person!"

"I do not question his compassion." Danzo answered evenly.

"I question his priorities." His gaze returned to Rei.

"A shinobi will eventually face missions where success cannot be measured by noble intentions alone. Sometimes the objective must be completed regardless of personal feelings. Choosing otherwise may result in far greater losses." Tsunade stepped forward, her patience clearly thinning.

"You're comparing a Chūnin Exam to protecting the Hokage? Are you an idiot?"

"Tsunade.." Homura hissed.

"Did I say anything wrong?" Tsunade clapped back. Danzo didn't seem to be fazed by the insult.

"I am comparing decision-making." Danzo corrected.

"Power wins battles. Judgment wins wars." Homura slowly closed his eyes before speaking.

"... Danzo's reasoning is not entirely without merit."

"The position of Hokage's personal guard carries exceptional responsibility. Every current ANBU assigned to that duty has already established an extensive record of high-level missions." Koharu added. Even several senior jōnin exchanged thoughtful glances. None questioned Rei's strength anymore. That discussion had ended the moment Flying Thunder God appeared on the battlefield. This was no longer about power. It had become a matter of experience. Tsunade clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"So what exactly are you suggesting?" Danzo answered without hesitation.

"Assign Amagi Rei an independent S-rank mission. If he returns having completed it successfully through his own judgment and leadership, no reasonable person within this village could object to his appointment. His strength has already been proven. What remains is the non-existent record."

"... That would satisfy the requirements." Homura agreed.

"And it would silence any criticism from within the ANBU ranks." Koharu said. Tsunade and the rest were boiling with anger, while Rei looked at all of this drama with the same expression as before. He was neither angry at the words of this tumor not happy. If this person thought he could manipulate Konoha for a very long time, then he was gravely mistaken. He had already found his hideout, thanks to the animals and birds.

Only thing he needed was some solid evidence against this person and then it would be game over. Rei was determined to not just kill Danzo, but erase everything. But he also needed to make sure that the Root wouldn't turn on Konoha after their bad deeds gets leaked. One tumor was enough, he didn't need multiple small tumors popping up just because they chose the wrong side from the get go. [A/N: In Boruto, there was a storyline pertaining to this I believe] Killing a single person was never the end of story.

It mostly drags the whole story behind it to the graves, and someone like Danzo had quite the story to tell.