Naruto: I have an attribute panel

Chapter 29 The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

The next day, Taiichi arrived at school early in the morning and asked Mr. Yamada for leave. Mr. Yamada looked at Taiichi in surprise; this was the first time he had ever encountered someone asking for leave on the second day of school. However, considering Taiichi's usual behavior, he readily agreed.

Having received approval, Taiichi wasted no time and immediately headed towards the Hokage Building after leaving the school.

This was Taiichi's first time visiting the Hokage Building. The building, bustling with people, didn't seem particularly tall in the entire Hidden Leaf Village, but it appeared solemn against the backdrop of the Hokage Rock in the distance.

As soon as Taiichi entered the Hokage Building, a Chunin called out to him, "Hey, kid, this isn't a place for a brat like you who's not even a Genin."

Taiichi looked over at the sound and saw a staff member. Unfazed, he stepped forward and asked, "I would like to see the Hokage. May I ask how to get there?"

"Kid, do you think you can just see the Hokage whenever you want?" the Chunin said impatiently.

"Then please inform them that Lady Tsunade's disciple, Matsushita Taichi, has something to ask the Hokage," Taichi said calmly.

The Chunin stared intently at Taiichi, as if he could see through the truth in Taiichi's words.

"You wait here." After saying that, he turned and walked down the stairs.

"Thanks!"

Watching the departing figure of the Chunin, Taiyi began to survey his surroundings. This was the mission hall—where ninjas accepted missions. Even early in the morning, many ninjas came to complete their mission handovers, a testament to Konoha's prosperity. After all, a ninja village survives on missions.

……

About 10 minutes later, the Chunin reappeared. "Come with me, the Hokage wants to see you!" he said, leading Taichi to the entrance of the Hokage's office. "This is it. Go in by yourself."

After the Chunin left, Taichi took a deep breath to calm himself down; success or failure hinged on this moment.

A knocking sound came from the door.

"Come in."

Taiichi pushed open the door and entered, only to be greeted by the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was smiling at him.

"Tsunade's disciple," the Hokage quipped.

Taiichi blushed and said embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, Lord Hokage, I only resorted to this tactic to see you." He then bowed in apology.

"Haha, it's alright, it's alright. I know about your situation and Tsunade's. Although she didn't formally accept you as her disciple, she is indeed training you as her successor. So it's fine to say that you are her disciple." The Hokage couldn't help but laugh.

"Is it true? I've always thought I haven't done well enough~" Taiyi said, feigning modesty.

"You've done very well," Hiruzen Sarutobi affirmed.

"Isn't today the first day of school? Why did you come to see me?" Hiruzen Sarutobi ended the conversation and got down to business.

"It's like this, Lord Hokage..." Taiichi then explained the events of yesterday to the Hokage in detail.

"Because I am a student at the Ninja Academy, and the Hokage is the principal of the school, I am also considered the Hokage's student. So I must get the Hokage's permission to go anywhere!" Taichi said sincerely.

After listening, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, picked up the pipe beside him, and started puffing away. Soon, the smoke obscured his face.

"Alright, Taichi, you don't need to worry about this anymore. Just focus on your studies at the Ninja Academy from now on." Soon after, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice rang out.

"Yes, Lord Hokage, I will follow your instructions." Taiichi replied without hesitation, his main focus being obedience.

"Then you should go back now!" Hiruzen Sarutobi began to dismiss him.

Taichi left the Hokage's office as instructed, making sure to gently close the office door behind him.

As Taichi left, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face instantly darkened. "Danzo, you have clearly disobeyed my orders."

……

After leaving the Hokage's office, Taichi arrived at the training ground in the grove. Danzo's arrival last night had really spurred Taichi on.

In particular, his helplessness in the face of Danzo's attacks made him even more eager to improve his strength, but this was impossible. Improving strength is never something that can be achieved overnight; it requires accumulated effort over time.

Unfortunately, Taiyi currently lacks time and can only accumulate experience through more diligent practice.

Looking at his attribute panel, Taiyi regained his confidence. He already had such a huge advantage, what more could he ask for? Now, as long as he trained step by step, he would be able to crush Danzo one day. Thinking of this, Taiyi put aside all his thoughts and began to do the exercises one by one.

……

Wood Leaf Root Base.

"Lord Danzo, the Hokage has arrived. He is currently in the main hall." The ninja who instantly entered the office knelt on one knee and reported.

"Strange, why would Hiruzen be here?" Danzo thought to himself.

Unable to think of anything, he could only get up and head to the hall.

"Hiruzen, it's been a long time since you've been to Root." Danzo's sinister voice rang out even before he arrived.

Footsteps approached from afar in the cold, damp corridor, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's Hokage cloak swept across the water droplets condensing on the walls. The candlelight in the Root Hall flickered as Danzo stepped in, casting his long shadow on the gray walls.

"Since when did the Hokage have to personally inspect the rat hole again?" Danzo's cane thudded on the ground, and three subordinates wearing boar masks followed silently behind him.

Sarutobi took off his cloak and draped it over his arm, twirling his pipe between his fingers: "Yesterday, the medical team sent over three poisoning reports. The symptoms are exactly the same as those of the Rain Ninja test subjects who went missing last month." He stopped five steps away, just avoiding the shadow of the iron chains hanging from the ceiling.

"A necessary sacrifice for the future of Konoha..."

"Including targeting the children at the ninja academy?" Sarutobi's suddenly raised voice made the candelabra stand vibrate. Sarutobi's fingers, gripping his pipe tightly, turned white, and ash fell in a flurry onto his embroidered flame-patterned robe. "Now you're even taking six-year-olds into your 'Root'?"

"His talent can only be fully realized at the root..."

"Bang!"

The sound of the pipe shattering against the stone pillar startled the creature hiding in the shadows.

"Tobirama-sensei established the ninja academy to prevent children from going to the battlefield. Your current actions contradict his original intentions!"

"Don't mention Tobirama-sensei to me. I am the one who truly inherited his will. Hiruzen, you are too weak, both towards Matsushita Taiichi, the Uchiha, and the other ninja villages," Danzo said sinisterly.

"You always use tender lies to nurture wild beasts, waiting for them to grow strong enough to tear your throat apart..."

"I am the Hokage!" Sarutobi suddenly roared, his chakra surging so intensely that most of the candles on his head instantly went out. Only the flames of rage flickered in his eyes in the darkness. "Tobirama-sensei chose me, not you!"

The moment the boar-masked figures pressed their hands on the hilts of their swords, Danzo raised his hand to stop them. But this action clearly provoked Hiruzen Sarutobi even more. Were these the root of Konoha or his own root, that they dared to draw their swords against him, the Hokage?

Danzo's voice continued, "Just wait and see, when the Cloud Village's sword is at that brat's neck..."

"Enough!" Sarutobi grabbed his cloak and turned around, unwilling to argue with Danzo any longer. "That's enough about Matsushita Taichi. Don't go looking for him anymore. Besides, he's already studying with Tsunade and Jiraiya. You don't want your lab to be smashed, do you?" Sarutobi Hiruzen gave his final warning.

The loud slam of the iron gate closing sent dust flying from the wall, and Danzo's cane was driven deep into a crack in the stone. "Damn it!" But thinking of Tsunade, Danzo had no choice but to give up. It wasn't worth getting into a conflict with Tsunade over someone who had no special talents.