Veigar remained completely unaware of Hiruzen Sarutobi's surveillance. After numerous attempts at training the Teleportation Jutsu, he had finally managed to use it for the first time.
However—
"Ah! That hurts!"
His first attempt at executing the technique resulted in him misjudging the distance entirely, causing him to crash headfirst into a tree. Clutching his forehead, he groaned in pain.
Through his Telescope Jutsu, Hiruzen watched Veigar's clumsy efforts and couldn't help but smile in amusement.
"Training through a notebook alone is certainly less efficient than having a mentor."
As the pain subsided slightly, Veigar retrieved his training notebook and began reviewing it once again.
When Hiruzen noticed the signature on the notebook, he immediately understood where Veigar had learned the Teleportation Jutsu. He also realized that Veigar's current progress wasn't solely due to his natural talent and hard work—his late father Takaaki Koshima's training notes had played a significant role.
With this in mind, Hiruzen deactivated the Telescope Jutsu. As the Hokage, he had countless other matters requiring his attention.
Ten minutes later, Veigar closed his notebook and resumed practicing the Teleportation Jutsu.
Once again, he failed.
If not for the persistent throbbing on his forehead, he would have thought he was imagining things.
One day passed. Then two. Then three.
After three days of relentless effort, Veigar finally gained a basic mastery of the technique. From here on, his training would focus on improving his proficiency.
As the saying goes, "Practice makes perfect."
Every jutsu becomes more precise and fluid with repeated use. The Teleportation Jutsu, in particular, was not overly complex but highly practical, and every ninja trained until they could execute it effortlessly without hand seals.
After finishing his shift at the slaughterhouse and heading home, Veigar unexpectedly ran into Tomohisa Ishikawa.
"Good evening, Sensei!"
The moment he spotted Tomohisa, Veigar immediately greeted him.
Tomohisa had been waiting for Veigar. Even before Veigar noticed him, Tomohisa had already seen him approaching. Smiling, he replied, "I knew you were working nearby, so I came to check on you."
"So, have you been training diligently during your break?"
Tomohisa didn't ask about the difficulty of Veigar's job or whether he was tired—such questions would be pointless.
After all, is there any job in this world that isn't exhausting? Moreover, Veigar was only a seven-year-old child working in a slaughterhouse, a place known for its physically demanding labor.
Veigar nodded firmly. "Yes! I just learned a new jutsu. Sensei, could you give me some guidance?"
Tomohisa responded with a hearty laugh. "Of course!"
"But it's already late. How about I treat you to some grilled meat first?"
"After we eat, I'll help you with your training."
Hearing that Tomohisa had not only agreed to teach him but also offered to buy him dinner, Veigar beamed with excitement. "Okay! Thank you, Sensei!"
After their meal, the streets of Konoha were already aglow with lantern light. Veigar invited Tomohisa to his home.
"Sensei, this is my father's training notebook."
"The jutsu I just learned—the Teleportation Jutsu—is recorded here, but there are still parts I don't quite understand."
In the living room, Veigar took out the notebook left behind by Takaaki Koshima and placed it in front of Tomohisa.
Tomohisa accepted the notebook, flipped through it briefly, and then looked up at Veigar. "These are very detailed notes."
"Now, let me explain the key principles of the Teleportation Jutsu."
His explanation stretched over an hour. Many of the difficulties Veigar had encountered in his training were clarified one by one. Tomohisa even shared some advanced techniques for optimizing the jutsu—how to increase speed, reduce chakra consumption, and refine execution.
When Tomohisa finally left, Veigar practiced for a while longer before exhaustion took over, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
Two more days passed.
Now able to use the Teleportation Jutsu with ease, Veigar was ready to start his next training regimen—kenjutsu and chakra control.
His home contained an old scroll on Ittō-ryū kenjutsu. He had no intention of letting it go to waste; mastering it would grant him another powerful offensive option.
As for chakra control, it was crucial for his next step—learning the Human Body Enhancement Technique.
According to the annotations on the scroll, inadequate chakra control would make the training significantly more difficult. While the Human Body Enhancement Technique was not hard to learn, perfecting it was another story entirely.
Besides, improving chakra control had no downsides. It was beneficial in every aspect of ninjutsu and combat.
Just as Veigar retrieved the swordsmanship scroll, Hiruzen, having finished his early evening paperwork, made his way to Veigar's home.
Hearing a knock at his door, Veigar frowned in confusion.
Who would visit this late at night?
Descending the stairs, he heard the knocking again. Now growing wary, he asked, "Who is it?"
"It's me, the Third Hokage."
The moment Veigar heard the voice claiming to belong to the Hokage, his first instinct was disbelief. He suspected an imposter.
However, upon closer thought, the voice did sound very much like Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Still, convinced that the real Hokage wouldn't visit someone like him personally, Veigar decided to test the intruder. "That's impossible! Why would the Hokage come looking for me?"
"Your voice is similar, but you must be an impostor."
"My mother told me that boys should always be cautious when they're home alone."
"If you don't leave, I'll call for the police force to arrest you!"
His tone was sharp and firm, but it also carried a trace of unease. He still refused to open the door.
Outside, Hiruzen was momentarily speechless upon hearing Veigar's declaration that "boys should always be cautious at home."
After a brief pause, he detected the nervousness in Veigar's voice and sighed internally. The boy was afraid he might be a bad person.
What Hiruzen didn't know, however, was that Veigar's apprehension was merely an act—a façade that was, ironically, quite fitting for a young orphan dealing with a stranger at his doorstep.
"Veigar, you don't have to be afraid. I really am the Third Hokage."
"I won't come inside. Instead, why don't you visit the Hokage's office tomorrow? Does that sound good?"
After saying this, Hiruzen turned to leave. He gestured toward the nearby ANBU, signaling them to withdraw.
Before departing, he glanced back at Veigar's tightly shut door one last time.
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