The air in Training Ground 7 crackled with an unusual tension, thicker than the usual midday Konoha humidity. It wasn't the site of a high-stakes Jonin mission debrief, nor a Clan head meeting. Instead, all eyes were focused on a small figure standing confidently in the center of the cleared dirt field.
Before him stood a seasoned Chunin, Kenji Tanaka, a man known for his solid Taijutsu and by-the-book approach. Observing from the sidelines, seated comfortably on a portable chair beneath the shade of a sturdy oak, was the Sandaime Hokage himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Accompanying the Hokage were two stern-faced ANBU guards, their presence adding another layer of gravity to the scene. This wasn't a punishment detail or a special training session. It was an early graduation exam, requested by the very boy who now faced Chunin Kenji.
Eight-year-old Arashi Namikaze practically vibrated with barely contained energy, a stark contrast to the stoic shinobi around him. He was undeniably a Namikaze, possessing the same finely chiseled features that were already making his older brother, Minato, quite popular.
But where Minato had sun-kissed blonde hair and gentle blue eyes that radiated kindness, Arashi was a riot of bright, electric blue hair – a shade so vibrant it seemed almost unnatural – framing eyes the colour of a clear summer sky, sparkling with mischief and an unnerving level of self-assurance for his age. A wide, cheeky grin was plastered on his face, directed squarely at his much larger opponent.
"Ne, ne, Tanaka-san," Arashi chirped, his voice clear and bright, "Ready to dance? Don't worry, I'll try not to mess up your nice uniform too much!" It felt slightly cringe copying Madara's Dialogue.
Kenji's eyebrow twitched. He'd been briefed: Namikaze, Arashi. Younger brother of the prodigious Minato Namikaze. Exceptional Academy scores, particularly in chakra control exercises, surpassing even instructors' expectations. Requested early graduation.
Objective: Assess practical combat skills and survivability against a superior opponent. The specific condition laid out by the Hokage was simple – the boy needed to remain undefeated, not necessarily win, for three full minutes. Still, the kid's sheer audacity was grating. He looked barely old enough to properly throw a kunai, let alone face a Chunin. And his hair… what was with that colour?
"Hokage-sama," Kenji said, bowing respectfully towards the village leader without taking his eyes off Arashi. "I am ready."
Hiruzen puffed thoughtfully on his pipe, his aged eyes twinkling with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. He'd heard the reports from the Academy instructors. Prodigious talent, yes, but paired with a personality that was the polar opposite of his older brother. Minato, even at thirteen, was the epitome of calm diligence, humility, and lethal efficiency – already a respected Chunin rapidly heading towards Jonin rank.
This younger one, Arashi… he was loud, boisterous, and seemed to treat everything like a grand game. Yet, the instructors couldn't deny his results. His chakra control was reportedly off the charts, allowing him to master techniques like tree-walking and water-walking on his first attempts, and with negligible chakra expenditure. His Taijutsu forms were fluid and adaptable, and his shurikenjutsu was uncannily accurate. The request for early graduation wasn't entirely unprecedented, but for the younger brother of the Minato Namikaze, it garnered significant attention.
"Proceed, Kenji-kun," Hiruzen said, his voice calm. "Remember the conditions. Assess his capabilities. Arashi-kun," he added, turning his gaze to the boy, "Show us why you believe you are ready."
Arashi beamed, giving the Hokage a thumbs-up that was far too informal for the occasion. "You got it, Old Man Hokage! Prepare to be amazed!"
Kenji grit his teeth at the boy's casual address of the Sandaime but focused on the task. Three minutes. He wouldn't underestimate the brother of Minato Namikaze, no matter how young or… blue-haired… he was. He settled into the standard Academy Taijutsu stance, ready to react.
"Begin!" Hiruzen declared.
The instant the word left the Hokage's lips, Kenji blurred forward, aiming for a swift, non-lethal takedown to assert dominance early. He was fast, his movements honed by years of training and missions. He expected the boy to perhaps stumble back, maybe throw up a clumsy block.
He did not expect Arashi's grin to widen as the Chunin approached.
Just as Kenji's palm strike was about to connect with Arashi's shoulder, the boy moved. It wasn't a standard dodge or block. He seemed to… flow… around the attack. His body twisted at an unnatural angle, his bright blue hair whipping around as he ducked under the strike with impossible agility, popping up behind Kenji almost before the Chunin registered the miss.
Fast! Kenji thought, surprised. Faster than any Academy student had a right to be. He spun, launching a quick roundhouse kick.
Again, Arashi evaded. This time, he didn't just dodge; he pushed off the ground with surprising force, leaping backward and flipping gracefully through the air to land lightly on his feet several meters away. The movement was smooth, almost playful, like a leaf caught in a playful gust of wind.
"Too slow, Tanaka-san!" Arashi taunted, waggling his fingers.
On the sidelines, Hiruzen leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing in keen interest. The boy's speed and agility were remarkable, far exceeding Genin standards. But it was more than just speed. It was his reaction time, his spatial awareness. It was as if he knew exactly where Kenji would strike fractions of a second before it happened.
A sensor? Hiruzen mused. No, it feels different. More instinctive.
Kenji, annoyed by the taunt and surprised by the boy's evasiveness, decided to change tactics. He performed a quick sequence of hand seals. "Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!)"
Multiple small fireballs erupted from Kenji's mouth, streaking towards Arashi like angry hornets. It was a widespread attack, difficult to dodge completely for someone confined to the ground.
Arashi's grin didn't falter. Instead of dodging wildly, he began to move in a seemingly erratic pattern, weaving left and right, ducking and jumping. But there was a strange certainty to his movements. His eyes tracked the incoming fireballs, yet his body seemed to react independently, twisting and contorting to let the projectiles zip harmlessly past him. One fireball came dangerously close, singing the very edge of his simple blue training shirt, but it didn't connect. It looked less like dodging and more like the fireballs were actively avoiding him.
This sense… Arashi thought, a familiar tingle running down his spine, a low hum at the base of his skull that screamed DANGER and pinpointed the trajectory of each fireball. It was a gift from his past life, a hazy memory linked to spiders and tall buildings, now inexplicably part of his Namikaze biology. This 'Spider-Sense', as his fragmented memories called it, combined with the burgeoning strength and speed that felt increasingly natural, made navigating the world – and this fight – feel intuitive.
He knew, from those same fragmented memories, about Naruto Uzumaki, about the Akatsuki, about the future wars. He knew his brother, Minato, was destined to become the Fourth Hokage and die tragically young. He knew about the Uchiha massacre, Orochimaru's betrayal, and so much more. But that was just knowledge, like reading a history book about the future. He couldn't recall his own name from that past life, his family, or anything personal. Only the story of Naruto Uzumaki and the world it inhabited.
It was a strange, disorienting existence, being Arashi Namikaze while simultaneously holding the keys to a future he desperately wanted to influence, starting with surviving long enough to do so. And maybe ensuring his kind, brilliant older brother didn't have to face his grim destiny alone.
But first, graduation.
Seeing his fire jutsu evaded so easily, Kenji scowled. The boy wasn't just fast; he was slippery. Time for Ninjutsu wouldn't work well if he couldn't pin him down. He charged again, this time focusing purely on speed and Taijutsu, mixing feints with powerful strikes.
Arashi met the charge with enthusiasm. He didn't have Minato's blinding speed – not yet, anyway – but his agility, flexibility, and the near-precognitive warnings from his 'sense' allowed him to stay one step ahead. He flowed around punches, ducked under kicks, used Kenji's momentum against him with small, precise pushes that threw the Chunin slightly off balance.
He wasn't strong enough to overpower Kenji directly – the Chunin physique was far more developed – but his movements were so unpredictable, aided by bursts of surprising strength that seemed out of place for his small frame, that Kenji found it frustratingly difficult to land a clean hit.
"Hold still, brat!" Kenji grunted, swinging a heavy fist where Arashi's head had been a split second before.
"Why would I do that? This is fun!" Arashi laughed, landing briefly on the trunk of a nearby tree – running up it for a few steps using his exceptional chakra control – before kicking off and flipping over Kenji's head.
As he sailed through the air, Arashi's hands subtly went through a unique, single hand seal he'd developed himself. Chakra, refined and potent, flowed to his fingertips. It wasn't elemental chakra, not yet. It was something else, something inherent to him, a Kekkei Genkai he'd discovered accidentally during training. Fine, almost invisible threads of sticky, solidified chakra shot from his index and middle fingers, latching onto Kenji's ankles just as Arashi landed behind him.
Kenji, preparing to turn and pursue, suddenly found his feet stuck fast to the ground. He stumbled, catching himself before he fell, but looked down in confusion at the barely visible, shimmering threads anchoring him. "What the-?"
Arashi tugged sharply. It wasn't enough to pull the Chunin down, but it was enough to disrupt his balance further. "Gotcha! Sticky situation, huh?"
Thread Release? Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly behind his Hokage hat. He'd never encountered such a technique. It resembled some spider-based summons' abilities, but this originated directly from the boy. A Kekkei Genkai? In the Namikaze line, known primarily for their intelligence and potential affinity for seals and speed, not unique bloodlines? Fascinating. And the control required to make threads that fine, yet strong and sticky… it spoke volumes about the reports on his chakra mastery. It seemed Tsunade's legendary control had a potential rival, albeit in a very different application.
Kenji channeled chakra to his feet, trying to break the threads, but they were surprisingly resilient and elastic. While he was momentarily distracted, Arashi zipped forward. He didn't try a powerful blow. Instead, using his enhanced agility and the slight imbalance caused by the threads, he ducked under Kenji's guard and delivered three swift, pinpoint strikes with his knuckles to pressure points on Kenji's side and arm – not enough to incapacitate, but certainly enough to sting and numb the limb slightly.
"Oof! Naughty, naughty," Arashi tutted playfully, bouncing back before Kenji could retaliate.
The Chunin growled, finally managing to sever the threads with a surge of chakra. He lunged again, ignoring the slight numbness in his arm, determined to land something on this infuriatingly cheerful child. He feinted high with a punch, then dropped low for a leg sweep.
The 'Spider-Sense' flared.
Arashi reacted instantly, leaping straight up, his feet clearing the sweep by millimeters. While airborne, his hands moved again. This time, thin, non-sticky threads shot out, wrapping around a low-hanging branch of the oak tree near the Hokage. Using the threads as a swing line, Arashi propelled himself forward, swinging past Kenji in a wide arc before releasing the threads and landing gracefully near the edge of the training field.
He checked an imaginary watch on his wrist. "Time's almost up, Tanaka-san! Last chance to tag the amazing Arashi!"
Kenji was panting slightly now, frustration mounting. The boy was toying with him. His movements were too fluid, too unpredictable. That strange danger sense, the bursts of speed and strength, the weird thread ability… this was no mere Academy student. The reports hadn't done him justice. He felt less like he was sparring a child and more like he was trying to swat a particularly annoying fly that could also tie his shoes together from across the field. Yet, he hadn't been truly defeated. Annoyed, yes. Outmaneuvered, definitely. Hit a few times, embarrassingly. But not defeated.
He gathered his resolve for one final push as the Hokage raised a hand.
"That's three minutes," Hiruzen announced calmly.
Kenji froze mid-stride, letting out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. He looked at Arashi, who was beaming, not even breathing heavily, his bright blue hair slightly ruffled but otherwise looking completely unfazed.
Arashi skipped over to the Hokage, the earlier mischief momentarily softening into respect, though his grin remained. "So? How'd I do, Old Man? Ready for Genin stuff, right?"
Hiruzen chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. He took a long puff from his pipe before speaking. "Kenji-kun, your assessment?"
Kenji straightened up, bowing again. "Hokage-sama. Namikaze Arashi possesses speed, agility, and reflexes far exceeding the Academy standard. His reaction time is uncanny. He employs an unknown Ninjutsu, seemingly a Kekkei Genkai involving chakra threads, with considerable skill for his age. His chakra control is... exceptional, allowing for sustained evasion and technique use. While his offensive power seems limited against a Chunin at this stage, focusing more on disruption and evasion, he successfully evaded and defended against my attacks for the required duration without being incapacitated or captured. He meets the condition." Kenji paused, then added with grudging respect, "He's unorthodox, Hokage-sama, but undeniably skilled. And slippery."
Arashi smirked. 'Of course, I am the Spider-man' oh, why does it feels like Tony stalk line. "Hu Hu.. What did I tell you? I am Amazing!!"
Hiruzen smiled faintly. Unorthodox was an understatement. Cheerful, mischievous, annoyingly evasive, possessing a strange Kekkei Genkai and physical abilities that defied his age and lineage… Arashi Namikaze was an anomaly. A delightful, potentially very powerful anomaly. A stark contrast to his older brother, but perhaps Konoha needed different shades of strength.
"Very well, Arashi-kun," Hiruzen said, his eyes holding a considering look. "Your performance was... convincing. You display the necessary skills and awareness to function at a Genin level, perhaps even beyond in certain aspects. Your control and unique abilities are particularly noteworthy." He stood up, placing a hand briefly on Arashi's startlingly blue hair.
"Congratulations. You pass. Report tomorrow morning for team assignments."
Arashi's grin threatened to split his face. "Alright! Genin Arashi, reporting for duty! Thanks, Old Man! Thanks, Tanaka-san, that was a great warm-up!". Tanaka who just reported have the annoying face 'This brat..'.
"Remember Arashi." Now Hiruzen face became solemn. Arashi also left the playfulness and focused on Sandaime. "When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew" Hiruzen then faced the hokage rock and continued "To those who possess the Will of Fire, everyone is family. The desire to protect one's family builds thicker and stronger bonds between each and everyone in the village. If the Will of Fire is embraced by everyone, the village will be alright no matter what happens."
"Arashi, as the protector of Konoha, we possess the Will of Fire. I hope you keep that in mind" Hiruzen then looked arashi with serious-face. "I will, Hokage-sama" Arashi replied with some seriousness. "I am relieved, that's all for now. Report to Hokage building to complete your Graduation process." Hiruzen smiled. "Of course, Old Man, I will" He gave the still-slightly-numbed Chunin a cheerful wave before practically bouncing away, likely already planning how to celebrate – or which Jonin sensei he was going to prank first.
Hiruzen watched him go, a thoughtful expression on his face. Minato, a beacon of hope and calculated brilliance. What would this little blue storm become? The possibilities were intriguing, and potentially game-changing. The era between wars was a time of cautious peace, but tensions were always simmering. Konoha needed adaptable, strong shinobi. And Arashi, despite his youth and playful exterior, radiated potential. He just hoped whoever got assigned as his Jonin sensei had patience. A lot of patience. And maybe good insurance.
"Maybe, He will work.." Hiruzen thought with some amusement.