Tōma stared at the unmoving floor.
Under normal circumstances, the Flying Thunder God kunai would have already answered his call. This ti, there wasn’t even the faintest response.
He frowned slightly, but there was no panic. Closing his eyes, he slowed his breathing and let his perception spread outward, searching for the fragile thread of connection he knew was still there.
Good mindset. And he figured out the right approach imdiately, Jiraiya thought, eyes lighting up. At this pace, this test won’t hold him back for long.
What surprised Jiraiya even more was Tōma’s composure. He’d expected at least a hint of frustration after the first failure. Instead, there was only calm focus. That kind of confidence didn’t co from arrogance. It ca from knowing exactly where one stood.
Soon, Jiraiya saw movent again.
That fast already?
Tōma opened his eyes, grasped the faint connection he’d finally located, and activated the summoning technique once more.
Nothing happened.
The kunai still didn’t appear.
This ti, Tōma felt a ripple of disappointnt, but he exhaled slowly and steadied himself. His gaze sharpened.
No matter what, he was learning the Flying Thunder God.
What Tōma didn’t know was that both Jiraiya and the Third Hokage were watching the kunai itself. It had trembled, just slightly.
The two exchanged a glance, surprise unmistakable in their eyes.
They had used a sealing thod to obscure the connection. Not a full seal, but sothing subtle and layered. And yet, on only the second attempt, Tōma had already brushed against it.
Jiraiya sucked in a sharp breath.
"That kind of affinity..." he muttered internally. It really might not be inferior to Minato’s.
The Third Hokage smiled faintly and returned to his paperwork, though his pen moved slower than before.
Jiraiya, anwhile, kept his eyes on Tōma. He’d noticed it. The brief emotional fluctuation, and how quickly it vanished. That recovery speed mattered.
At that mont, Jiraiya made his decision.
This disciple was worth taking.
Ti passed.
Tōma sensed the connection again, clearer than before.
He attempted the summoning. Failed again.
This ti, there was no reaction at all. No frustration. Just adjustnt.
So that’s how it works, he thought. They’re not strengthening the link. They’re hiding it. Each summoning attempt is breaking through the interference.
That explained the one-day ti limit.
By his estimate, two hours would be enough.
But simply passing wasn’t enough.
This was a rare chance to display his value. Wasting it on the bare minimum would be a mistake.
So Tōma stopped using the summoning technique altogether.
Jiraiya frowned.
Based on the previous rhythm, the next attempt should have succeeded. Had the kid misunderstood at the last mont?
For the first ti since arriving, Jiraiya felt a twinge of worry. He’d already decided to take Tōma as a student. If the test failed now, would he really walk back his words?
Then he noticed sothing.
Tōma’s state felt... familiar.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes, but quickly dismissed the thought. Sage techniques were impossible. Not with that chakra level. He’d never consider it.
If soone like Fukasaku were here, they might have seen it clearly.
Tōma had entered the Deep Focus State.
Within it, his perception underwent a qualitative shift.
This ti, the connection to the Flying Thunder God kunai was unmistakable. Clear. Stable. Untouched by the interference placed upon it.
Which ant one thing.
At a higher level of perception, the concealnt thods used by the Third Hokage and Jiraiya simply didn’t work.
That realization sent a thrill through Tōma.
This wasn’t just about the Flying Thunder God anymore. This state was far more powerful than he’d imagined. In the future, it would beco one of his greatest weapons.
A confident smile ford on his face.
Slowly, deliberately, his hands began to form seals.
The Flying Thunder God... is mine.
Jiraiya was still thinking about how to justify taking Tōma as a student if things went wrong when he suddenly froze.
Tōma had moved again.
And this ti, the confidence was different. Absolute.
"Don’t tell ..." Jiraiya muttered.
The seals completed.
There was no tremor.
The Flying Thunder God kunai vanished outright.
The next instant, it appeared in Tōma’s hand.
He held it by the familiar grip, smiling as he looked up.
"Third Hokage-sama. Jiraiya-sama. I succeeded."
Jiraiya stood there, mouth open, staring at the kunai in stunned silence.
The Third Hokage’s scroll had slipped from his hand without him noticing.
He had only looked away for a short while.
And it was already done.
At last, he laughed softly, amazent and pride mingling in his eyes.
For a fleeting mont, he even wondered whether letting Jiraiya teach this child was a waste. With talent like this, perhaps he could have taken Tōma as his own student instead.
After all, Jiraiya didn’t even know the Flying Thunder God.
In the Hokage’s office, two shinobi who stood at the very peak of the village looked at a seven-year-old boy with pure astonishnt.
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