"You, a ten-year-old brat, want to teach at the Ninja Academy?" Hiruzen Sarutobi found Uzumaki Lin Yu increasingly outrageous. He could barely agree to a Genin being directly promoted to Jonin, as Lin Yu already possessed Jonin-level strength.
But you're only ten, and you want to be a teacher. Isn't that unreasonable? Some students at the Ninja Academy are about your age.
Hiruzen looked at Lin Yu with growing displeasure. He was making things difficult for him, Hiruzen Sarutobi! Is being Hokage something you can do as you please just because it's your family's business?
If I agree to you today, I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, will immediately abdicate and support Danzo's succession!
Lin Yu coughed and said, "Hokage-sama, I'm actually doing this for Konoha's sake. Let's talk in private!"
Hiruzen looked at Lin Yu's somewhat mysterious demeanor and said irritably, "This is the Hokage's office! Do you think just anyone can eavesdrop?"
Hiruzen took a sip of tea, appearing calm. "After all, there are Anbu guarding this place. Who can sneak in without a sound?"
Lin Yu's expression turned serious, and he pretended to make hand seals, "Then, please watch my technique! Wood Style: Seed to Tree Jutsu! Drink!"
*Thwack.*
With Lin Yu's shout, a seed fell to the ground, quickly taking root and sprouting. The hard stone slabs around the seed rapidly cracked, spreading outwards. A life force flowed, and in the blink of an eye, the seed had grown into a sapling. In another blink, it was as tall as a person, and then again...
"Stop, stop, stop! Don't grow any further, you'll ruin my office!" Hiruzen, recovering from his initial shock, hastily interrupted as the sapling grew larger and larger.
Wood Style! Unbelievable. Where did this Lin Yu kid learn it?
However... it seemed quite weak, more like a "tree planter" than Wood Style?
"How was it, Hokage-sama? This is a ninjutsu I've recently developed. I've collected a lot of information. Apart from the First Hokage, no one else in Konoha can master it!"
Lin Yu feigned wiping sweat from his brow, saying with a look of "exhaustion."
Hiruzen Sarutobi: ...You've said enough! Acting so fake, who are you trying to fool!
Hiruzen looked at Lin Yu speechlessly, took a puff of his pipe, and said, "How... did you master Wood Style?"
"Hehe, I borrowed some materials from Tsunade, and I learned it just by reading! It's very easy!" Lin Yu scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Learned it just by reading? Easy?
You're acting like you deserve a beating! Hiruzen took several deep puffs of his pipe to express his inner turmoil!
Wood Style! He had seen Wood Style appear once more. This bloodline limit that made Konoha the foremost village in the ninja world had reappeared in Konoha for the first time since the First Hokage's passing. Was this a good thing or a bad thing?
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew the power of Wood Style all too well. The tailed beasts feared by the world were like kittens in front of the First Hokage's Wood Style, easily captured and subdued.
However... Uzumaki Lin Yu's Wood Style seemed a bit lacking!
Hiruzen asked in a deep voice, "Lin Yu, what other Wood Style ninjutsu do you know? How powerful is it?"
Lin Yu felt a bit awkward. He had been practicing the Rasengan recently and hadn't really learned many Wood Style ninjutsu. He "truthfully" replied, "No, I haven't learned any. The First Hokage's Wood Style ninjutsu is too difficult to learn, and I always feel like my Wood Style isn't suited for learning the First Hokage's techniques."
Hiruzen nodded, agreeing. It would be strange if Lin Yu's Wood Style could rival the First Hokage's. However, even if Lin Yu's Wood Style was generally of average power, it couldn't be compared to other single-element ninjutsu.
Moreover, Wood Style combined with the Uzumaki clan's sealing jutsu, wouldn't that be a perfect Jinchuriki partner?
Hiruzen suddenly thought that Lin Yu had a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki at home. Now that Uzumaki Lin Yu had mastered Wood Style and knew Uzumaki sealing jutsu himself, if Kushina couldn't control the Nine-Tails in the future, Lin Yu could play a suppressive and supportive role.
Together, they could become a great weapon for Konoha!
Although Hiruzen was still very curious about how Lin Yu mastered Wood Style, he wasn't like Danzo. His desire for control wasn't that strong, and it wasn't a ninjutsu that permanently controlled others' wills. It was just Wood Style! He, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had seen much greater storms!
Lin Yu waited for Hiruzen to ponder for a while, then spoke again, "Hokage-sama, I have some insights into awakening Wood Style. I think I can pass them on to the students at the Ninja Academy, allowing Wood Style to bloom its glory in our Konoha once more!"
Cough, cough, cough...
Hiruzen suddenly coughed violently, not out of excitement, but out of speechless exasperation. Passing on Wood Style insights to Ninja Academy students, Uzumaki Lin Yu really could come up with anything! Did he think Wood Style was the Great Fireball Technique? That any fool could learn it?
Hiruzen regained his composure and looked at Lin Yu again, saying, "Uzumaki Lin Yu! I want to know your true purpose. Don't try to brush me off with that ridiculous excuse of passing on Wood Style insights!"
Lin Yu spread his hands, looking as if he had been seen through, and said dejectedly, "Alright, I'll tell you the truth. I feel like my strength has hit a bottleneck, and I need to sort through my knowledge. The best way to do that is to become a teacher at the Ninja Academy, imparting knowledge and resolving students' doubts, which will also help me see my own path clearly."
The veins on Hiruzen's forehead twitched slightly. Hit a bottleneck? You, Uzumaki Lin Yu, were already Jonin-level strength before, and now you've mastered Wood Style, reaching at least elite Jonin.
If that's the case, instead of diligently studying your Wood Style, you come to me saying you've hit a bottleneck and need to impart knowledge? Will you directly step into Kage-level after teaching? Then my decades of experience as Hiruzen Sarutobi would have been in vain!
"No! Your most important task now is to cultivate your Wood Style. Lin Yu, I have high hopes for you. Whether Wood Style can once again dominate the ninja world depends on you!" Hiruzen said solemnly.
Lin Yu: The biggest obstacle to Wood Style dominating the ninja world right now is you, Hiruzen Sarutobi!
"However... what you said about imparting knowledge and resolving doubts has some merit. Resolving others' confusion can also clarify the path one has taken over the years. That's good, that's good. But you're too young now. Wait a few more years!" Hiruzen stroked his beard, pondering slightly.
Imparting knowledge and resolving doubts, why hadn't Hiruzen Sarutobi thought of that! Orochimaru, Tsunade... perhaps he should call back that idiot Jiraiya to try?
Never mind, it would be like playing the lute to a cow. Perhaps he should also give more speeches at the Ninja Academy and impart the Will of Fire!
After sending Lin Yu away, Hiruzen looked at the small tree growing from the floor. He reached out and snapped off half a branch, holding it in his hand.
This... such rich life force, it seems no less than the First Hokage's!
Lin Yu, Lin Yu, you are indeed a cautious child. Were you worried about eavesdroppers? Or something else? Hiruzen smiled wryly. Does the Hokage make you feel so insecure?
Since you don't want others to know, I will comply with your wishes. I'll see what level you can reach with Wood Style.
A small spark landed on the tree. Without Lin Yu's chakra support, the small tree quickly turned into ashes, leaving only a slightly blackened pit.
Hiruzen stood by the window, looking at the bustling scene outside, and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke: "Just Wood Style, can I not accommodate you? I am... Hiruzen Sarutobi. Don't underestimate me!"