Chương 131

The familiar wooden walls and the carved symbol of the Hidden Leaf greeted them beneath the afternoon sun. Residents continued about their daily lives, completely unaware that the group returning to the village had just witnessed gods, ancient sorcerers and another universe altogether. Tsunade stopped walking for a brief moment. Her eyes slowly swept across the village. The last time she had passed through these gates, Hiruzen Sarutobi had still been alive.

She had always believed there would be another opportunity to return and argue with her old teacher over his decisions. Instead, fate had taken that choice away from her.

"... Welcome home." Jiraiya said quietly. Tsunade smiled faintly.

"... Yeah." Several days later, the Hokage Tower had never been busier. Word had already spread throughout the village that Tsunade Senju, granddaughter of the First Hokage and one of the Legendary Sannin, had officially accepted the position of Fifth Hokage. Shinobi hurried through the corridors carrying documents while ANBU guards silently watched every entrance. Inside the Hokage's office, Tsunade sat behind the large wooden desk that had once belonged to Hiruzen.

Across from her sat the two elder advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. Shizune stood quietly beside Tsunade with several scrolls already organized beneath one arm. She also had Tonton sleeping on the couch nearby. After finishing the routine formalities, Tsunade finally leaned back.

"There are several appointments I'd like to make before we begin discussing village affairs." Homura nodded.

"Go ahead."

"First." She gestured toward Shizune.

"Shizune will continue serving as my personal assistant." Neither elder objected. They had already expected as much.

"Second... I'll be appointing Amagi Rei as one of my personal bodyguards." Then both elders frowned simultaneously.

"... Absolutely not." Koharu answered immediately.

"A Hokage's personal guard is a position reserved for elite shinobi. Amagi Rei is still officially a genin." Homura added.

"Rank." Tsunade replied calmly.

"Means very little if the shinobi possesses the necessary ability."

"He lacks both experience and status." Both of them added more words to it. They knew that Rei and others had gone to bring Tsunade and according to Jiraya, all of the members of team 7 worked perfectly fine and Rei had a huge contribution in the fight against Orochimaru. So even though they knew that Rei might be great, but it didn't mean he was ready to take up such a post. Especially when it was a post very exclusive to ANBU.

"He possesses more than enough ability."

"That is your opinion."

"No." Tsunade corrected.

"That is my assessment." Koharu shook her head.

"The ANBU will never accept taking orders alongside a child."

"I wasn't asking for their approval."

"You cannot simply ignore the established system."

"I can." The atmosphere inside the office immediately became heavier. Homura sighed.

"Personal feelings cannot influence appointments." Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

"They aren't."

"You expect us to believe a genin can stand beside the Hokage's elite guards?" Tsunade smiled.

"I don't expect you to believe anything. I propose something much simpler." She folded her hands atop the desk.

"If you truly believe Rei is unqualified.. have him spar against two ANBU operatives." The room fell silent.

"If he loses, I'll withdraw the appointment. And if he wins?" Tsunade didn't hesitate.

"Then neither of you will object to him serving as one of my guards again." Koharu exchanged a glance with Homura. Two elite ANBU should have been more than enough to expose the limits of any newly promoted genin. After several moments, Homura slowly nodded.

"... Very well."

"We accept." Tsunade leaned back in her chair, looking perfectly relaxed.

"Excellent."

"Arrange the match." Hidden behind her calm expression, however, was the faintest trace of amusement. Unlike the two elders... She had seen exactly what Rei was capable of. She couldn't wait to go back to the other world and have her time there. It was very boring here. Hana Amagi was peacefully arranging freshly washed vegetables inside the kitchen when a loud knock echoed through the front door. Thinking it was merely another neighbor, she casually wiped her hands on a towel before opening it.

Standing outside was none other than Shizune, carrying an official scroll bearing the Hokage's seal. One glance at the parchment immediately made Hana's expression turn serious. By the time Daichi returned from the backyard, Shizune had already explained why she had come. Rei had officially been summoned to participate in a public evaluation against two active ANBU operatives before the Hokage, the council, senior jonin and ANBU commanders.

It would determine whether Tsunade's decision to appoint him as one of her personal bodyguards would stand. For several long moments, absolute silence filled the Amagi household. Hana looked toward Rei, then toward the scroll, before looking back again. She was speechless and didn't what to say. Daichi slowly folded his arms while processing everything he had just heard. Pride swelled inside both parents almost immediately, yet it was accompanied by overwhelming fear.

Every shinobi in Konoha knew exactly what ANBU represented. They weren't ordinary elite ninja; they were the village's shadows, entrusted with assassination, espionage and missions far beyond the capabilities of ordinary jonin. The thought of their son standing opposite two of them made both parents instinctively uneasy.

"... I don't know whether to congratulate you or lock you inside the house," Hana admitted with a helpless smile that barely hid her worry.

"We're proud of you... unbelievably proud. But you're still our son, Rei. No matter how talented you've become, hearing that you'll be fighting two ANBU makes my heart want to jump out of my chest."

"Mom, have you forgotten of powerful I really am? You have the physique of an half immortal, so even if I lose, nothing will happen to me."

"We know son.. but few years ago.." Daichi spoke with a faint chuckle.

"Your mother and I celebrated because you mastered the Clone Technique. Then we celebrated because you graduated from the Academy. Now we're discussing whether you'll defeat two ANBU operatives in front of the Hokage." He shook his head in disbelief before smiling proudly.

"Life really does have a strange sense of humor."

"I'll be fine," Rei assured gently.

"Besides, I already promised Tsunade-sama that I'd serve as one of her bodyguards. If this little demonstration convinces the council, then it's worth doing. They're only asking me to prove my strength. Nothing more."

"Just be safe son." Hana said, she was still a bit uncomfortable. The following morning, one of Konoha's largest training grounds had been transformed into an official evaluation arena. ANBU guards stood silently around the perimeter beneath the shade of towering trees while numerous jonin occupied the elevated observation platforms. Tsunade stood near the center accompanied by Shizune and Jiraiya, her expression perfectly calm despite the significance of today's events.

Opposite her sat Homura and Koharu alongside several senior council members, while the masked ANBU Commander silently observed from nearby. Team Seven had also been granted permission to watch, with Naruto visibly bouncing in excitement while Sakura looked considerably more nervous than anyone else present. Even Hana and Daichi had been invited, though both parents remained far more anxious than proud at the moment. At Tsunade's signal, two ANBU operatives stepped into the arena.

Both wore porcelain animal masks concealing their identities, and neither carried themselves with arrogance. They had already been informed that today's match was merely an evaluation, yet neither underestimated Rei simply because he officially remained a genin. The Hokage herself had insisted upon this test. That alone demanded their complete seriousness. Rei calmly walked onto the field before offering both operatives a respectful bow.

"May thy blade chip and shatter."

"What?"

"Nothing, just an informal greeting that I made up before the test."

"Are you mocking us?"

"No. Actually I am quite nervous about this fight and I hope you both will go easy on me." The ANBU duo didn't know if this guy was serious or joking, but it didn't matter. This was their ticket to glory and also get their chance to be on the ANBU team to safeguard the Hokage. The referee raised one hand high above his head before bringing it down sharply.

"Begin!" The instant the command left his mouth, both ANBU disappeared simultaneously through Body Flicker Technique. Their coordination was flawless. One attacked from Rei's blind spot while the second emerged directly before him, forcing an unavoidable pincer attack. Steel flashed beneath the morning sunlight as their swords descended from opposite directions with lethal precision. Several spectators instinctively leaned forward, expecting Rei to be overwhelmed immediately. Instead, Rei vanished.

There was no substitution log, no puff of smoke and no chakra signature indicating Body Flicker. One heartbeat he occupied the center of the battlefield; the next, he had disappeared entirely. Both ANBU slashed nothing but empty air before instinctively separating. Even the experienced jonin exchanged confused glances. Rei suddenly appeared few meters away, like a ghost. If one had noticed closely, one would notice that there was a mark on the rock nearby over which he had walked few seconds ago.

Rei had now mastered the funinjutsu so much that now he was able to leave a mark without even using his hands.