Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Shin's calm and composed expression and sighed inwardly.
He could naturally see the undisguised detachment and coldness hidden beneath the youth's seemingly respectful exterior.
Clearly, Shin had long expected today's matter to be handled so lightly, and perhaps… he had already stopped holding any expectations at all.
Seeing such calmness and insight into the ugliness of reality appear within someone so young stirred complicated emotions inside Hiruzen's heart.
He understood very clearly that if he could not provide some form of substantial explanation now, then this sapling with astonishing potential would likely lose much of his trust in both the Village and himself as Hokage.
"Shin," Hiruzen finally spoke, his voice carrying a faint sigh as he broke the silence, "today's events have wronged you."
Shin bowed slightly, his tone so calm that no emotion could be heard within it. "Serving the Village is my duty."
The response itself was perfectly appropriate, yet it carried a sense of distance.
At that moment, Yamato, who had been standing at the side the entire time, could no longer remain silent.
"Hokage-sama! Elder Danzo, he…"
"Yamato." Hiruzen raised a hand and interrupted him. "I have my own considerations."
Yamato's lips moved slightly, but in the end, he swallowed his words back down. However, the fists tightly clenched at his sides still revealed the turmoil within his heart.
He glanced worriedly at the Disciple beside him, afraid that today's grievance would completely chill Shin's heart toward the Village.
Hiruzen observed both of their reactions before returning his gaze to Shin once more. The calmer Shin appeared, the heavier the guilt in Hiruzen's heart became.
"What happened today was indeed a failure on the Village's part," Hiruzen spoke slowly before changing the subject.
"Yamato mentioned that your attainments in Water Release and Earth Release are exceptionally high. That reminds me of an old friend."
Shin looked up slightly, unsure where Sarutobi Hiruzen was going with this.
"He was my teacher, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused briefly before continuing. "He devoted his entire life to researching Ninjutsu and created countless forbidden and secret techniques."
"If the Village allows a Ninja loyal to it to suffer injustice, then the Village should naturally provide compensation."
"For what happened today, I will make an exception. Considering your talent and potential, I will permit you to study one Water Release Ninjutsu from the Sealed Scroll."
The moment those words fell, a faint light instantly flashed through Shin's eyes.
A Water Release technique from the Sealed Scroll… that was an entirely different matter altogether.
Although he couldn't learn the other techniques from the Sealed Scroll, such as space-time ninjutsu like the Flying Thunder God Technique, anything personally recorded by the Second Hokage could never possibly be ordinary.
Advanced techniques such as Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade, while not officially classified as S-Rank, possessed terrifying combat power that absolutely could not be underestimated.
After all, they represented the culmination of Senju Tobirama's lifetime of mastery over Water Release.
Yamato, standing nearby, could not help but exclaim in shock. "Hokage-sama, you're actually allowing Shin to learn a technique from the Sealed Scroll?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly. Seeing the light return to Shin's eyes eased some of the frustration within his heart.
"This is compensation Shin deserves."
More importantly, this compensation was the correct decision. At the very least, this child's heart had not yet completely turned cold.
"Judging by your reaction, you should understand the significance of the Sealed Scroll." Sarutobi Hiruzen now spoke in the tone of an elder teaching a Junior.
"The techniques recorded within are not ordinary Ninjutsu. Be cautious in your selection, diligent in your training, and even more restrained when using them."
After speaking, he raised one hand and casually gestured through the air.
An Anbu wearing a cat mask instantly appeared soundlessly in the center of the office and knelt on one knee. "Hokage-sama."
"Take him to the Sealed Scroll repository and follow the established procedures."
"Yes!" The Anbu accepted the order immediately, stood up, and gestured respectfully toward Shin.
Seeing this, Shin solemnly bowed toward Sarutobi Hiruzen once more. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Afterward, he turned and followed the Anbu out of the office.
—
The Anbu led Shin deep into a restricted area before stopping before a massive sealed door.
After completing the required verification procedures with the guards stationed outside, the heavy doors slowly opened, revealing a hidden chamber beyond.
"You have one hour." The Anbu's voice remained completely emotionless.
"You may only select a Water Release technique authorized by Hokage-sama. Do not browse any other content. We will supervise the entire process."
Shin nodded calmly and stepped into the chamber. At the center of the secret room, the Sealed Scroll rested quietly upon a stone platform.
Shin slowly approached, his gaze falling upon the handwritten techniques recorded within.
Flying Thunder God Technique.
Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.
Reaper Death Seal.
One legendary forbidden technique after another passed before his eyes. Every single name represented overwhelming power, causing even his heartbeat to quicken involuntarily.
His gaze continued downward.
Then suddenly, his breathing halted slightly.
[Wood Release Ninjutsu]
Those four words instantly seized all of his attention. A powerful desire nearly overwhelmed his reason, urging him to seize it immediately.
However, after several long seconds, Shin slowly took a deep breath and forcibly shifted his gaze away.
'Be patient,' he warned himself inwardly. 'It's not time yet. At the very least… wait until that woman becomes Hokage.'
Without lingering any longer, he quickly turned back toward the Water Release section. His eyes swept across several techniques.
Water Severing Wave.
Instant Water.
Heavenly Weeping.
Finally, his gaze stopped completely upon one technique. Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade.
He needed precisely this kind of decisive offensive Ninjutsu capable of determining the outcome of battle with a single strike.
It would compensate for the greatest weakness within his current combat system: the lack of a true finishing move.
At present, he possessed affinities for Water, Earth, Fire, and Wind Release.
He had even begun experimenting with the nature transformation of the Rasengan and was attempting to replicate Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.
However, it still needed time.
Even if he successfully developed it, his current physique was nowhere near strong enough to throw it safely as Naruto would in the future.
Using it now would simply become a double-edged sword that would harm both himself and the enemy.
Before developing a safer and more mature trump card, he urgently needed a ready-made ultimate technique powerful enough to decisively end battles while within his control.
And the Water Release technique personally left behind by Senju Tobirama, Hard Whirlpool Water Blade, was exactly that choice.
By compressing enormous amounts of Water Release chakra to the absolute limit and condensing it into a terrifying spear capable of piercing through anything, it possessed overwhelming single-target lethality.
"This is the one. Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade."
The supervising Anbu stepped forward, skillfully copied the training portion of the technique into a smaller scroll, sealed it, and handed it over.
Shin accepted the scroll.