Mastering the Elements - Chapter - 20

Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the scene swiftly, his Hokage robes billowing behind him.

His face remained calm, but inside, his mind was racing.

Naruto Uzumaki.

The child he had feared was falling behind his generation—the child Konoha ignored—had just displayed a technique that had the entire village talking.

The Yellow Flash had returned…

And it was Naruto.

The moment Hiruzen stepped into the courtyard, the surrounding shinobi immediately snapped to attention.

Kakashi, still recovering from Naruto’s attack, straightened himself with a cough.

The ANBU dispersed slightly, but their eyes remained locked onto Harry Pottaru.

And in the center of it all…

Naruto grinned widely, hands on his hips.

"Hey, Jiji! You saw that, huh?" Naruto beamed. "Pretty cool, right?"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "That was more than cool, Naruto," he said, stroking his beard. "That was remarkable."

Naruto puffed up proudly.

"You…" Hiruzen continued, "are the Yellow Flash people have been reporting?"

Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yep!"

The assembled shinobi exchanged glances, still trying to process what they had witnessed.

Hiruzen turned his gaze toward Harry, who remained seated, his face calm and unreadable.

"And how," Hiruzen asked slowly, "did he learn this?"

Before Harry could respond, Naruto interrupted.

"It’s not actually teleportation," Naruto said excitedly.

Everyone froze.

Even Kakashi, who had seen it with his own eye, looked confused.

"What?" Kakashi frowned. "Naruto, that’s impossible. You moved instantly."

Naruto grinned. "Nah, it’s just an awesome way of using Substitution Jutsu!"

Silence.

Then—

"What?"

Hiruzen’s eyes widened slightly. "Substitution?"

Kakashi blinked in shock. The surrounding ANBU were visibly confused.

Naruto nodded rapidly. "Yeah! See, instead of substituting with some boring log or rock, I throw my kunai first, and then I swap places with it the moment it lands!"

Kakashi stared.

One of the ANBU whispered in disbelief. "That’s… actually genius."

Harry smiled subtly, watching as realization dawned on the elite shinobi of Konoha.

Hiruzen let out a deep hum of thought.

"So instead of a pre-existing object," the Hokage murmured, "you create your own substitution target on the fly…"

"Yep!" Naruto grinned. "And since I can feel my chakra in the kunai, I always know where to substitute to!"

Kakashi rubbed his temple. "I… can’t believe I never thought of that."

Hiruzen nodded slowly.

The Flying Thunder God technique was an S-rank space-time jutsu requiring an advanced seal.

But Naruto had unknowingly created a tactical imitation of it—using nothing but a basic Academy-level technique.

It wasn’t true teleportation, but the speed and unpredictability made it almost indistinguishable.

And at only six years old…

He was already rewriting how a jutsu could be used.

Hiruzen exhaled deeply, regaining his composure.

He turned to Naruto, his expression serious.

"Naruto," he said, his voice firm yet warm, "from now on, I don’t want you using this technique outside of training grounds."

Naruto pouted immediately. "Ehhh? But why?"

Hiruzen smiled knowingly. "Because this is a technique that will make people very interested in you… and not always in a good way."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "If enemy shinobi find out you can do this, you’ll become a target before you’re even a genin."

Naruto frowned, crossing his arms. "That’s dumb. Why would anyone wanna go after me?"

Kakashi’s gaze softened. "Because, Naruto… there was only one person who could move like that before you."

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

Kakashi looked at him seriously.

"The Forth Hokage."

A sudden hush fell over the courtyard.

Naruto’s eyes widened. "Lord Forth…?"

Hiruzen placed a gentle hand on Naruto’s shoulder. "One day, I will tell you about him, Naruto. But for now, trust me when I say—your abilities are special. And you must protect them until you’re strong enough to wield them properly."

Naruto was quiet for a long moment.

Then he nodded slowly.

"Okay, Jiji," he said. "I’ll be careful."

Hiruzen smiled. "Good."

With that, the tension in the air finally eased.

Kakashi let out a deep sigh. "Well… I came here expecting to fight a threat to the village."

Harry chuckled. "And instead, you found a six-year-old genius?"

Kakashi glanced at Naruto, who was still holding one of the kunai proudly.

"…Something like that."

As the ANBU dispersed, and the situation de-escalated, Hiruzen turned to Harry one last time.

"You are full of surprises, Hari Pottaru," he said.

Harry smirked. "You have no idea."

Hiruzen chuckled lightly before turning away.

But in his heart, he knew—

Naruto Uzumaki had just taken his first step toward a legacy greater than anyone had imagined.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat alone in his office, the weight of the past pressing down on his aging shoulders.

For six long years, he had carried the burden of a terrible secret.

He had spent the better part of his first year after the Nine-Tails attack doing the one thing he had never imagined himself doing—

Erasing the legacy of the Fourth Hokage.

It hadn’t been a decision made out of disrespect or dishonor.

No—this was a decision made out of necessity.

Minato Namikaze had been a hero.

A warrior feared by all enemy nations.

A man who, despite being the youngest Hokage in history, had single-handedly shifted the power balance of the shinobi world.

And now—he had left behind a son.

A helpless infant, burdened with a legacy that would bring him nothing but danger.

If Konoha’s enemies—the Stone, the Cloud, even the Mist—ever learned that the Fourth Hokage had an heir…

There would be no end to the assassins sent after him.

Hiruzen had no choice.

He ordered that every document, every scroll, every record that linked Minato Namikaze to Naruto Uzumaki be erased.

Officially, the Fourth Hokage had no family.

His child—Minato’s only son—became nothing more than an orphan of war.

It was the only way to protect him.

But secrecy came with a price.

If Hiruzen openly protected Naruto, it would raise questions.

Questions that enemy spies, who lurked within the village, would notice.

That was why—no matter how much it hurt him—he had turned a blind eye to the way the village treated Naruto.

He had allowed the hatred to continue.

Because if Naruto was loved, if he was given favor, if he was protected—the enemy would start suspecting.

But if he was shunned, beaten down, and ridiculed, then no one would ever believe that he was the son of Konoha’s greatest hero.

No one would think that he was the child of the Yellow Flash.

They would ignore him.

They would dismiss him as a nobody.

And that would keep him alive.

But now—

Everything had changed.

Hiruzen rubbed his temples, feeling a deep exhaustion settle into his bones.

Naruto had unknowingly recreated his father’s technique.

He had become a Yellow Flash all over again.

And it wouldn’t take long before people started connecting the dots.

If Naruto continued to use this ability openly, it was only a matter of time before the truth was exposed.

And the moment the world realized that Naruto was Minato’s son…

He would be hunted for the rest of his life.

Hiruzen took a deep breath, his gaze drifting toward the framed portrait of Minato on the wall.

"Minato…" he whispered.

"What should I do?"

For years, he had kept Naruto hidden in the shadows to protect him.

But Naruto was no longer a helpless child.

He was growing. Learning. Becoming something more.

And now…

Now, it was time to decide—

Would he continue to hide the boy in darkness?

Or was it time to let him step into the light?

Hiruzen’s fingers clenched into a tight fist.

For the first time in six years…

He didn’t know the answer.


The Pottaru household had become a place of constant activity, and at the center of it all were Hari Pottaru and Tsunade Senju.

The two had started a medical project unlike anything before.

Not just the usual healing or standard medicine—but something revolutionary.

And today, they had succeeded in doing the impossible.

Tsunade leaned back against the chair in Hari’s study, stretching her arms behind her head with a satisfied smirk.

"Well," she said, lifting a cup of sake, "I gotta admit, Hari, I didn’t think we’d actually pull it off this fast."

Hari, sitting across from her, casually sipped his tea. "I told you it was possible," he replied smoothly. "You just had to think beyond chakra alone."

Tsunade chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. But still… creating real arms and legs for amputated shinobi? That’s more than just a medical breakthrough. It’s a damn miracle."

And it was.

For decades, shinobi who lost limbs in battle had no hope of recovery.

Even with Tsunade’s advanced medical ninjutsu, the best they could do was give them prosthetic attachments.

But now—

Now, they had discovered a method to regenerate entire lost limbs.

Not prosthetics.

Not artificial replacements.

Real flesh and bone.

And the process was completely successful.

The first patient—a **former ANBU who had lost both his arms during the Third Shinobi War—**had regained full control of his new hands within days.

The entire village was talking about it.

And the council was in an uproar.

"This is unbelievable!" one of the civilian council members exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table.

Across the room, Danzo Shimura sat silently, his expression unreadable.

The medical breakthrough was too powerful to ignore.

A technique that could restore lost limbs?

It was game-changing.

The implications were enormous.

A shinobi no longer had to retire if they lost a leg.

An ANBU could return to duty even after losing an arm.

This changed everything about how Konoha handled its injured forces.

Hiruzen, sitting at the head of the table, remained calm.

But inside, he knew what this meant.

Hari Pottaru and Tsunade Senju had just altered the future of medical ninjutsu forever.

And now, the entire village was watching.

Outside the council chambers, Tsunade and Hari leaned against the wall, listening to the shouting inside.

"Sounds like they’re having fun," Hari remarked dryly.

Tsunade snorted. "They’re probably arguing about whether this is a blessing or a threat."

Hari smirked. "And which do you think it is?"

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temple. "Honestly? Both."

She glanced at him. "You know Danzo is going to try and get his hands on this, right?"

Hari’s smirk widened. "Let him try."

Tsunade chuckled. "You really don’t care about village politics, do you?"

Hari shrugged. "I care about helping people. If that bothers the council, that’s their problem."

Tsunade shook her head, smiling.

"You’re a strange one, Hari."

Hari lifted his teacup. "I prefer the term visionary."

Tsunade laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

But deep down—

She knew that they had just started something massive.

And soon, the entire shinobi world was going to take notice.


The Hokage’s Council Chamber was usually a place of political maneuvering, tense discussions, and power struggles.

But today—

Today, it was a place of outright chaos.

Because for the first time for a long time, two new seats had been added to the council.

One for Tsunade Senju, the last living descendant of the First Hokage, who had previously avoided politics like the plague—

And the other for Hari Pottaru, the man whose groundbreaking medical achievements had shaken the shinobi world.

And neither of them had any intention of taking the council’s power games seriously.

As the meeting began, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table, his fingers steepled as he addressed the gathered members.

"We are here today to formally acknowledge two new additions to the council," he said in his calm, measured tone. "As of today, Tsunade Senju will represent the Senju Clan, and Hari Pottaru will hold a civilian seat due to his unprecedented contributions to medical ninjutsu."

The moment his words settled, the entire room erupted into noise.

"This is outrageous!" one of the civilian council members barked. "A foreigner, given a seat among us?!"

"And Tsunade Senju?" another added. "She abandoned the village for years! What right does she have to sit here?"

Tsunade grinned, propping her feet up on the table. "Because I’m a Senju, idiot. And because I can punch harder than anyone here."

Hari, sitting beside her, casually sipped his tea. "Oh? Are we fighting already? I thought politics was all about endless talking and pointless arguments."

Tsunade smirked. "It is. But you should know, the Uchiha haven’t even started yet."

Hari chuckled. "Oh? Should I be scared?"

Tsunade leaned in, whispering. "I’d be more worried about being bored to death."

Meanwhile, across the table, Fugaku Uchiha remained silent.

But the tension in his posture spoke volumes.

The Uchiha Clan had been in a precarious position ever since the Nine-Tails attack.

And today, with the eyes of the entire council on them, their presence felt like a ticking time bomb.

Ever since the attack of the Nine-Tails, the Uchiha had been under constant scrutiny.

Because many in the village had noticed something strange during the attack—

The beast’s eyes.

For a brief moment, the Nine-Tails had displayed a Sharingan-like pattern in its pupils.

And that alone was enough to terrify the other clans.

Because the only person in history known to have controlled the Nine-Tails using the Sharingan was Madara Uchiha himself.

And now, with the Uchiha clan still isolated in their own compound, tensions between them and the rest of the village were at an all-time high.

Hari, sensing the shifting energy in the room, set down his tea and turned his attention toward Fugaku.

"You’ve been awfully quiet, Lord Fugaku," he said, his voice light but sharp enough to cut through the tension. "Surely you have an opinion on all this."

Fugaku looked up slowly, his dark eyes meeting Harry’s piercing emerald gaze.

Then, with deliberate calm, he responded.

"The Uchiha Clan has nothing to say on this matter."

The room fell silent.

Everyone knew that was a lie.

But no one dared to challenge it.

Not yet.

As the meeting continued, Tsunade and Hari exchanged amused glances while the council bickered over petty matters.

Land disputes. Trade policies. Minor mission complaints.

For a long time, Harry had been watching.

And it didn’t take a genius to see the pattern.

Every time Fugaku Uchiha spoke, every time he proposed something beneficial to the village, there was one man who always shot him down first.

Danzo Shimura.

It didn’t matter if the idea was sound or logical.

It didn’t matter if it could strengthen Konoha.

Danzo would undermine the Uchiha at every turn.

Harry had seen enough of Danzo’s power plays to know one thing—

This wasn’t about loyalty to the village.

This was personal.

And Harry was tired of it.

So, in the middle of the meeting, as Fugaku was once again ignored, Harry casually leaned back in his chair and said—

"I don’t know what to think of you, Lord Danzo."

Danzo’s dark eyes flickered toward him, but he said nothing.

Harry continued, his voice deceptively light.

"For someone who has so many Sharingan implanted in your arm, you sure seem to hate the Uchiha a lot."

The room went dead silent.

Everyone’s heads snapped toward Danzo.

Even Hiruzen’s pipe nearly slipped from his lips.

Fugaku’s fingers twitched, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Danzo, however, remained still.

And then—he scoffed.

"That’s a bold accusation," he said coolly, masking his unease. "One with no proof."

Harry smiled.

"Proof?" He tilted his head. "Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that."

Then, before anyone could react—

He raised his hand.

And whispered a single word.

"Alohomora."

Click.

A soft, metallic series of clicks echoed in the chamber.

Then—

Clank.

The sound of locks disengaging.

Danzo stiffened immediately, his arm jerking slightly.

And then—

The bandages around his right arm loosened.

And fell away.

Gasps filled the room.

Because there, exposed for all to see—

Danzo’s right arm was embedded with multiple Sharingan.

Each red eye stared blankly ahead, unblinking, unnatural.

A grotesque mockery of what the Uchiha bloodline was meant to be.

The room was frozen in horror.

Even Hiruzen—who had always suspected Danzo was hiding something—could not mask the look of betrayal in his eyes.

Fugaku rose from his seat, his chakra flaring dangerously.

"You…!" His voice shook with fury. "You dare steal from my clan?!"

Danzo’s face darkened, but he remained calm.

"Control yourself, Lord Fugaku," he said evenly. "This is not what it looks like."

Harry laughed. "Oh? So what is it then? A fashion statement?"

Tsunade, who had been silent until now, stood up abruptly, slamming her hands on the table.

"Danzo, you sick bastard," she growled. "You’ve been taking Uchiha eyes for yourself?!"

Danzo’s gaze hardened. "I have done what is necessary for the protection of Konoha."

Fugaku stepped forward, his voice lethal.

"You have stolen the eyes of my people."

Danzo remained composed. "I have preserved power that would have otherwise been lost—"

"Enough."

Hiruzen’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.

Danzo fell silent.

The Third Hokage slowly rose to his feet, his expression unreadable.

For the first time in decades, he looked at Danzo not as an old comrade—

But as a criminal.

"This," Hiruzen said coldly, "is a matter that will be fully investigated."

Danzo clenched his jaw. "Hiruzen—"

"Enough, Danzo," the Hokage snapped. "I trusted you once. But this… this is unacceptable."

Harry watched with hidden amusement.

Because for once, Danzo Shimura had been exposed before everyone.

And there was no escaping it.