Chapter Seventeen: Entering the Sealing Division
"Thank you just now, Third Hokage."
After everyone else had left, Namikaze Minato respectfully expressed his thanks to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Minato, there's no need to thank me. You handled this matter very well.
It's just that you've only recently taken office. Root is not weak, and in the future there will still be many situations where you'll need them. For now, it's better not to push Danzō too hard.
As for Squad Thirty-One, give them some compensation—make sure they don't spread word of this incident."
The Third Hokage looked at Minato with a satisfied expression as he spoke.
"Don't worry, I'll handle it properly," Minato replied with a nod.
After discussing a few more matters in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage rose and left.
Standing alone in the office, Minato watched the Third Hokage's departing figure, his eyes narrowing slightly as if lost in thought.
A moment later, Minato lightly tapped his desk, and an ANBU operative instantly appeared before him.
"Go summon Shikaku," Minato instructed softly.
"Yes."
The ANBU vanished in a flash.
"Hokage-sama, you called for me?"
Not long after, Nara Shikaku arrived at the Hokage's office and bowed respectfully.
"Shikaku, I have a task for you," Minato said gravely.
"Please give your orders, Hokage-sama," Shikaku replied.
"Tomorrow, go personally to Medical Ninja Shennong and persuade him to consider Squad Thirty-One's mission as completed."
"Understood," Shikaku nodded in agreement.
With a thoughtful look, Minato added softly, "And also—try to sound him out. Find out why Danzō was so determined to intercept him halfway."
"I understand."
Shikaku grasped the intent behind the words and departed after acknowledging the order.
The night passed without incident. On the day they returned to the village, Ryuya rested well at home.
The following afternoon, after fully recovering, the three received a message to gather at Squad Thirty-One's usual meeting spot. From a distance, they saw Ichikawa Shin already waiting for them.
"Sensei, how did it go? Was our mission considered complete?"
Seeing Ichikawa Shin, Sagawa immediately asked impatiently.
This had been a C-rank mission—already a relatively "high-level" assignment for the three of them.
They certainly didn't want it to be judged a failure.
"Don't worry. After learning the situation, the Hokage not only had someone persuade the client to count the mission as completed, but to compensate us for the fright we suffered that day, he also specially approved that each of you may choose an additional C-rank ninjutsu as compensation."
A glint flashed in Ichikawa Shin's eyes as he smiled.
"Really, sensei?"
Sagawa looked overjoyed, almost unable to believe it.
C-rank ninjutsu were techniques normally learned and used by chūnin. Although there were many types, they were extremely valuable and not something just anyone could learn.
Under normal circumstances, without personal instruction, Sagawa and the others would need to accumulate quite a bit of merit to exchange for a C-rank ninjutsu in the village.
Judging by the merit they earned from routine D-rank and C-rank missions, it would still take some time.
Now, with a free opportunity to learn a C-rank ninjutsu, Sagawa—who came from a civilian ninja background—was naturally ecstatic. Even Yūhi Teru beside him showed visible delight.
"Of course it's true. If the Hokage said it himself, how could it be false?" Ichikawa Shin said with a laugh.
"That's great!"
Hearing this, Sagawa jumped up and let out a cheer.
"Sensei, can I change the condition?"
Just as Sagawa and Yūhi Teru were celebrating, Ryuya's decidedly "ill-timed" voice rang out.
"Change it? Ryuya, what condition do you want to change to?"
Ichikawa Shin looked at him in surprise.
"Sensei, I don't want to learn a C-rank ninjutsu. I want to enter the Sealing Division and study there for a period of time."
"Enter the Sealing Division to study? Are you sure?"
Hearing this, Ichikawa Shin looked at Ryuya with a rather strange expression.
He truly didn't understand this request.
Sealing techniques were among the most difficult types of ninjutsu in the entire ninja world. Without sufficient talent and comprehension, it was nearly impossible to learn them. In Ichikawa Shin's eyes, Ryuya—who had graduated from the Ninja Academy with bottom-ranked results—clearly didn't fall into the "talented" category.
Moreover, not long ago Ryuya had been talking about learning medical ninjutsu, and now he wanted to enter the Sealing Division to study fūinjutsu. What exactly was he trying to do?
Ryuya nodded. "I'm sure."
After thinking for a moment, Ichikawa Shin tried to persuade him. "Ryuya, you should think this through carefully. Sealing techniques are extremely difficult to learn. Are you really willing to give up a C-rank ninjutsu just to enter the Sealing Division?"
With a resolute expression, Ryuya replied, "Yes, Ichikawa-sensei. I've made up my mind."
"All right then. Since you insist, I'll take you to the Hokage's office later and make the request."
Seeing that he couldn't dissuade Ryuya, Ichikawa Shin could only agree verbally.
He first took the three of them to the mission hall to submit the mission report. At the counter, Sagawa and Yūhi Teru each selected a C-rank ninjutsu.
Based on their chakra affinities, Sagawa chose a Wind Release C-rank technique, while Yūhi Teru selected a C-rank Earth Release technique.
After dismissing the two, Ichikawa Shin took Ryuya to the Hokage Tower.
After waiting for some time, they were finally granted an audience with Minato.
In Konoha, the Hokage—the village's supreme leader—was not someone just anyone could meet at will.
Much like Ichikawa Shin's reaction, when Minato learned that Ryuya wanted to enter the Sealing Division to study fūinjutsu, he strongly tried to dissuade him.
Minato was one of the most proficient sealing technique experts in the village. Precisely because of this, he understood just how difficult sealing techniques were to master.
In Minato's view, as a member of the Akimichi clan, Ryuya would be better off spending his time and energy training his clan's secret techniques rather than wasting them on the complex and obscure art of fūinjutsu.
In terms of combat power, the Akimichi clan's secret techniques were already considered top-tier.
However, unable to withstand Ryuya's persistence and earnest requests, Minato ultimately agreed to his demand and allowed him to study in the Sealing Division for one year.
After one year, Minato would personally assess Ryuya's progress. If his advancement was unsatisfactory, Minato would revoke his qualification to continue studying.
Ryuya accepted this condition without the slightest hesitation.
On one hand, he was confident that with the help of the biochip, a year of study would certainly lead to progress in his sealing techniques.
On the other hand, judging by Naruto's birth timeline, Namikaze Minato would likely have no chance to evaluate Ryuya's progress a year later.
Though Ryuya wished he could do something about it, he was powerless.
In the world of Naruto, Namikaze Minato was one of Ryuya's favorite characters.
His warmth, strength, and sense of responsibility were qualities that the vast majority of ninjas in this world simply did not possess.
That very day, after receiving approval, Ryuya went to report to the Sealing Division. For the next year, he would temporarily leave Ichikawa Shin's Squad Thirty-One and remain in the Sealing Division to study.
In Konoha, genin squads like Squad Thirty-One were fringe teams at the bottom of the ninja hierarchy. They usually handled low-level missions, so being short one or two members for a time was not a major issue.
Within the Sealing Division, the one responsible for guiding Ryuya's training in fūinjutsu was Sakamoto An, a chūnin in his forties who was proficient in a wide range of foundational sealing techniques.