Orion looked at Kakashi, unsure of what to say for a moment.
He thought Kakashi's idea was a bit naïve—there was no way Jiraiya would casually agree to teach him Sage Mode.
But at the same time, he could clearly feel it—
Kakashi meant every word.
He genuinely hoped Orion could control the power inside him.
He was truly worried about his safety.
At this moment, Kakashi wasn't just a teacher.
He was treating Orion like his personal disciple.
Orion fell silent.
Seeing this, Kakashi thought he hadn't understood and repeated himself.
Orion waved his hand.
"Sensei, I understand what you mean. I just think… that Lord Jiraiya wouldn't agree to teach me."
"You said yourself that Sage Mode is extremely powerful, and very few people can learn it."
"Do you really think he would teach someone like me?"
"I'm not related to him in any way."
Kakashi smiled when he saw Orion's doubtful expression.
"Jiraiya-sama is actually quite kind. If he sees your potential, for the sake of the village's future… he won't refuse."
Orion turned to look at him, a faint smile on his lips.
"What if he thinks my power is a threat to the village?"
"What if he doesn't want me to gain even more strength?"
"I think if the Hiruzen Sarutobi knew about my current strength… he wouldn't be as calm as before."
Kakashi froze.
He had been so focused on Orion's chakra that he had completely overlooked the Third Hokage.
And based on what he knew about Jiraiya…
What Orion said was entirely possible.
If Orion's growth seemed too fast, Jiraiya might indeed view him as a potential risk.
Kakashi fell into silence for a long moment.
"…But the Chūnin Exams are coming soon. The Third Hokage will definitely find out about you."
Orion shrugged casually.
"Then we'll just leave it to fate."
He really didn't have a solution.
There were too many ways in Konoha to detect abnormalities in chakra:
The Hyūga ClanThe Yamanaka ClanSensory-type shinobi
There was no way to hide forever.
So Orion didn't bother trying.
As for defecting from the village—
Unless he was truly pushed into a corner, he had no intention of becoming a rogue ninja.
He didn't want to spend his life wandering the ninja world.
Seeing Orion's indifferent attitude, Kakashi grew even more worried.
"Then we absolutely can't let the Third Hokage know about those techniques you just used."
"I trust him… but I don't believe he would fully trust you."
"If he only knows that your chakra is large, but not that you've mastered those highly destructive jutsu, he probably won't take action."
"Don't worry. In Konoha, both I and Doichi will stand with you."
"If anything happens, we won't just sit by."
Orion simply smiled.
He understood Kakashi well.
Kakashi would always prioritize the village.
Orion didn't believe Kakashi would ever betray Konoha for him.
But that didn't bother him.
If one day he truly couldn't stay in Konoha…
Then even if he didn't want to become a rogue ninja—
He might have no choice.
After all, he had no intention of dying young in this life.
Kakashi, who had just been planning Orion's future moments ago, now felt all his confidence fade.
Now, he was only thinking about one thing—
How to protect Orion.
He didn't want Orion to end up like Yamato.
Living his entire life in the shadows of the Anbu.
Or worse—
Being monitored for life like a jinchūriki.
If one were to talk about suffering among jinchūriki—
The worst case wasn't Naruto Uzumaki.
It was his mother, Kushina Uzumaki.
As an outsider to the village, Kushina had been monitored by Anbu for most of her life before marrying Minato Namikaze.
Her residence was even sealed within barriers.
She couldn't leave freely.
Compared to that—
Naruto was practically free.
Too free, in fact.
He could even vandalize the Hokage Rock without consequences.
For anyone else, that would have meant imprisonment—or worse.
Only because of the Third Hokage's tolerance was Naruto allowed such freedom.
As for loneliness—
Every jinchūriki experienced it.
But freedom like Naruto's?
That was rare.
Even in other villages, jinchūriki like Killer B were often targeted and attacked by their own people.
Yet Konoha's villagers—
Despite losing loved ones during the Nine-Tails attack—
Only rejected Naruto.
They never tried to assassinate him.
That level of restraint was almost unbelievable.
Kakashi knew very well what it meant to be monitored.
He had spent years in the Anbu.
Back then, he had even been assigned to guard Kushina—
Though in truth, it was also surveillance.
Even if Minato had no ill intentions, the monitoring still existed.
And living under constant watch…
Was never comfortable.
Kakashi didn't want Orion to live that kind of life.
But he had no real solution.
The only thing he could do—
Was hide Orion's true strength from the Third Hokage.
At least for now.
Compared to Kakashi, Orion was far calmer.
After all, he was still a shinobi of Konoha.
As long as he didn't openly oppose the village—
The Third Hokage wouldn't act against him lightly.
If Konoha eliminated every talented ninja out of fear—
The village would have collapsed long ago.
Looking at Kakashi, Orion smiled.
"There's no need to worry so much."
"I don't think the Third Hokage would go that far."
Kakashi's expression was complicated.
Unlike Orion, he didn't have that much faith in Hiruzen.
Having spent years in Anbu—
He knew the darker side of the Hokage.
Still…
Orion was right.
Unless Orion posed a clear threat—
Konoha wouldn't act against him.
Unlike the Uchiha Clan, Orion had no political backing, no faction.
At most—
He would grow into someone like the Fourth Hokage.
And that…
Was not something the village would fear.
That was why Orion wasn't too worried.
Hiruzen Sarutobi might be cautious…
But he wasn't irrational.
He wouldn't eliminate someone simply for being talented.
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