"Don't be surprised. In any hidden village, children like you and Orochimaru are highly valued."
Uncle Danzo glanced at Xu Ming and said calmly, "Think about it—don't you agree?"
"Rasengan, Chidori, medical ninjutsu, body modification... What you have accomplished at your age surpasses most ninjas in the world. Many spend their entire lives as mere Chūnin."
Hatake Sakumo nodded in agreement.
Xu Ming suddenly realized that, as Danzo had pointed out, the skills he and Orochimaru had displayed were more than enough for any village to invest in them fully. The potential return was visibly immense.
Some of their accomplishments had already borne fruit—especially medical ninjutsu.
"Besides, you're still young, so you may not have noticed, but Konoha's situation isn't as stable as it appears," Danzo said, hesitating briefly before continuing, "I shouldn't be telling you this, but you're an intelligent child. I won't hide the truth from you."
"Hiruzen and I have limited abilities. Reaching the level of the Second Hokage in this lifetime would already be a blessing. But even the Second Hokage's strength alone wasn't enough to fully protect Konoha."
Danzo sighed and fell silent.
His words were cryptic, constrained by respect for the village leadership, but Xu Ming understood.
Based on the original series' setting, Konoha was the foremost of the five great hidden villages, boasting the best location, abundant resources, and the largest territory. However, these advantages were originally secured by an overwhelmingly powerful ninja—Senju Hashirama.
In other words, such benefits could only be maintained by someone of comparable strength.
With the deaths of Hashirama and the departure of Uchiha Madara, Konoha had lost its strongest figures. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, being killed by Cloud Shinobi was proof of the village's declining strength.
The death of a village's leader outside its borders exposed its vulnerabilities.
The next generation—Sarutobi Hiruzen and his peers—while talented, were a step below their predecessors. Even in their lifetime, they might not reach the heights of the Second Hokage.
Konoha's leadership was well aware of this. Despite the village's current stability, underlying concerns loomed.
"There will always be a way," Xu Ming said reassuringly.
"Yes, there will be," Danzo responded with a faint smile, though he didn't appear entirely convinced.
To lighten the mood, he shifted the topic.
"Aside from your assessment, we have a more important task at hand..."
For the next week, Xu Ming remained active outside the village.
Uncle Danzo led him and Hatake Sakumo on a rapid march spanning hundreds of kilometers, dismantling three information exchange points established by enemy villages.
In total, they eliminated:
Seventeen Jōnin,
Thirty-two Chūnin,
Seventy-eight Genin.
Xu Ming participated in the battles to a limited extent, but his Hidden Lightning Pill proved exceptionally effective. Many opponents, including Jōnin, were caught off guard and eliminated instantly.
Additionally, his Fire Style: Great Flame Rasengan and Wind Style: Rasenshuriken demonstrated tremendous destructive power, even breaching formidable defensive barriers.
Danzo and Hatake Sakumo were both astonished. They had initially intended for Xu Ming to observe, but he ended up being a significant asset, saving them both effort and stamina.
With the mission complete, they immediately set off for their return to Konoha.
Meanwhile, in Konoha…
At the Senju Clan's residence, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi read a report with evident surprise and delight.
"Xu Ming is truly remarkable. If not for this assessment, we wouldn't have known he was hiding such talent."
Uzumaki Mito, also reviewing the report, nodded in admiration. "Indeed."
The report, sent by Danzo, detailed the entire mission, including a carefully drawn depiction of the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken in action.
Third Hokage and Uzumaki Mito could clearly grasp the technique's devastating power.
"As Danzo suggested, we can indeed view Xu Ming's potential with the same expectations we once had for Hashirama," Hiruzen mused with a smile.
At the mention of Hashirama, Uzumaki Mito sighed, her expression filled with nostalgia.
Suddenly, both their expressions shifted, and they quickly covered the report.
Moments later, a girl with light blonde hair walked in with a cheerful bounce in her step and a bright smile.
"Grandma Mito, sensei, you both seem free today," Tsunade remarked.
Hiruzen chuckled. "The weather's nice, so we decided to visit."
"Come here, Tsunade, sit and chat with your grandmother," Uzumaki Mito said warmly, subtly tucking the report away.
"Alright!"
Tsunade eagerly took a seat next to Uzumaki Mito.
As they sipped tea and enjoyed snacks, their conversation meandered through lighthearted village happenings. Slowly, guided by Third Hokage and Uzumaki Mito, the discussion turned to Xu Ming's recent mission.
When Tsunade learned that Xu Ming had been on a mission outside the village with Danzo and had yet to return, her eyes flickered with emotion, and she quickly became restless.
Pretending not to notice, Uzumaki Mito and Third Hokage soon found an excuse to send her away.
Once Tsunade had left, visibly excited, the two elders sat in silence, watching her departure.
"Tsunade hasn't figured it out yet..." Hiruzen said, shaking his head helplessly.
"She may seem carefree, but she's incredibly slow when it comes to matters like this," Uzumaki Mito sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Hasn't she realized how obsessed she is with Xu Ming?"
Unfortunately, such feelings were difficult for outsiders to point out directly.
With Tsunade's personality, bringing it up would likely lead to stubborn denial or anger.
Additionally, Xu Ming had already set his heart on marrying into the Uchiha Clan. While Third Hokage and Uzumaki Mito didn't oppose Tsunade, they remained hesitant, choosing to quietly observe for now and let things unfold naturally.