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After being rejected, Sakura left with a disappointed look on her face. "Ah... okay then."

"Forehead girl, you got rejected again! Hahahaha..."

Seeing Sakura's dejected expression, Yamanaka Ino couldn't help but laugh at her.

Sakura, unwilling to be ridiculed, quickly snapped back, "At least I had the guts to ask Sasuke out. You, on the other hand, just stare at Morkel from afar and don't even dare to talk to him."

Ino felt her face heat up. Damn it! Sakura had hit a nerve.

Truthfully, Ino had been paying attention to Morkel for quite some time. She first noticed him during their early days at the Ninja Academy.

Morkel wasn't just good-looking; he was also incredibly hardworking. However, his progress in ninjutsu had been slow at first. Later, his exceptional performances in class made Ino certain of her feelings for him.

Despite being classmates for years, they had barely spoken. Taking the first step felt impossible.

Sakura smirked at Ino's hesitation. "If you have something to say, go ahead! Or are you scared?"

Ino hesitated. Wouldn't it be too abrupt to walk up to Morkel now? What if he thought she was being too forward? What if he didn't like her? What if he rejected her, just like Sasuke had rejected Sakura?

Her mind went blank, her heartbeat quickened, and she swallowed nervously.

Just then, Team 7 passed by. Morkel noticed Ino standing there and greeted her naturally, "Hey, Ino. What are you doing here? Waiting for someone?"

Ino froze, her mind racing. He spoke to her first!

"I... I... I..." she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Morkel blinked in confusion. "Aren't you usually with Shikamaru and Chōji? Where are they?"

Ino's face turned even redder. "They..."

Before she could answer, Shikamaru and Chōji arrived.

"Hey, Morkel, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei! You guys just got back from a mission?" Shikamaru greeted casually.

Morkel nodded, but before he could say anything, Naruto enthusiastically jumped in. "Yeah! We just got back from the Land of Waves! You wouldn't believe how intense it was!"

Naruto dramatically gestured toward Morkel. "Morkel was like a god out there! If he hadn't arrived in time, Sasuke and I would've been toast!"

Hearing Naruto's exaggerated storytelling, Ino's focus sharpened. She was interested in anything related to Morkel.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What was that teleportation move you mentioned?"

Naruto scratched his head, trying to remember. "Uh... Kakashi-sensei called it... Flying Thunder God? Yeah! That's it! Flying Thunder God!"

Shikamaru, Ino, and Sakura's eyes widened in shock.

"What?!" they exclaimed in unison.

Shikamaru, being well-read, knew about the legendary Flying Thunder God Technique. A space-time ninjutsu that allowed instant teleportation to any marked location—the Forbidden Technique developed by the Second Hokage and made famous by the Fourth Hokage!

How could Morkel know it?!

Sakura immediately grew suspicious. "Morkel... did you steal a peek at the Scroll of Seals?"

The Flying Thunder God Technique was recorded in the Scroll of Seals, a forbidden document that ordinary ninjas had no access to. If Morkel had learned it, that meant...

Ino, despite her admiration for Morkel, couldn't help but feel concerned. "Morkel, you didn't... did you?"

Naruto waved off their concerns. "What are you talking about? Morkel didn't steal anything! He developed it himself!"

Silence.

Shikamaru, Ino, and Sakura looked at Naruto as if he had grown a second head. "You must be joking!"

Creating a Forbidden Technique was no small feat. Even the Second Hokage had been an adult when he invented Flying Thunder God. And here Morkel was, not even thirteen!

The three turned to Kakashi, expecting him to correct Naruto. But Kakashi remained silent, his only response being a knowing smile.

Their jaws dropped. He really invented it?!

This was beyond comprehension.

They were all the same age! How was it possible that Morkel had already learned S-rank ninjutsu and even fought a Jōnin-level enemy?

Kakashi sighed and took the opportunity to excuse himself. "Alright, you all chat. I need to report our mission to the Hokage."

...

Hokage's Office

Kakashi knocked and entered, noticing an Anbu member kneeling before the Third Hokage.

The Anbu turned and greeted him. "Kakashi-senpai."

Kakashi nodded. "Yamato."

They had worked together before, so Kakashi recognized him instantly.

The Third Hokage looked up and smiled. "Kakashi, welcome back. Report your mission. Yamato, you may stay."

Yamato hesitated. "Hokage-sama, are you sure?"

The Third Hokage chuckled. "You'll want to hear this. After all, Morkel was once your student."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "Wait... Yamato taught Morkel? How did I not know about this?"

He suddenly realized the only reason Yamato would have been Morkel's teacher.

Wood Style.

A chill ran down Kakashi's spine. He had to sit down.

...

Back in the village, news of Morkel's talent spread quickly. Rumors circulated about his self-developed Flying Thunder God Technique, his battle prowess, and his immense potential.

By the next morning, the entire village was buzzing.

Even the senior Jonin and elders of the village had caught wind of Morkel's abilities. Some were skeptical, while others saw him as Konoha's next rising star.

Danzo, the leader of Root, sat in his dimly lit chamber, his mind working fast. "Morkel... You are more talented than I expected. Perhaps it's time to bring you under my wing."

Meanwhile, inside the Hyuga compound, Neji heard the news and clenched his fists. "A self-made Flying Thunder God Technique? That's impossible! If it's true... then he's truly a genius."

In the Uchiha district, Sasuke was training harder than ever. He knew he had fallen behind Morkel, and it frustrated him. "If I can't surpass him... how will I ever defeat Itachi?"

Even the Hokage himself had to reevaluate Morkel's potential. He lit his pipe and exhaled slowly. "A boy who can develop his own space-time ninjutsu at this age... Just what kind of shinobi will Morkel become?"

...

The sun rose over Konoha, and the village continued to buzz with speculation.

As for Morkel, he remained as he always was—focused on his next goal, unaware that he had already shaken the entire village to its core.

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