Chapter 15 - Yuhi Shinku’s Hostility

Chapter 15 - Yuhi Shinku's Hostility

A crisp chime echoed in Kazane's mind.

"Ding!"

"Congratulations, host! You have achieved the title of 'Top Student of the Year' and have been rewarded with the training methods for Observation Haki and Armament Haki!"

For a moment, Kazane stood still, his breathing shallow as the words sank in. But as their meaning registered, his lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

Observation Haki. Armament Haki.

Even though he had anticipated some kind of reward, he hadn't expected something of this caliber.

He clenched his fists, already imagining the potential. If he had mastered Armament Haki earlier, Uchiha Makoto's shuriken wouldn't have even been a concern. He could have ignored them entirely, walking straight through the attack without hesitation.

That level of dominance… it was now within reach.

As Kazane stood in the arena, basking in the moment, another pair of eyes burned with barely concealed rage.

From the stands, Danzo Shimura's expression darkened. His fingers curled tightly around the armrest of his chair, the tension in his grip betraying his barely contained frustration.

Another Hatake… another wasted opportunity.

His cold gaze flicked toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, who sat calmly beside him. Unlike Danzo, the Third Hokage's face remained impassive, but Danzo knew better. The old man was sharp—far too sharp to be unaware of what he was thinking.

Danzo exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin.

"Kakashi Hatake is already out of my reach, and now this kid, Kazane Hatake, too?" His voice was low, but it carried an unmistakable weight of accusation. "Sarutobi, what exactly are you planning?"

Sarutobi turned his head slightly, his aged yet piercing gaze locking onto Danzo's.

"These two children will never be yours," he stated coldly.

The words were firm. Absolute. A declaration that left no room for negotiation.

Danzo's expression twisted.

"You… Fine! You're the Hokage, so you have the final say."

His words dripped with resentment, but he knew that pushing the issue any further now would be pointless. With one last glare, he stood up abruptly, his cloak billowing as he turned on his heel and stormed out of the viewing platform.

Sarutobi, however, remained unmoved, his expression unreadable as he watched Danzo's retreating figure.

Of course, he understood what Danzo was after.

Root was, in name, an auxiliary branch of the ANBU. But in reality, it had long ceased to be under the Hokage's direct control. Over the years, Danzo had shaped it into his own secret force—an independent faction that operated in the shadows, answering only to him.

If Kakashi or Kazane were to fall into Danzo's hands, there was no doubt about what would happen. They would be stripped of their individuality, molded into weapons devoid of free will, their loyalty twisted into absolute obedience.

And one day, those very blades would be turned against him.

Sarutobi Hiruzen would never allow that to happen.

After all, he was the Hokage.

—

Meanwhile, down in the arena, Uchiha Makoto stood frozen in place.

His chest rose and fell rapidly, his breaths shallow. Even as the crowd cheered, even as the proctor declared Kazane's victory, his mind refused to accept what had just happened.

He had lost.

His Sharingan had been active. He had used his clan's powerful Fire Style technique. He had every advantage a shinobi at his level could ask for.

And yet, it hadn't been enough.

Makoto's fists clenched at his sides.

The image of Kazane slicing through his technique replayed in his head again and again. At that moment, when his jutsu had been effortlessly dispersed, a sense of foreboding had gripped his heart.

Even then, he had wanted to believe there was still a chance. He had told himself that Kazane's attack, after scattering the flames, would weaken just enough for him to counter.

But reality had proved him wrong.

That technique…

It was too perfect.

Makoto let out a hollow laugh, his head tilting slightly downward.

Even if he had faced a Chunin from his own clan, he wouldn't have been defeated so decisively.

It wasn't just that Kazane was stronger. It was his fighting style—an overwhelming, suffocating force that left no room for his opponent to recover.

Makoto exhaled sharply.

Was that all he was? Just another stepping stone for this rising genius?

No.

He straightened his back, his eyes sharpening with newfound determination.

"You win," he said finally, his voice laced with bitterness. But despite his pride stinging from the loss, he refused to run from it. If anything, acknowledging defeat now would only fuel his growth.

Makoto took a deep breath before locking eyes with Kazane.

"Listen carefully, Kazane Hatake. You better keep winning," he said, his tone unwavering. "Until I defeat you, you're not allowed to lose to anyone else."

Kazane met his gaze, his expression unreadable.

A moment later, he smirked.

"Heh! I won't lose to anyone, I'll be waiting at the peak of the ninja world, but those I've already defeated will never be able to catch up to me."

Makoto's fists clenched at his sides. The words stung, but he couldn't refute them.

Faced with Kazane's sheer confidence—no, his absolute conviction—Makoto knew he had truly lost.

With that, the final match of the ranking exams came to an end.

The proctor, who had remained still for a moment as the atmosphere settled, finally took a deep breath. He then raised his hand high and declared in a strong voice:

"First place—Kazane Hatake!"

A split second of silence followed, as if the entire arena had paused to absorb the moment.

Then, an explosion of cheers erupted from every corner of the coliseum.

Kazane had officially claimed the top rank in the Academy's combat rankings, surpassing Uchiha Makoto and securing his place as the strongest student of his generation.

A new prodigy had emerged in Konoha.

Students, instructors, and even the observing Jonin exchanged glances of surprise and admiration.

No one had expected this outcome.

Just months ago, Kazane had been an underachiever, struggling with the Three Basic Jutsu. He had been overshadowed by others, his potential dismissed as unremarkable. But ever since he picked up a sword, everything had changed.

His meteoric rise was nothing short of shocking.

Now, regardless of class or rank, every student and instructor present knew his name—Kazane Hatake.

And some couldn't help but wonder…

Would this boy one day shake the very foundations of the ninja world?

Kazane paid no attention to the excited chatter or envious stares around him. His focus was elsewhere.

With an effortless leap, he ascended onto the viewing platform, moving with the same ease that had defined his battles. His steps carried him toward a familiar figure—one whose voice he had heard calling his name from the stands.

Stopping in front of Kurenai Yuhi, he flashed a smug grin.

"Now you can stop worrying, right?" he said casually. "I heard you calling my name. You're not worried anymore, are you?"

He held up a finger and playfully waved it in front of her face. "I'm first place, after all."

Kurenai, who had been staring at him blankly, blinked as if snapping out of a trance.

She had been completely captivated by his final match.

Just moments ago, she had feared for him. Against Uchiha Makoto's Great Fireball Jutsu, Kazane should have had no chance. He couldn't use ninjutsu—at least, not in the way the others could.

By all logic, he should have lost.

Yet, against all expectations, he had not only won…

He had dominated.

Throughout the entire tournament, Kazane had defeated every opponent within a few moves. Even Uchiha Makoto hadn't managed to land a single hit on him.

The sheer absurdity of it left her stunned.

"I wasn't worried about you at all. You must've misheard," Kurenai huffed, puffing her cheeks in defiance.

But despite her stubborn words, the corners of her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Because deep down, she was truly happy for him.

Others might not have noticed Kazane before, but she had.

She had always watched him.

She had seen him after school, when everyone else had gone home, training alone. She had spotted him on quiet nights, pushing his limits when no one was around to see.

She had noticed the bruises and cuts on his hands, the way he sometimes limped yet never complained.

And she had cried over it—so many times.

Kazane's victory wasn't some stroke of luck. It wasn't a miracle.

It was the result of his relentless effort.

This was his rightful reward.

"Why are you crying?"

Kazane chuckled, reaching out without hesitation.

With a gentle touch, he wiped away the small tear forming at the corner of her eye.

"Ugh!!"

Kurenai's mind went blank.

Her cheeks turned bright red, the heat spreading across her face like wildfire.

Realizing what had just happened, she reacted on instinct, glaring at Kazane in a flustered mix of embarrassment and indignation.

"Hmph! It's just first place—what's there to be so proud of?" she huffed, turning her head away. "If you want to impress me, you've still got a long way to go!"

A heavy silence fell over the viewing platform.

Kazane froze.

Sweat beaded on his forehead.

Kurenai, too, stiffened.

The realization of what she had just said hit her like a kunai to the chest.

The moment stretched on, the tension growing unbearable. Then, like a startled rabbit, Kurenai bolted from the scene, escaping the sea of eyes now locked onto her.

Despite her escape, the damage was done.

The attention she had so desperately wanted to avoid was now fully upon Kazane.

And among the many watching him, one pair of eyes stood out—burning with silent hostility.

Kazane didn't need to look to know who it was.

But he did anyway.

Turning his gaze toward the Hokage's viewing platform, his instincts were confirmed.

Yuhi Shinku, Kurenai's father, was staring directly at him.

His face was calm, composed—almost too much so. But his eyes…

His eyes burned like molten embers.

The man known as the Crimson Sunset was a legend in Konoha. A master of genjutsu whose illusions were said to rival even the Mangekyō Sharingan. A veteran shinobi who had trained both Genin and Chunin, shaping the next generation of Konoha's forces.

And, most importantly…

An overprotective girl dad.

Kazane knew all too well that Yuhi Shinku had a history of dealing with any boy who got too close to his daughter.

Kazane had done his best to keep his distance from the man. But now, with Kurenai's accidental confession still hanging in the air, he could already sense his fate shifting in an unfortunate direction.

From across the arena, Yuhi Shinku's lips moved slightly, muttering just loud enough for those near him to hear.

"You brat… just wait until I teach you a lesson in genjutsu when we get back."

Kazane swallowed hard.

****

TL/Note

I've noticed a surge in readers for this fanfiction, so I think it's time to address some questions and start taking this project more seriously.

First off—yes, this is a translation. Why? Because reading MTL feels like shoving burning coals into my eyes. The raw title is — 木家的三刀流劍豪 — but be warned, it's not easy to read. While the original Chinese reviews are generally positive, if memory serves me right, it holds around an 8/10 rating. That's solid enough for me to endure the translation struggle.

Secondly, the original name **Chiba (千羽)** directly translates to "A Thousand Feathers." While this name holds poetic weight, its pronunciation can feel somewhat awkward in English, resembling a surname or place name rather than a natural first name. Additionally, "Chiba" lacks the fluidity and impact one might expect for a protagonist in a ninja setting.

To maintain the original intent while improving readability and thematic resonance, I opted for **Kazane (風羽)**, which means **"Wind Feather."** while not a **direct** translation, this adaptation preserves the essence of the original while making it feel more natural to an English-speaking audience. That's why his name is cool😎.

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room. I'm already juggling another fanfiction, so I can't dedicate my full attention to this one. Currently, I've translated 40+ chapters, but there are still errors to fix—some of them pretty major. Case in point: Uchiha Makoto—the so-called "genius" that Kazane just defeated? Yeah… turns out Makoto is actually Mikoto Uchiha, as in the future wife of Fugaku and the mother of Sasuke and Itachi. And, uh… she's not a boy.

That was 100% my bad. But in my defense, both the MTL and raw text straight-up said "Makoto" and referred to him as a he. I double-checked. So I assumed it was an original character added by the author. Turns out, nope! The raw itself is messy, and even some canonical names have been altered. For example, Fugaku Uchiha's father is named Kiezan in this fanfiction—when his actual name is Shyoma Uchiha.

So, where does that leave us?

Despite the rough original writing and the occasional naming disasters, the story itself is solid. It's action-packed, full of cool moments, and delivers humor that's neither too dumb nor too forced. The positive rating is well-deserved. That said, the original writing quality isn't great, which makes translating it even trickier. But hey, I signed up for this, so I'll put in extra effort to fix any remaining errors as I go.

The good news? So far, Makoto/Mikoto was the only major mistake. And at just 200+ chapters, this fanfiction is expected to be fully translated within a month or two.

Thanks for your patience—and for suffering alongside me on this translation journey!

For those who can't wait for more, you can visit my P@treon, Zynos. For an affordable price of 5$ a month, you can enjoy all latest chapters all you want!!