NARUTO: In the Era of Sannin

The heavy oak door of the Hokage's office creaked open, revealing Kagami Uchiha, his mission report in hand and a warm smile on his face.

Hiruzen looked up from his paperwork, his pipe releasing another faint puff of smoke into the room. His sharp eyes immediately caught the expression on Kagami's face.

"Well, well, Kagami. Judging by your smile, I take it the mission was a success?"

Kagami nodded, stepping into the room and setting the report down on Hiruzen's desk. "Success is putting it lightly, Hiruzen. I'd say it went above and beyond expectations."

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "It's rare seeing you this excited. Tell me, what happened out there?"

Kagami's smile widened as he folded his arms. "Where do I begin? First, the mission itself. What we thought was a C-rank escort task escalated to a B-rank engagement when a Chakra Fiend attacked. But it wasn't the mission's escalation that was noteworthy, but the performance shown by Yuichi."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Yuichi, you say?" Hiruzen pondered a little and spoke again, "but what exactly did he do?"

Kagami's expression turned more serious as he began his recounting. "The Chakra Fiend was beyond our initial expectations—an enormous beast with control over earth affinity related skills. Its rampage was enough to put even seasoned shinobi on edge. 

Yet Yuichi, with remarkable composure, neutralizes the threat during its fury. He performed a new Jutsu in the middle of battle, one that even I have to admit was both ingenious and devastating."

Leaning forward slightly, Hiruzen rested his chin on his steepled fingers. "Go on. What kind of Jutsu are we talking about?"

Kagami closed his eyes for a moment, replaying the events in his mind. "He called it… 'Chidori.' The Jutsu combines high-level chakra control with the lightning element seamlessly integrated in his Lightning Enhancement Kekkei Genkai. 

In essence, it's a concentrated current of high-voltage lightning chakra that is layered and rotated in his palm, creating an overwhelming piercing force with a purplish-black lightning hue. 

However, what makes it even more remarkable is how it doesn't require him to perform any hand sign prior to performing the Jutsu nor it took time in activation of the Jutsu. "

Hiruzen's pipe stopped mid-air, his eyes narrowing with the analytical curiosity of a teacher and a scholar. "Layered and rotated lightning chakra? That's no small feat. It's on par with the highest forms of shape manipulation and elemental fusion. And without hand signs, no less…"

"It gets better," Kagami added. "The moment he applied it to his blade, it amplified the weapon's cutting power exponentially. The result? A clean, decisive blow that not only severed the beast's head from its body but also incinerated the area where damage was dealt."

The Hokage let out a low whistle of admiration. "A Jutsu like that has incredible offensive potential. However…" His eyes sharpened. "Did you notice any drawbacks?"

Kagami nodded, his expression turning grave. "Yup. Through my sharingan it was clearly visible that although the Jutsu is powerful, the sheer voltage of the lightning chakra also dealt damage to Yuichi's hand. 

Clearly the Jutsu right now cannot be used more than one or two times with his pretty naked drawbacks. 

Thankfully, it wasn't severe this time, but prolonged use could lead to significant damage or even nerve damage. I discussed this with him briefly, and he too is aware of the issue. 

For now we decided to seek ways to mitigate the strain, possibly by creating a protective hand gear around his hand which can regulate his lightning easily."

Hiruzen stroked his chin thoughtfully. "He's already thinking of countermeasures. Good. That boy always did have a sharp mind."

There was a brief silence as Hiruzen leaned back, his eyes gazing into the distance. The professor in him was fully engaged now, and he couldn't hide his intrigue. "A black lightning hue, you said? That's rare—almost unheard of. Do you think it's related to his Yin affinity?"

"It's likely," Kagami agreed. "The black lightning seemed to have an unnatural intensity, almost as if it were feeding off more than just his chakra. Perhaps his Kekkei Genkai is playing a role, but I'm still not sure about all of this. We clearly require more observation."

Hiruzen chuckled lightly. "I think along the same lines as you Kagami. Still, you've created my interest in this Jutus. I'll have to see this Jutsu for myself someday. Perhaps Yuichi can give a demonstration during the upcoming events."

As Kagami finished his report, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, tapping his pipe against the edge of the desk to extinguish the embers. "You've done well, Kagami. Both as a leader and a teacher. Missions like this aren't just about success; they're about growth. It seems your team has grown significantly from this experience, especially Yuichi."

Kagami's warm smile returned. "Thank you, Lord Third. I'll continue to guide them as best I can."

Hiruzen nodded. "I expect nothing less from a friend of mine. Remember to keep their training up for the upcoming event."

Kagami bowed deeply before turning to leave, but Hiruzen's voice stopped him just as he reached the door.

"Kagami," the Hokage said, his tone softer now. "Keep an eye on Yuichi. Talent like his can be both a blessing and a burden. Make sure he doesn't burn himself out, literally or figuratively."

Kagami turned back with a knowing smile. "I too understand that Hiruzen, we both have gone through that face... Good night for now."

As the door closed behind Kagami, Hiruzen sat back in his chair, his mind already racing with possibilities. 

"A prodigy, indeed," Hiruzen murmured to himself. "Let's hope his flame burns bright, not fast."