From Naruto onwards, I Control Time

[Veltoria]

"Tsusa Yanosuke!!"

The Mist ninja standing next to Hoshigaki Kisame suddenly changed expression, his face filled with shock and disbelief. He couldn't help but cry out in alarm.

Tsusa Yanosuke was the sensor-type ninja among their trio. Their ability to continuously hunt down other teams relied heavily on his sensory skills. Normally, he should have been the one to react the fastest in the face of an ambush or sneak attack.

But now—

Tsusa Yanosuke had been taken out in an instant!

He didn't even have time to use a Substitution Jutsu or Body Flicker!

"Guh… cough…"

Though Tsusa Yanosuke had been sliced in two, he wasn't dead yet. He coughed up a mouthful of blood as his upper body collapsed to the ground. He looked toward Kaede with an expression of disbelief.

Because they had neared the finish point and were talking with Kisame and the others, he had let his guard down a little and wasn't fully focused on sensing. So when Kaede ambushed him midway, he hadn't sensed it in time. But that wasn't the key issue.

The real issue was, too fast!

Kaede's movements were too fast, so fast that Yanosuke had no time to react or resist at all.

That level of speed was far beyond what a Genin should be capable of. Even for a Jōnin, it would be extraordinary. To be ambushed by someone of Jōnin-level speed while distracted, it was no surprise he was taken out instantly.

"So it's you."

Hoshigaki Kisame stared at Kaede. Despite the death of his comrade, there was no sign of anger or loss of composure on his face, as if the one who died was utterly insignificant.

He curled his shark-like lips into a grin, revealing a mouth full of jagged teeth. "Looks like not all of Konoha's Genin are trash after all."

"……"

Kaede glanced at the bisected body of Yanosuke on the ground, noticing a small pile of scrolls that had fallen from him. He muttered, "So that's what this is."

Collecting this many scrolls, clearly, these people weren't taking part in the Chūnin Exams just to pass. Their real goal was hunting others and sending a message.

"As expected from the infamous Blood Mist Village…"

Kaede raised the short sword "White Fang" in his hand, lightly running a hand across its blade as if wiping it clean.

Then—

With a poof, his body suddenly dispersed into smoke.

Kisame's face changed. Without hesitation, he leapt backward and quickly formed hand seals mid-air before slamming his hands down.

"Water Style! Exploding Water Colliding Wave!!"

Crash!

An overwhelming surge of water burst forth instantly, cascading like a reverse flood.

However, the water didn't strike Kaede, because Kaede hadn't targeted Kisame at all, his real target was the other Mist Genin!

"Water Style! Spiral Water Blade!"

That Genin responded almost simultaneously. As Kaede vanished, he unleashed a jutsu, exhaling thin spiral threads of high-pressure water in all directions. These threads were sharp enough to slice through stone on contact.

But just as the Spiral Water Blades shot out—

Kaede appeared at his right side.

Rather than evade, Kaede revealed an almost inhuman speed. He twisted mid-air and danced between the spiraling blades, slipping through their gaps like he was weaving through deadly threads.

"Crap…"

The Mist Genin's face twisted in horror. He couldn't believe Kaede had dared to charge directly into his jutsu, and made it through unscathed.

Without incredible speed and perceptive dynamic vision, such a move was no different from dancing on a razor's edge. one mistake and he'd be sliced in half!

Shing!

The Genin drew a kunai and slashed toward Kaede.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Kaede's blade moved so fast it left trails of white in the air. In an instant, he unleashed seven or eight slashes and flashed past the Mist ninja.

The Genin's body stiffened.

He struggled to turn his head, catching a glimpse of Kaede behind him. His eyes widened in disbelief, then his body erupted in a web of blood lines and collapsed in a spray of crimson.

The Spiral Water Blade had failed to keep Kaede at bay. once Kaede got in close, the result was inevitable.

If it had been a Sharingan user with speed to match, perhaps they could've fended off Kaede's blade style, but this Genin clearly didn't have that kind of ability.

In the blink of an eye, two Mist ninja were dead!

"To act so arrogantly in someone else's village… there's always a price. Kill or be killed, that's your Blood Mist philosophy, right? I think it's fair to return the favor."

Kaede stood on the water's surface and looked calmly at the last one—Kisame.

Kisame gazed at Kaede from a distance. He was no longer as calm as before. The grin on his face had stiffened slightly.

"…Looks like you're the strongest Genin in Konoha. Seems our intel was a bit off. But that's not a big deal…"

As he spoke, Kisame suddenly formed seals with both hands.

"Water Style! Water Shark Bullet Technique!!"

Crash!!

The water under Kaede's feet exploded as massive shark-shaped water projectiles surged toward him, aiming to tear him apart.

Whoosh!

Kaede leapt straight into the air, aiming directly at Kisame.

Kisame didn't flinch. He raised his right hand and released another surge of water, this time, a single massive shark hurtled toward Kaede head-on.

Kaede's hand clenched around White Fang.

He drove the blade into the shark-like torrent. His entire body blurred into a spiral of motion as the blade tore through the water, slicing through the jutsu, and right through Kisame!

Splash!

Kisame's body shattered.

But no blood spilled, only water surged upward, wrapping around Kaede in an instant.

"...Water Prison Jutsu!"

Kisame's true body emerged from beneath the water, placing one hand on the surface of the water sphere that now encased Kaede.

"Your speed really is troublesome… but inside my Water Prison, that speed of yours is useless, isn't it?"

Inside the prison, Kaede didn't panic. Instead, he calmly looked at Kisame.

"Water Prison Jutsu… a classic from the Mist, huh? But if I already knew you had this technique, do you really think I'd fall for it so easily?"

Kisame's expression changed.

In the next instant—

His body twisted to the side, but a flash of white light still sliced across him. With a spray of blood, his arm was severed and dropped into the water.

"Brilliant."

Inside the central control room of the Death Rock Cave, Orochimaru watched the screen, eyes filled with admiration.

Beside him, Hiruzen Sarutobi also couldn't help but exclaim, "I thought he only relied on that speed… but to use Clone and Substitution so fluidly… Not even you could do this at his age, could you?"

Even Orochimaru and Hiruzen were stunned by Kaede's sheer talent and combat instincts.

As for the other Jōnin and Chūnin—

Like Yūhi Kurenai and the rest, they were shocked.

They already had a pretty good grasp of Kisame's team's strength from prior observation. Both Mist Genin had elite Chūnin-level abilities. Kisame himself, with his massive chakra reserves, was close to the level of a special Jōnin.

Yet even so—

In front of Kaede, two were killed in a flash, and one heavily wounded!

Whether it was his raw power, his battle awareness, or his judgment, Kaede's performance left nothing to be criticized. He didn't resemble a nine-year-old Genin at all, more like a hardened elite from countless battles!

 

[Veltoria]

"……"

Hoshigaki Kisame's figure appeared over a dozen meters away from Kaede.

His right arm had been severed at the shoulder. He was clutching the wound with his left hand, his forehead beaded with cold sweat as he endured the pain, his previous composure completely gone.

Too young.

Kaede looked at Kisame and sighed inwardly.

At this point in time, although Kisame was already remarkable in terms of chakra, without the Samehada sword, his power wasn't that exaggerated. His combat experience also lagged far behind the matured version who would later kill Fuguki Suikazan and join the Akatsuki.

The jutsu Kisame had used earlier, including the water clone to bait him and the following Water Prison Technique, could easily have caught someone else off guard.

But Kaede had already anticipated these moves from the start.

Information disparity.

If both sides had an equal understanding of each other, then perhaps Kisame might have been able to put up a decent fight. But in this scenario, where Kaede had the upper hand in intel, it was simply a one-sided slaughter.

"Hmm?!"

Just as Kaede was about to finish Kisame off, his eyes suddenly flashed, and he turned to look in a certain direction.

Three figures were rapidly approaching from that direction.

"More people…"

Kaede gave Kisame a glance, then made a single-hand seal and disappeared with a whoosh.

The ones rushing over were three Genin from the Hidden Cloud Village.

They hadn't deliberately hunted other Genin teams like Kisame and his team had, but they had still defeated two squads.

other villages' Genin teams, upon acquiring enough scrolls and getting close to the finish line, would typically choose to pass the round quickly. But Kumogakure ninjas were notoriously aggressive. Sensing the commotion, all three unanimously decided to investigate.

After all, they'd have to fight in the third round anyway. Might as well take this opportunity to eliminate some competitors, no harm in that.

"That was a Water Style jutsu… probably those Mist guys."

"Didn't expect to run into Mist ninja. Might as well take them out here."

Kamoi's dark-skinned arm crackled faintly with lightning as he spoke while flexing his knuckles, a grin creeping onto his face.

Among all the other villages, the Cloud ninjas feared the Mist the least. Lightning beat Water, and Cloud Village's battle style was aggressive and overwhelming, while the Mist specialized in assassinations, styles that directly clashed, and Cloud had the upper hand.

However—

Just as the three were nearing the battlefield, one of them suddenly sensed something and shouted:

"Watch out!"

Kamoi's expression shifted. In an instant, his body was enveloped in lightning as he darted sideways, narrowly dodging a horizontal slash that sliced up from beneath the earth.

Whoosh!!

Missing the initial strike, Kaede stepped back two paces and looked calmly at Kamoi.

"As expected of Cloud ninjas, your speed and reaction time are quite impressive…"

Whoosh! Whoosh!!

The other two Cloud Genin immediately flanked Kaede. Kamoi also narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"So it's not a Mist ninja, turns out you're from Konoha."

The moment the words left his mouth, Kamoi formed a hand seal and slammed his palm to the ground. A surge of lightning instantly traveled through the earth toward Kaede.

Whoosh!

Kaede leapt backward to dodge.

The other two Cloud Genin attacked from both sides. Kaede, caught in the middle, displayed uncanny speed and weaved between their attacks with sharp, precise movements.

"Didn't think a Konoha Genin would have such speed… but speed alone won't be enough to escape us."

Kamoi's gaze turned cold as he charged toward Kaede.

The other two followed, eyes sharp and predatory, attempting to pincer him once more.

…

Inside the Central Watchtower.

Watching the screen, Kurenai Yūhi furrowed her brows and couldn't help but speak:

"He's pushing it."

Taking down two Mist Genin and seriously injuring Hoshigaki Kisame should've been enough for Kaede. There was no need to go after the Cloud team.

From the screen, Kaede's speed was clearly slower than when he fought the Hidden Mist ninja, his condition had dropped; he wasn't at his peak.

one of the Hidden Cloud Genin matched his speed, and the other two were close behind.

under these conditions, it wasn't just a matter of not defeating the Hidden Cloud team, he might not even escape.

"……"

The other Konoha examiners also looked tense.

Although Kisame hadn't been killed, his scrolls were destroyed, he was effectively eliminated. If Kaede were to fall here, then the third round of the Chūnin Exams would be irrelevant. The Hidden Cloud team could just advance uncontested.

"That was too reckless."

"If he had just advanced to the third round normally, in a one-on-one match, he wouldn't lose to any of the Hidden Cloud ninjas."

Kurenai watched the screen and spoke in a low voice.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.

He had just praised Kaede's composure and judgment, noting that he didn't seem like an inexperienced nine-year-old. Yet now, after killing two Hidden Mist Genin and injuring Kisame, Kaede seemed overconfident and abandoned the safest path.

No matter how mature his thinking seems, he's still just nine. With some early success, he's already starting to get cocky… Hiruzen shook his head internally.

"…Judging from the distance, he might still have a chance to reach the finish line,"

Yamanaka Inoichi studied the screen and offered his assessment.

If Kaede could reach the goal, it'd be fine. The third round was one-on-one matches. In single combat, he'd have a high chance of winning against anyone.

Hiruzen gave a slight nod.

Even if this was a misstep, it was still recoverable. And Kaede's performance so far,taking out the Hidden Mist team and wounding Kisame, was already impressive. He had completed his task.

But just then, a dissenting voice cut in.

"No."

"It won't be as simple as just reaching the finish line, Sarutobi-sensei."

Orochimaru stood with arms crossed, his serpent-like eyes gleaming as he stared at the screen.

"I think you're underestimating that child."

Even though he was watching through a monitor and not observing in person, Orochimaru could tell, Kaede hadn't gone after the Hidden Cloud ninjas recklessly or without confidence.

Especially since, up until now, even while surrounded by three Hidden Cloud Genin, Kaede hadn't shown a trace of panic.

In Orochimaru's eyes—

It looked more like… he was analyzing his opponents.

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Note: This is a backlog. If you want to read up to 150+ chapters ahead of the current story, you can support me on Patreon and read up to Chapter 171 there! Patreon.com/Veltoria

 

[Veltoria]

"Fast reactions too, huh..."

Kamoi grunted after several failed attacks, then slid his hand across the blade of his sword. Lightning crackled down the edge.

"In that case, try this!"

"Ninjutsu: Cloud Flow Slash!"

With a shout, Kamoi lunged forward, his sword arcing through the air with a trail of lightning. under the lightning's boost, his slash was noticeably faster than before!

The sudden increase in speed sent the blade straight for Kaede's head. His reaction time clearly wasn't enough to raise his White Fang dagger in time.

But—

At that moment, a strange light flickered in Kaede's eyes.

As if a phantom clock ticked forward by one beat.

Clang!!

Kaede's already fast arm moved even faster, ghost-like, as he brought his blade up just in time to block Kamoi's attack with a sharp metallic ring.

"Wha—?!"

Kamoi's pupils shrink in disbelief.

using Cloud Flow Slash, his speed should have been too fast for Kaede to react, let alone block!

Whoosh! Whoosh!!

After deflecting Kamoi's strike, Kaede vanished in a blur, stepping backward twice and escaping their encirclement.

Now at a distance, Kaede tightened his grip on White Fang and looked at the three Cloud ninja.

It's not the Lightning Armor Technique used by the Fourth Raikage, he thought silently, probably a weaker variant. If I had a Byakugan or Sharingan, I could've seen the chakra flow clearly.

Kaede had always been interested in Cloud's lightning ninjutsu. Seeing Kamoi use one had prompted him to fight while observing.

But without a chakra-vision dojutsu, deciphering the internal mechanics was hard.

He'd only gleaned fragments so far.

"Forget it."

"No point continuing like this."

He exhaled softly and looked at the Cloud trio again. This time, his eyes gleamed with cold resolve.

Chakra surged through his body.

"Eight Gates Release Technique—First Gate: Gate of opening... oPEN!"

Boom!!

Though nothing changed outwardly, Kaede felt his body grow lighter. Every muscle, every bone, was now capable of exerting its full power.

Activating the first gate took only an instant.

While Kamoi and his teammates were still stunned by Kaede's incredible speed, they attacked again, each bringing out their strongest techniques.

Whoosh!

Kaede flickered.

With the first gate open and his full speed unleashed, the Cloud ninja couldn't even see his afterimage. In a flash, Kaede passed by one of them.

"...What?!"

The ninja froze in place, his eyes wide with horror. He tried to look back at Kaede, but a sharp pain bloomed across his torso, a bloodline stretched from shoulder to waist.

Thud!

A corpse hit the ground, blood spraying everywhere.

Kamoi's eyes widened in disbelief.

No way, this speed...

Even if he advanced his Lightning Release to the second stage, he might barely reach this level. But that was Jōnin-level speed!

Whoosh!!

As Kamoi stood frozen, Kaede struck again.

The second Cloud Genin panicked, slashing wildly with his kunai. But it wasn't enough. In a flash, Kaede passed him too.

only two nearly overlapping metallic clangs could be heard.

Thud!

Blood burst in the air. Another corpse fell.

Seeing both of his comrades slain by Kaede's terrifying speed, Kamoi's eyes filled with horror and disbelief.

No! This isn't Genin level!

He must be a disguised Jōnin!

"Ninjutsu: Cloud Flow Slash!!"

Gritting his teeth, Kamoi activated his technique again, lightning crackling down his sword.

But across from him, Kaede also formed a seal and ran his fingers across White Fang's blade, lightning crackled across it too.

"Lightning Release: Thunder Slash!"

Whoosh!!

The two crossed paths in a flash.

Kamoi froze, the lightning on his blade fading. His sword had snapped in half, the tip clattered to the ground.

He turned slowly toward Kaede, disbelief in his eyes.

"You..."

Blood bubbled from his lips. He tried to speak again, but instead vomited a mouthful of blood and collapsed onto the barren earth.

…

Inside the Death Cavern control room…

Dead silence.

The Hidden Cloud Jōnin, who had previously worn a proud smirk, now stood frozen with disbelief.

"How could this be..."

On the other side—

Konoha's Yūhi Kurenai, Yamanaka Inoichi, and the Chūnin proctors all stared in shock.

Due to the projection quality, they couldn't see the full details, but it was clear Kaede had used a technique to increase his speed even more than when fighting the Mist ninja.

That terrifying speed had reversed the situation in an instant.

In a series of rapid strikes, Kaede had taken out two Cloud Genin and then defeated the last with a lightning-enhanced White Fang strike!

"As I thought..."

Orochimaru's eyes shimmered as he stared at the screen.

"But that kind of speed isn't natural. I don't recall the White Fang having such techniques... must be a forbidden jutsu."

Hiruzen took a deep breath, suppressing his own shock.

"He did say his motor reflexes are... 'unusual'."

Unusual was an understatement.

Even through the screen, Kaede's speed was beyond what most Jōnin could achieve!

No wonder he defeated an elite Mist scout.

No wonder even the prodigy Kakashi couldn't surpass his older brother!

"'Unusual'..."

Orochimaru let out a twisted smile and repeated Hiruzen's words.

"Sometimes, unusual just means gifted. If this continues... that boy might surpass the White Fang."

Hiruzen nodded slowly.

Not only did Kaede inherit Sakumo Hatake's bloodline, he also had an innate talent for speed.

If he could continue to grow—

He might very well surpass even the legendary White Fang.

 

[Veltoria]

After a brief silence—

Hiruzen Sarutobi took out his pipe, took a puff, glanced at the Jōnin from Kumogakure and the Jōnin from Kirigakure, Hoshigaki Kushozan, and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"No matter what, the Chūnin Exams end here."

Kurenai Yūhi, standing nearby, suppressed the shock in her heart. She glanced sideways at Hoshigaki Kushozan and said, "Yes. There's only one person left, so the third round won't be held."

Kirigakure's shinobi likely intended to eliminate all other teams in the second round, ending the exams before the third round to demonstrate the terror of the Blood Mist Village. That goal was achieved, but they themselves were completely wiped out.

No one had expected that outcome.

Kurenai looked at the screen, where Kaede was putting away all the scrolls and heading toward the central lookout tower. A faint smile appeared on her face.

No matter what...

Well done, son of the White Fang. A true shinobi of Konoha!

…

outside the Central Watchtower

Kaede made his way to the entrance, carrying two scrolls. Waiting for him at the gate was Kurenai Yūhi, the proctor for the second round of the exams.

"Congratulations on passing the second round of the Chūnin Exams—"

"This should also be the final round, right?"

Kaede looked at Kurenai and said, "Seems like the Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud shinobi eliminated all the other teams. I've got all the scrolls right here."

Kurenai had already been informed of this, so she wasn't surprised. But when Kaede casually tossed out the rest of the scrolls, a glimmer of amazement flickered in her eyes.

only one person had passed the second round of the Chūnin Exams.

This was the first time that had ever happened since the exams were established!

Who would've thought that Kaede, always hidden in the shadow of Kakashi's brilliance, would possess such genius-level talent? In strength, mentality, and patience, he even surpassed Kakashi.

"You're right. There won't be a third round."

Kurenai gave a slight nod after briefly marveling at his achievement. "Come with me. The Hokage is waiting for you."

So, Hiruzen Sarutobi is already here...

Kaede wasn't surprised. He nodded and followed Kurenai to the central hall on the second floor of the tower, where Hiruzen Sarutobi was standing in the middle of the room.

What caught Kaede off guard was the presence of Orochimaru standing beside him.

"Orochimaru is a proctor for the next round? No... that's unlikely."

Kaede quickly dismissed the thought. With elite Jōnin already supervising this exam, there was no reason to assign someone of Orochimaru's status as proctor.

Pushing aside the speculation, Kaede respectfully greeted Hiruzen, "Lord Hokage."

At the same time…

He could feel two hostile gazes aimed at him.

Those cold, unfriendly stares came from Hoshigaki Kushozan of Kirigakure and an unidentified Jōnin from Kumogakure.

"……"

Kaede briefly met their eyes before calmly shifting his attention back to Hiruzen. He wasn't intimidated by the high-ranking enemy Jōnin.

Indeed, he currently wasn't a match for them, especially someone like Kushozan, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, whose strength was near Kage-level.

But this was Konoha.

Not only were several Konoha Jōnin present, but Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi were also here. The enemy Jōnin could do nothing more than glare at him, they didn't even dare release a trace of killing intent.

As for the future...

If they met on the battlefield, with his current growth rate, he might not be weaker than them at all, he could even surpass the Jōnin level and reach true Kage-level power.

"Congratulations on passing the Chūnin Exams."

Hiruzen smiled kindly at Kaede. "You performed exceptionally well. As of today, you are officially a Chūnin of Konoha. Always remember the duty of a shinobi."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Kaede bowed respectfully.

Orochimaru, standing to the side, watched Kaede with a faint smile on his lips. "I received a favor from your father while he was still alive… Do you know who I am, Hatake Kaede?"

Seeing Orochimaru's interest, Kaede's mind raced. He bowed and replied, "You must be one of the legendary Sannin, Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru chuckled and spread his arms. "Good, then we can talk. With your level of strength, even most Jōnin wouldn't be suitable as your instructor… How about becoming my student?"

Hiruzen was slightly surprised by Orochimaru's words. He frowned slightly, paused for a moment, and then made a sudden decision:

"In that case, Kaede, you shall study under Orochimaru."

Kaede: "???"

What the hell?!

I didn't even get a chance to respond!

His mouth twitched slightly in disbelief. Internally, he was already ranting.

Becoming Orochimaru's student was undoubtedly risky. Looking at Orochimaru's past students, nearly all of them had cursed seals placed on them, it was a red flag.

But on second thought, maybe this wasn't such a bad idea. on one hand, it would help him get away from the trouble caused by Danzo. on the other hand, he might gain access to many powerful jutsu through Orochimaru.

Dealing with a tiger is dangerous… but with a snake?

Kaede sighed inwardly.

Since Hiruzen had already made the decision, he had no choice but to comply. He could even faintly guess why Hiruzen had made this move.

At this point, Hiruzen hadn't yet chosen the Fourth Hokage. Though Orochimaru was known to have a dangerous personality, Namikaze Minato was still young, his achievements and experience couldn't compare.

While Hiruzen personally leaned toward Minato, he couldn't show open favoritism just yet.

If he refused to give Kaede to Orochimaru and instead had Kakashi apprenticed to Minato, it would not only cause dissent within the village but would definitely offend Orochimaru.

And right now, the shinobi world was in turmoil.

The village needed internal stability above all else.

"……"

Orochimaru smiled faintly at Hiruzen's decision. At this time, he still held ambitions for the Hokage position. His offer to take Kaede as a student was not only because of Kaede's talent but also a test of Hiruzen's attitude.

To become Hokage, one needed a successor, a capable follower to manage the many responsibilities and help maintain the village's stability.

Hiruzen had handed Kakashi to Minato, subtly indicating that he was considering Minato as the next Hokage.

Now, Orochimaru's attempt to take Kaede as a student was a calculated test.

If Hiruzen refused, that would mean he had already rejected Orochimaru as the Fourth Hokage.

But since Hiruzen agreed…

That meant his stance was still ambiguous.

"I wonder who you'll choose in the end… Sensei."

Orochimaru looked at Hiruzen and murmured to himself.

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Note: This is a backlog. If you want to read up to 140+ chapters ahead of the current story, you can support me on Patreon and read up to Chapter 171 there! Patreon.com/Veltoria