Naruto: I Copy Skills

A/N: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by next Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Current Goal: 500 Powerstones. Let's increase our Power Ranking!

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Hashirama squinted at Goro's face, his eyes wide with confusion. "A child?!" he blurted out, his voice echoing through the room.

Goro sighed. After all the time he had spent with his mask on, he had forgotten his normal appearance was that of a 13-year-old boy. He pulled down his hood, revealing his white hair, and made his way around the desk, taking a seat in his chair. "I'm not just a child. I'm the leader of the Hidden Waterfall. The Takikage," Goro stated, clearing up any misconceptions.

Hashirama scratched his temple with one finger, still processing the situation. "Ah, the Hidden Waterfall. What do you want from me that you'd go so far as to free me from the Reaper?" He shifted, crossing his legs as he sat down on the floor. His eyes narrowed slightly as he thought, 'Orochimaru, now him… He also seems to have better control over this jutsu. I can feel my power being strictly suppressed. What are this boy's plans...'

Goro wasted no time in responding. "I want to know how to attain Wood Sage Mode. You see, I was able to implant myself with your cells and have managed to attain Wood Style, but I want to take this higher. I also figured if I learned this secret from you, I could also learn how to attain Storm Sage Mode."

Hashirama's eyes flickered with surprise. 'My cells…?' he thought. Slowly, he shrugged and held one finger up, as if he was about to begin a lecture. "You'd first need a very high level of mastery over nature," he began.

Goro was quick to interject. "I do. I have attained mastery over it," he said, confident. Internally, he thought, 'In the System's terms, he's talking about the multiplier I have on Wood Nature. Like the System said previously, I should be able to attain it with a x15 multiplier.'

To demonstrate, Goro activated Wood Sage Mode, dark markings appearing across his face. "You see? I have mastery over the nature," Goro explained, raising his hand to show the tips of his fingernails. The edges had turned to stone. He quickly deactivated the jutsu, letting out a breath. "But look what happens when I use this."

Hashirama looked down at the floor, his thoughts swirling. 'He has already reached this level of mastery at that age? It took me years to reach that point. Is he some sort of prodigy? Perhaps the ninja world has changed since I've been gone and this is the new norm...? No. Not enough time has passed.'

Hashirama began to speak, his voice even. "What you have is a simple problem. You're struggling to mix the right amount of nature ene—"

Before he could finish, there was a hurried knock on the door. Goro's head snapped toward the noise, his brow furrowing. "Who is it?" he called out, slightly annoyed at the interruption.

"It's Nana!" the voice announced from behind the door.

Goro sighed. 'Aika's replacement...' he thought. "Enter," he replied.

The door swung open, and Nana hurried inside, her steps quick. She didn't even glance at Hashirama, who was seated on the floor, instead focusing entirely on Goro. "Lord Takikage, the Leaf Shinobi have arrived for the meeting!" she reported, her voice slightly breathless.

'I forgot about them...' Goro thought, irritation flickering across his face. Hashirama, overhearing, raised an eyebrow. "Leaf Shinobi?" he repeated, curiosity piqued.

Goro stood up, smoothing out his cloak. "Escort them to the conference room," he instructed, already making his way to the door.

Nana nodded quickly, "Yes, Lord Takikage," and with that, she exited the room, rushing off to follow his orders.

Hashirama turned his gaze from the door, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at Goro. "What're Leaf Shinobi doing here?" he asked, pushing himself up to stand.

Goro let out a small sigh, walking toward the door. "It's complicated..." he replied, his tone suggesting he didn't want to get into it just yet.

Hashirama didn't press further. Instead, he offered, "Would you like for me to come along?"

Goro paused for a moment, weighing the idea. "Actually... That would be good," he decided, giving a slight nod.

Hashirama stretched his arms, a grin tugging at his lips. "It's been a while. I'd like to know how my village is doing after that incident with the lad named Orochimaru..." he said, trailing off as they exited the office together.

The two of them made their way to the conference room, located directly across from Goro's office. They took their seats; Goro positioned himself at the head of the table, while Hashirama chose a spot at one of the side chairs in the middle, his posture relaxed.

A few seconds later, the door creaked open, and Nana entered, followed by two men. Kakashi and Asuma stepped into the room, their eyes sharp and attentive. As they walked in, Shikamaru followed closely behind, his usual laid-back nature not being present.

Goro's eyes flicked over the trio as they entered the room. 'So Tsunade decided to send Sensei Asuma and Shikamaru... She's trying to appeal to my emotions, hoping to soften my stance by sending my team.' He let out a slow, quiet breath. It was a clever move, but he wasn't about to let it sway him.

Rising from his seat, Goro moved around the table to greet the Leaf ninja properly. He extended a hand to Kakashi first, and the two exchanged a firm handshake. Goro's expression remained composed, almost diplomatic, as he turned to Shikamaru. He tried to lighten the mood by holding out his fist for a bump, but Shikamaru merely glanced at it before looking away, his jaw clenched.

'Doesn't seem like he's too happy,' Goro thought, retracting his hand.

Finally, he reached Asuma and grasped his hand, a genuine smile breaking through his formal demeanor. "Nice to see you again, Sensei," Goro said, his voice carrying a hint of warmth.

Asuma returned the smile, though it was tinged with sadness. "Likewise, Goro. How've you been?"

"Doing the tasks of a leader," Goro replied. "It gets busy sometimes, but I've been good, all in all. What about you, Sensei?"

Asuma's smile grew a bit wider, though there was a hint of something wistful behind it. "I've been well, but it took me by surprise to hear that my student is the leader of the Hidden Waterfall. With you, it seems there's always a new surprise every day."

Goro's smile faded slightly as he let out a quiet sigh. "I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you earlier, but things got... complicated."

Asuma nodded, cutting him off gently. "I know. You're a good kid, Goro. I know your intentions aren't bad."

The words hit deeper than Goro expected, and for a moment, he struggled to find the right response. Finally, he ended the handshake and said, "I wish you could've learned this information on better terms."

Turning back to the table, Goro gestured to the seats across from him. "Take your respective seats," he said, his voice regaining its formal tone. As he sank back into his own chair, he noticed Asuma and Kakashi were frozen, their mouths slightly agape, eyes fixed on something—or rather, someone.

Goro's gaze followed theirs, and he realized what—or who—had caught their attention. 'Ah, right. Hashirama is still here,' he thought, a wry smile creeping onto his lips. 'It's easy to forget, but I can't imagine how it must look from their perspective.'

Hashirama, noticing the stares, raised a hand in a casual wave, his expression friendly and open. "Oh, hello there!" he said with a cheerful grin, as though this were the most ordinary of meetings.

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Reminder: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by next Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Current Goal: 500 Powerstones. Let's increase our Power Ranking!