Apprenticeship (Part 2)

Hiruzen Sarutobi's House.

"I'm willing."

Yūske stepped back from the dining table and solemnly performed the formal ceremony of taking a teacher before Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Good." Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled happily.

"I've never cared much for such formalities. Yūske, from this moment on, you are my, Hiruzen Sarutobi's, disciple."

"Yes, Teacher."

Yūske changed the way he addressed Hiruzen Sarutobi as well, calling him Teacher. From then on, he had become part of the Hokage's lineage. In truth, Yūske understood that those in high positions often did not need particularly powerful thugs, but obedient underlings.

Even if he lay low for now and steadily improved his strength, once the higher-ups realized they could no longer restrain him, they might suppress him, perhaps even pin some baseless charge on him. The outcome would be nothing more than dying in humiliation or leaving the village and becoming a rogue ninja.

White Fang's experience was proof enough. A mere Hokage Half-Sleeve had cost him his life.

The daimyo had no authority to directly appoint a Hokage. The two sides had always merely used each other.

That was why people with bushido spirit tended to be so single-minded.

Fortunately, Yūske was not one of them. He knew that as long as he did not show any desire for power, all he needed to do was complete the missions assigned by the higher-ups and the Hokage.

That being the case, becoming the Third Hokage's disciple was practically a single step to the heavens. If the higher-ups dared make trouble for him without cause, they would be embarrassing the Hokage—equivalent to slapping the Hokage in the face.

"Alright, alright. Come back and eat. The food's getting cold." Biwako Sarutobi took Yūske's hand and led him back to the table.

She liked the fact that Yūske had become her husband's disciple from the bottom of her heart. Yūske was mature, sensible, and, most importantly, sweet-tongued. More importantly still, her husband had finally taken in a normal disciple.

Biwako Sarutobi smiled kindly at Yūske. "Today's meal doesn't count. Come by your teacher's wife's place another day, and I'll prepare a whole table of fine food and wine for you."

"I didn't prepare any gift for our first meeting today. Once you earn merits on the battlefield, I'll personally choose a ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals that suits you best," Hiruzen Sarutobi said to Yūske as he smoked.

Jiraiya finally came back to his senses. Rubbing his hands together, he said with a chuckle, "Well, Yūske, now that we're family, about that apology gift..."

"One thing at a time. Jiraiya, are you planning to go back on your word?"

Seeing the reproachful look in Biwako Sarutobi's eyes, Jiraiya immediately spoke with righteous conviction.

"Who said that? I'll get it ready tomorrow. Minato, tomorrow, bring Dōtō and Aga along to welcome your martial uncle."

"Alright, Teacher Jiraiya," Minato, the little tagalong, echoed.

Time passed, second by second.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was especially happy today. On top of that, Biwako had not restricted his drinking, so he was already drunk beyond recognition.

Seeing that it was getting late, Yūske and the others found it inconvenient to stay any longer. After bidding their teacher's wife farewell, they left the Sarutobi Clan Compound.

It had to be said that Hiruzen Sarutobi had only been in office for a few years, yet he had already fattened up his clan nicely. Yūske remembered hearing that during the Fourth Shinobi World War, the Sarutobi Clan had deployed as many as three thousand ninja.

Tsk, tsk. Sure enough, without connections, it was hard to make anything of yourself.

The streets were deserted.

Since it was wartime, there were barely any pedestrians on Konoha's streets at night, and all the shops had closed.

Only scattered Uchiha Clan members belonging to Konoha's Security Force passed by. Yet the moment they saw Jiraiya, they chose to ignore him outright.

Since Minato was still young, Yūske and Jiraiya first escorted him home.

When the two passed through an alley, Jiraiya suggested that it was a fine day and asked whether they should go do some good deeds by helping out the girls shivering in the cold wind.

Yūske refused, quickly putting some distance between himself and Jiraiya. Konoha was a tiny place, after all. One careless move, and by tomorrow the whole village would be talking about it.

Besides, now that he had the chance to plan for a better future, cherishing his reputation was hardly a bad thing. After saying goodbye to Jiraiya, he set off for home alone.

He had not let the excitement go to his head. If his virtue did not match his position, then even if he became Hokage, he would only be a figurehead.

What mattered most now was still improving his strength. Fortunately, he had secured himself an excellent background—"the Third Hokage's direct disciple."

Thinking back to his fight with Jiraiya today, although Jiraiya had not used much of his strength, it was Yūske's first time using his fruit ability in battle, and his understanding of his own abilities had improved considerably. He had consumed a great deal of chakra, but only by knowing his weaknesses could he figure out how to overcome them, right?

After returning home and briefly explaining things to his parents, Yūske went back to his room.

Stimulated by the alcohol, Yūske soon drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, Yūske descended from the sky and rescued Tsunade and the other two from Hanzo, leader of Amegakure. Then he used Thousand-Blade Heart Piercer and killed Hanzo.

Afterward, Tsunade rushed into Yūske's arms in full view of everyone and planted a fragrant kiss on his cheek.

Yūske's lips curled upward in a smug smile.

"Hehe!"

"Oh, no, Yūske just got a little lucky. The Hokage took a liking to him. He's not as great as you all say." Watanabe Meiko smiled so broadly her eyes disappeared.

"If you ask me, I always thought Yūske was a clever child. Now that I compare him with mine, my boy is good for nothing."

"Exactly, Meiko. My daughter practically grew up following Yūske around. Every time Yūske goes out on a mission, she worries about him at home."

"Look, Yūske is already this grown up, and now he's become the Hokage's disciple. He definitely won't be home much anymore. The household still needs someone to look after it."

"Meiko, my boy is a Chunin now too. Do you think Yūske could arrange for him to work at the Hokage Building?"

"Exactly, exactly. Yūske has made something of himself now. He should properly look after my boy too."

"Chatter, chatter, chatter!"

Yūske's father watched a group of women crowding around Meiko and shook his head helplessly. Turning to buy ingredients, he weighed the money in his pocket and decided to buy himself a pack of good cigarettes first to celebrate properly.