Will of Fire!

Chapter 9 [Will of Fire!]

After the New Year.

On a dark and windy night, one month before Hatake Kakashi's early graduation, Hyuga Bin finally granted Kakashi's wish and accepted his challenge.

Hyuga Bin used about 80% of his strength to defeat Hatake Kakashi.

Hatake Kakashi was not discouraged after being defeated by Hyuga Bin.

As the inheritor of the Hatake clan's sword style, he would not be defeated by one or two failures.

Back then, his father, Hatake Sakumo, had placed ten different swords for his first birthday grab, and he had overcome that. What was being defeated by Hyuga Bin now?

However, he was still a little curious about Hyuga Bin's true strength, as he could feel that Hyuga Bin had not used his full power in their fight.

"Bin, can you tell me your true strength right now?"

"When fighting you, I used about eighty percent of my strength," Hyuga Bin said with a smile.

As a cautious ninja, Hyuga Bin naturally did not reveal the true situation to Hatake Kakashi. On one hand, it was to keep a trump card, and on the other hand, he was afraid of crushing Kakashi's spirit.

"Eighty percent strength?" Hatake Kakashi calculated in his mind and then, with renewed confidence, said to Hyuga Bin, "Bin, I will challenge you again next year."

He believed that with a year of effort, he could close the remaining "twenty percent" gap with Hyuga Bin.

"Okay." This time, Hyuga Bin did not refuse Hatake Kakashi.

"Bin, are you planning to graduate early this year?" Hatake Kakashi continued to ask Hyuga Bin.

He had already discussed it with Hatake Sakumo and planned to apply for early graduation in March this year.

With his current strength, staying at the Ninja Academy would not improve him much.

He also hoped that Hyuga Bin would graduate early, so he would have a clearer benchmark in his pursuit of surpassing Hyuga Bin.

"I still want to learn more basic knowledge at the Ninja Academy," Hyuga Bin said with a smile, shaking his head.

Becoming a ninja was undoubtedly a very dangerous thing. He planned to stay in the village and play it safe (hide) for a few more years until his strength was barely enough, and he was no longer cannon fodder, before graduating.

After all, the ninja world was too dangerous; Jonin were everywhere, and Kage-level ninja were as common as dogs.

After speaking, Hyuga Bin seemed to remember something and reminded Hatake Kakashi, "Right, Kakashi, you should pay more attention to your father."

Hatake Sakumo's mission failure leading to his suicide would happen not long after Hatake Kakashi's graduation.

Hatake Kakashi was considered his friend. If possible, he did not want Kakashi to become a mere mission-executing machine under the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, like in the original story.

"I know, Bin, thank you," Hatake Kakashi said politely, though he didn't quite understand.

"Kakashi, you must remember to do this." Because he was worried that Kakashi would not take his words to heart, Hyuga Bin mentioned it again.

"Mhm." Hatake Kakashi obediently nodded again.

In March of Konoha's 39th year, Hatake Kakashi graduated.

A seat in the classroom suddenly became empty, and Hyuga Bin occasionally felt like something was missing.

Adding to that, the system's random attribute points had been consistently giving him [Dojutsu +0.1] lately, making his eyes feel swollen and uncomfortable at times.

Autumn of Konoha's 39th year.

Hyuga Bin became a second-year student at the Ninja Academy.

The Ninja Academy had a six-year program, but due to the ongoing war and high ninja mortality rate, a large influx of new blood was needed, so the program was compressed to four years.

This meant that Hyuga Bin would have to graduate from the Ninja Academy by Konoha's 42nd year at the latest and head to the battlefield.

And in Konoha's 42nd year, the Third Shinobi World War would just be beginning.

With the assassination of the Third Kazekage by Sasori of the Red Sands in Konoha's 43rd year, the Third Shinobi World War would enter its white-hot stage.

The time left for Hyuga Bin to make his choices within the village was running out.

The first week of school included a mandatory class on the Will of Fire, taught by the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, himself.

The students at the Ninja Academy were all looking forward to this class, except for Hyuga Bin.

Hyuga Bin, as a youth who grew up under the red flag, naturally would not be brainwashed by this hollow Will of Fire and want to dedicate everything to Konoha.

When it came to dedication, Hyuga Bin had his own internal standards.

During Sarutobi Hiruzen's lecture on the Will of Fire, he repeated the spirit of the Will of Fire at the beginning and end: "Where the leaves dance, a fire will burn. The fire's flames will continue to light the village, and the new leaves will sprout."

This statement made many students and teachers in the room feel passionate, wishing they could immediately sacrifice their lives for the Will of Fire.

The meaning of the Will of Fire: Young people are the hope of the future; the older generation must trust and protect them. The sacrifices of the older generation are not in vain; they will inspire the young to become pillars who will carry the future.

The flames of burning leaves symbolize the heroic sacrifices of the older generation, and the new leaves symbolize the youth.

However, the reality of the Will of Fire was that Sarutobi Hiruzen frequently sent newly graduated genin to the front lines to fight enemy ninja.

Many genin, barely ten years old, died on the battlefield, their bodies never to be recovered.

And Sarutobi Hiruzen, the so-called "Strongest Hokage of All Time" and Konoha's strongest visible power, had never gone to the front lines in the years since the Second Shinobi World War, remaining firmly in Konoha Village, controlling the overall situation, and strategizing.