Silence settled over the office once more. Only the distant clamor of the village drifted in through the window, as if to remind them that time was still passing.
Namikaze Yoru had expected this, so he wasn't in a hurry.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly sank back into his chair. His fingers searched for his pipe by habit, but found only empty air.
He didn't bend to pick up the pipe on the floor. Instead, he raised his eyes and studied the person across from him anew.
As Hokage, he had personally reviewed the records of Nawaki's graduating class. Naturally, he had taken an interest in the boy who had claimed top honors despite being a civilian.
At the time, he had admired the boy's combat intelligence, but regretted that he lacked a distinguished bloodline and had only average talent. He had believed the boy's achievements would ultimately be limited.
Now, he had witnessed the young man's transformation with his own eyes. The astonishing talent and strength he displayed would shock the Shinobi World: the almost instinctive control of Water Release, the pure and powerful Adamantine Sealing Chains, and, most notably, the Flying Thunder God Technique—a jutsu even Hiruzen himself had never mastered...
At that moment, all of Hiruzen Sarutobi's doubts and suspicions about Yoru melted away like snow beneath the sun.
In their place came an indescribable sense of relief. He was relieved that such a brilliant young talent had emerged, and even more relieved that Namikaze Yoru hadn't perished in the village's internal power struggles.
He no longer saw Namikaze Yoru as an ordinary Konoha shinobi who needed to be questioned at length. He saw him as an indispensable pillar of Konoha's future, a shining new star who had to be carefully nurtured.
"I understand."
At last, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke.