Asuma's Obsession

Uchiha Akira's expression did not change as he silently reframed the question in his mind.

The gang boss asked, "Kid, you've been getting pretty close to the next explosives dealer, Naruto Uzumaki, lately. You got some ideas or something?!"

The best approach was to distance himself completely, deny any connection, turn hostile and disown them, recognizing only the Will of Fire and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"I don't think I did anything wrong!"

Akira's voice was calm, as still as an ancient well.

"Secondly, in my eyes, Naruto Uzumaki has never been some Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. During the Second Shinobi World War, Lord Minato once saved my life. To me, Naruto Uzumaki is a child. Likewise, he is the son of a hero."

Heh.

The best way was to distance himself, but he looked down on that path.

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his head in surprise and looked at the open, vigorous Uchiha Akira before him. "So, Akira, you have such an edge to you?"

How long had it been since someone had called Naruto the son of a hero in front of him?

Everyone spoke only of Naruto's threat.

Yet in Akira's eyes, Naruto was merely the child of an old friend, the descendant of a hero. That reckless courage was so much like himself back when he had chosen to stay behind and cover the retreat.

"Hahaha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed heartily, as though the state of mind he had possessed in his youth had returned in that instant.

"Enough of that, Akira. Has the Uchiha Clan made any unusual moves lately?"

Tsk.

Akira curled his lip. He had thought they were going to fight. He had spoken so bluntly, yet it actually suited the old man's tastes?

He lowered his hands from their prayer-like gesture.

"At the usual clan meeting, Uchiha Yashiro and Uchiha Xianren argued again. One wants to reconcile with the village, while the other wants the Uchiha to go a step further. Neither can convince the other." Akira shrugged and sold out the Uchiha without mercy.

With those two traitors, Shisui and Itachi—

He was already selling them out slowly enough. The Third Hokage had known about this long ago; this was merely a test.

"Is that so? I understand."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flickered. "If the village and the Uchiha truly reach the point of drawing weapons against each other, Akira, what would you do?"

At that moment, the dagger was finally revealed!

If there was even the slightest problem with his answer, he would become the first sacrifice!

"Loyalty!"

Uchiha Akira saluted Hokage Rock, his gaze filled with deep love.

"Please rest assured. I will protect my Konoha. No one may harm Konoha. Whether that person is my father, mother, or child, they will never be allowed to harm even a fraction of my Konoha!"

"I-I understand."

Looking at Uchiha Akira, who was even more enthusiastic than himself—

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood frozen in place, utterly bewildered. He could indeed feel Akira's loyalty.

It just somehow felt strange.

Forget it.

The Uchiha Clan might not be very bright, but they were exceptionally useful. Why fuss over so much? Akira was a pure Konoha man!

Uchiha Akira withdrew, with loyalty as his guiding principle!

And sensibility as his guiding principle!

"Tsk."

"An old fossil who had long degenerated from a Ninja Hero into a coward still played mind games every day?"

Uchiha Akira sneered. "Don't you understand that what you can't get on the battlefield, you can't get at the negotiating table either?"

That was what Hiruzen Sarutobi had become.

He hoped every matter could be resolved through words, no longer possessing the bearing of a Ninja Hero.

Just as he stepped out of the Hokage's office, he ran straight into Asuma Sarutobi.

"Akira, are you all right?"

Asuma Sarutobi looked deeply concerned.

More importantly, there was a strange emotion on his face that made Akira involuntarily tighten his sphincter. "Asuma, don't tell me you're some old queer?"

Fuck!

Your sudden concern is making me very concerned.

"Huh?"

Asuma Sarutobi froze. As a longtime playboy, he quickly understood, his face darkening. "What kind of joke is that? I'm a real man. Come on, Akira, I'll treat you to dinner!"

When someone offered to buy him a meal, there was naturally no reason to refuse.

After several cups of wine went down—

"Akira, I'm suffering! My life is hard!"

The moment Asuma Sarutobi remembered the "contemptuous" look in his old man's eyes, he became furious!

"I know my strength isn't much, but the old man can't keep looking at me like that every day! I know he's the Hokage, but I don't want to spend my entire life being called Asuma Sarutobi, the Hokage's son!"

His face was full of grief and resentment.

He felt that he had lived his entire life beneath the Hokage's shadow, which was why he had once left Konoha without regard for anything else.

But reality had proven that even after leaving, he could not escape the title of the Third Hokage's son.

[Ding! Lord Hashirama has heard the grievance in Asuma Sarutobi's heart! He does not want to keep being called the Third Hokage's son. Eh... isn't Lord Hashirama the First Hokage? Why did the Third Hokage suddenly pop up? Never mind!]

[Please help Asuma improve his strength!]

[Mission reward: Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!]

Wood Golem Technique?

Uchiha Akira knew this thing well. Hashirama Senju had used this ninjutsu to bury the Nine-Tails in the ground, then said with a solemn face, "Your power is far too dangerous. You must be sealed!"

Then he used a sealing technique to seal it into Mito Uzumaki's stomach.

This was a Wood Release mecha on par with Susanoo!

"I can understand how you feel."

Uchiha Akira put an arm around the thoroughly drunk Asuma and first expressed his understanding and agreement. "But there is a way to break free from this predicament. First, you need strength that does not fall short of the Third Hokage's."

Asuma smiled bitterly, tears faintly welling in his eyes. "Of course I know that."

"Akira, just as you said before, my father was already a Kage-level expert in his twenties, but I'm only a Jonin now—not even elite. In this life... I'll never catch up."

Faced with his father's fame—

He refused to accept it.

He was confused.

He worked hard.

He struggled.

At first, he doubted his father. Later, he understood him. Now, he had realized that he was inferior to his father.

"Hehe, who says so?"

Uchiha Akira's voice was like a demon's whisper. "Asuma, I have a way to raise your strength to a level comparable to the Third Hokage's!"

What?!

Asuma suddenly raised his head in astonishment.

He saw Uchiha Akira's black eyes, calm and profound, glimmering with light. His Adam's apple bobbed as he said excitedly, "Akira, as long as you can help me, I, Asuma, will follow your lead from now on!"

"As long as it does not threaten Konoha's safety, I'll do whatever you ask!"

He was like a dying traveler clutching his final lifeline.

Originally—

Asuma had thought he would never have a chance to surpass his father again. But now, he seemed to see a ray of hope called "possibility." His breathing grew rapid, and even his supposedly steady eyes were filled with hope.

—If I could become a Kage and bring glory to my father, why would I be willing to live out the rest of my life in peace?

Uchiha Akira chuckled and said word by word, "Then come on. Call me Boss first."