Minato Namikaze's speed improved by leaps and bounds with each passing day.
After resting for the night, just as dawn began to break,
Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Tōka into Konoha. He dumped him at the Hokage Building, offered a brief apology, and vanished.
Inside the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Tōka stared at each other wide-eyed.
Silence...
Minato had left in a terrible hurry. Sunagakure had massed troops at the border, and war was likely to break out within days.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was not someone who cared much for formalities, so he did not take Minato's hurried arrival and departure to heart.
Tōka's information had reached the Third Hokage the previous night.
In the end, the Third Hokage was the first to break the silence.
He extinguished his pipe, tapped the ashes against the edge of the desk, then stood and walked over to Tōka.
With his hands clasped behind his back and his waist slightly bent, he asked with a smile, "Little Tōka, what is your dream?"
Tōka raised an eyebrow, then returned to his expressionless look.
It was the old Third Hokage's favorite question, as well as the hardest and easiest question to answer.
Before an old fox like the Third Hokage, who had grown wiser with age, the chances of successfully lying were not high.
Tōka put on a thoughtful expression. The Third Hokage was in no rush and simply watched him with a smile.
If he had not known Tōka was a boy, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have assumed he was a little girl based on that breathtakingly beautiful face alone.
Tōka had no interest in the old Third Hokage's lecherous gaze. He was focused entirely on how to answer the question.
If his answer pleased the old man, life in Konoha would be much easier from now on.
Naturally, he could not simply copy some pretty-sounding speech wholesale.
The Third Hokage had sharp eyes and would definitely be able to tell whether an answer came from the heart.
To deceive an enemy, one first had to deceive oneself.
Truth and falsehood mixed together were the hardest to distinguish.
Then seven parts truth, three parts lies!
Having made up his mind, Tōka had his answer.
He looked up and happened to see Hiruzen Sarutobi's face nearly pressed against his own.
"I hope to become strong." Tōka frowned slightly and discreetly stepped back two paces.
"Oh? A plain and simple dream." The Third Hokage was not surprised. Most children dreamed of becoming strong.
But that was not the answer he wanted to know.
There were many reasons to seek strength: revenge, immortality, protection, freedom...
After a brief pause, the Third Hokage continued smiling. "Why do you want to become strong?"
"Because I don't want to be alone anymore."
Tōka gave the Third Hokage an inexplicable look, and an intensely bleak, lonely aura poured from him.
The Third Hokage could sense that profound loneliness, as though Tōka had walked alone for a thousand years.
In a desolate, barren world, only one person remained.
Just imagining it was terrifying.
The Third Hokage could tell that this was Tōka's heartfelt thought. He was not lying.
As the Third Hokage prepared to relight his pipe, his hand suddenly paused. He remembered that Tōka was still here.
He rarely smoked in front of children.
"Being strong alone isn't enough!~" Putting away his pipe, the Third Hokage said with a smile.
"Hm? Then what should I do?" Tōka put on an innocent expression, seven parts eagerness to learn and three parts fear.
He looked at the Third Hokage like a drowning man clutching at his last lifeline.
A trusting gaze.
The Third Hokage was very pleased with Tōka's expression. That was how a child ought to look.
He seemed to have forgotten the first time he saw Tōka, when the little brat had stared at him expressionlessly.
No child had ever looked so calm upon seeing him.
Even bold children would show curiosity or scrutiny.
They would never be so utterly unruffled.
"Hehe, if you find friends, you won't be lonely." The Third Hokage said.
"Friends?" Tōka asked, as though he only half understood.
"That's right. Find precious friends and protect that friendship." The Third Hokage coaxed him.
"Then you won't be lonely."
Tōka nodded with an expression that said he understood.
Then he raised his little face, wore a serious expression, and said, "First, I'll set a small goal: find friends!"
Hearing that, the Third Hokage's lips curled upward as a genuine smile appeared on his face.
Meanwhile, Tōka let out a long breath in his heart. Talking to an old fox is exhausting!
Still, he had finally muddled through.
Tōka's answer was half truth and half falsehood. As for what was real and what was fake, only he himself knew.
Outside the Ninja Academy, the old Third Hokage personally brought Tōka here to enroll.
The main reason was that aside from coming once for the opening ceremony, the Third Hokage had not visited the academy during this period.
Taking advantage of Tōka's enrollment, he decided to come see Konoha's newly sprouted green leaves for himself.
"Oh, oh, oh!! Third Hokage-sama, why have you come here!"
The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi led Tōka into the Ninja Academy, the guard on duty spotted him.
There also happened to be a class conducting combat drills on the school field.
"Carry on. Don't mind me." The Third Hokage waved with a smile, shifting his gaze toward the children fighting on the field.
Tōka stood behind the Third Hokage, his small body completely hidden from view.
But he did not care. He merely turned his head toward the field, and familiar faces passed through his sight one by one.
Uchiha Obito, Ibiki, Ebisu, Kabuto Yakushi, Kurenai Yuhi, Sarutobi Asuma, Mizuki, Rin, Shizune.
As expected, little girls were still the cutest!
Tōka's gaze shifted until it was nearly blinded by the watermelon-headed youth in a green bodysuit.
Might Guy!
Worthy of Gai-sama. Even from a hundred paces away, he had such incredible "destructive power."
"Whew!" Tōka exhaled and hurriedly looked away.
These people were all sixth-year students. They should have graduated already, so why were they still at the academy?
Tōka silently glanced at the Third Hokage. Since he had noticed that war was about to begin, had he deliberately raised the graduation requirements?
Did he hope that Konoha's young green leaves would stay in the Ninja Academy for another two or three years, reducing their chances of going to war?
That truly was the Third Hokage's style!
No wonder students who were not originally from the same year were in the same class.
The people in this class were Konoha's future elites. Calling it the Ninja Academy's strongest class would not be an exaggeration.
Tōka looked around but did not find Kakashi.
It seemed his earlier deduction had been correct. Hatake Kakashi had already graduated early and should have become a Chunin by now.
When they saw the Third Hokage walking over slowly with his hands behind his back, everyone became as excited as though they had been injected with adrenaline.
Whether boys or girls, they all wanted to show their strength before the Third Hokage!
"Ahem, everyone, stand properly!" Furuya Daisuke, the teacher in charge of the Elite Class, coughed into his fist.
The group of little brats stiffened like mice that had heard a cat, then puffed out their chests and stood straight.
"Hehe, no need to be so nervous." The Third Hokage wore his usual benevolent expression as he smiled at everyone.
"Third Hokage-sama, why have you come here?"
Furuya Daisuke was not one of those little brats who only wanted to perform before the Hokage. At first glance, he noticed Tōka following behind the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage calmly glanced at his son, Sarutobi Asuma.
"I mainly came to see how everyone has been doing. I also have a small matter to take care of."
"I see. Please come with me to the office." Furuya Daisuke said respectfully.
The Third Hokage nodded slightly, turned, and headed toward the Ninja Academy's office building. Tōka immediately followed.
Only then did the children notice that such a cute "little sister" had been hiding behind the Third Hokage.
No, someone that cute had to be a boy!
The little girls retorted unhappily, their bright eyes clashing invisibly across the field.
"Everyone run laps around the field! Keep running until school ends unless I come out and tell you to stop!" Furuya Daisuke barked.
The children scattered like startled birds and beasts, flooding onto the track.
Aside from Might Guy, whose eyes gleamed green, everyone else looked as though they had swallowed flies.
If not for Furuya Daisuke's overwhelming authority, these spirited little brats would have rebelled long ago.
Furuya Daisuke was an elite Chunin who had returned from the Second Shinobi World War.
Setting aside his strength, surviving the cruel Second Shinobi World War alone was enough to prove how formidable he was!
He had been on the battlefield and witnessed the cruelty of the Ninja World. A faint scent of blood lingered around him.
Even though Furuya Daisuke deliberately concealed it, the children could still sense that this teacher was terrifying!
Watching the children scramble to run around the field, Furuya Daisuke's eyes revealed a satisfied smile.
Then Furuya Daisuke turned and headed toward the office building.
Inside the office of the sixth-year Elite Class teacher.
Furuya Daisuke brought over three cups of clear tea and placed them before the Third Hokage, Tōka, and himself.
The three sat down, and the delicate fragrance of tea spread through the room.
The Third Hokage lifted his cup and took a sip, nodding slightly in approval.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not speak, and Furuya Daisuke remained silent as well. Tōka lowered his head and stared at the teacup before him.
The wisps of steam rising from it seemed to hold more of his attention.
"Actually, I brought this boy to the academy." The Third Hokage set down his teacup and got straight to the point.
"By the way, his name is Tōka."
The Ninja Academy's opening day had just passed.
Tōka only had two choices if he wanted to enter the Ninja Academy: wait until next year or join a class midway through the year.
"Oh?" Furuya Daisuke was slightly stunned. He had heard the Third Hokage clearly.
Boy definitely meant Tōka was male. He had assumed Tōka was a girl.
But Furuya Daisuke was the teacher in charge of the sixth-year Elite Class, while Tōka was clearly very young, around five or six years old.
Could it be...
Furuya Daisuke's heart skipped a beat as he thought of a possibility.
He abruptly raised his head to look at the Third Hokage, only to find the other man smiling right at him.
The Third Hokage's lips carried a meaningful smile, as though telling Furuya Daisuke that his guess was exactly what he intended to say.
"But isn't Tōka a little too young?" Furuya Daisuke deeply admired the Third Hokage, but this concerned a child's development.
"I'm only letting Tōka study in the sixth-year class. I'm not asking him to graduate in one year." The Third Hokage said with a smile.
Sure enough, this old man still did not trust him!
Tōka grumbled inwardly. He had originally planned to keep a low profile for two or three years, at least until the Third Shinobi World War had passed.
Who would have thought that this old man, the Third Hokage, would...
Directly place him in the sixth-year Elite Class!!
No matter the grade, the Ninja Academy's elite classes drew the attention of everyone in the village.
Especially the sixth-year Elite Class, which was about to face graduation!
"If that's all, then fine." Furuya Daisuke glanced at Tōka and reluctantly agreed.
He only assumed Tōka was the child of some major clan, or that he had connections to the Third Hokage, which was why he had received such special arrangements.
With the Third Hokage personally present, it was impossible for Furuya Daisuke to refuse.
Since reality told him he could not resist, he could only close his eyes and endure it.
"Tōka, study hard under Teacher Daisuke." The Third Hokage stood up as soon as he finished speaking, clearly intending to leave.
Furuya Daisuke hurriedly stood as well, intending to see the Third Hokage out.
Since both men had risen, Tōka naturally could not remain seated. He stood quietly to one side like an obedient child.
"Sorry for interrupting your class." The Third Hokage said with a smile.
"Not at all, not at all. Let me see you out." Furuya Daisuke waved his hands repeatedly.
A short while later, after seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi off and returning, Furuya Daisuke frowned as he looked at Tōka.
Although he had no choice but to accept Tōka out of respect for the Third Hokage, Furuya Daisuke hated people who relied on connections and lacked real ability.
"You're Tōka?" Furuya Daisuke looked down at him and spoke coldly.
"Yes, Teacher Daisuke." A man had to bow his head under another's roof.
"Come with me." Furuya Daisuke snorted and turned toward the door.
Tōka stared speechlessly at Furuya Daisuke's back. What rotten luck. Did you think I wanted to be in your class?
Worse still, he had been resented by his homeroom teacher on his very first day.
"Sigh!~~" Tōka sighed and shuffled after Furuya Daisuke.
If nothing unexpected happened, this guy probably wanted to use the combat drill to give him a show of authority.
Unfortunately, Furuya Daisuke had overlooked one thing.
Tōka did not even have chakra yet. Taijutsu? With a body that had been sealed for a thousand years, talking about taijutsu was a joke.
On the Ninja Academy playground, a group of brats ran laps around the field without ever quieting down.
Their chatter went on endlessly until the instant Furuya Daisuke appeared at the edge of the playground.
Screech!
Like a scene cutting out, everyone's voices came to an abrupt halt.
Other than the rustling scrape of shoes against the ground as they ran, the playground fell completely silent.
"Stop! All of you, get over here!" Furuya Daisuke shouted at the top of his lungs.
At the same time, he gave Tōka a look telling him to follow, then strode toward the center of the playground.
The students quickly formed up and stood straight. Under Furuya Daisuke's watchful eye, none of them dared move carelessly.
However, when Furuya Daisuke turned his gaze elsewhere—
The brats outside his line of sight turned their heads and secretly peeked at Tōka behind him.
"It's that little sister from before."
"I told you, he's a little brother!"
"So cute..."
"He's definitely a little brother!!"
Tōka: "..."
Were these guys really going to be the pillars of Konoha in the fifties? Why were they still discussing this?
Could they all be fakes?!
"Shut up, all of you!" Furuya Daisuke truly lived up to his reputation as a homeroom teacher with terrifying authority. At his roar, everyone immediately fell silent.
Furuya Daisuke swept out a hand and pointed at Tōka beside him.
"This is a new student, Tōka!"
"Oh? Tōka?"
"That's so short..."
Tōka: "..."
Tōka could tolerate the other comments. Even being called pretty or mistaken for a little sister, he could put up with that!
But this one was different. It concerned a man's dignity!
"His name is too short, is that it? This classmate, could you finish what you were saying?" Tōka raised his eyes expressionlessly.
Only then did Uchiha Obito suddenly feel a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight up his spine.
Killing intent! ~(To be continued)
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