Will of Fire: The Trees and Leaves of Konoha

Iruka flipped through the collected essays, scanning them ten lines at a time.

The final graduation grades at the Konoha Ninja Academy were divided into practical and written portions, and the written portion regarding the understanding of the Will of Fire took up a significant amount of space.

If one were to ask why?

Naturally, it had everything to do with the current Third Hokage.

Naruto's submitted essay paper had his name scrawled on it in crooked characters.

The handwriting was sloppy, and throughout the entire piece, aside from "Grandpa Third is very good to me" and "I want to be Hokage," he couldn't say anything else. He even wrote the character for "Hokage" wrong.

Iruka frowned, a sense of disgust rising in his heart.

The "Demon Fox" truly has no culture.

Without looking closely, he gave it a low grade.

Next was Uchiha Sasuke's essay paper; students from the Uchiha clan had always been a key focus of the school.

Iruka read it carefully and nodded.

Compared to other Uchiha, Sasuke's understanding of the Will of Fire was quite profound, and the essay he wrote was even better than many civilian ninjas.

He even mentioned that "the Uchiha are also a part of Konoha."

"Not bad, the understanding is very thorough. It proves that my teaching is still acceptable."

Then, what caught his eye was an essay with elegant handwriting and a neat structure; not only was the presentation much better than the other students', but the word count was also more than double.

His eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but read it carefully. By the end, his heart was surging with emotion, and he clapped in approval.

"Excellent! This is exactly how it should be."

"I must let Lord Hokage see this article!"

He selected a few essay papers, placed Akimichi Denji's on top, sealed them into a scroll, and a Ninja Raven flew off with the scroll in its talons.

The scroll was eventually delivered to the Hokage Building.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, having finished his administrative duties, looked at the scroll in his hands.

"Is this the essay assignment I ordered this morning?"

The essay on the Will of Fire was something he had assigned that morning; the death of the White Fang of Konoha and the departure of the Sannin made him particularly attentive to the cultivation of the next generation's Will of Fire.

The current Konoha could no longer afford such losses.

Therefore, he personally reviewed all thoughts regarding the Will of Fire.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had gradually realized that ideology was the sharpest and most silent weapon.

He opened the scroll and saw an essay with a neat structure placed specifically on top.

"Oh?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was somewhat surprised; most ninjas were people who only had brute force and paid no attention to knowledge.

Moreover, these were a group of brats whose minds had not yet fully formed; he did not expect these children to write anything stunning or brilliant.

He only wanted to see the children's feelings toward Konoha and correct any issues in time to prevent future incidents where well-trained ninjas left the village.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze was captured as he saw the essay title: [The Tree and Leaves of Konoha -- Akimichi Denji].

"The 'Will of Fire.' When I first entered the academy, I didn't quite understand the meaning of this term. In my ignorant understanding, 'fire' was a very rare thing."

"In the Land of Rain, fire is very precious. It requires a house to keep the wood from getting damp, to drive away the cold, and to help sick people get better quickly."

"When I first came to Konoha, I was very surprised that it didn't rain here, and fire could be seen everywhere."

"Later, I gradually understood that this is because powerful ninjas shelter us from the wind and rain, providing the wood and leaves that allow the fire to burn. My father, Akimichi Choza, Grandpa Third, and Teacher Iruka are all such ninjas. It is precisely because of them that the tiny spark can burn on this land and eventually gather together to dispel the cold."

"Konoha, Konoha, why is it called Konoha? I think everyone together constitutes Konoha. Powerful ninjas like Lord Hokage are like the trunk and roots of the tree. The trunk is thick, and the roots are deeply embedded in the soil; no matter how the wind blows or the rain falls, they stand firmly there. And everyone in the village is a leaf on this tree."

"The tree cannot exist without the leaves. Without the photosynthesis of the leaves, the tree would wither."

"The leaves cannot exist without the tree either. Without the trunk and roots, the leaves would drift away and rot in the soil. It is the tree that provides nutrients to the leaves, allowing them to grow strong."

"Whether it is the leaves or the trunk, everyone is contributing their strength to this shared tree in their own way."

"Because I am sheltered by this great tree, I want to become a leaf with more vitality, and eventually grow into a trunk; I want to become a part of the great tree."

"To burn for the Will of Fire. Let the Will of Fire be passed on forever!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze went blank, and his breathing became rapid.

The entire essay used simple words—it was just the plain talk of a six-year-old—but between the lines, he had interpreted his understanding of the Will of Fire with absolute clarity.

Most importantly, his understanding of the Will of Fire was better than that of many ninjas.

It hit Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts exactly.

"This... was written by Denji?"

He muttered, exhaling a long breath, his heart filled with a complexity that could not be calmed for a long time.

"If only those foolish disciples of mine could understand as well as Denji."

Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes and took a puff of his pipe; the firelight on the pipe flickered, and smoke settled in the room.

He could not help but recall what Akimichi Choza had said to him earlier.

"Have Tsunade return? With this kid, he might actually be able to move her. Get her back to the village..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered for a long time, his gaze thoughtful, before finally making a decision.

"Let's take this opportunity to summon Tsunade back! If this child can change her heart even a little and have her take over the position of Hokage from my hands, it would be a great blessing for Konoha."

"It works out perfectly; with this excuse of having her research Denji's constitution, we can bring Tsunade back, and perhaps Denji can influence her as well. If it doesn't work out, there's no loss."

"As for the funding for the research, we'll just have the Akimichi clan cover it. She's drowning in debt right now, so she should still come back."

"Right, this essay..."

A faint smile crossed Sarutobi Hiruzen's lips.

"Someone come!"

"Present! Lord Hokage." A ninja wearing a mask walked in.

"Take this essay to the documentation department, have them polish it, and emphasize the core philosophy within."

Sarutobi Hiruzen wore a hearty smile on his face.

The line about "Lord Hokage is the root of Konoha" made him feel a long-lost sense of ease and satisfaction.

Even a brat who just returned to the village knows of my contributions to this village.

Being Hokage, it seems, isn't so bad after all!

Seeing Lord Hokage so happy, the Anbu ninja wearing an animal mask felt a bit surprised.

But a ninja's duty kept him from speaking out of turn.

"Yes!"

He took the scroll, pushed open the door, and vanished into the corridor.

Taking a puff of his pipe and stretching out the pride in his heart, Sarutobi Hiruzen recalled the first matter Choza had mentioned.

"Danzo..."

This child... must absolutely not be handed over to you!