Taking a Student

After thinking it over carefully, Hyuga Shinichi said,

"Konoha was founded by Lord Senju Hashirama to erase the divisions between clans and bring about peace. Children can grow up safely, far from war, and everyone can live happily. I love Konoha, and I want to protect the village's peace."

"Mm. A village is like one big family, and someone has to guard it. Someone has to step forward. I can feel how impatient you are, but change doesn't happen overnight. You need to consider the circumstances around you."

Shinichi had some idea what Uzumaki Mito meant by "the circumstances around you." Before he could think much further, Mito continued.

"The village looks peaceful and tranquil now, but what about outside? I can feel that the next war isn't far off. The Land of Fire's abundant natural resources will only widen the gap between it and the other great nations, and their resentment will only grow."

Standing to one side and listening to Grandma Mito, Shinichi grew more and more surprised. Though Uzumaki Mito rarely left the village, she had a clear understanding of the situation in the Shinobi World.

In the original story, the Land of Rain had also been the one to start the war. Hanzo the Salamander had believed that the Shinobi World's development was unbalanced, and, seeking to seize territory, declared war on the Land of Iron, Sunagakure, and Konoha, turning the Land of Rain into the war's central battleground.

"When that time comes, war will break out again. Shinichi, will you be able to protect everyone? The Hyuga Branch Family will certainly have to go to the battlefield, too, to protect the people of the Main House.

"The Caged Bird Cursed Seal restricts them, but it also protects the Byakugan from falling into someone else's hands."

Hearing this, Shinichi clearly felt just how weak he was. Just as before, there was nothing he could change. A war wouldn't stop just because he said it shouldn't happen.

Shinichi's mood sank. He walked over to the railing in front of them, rose onto his toes, and leaned his upper body against it.

"But Shinichi, you're not wrong. Protecting what you cherish takes strength, and peace also needs strength to maintain it. But it's easy to lose yourself while striving to gain power."

As she spoke, Uzumaki Mito thought of the man who had once stood beside Senju Hashirama. In the end, they had gone their separate ways, turning from close friends into enemies.

Shinichi turned to look at Uzumaki Mito behind him. In her eyes, he saw both Konoha and himself.

"I see great potential in you. I never thought that at my age I'd want to take on a student. What do you say, Shinichi? Would you like to become my student? I'll train and guide you, until you grow strong enough to truly protect what you cherish."

Shinichi stared blankly at Uzumaki Mito, standing beneath the First's monument.

For some reason, the stirring classic Naruto BGM "Douten" began playing in his mind.

Seeing that Shinichi had zoned out without answering, Uzumaki Mito smiled and teased him,

"What? Do you look down on an old woman like me?"

"Huh? Oh! No, not at all! I'd be very happy to become your student. But wouldn't that be too much trouble for you, Grandma Mito?"

"I'm not so old that I can't teach an outstanding student yet."

And so, Hyuga Shinichi became Uzumaki Mito's student. That very evening, Uzumaki Mito took him to the Hokage Office to meet the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hiruzen, I came to let you know that I'm taking this child as my student. Hm? Danzo's here too. Well, carry on with your conversation."

After saying that, Uzumaki Mito led Shinichi away. Before leaving, Shinichi politely greeted and said goodbye to the two men in the room.

"Hello, Lord Hokage and Lord Advisor. Goodbye, Lord Hokage and Lord Advisor."

Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't even had time to react. Even if he had, he wouldn't have dared to object to anything Uzumaki Mito wanted.

Besides, Uzumaki Mito hadn't called him by his nickname, "Monkey," and had bothered to inform him. That alone showed great respect for him as the current Hokage.

"What do you think, Danzo?"

"What do I think? I think with my eyes. If I remember correctly, that's Hyuga Shinichi, the two-year-old from the Hyuga Clan who enrolled at the Ninja Academy. I think it's great."

Hiruzen remembered that after Teacher Tobirama Senju died, they had returned to the village to rest for a few days. Then Shimura Danzo and Kagami Uchiha had led their squad out again to defend against the Land of Lightning.

Later, the remnants of Kinkaku and Ginkaku's forces had ambushed them. When they returned, everyone on both sides had been wiped out except him. They had dragged their grievously injured bodies back to Konoha, and Danzo had passed out after losing one eye.

Afterward, he had covered the blind eye and become a one-eyed man. And now he was saying he thought with his eyes.

(These parts are original to the author. I didn't know how to handle Danzo having one eye covered early on without making people suspicious, so I could only have Kagami and his squad get ambushed and wiped out. Danzo returned grievously wounded, carrying the only remaining Three-Tomoe Sharingan from the already-dead Kagami. I believe early Danzo truly did act for the village. Later, he still acted for the village, but became too extreme and lost sight of his original intentions. Kagami's Sharingan also became the starting point of Danzo's research into the Sharingan and his obsession with that power.)

How could Hiruzen not see it? Even Shimura Danzo wouldn't dare cause trouble in front of Uzumaki Mito, much less behind her back.

As the First's wife and his own teacher, the Second Hokage's sister-in-law, Uzumaki Mito wasn't subject to the restrictions placed on other villages' Jinchūriki, who were kept under close watch within their villages. No one would dare try to impose them on her.

Fortunately, Uzumaki Mito was generally quite cooperative, and she could suppress the Nine-Tails, so no problems had arisen.

Still, Hiruzen couldn't understand why Uzumaki Mito had suddenly decided to take on a student. Was there something special about Hyuga Shinichi?

He recalled how Hyuga Shinichi had shouted that he wanted to become Hokage at the school gates. During the opening ceremony's speech about the Will of Fire, Hiruzen had kept an eye on him.

Shinichi had listened intently until Hiruzen finished speaking. His sweat-drenched appearance clearly showed that the speech about the Will of Fire had moved him, filling him with passion.

And then there had been Shinichi's gaze, fixed on him with such intense emotion.

Could it be?!

Had he taken me, the current Hokage, as an object of admiration? Hahahaha! It seemed his speech about the Will of Fire had been a great success. This was exactly how the village could nurture a new generation of saplings with conviction.

Danzo, sitting nearby, had no idea what was going on with Hiruzen. He saw him wearing a creepy grin, decided not to bother with him, and got up to leave the Hokage Office.

Danzo was well-behaved for now and wouldn't openly do anything outrageous in the village. But his extreme hawkish beliefs would eventually put him at odds with Hiruzen Sarutobi's extreme dovish beliefs.

If Hyuga Shinichi, walking along with Uzumaki Mito, had heard Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts, he would surely have thought, Yes, yes, that's exactly what you should say. Better yet, say it to every class of students.

It was the classic case of having been rained on himself, so he wanted to tear up everyone else's umbrellas.

"Shinichi, come on. We'll go to the Hyuga Clan compound now and let them know. You can pack your things and move in with me while you're at it. It'll be easier for me to teach you."

"All right, Grandma Mito. Please slow down."

Shinichi supported Uzumaki Mito, thinking that he'd never expected his usually dignified Grandma Mito to have such a domineering side. He couldn't help thinking of the future "Bloody Habanero" too. Would Grandma Mito look terrifying when she was angry, with her hair flying everywhere?

"Shinichi, you're not thinking anything strange about me, are you?"

Oh no! He'd forgotten that Grandma Mito was a Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and could sense hostility. Even the slightest bit of ill will from thinking of her in an unflattering light would be detectable.

"No, no. Grandma Mito is the best in my heart."

Shinichi instantly put on an innocent child's expression and acted sweetly toward Uzumaki Mito to keep her from getting angry. When she had asked him, he had felt the air grow heavy, sending a chill down his spine.

Seeing that Shinichi had stopped thinking too much and was obediently supporting her as they headed to the Hyuga Clan compound, Uzumaki Mito smiled.

He really was still just a child.