Before long, Hiruzen Sarutobi finished reviewing the information on the new students at the Ninja Academy.
Hinata Hyuga, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke...
The records of these promising youngsters from the various clans were set aside.
This selection was made purely from the clans' perspective.
They would need special attention, and there would be special arrangements when the time came to choose their guiding jonin.
As for the children of ordinary shinobi families, any who showed exceptional promise would be handled separately.
This was how Hiruzen Sarutobi used the Ninja Academy to maintain control over the clans.
Before long, Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted his attention to Uchiha Sasuke's file.
The Uchiha had been making a few too many moves lately.
But having dealt with Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi before, Hiruzen couldn't help smiling.
So what if there were lots of geniuses?
As long as he kept the younger generations of every clan under his control, those clans would sooner or later become part of the village completely.
His goal, Hiruzen Sarutobi's goal, was to unite all the clans within the village.
That was something even his own teacher hadn't managed...
Before long, the new students gathered on the school grounds.
On the raised platform stood a figure clad in a Hokage's robe.
He wasn't particularly tall, but he gave people a sense that they could rely on him.
"Is that Lord Hokage?"
"He's so cool! I want to wear those clothes someday, too!"
"I... will definitely become Hokage!"
"Lord Hokage is the best person in the village..."
The newly enrolled children couldn't help discussing him.
Most of them spoke with admiration for the Hokage.
Even the children from shinobi clans looked at him with a little longing...
After all, he was the strongest person in a village—the Kage!
"Naruto, why aren't you saying anything?"
"That's the Hokage!"
"Weren't you always shouting that you wanted to become Hokage?"
Sasuke gave the distracted Naruto a playful nudge.
"Huh?"
"Well, I do want to become Hokage!"
"I..."
Naruto didn't finish. It was clear he wasn't in high spirits.
It seemed little Naruto had run into some kind of trouble...
Sasuke didn't say anything.
He knew Naruto wasn't stupid.
Aunt Bubin's words yesterday must have gotten through to him...
Hiruzen Sarutobi, you want to brainwash Naruto this time? It won't be that easy.
"Wherever the leaves dance, fire burns on..."
"Konoha became one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages because of the Will of Fire!"
"And all of you are inheritors of the Will of Fire. You will carry that flame and bring Konoha's..."
Just as the crowd's chatter reached its peak, Hiruzen began his speech.
The moment he opened his mouth, you could tell he was a seasoned salesman.
Sasuke couldn't stand this theory that the village was your home and that it came above everything else.
After all, Hiruzen had sent Minato to his death during the Nine-Tails Rebellion. That was already the greatest mockery of the Will of Fire.
The Third Hokage hadn't gone to die himself; he'd let the younger Fourth Hokage take his place.
Of course, not many people knew about any of that.
On top of that, the kindly old man persona Hiruzen cultivated was genuinely deceptive.
At least among these little kids, it was incredibly popular.
Even Naruto, who had just begun to question the Hokage, now wore a goofy grin...
The speech went on for more than two hours.
If Sasuke hadn't already been subjected to school principals telling everyone to "keep it brief," he probably wouldn't have lasted.
"Clap, clap, clap..."
As applause rang out, Sasuke joined in, then prepared to leave.
"Uchiha Sasuke, Lord Hokage wants you to come to the principal's office."
Just then, Iruka, the homeroom teacher, appeared in front of Sasuke.
"Hm?"
Sasuke fell silent for a moment.
But he didn't object. He followed Iruka away.
"Lord Hokage called Sasuke over!"
"Could it be that Lord Hokage has already noticed how talented Sasuke is?"
"Too bad he hangs around that demon fox. Otherwise, he'd be perfect!"
"But he really is so handsome..."
The girls' gushing didn't affect Sasuke in the slightest.
After all, he was nearly thirty mentally. How could he be interested in little kids from kindergarten?
If he were interested in anyone, it would be someone like Mei Terumi or Lady Tsunade...
But that was a story for later.
Inside the principal's office at the Ninja Academy.
"You're Sasuke, right? When you were born, Fugaku came to see me and said he wanted to name you after my father."
"I can't believe how much you've grown already."
"And, like Itachi, you have an exceptional gift."
"Itachi often praises his younger brother to me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with a kindly expression.
Hearing that, Sasuke couldn't help thinking that the old bastard Hiruzen was a real piece of work.
After manipulating Itachi, he was going to use Itachi as his starting point to manipulate Sasuke, too.
"Old man... I mean, Lord Hokage!"
Just as Sasuke was wondering how to respond without seeming too impatient or disgusted, a clueless voice rang out.
That's right. After learning that the Hokage was the old man who cared about him, Naruto didn't want to miss the chance to talk with Hiruzen.
So when everyone else dispersed, he had followed them over.
"Naruto, why didn't you go back to the classroom?"
"This is a time when you should be studying hard."
Hiruzen maintained his kind, approachable manner.
"I want to become Hokage someday. That's my dream!"
"So I wanted to ask you, do you think I can do it?"
Naruto looked a little nervous.
"That's a fine dream. But becoming Hokage means you'll have to train very hard."
"Keep at it, Naruto."
"By the way, Sasuke, what's your dream?"
Hiruzen pretended to offer some encouragement, then shifted the subject back to Sasuke.
Naruto looked at Sasuke curiously, too.
He knew Sasuke was strong.
Someday, Sasuke might even be his strongest rival in the race to become Hokage.
At the thought, Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Me?"
"I just want to slack off and have enough to eat every day."
Sasuke shrugged, stating his dream plainly.
"..."
"..."
Hiruzen and Naruto were both speechless.
"Itachi said you train very seriously."
"Surely you're not training so hard just so you can slack off later?"
Hiruzen tried to see through Sasuke's act.
After all, who trained hard if all they wanted was to slack off?
"So I'll have a strong body to enjoy life when I'm slacking off."
"And so nobody can kill me easily."
Sasuke tilted his head up, wearing an innocent smile...
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