Will of Fire's Chief Designer

Me? There's this part, too?

Zenin Toji looked at Senju Hashirama instinctively, only to find the man watching him with a mischievous smirk.

I've been set up.

Zenin Toji remained unflustered, walking slowly onto the stage to stand beside Uchiha Chiru.

After a brief moment of thought, he began to recite his entrance poem in a calm voice: "Where the leaves dance, the fire burns on. The fire's light will illuminate the village and allow new buds to sprout..."

Zenin Toji's entrance poem was none other than the Will of Fire.

The so-called Will of Fire, to put it bluntly, was a philosophy championing selfless dedication, collectively created by the villagers of Konoha through their long-term struggles.

The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, was the primary founder of the Will of Fire; the Second, Tobirama, continued it; but it was the future Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who truly codified it.

In Zenin Toji's eyes, however, this rhetoric was long-winded, hollow, and utterly tedious.

The Will of Fire is incomparably great, Konoha is a land of civilization, all Konoha villagers are one big family...

Family?

As everyone knows, when people who aren't blood-related keep calling each other "family," it never leads to anything good. They're either plotting to swindle you out of your money and life, or they're trying to use the "family" label for moral kidnapping and verbal abuse.

Zenin Toji sneered at this rhetoric, yet the villagers of Konoha, from top to bottom, truly ate it up.

One only had to look at a typical day in the life of a future Konoha villager to see it.

They'd wake up and curse Naruto to clear their heads, compare the bacon on their breakfast table to Choji and insult it to whet their appetite, see a tomato in their lunch and think of Kushina to throw a few more insults, or see Sakura at the next table during afternoon tea and mock her large forehead...

To beat is to love, to scold is to cherish.

Clearly, the Konoha villagers had achieved unity of knowledge and action, truly treating each other as family and loving one another deeply.

Since the ignorant villagers enjoyed it.

Zenin Toji naturally wouldn't refuse; he decided to become the chief architect of the Will of Fire himself!

"The Will of Fire..."

"This is the Will of Fire. It's so well said; why didn't I think of that?"

Below the stage.

Senju Hashirama couldn't help but redden his eyes, tears falling as he murmured, "No one understands me better than Zenin Toji. This is exactly what I have always pursued."

The usually stern Senju Tobirama was also slightly moved.

He hadn't expected Zenin Toji to be capable of such thought-provoking words.

Though he, Senju Tobirama, had touched upon taboos by conducting human experiments, didn't view the prisoners in Konoha Prison as human, and had never truly accepted the Uchiha, he had always acted for the sake of Konoha from beginning to end.

He identified with the Will of Fire that Zenin Toji spoke of from the bottom of his heart.

Zenin Toji was not the Hokage, yet at this moment, he had said what a Hokage should say and done what a Hokage should do.

Yet, no one present felt he had overstepped; instead, they all praised him in their hearts.

This director of Gospel Hospital possessed a great character and a golden spirit.

The level of enlightenment he displayed was truly moving.

Reflecting carefully...

In the three years since Zenin Toji joined Konoha, he had been practicing the very Will of Fire he spoke of through his actions. From the moment he took the lead in signing that Organ Donation Volunteer Form, he had truly treated every villager here as family.

Thunderous applause erupted from below the stage.

Zenin Toji pressed his hand down to signal for silence, then quietly walked off the stage.

He brushed off his sleeves as he left, hiding his merit and fame.

Today was destined to be recorded in the annals of Konoha history—

The most important spiritual core of Konoha, the "Will of Fire," was formally proposed and established for the first time on January 15th, Year 8 of Konoha, by Zenin Toji, the first director of Gospel Hospital.

Back in his seat.

Senju Hashirama wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and remarked to Zenin Toji with emotion:

"Zenin Toji, that was so well said. How did you come up with all of that?"

"I didn't really think about it; it was just an impromptu feeling," Zenin Toji replied in a flat tone. "Though, Lord Hokage, and Chiru, why didn't you tell me in advance that you wanted me to go on stage? It's not like I would have refused. Being so sudden caught me off guard."

This sounded like a complaint, but in reality, it was a subtle way to elevate himself in front of Senju Hashirama.

I didn't even prepare a draft; I just said whatever came to mind, and I could still speak such pure words. If you were to cut open my chest and look, just how sincere must that heart be?

Senju Hashirama's reaction was exactly as Zenin Toji had expected, and he was even more moved.

He immediately instructed Uchiha Chiru, who was sitting to Zenin Toji's right:

"Starting next week, the Ninja Academy will add a 'Will of Fire' course. Chiru, arrange for someone to compile Zenin Toji's speech from today as the dedicated textbook for this class."

"For the graduation exams, add an assessment related to the 'Will of Fire' on top of the existing requirements."

"Yes, Hokage."

Uchiha Chirori agreed immediately.

It was not hard to foresee that with the official implementation of this curriculum, Toji was destined to become a figure in Konoha's history who could never be bypassed.

From now on, anyone wishing to become a Konoha Ninja would have to be well-versed in Toji's philosophies and deeds, in addition to mastering basic ninjutsu and the history of the successive Hokage.

Many formidable ninjas would be forgotten by history as the wheel of time turned, but Toji, recorded in the textbooks, would achieve a form of alternative immortality.

Even though he was a long-lived being himself.

As long as Konoha stood, Toji would live forever.

Toji felt no ripples in his heart, yet he put on a deeply moved expression, "Lord Hokage, what right do I have to receive such an honor..."

He did not care for these empty titles; compared to being written into textbooks and leaving his name in the annals of history, the forbidden techniques within the Scroll of Sealing and the various sealing arts of the Uzumaki clan were the tangible benefits he truly desired.

"This is all what you deserve!"

Hashirama patted his shoulder heavily.

Clearly, this time, Hashirama did not catch the subtext in Toji's words.

"Forget it..."

Toji remained silent and withdrew his gaze.

Given his current status and position, he truly had no reason to ask for the sealing techniques again. He could only suppress his thoughts for now and find a way to coax them out of Mito after Hashirama passed away.

As for the justification, Toji had already drafted one.

To prevent the extreme scenario where "a Tailed Beast is controlled by the Uchiha again, and the Uzumaki clan declines in the increasingly complex environment of the Ninja World, leaving no successors."

As a long-lived being, he needed to master the power of the Four Symbols Seal to become the final line of defense for Konoha's safety.

"If it threatens the village, I will not spare even the family of my 'wife'..."

This rhetoric showed a level of resolve comparable to Hashirama's.

It would surely make Mito think of her husband upon hearing it and entrust the Four Symbols Seal—a technique kept at the bottom of the chest—into his hands.

Toji snapped back to reality.

The first graduation ceremony came to a close amidst this enthusiastic atmosphere.

In high spirits, Hashirama waved his hand and announced a banquet for all the teachers of the Ninja Academy to thank them for their hard work in establishing the school; he also invited the Jonin selected to lead the teams, encouraging them to be diligent and responsible in cultivating the first batch of excellent ninjas under the new system for Konoha.

Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

Inside the banquet room.

Toji was seated next to Chirori.

He took the wine glass she handed him, but his gaze was fixed on the table where the team-leading Jonin were sitting.