The Will of Fire

At that moment, Sarutobi glanced at the time.

It was already time for the Ninja Academy graduation ceremony.

He put on his kindly smile again and donned his iconic hat.

Then he slowly left his office.

At the academy, Iruka was busy getting the students excited.

He smiled and said, "Everyone, Lord Hokage will be coming to our academy soon. Make sure you're ready. I'll raise my right hand, and you'll applaud. When I lower it, you'll stop. Got it?"

Everyone nodded. "Don't worry, Iruka-sensei."

An hour later.

Sarutobi Hiruzen entered the Ninja Academy with a kind smile.

Iruka greeted him with an obsequious grin.

"Lord Hokage, you're here. The children are waiting for you to speak about the Will of Fire."

The smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face grew even brighter.

He looked at Iruka. "Oh? Is that so? Then I'm relieved."

Mizuki followed behind Iruka like a little lackey.

The students had been waiting there for some time.

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked into the courtyard. Seeing the children, he smiled like a warm spring breeze and waved to them.

Iruka raised his hand high.

The students understood at once, and thunderous applause erupted.

Sarutobi Hiruzen knew about Iruka's little trick, of course.

But so what?

As long as it put him in a good mood, that was all that mattered.

Sarutobi Hiruzen raised both hands and pressed down gently. Iruka lowered his hand, then stepped forward to introduce him. "This is our Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the strongest Hokage in history."

The students, who knew no better, gasped in astonishment.

The admiration in their eyes pleased Sarutobi Hiruzen immensely.

He cleared his throat and modestly said, "That was true once."

Back then, he was nothing.

During the negotiations with Kumogakure, it had been the aging Tobirama who stayed behind to cover the retreat of his disciples, all of whom were in their prime.

Only afterward did Sarutobi Hiruzen learn from his shame and study many of Tobirama's techniques, along with the Five Nature Transformations.

At last, his strength reached the level expected of the Hokage of Konoha, the leading village among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

Of course, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew his way around administration, scheming, infighting, and brainwashing.

But when it came to fighting someone of comparable skill, he had never once fought another such opponent—not even at the height of his power, when he was hailed as the Shinobi Hero during his time in office.

After all, claiming to be the strongest Hokage in history might fool Konoha's villagers.

People from other villages wouldn't buy it.

If he fought someone and won, that would be expected. If he lost, wouldn't that destroy the credibility of his claim to be the strongest Hokage?

Fortunately, he was old now. Whenever people praised him, all he had to do was say he'd been the strongest once. No one would catch him out.

Third Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped onto the platform with a gentle smile.

His gaze was full of warmth.

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't rush to speak. He looked kindly at all the students gathered there, then cleared his throat and began in a measured voice.

With chakra amplifying it, Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice carried to everyone present.

"Children, when I look at you, I see the rising sun over Konoha." Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled, a touch of emotion in his voice. "You may have heard many stories about me, but those titles don't matter to me. The identity I'm proudest of will always be that of a Konoha shinobi—and your old grandpa."

He pointed to the Kage Rock towering nearby.

The statues of Konoha's four Hokage looked down from above upon the village and all its people.

They were:

The First, Senju Hashirama, founder of Konoha.

The Second, Senju Tobirama, the First's younger brother.

The Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Second's student.

The Fourth Hokage, the student of the Third's student, and the husband of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Namikaze Minato.

As everyone's gaze shifted to Kage Rock, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke the most famous words of all. "Wherever leaves dance, there will be fire. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village and... cause new leaves to sprout."

"That is the Will of Fire. It is what I have protected all my life, and what you must protect as well."

"Have you ever wondered why Konoha became the leading village among the Five Great Shinobi Villages? It isn't because we're so powerful. It's because whenever a crisis comes, someone is always willing to become fuel and feed the flames to protect the village. Like me: I may be old, but if the village needs me, these old bones are ready to burn to ashes for its sake."

"Shinobi aren't just embodiments of strength. They carry responsibility. The village teaches you jutsu, and the village gives you a home. A good shinobi must first understand the bond that ties them to the village. As long as you carry the village in your hearts, even after I'm gone, the Will of Fire will live on in you."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the crowd, whose eyes were gradually growing fervent, and continued.

"Iruka just called me the strongest Hokage in history... Heh. Children, that's only because I've lived long enough to witness so many departures and homecomings." He gave a self-deprecating laugh. "True strength isn't about how powerful you are. It's about how many people stand behind you, waiting for you to protect them."

He raised his hand again, palm up, as if holding the future of the entire village.

It was almost as if he were lifting an imaginary crystal ball.

"You are my source of strength. When you go onto the battlefield or carry out missions, remember that the Hokage is always watching over you, and the village will always have your back. As long as you sweat and bleed for the village, your names will be carved into the Memorial Stone and live forever with Konoha!"

As Sarutobi Hiruzen finished his stirring speech,

thunderous applause broke out.

The sheltered students of the Ninja Academy were all fired up.

Even those who seemed hesitant joined in and applauded amid the fervent atmosphere.

Only a few students from the great clans clapped enthusiastically, their eyes completely blank.

Third Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at this group of "expendable pawns"—no, the future of Konoha.

He nodded in satisfaction.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's moral standards were actually much higher than Danzo's and Orochimaru's.

But at the end of the day, he was the Hokage, a politician corrupted by power.

He had moral principles, but they were very flexible.

Take the death of the White Fang, for example.

The villagers saw only the first layer: the White Fang of Konoha had abandoned a mission to save his comrades, causing the village enormous losses.

Uchiha Yan saw the second layer: the White Fang of Konoha had become too influential, so Danzo had moved to suppress him, with Sarutobi Hiruzen's tacit approval. It was a case of a shinobi's way of thinking misjudging the way of the samurai.

But Sarutobi Hiruzen was on the third layer.

It wasn't because the White Fang had become too powerful, and it wasn't because his actions had caused the village enormous losses.