Strong teachers, decent missions, and all kinds of benefits kept coming their way. As for ordinary students, sorry, how far they could go depended on themselves.
Just look at Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya. With the Third Hokage personally serving as their teacher, how could ordinary Special Jonin and Jonin compare to him?
Although the Third Hokage becoming their teacher meant he was bound to be unable to take them everywhere like ordinary instructors did, if given the choice, at least ninety-nine out of a hundred students would choose the former.
"Who?!"
The Ninja Academy's students were among those the Third Hokage valued most. Whenever a promising seedling appeared, he spared no effort in nurturing them.
These people would be Konoha's pillars in the future. Once they grew old, they would pass Konoha's Will of Fire down, generation after generation.
The teacher said, "Reporting to Hokage Lord, it's Uchiha Hikaru!"
"Uchiha Hikaru?!" The Third Hokage froze for a moment. He had not expected it to be him.
Hikaru had once been far too ordinary. Even walking among a crowd, he was not easy to notice. But after his sudden, dazzling transformation, he gradually began to enter others' sights. To the Third Hokage, although Hikaru had changed considerably and was inextricably connected to Kagami Uchiha, he had not yet reached the point of warranting special attention.
What the Third Hokage had not expected was that the teacher had come directly to the Hokage's Office, requesting that Hikaru be listed among those receiving special attention.
Looking at the teacher's serious expression, the Third Hokage could tell he was not joking. Nor would anyone dare joke about such a matter in the Hokage's Office. Teachers could submit requests like this, but whether they were approved depended on the Third Hokage's nod.
After thinking it over, the Third Hokage asked, "Why? Does this child truly have something exceptional?"
If Hikaru truly possessed such qualities, then whether it was for the sake of nurturing the next generation or because of Kagami Uchiha, the Third Hokage would do his utmost to cultivate him.
The prerequisite was that Hikaru possessed the qualifications.
If a large amount of resources were invested in an ordinary person, it would simply not be worth the cost. Even if that person eventually became a Special Jonin or a Jonin, the investment and return would still be disproportionate.
Thus, those receiving special attention were destined to be anything but ordinary. Sometimes several would appear in a single class, while at other times, none would appear for several consecutive classes.
The last such person had been Hatake Sakumo several classes ago, the future famed Konoha's White Fang!
Several classes later came Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya.
However, every person who received special attention and was cultivated with vast resources had achieved remarkable accomplishments.
Starting from the very first generation, the Third Hokage's own group was the best proof. The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had personally taken them as disciples and begun training them. In truth, even Kagami Uchiha, who died young, had achieved no small measure of success.
Then there was Hatake Sakumo, Konoha's renowned Kage-level expert. The Sannin were the same, followed by Namikaze Minato...
On the surface, everyone seemed to begin from the same starting line. Unfortunately, that was impossible. So-called fairness was merely something displayed for show; there was no such thing as true fairness in this world.
The teacher did not hesitate at all. He believed he had not misjudged him and declared firmly, "I believe he can do it. His future achievements definitely won't be inferior to Orochimaru, Tsunade, or Jiraiya!!!"
It was an extremely high evaluation, placing Hikaru directly on the same level as those three.
The people of the major clans all knew about this kind of covert cultivation, though aside from the academy's teachers and the current Hokage, they did not know much.
For instance, the major clans believed that the Third Hokage's primary targets for cultivation were Orochimaru, who had borne the title of genius ever since entering the academy, and Tsunade, the Senju Clan's little princess. As for Jiraiya... no matter how one looked at him, he did not seem like the type.
Yet Jiraiya kept slapping them in the face, tightly following behind the other two all the way.
"Hmm~~~~"
The Third Hokage said nothing. He picked up his pipe, lit it, and continued smoking. Before long, the Hokage's Office was once again swallowed by curling smoke.
A long time passed...
"I understand. You may leave. Take good care of the children. Also, if this child applies to graduate early, I won't approve it. I'll handle the rest."
"Yes."
The Third Hokage gave no further indication, leaving the teacher somewhat disappointed as he departed from the Hokage's Office.
Uchiha Hikaru, this is all I can do for you. The rest will depend on your own efforts and Hokage Lord's decision.
No one could influence the Third Hokage's decisions. Back when he had been too young, coupled with interference from the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan, his reputation had suffered and his authority had been weak.
But as the war came to an end, no one stepped forward to question the Third Hokage again. It could be said that he had firmly secured his position. Even if all the higher-ups of the Senju and Uchiha came forward now, they might not make the Third Hokage waver in the slightest.
"Uchiha Hikaru..."
Opening Hikaru's file again, the Third Hokage stared at Hikaru's photograph while taking deep drags from his pipe, turning the entire office into a realm of immortals!!
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