The Third Hokage

At the entrance to the Hokage Building, Meicun Hyuga was stopped by two guards again. However, upon seeing her and Tianyun Hyuga's Byakugan, both guards were very courteous, showing their respect for the Hyuga Clan.

One of the guards approached them and asked, "What brings you two here?"

Meicun Hyuga held the Hokage in great respect, and she answered the guard watching the Hokage Building earnestly. "Please inform Lord Hokage that Meicun Hyuga wishes to discuss something with him. I would like my child to study at Konoha Academy."

The guard froze for a moment. The Hyuga Clan had always trained its children within the clan and rarely allowed them to attend Konoha Ninja Academy.

A child of the Hyuga Clan personally asking to attend Konoha Academy was a rare sight in Konoha. In the past, the children who studied there had all been sent by their respective clans.

Those children were sent merely as a show of their clans' loyalty to Konoha. The more talented children were kept within their clans for instruction and would never be sent to Konoha Academy.

After a moment of surprise, the guard at the Hokage Building quickly recovered and said, "Please wait here. I'll inform Lord Hokage."

"Please do," Meicun Hyuga said.

In the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage was leisurely smoking his pipe and gazing at the scenery outside the window, as he usually did. Konoha had been very peaceful over the past few years, leaving him quite relaxed. He even hoped these leisurely days would last forever.

But the Third Hokage also understood that peace was only temporary. War was the defining theme of this world, and ninja existed to serve it. So even as he enjoyed his leisure, he took his work very seriously. He had no wish to make a mess of the village the First Hokage and Second Hokage had left behind.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Lord Hokage, Yezhen requests an audience."

The knocking outside interrupted the Third Hokage's leisurely mood. He returned to his seat behind the desk and said, "Yezhen, come in!"

Then Yezhen opened the door and entered...

Noticing Yezhen's peculiar expression, the Third Hokage asked in confusion, "Yezhen, what is it? You look rather strange."

Yezhen walked up to the desk and nodded. "Lord Hokage, a woman named Meicun Hyuga is outside. She wants to send her child to Konoha Academy. I thought it was a little strange, too..."

The Third Hokage was somewhat surprised as well. Normally, the Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan sent a few children to Konoha Academy at a set time each year as a concession to Konoha.

It was not enrollment season, yet a child of the Hyuga Clan wanted to attend. He paused, then asked, "Is the child older? Surely he isn't too old? The academy would have trouble teaching him."

In the Third Hokage's view, Konoha Academy existed to train ninja loyal to Konoha. He would not accept older children, because their outlook had already taken shape, making it difficult to change their thinking. He had no desire to raise a child who was loyal only to his clan and not to Konoha.

Yezhen carefully recalled Tianyun Hyuga's appearance and said, "Lord Hokage, I doubt the child has even reached enrollment age. He should be about five. I think Konoha Academy could accept him."

The Third Hokage breathed a sigh of relief. A five-year-old could be accepted. Even if the boy was not loyal to Konoha, that loyalty could be nurtured over time.

If an older child had been brought to him, teaching the child would be less than suitable, while refusing would offend the Hyuga Clan. That would put him in an even more difficult position.

After considering it, the Third Hokage said, "Have them come up to talk. I want to meet them before making a decision."

Yezhen nodded. "Please wait a moment, Lord Hokage. I'll bring them up right away."

"Go ahead." The Third Hokage was also very curious about the child who had volunteered to attend the Ninja Academy. He wondered what the boy's circumstances were and whether he had chosen Konoha Academy because he was being ostracized within the Hyuga Clan.

Two minutes later, as the Third Hokage was pondering the matter, he saw two people enter through the doorway. He immediately studied Meicun Hyuga and Tianyun Hyuga.

With the shrewdness that came with age, the Third Hokage could tell at a glance that Tianyun Hyuga was extraordinary. There was a distinctive confidence beneath his calm expression, something no ordinary person could possess. It was the confidence of someone truly strong, and the Third Hokage found it rather strange.

The boy was clearly just a child. How could he have such a look in his eyes? Unable to understand it, the Third Hokage sank into deep puzzlement...

"Lord Hokage..."

"Lord Hokage..."

"Lord Hokage..."

Meicun Hyuga was rather speechless. She had already approached the Third Hokage and called to him three times in a row, yet he kept staring at Tianyun Hyuga as though he had heard nothing at all.

Meicun Hyuga could hardly slap the Third Hokage's desk to get his attention. After a little thought, she stepped into his line of sight, shielding Tianyun Hyuga behind her so the Third Hokage could no longer see him.

With Tianyun Hyuga no longer in his field of vision, the Third Hokage finally snapped out of his thoughts and found himself facing Meicun Hyuga's serious expression.

"Ahem, ahem."

Somewhat embarrassed, the Third Hokage deliberately coughed a couple of times and put on a calm expression. "Miss Meicun Hyuga, do you truly wish to send Tianyun Hyuga to the Ninja Academy? He doesn't look old enough to enroll yet."

Meicun Hyuga nodded and pulled Tianyun Hyuga forward to stand before the Third Hokage. "Tianyun himself asked for this. He said he wanted to become a powerful ninja like his father. Since I don't think he has much talent for the Gentle Fist, I asked the Clan Head for permission to let him study at Konoha Academy. Perhaps he can grow stronger that way."

The Third Hokage glanced at Tianyun Hyuga, who stood silently with his head lowered. He slowly took two puffs from his pipe before finally nodding. "Very well. Miss Meicun Hyuga, go home and rest for now. I'll need to discuss this with Hiashi later, then send someone to your residence to notify you. Please wait at home for word."

Meicun Hyuga was a little disappointed. The Third Hokage had not accepted Tianyun Hyuga outright, which meant there might be complications with his enrollment.

But the Third Hokage had already spoken, and she could hardly press the matter further. She could only take her leave. "Lord Hokage, we'll return home and wait for word, then. Once you've made your decision, please send someone to notify me."

The Third Hokage glanced once more at Tianyun Hyuga, who remained silent with his head lowered, and said, "Of course. I'll be sure to notify you as soon as possible."

With the Third Hokage's promise given, Meicun Hyuga could hardly keep pressing him. Taking Tianyun Hyuga by the hand, she led him out of the Hokage Office while he remained silent, his head lowered.