Kakashi

As soon as Tianyun Hyuga and Meicun Hyuga left the Hokage's office building, Tianyun could not help wiping nonexistent cold sweat from his forehead.

At the same time, Tianyun kept marveling inwardly, He really lives up to his title as Hokage. He's incredible. I'm still far too green!

Before meeting the Third Hokage, Tianyun had been thinking about how to brush off his questions and convince him that he was an ordinary child.

But a single exchange of glances with the Third Hokage had made Tianyun realize that his act could not fool the cunning old man. All he could do was lower his head and stay quiet, lest anything he did make matters worse.

Now, Tianyun no longer even hoped to get into Konoha Academy. Instead, he was thinking about how to stop the Third Hokage from suspecting his identity.

Trailing behind the dejected Meicun, Tianyun pondered the matter as they headed back to the Hyuga Clan compound.

Neither Meicun nor Tianyun spoke on the way home.

Having failed to get Tianyun into Konoha Academy, Meicun felt too embarrassed to speak to him.

Tianyun, meanwhile, was considering whether he should still go to Konoha Academy.

After watching Tianyun and Meicun leave the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage stood at the window, following them with his eyes until they were far away. Only then did he turn back and sit down at his desk.

"Black Wind, come out..."

After a moment of silence, the Third Hokage called out a name.

As soon as he spoke, a dark figure leaped through the window into the room. It was a black-clad ninja wearing an Anbu mask.

"Lord Hokage, what are your orders?" asked Black Wind, the Anbu ninja.

The Third Hokage lifted his pipe and took a puff. After a moment's thought, he said, "Investigate Tianyun Hyuga and Meicun Hyuga. You have only six hours. Make sure your findings are as detailed as possible."

"Yes..." Black Wind's reply was brief. With that, he vanished in a cloud of smoke.

After Black Wind left, the Third Hokage sat in his office thinking for five minutes before speaking again. "Kakashi, come out. I have a job for you. Go to the Hyuga Clan and ask Hiashi what's going on with that Tianyun Hyuga. Remember not to make your questions too obvious. We don't want anyone getting suspicious..."

Poof!

A wisp of smoke flashed, and Kakashi appeared in the Hokage Office, his hair white and half his face covered. He asked the Third Hokage rather languidly, "Lord Hokage, Tianyun Hyuga is just a kid. Aren't you being a little too cautious?"

The Third Hokage shook his head repeatedly. "You haven't truly faced that child yourself. You wouldn't understand that peculiar feeling..."

At this point, the Third Hokage turned to gaze at the white clouds outside the window and said reflectively, "I sensed the same confidence in him that the First Hokage had-the confidence of someone at the very pinnacle of strength. I couldn't have mistaken it. He will surely become an extraordinary ninja."

Isn't that a bit too much praise? Kakashi silently marveled.

The Third Hokage glanced back at Kakashi and could tell that he did not quite believe him. But he had no desire to explain and simply said calmly, "Go to the Hyuga Clan. You don't need to worry about anything else. Just find out what you can about Tianyun Hyuga."

Since the Third Hokage had given his orders, Kakashi could only nod and agree. "Rest assured, Lord Hokage. I'll complete the mission..."

"I trust you to get things done. Just don't waste my time. You must return with your report before four this afternoon," the Third Hokage said.

"Uh..." Kakashi felt rather helpless. Apparently, the Third Hokage knew all about his reputation as the king of lateness and had warned him in advance.

"I'm off..." A little embarrassed, Kakashi hurriedly vanished in smoke.

After Kakashi left, the Third Hokage went up to the roof of the Hokage building. Gazing at the statues of the past Hokage behind it, he murmured to himself, "Tianyun Hyuga, Tianyun Hyuga... I wonder what changes this child's appearance will bring to Konoha..."

The instant the easygoing Third Hokage had met Tianyun, he had sensed that this was someone he could not ignore. His relaxed mood had vanished, never to return.

The Third Hokage stood on the rooftop, quietly thinking for two hours, then returned to the Hokage Office and began his day's work. At precisely three that afternoon, a wisp of smoke flashed inside the office building.

"Black Wind, how did the investigation go?" The Third Hokage set down his documents and questioned the newly returned Anbu ninja, his expression utterly serious.

Black Wind knelt on one knee and answered calmly, "Lord Hokage, Meicun Hyuga and Tianyun Hyuga are Leiyu Hyuga's wife and child."

"Three years ago, Leiyu Hyuga was killed during an A-rank mission in the Land of Lightning. Afterward, you gave Meicun Hyuga a large sum in compensation."

"Over the following three years, Meicun Hyuga worked hard to teach Tianyun Hyuga, hoping he would become a ninja like his father. But Tianyun Hyuga seems to have little talent for practicing Gentle Fist, and he is rather mischievous. He could be considered an ordinary child."

Hearing Black Wind's findings, the Third Hokage frowned slightly and asked, "Is that all? Wasn't there anything more detailed...?"

Black Wind thought for a moment before answering, "I questioned the three children who play with Tianyun Hyuga. One of them said that Tianyun Hyuga had decided to train hard and become a powerful ninja, and that he would no longer play with them. There was no other information."

The Third Hokage felt rather helpless. The information on Tianyun Hyuga was far too unremarkable. He sounded like nothing more than an ordinary child, making it difficult to connect him with the boy whose eyes were so confident and whose bearing was so unusual.

Troubled, the Third Hokage began tapping his pipe against his desk. After three minutes, he picked it up and took a deep puff. "You may go. Keep investigating Tianyun Hyuga. Be discreet, and don't let anyone find out..."

"Yes..." Black Wind vanished in smoke.

The Third Hokage still could not decide whether to let Tianyun enter the Ninja Academy. He planned to wait until Kakashi returned with his report before deciding, so he continued working through his unfinished paperwork.

An hour passed, and Kakashi appeared ten minutes later than scheduled. But the Third Hokage knew his temperament; being only ten minutes late was already normal for him. He asked Kakashi as soon as he appeared, "Kakashi, what did you find out?"

The Third Hokage's concern over Tianyun left Kakashi feeling rather helpless. Judging by what he had learned, Tianyun was just an ordinary Hyuga Clan child, hardly worth so much attention.

But since the Third Hokage had asked, he explained what he had learned, reporting the entire course of his visit to the Hyuga Clan, then quietly awaited the Third Hokage's decision.