POV Sarutobi Hiruzen
The silence of my office was broken only by the gentle crackling of my pipe. I took a deep drag, feeling the comforting warmth travel down my throat before releasing it in a long sigh.
My weary eyes skimmed over the documents before me, but my mind had been wandering ever since Dekai and Kenshin left the room.
Team Four. Tatsumaki Dekai, Hyūga Natsu, Kuroda Jimei, and Hoshino Kenshin.
Tatsumaki Dekai is an undeniably strong shinobi, a veteran of countless missions, a man who had served the village with unwavering loyalty. But as a mentor, I couldn't help but feel concern. Dekai had never been a man of kind words or pedagogical patience. His heart had been hardened by years of service, by the weight of invisible scars, and by the loss of his teammates.
Minato was gone, and Gasai… Gasai was still faithfully serving Konoha, but her service lay in the shadows, in the roots that upheld the village. I wondered if I done a mistake when I allowed Danzō to recruit her into his organization.
Team Four was my hope of softening the scars I saw in Dekai. I knew the Will of Fire is burning inside him, though faintly now. I hoped that guiding the next generation of shinobi would rekindle the flames in his heart.
And then there was Kenshin. The boy had surprised both teachers and classmates at the Academy, displaying a level of determination and discipline uncommon for his age. An orphan, just as Minato had been. Both had stood out early, both had faced the world without a home to call their own.
Perhaps that was why the boy had gravitated toward Naruto.
Naruto... The child so many whispered about in the shadows. The son of Minato and Kushina, condemned to isolation for something that he doesn't even understand.
When reports of Kenshin and Naruto's interactions reached my desk, I ordered the ANBU to investigate Kenshin's past and his actions within the village.
It was my duty to ensure the village's safety, and any influence over the jinchūriki need to be assessed with caution. But after extensive observation, nothing suspicious was found. Kenshin doesn't seem to have ulterior motives, and his friendship with Naruto appeared to be entirely genuine.
If anything, it might even be beneficial.
Naruto needed bonds, ties that would anchor him firmly to Konoha. If Kenshin, with his strong Will of Fire, became one of those ties, I would not stand in the way. Minato would have wanted that for his son.
If only Minato hadn't sacrificed himself...
I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of fatigue settle over me. The village would be a different place with Minato at the helm. Safer. Stronger.
He would never have allowed Naruto's isolation to happen. Perhaps even Kenshin would have found a clearer path under his leadership. But time did not turn back, and all I could do now was ensure that, at the very least, Kenshin could carve out a different destiny.
And for that, Dekai needed to guide him. He was the most suitable person for the task at present. I was certain he could see the parallels. Perhaps Kakashi could have done it, but he was not in a stable mental state since the Fox's attack.
I hoped Kenshin would grow into another strong symbol of the Will of Fire, as Minato had, and that perhaps leading his own team one day could heal the invisible wounds in Dekai.
My thoughts drifted to my former students. Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade. The prodigies I had tried to shape, to guide toward greatness. But in some ways, I had failed. They had forged their own legends in this ninja world through their own strength, but I had failed in the most important task.
Jiraiya, the only one who still returned to the village from time to time, but never to stay. Always searching for answers, for prophecy, for something that could save the world. But I wondered—when Jiraiya thought of his students, did he feel the same pain?
Tsunade, consumed by grief and bitterness, unable to remain in Konoha.
And Orochimaru… Orochimaru, my greatest failure. My pride, my shame.
I had seen the signs, the insatiable thirst for power and forbidden knowledge, and I had done nothing. I had believed I could bring him back, that I could save him. But I failed. And now, Orochimaru remained a shadow over my heart.
Failure weighed on my shoulders. I had failed as a sensei, and I felt like a failure as Hokage. I had worn this hat longer than any other, yet I felt I had failed to guide the village's new leaves.
But the ninja world had no pity for old leaves, and this mission for Team Four was proof of that. The presence of Renga Shuro and Jūzō Biwa. Missing-nin.
Yet what troubled me most was not the threat itself, but the fact that they knew. How had they learned about the ore transport? Were there spies within Konoha? Or was the situation even graver?
Rumors of a group of mercenary missing-nin near the Village of Rain had been circulating for some time, and I began to wonder if this interference in the mission was just one piece of a much larger game.
Before I could delve deeper into my thoughts, the door opened.
Danzō Shimura entered. My old war companion, my rival in so many debates over Konoha's future. There was a time when we walked side by side, sharing a common dream for the village.
But as the years passed, I realized that we disagreed more and more on how to achieve that future. Taking another drag from my pipe, I met my old comrade's gaze.
"I heard that Team Four found some nukenins during their mission." As always, he got straight to the point. "One of them was Renga Shuro."
I sighed, setting my pipe aside. I already knew where this conversation was heading. I could ask how he had learned something that had been reported only minutes ago, but I knew that was a discussion I wasn't willing to have today.
"Indeed." I confirmed, resting my hands beneath my chin. "The team was transporting an ore to the Village of Artisans when they encountered Renga Shuro and Jūzō Biwa. But the mission was a success. They completed their objective, Shuro was eliminated, and they returned without casualties."
"A victory by luck. Still, recovering that troublesome jōnin's body is a benefit—it prevents other villages from studying it for secrets." Danzō's words made me wonder where he was going with this, considering it had only been a C-rank mission. "And that boy, Kenshin? His talent is being wasted under an instructor like Tatsumaki."
I narrowed my eyes. So that's where you were heading, old friend.
"Dekai-kun is an excellent sensei. He is doing a fine job with Kenshin and the other students." I replied firmly.
"It is a waste to keep a prodigy in that team, especially with Tatsumaki as their instructor." Danzō insisted, tapping his cane against the floor. "We have already decided that Itachi will take the Chūnin Exams this year, haven't we? Kenshin should as well. Showcasing two prodigies in this year's exams would highlight Konoha's strength compared to other villages. It would also serve as a counterbalance to the Uchiha."
"The Uchiha are part of Konoha. Itachi has been a genin for a few years now and is a special case, while Kenshin has only just become a genin. Dekai is not like Yuuki—when Kenshin and his team are ready, he will recommend them for the exams." I responded calmly.
Danzō scoffed, his gaze filled with disdain. "Leaves can be pruned, Hiruzen. And some grow too wild if not properly guided."
"No. Kenshin must grow in the light, not the shadows. Root is not the place for a young genin!" I stated firmly. "This is my decision. I am the Hokage!"
Danzō was silent for a moment before turning to leave.
"You will regret this decision, Hiruzen."
I watched him go, then let out a deep sigh, my gaze shifting to the window. The familiar headache settled in.
Being Hokage had never been easy. But lately… it felt even harder.