"How's the ninjutsu I taught you coming along, Sasuke?"
In a simple, traditional room, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Sasuke sat at a table, having a meal.
After a few bites, Hiruzen put his chopsticks down on the table and asked softly.
"Grandpa, that jutsu is a bit difficult. I haven't mastered it yet..."
Hearing Hiruzen's words, Sasuke also set his chopsticks down, responding a little sheepishly.
"You silly child."
Hiruzen smiled at Sasuke's reaction and gently patted his head.
---
"Here, eat more meat. That'll help you grow taller and stronger faster. I'm already getting old; I hope I'll live to see the day you make your name known to the world."
Noticing the hesitation on Sasuke's face, Hiruzen gently placed a piece of meat into Sasuke's bowl.
"Grandpa, I don't want to eat this..."
Seeing the meat in his bowl, Sasuke grimaced in distaste.
"Aren't you trying to uncover the truth you've been searching for? You can't achieve that with a body like yours."
Seeing Sasuke's rebellious expression, Hiruzen replied casually. His brows furrowed slightly as he instinctively reached for the pipe on the table. However, upon seeing Sasuke, he tapped the table and put the pipe back down.
---
"The truth I'm searching for?" Sasuke's heart skipped a beat at Hiruzen's words.
"You've been secretly investigating the truth behind the Uchiha clan's massacre, haven't you? I've always known. But one day, when you're older, you'll understand: sometimes, the truth isn't as important as you think."
Seeing Sasuke's reaction, Hiruzen spoke calmly.
"How can the truth not matter? My entire Uchiha clan was wiped out in one night, including my parents... And you expect me to believe that my brother is the culprit? How can I accept that?"
Sasuke erupted at Hiruzen's words. He couldn't believe his elder brother, Itachi, could commit such a cold-blooded act. The supposed motive—a laughable sense of duty—only deepened his disbelief.
---
Since Itachi's departure, he had sealed away Sasuke's memories of their confrontation, leaving Sasuke's mindset relatively unchanged.
"Child, one day you'll understand."
Watching Sasuke bristle like an agitated kitten, Hiruzen sighed softly.
Having experienced battles with Itachi, Hiruzen had grown indifferent to many things. His primary focus now was to help Sasuke grow stronger and become his successor.
Everything else was left to fate. With one foot in the grave, Hiruzen had grown detached from old grudges and rivalries. They no longer mattered.
Compared to his past inner conflicts, Hiruzen's current state of mind was peaceful.
---
"Grandpa, can't you just tell me the truth? Is there more to this than meets the eye?"
Sasuke stared at Hiruzen's increasingly aged face as he asked earnestly.
"Child, focus on becoming stronger. Only the strong are qualified to uncover the truth. If you're too weak, even knowing the truth would amount to nothing. You'd still be powerless to act."
Hiruzen's words, delivered while locking eyes with Sasuke, reverberated in the boy's heart.
"But if I don't know the truth, I..."
Hiruzen's words left Sasuke silent. His mind was consumed by this unresolved mystery. Without answers, he couldn't concentrate on training.
---
"Can't live without the truth? Can't focus on your training without it? If that's all you're capable of, you're nothing but a disappointment."
Hiruzen intercepted the thought Sasuke hadn't yet voiced.
"Grandpa, I..."
Hiruzen's blunt words made Sasuke lower his head.
"Child, many things in life are both complex and simple. All misfortune stems from weakness. You must strive to become strong. Only then will you live a fulfilling life, free from the grip of misfortune."
Hiruzen gently ruffled Sasuke's hair.
After all, wasn't he himself a victim of weakness?
When Tobirama passed too early, Konoha lost its pillar of support, leaving it vulnerable to the prying eyes of other villages.
With the absence of Hashirama and Tobirama, the village's major clans began vying for power, creating internal and external strife.
Had he been stronger in his youth, had he dedicated more time to training, he wouldn't have become a mere puppet upon taking the Hokage seat.
Even the remaining members of the Senju clan, though outwardly supportive, harbored ulterior motives.
The Uchiha, Hyuga, and other powerful clans all sought to secure their own interests amidst the chaos.
---
His foundation was nothing more than the fractured Sarutobi clan and the remnants of a few Shimura clansmen. Even if the Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans united, they were but ants in the eyes of the larger clans.
What did he have to fight with? He had no strength to rely on, no substantial foundation to speak of.
He rose to power solely on the basis of Tobirama's dying words. Who could truly understand the hardships and challenges he faced?
But in the end, he still triumphed.
He successfully united the Hidden Leaf into a cohesive force.
Although he made some decisions he came to regret, so what? He had no regrets in his heart.
The current state of affairs was the result he had aimed for.
He had fulfilled his teacher's mission and lived up to Tobirama's trust.
Though some of the remaining members of the Senju clan, out of hatred or other reasons, refused to marry into civilian families, he and Danzo orchestrated their downfall.
Even so, the Senju bloodline persisted in this world.
As for the surviving members of the Senju clan, they had long since changed. Those who held high positions had already fallen into decadence.
Their deaths were merely the consequences of their own actions.
...
In an instant, Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind was flooded with countless memories. His sallow, aging face gained a trace of color.
It was as if he were recalling one battle after another, the thrill of victory.
The satisfaction of removing obstacles as one careful plan after another fell into place.
He exuded the aura of a charismatic yet ruthless leader.
"Alright, Grandpa. I'll train hard," Sasuke said softly, hearing Hiruzen's advice and sensing the alternating cold and dazzling presence emanating from him.
"Eat more meat, Sasuke. The future belongs to your generation... Although you young people may not experience the same hardships we did, you'll face challenges of your own. I just hope you grow strong and live a fulfilling life. Don't let your life be filled with regrets," Hiruzen said, his calloused hand gently stroking Sasuke's cheek, his fingertips lightly brushing his ear. His tone was kind and soft as he repeated his words.
...
"Okay, Grandpa. I'll make sure to eat more and grow up quickly," Sasuke replied.
"I'll train hard to become stronger and stronger," he added, his voice filled with resolve.
Hearing Hiruzen's emotional advice, tinged with sorrow, Sasuke's determination solidified.
He silently reminded himself not to become arrogant just because his strength surpassed that of his peers and classmates.
The road ahead was still long.
The burdens he carried were not something his carefree classmates could ever comprehend.
...
...