"Why bother? Just an ordinary child, and so many people are pleading for him. What a waste of time!" Danzō muttered with some regret over today's arrangement. After all, this child was nothing. He didn't even attend school regularly.
After saying that, Danzō gave a cold snort and turned to leave.
A child like this—even if kept—would at most reach the level of the average Hyūga clan members. What meaning was there in that?
He didn't want Anbu material, he wanted people who could be used by him, who could increase his own power. Since this boy was just an ordinary child, there was no need to waste time here any further.
Danzō regretted it—half a year had passed and he hadn't even thought about the boy much. Strange. What ability of his had caught Orochimaru's eye back then? Could it really have been just a coincidence during that child-snatching incident?
After all, Orochimaru had used plenty of ordinary children in his experiments. When he defected, he didn't even take someone like Mitarashi Anko with him. If this boy had really been stronger than Anko, how could Orochimaru have ignored him for half a year?
The more he thought about it, the more convinced Danzō became—this was just an ordinary child. He had truly wasted time and energy on him.
"Enough. He is the descendant of a martyr. We should not judge him harshly because of his shortcomings. We must treat every child equally and give them the same opportunities. Whether they can become shinobi or not will be decided later, during the Genin exams and class divisions. Very well—Hyūga Shigeo, you may enter the academy!"
At this moment, the Third Hokage finally stepped forward, saying these words full of benevolence before the gathered students and parents, displaying himself as a kind and magnanimous Hokage.
Everyone nodded. At the gate, the registrar's face flushed with embarrassment, then he hurriedly followed up:
"Y-yes, yes, Jiraiya-sama, please hand the child over to me. Today's mistake was mine. I should not have passed judgment based on his flaws. After all, there are still the Genin evaluations. As long as he can mold chakra, he has a chance to be a shinobi. Please, please, come in…"
"Good. The enrollment forms are filled out, right? Then I'll bring him in myself…"
Jiraiya did not hand Hyūga Shigeo over to the academy staff but personally carried him inside.
Shizune jumped up in delight. "Shigeo, I'll make you something delicious when you come home. I'll pick you up at lunch!"
"Make extra, cute little Shizune. I'll come eat too, hah!" Jiraiya chuckled lecherously as he looked back.
Shizune waved him off and headed toward the market.
Once inside the academy, Shigeo wriggled free from Jiraiya's arms. "Don't carry me! I'm already six years old. I don't need anyone to hold me!"
"Hahaha… come, sit here for a while." Jiraiya, unbothered, turned to a big tree and patted the bench beneath it.
Although Shigeo kept his eyes shut, his Mirror Perception was active. Every one of Jiraiya's actions and expressions was vividly projected in his mind.
He walked over and sat down beside him. It was the start of term; the campus was bustling, but under the cherry tree it was calm and cool.
April's cherry blossoms fluttered all around. Shigeo tilted his head up, gazing at the falling petals, savoring the fleeting peace.
"Haha…" Jiraiya suddenly laughed, then turned to stare directly into his eyes. "You can actually see, can't you?"
"Your task is finished. You can leave now," Shigeo replied.
"What task? Don't tell me you think Tsunade sent me here to help you, like that girl Shizune?"
At these words, Shigeo suddenly stood. That clearly wasn't the case then!
"You…"
"Haha, yes, you guessed it right. Wahahaha!"
Jiraiya's excitement was indescribable. Seeing that Shigeo had guessed the truth, he leapt onto the tree, then down again, grinning so wide it nearly split his face. He was like an overjoyed monkey.
Shigeo lowered his head. He knew there were no walls without cracks.
Gamamaru, that big-mouthed old toad! If Jiraiya wasn't sent by Tsunade, then it had to be that old toad who told him. Otherwise, how could he know of his existence?
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I know Orochimaru is looking to cause you trouble, and Danzō is watching you. I'll never reveal your strength to them. But—can you tell me, how can you train in Senjutsu (Sage Arts) on your own? And why is your facial mark seven-colored? Why?"
Jiraiya's eyes shone with curiosity, his face beaming as if he had discovered a new continent.
"I don't know. That night, I overheard some kids talking about how to refine chakra, so I went home to try… and it just happened," Shigeo explained.
"You can also use Rasengan? Did the Fourth Hokage teach you?"
"No. I just saw him use it once," Shigeo answered again.
Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Then—then—can you show me your Senjutsu?"
"No." Shigeo rose and headed toward the classroom.
"Hey, don't be like that! Show me, just once! Please?" Jiraiya chased after him.
Even as they entered class, Jiraiya still pestered him, though repeating the same pleas so others couldn't understand.
Finally, the bell rang, and Yamashiro Aoba walked in. Jiraiya still hadn't left.
"Jiraiya-sama, you're here? Are you teaching this class?" Aoba asked.
"No, no, I was just looking around. Shigeo, I'll pick you up after school. Bye-bye…"
Helpless, Jiraiya finally turned and left.
The rest of the time was for classmates to get to know one another.
This year's intake wasn't large. The Third Shinobi War had cost many shinobi, and fewer children were born around Shigeo's age.
Among this class of about thirty were Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Izumi, Hyūga Hikaru, Hyūga Shigeo, Inuzuka Hana, Aburame Torune, and others.
Their instructor was Yamashiro Aoba, a tokubetsu jōnin capable of reading others' memories. Though timid, his skills were outstanding.
In the Naruto storyline, he wasn't given much spotlight, but his abilities were formidable—he even survived close combat against the immortal duo in the later arcs.
"I didn't think you'd actually get in. I thought someone like you would just be sent away." Hyūga Hikaru, seated to Shigeo's right, leaned over and muttered.
(End of Chapter)
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