Tobirama Senju crossed his arms, eyeing the silently recuperating Seiji with a frown."Your talent is already terrifying. Don't tell me you seriously thought you could defeat Hatake Sakumo in his prime at your age? That man's strength is far beyond a normal jōnin—he's already at a kage's level."
After facing Sakumo's full power, Seiji had truly tasted what it meant to fight at that height. Relentless shockwaves from his blade, speed like lightning—every strike crushed down on him with pressure he had never felt before.
Even so, thanks to the natural defense of Water Release and the Sharingan's tracking and genjutsu, Seiji had managed to stay afloat. He couldn't mount much of a counterattack, but he was able to defend without panicking, always keeping himself safe.
To Tobirama, this alone was already remarkable for someone Seiji's age.But the boy's brooding silence afterward annoyed him. He looked as if his spirit had been shattered.
"…Seiji, are you sulking?"
"Are you… worried about me, Tobirama?" Seiji finally spoke, his tone laced with exhaustion.
"…Sort of. You are Konoha's prodigy, after all. As the Second Hokage, it's normal for me to care." Tobirama hesitated, then forced the words out.
Seiji's expression instantly shifted from brooding to absurd."Then stop worrying. I was just thinking about what to eat tonight."
"…?"
"I don't care about whether I can beat Sakumo. What I care about is whether he can hurt me. And from what I see, I'm fine. As long as I can survive and keep growing, I doubt anyone in the shinobi world will ever be my match."
Tobirama's face darkened. Damn Uchiha Seiji—wasting his concern and spouting arrogance straight out of the Uchiha playbook. Yet, deep down, he had to admit Seiji wasn't wrong.
Aside from monsters like Madara Uchiha or Hashirama Senju, who else could defeat him once he matured—this strange mix of Uchiha Izuna's will and his own potential?
And Tobirama didn't even know yet—Madara himself had started "exploding with gold coins" just like Seiji…
"You little brat, you—"
"Seiji-kun… can we talk?"
The interruption came from Sarutobi Asuma, who stepped out from the grass nearby. His gaze was complicated, his tone earnest. Within his eyes flickered admiration, nervousness, confusion… even a trace of longing.
Asuma had been training on the adjacent grounds with his clan's Fire Release when he saw the inferno erupt during Seiji's spar. Shocked, he had witnessed Kakashi being casually overwhelmed, and then Seiji trading blows with the White Fang of Konoha himself.
A peer of his age, calmly holding off Sakumo Hatake—how could that even be possible?That was the White Fang, the hero who carved through Sunagakure's army in the Second Great War with nothing but a blade!
But what shook Asuma more was Seiji's "Will of Fire."
Seiji's exam essay on the Will of Fire had become a poster child for the Academy—literally. His line, "When Konoha's leaves dance, the fire shall keep on burning," was plastered on the school wall as its official slogan.
Asuma had wanted to ask him about it for a long time. Today, the shock finally pushed him to act.
"…Asuma-kun, you want to talk with me? That's fine."
Seiji smiled gently at the rebellious-looking youth. This one was interesting.
The son of the Third Hokage, the sole surviving child after the Nine-Tails' attack. His future was guaranteed—a council seat at worst, an adviser to the Hokage if he applied himself.Yet Asuma wasn't the obedient type.
After the Third War, he had roamed, driven by whims, even questioning who truly embodied "the king." In a way, he had once doubted the very foundation of the Will of Fire.
A privileged heir rebelling against his own class—now that was interesting.
"So, where should we talk, Asuma-kun? Here, or somewhere quieter?"
"…P-please follow me, Seiji-kun! This isn't the best place."
He hadn't expected Seiji to agree so easily—or so warmly. The pressure of true strength was crushing. Asuma had prepared to beg, yet Seiji accepted without a hint of arrogance.
Twisting through alleys, Asuma led Seiji outside Konoha, into a secluded valley.
"It's safer here, Seiji-kun," Asuma explained awkwardly, scratching his head. "The old man… uses jutsu to spy on the village sometimes. This spot's a blind zone. I come here to smoke, so no one sees me. Whatever we say here won't be overheard."
Seiji chuckled inwardly. So Asuma just casually ratted out Hiruzen's telescope technique? Talk about filial piety. Seems the Sarutobi family bonds weren't so rosy.
Tobirama frowned. He knew Asuma was Hiruzen's youngest son.So why was the Hokage's heir sneaking off to meet with an Uchiha prodigy, badmouthing his father in the process?
"This monkey… doesn't even know how to be a father?" Tobirama muttered.
"…Says the man who never even got married," Seiji deadpanned, shooting him a look before nodding to Asuma. "Go ahead. Ask."
Asuma inhaled deeply, then finally voiced his confusion:
"Seiji-kun, can you tell me… what is the Will of Fire? I know your score on it was the highest in the Academy, but… do you truly believe in it? And if you do, why did you choose to believe?"
"Please… give me an answer, Seiji-kun."