"Alright."
Akiaoi Shinya looked at Sasuke Uchiha's determined face and slowly nodded.
Itachi Uchiha was his comrade. Sasuke was Itachi's brother. Whether it was out of concern for a fellow disciple, or his own lingering doubts about Itachi's defection, Shinya couldn't refuse.
He knew Itachi well. He knew exactly how much Itachi cared for Sasuke.
Until he saw Itachi in the flesh, Shinya, as his teammate, would never believe the rumor that Itachi had killed the Third Hokage with his own hands.
And among everyone, Sasuke Uchiha was the person most likely to uncover the truth.
Because in Shinya's heart, Itachi Uchiha would always be that exceptional ninja who cherished his little brother above all else.
Three days later.
Shinya brought Sasuke to the Hokage's office.
He informed Tsukimi Heshu of his plan to take Sasuke on a training journey.
Heshu nodded. "Good. Travel safely."
That was all the Hokage said.
He hadn't expected Sasuke to seek out Shinya. Kakashi must have played matchmaker.
Shinya looked at his teacher, worry in his eyes. "Sensei, you need to rest more. If the administrative work is too much, you can delegate it to the department. Don't push yourself too hard."
A faint smile touched Heshu's lips, one that couldn't quite mask the weariness underneath. Ever since the news of Itachi's betrayal had broken, he seemed perpetually tired.
A heavy feeling settled in Shinya's chest.
Nara Sōsai, whose view was completely blocked by the mountainous pile of documents on his own desk nearby: "…"
Truly, the Hokage's prized disciple! Did the Administrative Department not count as people?!
Sōsai's eyes were vacant, his soul already sucked dry by the paperwork.
"Sensei… don't be too sad."
After a long hesitation, Shinya finally said it. Ever since Itachi's defection, everyone in the village avoided mentioning Itachi's name in front of the Hokage, afraid of tearing open a wound. No one could be more hurt than Heshu, the teacher who had placed such immense trust in his student.
Heshu took a deep breath. "I'll be fine."
He could hold on. The only truly heartbreaking thing was that his retirement date had once again been pushed into the distant, hazy future. It looked like he needed to start grooming the next Hokage.
Wait.
Heshu jolted.
Why was he, a spy, worrying about cultivating Konoha's next Hokage?!
The corner of his mouth twitched. He needed to correct his thinking. He'd been playing Hokage for so long he was starting to forget who he really was. After things settled down a bit, he should summon Black Zetsu for a little chat. Reaffirm his identity.
"What does she have to be sad about?" Sasuke's voice cut in, thick with resentment. He glared daggers at Heshu. "Living the good life, eating and drinking well. Happier than anyone!"
When Heshu glanced over, Sasuke scoffed and looked away, refusing to meet his gaze.
Heshu: "…"
He had completely given up on gaining any favor from this kid. Sasuke's Favorability rating towards him had probably crashed deep into the negatives by now.
"Sasuke!" Shinya frowned, his tone scolding.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, turning his head away. The line of his jaw was pure defiance.
Heshu wasn't about to pick a fight with a child. "It's fine, Shinya."
Even with Heshu showing such tolerance, the little brat just let out another cold snort.
Worried Sasuke would only cause more upset if he stayed, Shinya decided to depart early with his new student.
As they passed through Konoha's main gate, Sasuke looked back. His gaze swept from the village streets up to the Hokage Monument. He gave one final, icy hmph before turning away.
"Sasuke, that was disrespectful."
Once they were on the road, Shinya addressed it. He understood the boy's feelings, but his behavior had been out of line.
Sasuke was still a child. He'd never faced real hardship. He believed all grief had to be written on one's face, and so was blind to the pain hidden deep in the heart. That's why Sasuke thought Hokage Heshu—Itachi's most respected teacher—felt nothing about what happened.
As Itachi's brother, Sasuke couldn't tolerate that. Hence, the hostility.
But one day, Sasuke would grow up. He'd learn to cry on the inside.
Facing his brother's teammate, and his soon-to-be teacher, Sasuke pressed his lips together. He didn't argue back, but offered a defense. "I just think she's… cold."
Cold?
Shinya was taken aback. Then, he chuckled helplessly. That was the first time he'd ever heard anyone use that word to describe his teacher.
All Shinya had ever heard were praises for Heshu. Praises for her strength, her sense of responsibility, her kindness. Cold was a new one.
Shinya shook his head, his voice utterly serious. "Sasuke, what you see is the Hokage. You've never seen my teacher as just a regular ninja."
Having spent more time with Heshu, knowing her better, and witnessing her rise to Hokage firsthand, Shinya felt he had the right to refute Sasuke's assessment.
"Then what kind of ninja is she?"
Sasuke looked up at Shinya, his eyes searching earnestly. Fifth Hokage Tsukimi Heshu was famous across the shinobi world. But if you stripped away all the titles and accolades, what was left? This was something Shinya could answer.
And so, on the long road to the Village Hidden by Clouds, Shinya began to tell Sasuke stories about Heshu. Stories from before the Third Great War ended, when Heshu was still unknown. A good portion of these tales Shinya had pried out of Juri Uchiha, who had been Heshu's teammate and, like Shinya, held her in high regard.
Back in Konoha.
Sitting in his office, Heshu listened to the system sporadically reporting small increases in Sasuke Uchiha's Favorability rating. His expression was complicated, his face a veritable palette of shifting colors.
Who could tell him why Sasuke Uchiha had suddenly decided to hate him a little less?
Finally, the Favorability rating settled at -50.
Remember, it had been at -120 before.
Heshu rubbed his chin. His good disciple, Akiaoi Shinya, must have worked some magic.
Elsewhere, Naruto Uzumaki, training alone, was suddenly ambushed.
A single "One Thousand Years of Death" technique later, Naruto's face instantly turned green.
"Guh… guh-guh…"
Clutching his rear, his entire body trembling, Naruto whirled around. He was going to see which ruffian dared to assault Uzumaki Naruto right here in Konoha!
"Pervy Sage!"
Seeing the man standing before him, sporting that lecherous grin, Naruto felt his sanity fray.
"Ahahaha! Naruto, I was just testing your awareness!" Jiraiya laughed, scratching his head when he saw Naruto's eyes narrow into slits. "See? One test and the results are clear! Your guard is way down!"
Naruto squinted. "Oh, is that so?"
Jiraiya gave two awkward chuckles. "Of course! Don't be mad! How about, to make it up—"
"To make it up, you let me test the power of One Thousand Years of Death on you?" Naruto interrupted.
Jiraiya's face stiffened. "Th-that won't be necessary… right?"
A sly smile spread across Naruto's face. "Let's try it! Let the Pervy Sage experience it for himself!"
Jiraiya: "…"
Ahem. "Actually! I came to find you for something important!" Jiraiya suddenly became deathly serious, masterfully changing the subject.
Naruto paused. "What is it?"
He was confused. He already knew about Sasuke's departure. Aside from the sadness, all he felt now was a burning drive. Sasuke was off chasing strength. Uzumaki Naruto wouldn't be left behind. That's why he'd been training solo.
"Well, I promised Heshu yesterday that I'd take you on a training trip!" Jiraiya puffed out his chest, striking a pose of a transcendent master.
Naruto's face lit up. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go!"
He promptly forgot all about the earlier ambush.
Jiraiya grabbed Naruto and whisked him out of Konoha, not even giving the boy time to pack.
"Let me go! I need to say goodbye to my sister!"
He hadn't packed. He hadn't told his sister Risshie! As for the other person at home… Naruto knew that getting a lazybones like the Pervy Sage to take him training had to be his sister Heshu's doing. He didn't need to notify her.
"Don't worry about it!"
Jiraiya carried Naruto straight out the village gates.
Two figures grew smaller and smaller against the setting sun.
After work, Heshu returned home to an empty house and what appeared to be its sole stay-at-home elder—Hanzo.
Hanzo was knitting a sweater, his expression detached.
"Hanzo. Naruto's gone."
Watching Hanzo's fingers dance deftly through the yarn, Heshu felt the need to point this out. Naruto probably wouldn't be back for three years. Who knew what size he'd be by then? Knitting clothes now was a waste.
Heshu was genuinely starting to worry about Hanzo's mental state. Had all these years as a live-in caretaker slowly corroded the man's warrior spirit with… maternal instincts? He needed Hanzo on the battlefield later! He couldn't have the man suddenly taking up knitting at a critical moment!
Heshu was filled with worry.
"I know." Hanzo's hands didn't stop. He glanced at Heshu. "This is for you."
Heshu: "…"
With Konoha's resident ball of energy gone, the village grew noticeably quieter.
The younger generation threw themselves into missions and training, none wanting to fall too far behind their peers. The recent Chunin Exams had lit a fire under them. Whether it was Neji Hyuga—a year older and completely outclassing them—or the sudden appearance of someone like Kabuto Yakushi, Konoha's rookies had been made keenly aware of the gap.
While they might seem ordinary within Konoha, placed on the wider shinobi stage, each of them was a prodigy. Faced with others of equal talent, who wanted to be left in the dust?
Thus, the rookies trained with ferocious intensity.
Their efforts didn't go unnoticed. If the Genin were working this hard, what excuse did the Chunin and Jonin have to slack off?
A frenzied training craze swiftly swept through Konoha. Everyone was caught in the rat race.
Heshu and Nara Sōsai's desks soon groaned under piles of new applications for rank promotions.
The two men looked at each other across the office. No words were needed. Only a thousand silent lines of tears.
The regular administrative workload was already crushing. Did these ninja have to add to it?
Later, the "thousand lines of tears" club dwindled to a membership of one: Nara Sōsai.
One lonely, desolate dead of night.
Sōsai sat alone in the office, staring at the mountainous stacks of documents. A strained smile was plastered on his face.
He reached up, his fingers gently touching his own hair.
A single tear traced a path down his cheek.
"My hair…"
"Where did it all go…"
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