Chapter 108: Dreams
The BBQ Restaurant.
"Not bad. I truly admire you, but there's one more thing you must pay attention to." Seeing Kiba's burning fighting spirit, Tonbo Tobitake nodded in approval.
"Pay attention to what?" Kiba was completely lost in the series of compliments, especially under Akamaru's admiring gaze.
"If your classmates are just like you, constantly shouting about wanting to be the Hokage, what should you do?" Tonbo didn't answer directly.
Kiba: "Impossible! I'm the Hokage." He thought about it, realized he hadn't grown up yet, and added, "So... what should I do?" His little head's CPU was struggling to keep up.
"So smart! I didn't expect you to be so humble as to ask for advice at only four years old. Truly a future Hokage. As your senior, my answer must not disappoint you." Tonbo spoke with great solemnity. "I'm going to entrust you with my entire research on how to become the Hokage. Are you prepared?"
Kiba turned solemn. "I'm prepared!"
Woof! Sensing the atmosphere, Akamaru also stood at attention.
Beside them, Hana Inuzuka and the Haimaru brothers looked at their foolish kin with the kind of pity reserved for the mentally impaired.
"Very good. If they keep shouting that they want to be Hokage, do you think they actually want the position?"
"Definitely." Kiba gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to lose.
"But what if their grades are terrible, yet they still shout about being Hokage?"
"Can you be Hokage with bad grades?" A giant question mark appeared in Kiba's mind. His brain was once again failing to process the logic Tonbo was outputting.
But Tonbo helped him turn the gears: "Of course. Because they might be secretly studying, waiting until they graduate to become Genin and then shocking everyone with a sudden explosion of brilliance to snatch the position of Hokage!"
"How despicable! That's low!" Kiba gnashed his teeth.
"Here, this piece of meat is delicious. For you, and for Akamaru too." Tonbo didn't rush his words. To increase his credibility, he piled the plates of Kiba and Akamaru high with meat.
As the saying goes: One's hand is shortened by taking, and one's mouth is softened by eating. This was a very subtle way to build trust. Psychology was a core part of the Intelligence curriculum at the Academy, and Tonbo was currently using it on a four-year-old.
Only after they had eaten did he continue: "However, my method gives you a much higher success rate. You must listen to me."
"Mhm, mhm!" Kiba chewed and swallowed the beef in a gulp.
"You must be upright and honorable. In every single exam, you must show your true strength and get the best grades. We will take the position of Hokage out in the open. If they shout about being Hokage but have bad grades, tell me now—what are they actually doing?" Tonbo's voice was sonorous.
"They... they're secretly studying!"
"And if their grades are good, what are they doing?"
"They also know the secret to becoming Hokage, and they're trying to snatch it away honorably!"
Tonbo gave him a thumbs up. "Exactly. You must learn from the Third and Fourth. They both came from the Ninja Academy, and they both had near-perfect or perfect scores. That is why they became Hokage. Now tell me, can you do it?"
"I can!" At a young age, Kiba gave a powerful, clanging answer.
"And if you can't? What if you get lazy and say you're not suited for studying, that you're not Hokage material, and you just give up?"
Kiba didn't quite know what "giving up" meant in that context, but he knew he couldn't say he was incapable. He was strong! "I won't! I'm definitely going to be the Hokage."
"Good. Firm. But that's not enough. You have to make an oath," Tonbo continued.
An oath? Kiba was dazed.
Tonbo looked at Akamaru. "You know, you're still small. You only think being Hokage is cool, but you don't know the real benefits. I'll tell you: once you're Hokage, you can establish a 'National Dog Festival.' You can make Akamaru the King of Dogs for a day, receiving the worship of every dog in the village. You don't want Akamaru to be mocked by other dogs, do you? You wouldn't want to let him down, right?"
Woof! Woof! When Akamaru heard he could have his own festival and be the Dog King—imagining a day where the Haimaru brothers would have to bow and scrape before him—he immediately signaled to Kiba that they had to work hard together.
Kiba's blood was boiling. He looked into Akamaru's eyes with deep emotion. "I swear! I won't let Akamaru down! I will become Hokage and establish the Dog Festival!"
Tonbo felt the deal was sealed. He didn't even bother asking about punishments for failing the oath, because he believed in Kiba's bond with Akamaru and his own competitive nature.
He felt a secret glee. He wondered if the Ninja Academy would become very interesting in the future. Would Kiba really become the "King of Grinders" at the Academy because of this string of lies?
The children of the ninja world were different from those of his previous life. In a world where kids were already jealous and competitive by age six, they possessed both a child's innocence and a more mature mindset. Kiba would remember this.
Tonbo called the waiter to bring more food until Kiba was completely satisfied. He had plenty of money, after all; treating two kids and a dog was pocket change—it's not like they were Hinata.
"So delicious!"
Woof!
Hana and the Haimaru brothers looked at Kiba and Akamaru with pity, but they didn't speak up. They just enjoyed the free meal. Hey, I thought I'd be hit by Sensei's Genjutsu, but I got a free feast instead without paying a price. Thanks for your sacrifice, Kiba, Hana thought triumphantly.
"Hana, how about you? You graduate in a year and a half. How are your grades? Want me to tutor you? I'm a Jonin, I'm top-tier at this. But I'll have to charge for that—it's to motivate you for your future missions." Tonbo said meaningfully.
Recently, he had finished his major tasks and returned to a leisurely period. Working, raising his kids, and practicing Ninjutsu... he actually had plenty of spare time.
Woof woof! The Haimaru brothers were the first to refuse. They didn't want to be tortured.
Hana didn't want to either, so she kicked the ball to Kiba: "Teacher, I think you should be hired as Kiba's private tutor. I think my parents would agree. After all, doesn't he want to be the Hokage?"
Kiba got excited. The old man might be ugly, but he recognized Kiba's greatness! "Sis, you're right! I need to study hard to become Hokage and start the Dog Festival! Let's tell Mom and Dad as soon as we get back. We'll hire the ugly old man to teach me how to be Hokage."
Tonbo stroked his chin. It sounded interesting. He had to set aside time for his own kids anyway; teaching Kiba on the side wasn't a bad idea. Kiba was a famous character from the original series and quite talented—far more so than Iruka.
If he remembered correctly, during the Great War, Kiba used a move that could break a Triple Rashomon. If he got just a bit stronger, wouldn't he be more powerful than Naruto's four-tailed Tailed Beast Ball? The thought was entertaining. Plus, he could earn some extra cash. You can never have too much money—even Kakuzu worked diligently for nearly a hundred years.
"Kiba, go home and talk to them. Let me teach you how to become Hokage. Just tell your parents Tonbo Tobitake agreed; I'll even give them a discount."
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