Chapter 55 — A "Reassuring" Disciple
Silence once again settled over the Hokage's office.
Beyond the window, faint village noise drifted in—subtle proof that time continued to move forward.
Yami had anticipated this reaction. He was in no hurry.
Hiruzen slowly lowered himself back into his chair. His fingers reached instinctively for his pipe—only to grasp empty air.
He did not bend to retrieve it.
Instead, he lifted his gaze and studied the young man before him anew.
As Hokage, he had personally reviewed the graduation files of Nawaki's class. He remembered this civilian-born boy who had taken first place. Back then, he had admired the lad's combat intelligence—but lamented his lack of bloodline background and what seemed like average innate talent. He had assumed the boy's ceiling would be limited.
And yet now—
He was witnessing that same boy's transformation.
The talent and strength displayed today would shock the shinobi world.
The near-instinctive mastery over Water Release.
The pure and powerful Adamantine Sealing Chains.
And most of all—
The Flying Thunder God technique, a jutsu even Hiruzen himself had never mastered.
In that moment, much of the suspicion and testing in Hiruzen's heart melted like frost under sunlight.
What replaced it was something harder to articulate.
Relief.
Relief that such a brilliant successor had emerged.
Relief that Yami had not been crushed by internal political struggles before reaching his potential.
No longer did he see Yami as a mere Konoha chūnin to be interrogated.
He now saw him as a future pillar of the village—an extraordinary rising star that must be carefully protected.
"I understand."
After a long pause, Hiruzen finally spoke. His tone was far gentler than before.
"Your abilities, your experiences, and the details of your mission—since they involve personal secrets, the village will not compel you to make them public."
He paused meaningfully.
"With the turmoil in Kirigakure, the fact that you preserved yourself under such peril—and even rescued surviving Uzumaki—counts as a significant contribution."
Yami, having lived two lifetimes, caught the shift immediately.
The Third Hokage was extending protection.
And an invitation.
Understanding that this was the moment to clarify his stance, Yami withdrew several scrolls from his robes.
"Thank you for your understanding, Third Hokage-sama. These are materials I obtained from a Kirigakure laboratory. They relate to recent experiments. I do not fully understand their contents, but they may hold value for the village."
These were the surplus documents he had swept from the A-1 laboratory—items the system deemed worthless.
Since they could not be converted into points, they might as well serve as goodwill.
He had already reviewed them.
They contained failed research notes concerning Three-Tails chakra and early, incomplete jinchūriki experiments.
Their practical value was limited—insufficient to create a stable jinchūriki.
But they were more than enough to explain why the Three-Tails had lost control and rampaged.
And sometimes—
An explanation was more valuable than the truth.
Hiruzen picked up the scrolls and skimmed through the densely packed data and diagrams. Even without reading everything in detail, the clearly marked words—"Three-Tails," "Uzumaki," "Sealing Formula"—were enough for him to piece together the "truth" behind Kirigakure's tailed beast rampage.
He did not mind that Yami had held something back.
After all, if one suspected betrayal from within, who could hand over everything without reservation?
"These materials are valuable. Your contribution to this mission will be recorded. Return and await further evaluation."
Hiruzen put the scrolls away, his gaze toward Yami noticeably warmer now.
Yami had displayed strength, clarified his stance, and offered a token of allegiance.
Hiruzen, in turn, acknowledged his merit and extended trust.
A tacit understanding had been reached.
"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave," Yami said at the right moment.
Hiruzen nodded. "Go. The village will properly arrange for the Uzumaki survivors. You've worked hard. Take this time to rest."
Yami glanced at Tsunade. The two shared a silent understanding and exited the Hokage's office together.
---
Not long after the heavy wooden door closed, it opened again.
The three elders entered, their expressions grim.
Shimura Danzō spoke first, his lone eye gleaming coldly.
"What did that brat say that required such secrecy? If you ask me, he should be transferred to Root. I have ways to make him reveal everything—and ensure his obedience."
Homura Mitokado remained silent, but his gaze was questioning.
Koharu Utatane, still unsettled from earlier, added sharply, "Danzō is right. This concerns the village's safety. Better to wrongly eliminate than to let danger slip by. His temperament and abilities are far too suspicious. He must be thoroughly investigated."
Facing the combined pressure of his old comrades, Hiruzen slowly rose, retrieved his fallen pipe, and relit it. After taking a deep drag, he spoke calmly.
"This matter ends here. Namikaze Yami's mission report contains no inconsistencies. He has already explained his experiences in Kirigakure to me."
"As for his abilities and personal fortune—they pose no threat to the village. On the contrary, they strengthen Konoha. As a member of this village, I trust his loyalty and conduct."
"Hiruzen, you—" Danzō began, clearly unwilling to relent. He knew too well the covert moves he himself had made. If Yami were allowed to establish himself firmly, it would spell endless trouble.
"I said, it ends here."
Hiruzen's voice suddenly sharpened, the authority of decades in power crushing any further dissent.
"Konoha needs unity. Yami is a shinobi of Konoha, not our enemy. The Will of Fire is about inheritance—not underhanded maneuvers unworthy of the light."
His gaze locked onto Danzō as he finished, the implication unmistakable.
Danzō's face darkened. He attempted to speak several times, but each effort faltered beneath Hiruzen's unwavering stare.
In the end, he let out a cold snort and stormed out.
Koharu and Homura exchanged glances. Seeing that the Third Hokage's decision was final, they voiced nominal support and withdrew.
---
After everyone had left, Hiruzen stood alone by the window, looking toward the carved faces upon the Hokage Monument. His thoughts churned.
One conclusion grew clearer in his mind:
He had to bind Namikaze Yami firmly to Konoha—firmly to the Hokage's lineage.
He could not allow him to drift freely, nor fall under the influence of other factions—especially Danzō's Root.
Danzō's barely concealed intentions earlier had clarified many things for him. He could now even speculate why Yami had been repeatedly targeted.
His first thought was to take Yami as his personal disciple. Given the potential the young man had displayed, he more than qualified.
But Hiruzen already had the Sannin—three exceptional disciples. And he no longer had the time or energy to devote the meticulous attention a prodigy like Yami required.
He shook his head and dismissed the idea.
Then another candidate came to mind.
His most brilliant and gifted student—
Orochimaru.
Both of them were civilians by birth. Orochimaru was immensely powerful, proficient in countless jutsu, and possessed a uniquely deep understanding of various systems of power.
"When Orochimaru returns, I will speak with him."
Hiruzen made his decision, a faint, satisfied smile appearing on his face.
He had always trusted that disciple—perhaps even taken pride in him.
In his mind's eye, he could already see Konoha's future flourishing under such talents.
He never once imagined—
That the disciple he trusted most had already begun touching things best left forbidden.