[Hashirama Senju: A peaceful life, huh…]
Ever since learning that three Shinobi World Wars broke out after his death—and that other villages even deployed tailed beasts onto the battlefield—Hashirama had begun questioning whether distributing the tailed beasts had been the right decision.
[Madara Uchiha: Hmph. Hashirama, you always underestimated the darkness in human nature. Where there is light, there will always be shadows.]
[Tobirama Senju: Brother… your decision to distribute the tailed beasts…]
He paused.
"…Still, perhaps the future truly can become peaceful."
His gaze settled firmly on Nagi in the screen.
The footage continued.
Iruka called Naruto back into the classroom.
Iruka's feelings toward Naruto were complicated. His parents had died during the Nine-Tails' Attack. Deep down, he knew it wasn't Naruto's fault—but the emotional scar had not fully healed.
Naruto shouted proudly:
"Listen up! My name is Naruto Uzumaki! And I'm gonna become Hokage someday!"
Snickers filled the room.
Their parents had warned them not to associate with him. To them, Naruto looked like a clown.
Naruto ignored the laughter. Perhaps he had grown used to those looks.
He spotted Shikamaru and Nagi, eyes lighting up, and went straight to sit beside them.
Months passed.
After careful observation, Tobirama concluded that Nagi was not only extraordinarily gifted, but also kind-hearted and steady in temperament.
He formally accepted Nagi as his disciple.
During these months, Tobirama tailored a rational training regimen based on Nagi's physical data:
Kunai throwing.
Chakra control and storage.
Foundational conditioning.
One day, the Academy held an exam.
Nagi looked at the paper.
The questions were mostly:
Your views on life in Konoha.
Your opinion of the Third Hokage.
Your understanding of the Will of Fire.
It was less an exam and more a survey.
The livestream chat erupted.
[Ōnoki: Well now. Third Hokage, starting indoctrination from childhood?]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Ōnoki, don't speak nonsense. It is not indoctrination. I want children to establish the Will of Fire from a young age—to develop resolve and face hardship bravely.]
Konoha's shinobi were visibly moved.
[Ōnoki: …Hiruzen, you truly are something.]
Meanwhile, Hiruzen himself had begun sweating.
He vaguely remembered that, at the time… he might have been feeling a little too self-assured.
Inside the classroom—
"Nagi, allow me to answer this," Tobirama said calmly. "Let's see how Hiruzen responds."
"Yes, Sensei."
Nagi smoothly relinquished control.
Tobirama first offered a balanced evaluation of life in Konoha—acknowledging its strengths while pointing out structural weaknesses he had observed.
Regarding the Third Hokage, he offered praise—then criticism. He noted Hiruzen's tendency toward indecisiveness and encouraged him to show greater resolve.
Then—
The Will of Fire.
"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns on."
Tobirama directly criticized Hiruzen's interpretation as incomplete and overly idealistic. He wrote that the Will of Fire should evolve with the times and required refinement.
Objectively, nothing was unreasonable.
But—
It was the Second Hokage critiquing the Third Hokage.
Nagi saw no issue with it and handed in the paper.
That evening—
Hokage Tower.
As head of the Academy, Hiruzen personally reviewed the new generation's ideological essays—especially the Rookie Nine's class.
He began grading.
Shikamaru Nara:
"If I could just watch clouds and fish all day without worries, that'd be perfect."
"That lazy child…"
Chōji Akimichi:
"The grilled beef tongue and sirloin at my family's barbecue restaurant are excellent. Ichiraku Ramen is also delicious—the broth is rich, and the noodles are firm."
"Haha… now I'm hungry."
…
Most students wrote admiringly about him.
Their understanding of the Will of Fire was immature, but that could be corrected with more speeches.
Then—
He reached one paper.
Shiranui Nagi.
From beginning to end, it critiqued Konoha's governance.
It critiqued him.
It questioned his interpretation of the Will of Fire.
Hiruzen fell silent.
He drew slowly from his pipe.
"…Haaa…"
For the first time, a student had openly criticized him.
His expression darkened.
After a long pause, he wrote:
"Impractical. Overly ornate. Focus first on managing yourself. The Will of Fire is not something to be redefined casually."
Then he drew a large, unmistakable—
Zero.
"…I'll have to speak with him privately. He's getting rather close to Naruto."
The livestream exploded.
[Mei Terumī: Pfft—HAHAHA! The Third Hokage just gave the Second Hokage a zero!]
[Ōnoki: Impressive, Hiruzen. You refuted your own teacher's Will of Fire.]
[Fourth Raikage (A): Calling the Second Hokage's strategy impractical—bold!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: So THAT'S how Nagi got his score changed back then! Hahaha!]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: L-Lord Second, I—]
[Tobirama Senju: Silence!]
The entire shinobi world laughed.
Hiruzen wished for the earth to swallow him whole.
Back then, he had believed his understanding of the Will of Fire was thorough.
Confident.
Perhaps too confident.
But criticizing his own teacher's philosophy?
That was a different matter entirely.
The next day—
In the classroom—
Nagi and Tobirama stared at the paper.
"Um… Sensei…?"
Tobirama cleared his throat.
"Hmph. Hiruzen's understanding of the Will of Fire is disappointingly shallow. To dismiss my views outright… It seems Konoha has not progressed as well as I'd hoped."
"Nagi! Nagi! Look—90 points!"
Naruto rushed over, beaming.
This was the highest score he had ever received. For months, his ninjutsu and math scores had been in the single digits. This time, he had scored high.
Nagi set his paper down.
"Congratulations, Naruto."
"Hehe, you probably got a high score too—huh?"
Naruto froze.
Zero.
He checked both papers.
The names weren't switched.
"Ah—uh—don't worry, Nagi! You'll definitely do better next time!"
"Thanks, Naruto."
Soon, word spread.
Some students began snickering.
"Hmph, the teacher must've graded wrong! Nagi's not that bad!"
Naruto shouted back at them—but it changed little.
Inside Nagi's mind—
Tobirama's chakra was beginning to spike.
Nagi silently offered a moment of sympathy for the Third Hokage.
After school—
Naruto invited Nagi to Ichiraku Ramen, proudly declaring he had extra meal coupons.
Is he worried I'll feel bad?
Nagi glanced at Naruto, who was desperately trying to change the subject.
Perhaps—
Naruto understood pain better than anyone.