Hokage Building, Office
'Knock, knock, knock!'
The insistent rapping interrupted the Third Hokage, who was gazing intently into a crystal ball, his face flushed crimson.
'Ahem'
The Third Hokage cleared his throat, silently dismissed the image on the crystal ball, and straightened into a dignified posture.
"Come in."
As soon as the words left his lips, Iruka entered the office, bowing respectfully. "Lord Third!"
'Hmm? Why is Lord Third's face so red?'
'Perhaps it's just his age causing high blood pressure.'
"Ah, Iruka. Do you have something to report?" the Third Hokage asked mildly, his voice exuding warmth and fatherly kindness. It was as if he were no village leader, but the kindly old man next door.
"Yes, Lord Third. It's been a month since the start of the school year. I've come to submit my class's student reports."
Iruka presented the document with both hands.
"My memory's failing me these days—must be my age," the Third Hokage chuckled self-deprecatingly, shaking his head as he accepted the reports and began reading.
The document detailed each student's performance and behavior during the first month, along with Iruka's analysis of their progress.
"How's teaching been going lately?"
After flipping through the documents for a while, the Third Hokage casually asked, "How are things going in your class, Iruka?"
Iruka replied in a grave tone, "Thank you for your concern, Lord Third. Everything is going well in the class."
"Hmm," the Third Hokage nodded slightly, continuing to review the documents. When he reached Uchiha Sasuke's file, his hand paused, and his gaze sharpened considerably.
"How is Sasuke doing now?" he asked Iruka softly, his eyes fixed on the file.
After a long silence, Iruka answered, "Lord Third, Sasuke's personality has undergone some changes."
"Hmm," the Third Hokage nodded faintly, unsurprised. It was only natural for someone who had experienced such trauma to be psychologically affected.
"Before, Sasuke projected an arrogant and aloof demeanor, treating his classmates with indifference. But it was clear that this was merely a child's way of masking his inner shyness and awkwardness—a pretense of strength and pride to hide his true self. Now, however..."
The former Sasuke had given off an air of cool arrogance, like a proud lion, unapproachable yet warm-hearted beneath his icy exterior.
Iruka sighed and continued, "Lord Third, I suspect Sasuke may now have schizoid personality disorder."
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "Continue."
"Sasuke now appears unnaturally calm, completely unlike..."
Iruka paused, considering his words carefully.
After a moment, he replied, "A withdrawn personality is characterized by a lack of interest in the outside world and a deficiency in emotional experiences.
Although Sasuke responds politely to greetings from his classmates and maintains impeccable manners, he never initiates conversations, avoids participating in group activities, and remains distant from his peers.
On the surface, Sasuke appears to have become more affable and polite, but he has completely shut himself off emotionally."
Iruka sensed a deep detachment beneath Sasuke's polite facade. His eyes seemed to look through everyone, or perhaps the one person he truly saw wasn't present.
Thinking about the tragedy that had befallen Sasuke, Iruka sighed inwardly.
'Wasn't I just like that once?'
During the Nine-Tailed Beast attack, he had witnessed his parents, both Jonin-level ninja, sacrifice their lives to protect the village.
This trauma had drastically altered his personality. He became the class clown at school, but when alone, he would often weep silently before the Konoha Memorial Stone.
'Only those who have experienced such inner pain can truly understand the weight of such a surface calm.'
"Is that so?"
A flicker of emotion crossed the Third Hokage's eyes as he silently puffed on his pipe, reflecting on Sasuke's behavior over the past two months.
Sasuke had attended school every day without fail, never late or absent. After classes, he would quietly retreat to the Uchiha compound to train in isolation.
Even in his interactions with others, he maintained a formal, businesslike demeanor.
The Third Hokage sighed as he gazed at the impassive face in the dossier, then set the document down.
"Iruka," he said.
"Yes, Lord Third!" Iruka replied.
"Where leaves dance, fire burns eternally. The First Hokage united the great clans to create this village. The Second Hokage inherited his predecessor's vision and founded the Ninja Academy. Beyond teaching children the skills to become shinobi, the academy must also instill in them the meaning of camaraderie. Just as a single raindrop cannot form an ocean, so too can no individual forge it alone. But when all drops converge, they become the sea."
The Third Hokage turned to Iruka and said earnestly, "Sasuke has sealed himself off, his current behavior strikingly similar to your own childhood. You must strive even harder now. I hope that under your guidance, Sasuke will one day become a true heir to the Will of Fire."
As he spoke, the Third Hokage sighed inwardly, recalling Uchiha Kagami, Uchiha Shisui, and Uchiha Itachi.
Guilt, longing, complexity, and conflict flickered across his gaze.
Iruka, oblivious to the Hokage's inner turmoil, straightened his posture and replied crisply, "Yes, Lord Third!"
The Third Hokage nodded slightly and continued, "What about that Naruto brat? How is he doing?"
At the mention of Naruto, Iruka's expression twisted between amusement and exasperation. "Lord Third, that kid is still as much of a handful as ever."
The Third Hokage chuckled. "I see you've finally accepted Naruto into your heart, Iruka."
"Yes, Lord Third. I'm grateful for your guidance in this matter."
Iruka nodded, his eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions.
Having lost his parents to the Nine-Tailed Beast, and with Naruto being widely rumored to be the demon fox's reincarnation, Iruka had initially struggled to face Naruto when he first became his teacher.
He had even considered resigning, pleading with the Third Hokage for a transfer.
In the end, the Third Hokage offered him two choices: either teach Uzumaki Naruto, trying to open his heart and accept the boy, or expel Naruto outright—out of sight, out of mind—and have him drop out of school.
Ultimately, the kind-hearted and gentle-natured Iruka chose the former.
"Though Naruto may seem brash on the surface, he's a remarkably sensitive child deep down. He's deeply lonely and craves recognition from others, but he hasn't quite figured out the right way to go about it yet."
As their time together grew, Iruka gradually uncovered Naruto's inner loneliness and slowly accepted him.
He understood Naruto's desperate need for validation, remembering how he himself had once craved the same acknowledgment as a child.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage nodded approvingly and burst into hearty laughter.