12

A week had quickly passed, and today marked the start of the Ninja Academy. In the morning, Haru had breakfast with the excited children. After the Dean repeatedly confirmed that he was ready, he finally headed out. The village was buzzing with energy, as many children and their parents were on their way to the school. The village was at its liveliest today, as even the shops offered discounts for the children.

Once Haru arrived at the school grounds, he stood in a remote area and began to look around. Slowly, he started to spot the various clans. First, he noticed the Inuzuka clan due to their dogs, then he began to see the others. The most prominent were the Hyuga, who were easily recognizable because of their distinctive eyes. A majority of the civilians kept their distance from them. The Uchiha also received similar treatment, with no one approaching them. The rest of the smaller clans were friendlier to the civilians. After more observation, Haru came to the conclusion that there were two powers in the village: the ninja clans who were present when the village was founded and the civilian ninja, who were weaker than the former but were rapidly growing due to favorable village policies.

Haru was lost in thought when suddenly a loud noise surprised him. He looked around and saw that many of the villagers were greeting someone. They were surrounding the area, making just enough space in the middle for two people to walk through. Haru didn't need to look to know who it was, as at that time in Konoha there was only one person who received such treatment - Mito, the wife of the First Hokage and likely the strongest ninja in the village. Unlike other clans, the Senju clan was the most beloved, due to their sacrifices for the stability of the village. This legacy didn't end with the First and Second Hokage, whose contributions need no recounting, but the rest of the clan was always at the forefront of every war. The Senju clan's blood was the lifeblood of what the village is today. Mito, as the wife of the First Hokage and head of the clan, her status in the village's heart was above anyone else, including the Third Hokage.

Haru suddenly noticed a boy running out and saw that it was Nawaki. He waved at him, and Nawaki spotted Haru, running towards him. "It's so hard," Nawaki said, panting. "A lot of people kept greeting us on the way, I felt like I would never make it to the school." Haru chuckled, responding, "Well, Mito-sama is very popular. Why didn't you just use ninjutsu to get here directly?" Haru asked, puzzled. Nawaki replied, "Grandma insisted, saying I should experience it like other children." Haru nodded and thought to himself that even with her status, Mito was still a normal grandmother who loved her family. He wondered how Mito would react when she learned of Nawaki's death. Suddenly, Nawaki nudged Haru, pulling him out of his thoughts, and said, "Look, look! It's the Third Hokage!" Haru looked and indeed saw the Third, or a younger version of the Third Hokage, who was still in his middle age at the time. Once again, a commotion began, with the excited villagers calling out for Mito and the Hokage. It took a while for the commotion to subside.

Nawaki was still complaining to Haru, "It was all that old lady's fault. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't be this late." Suddenly, a hand took Nawaki by his collar and said, "What did you just say, Nawaki?" Haru looked behind him and saw Mito, with her usual smile, looking at Nawaki with kind eyes. However, he couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine. This wasn't the first time he had met Mito; when he started training with Nawaki, Mito talked to him a few times. He had a good impression of her, as he did with the rest of the Senju clan, who treated him very well. Haru said a quick prayer for Nawaki before greeting Mito. "Hello, Mito-sama. You look really good today."

Mito laughed, responding, "Well, you also look nice today, Haru-kun." Then she scolded Nawaki, "Can't you be more polite like Haru-kun?" Nawaki replied stubbornly, "Well, aren't you my grandmother? Of course you're an old lady." Haru sighed at Nawaki's stubborn reply. It seemed like he was inviting trouble. In the end, Nawaki got two big bumps on his head from Mito's punch.

Mito, Nawaki, and Haru stood in their place and listened to the Hokage's speech on the will of fire. Nawaki's eyes were glittering as he nodded his head in agreement. Almost all of the kids were feeling excitement and responsibility for the village. Haru stood there and listened attentively, but in his heart, he knew that the Will of Fire was nothing more than propaganda to make the ninjas loyal 100% to the village, even at the cost of their loved ones. However, he couldn't bring himself to fully embrace this idea. He didn't see himself as someone who could make such sacrifices, nor did he believe in blindly following the village's will. If push came to shove, he wasn't sure if he could give everything for the village, or if he would be willing to sacrifice the village itself instead.

Mito noticed Haru's lack of excitement, but she refrained from commenting on it. In her heart, she believed that the more intelligent a person is, the more selfish they become. However, she also knew that being selfish wasn't always a bad thing, as it can sometimes help you stay alive.

In the end, Mito invited Haru to dinner. On their way back, Nawaki was still filled with excitement, looking forward to his future as a ninja. Haru didn't make any comments. During their way back, Mito engaged in small talk with them. Haru noticed Mito's increasing attention towards him, but he didn't mind, as it was beneficial to him.

Once they arrived at the house, Mito took them to her study. Before asking, "What do you think of the Hokage's speech today?" Nawaki answered first, "It was awesome! I can't wait to grow up and become a ninja." Mito nodded and asked, "And when you become a ninja, what do you plan to do?" Nawaki replied proudly, "Of course, I will protect the village." Mito asked again without comment, "What if you can't protect the village? The Second Hokage was a very strong and smart ninja, but in the end, he still sacrificed himself. If it was you, what would you do then?" Haru was surprised, but he remained quiet. Mito stayed there, waiting patiently for Nawaki's answer. After a moment, Nawaki put on a serious expression and said, "Yes, I will sacrifice myself for the village." Mito nodded and then looked at Haru, "What about you, Haru?" Haru knew he couldn't hesitate, he replied, "I, too, will sacrifice myself like the Second Hokage." Mito hummed before she asked, "Do you believe that everything should be sacrificed for the village?" Nawaki was the first to answer, "Of course." Haru then replied, "No." Nawaki looked at Haru in surprise, but before he could ask, Mito asked, "Well, why not?" Haru replied, "I don't think that sacrificing everything and anything to the village is the correct course of action. If we do that, Konoha would become a red, bloody leaf. Some sacrifices are too great, like sacrificing children. The First Hokage founded the village so that children wouldn't be sacrificed in the battlefield. If we sacrifice children now, wouldn't it be opposite to the First Hokage's ideology? I think if we do that, then Konoha wouldn't be the same Konoha that we all love and want to protect." Mito was truly taken aback at Haru's response. Although she knew Haru was smart, she didn't expect such an answer.

Haru drank his tea, waiting for a response. Despite their differing views, he knew that what Mito wanted was a smart person beside Nawaki to help him navigate through the politics of the village in the future. Breaking the silence, Mito spoke, "Haru, do you want to be my disciple?" Haru was taken aback by the proposal, as the thought had never even crossed his mind. Mito noticed the shock on Haru's face, so she waited for his response. After their previous conversations, she realized that Haru was far more intelligent than she had initially estimated, so she decided to take him on as her disciple. His character and intelligence impressed her. She wanted to help cultivate his abilities so he could become a remarkable ninja, not just for himself, but also for Nawaki and the village. Furthermore, she didn't want such a talented individual to be led down the wrong path due to inadequate education.

Haru stood up, bowed to Mito, and said, "Master." She smiled and told him not to be so formal, then after discussing his future training, Haru went back to the orphanage. On his way, Haru couldn't help but think that he needed to adjust some of his plans. From now on, with his new identity as Mito's disciple, many doors that were previously inaccessible would now be open to him.