"A new mission?"
Inside the Hokage's office of Konoha Village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was not smoking. It wouldn't do to light a pipe in front of a child. He simply smiled, nodded once, and spoke gently.
"Yes. A new mission."
He folded his hands atop the desk. The kindness that usually filled his eyes faded, replaced by a rare solemn weight.
"I don't know whether you've realized this yet, Hiroki-kun, but Konoha has always been facing a crisis far greater than any single battlefield."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"Your actions in the Land of Rain were… extraordinary. No—'extraordinary' isn't sufficient. With your own strength, you changed the direction of the war itself. You ended an era."
His gaze deepened.
"This is something even Shodai-sama and my own teacher, the Second Hokage, were never able to fully accomplish."
Hiroki remained silent, listening carefully.
He knew better than to be distracted by praise. Whenever Sarutobi finished laying out accomplishments, the real topic was never far behind.
Sure enough, the Third Hokage's tone shifted.
"However," Hiruzen said slowly, and the atmosphere in the office grew heavier, "the disappearance of one great threat often signals the emergence of another."
He raised his eyes.
"Hiroki… not just Konoha, but the entire Land of Fire is now facing an unprecedented internal crisis."
His gaze flicked to the crystal ball beside him. The image within showed a heavily guarded residence, marked by a tall, spiral-shaped tower.
"The Nine-Tailed Fox."
The words struck like a hammer.
Hiroki froze for a split second.
Kurama?
So it really was connected to Uzumaki Mito… and Kushina.
Seeing Hiroki's reaction, Hiruzen chuckled softly.
"It seems you already understand the gravity of the matter," he said. "As you know, the Nine-Tailed Beast—an embodiment of calamity—has been sealed within Uzumaki Mito, the First Hokage's wife."
His voice dropped lower.
"For decades, she has suppressed it through her immense vitality and the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki Clan, allowing Konoha to enjoy long-lasting peace. But…"
He paused.
"Uzumaki Mito's life is nearing its end."
Hiroki said nothing.
He had known this for a long time. According to the timeline, the Nine-Tails would soon need a new host—Uzumaki Kushina.
If he were honest, Hiroki disliked this outcome.
He did not want to see such a monstrous burden placed upon a child. If circumstances allowed, he would far rather seal the Nine-Tails within himself and turn it into a massive, living chakra battery.
Unfortunately, that was impossible.
He lacked the special constitution required to survive such a sealing.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen continued, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
"Recently, Mito's chakra has been declining. The seal is already showing signs of instability."
He closed his eyes briefly.
"At most one year remains. When Uzumaki Mito passes away, the Nine-Tails will break free. If that happens… Konoha will be reduced to ruins."
He opened his eyes and looked directly at Hiroki.
"Therefore, we need a new vessel. More importantly, we need the power to perfectly seal the Nine-Tails once again."
"The sealing techniques of the Uzumaki Clan."
Hiroki's heart skipped.
So it's finally here.
Joy surged within him, sharp and uncontrollable.
Uzumaki sealing techniques were among the highest-tier arts in the world—capable of restraining Tailed Beasts and rivaling even space-time ninjutsu. If he could analyze them completely, his abilities would undergo a qualitative leap.
At that point, even weaker Tailed Beasts—the One-Tail, Two-Tails, Three-Tails—could become nothing more than mobile power sources.
But outwardly, Hiroki remained calm. He merely furrowed his brow slightly and asked in a measured tone:
"Hokage-sama… are you saying you want me to learn sealing techniques?"
"Exactly," Hiruzen replied, nodding. "You are the most suitable candidate. Your chakra control is unparalleled, your learning ability extraordinary."
His gaze drifted briefly to the Earth Grudge Fear at Hiroki's waist.
"And more importantly—you possess the ability to control the power of others. Perhaps you can find a more stable way to handle the Nine-Tails."
He smiled as he spoke.
Of course, that was not his true objective.
What Hiruzen truly wanted was for Hiroki to spend more time with Uzumaki Kushina, form a deep bond, marry her in the future, and eventually succeed him as Hokage.
No Hokage would ever betray their own village.
As for improving the seal? That could be left to fate. Even Hiruzen didn't truly believe that such a feat could be achieved so easily.
Especially not during the sealing of the Nine-Tails into Kushina.
"Then, Hokage-sama," Hiroki asked, getting straight to the point, "how should I carry out this mission? Where am I supposed to learn sealing techniques?"
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
"First," he said, "you will participate in the Chunin Exams."
"…Become a Chunin?"
Hiroki froze.
"Chunin Exams?"
For a moment, he wondered if he'd misheard.
I've already captured Hanzo—and now I'm supposed to take the Chunin Exams?
That was absurd.
An ordinary Chunin wouldn't survive a single exchange with him. Even elite Jonin would struggle against a silent, instant Wind Release Vacuum Sphere.
Hiruzen nodded slowly, as if anticipating the reaction.
"Under normal circumstances, you would not need to take the Chunin Exams," he admitted. "However—"
His eyes sharpened.
"To gain access to the village's highest-level sealing techniques, you must first become a Chunin."
Hiroki stared at him.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes," Hiruzen replied calmly. "You must participate."
"Hokage-sama," Hiroki said carefully, "with my current strength… isn't this just bullying?"
Bullying was an understatement.
This was like dragging a group of children still playing in the mud and placing them beside a nuclear weapon.
Hiruzen shook his head and turned to look out the window.
"You misunderstand. I am not sending you to compete."
He spoke slowly, deliberately.
"We have just captured Hanzo. The Ninja World does not yet understand the true extent of Konoha's strength. If we do nothing, the other villages may unite and launch a preemptive strike."
"The Chunin Exams," he continued, "exist to control the intensity of war."
Hiroki nodded slightly.
"And my role?" he asked.
Hiruzen turned back. His voice dropped to ice.
"Your mission is to locate the Genin from other villages participating in this joint Chunin Exam."
"And then—"
He stared straight into Hiroki's eyes.
"Erase their ninjutsu."
The room fell silent.
Hiroki instantly understood.
This wasn't about killing.
This was about severing the future at its roots.
Killing Genin would provoke hatred and unify the villages. But stripping them of their abilities? That left hope—and fear.
Parents would hesitate. Successors would falter. War would be delayed.
A ruthlessly precise strategy.
Hiroki finally realized something chilling.
The Third Hokage had already planned this the moment he learned of Hiroki's ability.
Hiruzen smiled faintly, slipped his pipe into his mouth without lighting it, and softened his tone.
"Only after becoming a Chunin will you be formally qualified to receive Uzumaki Mito's guidance."
Then he stood, walked to a hidden wall, and formed several complex hand seals. The wall opened, revealing a scroll sealed beneath multiple barriers.
The Scroll of Seals.
Hiroki raised an eyebrow.
Real or bait?
Hiruzen hesitated, then sighed softly.
"Choose one forbidden technique," he said. "After that, I will take you to my teacher's secret laboratory."
His eyes grew deep.
"To see the most important experiment he left behind."
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