Orochimaru stared at the elderly Hokage standing before him—Sarutobi Hiruzen, dressed in black battle armor, pipe in hand, still looking stubbornly heroic despite his age.
But behind the Third Hokage, Orochimaru sensed movement.
A shadow approaching.
Fast.
Silent.
Dangerous.
He glanced down one last time at the unconscious Uchiha Souji lying at his feet.
"You're lucky this time," Orochimaru murmured coldly. "But Konoha's 'soul'… is not as pure as you think."
Then he lifted his gaze toward his teacher.
"Then, Teacher… I'll take my leave."
BOOM—!
His body burst into white smoke and vanished.
A reverse Summoning Technique—prepared long ago as his emergency escape.
This was why he previously summoned Manda. If he didn't prepare ahead of time, he could die at any moment. Even if he believed Hiruzen lacked the heart to kill him… Hokage was still Hokage.
Power determined choices.
Position shaped morality.
The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes at the fading smoke.
"Goodbye, Orochimaru…"
His voice trembled with disappointment, not anger.
At that moment, an ANBU shinobi appeared and knelt before him.
"Lord Hokage!"
The curly hair peeking from under the mask made Hiruzen instantly recognize him.
"Shisui," he said calmly. "Take that boy—Uchiha Souji—and heal him completely. No lingering injuries. He is… Konoha's future."
Shisui bowed deeply.
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
---
Time passed.
Uchiha Souji slowly regained consciousness, feeling as if heavy weights were attached to his eyelids.
It took tremendous effort just to open his eyes.
The first thing he saw was—
A white ceiling.
Cold.
Plain.
Emotionless.
The smell of disinfectant filled his nose.
"…Hospital," he muttered.
He groaned and clutched his aching stomach.
"Damn it… Orochimaru… just wait! When I catch you again—either you die or I die!"
He slapped his chest proudly, then immediately winced at the pain.
He forced himself upright inch by inch, leaning weakly against the bed frame.
He had fully expected to die in that battle.
He had prepared himself for it.
But somehow—he survived.
Lucky.
So, so lucky.
His first reaction?
To check whether his waist wound was still intact.
Then—
To check below his waist.
Only after confirming that everything he should have was still present did he exhale in relief.
Future polygamy plans were safe.
"Ahem. Our Konoha hero is finally awake."
Souji froze.
Kakashi—white hair, bandaged body, sitting casually at the bedside while peeling an apple—looked at him with a deadpan expression.
And Kakashi had just watched Souji feel himself up from top to bottom.
The embarrassment hit like a kunai to the heart.
Souji stared at Kakashi.
Kakashi stared back.
Silence.
Then Kakashi cleared his throat and continued peeling his apple, as if nothing had happened.
"Souji," Kakashi began, voice calm, "earlier you said something—about the Will of Fire, about entrusting hope to the future, about the soul of a Konoha shinobi—"
CRACK!
Souji almost broke in half mentally.
What?
WHAT?!
THAT was just nonsense to stall for time!
Who actually believed that?!
He swallowed hard, cold sweat forming.
If Kakashi continued like this, Souji feared he would be forcefully recruited into the Will of Fire cult.
Tied to Konoha's sinking ship.
Forever.
He needed to stop Kakashi—now.
"Senior Kakashi, I—"
But Kakashi raised a finger.
"I know."
Souji froze.
You know?
You know WHAT?!
Who interrupts someone like this?!
How rude!
Your father must be rolling in his grave, Kakashi!
And why did this line feel familiar?
Like déjà vu from another universe?
Kakashi took a deep breath.
"I understand how you feel. The villagers are hostile to the Uchiha. The Uchiha clan reacts like hedgehogs—when attacked, they raise their thorns."
He sliced the apple neatly into two halves with a kunai.
"But you're different, Souji."
Different?
Souji's heart raced dangerously.
"In a life-or-death moment, you risked everything to protect a ninja you barely know—me."
Kakashi placed half the apple gently into Souji's hands.
"You were willing to throw away your life… because you wanted to be a Konoha shinobi."
He gave a faint smile beneath his mask.
"If you show kindness to others, you'll receive kindness in return."
He straightened, eyes serious.
"This is the Hokage path you chose… right?"
…HOKAGE?!
Souji's brain crashed.
He stared at the apple.
At Kakashi.
At the wall.
At nothing.
Hokage?
Hokage??
HOKAGE?!
He had only done one thing—run for his life while yelling heroic lines to stall for time.
And now he was being told—
YOU ARE HOKAGE MATERIAL.
Souji felt his soul leave his body.
He wanted to scream.
He wanted to punch Kakashi.
He wanted to take the Third Generation Ghost Blade and slice Kakashi's head open to check if it was filled with water.
Or maybe Orochimaru's stab earlier scrambled Kakashi's brain.
Because WHAT HOKAGE PATH?!
All Souji wanted was—
to escape!
To run far away from Orochimaru!
From danger!
From responsibility!
From the Will of Fire propaganda!
But now?
Now he was being misinterpreted… AWKWARDLY, PAINFULLY, and COMPLETELY.
A tidal wave of resentment built up inside him.
His eyes reddened.
His throat tightened.
He trembled with the desire to shout:
"I WAS JUST TRYING TO LIVE, DAMMIT!"
But Kakashi, seeing Souji's teary eyes, misunderstood even worse.
He saw Obito.
He saw that same burning determination.
He saw a child facing discrimination yet still aiming to be the Hokage.
He thought—
This boy…
He's carrying so much pain…
Yet still dreams of becoming Hokage.
It moved Kakashi deeply.
He placed a gentle hand on Souji's shoulder.
"You're doing great, Souji."
Meanwhile, Souji sat frozen.
Inside, he screamed:
"THIS DAMNED RECOGNITION—WHO EVEN WANTS IT?!"
_________________________________
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