Morning. Senju Compound.
Mizuna was sound asleep in his room when suddenly, the System started blaring an alarm.
[BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!]
Mizuna snapped his eyes open, bloodshot veins visible. He turned his head and saw that it wasn't even fully bright outside yet.
He twisted his face and roared at the System:
"It's the crack of dawn! Why are you screaming?! You dumbass!"
The System wasn't having any of Mizuna's attitude.
[I was kind enough to remind you that your rewards have been issued, and you curse at me? Do you believe I can send you flying?! You little punk! You've clearly never seen a real gangster! You wanna go?!]
Hearing the System roar back, Mizuna snapped out of his grogginess.
"Aiyaya~ System-bro~ Don't hold it against your little brother~ I just have morning grumpiness, you know that~ Little Mizuna apologizes!"
Hearing the apology, the System huffed and let him off the hook.
Then, it began the announcement.
[Ding! Host has over-completed the mission! Issuing rewards: 2000 Dignity Points, Blue-Tier Draw x3, Purple-Tier Draw x1.]
"Oh? Hehe! So many rewards? What mission did I complete again?"
Mizuna closed his eyes to think.
Suddenly, his eyes shot open.
"OH NO! IT'S HIRUZEN! If I remember correctly... this mission rewards were based on the degree to which Hiruzen realizes his true self... Which means..."
Mizuna didn't dare to think further. He couldn't imagine what state of mind Hiruzen was in right now...
"Hiruzen... didn't... didn't kill himself last night, did he?" A terrifying thought popped into his head.
"No way! No way! Hiruzen has skin thicker than a wall. He wouldn't die that easily!" Mizuna comforted himself.
He rushed out of his room and headed straight for the Ninja Academy without eating breakfast.
Mito watched him leave, dumbfounded.
What's going on? Usually, he sleeps until the sun burns his butt. Did he... find a girlfriend? Mito thought, her gossip radar pinging.
No! I have to find a time to ask Mizuna properly! If he likes a girl, I need to arrange a marriage to continue the Uzumaki bloodline!
Meanwhile, on the road, Mizuna sneezed.
"Achoo! Who's thinking about me?"
Arriving at school, Mizuna sat in his seat and, sure enough, found Hiruzen missing.
He asked Danzo next to him.
"Why isn't Hiruzen here?"
"I don't know... Doesn't he always run late?"
Mizuna felt a bit relieved hearing this.
But after waiting for a long time, class was about to start, and Hiruzen still hadn't shown up.
Now Danzo started to panic too.
"Do you think... something happened to Hiruzen?"
Danzo thought about yesterday's events and asked Mizuna.
"I think Hiruzen is thick-skinned enough... he should be fine..."
The two seemed to comfort each other, but internally they were panicking, terrified that Hiruzen had hanged himself at home.
---
Meanwhile, at the Sarutobi Residence.
"Dad! Mom! Stop trying to persuade me. I'm not going! After doing so many shameful things, if... if I step in there again... I'll die of embarrassment!!"
Outside the door, Sasuke Sarutobi and Biwako (Hanako) were extremely worried.
Ever since Sasuke talked to his son yesterday, Hiruzen had stopped being silent, but he had become extremely extreme—constantly talking about dying.
Biwako looked at her husband with teary eyes, hoping he could go in and persuade their son again.
Seeing his wife's face, Sasuke finally made a decision.
"IKUZO!" (Let's go!)
Sasuke kicked the door open like a general charging into battle!
He looked at Hiruzen, who was sitting blankly on the edge of the bed. He placed both hands on Hiruzen's shoulders.
In a voice filled with fatherly love, he said:
"Hiruzen... No matter how ugly you are... No matter what others say about you... You are always the most handsome child to Mom and Dad. So, please stop running away, okay? Hiruzen... Mom and Dad will always be behind you."
This speech, full of paternal love, managed to bring a little bit of life back into Hiruzen's lifeless eyes.
"Dad... Mom... I..."
Hearing her son trying to speak, Biwako immediately walked in from outside.
Seeing Hiruzen's condition improving, she decided to strike while the iron was hot and add some encouragement.
"That's right! Hiruzen! Even if you really are as ugly as a perverted baboon! You will always be Mom and Dad's child! Hiruzen! Hiding in your room won't change reality!"
Hearing his wife's speech, Sasuke turned his head and stared at her in shock. Then, realizing something was wrong, he turned back to his son.
The Joker makeup had reappeared on Hiruzen's face. His eyes were lifeless, and tears were streaming down.
It looked like if they looked away for even a second, Hiruzen would happily go meet the Sage of Six Paths.
Seeing her son suddenly relapse into a critical condition, looking like he was about to die, Biwako prepared to say something else.
Sasuke saw this and tried to stop her, but he was a step too late.
Biwako, with red eyes from crying but a smile on her face, extended a fist toward Hiruzen, asking for a fist bump.
"Hiruzen... Just for Mom's sake... Live... okay?" (Note: Fire Punch reference).
Sasuke froze seeing this scene.
He turned to look at Hiruzen. Although Hiruzen was smiling, he gave off an aura of extreme despair. His expression seemed to say:
"Why... did you have to say... 'Live'?"
If Mizuna were here, he would definitely play a sad song.
"The rain falls on the old hometown, the grass grows deep~" (Note: Lyrics from "Qing Hua Ci" / Blue and White Porcelain, often used for tragic/memetic sad scenes).
Sasuke looked at the scene.
He looked at his wife and unconsciously muttered:
"She... is... a... devil..."
Years later, when Sasuke Sarutobi recalled this moment, he swore it was the most "Despairing" expression he had ever seen.
BAR! NONE!
---
Back at School.
"What do we do, Mizuna! Did Hiruzen die at home?"
"Relax! Danzo! Relax! Hiruzen absolutely won't choose to die over a little setback like this!"
"But... but... that wasn't something a human can endure, right?"
Hearing this, Mizuna's face instantly became serious.
"Danzo! What is a Ninja (Shinobi)? A Ninja is one who endures! One who can bear pain that ordinary people cannot! If he can't even do this much... Hiruzen should stop yapping about becoming Hokage every day!"
Mizuna's speech stunned Danzo.
"Mizuna... you're right... If he can't endure this little pain, he shouldn't think about becoming Hokage! Both Hiruzen and I are competing for the title of Hokage. I believe my rival and best friend isn't this weak..."
"Hn! Danzo! As long as you understand! We just need to trust Hiruzen..."
After saying this, Mizuna was sweating bullets internally.
Are you kidding me?! What bullsht about enduring! If it were me, I'd perform a 360-degree no-scope hanging right here on the spot! Mizuna thought darkly.
But the only thing he could do now was stabilize Danzo. The rest was up to Hiruzen...
At this moment, Tobirama walked into the classroom and started roll call.
"Alright students, roll call."
Tobirama opened the register.
"Kagami Uchiha!"
"Here!"
"Hana Kurama!"
"Here!"
"Torifu Akimichi!"
"Present!"
...
With each name called, Mizuna and Danzo's hearts trembled.
Finally, the moment arrived.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
No response.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi?"
Still no response.
Just as Tobirama was about to get angry, the classroom door suddenly opened.
Hiruzen walked out.
He didn't speak. He walked straight toward his seat.
But he walked with a strange rhythm—one step, one twist; one step, one kick.
Seeing this, Mizuna felt compelled by a mysterious force. He pulled out his recorder and pressed play.
After a chaotic yet catchy intro...
The music officially started.
"There's a girl but I let her get away~"
"It's all my fault cause pride got in the way~" (Note: "See You Again" / "Baby I'm Yours" - Breakbot / Joker Stairs Dance BGM).
Everyone heard the music, including Tobirama.
But no one cared where the music came from.
They just quietly watched Hiruzen dancing there.
Then, they all had the same thought:
"Just what kind of despair... is needed to dance with such desperate steps..."
......
---