"The youth are the hope of the future."
"The older generation must trust in them and protect them. The sacrifices of our elders are not meaningless—they inspire the young to become the pillars that will bear the weight of tomorrow."
"This, in my heart, is the true essence of the Will of Fire."
"When all these words are gathered together, they form the poem I have written."
"Where the leaves dance, the fire lives on. The flames will continue to illuminate the village and nurture the sprouting of new leaves."
"This... is the true Will of Fire."
Every year, on the first day of the new term, new students would receive the Third Hokage's personal lecture.
It was said to guide the next generation on the path of growth.
As always, it went on endlessly.
The children below, though too young to truly grasp its meaning, listened with wide-eyed fascination.
Only Itachi, standing beside Hakken, had a faint look of confusion in his eyes.
He tugged lightly on Hakken's sleeve and leaned in close to whisper, "Hakken, didn't you tell me yesterday that if someone used Fire Release in the woods during this season, the whole village would burn down with it…"
That was what he'd said the previous day, when an excited Itachi had proudly announced that he'd learned the Great Fireball Jutsu from his father and wanted to demonstrate it for his friend.
Unfortunately, the Great Fireball never got the chance to be used.
Yeah.
The "Will of Fire" was a ridiculous metaphor—and yet the Third went around reciting his own poem like gospel.
If the forest caught fire, it wouldn't just illuminate the village—it would burn it to ashes.
Not bad, this kid's got insight.
Hakken patted Itachi's shoulder approvingly. "The metaphor might be a little off, but the point still stands. Since it's a metaphor, let's take it a step further."
"If we say Konoha is the forest, then what's the source of the fire?"
The source of the fire.
Itachi's eyes focused.
"That's right—the Uchiha Clan, the clan of fire."
"If the ones setting Konoha ablaze were the Uchiha… what do you think would happen next?"
With a faint, knowing smile, Hakken's words etched themselves deep into Itachi's heart.
The fire that burns Konoha… comes from the Uchiha?
The young Itachi clearly couldn't grasp the deeper meaning.
His eyes grew distant again.
For someone who already thought like a future Hokage at such a young age, that idea was difficult to accept.
The village. Konoha.
His father's weary sighs.
The villagers' disdain for the Uchiha.
Hakken said nothing more.
Itachi's life was destined to be a tragedy, one that couldn't easily be rewritten.
Whatever the seed he had just planted would grow into, even Hakken couldn't predict.
At the very least, he hoped to shift the balance in Itachi's heart—between his loyalty to the Uchiha and to Konoha.
What kind of future would make Hakken say something like that?
Itachi clenched his fists tightly, a faint chill creeping up his spine.
"Don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll be right behind you."
Leaving Itachi with a puzzled look, Hakken leaned against a tree and closed his eyes.
To him, listening to the Third Hokage's long-winded speech was a waste of time. He'd rather quiet his mind and focus on refining chakra.
The Chakra Refinement Technique he had exchanged from the System Store was an enhanced version of the basic method. It allowed chakra extraction without depleting the body's natural cellular energy—preserving vitality and preventing damage to the core.
That alone gave Hakken a foundation far stronger than most of his peers.
Itachi used the same refinement method. After all, Hakken had a theory—perhaps Itachi's later illness stemmed from cellular exhaustion, though it remained uncertain.
Sharing the technique was simply a way to help his friend stay healthy—a small favor, nothing more.
Still, the difference between the two boys and the other new students was so striking that the Third Hokage's gaze naturally drifted toward them.
He frowned slightly, as if a thought had suddenly crossed his mind.
"Heh… the Uchiha Clan's prodigy is part of this year's intake, isn't he?"
Waving gently, the Third Hokage beckoned with a kind smile. "Come, stand beside me."
What is he planning?
Standing nearby, Minato furrowed his brow.
He knew all too well the true nature of the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan. On the surface, things looked peaceful—but that harmony was nothing more than a thin façade.
Beneath it lay constant tension.
Especially with the Third Hokage—there was no way he genuinely admired the Uchiha prodigy.
So what was his purpose in calling him up?
Minato couldn't help but wonder.
Itachi, too, was uncertain.
But in Konoha, the Hokage's word was law.
Though the Third had stepped down, Itachi wasn't like the other children who were blind to the political reality.
With a polite nod, he stepped forward and stood beside the Third Hokage.
"I've often heard Fugaku speak proudly of his son," the Third said with a warm smile, patting Itachi lightly on the head. "At just three years old, you followed your father into battle. Since then, your progress has been extraordinary—you've even mastered shuriken techniques."
"In my eyes, the Academy will soon be filled with stories of your achievements. You may very well become the most gifted student of your generation—a true prodigy among prodigies."
"What are your thoughts on the 'Will of Fire' I just spoke of?"
A classic setup for flattery.
Never underestimate the jealousy that blooms in Konoha's children after hearing the Hokage single someone out for praise.
The Uchiha were already viewed with suspicion by many in the village.
Now, the Hokage's public compliment would only make the clan's prodigy a new target for envy.
That was the subtle art of politics—the power of a few seemingly harmless words.
Of course, the young Itachi didn't see any of that. His cheeks reddened as he accepted the praise with modest embarrassment.
But the Third Hokage had made a misstep.
He'd chosen the wrong words.
Blushing, Itachi scratched his head awkwardly before shaking it firmly.
"Thank you for your praise, Lord Third, but…"
"Forgive me, Hokage-sama."
"With him here… I never believed I could be the strongest of the new students."
...
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