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"What?! You're saying Uchiha Akira's strength might already be at chūnin level?"
"More than that… he might even be beyond a chūnin? Iruka, you're not joking with me, are you?"
Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at Iruka in disbelief, his aged face filled with shock.
"Yes, Third Hokage-sama. I wouldn't dare joke about something like this," Iruka replied respectfully, his tone firm and confident. "Based on my assessment, Uchiha Akira definitely has chūnin-level strength."
"Back then…"
Iruka proceeded to recount Akira's performance earlier that day in full detail, leaving nothing out.
"Good. Good. Very good!"
After listening, the Third Hokage broke into a smile like a chrysanthemum in full bloom, repeating the word "good" three times in a row.
"The Uchiha clan truly is Konoha's strongest family.
"First, there was Uchiha Itachi, who passed the chūnin exams at ten years old.
"And now his younger brother, Uchiha Akira, already has chūnin-level ability at just seven!"
"Excellent. This is truly wonderful."
Hiruzen looked genuinely delighted.
"Then, Third Hokage-sama," Iruka asked carefully, "should we let Akira graduate early?"
Fearing refusal, he quickly added, "After all, Kakashi-senpai graduated from the Academy at five and became a chūnin at six. Letting Akira graduate early shouldn't be a problem."
"No problem at all. Of course there's no problem," Hiruzen said readily. "A genius comparable to Hatake Kakashi absolutely qualifies for early graduation."
"But you don't need to handle this matter yourself. Just focus on your teaching," he continued warmly. "When I have time, I'll personally assess Akira."
"I want him to truly understand how great the Will of Fire is."
The Third Hokage wore a gentle, kindly smile.
"That's wonderful! With Third Hokage-sama personally testing him, I'm sure Akira will grow into an outstanding shinobi of Konoha!"
Iruka's face lit up with admiration.
"Mm," Hiruzen nodded slightly, signaling that Iruka could leave.
After saluting, Iruka quickly exited the Hokage's office.
The moment his figure vanished from sight, the kindly grandfatherly smile on Hiruzen's face disappeared completely.
In its place was a dark, gloomy expression.
The Uchiha… again the Uchiha.
Why did monsters always come from that clan?
First there was the prodigy Shisui of the Body Flicker.
Then Uchiha Itachi, a chūnin at ten.
And now, Uchiha Akira.
Hiruzen stood and walked to the window, gazing toward the direction of the Uchiha compound, his eyes heavy with shadow.
Hmph.
A clan this unstable should never exist. Only when they're gone can Konoha truly achieve peace and stability.
So, for the sake of the village…
Uchiha, you must disappear completely.
"Shinnosuke."
Hiruzen called out softly.
In the next instant, a masked shinobi appeared behind him and dropped to one knee.
"Father. What are your orders?"
The newcomer was none other than Hiruzen's eldest son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
Without turning around, Hiruzen continued to stare out the window, his voice calm.
"Tell Danzo he can agree to Uchiha Itachi's conditions. Spare Uchiha Akira's life."
"But tell him to act quickly. No more delays."
"What?" Shinnosuke frowned in alarm. "Father, are we moving against the Uchiha clan already? Our preparations aren't complete. Acting now could lead to serious complications."
The Uchiha were a famous powerhouse clan even across the shinobi world.
Wiping them out without full preparation carried enormous risk.
"Ah…"
Hiruzen sighed deeply, his voice low.
"I don't want to act hastily either. But the Uchiha are simply too unstable. If we don't eliminate them soon, I won't have any peace of mind."
"Besides, another genius has appeared among them."
"If we let him grow any further, erasing the Uchiha later will only become harder."
"It's still too rushed," Shinnosuke said, clearly uneasy.
"That's enough," Hiruzen cut him off. "This isn't something you need to worry about. Just pass my order to Danzo."
"Trust me. That old friend of mine has long been fully prepared."
"After all, destroying the Uchiha clan is something he's been obsessed with for a very long time."
"…Understood."
This time, Shinnosuke said nothing more.
After acknowledging the order, he vanished in a flash, using the Body Flicker to head straight for Root and inform Danzo.
Hiruzen stood by the window for a while longer before finally returning to his seat.
He picked up his smoking pipe and began to puff quietly.
"Uchiha Akira… seven years old," he murmured. "I hope, when the time comes, you can truly understand the Will of Fire."
"Otherwise…"
"The Uchiha clan really will be wiped out."
The rising smoke slowly swallowed his face, leaving his expression completely hidden.
"..."
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