As night deepened, Konoha gradually shed the bustle of the day and settled into a peaceful silence.
Lights scattered along the streets like stars, outlining the village with a warm glow.
Chiya and Tsunade walked side by side, their footsteps sounding especially clear in the quiet night.
They passed through the still lively commercial district, and as they ventured farther inward, the surroundings became increasingly quiet and solemn until they arrived at the Sarutobi Clan compound.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the village center, carrying the steadiness of countless years and the inevitable loneliness that followed a change in power.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's residence stood deep within the clan compound, guarded by ANBU members stationed outside.
When they saw the Fourth Hokage and Tsunade arrive together, the ANBU silently bowed before retreating farther into the shadows.
Tsunade took a deep breath, as if trying to dispel the faint nervousness in her heart.
Facing her teacher once again, her emotions were undoubtedly complicated.
She stepped forward and knocked on the familiar, slightly weathered wooden door.
The heavy knocks echoed through the silent courtyard.
A moment later, steady footsteps sounded from inside.
"I'm coming."
The voice answered, and the wooden door creaked open.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood behind it.
He wore only a loose, comfortable dark yukata, his hair neatly combed and his complexion healthy.
Although his eyes no longer carried the hawk-like sharpness they had during his years as Hokage, they remained clear and bright, free from the exhaustion and gloom of endless government affairs.
The moment he saw the two visitors, his relaxed expression gave way to obvious surprise.
His pupils narrowed slightly, clearly not expecting them.
"Tsunade? And..."
His gaze lingered for a moment on Chiya's black Hokage robe, the symbol of supreme authority.
"At this unexpected hour... what rare guests. Please, come in."
He stepped aside to let them pass, still carrying himself with the dignity of both an elder and a former Hokage.
The living room was brightly lit, simply yet elegantly furnished, reflecting its owner's calm taste.
The faint aroma of tea mixed with the scent of old books lingered in the air.
The three of them took their seats, and the brief silence made the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
In the end, Hiruzen was the first to break it.
Picking up the clay teapot on the table, he skillfully poured three cups of tea and pushed two toward Chiya and Tsunade.
"When you get old, you don't need as much sleep."
"I just happened to brew some fresh tea. Give it a try."
"Come to think of it, it's been quite a while since I've had such distinguished guests visit."
"Tsunade, it's rare for you to come see this old man. Don't tell me the hospital has run into budget problems again... or... hmm?"
He deliberately paused.
He was trying to lighten the mood by teasing her gambling debts, just as he used to.
Yet behind that smile lay the loneliness of someone quietly left behind by the changing times.
Tsunade accepted the teacup, feeling its warmth against her fingertips.
Unlike before, she did not argue about the gambling remark.
Looking at Hiruzen's healthy complexion, which was indeed far better than when he was Hokage, her voice softened.
"Old man, you really do look much healthier."
"It seems putting down that burden and finally getting some proper rest has done you good."
"Hehe, the best part is the peace and quiet."
Hiruzen smiled faintly as his gaze drifted toward Chiya, who sat silently beside them, his presence impossible to ignore.
"I no longer have to deal with endless paperwork or never-ending political struggles. My ears are much quieter now."
"Though sometimes... they're a little too quiet."
"All I can do is listen to the news coming from outside."
"I've heard Konoha has changed greatly under the Fourth Hokage, and those changes have been moving forward with tremendous momentum."
It sounded like ordinary small talk, but beneath it lingered emotions far more complicated.
Perhaps there was admiration.
Perhaps there was also the faint urge to compare himself.
"The village is moving along the path it needs to."
Chiya finally spoke.
His voice was calm, yet it naturally became the center of the conversation. He lifted his teacup without drinking and looked steadily at Hiruzen.
"Third Hokage, we didn't come tonight to discuss ordinary village affairs."
"We came because there are matters concerning Konoha's deeper foundations that we hope to ask you about."
The hand holding Hiruzen's teacup paused almost imperceptibly.
He blew gently across the tea, using the motion to hide his brief hesitation before taking a small sip.
Only then did he slowly set the cup down.
"Oh?"
"Stories from the past?"
"This old man's head is full of ancient history."
"I wonder what forgotten matter could possibly require both the Fourth Hokage and Tsunade to visit personally."
His attitude appeared cooperative, yet beneath it stood an invisible barrier born from the caution of a seasoned politician.
Tsunade exchanged a glance with Chiya.
Receiving his calm nod, she leaned slightly forward and folded her hands on her knees.
"Old man, we'd like to examine some ancient clan records from the Warring States Era."
"In particular... records concerning a major sealing operation jointly carried out by the Sarutobi and Senju Clans to deal with an enormous threat."
"A sealing operation?"
The muscles on Hiruzen's face seemed to tighten.
He picked up his smoking pipe and slowly began packing tobacco into it, using the familiar motion to gather his thoughts.
After lighting it, he took a deep puff and slowly exhaled.
The drifting smoke blurred his face.
"That was so very long ago... Those were years of endless war."
"Many records were lost or damaged."
"Some may not even exist anymore."
"What suddenly made you interested in something like that?"
Chiya's expression remained as calm as still water.
Setting down his teacup, he spoke evenly.
"It wasn't a sudden interest, Third Hokage."
"While organizing and cross-referencing the historical records of various clans to preserve Konoha's archives, I found a number of conflicting clues that appeared to have been deliberately obscured."
"All of those clues point toward that forgotten joint operation..."
"And toward someone whose very name was almost completely erased from history."
"They also point toward an extraordinarily powerful and unique ability."
Leaning forward slightly, his gaze settled firmly on Hiruzen.
"I believe uncovering this forgotten history is not about assigning blame or reopening old wounds."
"It's about truly understanding the complex foundations upon which Konoha was built."
"It's also about assessing every potential risk."
"Most importantly, we must ensure that powers which should never be awakened again, or could be triggered through ignorance, never become the source of another catastrophe."
"This concerns Konoha's future stability."
His words struck the sealed door of history like a precisely crafted key.
He never directly mentioned the Uchiha or the "weapon."
Yet the implication was unmistakable.
His determination was equally clear.
Hiruzen fell silent.
He quietly smoked his pipe, his brows tightly knitted as his eyes drifted into distant memories.
For a time, the only sounds in the room were the faint crackling of burning tobacco and the occasional chirping of insects outside.
The oppressive silence spread throughout the room.
Tsunade could even hear her own heartbeat quicken.
She could feel the invisible struggle unfolding between the two men over the truth of history.
The tobacco eventually burned away.
At last, Hiruzen let out a long, heavy sigh.
He gently placed the extinguished pipe on the table.
"An important existence..."
"A special power..."
He murmured to himself, his hoarse voice carrying into the darkness beyond the window.
It was as though he were looking through time itself, back into that bloody and chaotic era.
"That was never something worthy of pride, Fourth Hokage."
"It was an age filled with helplessness, struggle, and necessary evils."
"Back then, survival was the only goal."
"Today's ally could become tomorrow's enemy over fertile land or a secret technique."
"For the survival of our clans..."
"To stay alive in those chaotic times..."
"There were things we had to do, even if they went against our own principles."
He raised his eyes and looked at Chiya.
There was scrutiny, remembrance, and even the faintest trace of guilt.
"Those records still exist within the Sarutobi Clan."
"They've been secretly preserved in the oldest detached library at the northwest corner of the clan compound."
"The key was always entrusted to the clan's chosen successor and protected with special seals."
"What lies inside isn't our clan's glory."
"It's a heavy and dark scar."
"A memory that should have remained buried forever."
He seemed to struggle with the decision before him, studying Chiya's young yet unwavering face.
The Fourth Hokage possessed absolute power and decisive methods beyond even Hiruzen's own prime.
More importantly, he was leading Konoha forward with unprecedented resolve and vision, producing undeniable results.
Perhaps...
The times truly had changed.
Perhaps history's old burdens required a different way of handling them.
"Are there many records from that period?"
Tsunade finally asked softly.
Her voice carried both a longing for the truth and an understanding of the old man's burden.
Instead of answering directly, Hiruzen asked quietly,
"Tsunade..."
"How much did the Senju Clan preserve from that era?"
She shook her head.
"Very little."
"It mostly emphasizes the 'necessity' and 'justice' of the joint operation."
"As for the details, especially the identity of the one who was sealed..."
"It seems every important piece of information was deliberately erased."
"Erased..."
Hiruzen let out an extremely bitter smile.
It carried deep mockery.
Whether directed toward his own clan or that era itself was impossible to tell.
"It seems our ancestors..."
"Both the Senju and the Sarutobi..."
"Made exactly the same choice."
"After all, conspiring together to seal someone whose very existence was considered an anomaly... a disaster..."
"No matter the reason..."
"It was never something to be proud of."
"Even if..."
"It truly was the only choice at the time."
Though he still never spoke the person's name, he had already acknowledged both the incident itself and its dark nature.
"That old library stands in the northwest corner of the clan compound."
"It's the most isolated place."
"A small two-story wooden building that looks ready to collapse."
"But its important structures and seals remain intact."
His voice grew low and hoarse.
"As for the key..."
"Asuma has it now."
"Go find him."
"Just tell him I sent you."
"In the deepest room are several iron chests made from special metal and covered with sealing talismans."
"If any fragments of the truth still remain..."
"They should be inside."
By the time he finished speaking, his entire body seemed to relax.
Leaning back in his chair, exhaustion finally appeared openly on his face.
"Thank you very much, Third Hokage."
Tsunade spoke with sincere gratitude and respect.
She knew how much it had cost the old man to reveal all this.
Chiya also gave a slight nod, his expression growing more solemn.
"The information you've provided is extremely important."
"Konoha will remember the weight of this history."
Before coming here, they had assumed Hiruzen might still harbor resentment after voluntarily stepping down as Hokage.
Instead, everything had gone even more smoothly than expected.
With their objective achieved, Chiya and Tsunade rose to leave.
Just as they turned and were about to step through the doorway, Hiruzen's voice came from behind them once more.
This time, he used no title.
He simply called Chiya by name.
His voice carried emotions too complicated to describe.
"Chiya."
Chiya stopped.
He slowly turned around, his dark eyes calm and unfathomable beneath the lamplight.
Hiruzen remained seated in the large chair, his figure looking thinner and lonelier than before.
All traces of his earlier emotions had faded, leaving only quiet composure.
He looked at Chiya, his lips trembling slightly.
In the end, every complicated feeling condensed into a single sentence.
"Konoha..."
"I'm leaving it in your hands."
Those simple words crossed every political disagreement, every awkward transition of power, and every lingering barrier between them.
They were the most direct and heartfelt acknowledgment and entrustment from an old man who had devoted his entire life to Konoha and could no longer carry its burden.
There was helplessness.
Relief.
Hope.
And above all, a deep concern for Konoha's future.
Chiya quietly met Hiruzen's clear yet weary eyes.
He remained silent for a moment.
Then he slowly nodded with utmost solemnity.
"Mm."
There was no grand promise.
No passionate oath.
Just a single, simple syllable.
Yet it carried an unshakable resolve and sense of responsibility.
Without another word, he exchanged a glance with Tsunade.
Together, they turned and disappeared into the night.
Listening to their steady footsteps gradually fade into the distance, Hiruzen remained seated alone in the quiet, empty living room.
A long while passed before he finally picked up the pipe that had long since gone cold.
Gently rubbing it in his palm, he looked into the endless darkness outside the window and softly murmured to himself,
"A new era..."
"It truly does need new eagles to lead it."
"Perhaps..."
"This is for the best."
This time, his sigh carried far less loneliness and unwillingness.
In their place remained only genuine relief and peace.
Outside, cool moonlight bathed the silent road.
Chiya and Tsunade quickened their pace, heading directly toward the home of Uchiha Asuma.