[Hashirama Senju: A peaceful life, huh… sigh.]
Ever since learning that three Great Ninja Wars had broken out after his death—and that the tailed beasts had even been deployed on battlefields—Hashirama couldn't help but question whether distributing the tailed beasts among the villages had been a mistake.
[Madara Uchiha: Hmph. Hashirama, you always underestimated the darkness in human nature. Wherever there is light, there will always be shadows.]
[Tobirama Senju: …Brother, your decision to distribute the tailed beasts… Still, perhaps true peace may yet come in the future.]
Tobirama's gaze settled firmly on Nagi in the screen.
The scene continued.
Iruka called Naruto back into the classroom.
His feelings toward Naruto were complicated. His own parents had died during the Nine-Tails' Attack. Deep down, he understood that it wasn't Naruto's fault—but the knot in his heart had never fully unraveled.
Naruto shouted loudly:
"Listen up! My name is Naruto Uzumaki! And I'm going to become Hokage someday!"
Snickers rose around the room. Their families had warned them not to associate with him. To many, Naruto looked like a clown.
Naruto ignored them. Perhaps he had grown used to such looks.
Then he spotted Shikamaru and Nagi. His eyes lit up as he walked straight over and sat beside them.
Months passed.
After observing him closely, Tobirama concluded that Nagi was not only extraordinarily talented, but also kind-hearted and steady in temperament.
He formally accepted Nagi as his disciple.
During those months, Tobirama designed a rational training plan tailored to Nagi's physical condition:
Kunai throwing.
Chakra control and storage.
Foundational drills.
One day, the Academy held a written exam.
Nagi looked down at his test paper.
The questions were essentially:
What are your thoughts on life in Konoha?
What are your thoughts on the Third Hokage?
What are your thoughts on the Will of Fire?
It was less an exam and more a questionnaire.
[Onoki: Well, well. Third Hokage, starting indoctrination from childhood, are we?]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Onoki, do not spout nonsense. What indoctrination? I am cultivating the Will of Fire in the children from a young age—instilling resolve so they fear no hardship and move forward bravely.]
The people of Konoha were instantly moved by his words.
[Onoki: …Hiruzen, you truly are something.]
Yet cold sweat trickled down Hiruzen's back.
He remembered that at the time… he might have been a bit overconfident.
"Nagi, allow me to answer these questions," Tobirama said. "Let's see how Hiruzen responds to my views."
"Yes, Sensei."
Nagi smoothly yielded control of his body.
Tobirama began writing.
He first evaluated life in Konoha—balanced, detailed, and sharp. Then, based on his months of observation, he listed certain shortcomings in the village's administration.
Regarding the Third Hokage, he acknowledged Hiruzen's merits before pointing out his flaws—criticizing his indecisiveness and urging him to be more resolute.
Finally—
The Will of Fire.
"Wherever the leaves of Konoha dance, the fire shall continue to burn."
Tobirama directly criticized Hiruzen's interpretation, arguing that it had strayed from its original meaning. He even suggested that the Will of Fire required refinement and supplementation.
At a glance, nothing seemed unreasonable.
After all, it was the Second Hokage critiquing the Third.
What could be wrong?
Nagi followed his teacher's logic and handed in the paper without hesitation.
That evening, in the Hokage's office—
As principal of the Academy, Hiruzen personally graded the papers of the new generation, especially the class containing Naruto and the others.
He began marking them one by one.
Shikamaru Nara:
"If I could just watch the clouds and fish every day without worries, that would be ideal."
"Heh. What a lazy boy."
Choji Akimichi:
"The grilled beef tongue, sirloin, and brisket at my family's barbecue restaurant are all delicious. Ichiraku Ramen is great too—the broth is rich and the noodles are firm."
"Hahaha, this little glutton is making me hungry."
…
As he graded, Hiruzen found that most students expressed admiration for him as Hokage. Their understanding of the Will of Fire was still immature, but that was fine. A few more speeches would fix that.
Until—
Shiranui Nagi.
The entire paper was a critique.
A critique of village life.
A critique of him as Hokage.
And a rebuttal of his interpretation of the Will of Fire.
"Ha… ha…"
For the first time, Hiruzen encountered a student openly criticizing him.
His expression darkened.
He took a slow drag from his pipe and calmed himself after a long pause.
Then he wrote his comment:
"Unrealistic. Flowery but impractical. Learn to manage yourself before criticizing others. The Will of Fire is not something to redefine at will."
He circled a large, bold—
0.
"…It seems I'll need to have a private talk with this child. He's been getting rather close to Naruto."
[Mei Terumi: Pfft—hahaha! The Third Hokage gave the Second Hokage a zero!]
[Onoki: Hiruzen, impressive. You directly refuted your teacher's Will of Fire.]
[Fourth Raikage A: Hahaha! Calling the Second Hokage's policies 'impractical'—that's bold.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: So that's how Nagi's score got changed back then!]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Um… Sensei, I wasn't—]
[Tobirama Senju: Silence!]
For a time, the entire shinobi world laughed at the Third Hokage's expense.
A student criticizing his teacher was one thing.
But the Third Hokage giving the Second Hokage a failing grade?
That was historic.
Hiruzen wished he could crawl into a hole and disappear.
Back then, he had been confident—perhaps too confident—in his understanding of the Will of Fire.
But overruling his own teacher?
That was asking for trouble.
The next day in class—
Nagi stared at the big red zero.
Inside, Tobirama stared back.
"Uh… Sensei, this…"
Tobirama cleared his throat, face stern.
"Hmph. Hiruzen's understanding of the Will of Fire is shallow indeed. To reject my views outright… It seems Konoha has not fared as well as I had hoped."
"Nagi! Nagi! Look—90 points!"
Naruto rushed over excitedly. It was the highest score he had ever received. In past exams—ninjutsu theory, arithmetic—he usually scored single digits.
Nagi set down his paper.
"Congratulations, Naruto."
"Hehe! Nagi, you must've scored high too—uh…"
Naruto froze when he saw the bold red zero.
"…Huh?"
He glanced between Nagi's paper and his own.
The names weren't switched.
"Ah—uh, Nagi, don't worry! You'll definitely do better next time!"
"Thanks, Naruto."
When word spread about Nagi's score, some students began laughing.
"Hmph! The grading must be wrong! Nagi isn't that bad!" Naruto shouted back at them.
It didn't help much.
Inside Nagi's mindscape, Tobirama's temper was rising steadily.
Nagi silently offered a moment of pity for the Third Hokage.
After school, Naruto eagerly invited Nagi to Ichiraku Ramen, saying he had extra meal coupons.
"…Is he worried I might feel upset?"
Nagi glanced at Naruto, who was trying very hard to change the subject and cheer him up.
Perhaps—
Naruto understood the pain in people's hearts better than anyone.