As I finished stating my case, the room fell into a suffocating silence.
The paper screens did little to stop the faint rustling of wind outside, and the late afternoon sunlight filtered in through the windows, casting long shadows across the Hokage's office. Dust motes floated lazily in the golden light, yet the atmosphere felt anything but calm.
Old Monkey looked like a balloon stretched to its limit, veins faintly visible on his temple as if he might burst and lash out at any second. Across the desk, Minato watched me in silence. His blue eyes carried layers of emotion, curiosity, caution, calculation… and something else I couldn't quite read.
As the silence stretched, something happened that even I could not have predicted—
'tap'
'tap'
knock knock—
All three of us turned toward the door at the same time.
Minato's voice was calm as always. "Come in."
The door slid open with a soft sound.
And the one who handled all the blame of this world… the one who loves Sharingan… the man who is gay for Sarutobi—I mean, the one and only Shimura Danzo, stepped inside.
The air itself seemed to shift.
My body stiffened before I could stop it.
'Why the fuck is he here?'
Minato's expression did not change, but there was a slight sharpness in his gaze. "Elder Danzo. I don't recall summoning you."
Danzo did not react to the questioning tone. His footsteps were slow and measured as he approached the desk. His cane tapped softly against the wooden floor.
He stopped before the desk and asked, "Lord Hokage, may I?"
Minato held his gaze for a moment before nodding and gesturing toward the chair.
Sarutobi remained silent at first, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he had already guessed why his old fuckbuddy had shown up uninvited. Finally, he asked, "Danzo, what brings you here?"
Danzo sat down without hurry. For a few seconds, he said nothing.
Then his visible eye shifted toward me.
"Lord Hokage," he said evenly, "I think you must allow Akira to graduate early."
The words landed heavily in the room.
Minato frowned slightly. "And why do you think so? More importantly… who informed you about this matter?"
Danzo's lips curved into a very simple, almost sincere smile.
It made him look even more annoying. And outright punchable.
"I just know…"
The way he said it was almost like a provocation.
'…Ahh. It seems someone in the Academy reports to ROOT… or he has been keeping tabs on me. But for how long? I cannot tell.
It seems I have underestimated Danzo's network. He knew of my training… maybe even of my true strength. But I cannot tell what he wants from me. If he came here to help me… then maybe I can use this opportunity wisely. Now that I have come under Danzo's observation, I must not hide my strength… but I must show so much strength that he will even hesitate to do something to me.'
I stepped forward.
The wooden floor creaked faintly beneath my sandals.
"Lord Hokage," I said, keeping my tone steady, "even Elder Danzo approves of my strength, and it itself is enough acknowledgement of my strength… so I think it is enough for my graduation."
The tone in my voice balanced between provocation and sincerity. To some, it would sound like a challenge. To others, it would seem like a child speaking honestly.
Old Monkey clearly heard the provocation.
He stood up abruptly, sleeves swaying. "Akira, whether you are capable or not will be decided by the Hokage and the Hokage himself." His sharp gaze shifted to Danzo. "As for you, Danzo, you are not aware of the situation, so do not meddle where you are not needed."
'Ooo… that stings. Did something happen between them during the last two years? I'm sure in the anime their dialogue were almost like flirting and all that gay shit.'
Danzo flinched, just slightly, but he did not back down.
Instead, he turned his attention fully to Minato.
"Lord Hokage," he said calmly, "as a shinobi, one must hone their skill through battles. Only then will they be strong enough to protect and defend the Konoha. Even your student Kakashi was on the battlefield by the time he was six… and we all know Akira is even more impressive than Kakashi."
The comparison hung in the air.
He continued, his voice lowering.
"Geniuses are needed to be nurtured under battles and equivalent care and protection… but monsters—"
His eye locked onto mine.
"—they must be set free so they can grow. Otherwise… they might even attack their own to get the freedom they deserve."
Silence.
Even the air felt heavier.
I was stunned.
Minato's expression hardened ever so slightly. Old Monkey's jaw tightened.
'Was he paid a whole sack of Sharingans to aura farm for me or something…? This dude alone aura farmed for me in front of two generations of Hokage…'
My thoughts raced, but my face remained calm.
After a long moment, Minato finally spoke.
"Akira, I will allow for you to graduate early—"
Old Monkey immediately cut in. "But Minato—"
Minato raised his hand slightly.
That was enough to silence him.
He looked directly at me.
"But you must defeat a chunin under 10 mins. Only then will I allow it."
Ten minutes.
Against a chūnin.
Danzo's expression did not change, but I could feel his interest sharpen.
Sarutobi folded his arms.
Minato leaned back slightly in his chair.
"This will not be a friendly spar," he added. "You will be treated as a real opponent. If you cannot handle that… then you are not ready for the battlefield."
A slow breath escaped me.
Finally.
A real test.
I lifted my head fully now, no more half-bows, no restrained posture.
"Understood, Lord Hokage," I said calmly.
Inside, my blood was already heating.
Ten minutes?
I wouldn't need that long.
The decision was given, and the challenge was accepted.
I bowed once more, my forehead lowering just enough to show respect, but also defiance,before excusing myself from the Hokage's office. The door slid shut behind me with a muted sound.
The hallway outside felt strangely lighter.
Without wasting time, I flickered away, chakra surging through my veins as I headed toward home,but I stopped midway, landing in a narrow alley between two quiet buildings.
The air there was colder. Still.
A faint scent of damp wood and stone lingered.
And then—
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Chakra signatures followed.
They appeared silently atop the surrounding rooftops and behind me, surrounding the alley in a loose formation.
And among them—
Shimura Danzo.
I turned slowly, meeting his single visible eye without hesitation.
"Lord Danzo," I said calmly, "I am grateful for your help. But everyone in this village knows that your help always comes with a price… so state yours."
The ROOT operatives did not move.
Danzo did not show any emotion. His posture remained straight, firm, like an unbending tree trunk weathered by countless storms.
"Truly a Nara," he said evenly. "Not only extremely talented but also smart."
His cane tapped once against the stone ground as he continued.
"I have been monitoring your movement since last year… and I was glad to have kept tabs on you. Otherwise, a talent as exceptional as yours would be wasted here under the softness of Lord Hokage."
His words were calm, but the insult beneath them was clear.
He continued.
"I also know your motivation and your goal… You want revenge for your mother and your father. And I just happen to know the person responsible for the leak of the intel regarding your father and mother's return to Konoha."
The moment those words left his mouth, Something inside me snapped.
A surge of anger and bloodlust exploded outward like a storm breaking through fragile restraint. The air itself seemed to distort.
In less than a second, I flickered forward.
Before his guards could react, I stood inches away from him, gripping the front of his robe.
My eyes locked onto his.
Cold.
Emotionless.
A rage capable of burning the whole world down.
"Who?"
The single word carried enough killing intent to suffocate the alley.
Danzo was visibly surprised by my speed, his eye widened slightly, but he did not flinch. Instead, he raised one hand calmly, gesturing for his guards to stand down.
"Every information has a price," he said evenly. "And for this information… I need you in ROOT."
His words hung in the air.
"Akira," he continued, "only those who have seen and experienced the darkness and pain of this cruel world understand the importance of keeping that darkness in control. ROOT is the only one who knows this more than any other. ROOT are the ones who dive deep into darkness, who do deeds more horrendous than others to keep the light coming and let the tree grow and its leaves bloom."
His voice did not rise, yet it carried weight.
"Someone has to do this. It is a necessary sacrifice. As long as there is power, there will always be those who use it to harm others, to burn, kill, rape, and destroy. To maintain stability, sometimes you must cut your own branch so that the larger, more fertile branches may grow."
His eye bore into mine.
"I have seen your dedication and your resolve. Only those who can sacrifice even their dreams and existence for their goals are capable of this… and you are perfect."
I slowly released my grip.
Outwardly calm.
Internally calculating.
'I was suspicious of Danzo from the very moment I arrived in Konoha… I'm not even sure if he is directly responsible. But even if he is, I would never get easy chances to kill him. If I enter ROOT… I gain access to the intel network. I can learn about the leak. I can get my hands on Hashirama cells, forbidden jutsu… and perhaps even the chance to kill Danzo himself.But the problem is the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal. If I cannot counter it, all of this will be meaningless.'
'I need time,
I can beat some ROOT member later, study their seal, and then come up with a counter.'
I lifted my head fully and met his gaze again.
"Lord Danzo," I said steadily, "I accept. But… I will only join ROOT after I am chunin, and only when you give relevant information about the person."
I left the condition hanging.
For a brief moment, silence filled the alley again.
To my surprise, he agreed almost instantly.
"Akira, I agree. Even if I wanted to add you now, Lord Hokage would not allow me. And once you are chunin, you can choose your path forward. At that time, if you decide to join ROOT willingly, not even Lord Hokage will be able to stop you."
He turned to leave, his cloak swaying slightly.
Then he paused and glanced back one last time.
"When you join ROOT, your information and your mission will be ready for you. The only thing you need to do… is not disappoint me."
And just like that—
He and his subordinates flickered into nothingness.
The alley felt empty again.
Too empty.
I stared at the space where he had stood for a few moments before exhaling slowly.
Then I flickered toward home.
Toward Uncle Shikaku and Aunt Yoshino.
Even though the decision was set, I had to inform him.
The Nara compound was quiet when I arrived. Shadows stretched long across the courtyard. Inside, the house felt unusually still.
I stepped in quietly.
Uncle Shikaku was sitting alone in the room before a chessboard, one elbow resting on the table, fingers against his temple as he studied the pieces.
The black and white pieces were arranged mid-game.
Across from him—
No one.
As I walked further in, I noticed Aunt Yoshino sleeping nearby.
That was odd.
According to her routine, she would either be sewing or preparing vegetables for lunch around this time.
Ignoring that for now, I stepped forward and sat across from Uncle, facing the chessboard.
"You should ask Aunt to play with you instead of just playing chess with yourself," I said casually. "It just makes you look much sadder and boring."
Shikaku did not reply immediately.
He moved a piece.
Then nodded slightly.
"So," he asked calmly, eyes still on the board, "did Lord Hokage give you permission?"
I exhaled the breath I hadn't even realized I was holding.
So that's how it is…
Uncle Shikaku already knew.
Most likely from Uncle Inoichi. And Aunt Yoshino… she must have heard as well.
That would explain why she was asleep at this hour.
Crying, perhaps.
A faint guilt crept into my chest.
"Yes," I said quietly. "Lord Hokage accepted, under the condition that I must beat a chunin under 10 minutes."
Shikaku did not react.
His fingers lightly touched a white piece and shifted it forward one square.
"And I assume you accepted the challenge."
I nodded.
Silence followed.
For a long moment, he kept his eyes on the board. Then finally, he lifted his gaze and looked directly at me.
His sharp, calculating eyes, so similar to mine, held something heavier today.
"Akira… why are you so eager?" he asked calmly. "If you want revenge, I am sure someday you will have the chance. And if you want to protect us, we are already capable of that ourselves."
His voice did not rise. It never did.
"What I want to know is what drives you crazy enough to train yourself to the limit. To sacrifice your childhood and your bonds."
A pause.
"I know you enough to know that there is a much bigger reason… but you are not telling us."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Why?"
The question hung in the air between us like an unsolved puzzle.
I sat there in silence.
The ticking of the small clock in the corner suddenly felt louder.
After a moment, I responded.
"The answer is simple. What I want is strength… to not feel helpless."
The excuse sounded hollow even to my own ears.
It was sadder. More superficial. Much more of a lie than the one I gave to Uncle Inoichi.
And Shikaku knew it.
He did not expose it.
But he knew.
He sighed quietly, leaning back slightly.
"Akira… after five months, you will have a baby brother to look after."
His tone softened, just barely.
"And I want you to be there for him. So whatever you do… just think of him before doing anything."
There was no command in his voice.
No strategy.
Just a father's quiet resignation.
I sat there for a few more moments, staring at the chessboard.
Black and white.
Moves and consequences.
Sacrifices and protection.
Then I stood up.
I walked toward the door slowly.
Before exiting, I paused and said, "I will."
And shut the door behind me.
—
The evening air outside felt cooler.
I made my way toward Uncle Inoichi's house. On the way, I created a few shadow clones and sent them off to help my aunts with their chores, cutting vegetables, carrying water, simple things.
Normal things.
Things a child my age should be doing.
Not negotiating with Danzo in dark alleys.
Not planning how to counter a Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
Eventually, I returned to my room.
The house had quieted down.
I lay on my bed, staring at the wooden ceiling above.
Today's events replayed in my mind.
Danzo's offer.
His words.
"Monsters must be set free…"
My own rage.
The deal.
The condition.
Ten minutes against a chunin.
Five months… a baby brother.
The thought lingered longer than I expected.
Strength.
Revenge.
ROOT.
Seal countermeasures.
Hashirama cells.
Plans within plans.
Somewhere in between all that—
Fatigue finally caught up to me.
My eyelids grew heavy.
And before long, surrounded by shadows cast by the faint moonlight creeping through the window—
I fell asleep.