Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's question, Tatsuma decisively… chose silence. He knew all too well that this wasn't a superior asking for an answer, but a leader preparing to give a lecture.
When a boss asks a question like this, they aren't looking for a definition of what a "ninja" is in the abstract; they want to tell you what a ninja is in their eyes.
Tatsuma understood the social dance, but Minato didn't. Minato immediately went into deep thought. Just as Hiruzen took a breath, ready to launch into a grand monologue, Minato cut him off.
"Jiraiya-sensei once said that a ninja is one who can endure what others cannot. During my training with Might Duy-gege, he also said that a ninja is someone who understands self-restraint. So, I believe a ninja is someone who, despite possessing great power, knows exactly where to apply it rather than acting recklessly. A ninja's strength should be used for protection, not for bullying or seeking glory through combat. The latter only inspires fear, while the former earns true recognition."
Tatsuma quickly noticed a flash of resentment—almost a "you took my lines" look—in Hiruzen's eyes. He quickly tugged on Minato's sleeve and stepped forward.
"Our understanding of the essence of a ninja is still shallow," Tatsuma said, smoothly redirecting the conversation. "If you would be so kind, Lord Hokage, could you enlighten us? What is a true ninja?"
Minato looked confused at the tug on his clothes, but hearing the second half of Tatsuma's sentence, it clicked. He felt a wave of shame wash over him. "I apologize, Lord Hokage. My definition was narrow. With my limited experience, I shouldn't have presumed to answer such a profound question."
Minato felt like a primary schooler trying to show off his vocabulary in front of a PhD. He was mortified.
Hiruzen's gaze finally softened. He suspected that if Minato had kept going, he really wouldn't have had any lines left to say. Thank goodness for Tatsuma.
This Sakamoto Tatsuma… now there's a true heir to the Will of Fire!
Hiruzen organized his thoughts, mentally editing out the parts Minato had already mentioned. "Do not belittle yourselves. Both of you have a solid grasp of what it means to be a shinobi. It is simply that there are things you cannot yet see from where you stand at the beginning of your journey. I have simply walked this path longer, and can offer a few insights from a different perspective."
After a modest opening, Hiruzen turned to face them fully. "A ninja and their Nindo—their Ninja Way—are inseparable. Or rather, only those who understand their Nindo and walk it faithfully deserve the title. The meaning of 'ninja' has evolved through the eras. Before the First Hokage established the hidden village system, a ninja's duty was solely the protection and prosperity of their clan.
"Different clans had ninjas with the same convictions, but in the pursuit of their respective ways, they fell into a cycle of conflict. Countless exceptional shinobi died for the same ideal on opposite sides of a battlefield. It was a tragedy. Then, Lord Hashirama appeared. He gave the title a new meaning: the union of those with a shared will. He set aside past grudges and led the Senju to form an alliance with their sworn enemies, the Uchiha.
"From there, the First Lord brought together many people with a shared vision, ending the internal strife and building a village where ninjas of different clans could practice their Nindo while helping one another."
As he spoke, a look of reverence and nostalgia settled on Hiruzen's face. Tatsuma made sure to mirror the expression perfectly. Hiruzen continued:
"Then came the era of the Second Hokage, Lord Tobirama. He further broke down the barriers between clans, allowing clan ninjas to lead civilians in practicing the Ninja Way. Konoha was no longer just an alliance of clans; it became a shared home for every individual shinobi. People like Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and even you two are ninjas who were discovered and nurtured under the Second Lord's new definition of what a village should be. Under his leadership, the village grew from a experimental sapling into the towering tree it is today."
They had learned this history in the Academy, but Minato still looked energized. Every time he heard this story, his respect for the late Second Hokage grew.
Having covered his predecessors, Hiruzen naturally brought the focus to himself. "And I inherited the Ninja Way of my master, Lord Tobirama. Under his guidance, I had the honor of becoming the Third Hokage. In my eyes, a ninja is exactly what you said, Minato: someone who protects everyone and thus earns their recognition. This was the most important lesson my teacher ever gave me.
"Where the leaves dance, the fire shall also burn. The light of that fire will continue to illuminate the village, allowing new leaves to sprout. To guide those who come after, and to protect their growth—that is a ninja in my eyes!"
Hiruzen let out a long, satisfied breath. Seeing the two children practically vibrating with passion, he reached out to pat their heads. However, as he did, he felt a strange itchiness on his right palm.
Looking down, he saw his hand was covered in fine, silver-grey hair clippings. He didn't miss a beat, performing the exact same maneuver Sakumo had done earlier—patting their shoulders instead to wipe the hair off onto their clothes.
"As the future of the village," Hiruzen said, "your task is not just to become the ninjas the previous generations envisioned, but to inspire those who come after you. You must add your own meaningful definitions to what it means to be a shinobi."
Minato looked like he was about to burst with excitement. Even Tatsuma felt a strange, inexplicable stirring in his chest. He's good, Tatsuma thought. The Will of Fire really is one of the most powerful Genjutsu in the world.
Having completed his duties as the "Great Educator," Hiruzen got down to business. "I am teaching you these techniques so that the legacy of the previous Lords may continue. I will grant you the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique that I developed, as well as the First Lord's Bringer-of-Darkness Technique. This is not just to give you the power to protect Konoha, but in the hope that one day, you too will find young ninjas to whom you can pass down these skills and the will that comes with them."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" both boys shouted.
Minato's voice was much louder; Tatsuma remained the "steady" one. Hiruzen was satisfied with both. He turned his back to them once more, two shuriken tucked between his fingers.
"First, the Shuriken Shadow Clone. The difficulty isn't in creating thousands of clones; it's in using them. No matter how many you make, if they collide or veer off-course before hitting the target, it's a waste of chakra. Like this."
Hiruzen flicked his wrist. The two shuriken flew out like a pair of brackets, curving left and right toward a wooden post twenty meters away.
Clang!
Half a meter before the target, the two shuriken collided, changed direction, and whistled past the sides of the post.
"Every shuriken must have a purpose and a planned trajectory," Hiruzen lectured. "You must ensure they don't interfere with one another. The advantage of this jutsu isn't pure volume—it's the ability to instantly lock down every possible path of escape for your opponent. Creating ten thousand clones isn't 'mastering' the jutsu. Creating only two and making them perform their duties perfectly... that is mastery. Do you understand?"
Tatsuma and Minato nodded. Hiruzen, though his back was turned, smiled. He pulled out another shuriken. "Now, I will demonstrate. The hand seals are: Ox – Dog – Dragon – Rat – Dog – Boar – Snake – Tiger. The two Dog seals aren't strictly necessary for the chakra flow, but they maintain the rhythm and make the transition between the other seals smoother.
"The rhythm is divided into three layers: sensing the shuriken, replicating the shuriken, and guiding the clones. The Dog seals act as the glue. Watch."
Hiruzen threw the shuriken and his hands became a blur. As he finished the sequence, dozens of small clouds of smoke erupted in mid-air. A hail of shuriken clones burst from the smoke, screaming toward the target.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Dozens of shuriken buried themselves in the wood, perfectly forming the kanji for "Shinobi" (忍). Hiruzen smirked and dispersed his chakra, letting the clones vanish in a puff of smoke.
"Incredible..." Minato breathed, his eyes wide. Tatsuma was equally impressed by the sheer level of micro-control. The Professor indeed. If either of them tried to throw that many by hand, they couldn't dream of that kind of precision.
Hiruzen's smile widened. "Practice this today. Remember: do not chase numbers. Chase control. Even if you can only manage one clone at first, as long as you control it perfectly, that is progress. I have duties to attend to, so if you have questions, ask Sakumo."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage!"
They bowed as Hiruzen departed. A moment later, Hatake Sakumo appeared behind them.
"The trick is to use your sense of the original shuriken's position to anchor the clones," Sakumo offered. "I'll be back at noon to check your progress. Good luck!"
Before they could thank him, the White Fang vanished. Tatsuma scratched his head, suspecting that Sakumo wasn't "busy"—he was just skipping work.
As Tatsuma pondered, Minato had already started "grinding." He threw a shuriken and went through the seals. Smoke appeared, but no clone manifested.
"It's definitely harder than it looks," Minato muttered.
Tatsuma rolled up his sleeves. It was time to activate the "Kudos Cult."
"As expected of you, Minato," Tatsuma said, his voice full of admiration. "You've already got the smoke down on your first try for such a high-level jutsu! Most people wouldn't even get a spark."
Minato's brain and body surged with a familiar, instinctive energy. He looked at Tatsuma, his competitive fire lit.
"Then let's see who masters it first, Tatsuma! I won't lose this time!"
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