The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had passed away.
Yet, the village was not as sorrowful as one might expect.
The grief of losing a leader could not overshadow the hard-earned peace and happiness of the present. Life moved on, as it always did.
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen, now adorned in the Hokage's robes, sat at his desk, his expression weary as he studied the reports spread before him.
Less than a week had passed since Tobirama's death, yet chaos had already begun to stir. The Konoha Guard had arrested seven or eight villagers for causing disturbances after drinking. A flood of trivial and complex issues followed, quickly overwhelming Sarutobi.
For the first time, he truly felt the crushing weight of responsibility his teacher had borne.
Strength alone could not solve these matters. In moments like these, power seemed almost useless.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura clamored to join the administration, eager to assist him with his burdens.
Shimura Danzō, ever the strategist, said, "Hiruzen, you need a right-hand man to control the Anbu. I am that man."
Meanwhile, Akamichi Tofu, whom Sarutobi deeply trusted, shook his head and said, "Brother Hiruzen, I'm exhausted. I have over a dozen barbecue restaurants waiting for me to take over."
Then there was Uchiha Kagami. The man had practically lost his mind since Tobirama's passing.
He shut himself in his home, obsessed with having children, repeatedly mumbling about sending his son to Kaito Fujiwara as a disciple. He was determined that his son would become the Fourth Hokage, carrying on Hashirama's ideals while shedding the unfortunate burden of the Uchiha name.
Sarutobi's head throbbed just thinking about it. Kagami had even started lurking near the Academy, waiting for Kaito Fujiwara to finish his lessons.
What was even more baffling was that Kagami had somehow joined forces with Kaito Fujiwara, the most unreliable person Sarutobi knew. The two were constantly scheming, though about what, Sarutobi could not say.
But one thing was certain—if they raised a child together, with Kaito's cunning and the Uchiha's Sharingan, there was a real possibility that child could become the Fourth Hokage.
An improved version of Uchiha Madara.
The mere thought made Sarutobi's chest tighten.
"You all just keep causing trouble for me!" he muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples before glancing out the window.
The setting sun painted Konoha in warm hues, its golden light casting long shadows over the village.
With a sigh, he stood abruptly and turned to the Anbu beside him. "I'm going to the cemetery. I want to see the teacher."
Without waiting for a response, he left the office.
During his first few days as Hokage, Sarutobi had enjoyed the rush of power. But that feeling had been fleeting. Now, he found himself drowning in the relentless tide of responsibility.
Whenever the pressure became unbearable, he visited the graves of his mentors—the First and Second Hokages—to seek solace.
On his way, he stopped to play with some children and even engaged in a lighthearted conversation with an old woman about postpartum care for sows. By the time he reached the Konoha Shinobi Cemetery, he felt slightly more at ease.
He wasn't alone.
Kaito Fujiwara had arrived before him.
Having mastered the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, Kaito had delegated his blacksmith work to his clones. He had also shirked the tedious task of accompanying his sister on shopping trips. Even his daily classes had been cast aside.
He had, in essence, retired early.
Sarutobi walked deeper into the cemetery and spotted Kaito sitting cross-legged before Tobirama's tombstone, a small table set up in front of him.
As Sarutobi moved closer, he saw the table was covered with black and white stones—Go pieces.
Kaito held a black piece in his left hand, his right hand stroking his chin as he stared intently at the board.
Sarutobi approached quietly, noticing how utterly unguarded Kaito was, lost in thought.
"Ahem…" Sarutobi coughed twice, breaking the silence.
Kaito turned, startled. When he saw who it was, he grinned and stood up. "Uncle Hiruzen!"
"What are you doing?" Sarutobi asked, eyeing the board curiously.
"Playing Go," Kaito replied. "With Tobirama-sama."
Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. "Playing Go? With whom?"
Kaito gestured to the board. "Tobirama-sama, of course!"
He then eagerly explained the rules, demonstrating how the pieces were placed and how a piece was captured.
Sarutobi listened intently before nodding. "Compared to shogi, this does seem simpler."
"Want to play?" Kaito grinned mischievously.
Seeing the challenge in his eyes, Sarutobi agreed.
What followed was a massacre.
Kaito used every trick in the book, setting elaborate traps and cornering Sarutobi at every turn. In no time, Sarutobi's pieces were wiped from the board.
Game after game, the outcome remained the same.
By the fourth defeat, Sarutobi's face had darkened.
He had already been frustrated by the village's affairs, and now this?
Sensing Sarutobi's growing irritation, Kaito suddenly pushed his own winning pieces off the board and said, "Uncle Hiruzen, let's make it interesting. Pretend you're playing as Tobirama-sama."
Sarutobi hesitated, but then thought of how effortlessly Tobirama had managed the village. Perhaps there was something to learn from this game.
Nodding, he agreed.
This time, he played carefully, channeling his mentor's wisdom. His cautious moves allowed him to dismantle Kaito's reckless attacks piece by piece.
As the game progressed, Sarutobi was struck by a realization—Go wasn't just a game. It mirrored the complexities of war and politics in a way shogi never could.
Gradually, he began to understand its deeper strategies.
Meanwhile, Kaito frowned, seeing his plan fall apart. Then, suddenly, he smirked.
"As expected," he mused, "Tobirama-sama's intelligence and strategic brilliance truly surpassed even Lord Hashirama's."
Sarutobi smiled, enjoying the rare moment of reflection.
But then Kaito continued, "Still, what made Hashirama truly formidable was that he didn't just follow the rules. He created them."
Without warning, Kaito swept his hand across the board, scattering the pieces.
Sarutobi blinked, then laughed.
He wasn't a fool—he knew Kaito was giving him advice in disguise.
The path of a Hokage was simple yet complex. One could rule with overwhelming strength like Hashirama or with calculated wisdom like Tobirama.
Sarutobi wanted both.
"Another round?" Kaito asked, smirking.
Sarutobi nodded. "One more."
As they played, Sarutobi casually asked, "I heard you and Kagami have been scheming together?"
Kaito chuckled. "Not my fault. He ambushes me outside the Academy every day."
Sarutobi sighed. "What do you two talk about all day?"
"Nothing much," Kaito shrugged. "He just wants me to train his son. Says he wants him to be as cunning as me."
Sarutobi's face twitched. "That... is terrifying."
As they continued their game, Sarutobi posed one final question.
"Kaito, what do you think of the Will of Fire?"
Kaito's hand froze mid-move. He looked up at Sarutobi and smiled.
"Uncle, do you think someone like me—someone who has lived the way I have—is fit to carry the village on my shoulders?"
He chuckled. "The Will of Fire is an ideal. A goal. But me? I don't have grand ideals. I only have the people I care about. And for them, I'll fight to the death."
With that, Kaito stood and walked away, disappearing into the sunset.
Sarutobi watched him go, then reached down and picked up a fallen chess piece.
"From now on, there's no need to monitor Kaito Fujiwara anymore."
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