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"A day's plan starts in the morning."
Doing chakra training in the early morning felt amazing. Aki stepped out of his bedroom, stretched lazily, then jumped straight onto the rooftop, running across the tiles toward the small lake outside the village.
"Rat – Ox – Rabbit... Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"Aki spat out waves of water from his mouth, sending them crashing toward the lake.
Watching the ninjutsu dissipate, Aki muttered to himself,"With my current chakra reserves, if I control it well, I can pull off three to five jutsus. That's only if I don't use taijutsu and hold back the power to save chakra—basically just using them on targets. But in a real fight, I could probably only manage two or three jutsus tops... and even that's pushing it. Man, I'm so weak. How am I supposed to fix this chakra shortage problem?"
"That's because your body's still too young to handle more chakra. Don't forget, you're only six years old, kid from the Uchiha clan."A strange voice spoke up from behind him.
"Who's there!?"Aki quickly turned and took a defensive stance. But when he saw who it was, he froze. Then immediately bowed ninety degrees and said,"Good morning, First Hokage-sama."
"Hehe, isn't it a bit too early? It's barely five in the morning. You're out here training already? I was still sleeping, you know! I've had a hell of a time tracking you down—why do you leave the house so early every single day? You should really pace yourself. Don't forget, you're still just a kid. Childhood's meant to be enjoyed! Come on, how about a game of dice with me?"
Watching the chatty First Hokage, Aki walked over helplessly, thinking, Yep… definitely keeping an eye on me. They know my movements way too well.
"You've figured something out, haven't you? C'mon, tell me! I won't tell anyone, promise!"The First Hokage suddenly popped up right in front of Aki's face, acting like a curious little kid.
If I tell you, it's basically telling the whole world... What, am I supposed to say I'm a transmigrated soul? That I'm only a 'genius' because I've lived forty more years than everyone else? Seriously, of all people, why'd I have to be Madara's grandson...Of course, Aki only dared to think that. Out loud, he just stood there in silence.
Seeing Aki go quiet, Hashirama realized the boy was being cautious. He couldn't help but think, Is this really a six-year-old? I wasn't even this guarded at his age…
Hashirama sighed and said,"Alright, let me tell you two stories. Just listen for now—I think you're smart enough to understand. You've probably spent half your life in the library already."
He motioned for Aki to sit beside him and began:"Let's start with the first one. A long, long time ago, before the ninja profession even existed, the world was a cruel and terrifying place. People killed and betrayed each other constantly—it was endless war and bloodshed. One day, a monk discovered the power of chakra and started using it to spread the teachings of ninshu, hoping to bring peace to the world. People called him the 'Savior.'
"But before he could finish his mission, his life was nearing its end. So he had to choose someone to carry on his will and power. He had two sons—one inherited his eyes and chakra, and believed that peace must be protected by power. The other inherited his body and vitality, and believed that peace comes through love and compassion. The monk chose the younger son, believing love was the true path to peace.
"However, the older brother couldn't accept this. He rebelled. And so began a feud that never truly ended, no matter how many generations passed."
Hashirama looked at Aki and continued,"Maybe it's still too early to ask you this, or maybe you don't fully get it yet—but I'll ask anyway. If it were you, would you choose power to protect the world… or love?"
Aki kept his head down, silent.
Then finally—"I'd choose love."
Hashirama blinked, surprised. "Why?"
Aki paused for a moment, then said,"I didn't understand why my dad made me learn ninjutsu, or why everyone always looked at me so strangely. They'd whisper that I had a cursed, evil bloodline. So I started reading books—been doing it since I was three. If I didn't understand something, I asked my parents. If they weren't around, I'd ask the librarian.
"I eventually figured out the truth. My grandfather tried to destroy Konoha… and you, Hokage-sama, killed him to protect it. I used to hate you. I hated everyone who looked at me like I didn't belong.
"So I studied chakra control and practiced hand signs, which honestly seemed pretty easy. I even snuck into my dad's room and copied the jutsu from his scrolls. I showed them off in front of everyone. They were shocked. I was proud. That's when people started calling me a genius.
"But the truth is... I don't like any of that. What I really love is lying on the roof in the morning and napping until the library opens. Then I stay there all day until it closes. I love watching kids play in the streets, seeing them beg their parents for snacks and toys. Because I never had that.
"My dad always told me, 'A genius doesn't need that kind of weak stuff'—especially in the Uchiha clan. But I think my dad was wrong. I don't even know why I'm learning ninjutsu anymore.
"I understood your story, Hokage-sama. I want to be like the younger brother from that tale. I think he must've been really happy. If you love others, they'll love you back… right?"
Aki carefully picked every word, afraid the Hokage might see through him. Of course, he really did want that kind of childhood. But he could never bring himself to act spoiled in front of his parents. Snacks and toys? He didn't care about them. He just blamed everything on "the old man"—not like Hashirama was going to go ask his dad anyway.
Hashirama stared at Aki, clearly moved. He smiled and thought,Old friend, you were wrong. Maybe I'm not always right either… but I'll keep trying to move in the right direction. Just wait—one day, when I go find you again, Konoha will have another strong protector.
Then Hashirama looked at Aki seriously and said,"My name is Hashirama Senju, First Hokage and founder of Konoha Village. From this moment on, I officially take you as my student. Are you willing?"
Aki stared at him blankly, caught off guard.Wait, what!? The First Hokage wants to take an Uchiha kid as a student? Isn't he afraid of raising a future enemy? If I turned even slightly evil, I could destroy Konoha the moment I mastered ninjutsu! This guy is way too reckless...
What Hashirama didn't realize was that the "genius six-year-old" in front of him was actually a forty-something-year-old soul pretending to be a kid. Aki stood frozen for three or four seconds, then quickly dropped to his knees and said formally,"Greetings, Master."
Elsewhere…
"What did you just say!? You took that kid as your student?! Are you crazy? He's Uchiha Madara's grandson!"Tobirama, the Second Hokage, shouted angrily at his brother.
Hashirama scratched his head awkwardly and laughed,"Well, when I heard what he said, I got a little emotional and kinda forgot about all that… But come on, he's got so much potential. A real genius ninja of Konoha! I just wanted to help make another protector for the village. Don't overthink it, Tobirama."
Then he got serious and looked Tobirama in the eye."I've been watching him. He's Konoha's future."
Tobirama saw the determination in his brother's face and had no choice but to nod.Lucky brat… becoming my brother's student. I honestly can't tell if this is a good thing for the village or a disaster waiting to happen. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
"....."