As night fell, the sky stretched out like a vast velvet canvas, speckled with shimmering stars—like a radiant city suspended in the heavens.
Hoshikawa Haru lay in the yard, breathing heavily, his gaze fixed on the clear, star-strewn sky.He had spent the entire day adapting to the weights strapped to his body, draining every ounce of physical strength. Now, it was only sheer willpower keeping him going.
But it had paid off. After a day of relentless effort, his body had finally begun to adapt.Looking at his sweat-soaked clothes, Haru let out a small, satisfied smile.
This was the first time he had experienced something like this. His muscles ached, every movement stung, and yet his heart brimmed with satisfaction.
He closed his eyes slightly, letting the gentle night breeze brush past his ears.A wordless night passed quietly.
The next morning, Hoshikawa Haru was trying to placate the clearly irritated Sakura Kinomoto with an overly sweet smile.
"Mom, I know I was wrong, please don't be mad…"
"I was just so exhausted last night that I passed out as soon as I hit the bed."
Sakura Kinomoto gave him a long glare in response, sending chills down his spine."How dare you say that? If I hadn't gone to check on you, you would've caught a cold!"
"And then what? How would you explain that to the Hokage if you missed your appointment today?"
She tapped his forehead repeatedly with her finger, clearly still upset.Haru wanted to explain himself, but one look at his mother's expression made him wisely hold his tongue.
Sakura scolded him for quite a while. Off to the side, Hoshikawa Yota tried desperately to suppress his laughter, his face turning red in the process.
"I'll let you off today, but we'll talk more when you get back. Now eat up—you can't keep the Hokage waiting."
After a long lecture, Sakura finally glanced at the clock and allowed Haru to eat.There was an important meeting today, and being late was not an option.
Haru's expression darkened as he listened to her words, the corners of his mouth twitching in quiet exasperation.
This whole family is full of Hokage fanatics... Like mother, like father...
With no other choice, Haru wolfed down his food, changed into clean clothes, and—still wearing his training weights—stood at the door.
"I'm heading out," he called back, waving as he stepped outside.
Then he turned toward the Hokage Building.
Even as he walked, Haru didn't waste a second—his fingers moved continuously, practicing hand seals.
To perform ninjutsu, one had to master hand signs—twelve in total.It seemed straightforward, but it was far from easy. Thankfully, he was still a child and his bones were flexible, making it easier to develop muscle memory.
At age three, when he couldn't yet refine chakra, he had focused solely on improving his seal speed.Now, after two years of practice, he could already perform two seals per second.
While that was merely average in the shinobi world, reaching that level at age five was an achievement he took pride in.
Repeating the motion over and over, he quickened his pace.
As he neared the Hokage Building, the air grew thick with conversation. He could hear the voices even from a distance.
"Did you hear? The Hokage-sama is taking on a disciple!"
"I've known for a while—it's a kid, right?"
"Of course it's a kid! What, you thought he'd take on an adult?"
"No idea who it is, but getting picked by the God of the Shinobi… Man, I'm jealous."
The closer Haru got, the more intense the chatter became. His scalp tingled.
It's only been a day, and the news is already everywhere…
He gritted his teeth. This has to be Tobirama's doing. Definitely him.
After all, only a few people had been present that day.His father wasn't one to show off, and Hashirama-sensei wasn't either. So the most likely culprit?
Senju Tobirama, you snake!
The thought of becoming a public figure—where every move would be scrutinized as a reflection of the Hokage—made Haru cringe internally.
You tricked me, Tobirama! You did this on purpose!
Trying his best to stay inconspicuous, Haru crept toward the building, hoping to sneak in unnoticed.
Unfortunately, reality had other plans.
Senju Tobirama stood just outside, arms crossed, as if he had been waiting the entire time. When he spotted Haru, the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.
"You're here," he said coolly. "Big Brother's waiting for you in the office."
Those simple words made Haru's face freeze. Without a second thought, he bolted.
The crowd only realized what had happened after Haru had already dashed away.
There was no doubt anymore—only the Hokage's disciple would be personally summoned by Senju Tobirama.
People nearby looked stunned, then deeply regretful.
They were all from minor clans, and a connection with the Hokage's disciple could mean easier dealings in the future.
Now, they had missed a golden opportunity.
But Haru paid no attention. He ran like he was escaping a natural disaster, desperate to reach the Hokage's office before more eyes fell on him.
When he finally arrived, he leaned against the doorframe, panting, and made a silent note in his mind:
Tobirama… You definitely did that on purpose.
He cursed the Second Hokage at least a hundred times in his head before calming down and entering the office.
Inside, Senju Hashirama sat behind his desk, wearing the Hokage hat.When he saw the dejected look on Haru's face, he burst into hearty laughter.
"Bwahahahaha!!"
"Sensei…" Haru called out, his voice full of quiet resentment.
"Ahem, sorry, I couldn't help it," Hashirama coughed, clearly amused. With his sensory skills, he had undoubtedly known what Tobirama had done.
"Anyway, let's change the topic. Let's head to the training grounds and see what you're capable of."
Hashirama formed a hand seal, and a thick cloud of white mist appeared. A shadow clone emerged beside him—an exact copy of the Hokage.
"I can't leave the office for now, so my clone will take you instead."
Though he was Hokage in name, most administrative duties had long since fallen to Tobirama.Still, that didn't mean Hashirama's job was easy.
Now, five years into Konoha's founding, internal friction and unresolved structural issues were starting to bubble up.To address them, Hashirama and Tobirama had agreed to convene a major assembly.
Every clan in Konoha would be present.
It was a political nightmare, and Hashirama had been racking his brain trying to figure out how to navigate the minefield.
"Ah, by the way—did you get the gift Tobirama sent you?"
Hashirama suddenly asked.
Haru blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, I got it."
"How's it going? Is it hard?"
"Well…" Haru smiled mysteriously. "Sensei, you'll be surprised. Just wait."
Hashirama raised an eyebrow at the boy's confidence. He had a bold guess forming in his mind, but didn't press further.
Instead, he smiled and shook his head, already drifting back into thought about the upcoming clan meeting.
Seeing this, Haru followed the shadow clone out of the room and toward a private training ground.