"Alright, I guess it's time to visit the Third Hokage."
After a satisfying barbecue with Tenten and Ino, Kiyoshi escorted the two girls back home. They reluctantly parted ways, agreeing to meet up at their usual spot in the afternoon.
As he passed by the Hokage Rock, Kiyoshi noticed some shinobis repairing the cracks on the stone faces and clearing the green vines that had grown over the Third Hokage's head.
He decided to drop by the Hokage's office for a quick visit.
…..
"Kiyoshi, it's rare for you to remember an old man like me." Hiruzen chuckled as Kiyoshi entered his office.
"You flatter me, Hokage-sama. Not only are you the Hokage, but you're also Tsunade-sensei's teacher," Kiyoshi replied with a respectful smile, showing none of his earlier rebellious spirit.
He scratched his head awkwardly and added, "Respecting teachers and elders has always been a strong tradition in our village, after all. I just got back and have been busy."
The truth is, since the deaths of the First and Second Hokage, Konoha has upheld this tradition of respecting teachers and elders to the extreme.
Ironically, this tradition had become distorted, with many disciples betraying their masters and advancing their paths through ruthless actions.
Compared to those cases, his goal of being the next Hokage's rebellious but devoted student seemed almost saintly.
With that thought, Kiyoshi couldn't help but straighten up, confidence gleaming in his eyes.
"..."
Hiruzen's lips twitched. If not for what happened earlier in the day, he might actually believe this young man to be humble and respectful.
"Ahem! well said, Kiyoshi. Where tree leaves dance... one shall find flames... the fire's shadow will illuminate the village... and once again tree leaves shall bud anew."
Once he started, the Third Hokage launched into a long-winded speech about the Will of Fire, sharing the philosophies he had used to lead Konoha and subdue headstrong young ninjas.
Two hours later.
Kiyoshi left the Hokage office with a scowl, a headache lingering from the old man's ramblings.
The Third Hokage had skirted around the topic and pushed the Will of Fire philosophy, hinting at Kiyoshi as his future successor. But Kiyoshi remained unaffected.
It didn't matter if the Third actually intended to groom him as a successor, Kiyoshi had no interest in the position.
Becoming Hokage? He preferred a life of freedom and relaxation.
Spending days and nights tied to a desk, endlessly signing papers—where was the appeal in that?
With that in mind, he declined Hiruzen's suggestions with a few polite phrases and quickly excused himself.
---
Seeing that Karin hadn't returned, Kiyoshi decided not to disturb the recently reunited mother and daughter, Karin and her mom.
Wandering around without a destination, he found himself on the village outskirts.
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms."
"Thump… Thump…"
In the distance, a small figure clad in training clothes, with a gray bandana around his head, struck a series of wooden posts at lightning speed, his bandaged hands creating afterimages.
It was his old classmate Neji Hyuga, whom he hadn't seen in two years.
"Huff... Huff…"
Neji was panting, his forehead veins bulging as his Byakugan surged with intensity.
"Kiyoshi?" Neji's eyes narrowed in surprise.
Using the Hyuga clan's almost 360-degree field of vision, he immediately noticed Kiyoshi approaching.
He could sense an immense amount of chakra coursing through Kiyoshi's system, almost overwhelming in its presence.
"Hm?" Seeing the familiar figure, Kiyoshi raised his eyebrows, a bit taken aback. He greeted him with a smile, "Yo, Neji, long time no see."
Kiyoshi had been casually wandering, taking in the sights he hadn't seen in years, without actively using his sensory abilities. Living with constant awareness was exhausting, after all.
"You're back?"
Neji's surprise was evident.
He had long known that Kiyoshi had been taken under the wings of one of the Sannin, Tsunade.
For the past two years, Kiyoshi had been training alongside her.
"Yeah, just got back." Kiyoshi noticed the faint bloodstains seeping through the bandages on Neji's hands.
Admiringly, he said, "You really work hard, Neji. Being able to hit sixteen palms in a single moment. you're truly a Hyuga prodigy."
Though Rock Lee's effort was undeniable, Neji's dedication and hard work were also extraordinary.
Behind his reputation as a genius lay countless hours of blood, sweat, and struggle.
"Hmph, compared to you, I'm still far behind." Neji muttered, reluctant to challenge Kiyoshi.
Just from Kiyoshi's massive chakra reserves, he knew the gap between them was insurmountable. This, perhaps, was fate.
Some were born to stand as rare, shining stars that people could only gaze upon in awe.
Others, no matter how hard they tried, were destined to be "talented" but always just ordinary in the eyes of others, unable to escape the shackles of destiny.
And there were those who, despite every effort, could never escape mediocrity.
At this thought, Neji clenched his fists. He frequently spoke of fate, but it was precisely his refusal to submit to fate that drove him.
Though blessed with talent, he was born into the Hyuga clan's branch family, fated to serve the main house forever.
His own fate paled next to the privileged life of the main house's heir, a girl weaker and more timid than him, yet showered with respect and reverence simply by birthright.
"Are you angry about your fate?" Kiyoshi observed knowingly. He was well aware of Neji's struggles.
Neji's father, Hizashi, had indeed suffered an unfortunate fate. Born just moments after his twin brother, Hiashi, Hizashi's destiny diverged dramatically.
Hiashi became the esteemed leader of the Hyuga's main house, while Hizashi was marked with the Caged Bird Seal, a symbol of submission to the main family's control.
Even Neji himself, at the age of four, had been branded with the Caged Bird Seal, forever bound to his status as a branch family member.
To make matters worse, soon after receiving the seal, Neji watched as his father, identical to Hiashi, was sacrificed to save the clan leader.
This experience left Neji with an intense resentment toward the main family and a hatred for his own fate.
---------------
Guys do leave some power stones and reviews.
🤞patreon.com/plotplanner🤞
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to Advance Chapters, it really helps me to work on new chapters.