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Knock, knock, knock...
Mitarashi Shishio knocked on the door of the Hokage's office.
"Come in," came a deep, middle-aged voice from inside the room.
Shishio opened the door and saw the Third Hokage sitting behind his desk, wearing the iconic Hokage hat. Bowing respectfully, he greeted, "Third Hokage-sama."
"Ah, it's you, Shishio," the Third Hokage said, lifting his head and smiling warmly at him.
At this point in time, the Third Hokage was only in his early forties, a man revered across the ninja world as the Professor of Ninjutsu and Ninja Hero. His strength and ambition were at their peak, a stark contrast to the aged and declining figure he would become by the start of the main Naruto storyline.
Kai, standing next to Shishio, had seen the Third Hokage several times before. Yet, every time he saw him, he found it hard to believe that this towering and commanding figure would one day become a shadow of his former self.
Indeed, time spares no one.
"Third Hokage-sama, I am here to offer my apologies," Shishio said, bowing his head slightly.
"Oh? What happened, Shishio?" the Third Hokage asked.
Kai glanced at the two Chūnin wearing green flak jackets standing nearby. He couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated—after all, the ones who had tattled were right there, yet the Hokage was pretending to be unaware.
"Kai! Come here and apologize to the Hokage-sama," Shishio scolded Kai sharply.
"Why should I? Why should I apologize? It should be Asuma Sarutobi apologizing to me instead," Kai responded with a serious expression, addressing the Third Hokage directly.
"You—"
Before Shishio could say another word, the Third Hokage raised a hand to stop him.
The Hokage then looked at Kai with interest and asked, "Oh? Is that so? Then can you explain why?"
Kai met the Hokage's gaze directly, speaking slowly and deliberately:
"First: The duel between Asuma and me was a fair one, initiated by Asuma himself. As a ninja-in-training, he should be prepared to face defeat.
Second: Initially, I had no intention of accepting the challenge. I have little interest in fighting children. However, Asuma insulted the Mitarashi clan, leaving me no choice but to agree.
Third—and most importantly—I held back during the fight. If I had gone all out, Asuma wouldn't have been merely injured; the outcome would have been far worse."
Kai's concise reasoning placed him firmly on the moral high ground, effectively dispelling any notion that he had bullied someone weaker.
Hearing this, the Third Hokage frowned and turned to the two Chūnin standing nearby. His voice grew stern as he asked, "Is this true?"
The two Chūnin, who had previously painted a very different picture of the event, now dared not lie under the Hokage's piercing gaze.
"Y-yes, it's true," they admitted reluctantly.
"From today onward, the two of you are no longer Asuma's guardian ninja. You will be reassigned to the general ninja corps and begin taking on regular missions," the Third Hokage declared.
The faces of the two Chūnin immediately turned grim.
Being Asuma's guardians had been an easy job—essentially just supervising and ensuring his safety. But being reassigned to the general ninja corps meant taking on real missions, which often carried significant risk. Although it wasn't wartime, ninja missions always came with the possibility of death.
However, the Third Hokage's decision was final, and two mere Chūnin had no grounds to object.
The Hokage then turned his attention back to Kai, his eyes betraying a hint of astonishment. Asuma's abilities were something he, as a father, knew very well. Yet Kai had managed to completely overpower him, even while holding back.
"It seems that Konoha has gained yet another prodigy," the Third Hokage remarked, his tone filled with admiration.
"Of course," Kai replied without a shred of humility.
"You brat! Show some respect to the Hokage-sama," Shishio scolded, though his tone carried a hint of pride.
"Third Hokage-sama, while the duel was fair, I still feel the need to apologize for the harm caused to Asuma," Kai said.
Kai understood the importance of moderation. Now that he had established his moral superiority, a small apology was a trivial matter. After all, it was just words, and it was Asuma lying in the hospital bed, not him.
The Third Hokage was momentarily taken aback. He hadn't expected Kai to apologize at this point. Such maturity at a young age—knowing when to advance and when to retreat—only made the Hokage view him more favorably.
"Very well. I will accept your apology on Asuma's behalf. Asuma also made mistakes, and once he's out of the hospital, I will make sure he apologizes to you in person," the Hokage said.
He then turned to Shishio, his expression tinged with guilt. "Shishio, I owe you an apology. I never expected Asuma to show such disrespect toward the Mitarashi clan. Once he wakes up, I will make sure to discipline him properly."
With that, the Hokage even attempted to bow to Shishio as a gesture of apology. After all, disrespecting a clan could be a serious matter. While it might not mean much for a small clan, insulting a major clan like the Uchiha or Hyūga could lead to deadly consequences.
Although the Mitarashi clan only consisted of three members, Shishio's position as the head of the ANBU made it impossible to dismiss them as insignificant. Thus, the Hokage had to demonstrate the proper attitude.
"There's no need for that, Third Hokage-sama. Asuma is still just a child," Shishio said hurriedly, stopping the Hokage mid-motion.
"Indeed, the Second Hokage made the right choice in appointing Hiruzen Sarutobi as Hokage," Kai thought to himself as he watched the Hokage's performance. "With political acumen like this, Danzo could study for another thirty years and still not measure up."
The Third Hokage straightened up slightly, no longer insisting on bowing. He glanced at Kai and then said to Shishio, "Shishio, it seems that the Mitarashi clan has produced yet another genius besides yourself."
Hearing the Hokage's praise, Shishio couldn't help but smile faintly. "He's still got a lot to learn, Third Hokage-sama. If there's nothing else, we won't take up any more of your time."
"Very well," the Hokage replied.
Shishio led Kai out of the office, and the Third Hokage waved the two Chūnin away as well. Once alone, he walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a scroll—Kai's profile.
After reading it for a while, the Hokage closed the scroll and muttered to himself, "Mitarashi Kai... parents killed in action during the Second Great Ninja War. Background is unquestionably clean. It seems Konoha has gained an extraordinary talent once again."
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