Half an hour after Shiranui Riku woke up, Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived—something Riku hadn't expected.
More surprisingly, there was a gentleness in Hiruzen's expression, even a hint of kindness.
Riku's mind immediately went into overdrive, running through possible scenarios.
But right now, none of that mattered—what mattered was that he needed to act. This was an opportunity. If he played his cards right, his future in Konoha could become a little smoother.
Excited, Riku tried to sit up from the bed. "Lord Hokage, what brings you here?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly stepped forward and gently pressed him back down. "You're still recovering. Rest. Don't push yourself."
Riku's eyes reddened with emotion. He choked up as he said, "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen sat in the chair next to his bed and sighed. "Riku, you've suffered a lot these past years."
Riku bit his lip hard. Tears rolled from the corners of his eyes, an expression of buried grief surfacing.
Hiruzen looked at him and asked, "Riku… do you resent Konoha?"
Riku shook his head without hesitation. "How could I? It was my father and mother who defected. Konoha took me in despite me being the son of traitors. I'm already grateful beyond words. Before my mother passed, she asked me to atone for their mistakes. So no, I don't hate Konoha!"
Hiruzen didn't react visibly, only continued to watch him silently.
After a pause, Hiruzen asked again, "Do you hate the Uchiha?"
Riku's expression darkened instantly. The word came out through clenched teeth: "Yes. I do."
He took a deep breath and continued. "My parents betrayed Konoha because of the Uchiha's oppressive control—they weren't allowed to be together. And after I came back to the village, not only did they disown me, they bullied me. Called me a bastard. The Uchiha are why the villagers hate me. I never wanted to be one of them. They don't acknowledge me, and I don't want their acceptance. But because of them, I've been isolated by all of Konoha."
Hiruzen's expression finally changed, a faint flicker of understanding.
He sighed. "I've always felt some guilt about your situation, Riku. But this is a matter internal to the Uchiha clan. As Hokage, I can't interfere in every clan's affairs. I hope you understand."
He looked Riku in the eye. "But I want to give you an opportunity—to return to the Uchiha clan, to truly become one of them. Would you accept that?"
Riku didn't hesitate. "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. I don't want that."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"
Riku's voice was firm. "Because joining the Uchiha like that, through your authority, would only be superficial. It wouldn't change anything."
The Hokage raised an eyebrow. "If you return to them, the villagers would stop treating you with hostility. Your life would be much easier. Don't you want that?"
Riku replied, just as defiantly, "I know why the villagers hate me—it's because of the Uchiha name. They've abused their status as the Konoha Guard for years, making enemies out of the entire village. If I go back to them, maybe the villagers would stop insulting me to my face—but they'd still look down on me."
At that, Hiruzen suddenly interrupted, his tone sharper. "Watch your words. The Konoha Guard was founded by the Second Hokage himself. The Uchiha have made great contributions to this village. As a member of Konoha, you shouldn't slander them."
Riku said nothing, but inside, he scoffed.
This old fox—if he didn't already know how troubled Hiruzen was by the Uchiha clan, he might have believed this little performance.
Riku understood perfectly. Hiruzen was simply testing him, pretending to defend the Uchiha.
Otherwise, why mention the Second Hokage or emphasize the Uchiha's contributions?
He stayed composed and answered firmly, "Hokage-sama, I don't want to rejoin the Uchiha. I want to become a shinobi and give back to Konoha. First, to atone for my parents' betrayal. Second, I want to prove myself—to earn the villagers' recognition not through a name, but through my own strength. I want them to see that I, Shiranui Riku, am not Uchiha, not a traitor—just a loyal Konoha shinobi."
Hiruzen nodded, visibly pleased. "That path will be difficult. Are you truly prepared, Riku?"
Riku's voice was unwavering. "I'm ready, Lord Hokage!"
Now Hiruzen looked at Riku as if he were an outstanding young prospect. "Very well. I believe in you."
He added, "Since you don't want to return to the Uchiha, I won't force it. But the house you lived in before is far from the academy. After you're discharged, I'll arrange for you to move closer to the Ninja School. That should make your life a little easier."
Riku's eyes welled up again. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Inwardly, he let out a long breath.
Talking with this old fox really was exhausting.
That first question—"Do you hate Konoha?"—was a trap. If he'd said yes, he might not have survived the night.
This Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't some kindly elder yet. He was still in his prime, sharp and ruthless when necessary.
And then came the second test—"Do you hate the Uchiha?" If he'd said no, Hiruzen would've seen right through him.
After all, Riku had been shunned and bullied by the entire village. And it was widely known that the Uchiha were behind his misfortunes.
So he had to admit his resentment—but turn that anger into a pledge of loyalty. He had to make it clear: he wanted to be a Konoha shinobi, not an Uchiha.
That was the right move.
As for Hiruzen offering to let him "rejoin the Uchiha clan"? Nonsense. It was all just a test to probe his heart.
Now that Hiruzen was arranging for Riku to move closer to the academy, it meant he trusted him. At least somewhat.
If all went smoothly, once Riku graduated and became a ninja, he'd likely be placed under the direct influence of the Hokage's faction.
Hiruzen might not care about the bullying he endured, nor the Uchiha's role in it—but at the very least, once Riku wore the leaf headband, he wouldn't be cast aside anymore.
After all, even in the world of shinobi, connections were everything.