Chapter 18 – The Hokage's Question
Ren climbed the stairs of the Hokage Tower calmly, his footsteps steady despite the curious gazes of passing shinobi. Reaching the office door, he knocked twice and waited.
A calm voice came from inside. "The door is open. Come in."
Ren pushed the door gently and stepped inside before bowing respectfully. "You called for me, Lord Hokage."
---
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his large desk, a pipe resting between his fingers as he studied the boy before him carefully.
"Ahh, Ren… come sit," Hiruzen said with a small smile. "I have wanted to meet you for quite some time."
Ren walked forward and sat across from him calmly.
---
"No.1 in theory and practice," Hiruzen continued while tapping his pipe on the desk. "You are quite the young genius."
Ren smiled politely. "You flatter me, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen chuckled softly. "Not at all."
---
"And you seem to have a very good personality as well," Hiruzen continued, leaning back in his chair.
He looked at Ren thoughtfully. "So tell me, Ren… what is the Will of Fire?"
Ren remained silent for a moment before answering calmly.
---
"Where the leaf dances," Ren said with a faint smile, "the Fire will burn."
"The Fire will illuminate the trees, helping new leaves grow."
"As strong ninja, it is our responsibility to ensure the village remains safe… and that children never have to see war."
---
"They should be allowed to enjoy their childhood," Ren finished quietly.
Hiruzen's eyes brightened immediately. The old Hokage nodded slowly as he listened.
"What mature thinking for someone your age."
---
Ren shook his head slightly. "Those are not my words, Lord Hokage."
"They belong to the First Hokage."
"I read them in the library."
---
"I see," Hiruzen said with a warm laugh.
"Even at your age you study and train on your own."
"You truly are a promising seedling of Konoha."
---
Ren remained silent, simply smiling politely.
Hiruzen slowly tapped his pipe on the desk again before speaking.
"I called you here to discuss something important."
---
"You see," Hiruzen began calmly, "most of the students in your class who can keep up with you are clan heirs."
"And every team follows the standard formation of two boys and one girl."
Ren listened quietly while watching the old Hokage carefully.
---
"Originally," Hiruzen continued, "I planned to place you with either Ino or Hinata."
"But the Ino–Shika–Cho formation is a long-standing tradition."
"And I intend to form a special sensory team with Hinata, Kiba, and Shino."
---
"If I place you with other students," Hiruzen admitted honestly, "they may simply slow you down."
"So I wished to ask your opinion before making a final decision."
Ren smiled politely, though his mind was already racing.
---
So that's it…
This old fox wants to place me directly under him… most likely through ANBU.
But why ask me? He could simply order it.
---
Someone must be pressuring him.
The only people capable of doing that…
Yamanaka Inoichi… and Hyuga Hiashi.
Ren kept his thoughts hidden behind a calm expression.
---
Meanwhile, inside the Yamanaka flower shop, the bell above the door rang softly as Ino entered.
"Dad!" she called while walking toward the counter.
Yamanaka Inoichi looked up from arranging flowers.
---
"What is it, Ino?" he asked.
Ino crossed her arms impatiently. "Ren was suddenly called to the Hokage Tower."
"Do you know why?"
---
Inoichi smiled calmly. "There's no need to worry, girl."
"He's probably just being congratulated for graduating."
"Relax a little."
---
But inwardly, Inoichi cursed.
Damn brat…
I never should have allowed my daughter to train with him.
---
Sure, she became much stronger than I expected…
But seeing her so worried about him…
My precious daughter's heart has clearly been stolen.
---
Inoichi rubbed his temples slowly.
If I could go back in time, I would kick myself.
Why did I let them train together in the first place?
---
Still, something else bothered him more.
Hiashi's open support for Ren.
That alone was enough to make Inoichi uneasy.
---
The Hyuga clan was currently the strongest clan in Konoha.
If Hiashi openly supported someone, the political implications were enormous.
And that support had been given to a twelve-year-old boy.
---
Even Shikaku had been surprised by it.
"Well… looks like the kid has something we can't see," Shikaku had said thoughtfully.
"Troublesome… but interesting."
---
"He even looks like he wants Hinata and Ren to stay connected," Shikaku added.
"For the Hyuga clan… that's unimaginable."
"The Byakugan leaving the clan is something they fear above all."
---
Yet Hiashi still allowed Hinata to train and stay near Ren.
That decision alone shocked many clan heads.
And Inoichi still did not understand it.
---
"Hey Ino," Inoichi suddenly asked.
"How strong is Ren?"
Ino paused before turning toward him slowly.
---
"Oh?" she said with a smirk.
"Why the sudden interest?"
Inoichi narrowed his eyes.
---
"Don't act like I can't read your mind," he said.
"If you want him… I should at least know he's worthy of my precious daughter."
His teeth clenched slightly.
---
Ino's face instantly turned bright red.
"W–what are you talking about?!"
"I never said I like him!"
Her voice rose in panic.
---
From the kitchen, Ino's mother leaned against the doorway with a teasing smile.
"Oh please," she said with a smirk.
"You think your father wouldn't notice?"
---
Ino quickly covered her burning face.
"Ahem… anyway…"
"He's stronger than me."
---
Inoichi raised an eyebrow.
"How much stronger?"
"Give me a better example."
---
Ino crossed her arms proudly.
"If Dad and Ren fought seriously…"
"Dad would lose."
---
Inoichi simply nodded thoughtfully.
So at minimum… he's already Jonin-level.
A twelve-year-old with Jonin-level ability…
---
His talent might rival Kakashi's… or even surpass it.
Kage-level may only be a matter of time.
No wonder Hiashi supports him.
---
As for Ino's claim that Ren could defeat him…
Inoichi didn't take it too seriously.
She had never seen a real battlefield.
---
Experience could change everything in a ninja fight.
Ren was still only twelve years old.
And he had zero real combat experience.
---
Meanwhile, inside the Hyuga compound…
Hinata sat quietly in her father's office.
She waited patiently as Hiashi finished reading a scroll.
---
Hiashi finally looked up at her.
"There is no need to worry about that boy."
"Now come with me."
---
"Yes, Father," Hinata replied calmly.
Hiashi led her toward the clan's private training ground.
The evening air was cool and quiet.
---
Hiashi stopped at the center of the field.
"Fight me," he said calmly.
"With everything you have."
---
"I want to see how much you've grown under that boy's training."
Hinata nodded silently.
She stepped forward and took a Gentle Fist stance.
---
Her body moved instantly.
Her hands flashed forward with explosive speed.
Each strike aimed directly at vital chakra points.
---
Hiashi's eyes widened slightly as he dodged.
Good…
She isn't hesitating.
---
Every strike aims to disable or kill.
This is the mindset of a real Hyuga warrior.
Yet bitterness rose inside his chest.
---
Why…
Why did she improve under that boy…
when I couldn't make her change for years?
---
"Good agility," Hiashi said calmly while dodging.
"Your strength and chakra control are impressive."
"But is this all you learned from him?"
---
"If that is the case," he continued sharply,
"you might as well train here in the Hyuga compound."
Hinata's heart skipped.
---
She had been holding back deliberately.
But now she realized she had no choice.
"Byakugan."
---
Veins bulged near her eyes as the Byakugan activated.
The moment it appeared, Hiashi felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
His instincts screamed danger.
---
For a brief moment…
His blood felt as if it wanted to bow.
Hiashi frowned and activated his own Byakugan.
---
But something strange happened.
It refused to activate.
No matter how much chakra he pushed into it.
---
Impossible…
Why won't it activate?
The pressure felt overwhelming.
---
It felt as if he stood before a queen.
And his Byakugan was instinctively submitting.
Hinata moved again.
---
Her palm strikes shot forward like lightning.
Hiashi barely dodged them using pure experience.
Each strike passed within inches of his body.
---
"Stop."
Hiashi raised his hand suddenly.
"That's enough."
---
Hinata immediately stopped and bowed.
"You may go now."
"Yes, Father."
---
Hinata left the training ground quietly.
Hiashi remained standing there.
His back completely drenched in cold sweat.
---
"What… was that?"
He muttered quietly to himself.
Without wasting another moment, Hiashi walked directly toward the Hyuga clan archives.
---
Inside the record room, he began searching through ancient scrolls and clan histories.
Old legends of the Hyuga clan.
Stories long forgotten by most of the clan.
---
Because only one thought remained in his mind.
That power…
It wasn't just the Byakugan.
Something far older… far more terrifying.