Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured to himself, then took a deep breath, exhaling a ring of smoke as his expression turned cold.
Even if the Uchiha clan refused to lose face, did that mean the opinion of the Hokage could be disregarded so easily?!
Knock, knock, knock!
At that moment, a ninja knocked on the door and respectfully reported to Hiruzen.
"Hokage-sama! Yoru has arrived."
"Let him in."
At the mention of Yoru's name, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression softened slightly, and he set his pipe aside.
Yoru entered the Hokage's office, glancing briefly around before stepping forward without hesitation. He bowed slightly in greeting.
"Hokage-sama."
"No need for formalities. Stand up."
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled kindly and asked, "How has life in Konoha been for you these years?"
"It's been fine," Yoru replied, though he felt like adding, At least I'm still alive. But he held his tongue.
Instead, he said, "I believe Hokage-sama must already have a clear understanding of my situation."
"Hmm."
Hiruzen nodded, a flicker of appreciation in his eyes.
He had previously met with Minato Namikaze as well.
From just these few words, he could see that Yoru's maturity and intellect were on par with Minato's.
Despite being only eight or nine years old, he could think like an adult.
That meant there was no need for Hiruzen to speak to him as he would a child.
"I understand. After all, you came from another village, and conflicts between villages arise frequently… Especially in these past few years, war has been raging everywhere."
"Your village was destroyed by Sunagakure in a conflict with the Land of Wind, one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations."
Hiruzen observed Yoru carefully as he spoke, noting that Yoru's expression remained eerily calm, without a trace of emotional fluctuation. After silently approving of his composure, Hiruzen continued.
"Konoha's shinobi happened to be in the area, engaged in battle with Suna. Afterward, they rescued the sole survivor from the flames of war—you—and brought you to Konoha."
"Children from outside the village often face difficulties and oppression in Konoha. I know about the hardships you've endured."
Hiruzen looked at Yoru with a kindly expression.
"That will never happen again."
Hearing this, Yoru understood immediately—Hiruzen was extending an olive branch.
His words essentially meant: Forget the past. From now on, you are one of Konoha's own.
"Thank you for your care, Hokage-sama," Yoru responded, allowing a trace of gratitude to show on his face at the right moment.
Hiruzen chuckled and rose from his chair, walking to Yoru's side.
"Although you've faced many difficulties in Konoha, at least here, you are safe from the chaos of war, aren't you?"
"Yes."
Yoru nodded slightly.
Indeed, compared to the smaller shinobi villages that lived in constant fear, always on the verge of destruction, life in a major village—even if unfair—at least provided safety from the devastation of war.
"The past is best left in the past," Hiruzen said with a warm smile, patting Yoru's shoulder.
"Your performance yesterday was impressive. You put on a spectacular fight."
"You have remarkable talent and a sharp mind, no less than that of an adult. In truth, you are already an outstanding shinobi."
At this, Hiruzen paused for a moment before changing his tone slightly.
"However…"
"Talent alone isn't enough. You still need time to grow. Right now, you are still inexperienced."
"I hope that in the coming years, you will settle down, continue your training, and accumulate experience. In time, you will shine brightly."
Hiruzen's words carried an undertone of deeper meaning.
To Yoru, the message was clear: You're still too young. It's time to lay low and focus on training.
But the problem was—where would he find the time and space for peaceful training?
In less than three months, his life-and-death duel with Uchiha Han would take place.
After a brief moment of thought, Yoru understood Hiruzen's intent and asked directly, "Hokage-sama, are you suggesting that I forfeit my duel with Uchiha Han?"
A flash of admiration passed through Hiruzen's eyes.
Even though he had spoken indirectly, Yoru had grasped his meaning almost instantly.
"Yes, that is exactly what I mean. Although you are talented, the gap between you and Uchiha Han is still significant."
"That duel—"
Before Hiruzen could finish, another voice interrupted him.
"Sarutobi, the duel cannot be canceled."
The voice was calm yet carried an air of indifference.
At the doorway, the advisor Shimura Danzo stood with eyes gleaming with an unreadable light, stepping steadily into the room.
"Danzo."
Seeing Danzo enter, Hiruzen's expression darkened, and his brows furrowed.
"Yoru is just a child. How can a life-and-death duel be taken seriously?!"
"Sarutobi, the only thing that matters is the rules. Once a duel has been formally declared, neither party can withdraw. Even as Hokage, you cannot break the rules."
Danzo maintained a composed expression, but his eyes glowed with calculation.
Since Hiruzen refused to hand Yoru over to him, Danzo wouldn't sit idly by and watch Yoru become Hiruzen's new right hand.
Unless… Hiruzen was willing to give Yoru to him.
"Rules are made by people. What if I abolish this one?" Hiruzen snorted coldly.
As Hokage, he had always kept Danzo in check. He could see through Danzo's motives in an instant.
Danzo wanted to force his hand—to either give up Yoru or allow him to die.
"If you wish to change the rules, you must obtain unanimous approval from the Elder Council."
Danzo's tone was calm as he continued, "Not just me—even Homura and Koharu will not support you in overturning such a long-standing rule."
"You—!"
Hiruzen's face darkened further.
The rule of life-and-death duels dated back to the Warring States period.
The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, had once abolished it.
But the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, reinstated it.
Within a village, countless political factions and clans coexisted, creating inevitable friction.
Conflicts would arise.
Some disputes could never be reconciled.
It would be unacceptable for such disputes to erupt into open conflict within the village, yet suppressing them forcefully would only lead to further unrest.
Tobirama's ideology differed from Hashirama's.
He believed that order and structure were essential to maintaining peace.
Thus, as the Second Hokage, he reinstated the tradition of dueling—a structured, rule-based method of settling irreconcilable disputes.