Hiruzen landed on the rooftop of the Hokage Building and led the young shinobi into his office.
After getting comfortable in his chair, Hiruzen observed the boy closely before speaking in a steady tone. "Your physical condition is troubling. You might face difficulty in handling the demanding training and dangerous missions that come with being a ninja."
The boy's excitement from graduating the academy was still evident, but Hiruzen's words quickly erased his joy, replacing it with anxiety. His fists tightened. The Hokage had the power to decide who could continue as a shinobi. If he was judged unfit, the dream he had worked so hard for might be over before it even started.
Determined, he straightened his back and said, "Lord Hokage, I will give my all to complete the missions assigned to me, even if it costs me my life."
Hiruzen shook his head. "The mission system is designed to match tasks with a shinobi's rank. We don't send inexperienced ninja on missions they can't handle. There's no need for reckless sacrifices." His tone softened as he continued, "Now, tell me—why do you want to be a ninja so badly? Speak freely."
The boy hesitated. "I…"
"Go on," Hiruzen encouraged. "There's nothing to fear."
Taking a deep breath, the boy finally spoke, and his story unfolded before Hiruzen's eyes.
His father had been a wandering ninja during the Warring States period, a low-ranking Genin who made a living escorting merchant caravans. But when the Senju and Uchiha founded the Hidden Leaf Village, he answered their call, settling in Konoha, marrying, and starting a family.
For a while, they lived in peace. But when war broke out again, all registered shinobi were summoned to fight. A lone, low-ranking ninja like his father had little chance on the battlefield. He fell in the second year of the war, leaving behind a widow and a five-year-old son.
The boy and his mother survived on a small pension, but as wartime inflation soared, their money dwindled. Desperate, his mother turned to her clan—a minor ninja family on Konoha's outskirts. They did not turn her away, but their help was meager, offering only enough to scrape by.
His mother had taught him one thing from childhood: "Your only path forward is to become a ninja."
Those words became his guiding principle. Despite his frail body, he pushed himself relentlessly, honing his skills with sheer perseverance and an exceptional talent for learning. Against all odds, he had made it through the academy and now, he stood here, awaiting judgment.
Hiruzen listened intently. The boy's story reminded him of countless ordinary people struggling to rise in a world that often seemed set against them. He had seen the same struggles in another lifetime, in another world.
The Third Hokage exhaled slowly, then made his decision. "Hiruko, I will not place you in the Anbu. Instead, I will assign you to my office for now. First, we'll arrange a full medical examination. How can you serve Konoha when your body is barely holding together?"
Hiruko's eyes widened in shock. Then, his vision blurred with unshed tears. He had expected rejection. Yet, for the first time in his life, someone had extended a hand to help him.
He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen called for Shinya and placed Hiruko's care in his hands before returning to his work.
Not long after, the door opened once more. Kagami, head of the Security Department, stepped into the office.
Hiruzen gestured toward a seat. "Sit down, have some tea first." He got up to prepare it, but before he could, Kagami snatched the teapot from his hands.
"I'll do it myself. You've been Hokage for so long—have you forgotten how to pour tea?" Kagami teased, a smirk playing at his lips.
Hiruzen sighed in mock helplessness. "With all the affairs of the village, where would I find time to practice pouring tea? Whenever someone visits, Shikaru or Shinya handles it. But you, as the head of the Security Department, still have time to sit down and enjoy tea?"
"Of course," Kagami said with a grin. "I let my captains handle everything they can, and anything they can't, I send it straight to the Hokage's office. That way, I stay free, right?"
Hiruzen chuckled. "You're as lazy as ever. The Security Department keeps expanding, yet they still seem to hold you in high regard."
"Let them," Kagami waved dismissively. "I don't bother with the small stuff. The Uchiha clan may grumble, but it doesn't concern me."
Hiruzen studied him. "During the last reorganization of the Security Department, we reassigned the head of the Setsuna clan as an ambassador to the Land of Iron. He must have grievances against me. I don't mind being criticized, but what about you? You were also a part of the decision."
Kagami smirked. "Take a guess. He badmouths you at every clan meeting, calls you all sorts of names, but when it's time to take action? He never actually supports the opposition. Over the years, I've built up my influence in the clan, and the number of dissenters has shrunk. It's nothing to worry about."
Hiruzen felt a twinge of guilt, but what was done was done. He sighed. "Still, extend my apologies to him. I had no choice at the time."
"Relax, he didn't take it too seriously. So, what did you call me here for today?" Kagami asked, setting down his teacup.
Hiruzen's expression turned serious. "The Security Department's workload is growing. Have you considered how large your brigades have grown? You call them brigades, but each one of them already has at least 300 members. As the department expands, that number will only increase—eventually, each brigade will need at least 500 to 600 shinobi. While the Central District Headquarters might not require as many, the patrol brigades will always struggle with manpower shortages. Right now, most squad leaders in the patrol units come from the Inuzuka clan, and the Customs and Central District Brigades are also dominated by just three clans."
Kagami shrugged. "That's inevitable. What do you propose we do about it?"
Hiruzen frowned. "The current structure of the Security Department is starting to resemble the old Uchiha Police Force. Look at the recent recruits—many of them weren't even registered on the village's official ninja roster before. Now that they see an opportunity for the benefits, these so-called hidden ninjas are suddenly appearing, including members of the Sarutobi clan. This is exactly what happens when ninja clans prioritize their own interests by using the village resources to strengthen their families."
Kagami exhaled, shaking his head. "That's how things have always been. Changing that… won't be easy."