351-Pass the Pipe

The night was cloaked in an eerie stillness, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves in the cold wind. Stars scattered across the vast expanse of the night sky, their distant twinkle a stark contrast to the earthly worries brewing below.

A humble house stood at the edge of a wooded area in the Senju residency, its paper windows glowing faintly from the warm light inside. The hour was late, the kind of hour when silence reigned supreme, and even the most restless souls found respite in sleep.

"Knock! Knock!"

A sharp sound echoed against the wooden door, cutting through the quiet like a kunai through parchment. Inside, a woman startled awake. She was in her late twenties, her dark hair tied loosely back, strands falling around her face in soft disarray. She wore a simple yukata, its pale blue fabric faintly rumpled from the hour's relaxation. Her sharp eyes, a mix of curiosity and concern, darted toward the door.

'What kind of person would visit at such an ungodly hour?'

Tightening the sash of her yukata, she walked briskly to the door, her footsteps muffled against the tatami mats. She slid the door open with a practised grace, her face composed despite the strange circumstances. Her composure faltered when her eyes met the unmistakable figure of the Hokage, standing tall in his signature cloak and hat.

"Lord Hokage!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with equal parts surprise and reverence. She instinctively stepped aside, bowing low. "Please, come in."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded curtly, stepping into the modest home with the kind of presence that filled the space without trying. His sharp eyes scanned the interior, taking in the simple yet tidy layout before resting on the woman.

"Is he awake?" Hiruzen's voice was calm, yet there was an undercurrent of urgency that hinted at the gravity of his visit.

The woman blinked, momentarily flustered by the Hokage's sudden appearance. It took her a moment to process his question. "Yes, Hokage-sama. He's in the back." She motioned down a hallway leading to the rear of the house. "Shall I show you the way?"

Hiruzen gave her a polite nod of thanks. She led him down the hall, the faint scent of incense and tobacco growing stronger with each step. They arrived at a door, and the woman gestured quietly before retreating. Hiruzen opened the door to reveal a serene garden bathed in pale moonlight.

Seated at the edge of the garden's wooden veranda was a man. He appeared no older than his early forties, his features sharp and unmarred by time, save for faint lines at the corners of his mouth.

A pipe rested between his fingers, thin tendrils of smoke spiralling lazily into the cold night. He gazed upward, his expression calm and contemplative, as if counting each star.

Hiruzen hesitated for a moment, his mind betraying a rare flicker of envy. 'Damn those Senju genes,' he thought.

Hiruzen himself was in his late forties, but compared to this man—Eiji Senju, who was almost two decades his senior—he felt positively weathered.

"Eiji-sama," Hiruzen began, his tone respectful but edged with familiarity.

The man turned his head, his piercing gaze locking onto Hiruzen. A warm, joyful smile spread across his face, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Hiruzen!" he greeted, his voice carrying the richness of someone unburdened by life's stresses. "What brings you here at this hour? Couldn't resist a late-night chat with your elder brother?"

Hiruzen moved to sit beside him, the wooden veranda creaking softly beneath his weight. "How have you been?" he asked, leaning back slightly as he let the night air wash over him.

Eiji chuckled, the sound light and unforced. "Well enough," he replied, exhaling a puff of smoke. He glanced sideways at Hiruzen, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Still using that crystal ball of yours to keep tabs on everyone, or have you finally kicked the habit?"

Hiruzen scoffed, adjusting his hat. "Knowing everything that happens in the village helps me protect it."

"I'm sure it does," Eiji replied with a hint of sarcasm, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Irritated but unwilling to engage further, Hiruzen waved a dismissive hand. "Never mind. Pass the pipe."

Eiji raised an eyebrow but complied, handing over the pipe with a slight grin. Hiruzen took it, only to watch as Eiji stood and crossed the room to fetch a fresh pipe from a cupboard.

Hiruzen's eye twitched. "You had another pipe? You couldn't just give me that one?"

Eiji paused mid-step, glancing back with a feigned look of innocence. "I was just following your order, Lord Hokage." He offered an exaggerated bow, his tone dripping with mock deference.

Hiruzen grumbled something under his breath but let it slide. He took a long drag from the pipe, the tobacco's earthy flavour grounding him momentarily.

The two sat in companionable silence, the quiet punctuated only by the occasional pop and crackle of the burning tobacco.

Eventually, Eiji broke the silence. "So, what brings you here, Hiruzen?"

Hiruzen glanced at him, his expression softening. "Do I need a reason to visit one of my oldest friends? You're like an elder brother to me, Eiji."

Eiji remained quiet, his gaze fixed on the stars. After a moment, he asked, "How's Danzo?"

Hiruzen's brow furrowed slightly. "Still causing trouble as usual."

Eiji chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll never understand why you keep him so close. It's clear he's eyeing your position."

Hiruzen hesitated, the weight of the question pressing on him. Finally, he said, "It might not make sense to you—or to anyone—but that's what Tobirama-sensei would have wanted."

Eiji exhaled a plume of smoke, his expression contemplative. "My uncle was a genius, but even geniuses can be wrong. You know that as well as I do."

Hiruzen sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Being Hokage is harder than anyone realizes. Not everyone will understand my choices."

Hiruzen allowed the statement to linger for a moment, his silence a reflection of the complex web of responsibility and loyalty that bound him to the role. Finally, he sighed again and turned to face Eiji directly. "Of all people, Eiji, you should understand. You refused the responsibility long before Tobirama-sensei handed the position to me."

At that, Eiji chuckled, the sound low and almost self-deprecating. He exhaled a long plume of smoke, watching it dissipate into the cold night air before speaking. "And for good reason, Hiruzen. I wasn't the right fit. I was never as empathetic as my father, nor as decisive as my uncle. Being Hokage requires more than strength or wisdom—it demands a balance I never had. Besides, I didn't it to seem like the Hokage position was hereditary."

Hiruzen studied him quietly, his face softening as Eiji continued. "And, honestly, I wouldn't have known how to handle it if I'd lost Kawaki during the last great war and I was the Hokage. Losing my son as just a father was hard enough. But as Hokage?" Eiji shook his head, his tone filled with a raw honesty that Hiruzen rarely heard from him. "The weight of that kind of loss while trying to lead a village… I don't think I would have survived it. It hurts more than the Injury I got from that great war."

Hiruzen remained silent, letting Eiji's words settle between them. For all his jovial taunts and carefree demeanour, Eiji's pain was a stark reminder of the cost of leadership, of war, and of the decisions that shaped both.

Finally, Hiruzen spoke, his voice quieter, tinged with understanding. "Losing someone you love is never easy, Eiji. I understand that pain more than you know. But that's exactly why I can't abandon this role, not yet. The village needs stability, someone who can carry the weight, even when it feels unbearable."

Eiji leaned back, his gaze returning to the stars above. "Perhaps. But why don't you pass the mantle to someone like Jiraiya or Orochimaru?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "They're powerful, yes, but power alone isn't enough. Orochimaru lacks the temperament, and Jiraiya… he's brilliant but too carefree. They're not ready."

Eiji raised an eyebrow. "And my daughter, Tsunade?"

Hiruzen sighed again. "Tsunade is skilled, no doubt, but she's… self-serving. I fear she wouldn't prioritize the village above her own interests."

The two fell into another long silence, the weight of their discussion hanging in the air like the smoke from their pipes. Finally, Eiji spoke. "What about Minato, Jiraiya's student? I've heard good things about him."

Hiruzen smiled faintly, nodding. "Minato is promising—more than promising, actually. He would make an excellent Hokage one day. But it's still too early. He needs more time."

He took another drag from the pipe, exhaling slowly. "There are others, too, who show potential. Kakashi, for example. And Renjiro."

At the mention of Renjiro, Eiji turned to him, curious.

'Isn't the boy that was Riku's student?'

"Renjiro? Why bring him up now?" Eiji questioned.

Hiruzen's expression grew serious. "Because he's the reason I'm here tonight. War, perhaps a Great one, is on the horizon… and I think he might be at the centre of it."

Eiji's pipe paused midway to his lips, his gaze sharpening. The quiet night seemed to grow heavier as the implications of Hiruzen's words sank in.

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