Chapter 5: Sarutobi Hiruzen

"I'm back, I'm back..."

"That's my brother; he's a Chūnin."

"Hmph, my dad is a Jōnin. Where is my dad?"

Outside the gates of Konoha, a crowd had gathered, their heads held high with anticipation as they gazed at the returning ninja army approaching from the horizon. The streets bustled with residents eagerly scanning the ranks, hoping to spot their loved ones.

Even those who couldn't find their family among the crowd clung to the hope that their kin might have been assigned to a different unit. Others in the group of returning shinobi exchanged greetings with familiar faces in the crowd—family members or friends.

"After registration, you're dismissed. Head home and be ready for any possible conflict," ordered Captain Yamanako.

"Yes, sir," the ninjas replied in unison.

Kaitan observed the bustling reunion scenes around him. His gaze fell on a black-haired woman with a heavily pregnant belly, her face lighting up with joy as she spotted Yamanako. The captain, too, hurried forward, carefully supporting her with evident tenderness.

"So, that's Yamanako's wife—the future mother of Yamanaka Ino. Looks like she's expecting," Kaitan muttered to himself.

Elsewhere, other ninjas were reconnecting with their loved ones. A handsome, middle-aged man missing an arm approached Kaitan. Though he appeared to be in his thirties, his rugged demeanor spoke of experience and hardship. The man beamed as he saw Kaitan.

"Good boy, it seems you've grown a lot on the battlefield!"

"Dad, you underestimated your son, didn't you? I'm just like you now—a member of the Analysis Corps and even a student of Mr. Yamanako," Kaitan responded with pride.

This was his father, Hitake Tosei, once a comrade of Konoha's famed White Fang. A severe injury had ended Tosei's career, forcing him to retire. But his stories about the legendary exploits of Yamanako had deeply influenced Kaitan's admiration for the man.

"Very good! You're my son, after all. You haven't been scolded by your boss yet, have you?" Tosei chuckled.

"Come on, Dad. Do you think I'd make your mistakes? Unlike you, who wound up in the hospital the first time you used mind-reading, I've already been promoted to Chūnin!"

Tosei roared with laughter. "That's my boy! Back in my day, I was just a bit behind White Fang. Now you'll be just a bit behind his son, I suppose?"

The two continued their banter as they made their way home—a modest two-story house built in the traditional Konoha style, its wooden exterior blending seamlessly with the village's architecture. The interior was cozy, adorned with various dragonfly figurines crafted from plants, exuding a warm, personal charm.

After tossing his luggage into his room, Kaitan fell onto his bed, finally allowing himself to relax. For the first time in what felt like ages, he had a peaceful night's sleep. Meanwhile, his father quietly went about making yet another dragonfly figurine to add to the already impressive collection hanging around the house.

---

The next morning, Kaitan stretched and yawned, feeling refreshed after the long sleep. Following a quick breakfast lovingly prepared by his father, he headed out to begin his training.

At Konoha Training Ground No. 98, a wide stream of water flowed gently through the area. Kaitan stood by the edge, performing Ninjutsu on a small fish. He observed the creature closely as his technique began to take effect. For a moment, the fish's eyes reflected sadness, but the expression quickly faded, replaced by its usual blank stare.

"It seems my mind-reading technique still needs improvement," Kaitan murmured.

Ever since returning to the village, Kaitan had thrown himself into refining his Genjutsu techniques. His experiences on the battlefield had shown him the devastating potential of manipulating an opponent's emotions and nerves, and he was determined to master these skills.

His current focus was on developing a Genjutsu he called Mind-Reading Grief. The idea was to induce depression-like signals in the target's brain, rendering their body sluggish and vulnerable to attack. However, as his experiment with the fish demonstrated, the effects were still fleeting.

"Hey, boy, are you practicing Genjutsu on fish?"

Kaitan nearly jumped out of his skin. The voice had come from so close that his heart raced at the thought of being caught off guard. Slowly, he turned around, lifting his forehead protector to reveal his wary gaze.

Standing before him was an elderly man with a pointed mustache—a figure every shinobi in Konoha recognized.

"Third Hokage-sama," Kaitan stammered.

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled warmly. Though his face bore fewer wrinkles than in later years, the wisdom and authority in his expression were unmistakable.

"Haha, no need for formalities. Did I scare you?" Hiruzen asked, waving a hand dismissively.

Kaitan quickly composed himself. "Not at all, Hokage-sama. I'm just embarrassed that, as a Konoha sensory ninja, I couldn't detect your presence."

Hiruzen chuckled. "Come now, I'm the Hokage. If a young Chūnin like you could sense me, I'd have to question my own abilities as a ninja!"

Despite the kind words, Kaitan couldn't help but feel a bit unnerved. "What brings you here, Lord Hokage?" he asked, trying to mask his nerves.

"I was curious about your training. You seemed deep in thought earlier. Are you encountering any challenges with your Ninjutsu?"

At this, Kaitan hesitated. Part of him felt reluctant to burden the Hokage with his struggles, but he eventually relented and explained his ideas for Mind-Reading Grief and the issues he was facing in perfecting it.

"Hmm," Hiruzen mused thoughtfully. "Although my own Genjutsu skills are modest, I can tell you this: humans and fish are vastly different. If you want to refine your technique, you'll need to test it on real people."

Kaitan nodded slowly. His earlier success with Mind-Reading Pain had indeed come from testing it on enemy ninjas during combat.

"Tell you what," Hiruzen said, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "I haven't had much action lately. Let me be your test subject."

Kaitan's jaw dropped. "But Lord Hokage, that's—"

"Don't worry about it," Hiruzen interrupted. "Wherever the leaves dance, the fire burns. This was the will entrusted to me by my teacher and the First Hokage. I want to pass it on to the next generation—starting with you."

Despite his initial protests, Kaitan eventually agreed, moved by the Hokage's words. With Hiruzen's guidance, he was confident he could overcome the obstacles in his training.

And so, under the watchful eye of the Third Hokage, Kaitan resumed his experiments, determined to refine his Genjutsu and contribute to the strength of Konoha.