The morning was exceptionally fine.
In the Third Hokage's residence, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat facing his son Asuma across a shogi board.
The battlefield between father and son appeared harmonious at first glance,
Were it not for Asuma's impatient expression disrupting the peace.
"Spit it out already, old man. What's your real stance?"
"Let me make this clear - even if you object, I'll protect my 'Jade' my own way."
Pushing a shogi piece aggressively, Asuma scowled.
He'd been selected as a Guardian Ninja for the Land of Fire.
Departure imminent.
Years of conflict with his father seemed trivial after his mother's death.
He'd found his "Jade" to protect.
Before leaving, he came to flaunt this answer to the old man:
The Daimyō is the true Jade, not you.
For Konoha, the Hokage isn't paramount.
Only by safeguarding the Daimyō could Konoha thrive as the Land of Fire's shinobi force.
This was his conviction.
Yet the old man remained noncommittal...
No matter.
His self-discovered truth required no paternal approval.
All he needed was the Hokage's signature on the Guardian Ninja roster.
"If you've found your Jade..."
"...What's the harm in humoring your father with one last game?"
Hiruzen maintained his infuriatingly calm demeanor.
Asuma's patience dwindled rapidly.
"Enough with the cryptic lectures, geezer!"
"Your philosophical riddles mean nothing to me!"
Rage tinged Asuma's voice now.
The Hokage remained unmoved.
At least outwardly.
"Very well. Complete one task for me."
"Do this, and I'll sign your precious scroll."
Hiruzen produced a scroll from his robe, placing it on the disordered board.
Asuma hesitated.
Glancing between his father's lowered eyes and the scroll, he finally snatched it.
"You'd better keep your word!"
With a derisive snort, Asuma vanished.
Long silence followed.
Alone at the shogi board, Hiruzen finally sighed.
As a father.
As both parent and Kage.
He'd tried his utmost.
Dropped every hint.
The Daimyō wasn't the true Jade.
While protecting nobility was shinobi duty, it wasn't their ultimate purpose.
Yet any wisdom from his lips would only fuel his son's rebellion...
He'd truly done all he could.
Now he could only hope this final arrangement bore fruit...
.....
Elsewhere,
Fresh from that loveless household, Asuma quickly unsealed the scroll in solitude.
This was his final obstacle to the Land of Fire mission.
Though resentful, without the Hokage's seal, his path remained blocked.
Yet upon reading the contents,
His scowl transformed into bewilderment.
"This... can't be right?"
"Two brats applying for early graduation?"
"Proctor duty?"
Asuma blinked incredulously.
Had the old man gone senile? Mistaken scrolls?
Testing two six-year-olds' qualifications?
Wait.
He must be missing something.
Even if these kids were Kakashi-level prodigies,
At his current skill, handling five such brats would be effortless!
How many Konoha ninja qualified as Guardian material anyway?
"Ah."
"Two Uchihas."
"Tch."
Rereading the scroll, Asuma found his answer.
His lips curled disdainfully.
With a cold laugh, the jōnin vanished...
Unclear whether the scorn targeted the Uchiha,
Or the father who assigned this farce.
.....
Ninja Academy.
Teacher Kurokami trembled anxiously.
Two first-years simultaneously requesting early graduation!
Absurdly, one girl had attended less than three days!
Was this the Uchiha clan's arrogance infecting their youth?
Or implicit criticism of his teaching skills?
Most shockingly...
The Hokage had approved!
Approved!
Preposterous.
Kurokami now dared not even face these students...
At the exam grounds,
Itachi and Qingchuan stood side-by-side awaiting their trial.
Qingchuan still brooded over his morning sneeze.
Frankly, he'd prepared three days for this exam!
Such ominous timing felt inauspicious!
Even his practiced smile lay discarded now -
Face frozen in frostiness!
This unsettled Itachi terribly...
Had he wronged Haruko somehow?