Yuji’s fingers trembled ever so slightly as he untied the ribbon around the scroll.
The parchment slowly unfolded, revealing elegant black ink and the official seal of Konohagakure.
Sagato leaned forward instinctively but remained silent, allowing his son to read the contents himself.
The letter was surprisingly short.
Its consequences, however, were anything but.
Official Decree from the Hokage
1. Reward
For his contribution in exposing and defeating two Sunagakure infiltrators, Uchiha Yuji is hereby awarded 300,000 Ryo and granted permission to learn one B-Rank Ninjutsu of his choice from the Village Archives.
Furthermore, he is offered the privilege of graduating from the Ninja Academy early without taking the graduation examination, should he choose to accept it.
2. Disciplinary Action
Due to unauthorized absence from the Ninja Academy and illegally entering the Forest of Death, Uchiha Yuji is sentenced to clean his Academy classroom every day for one full week after classes.
Yuji slowly raised his head, one eyebrow lifting ever so slightly.
"...Three hundred thousand Ryo."
"...A B-Rank Jutsu."
"...Early graduation."
He paused.
"...And one week of janitor duty?"
The priorities in that sentence felt slightly uneven.
Across the desk, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair with a gentle smile hidden beneath his beard.
"Correct."
"The village recognizes your accomplishments, Yuji. But we cannot ignore your violations of discipline."
He calmly placed his pipe on the table.
"The money is our acknowledgment of your courage."
"The B-Rank Jutsu is an investment, so your talent grows along the proper path."
His eyes narrowed with quiet amusement.
"And cleaning the classroom..."
"...is a reminder."
"No matter how talented you are, you’re still an Academy student."
"Rules remain rules."
Sagato quietly released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
He had been expecting something much worse.
"Hokage-sama is truly wise."
Hiruzen shook his head.
"This has nothing to do with the fact that you’re an Uchiha."
"You earned the reward through your actions."
"As for entering the Forest of Death..."
He chuckled softly before taking another puff from his pipe.
"...let’s call it the classic mistake of a child who happened to become a little too strong."
Yuji looked down at the scroll again.
Honestly...
The punishment barely registered.
Three hundred thousand Ryo could easily cover an entire year’s worth of training supplies.
A B-Rank Ninjutsu was something many Chunin hadn’t even mastered yet.
Cleaning a classroom?
Compared to fighting two enemy Chunin...
Or surviving his mother’s lecture last night...
The broom was clearly the less dangerous opponent.
He stood and bowed respectfully.
"I accept Hokage-sama’s decision."
"Thank you for the rewards."
"And I will carry out my punishment responsibly."
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent."
"The money and your authorization for the Village Archives will be prepared immediately."
"You may select one B-Rank Jutsu today."
After saying that, Hiruzen quietly summoned an ANBU operative and whispered a few instructions.
Several minutes later...
The office door opened.
An administrative Chunin entered carrying a small wooden box along with a blank authorization permit.
Inside the box sat neatly stacked bundles of Ryo.
Enough money to make most adults question their career choices.
"You may obtain one copy of the selected jutsu today," the Chunin explained.
"An ANBU member will accompany you inside the Archives."
Yuji accepted both items with another respectful bow.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen smiled warmly.
"One final piece of advice, Yuji."
Yuji looked up.
"Strength is important."
"Money is useful."
"Powerful jutsu are valuable."
"But the Will of Fire is even more important."
"You’ll be reading quite a few lessons about it."
He smiled knowingly.
"Consider that... your homework."
Yuji fell silent for a moment before giving a small nod.
"I understand, Hokage-sama."
The Will of Fire...
I like the philosophy.
As long as the children aren’t the ones being sent to war.
He wisely decided not to say that part out loud.
Some thoughts were healthier when they stayed inside your own head.
Afterward, they were dismissed.
Yuji followed the waiting ANBU toward the Village Archives to choose his new technique.
Meanwhile, Sagato remained outside the Hokage Building.
His break was over.
Soon he would return to the Konoha Police Force before beginning his afternoon patrol.
Several dozen minutes later...
Yuji finally emerged.
His backpack still rested comfortably on his shoulders.
Only now, it had become significantly heavier.
Inside rested three hundred thousand Ryo...
...and a scroll containing his newly acquired B-Rank Ninjutsu.
Sagato smiled the moment he saw him.
There was unmistakable pride in his father’s eyes.
Yuji couldn’t help but return a faint smile.
Daily Mission: Postponed.
Survive Mother’s Anger: Completed.
Meet the Clan Head: Completed.
Meet the Hokage: Completed.
Rewards Obtained:
- 300,000 Ryo.
- One B-Rank Ninjutsu.
- Early graduation option unlocked.
- One week as the Academy’s honorary cleaning specialist.
Yuji looked up at the blue sky above Konoha.
For the first time in his life...
He felt that getting punished had been considerably more profitable than getting rewarded.
Somewhere in the distance, a broom quietly sensed its new owner and began fearing for its future.