[3rd POV]
(The Hokage office)
He couldn't help himself.
He tried. Bad experience from raising a criminal and giving arms to evil nearly stopped him at times. But he couldn't stop it.
The boy would find a way to the top anyway; better that he learned under him than someone else. That was how he justified his action.
It started off cautiously, always keeping in mind what happened with his student Orochimaru. He tried to keep a distance from the prodigy, not suffer the same heartbreak he once did. But by the end of the month, all those were swallowed away.
There was no doubt, the boy managed to dig a soft spot in his heart and lay there.
Which was saying a whole lot. God that says a whole lot.
Because the talent and sheer genius he witnessed with his own eyes should make everyone wary. That kind of talent was a whole other level of danger, not just for other villages but for the whole world.
A talent so potent it swallowed jutsu like a blackhole. Genius so potent it absorbed techniques like a dry sponge.
The rate at which the young boy mastered technique alone was more than a full-grown Jonin with perfect Sharingan. Master was the keyword here.
Hiruzen had watched many geniuses rise, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Minato, Kakashi, Shisui and even Itachi, that poor boy.
But he surpassed all.
Before he could realise, he was throwing everything he knew at the boy who absorbed all. Before he realised, he wanted to see how far the boy could go, how fast he could progress, but he never really saw a limit.
Water jutsu, Fire jutsu, Lightning jutsu, Earth jutsu, Wind jutsu, Shurikenjutsu, Genjutsu, Kenjutsu, Taijutsu, Fuinjutsu. There was simply no limit to his potential.
What should take others lifetimes to master took literally days. The boy was like a fire; the more he threw at him, the bigger he burned. He turned everything into fuel.
But perhaps what lowered his guard was the enthusiasm. Suyou wasn't cold, was not hungry for power, or forbidden knowledge. He was glad with every little achievement he made.
And unlike what one would expect, he wasn't using his talent as a platform to look down on the others. Pride did not seep into his heart. No matter how much he learned, he didn't brag, he didn't gloat.
But Hiruzen realised that was not because of humility either.
The boy was simply never content.
It was like he was in a constant comparison with a God in his mind. Hiruzen wondered sometimes what the boy compared himself to, what was the limit he should surpass in his mind?
The Hokage was sure it wasn't him, but something far greater. The boy showed it in his character and behaviour.
Before he even knew it, the Hokage had grown fond of the boy, like how a grandfather would of his grandson, like how a teacher would of his best student.
Waking up in the morning finally had meaning and purpose again. The boy included him in his achievement so every day was an exciting day to see how much he would progress again, how much he would achieve.
For now, low jonin level. In the span of a month, the boy had gone from an academy graduate to a jonin level of power. It took him 30 days to achieve what took others a lifetime, sometimes forever.
It was a scary potential that Hiruzen saw. It never really occurred to him in his lifetime that mere potential could be so frightening.
"Hiruzen,"
"Hmm?" the Hokage came out of his reverie and looked up to see an old friend, Danzo, standing before his table.
"You are not doing your duty properly," Danzo said boldly, gazing intently with his one eye, "Issues that require the Hokage are ignored, files are left in your office to collect dust and your presence has become less and less frequent in the meetings."
"Oh, is it? I apologise," Hiruzen said, putting down the paper he was reading, "I will try to fix my behaviour."
"Is it that boy? You are spending far too much time with him. It's a waste," Danzo said.
Hiruzen took a puff of his smoke and shook his head. "Far from it. I am nurturing our future old friend,"
"At the expense of ignoring our present? Think for a second, Hiruzen," Danzo said, "If you want a good teacher, I can arrange one for him. Or I can go there myself, see exactly why you are so doting of this kid,"
Hiruzen laughed; it was not a funny laugh, nor was it forced either. "Forget teaching him, I don't want you in his vicinity."
"Which reminds me why I called you here," Hiruzen said, his eyes suddenly taking a serious shape as his laughter died.
"Your Root is trying to spy on the kid. The Anbu has spotted some in the vicinity of his home," Hiruzen said.
"So? My Root covers the whole village,"
"How do I put this kindly since we are old friends?" Hiruzen said and leaned forward, "Don't even think about going near that boy, Danzo."
Danzo released a huff.
"I'm serious. I will disband the Root if I have to,"
Silence.
There was utter silence as Danzo waited for a punchline. He frowned when he heard none.
"I have turned a blind eye to your actions and secret missions. But I won't turn a blind eye to this," he said.
"Leave the boy alone,"
"If you say so," Danzo said with a glare.
"Oh I'm not asking. That's an order,"
"...Of course, Lord Hokage,"
"I don't need your dark ideals and whatever you have going on to corrupt his mind. So you will be wise to stay away,"
After a beat of silence, Danzo excused himself and left the office. Hiruzen hummed thoughtfully for a moment before he got back to reading the paperwork.
After the day was over, he headed towards the Hokage Mountain immediately. There, he met Suyou training in the open field. Evening was physical training where the boy trained until he could barely walk.
Oftentimes, he has to create a shadow clone to help him get back home. That was the extent Suyou was willing to go just to get even a little bit stronger.
Again, Hiruzen wondered what the boy was really comparing himself to. Because it was clear he had done enough.
The Hokage watched with a pleased smile. A teacher couldn't ask for a better or more diligent student.
..
..
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