Reincarated with Nanites

~ Omniscient Pov ~

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Hiruzen took a slow drag from his pipe, exhaling a thin stream of smoke before regarding Hayatou with sharp yet thoughtful eyes.

"You did well… better than I even expected," the old Hokage said, his tone even, carrying neither excessive praise nor unnecessary warmth—just honest recognition.

Hayatou, still catching his breath from the fight, rolled his shoulders slightly, easing the residual tension from his muscles. His expression remained composed, but his sharp eyes met Hiruzen's with a knowing glint.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," he replied evenly. "But I assume you didn't call me over just to say that."

Hiruzen chuckled lightly, tapping the rim of his pipe. "No, I didn't." His voice carried a note of amusement, but his gaze remained discerning, studying Hayatou as if weighing his next words. "A performance like that deserves recognition… and perhaps, a reward."

Hayatou raised an eyebrow. "A reward?"

The Hokage nodded. "Indeed. Though you only used a fraction of your ability, your control, awareness, and composure were remarkable. That kind of discipline isn't something many your age possess—not without years of dedicated training." He leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on the desk. "Tell me, Hayatou… if I were to grant you a request, what would you ask for?"

A test.

That was Hayatou's immediate thought. Hiruzen wasn't the type to hand out rewards without purpose. This was a probe—an opportunity to see what he valued, what he might desire. A misstep could give away too much about his ambitions.

His mind ran through possibilities, discarding anything that would seem too suspicious or arrogant. He had to strike the right balance—something beneficial, but not so outrageous that it would draw undue scrutiny.

After a beat of silence, he answered, "Knowledge."

Hiruzen's lips curled into a subtle smile, "Elaborate."

"I'm already training my body daily, and at the moment, I don't need more equipment... Money is currently irrelevant—I can earn what I need later. And jutsu… I could ask for some when necessary, but techniques without proper understanding are just wasted potential..." Hayatou met the Hokage's gaze evenly. "What I lack right now is insight. Not just about ninjutsu, but also about tactics, history, the experiences of those who came before me..." He tilted his head slightly.

"So if you're offering me a reward… I'd like access to more advanced reading materials."

Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head in clear approval. "A wise request." He tapped his pipe against a nearby ashtray before setting it down... "Very well. I'll grant you access to a selection of higher-level texts—within reason, of course. I assume you'll make good use of them?"

Hayatou allowed a small, confident smirk, "Naturally."

The Hokage hummed in amusement at that, "Then consider it done. I'll have all the materials prepared for you." His expression shifted, more serious now. "But tell me, Hayatou… why did you hold back on Shiba?"

Hayatou didn't flinch at the question. He had already expected it...

"The purpose of the fight was to display skill; not to crush my opponent beyond recognition..." he answered smoothly, yet honestly. "Winning, was inevitable to me. But if I had gone all out, I wouldn't have learned anything useful." His gaze sharpened slightly. "And neither would you."

Hiruzen stared at him for a long moment before letting out a deep chuckle, "You truly are an interesting one, Hayatou..." He paused for a moment before continuing.

"You've attracted a lot of attention son... Both good, and bad. Additionally with your current level of achievement. I can officially grant you the status of a shinobi, a chuunin level shinobi at that..."

Hayatou nodded, "Thank you lord third... However, I have another request."

Hiruzen thought about it for a moment, answering, "That depends on what the request is..."

'I'll just have to gamble then...' Hayatou thought, "I wish to partake in mission selections, and as soon as possible as well..."

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his expression contemplative as he studied Hayatou in silence. The old Hokage was rarely caught off guard, but this request was… bold. Not reckless, not impatient—just deliberate, calculated. Hayatou wasn't simply seeking more responsibility. He was after something specific.

"You don't waste time, do you?" Hiruzen finally said, a trace of amusement in his voice.

Hayatou met his gaze evenly. "Would there be any benefit in doing so?"

Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head. "For most, yes. But you certainly aren't like most." He exhaled slowly before continuing. "Tell me, Hayatou, why the urgency?"

There it was. Another test, just as expected... 

'This old coot definitely wants to see where I stand at the moment, but I can't just answer that question...' He thought.

Hayatou didn't let the pause stretch too long. He needed his answer to feel both natural and compelling. "Experience..." he said plainly. "There's only so much I can gain from training alone. Combat within a controlled setting is predictable, no matter how difficult it seems. Missions, however… they introduce unknowns. Unpredictability. Real consequences." His tone remained measured, logical.

"If I'm going to be an asset to the village, I need to refine myself in real scenarios—not just sparring matches."

Hiruzen's gaze remained unreadable, but Hayatou could see the gears turning in the old man's mind. The Hokage wasn't one to make rash decisions, nor was he easily swayed by eloquent words alone...

"You're aware of the risks," Hiruzen stated, though it wasn't a question...

"Of course."

"And yet, you seek to face them head-on?"

"Inevitably, I'll have to," Hayatou replied. "Delaying won't make me any less of a target. If anything, it'll do the opposite..."

Hiruzen's fingers tapped lightly against the desk. "That, is true… though the same could be said of drawing too much attention too soon." His gaze sharpened. "You are already a subject of interest to certain individuals, Hayatou. Some may wish to guide you… others may seek to control you. Do you understand what that truly means?"

Hayatou held the Hokage's gaze, unflinching. "That means I should be capable enough that no one can control me..."

A slow smile formed on Hiruzen's lips. "Ha! Clever answer."

Silence stretched between them before Hiruzen finally spoke again, this time with the weight of a decision behind his words this time...

"Very well..." he said. "I will approve your request… but under one condition."

Hayatou's expression remained neutral. Knowing this would have happened, "Which is?"

"You will be assigned to a squad for your first set of missions... No solo operations—not yet."

A rather calculated restriction. Not unexpected, but still something to note. Hiruzen wasn't denying him outright, but he was still ensuring some level of oversight.

Hayatou nodded. "That's, reasonable." Hayatou couldn't argue with the old man on that, he would have done the same if he was in his position. Also, to Hayatou, this was the best case scenario accounting for the wisdom Hiruzen held...

Hiruzen smiled again, this time with a knowing glint in his eyes. "Good. I'll have your assignment arranged, soon. Around a week or so from today..."

Hayatou bowed slightly. "Thank you, Lord Third."

As he turned to leave, Hiruzen's voice stopped him at the door.

"Hayatou."

He glanced back.

The old Hokage regarded him with quiet amusement. "Just... Try not to cause too much trouble."

Hayatou smirked slightly, "No promises."

And with that, he exited, leaving Hiruzen to exhale another slow breath, the embers of his pipe glowing faintly in the dim light.

"That boy…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head, 'He's definitely going to shake things up; whether he intends to or not.'

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~ Hayatou's Pov ~

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[It seems everything worked out for the best host...]

'I suppose it did... To an extent at least. I'll bet that fool Danzo itching to set his fangs in me. He's probably very curious about me at the moment, especially since I'm of orphan status. In his eyes, I'm some nobody super prodigy that will crawl and beg for more strength...'

However, that was the least of my concerns right now.

Fugaku Uchiha stood a short distance away, arms crossed, his dark eyes studying me with quiet intensity. The head of the Uchiha clan—one of the strongest men in the village—was waiting for me. Not for Hiruzen. Not for some political matter. For me.

Interesting.

[It seems you've drawn the attention of another key figure.]

'Clearly… But why approach me now?' I thought back, keeping my gaze steady. I carefully slowed my steps as well.

The crowd that had gathered earlier had mostly dispersed, leaving the village streets quieter, save for a few lingering shinobi and civilians. The evening air carried a cool edge, but I hardly noticed. My focus remained on Fugaku, and more importantly, on his what his intentions were...

I figured he had seen my match. That much was obvious to me. But more than that, he had observed. I'd caught his gaze a few times during the fight, and I had no doubt he noticed what others hadn't—the sheer boredom I had felt during that so-called challenge. The man's son was a genius, he knew what we were like. Even if that extent was small...

'He must want to test me himself.'

That realization settled quickly in my mind, but I didn't let my expression betray anything beyond mild curiosity... If he truly wished to see my capabilities firsthand, then that presented an opportunity. One I could capitalize on.

Adjusting my stance just slightly, I finally spoke, keeping my tone even... "Fugaku-sama? How can I assist you..."

A small hum of approval left him, as if he had expected me to speak first. His gaze remained unreadable, though there was an underlying weight to it.

"I saw your match," he said simply, voice deep yet controlled. "It was… impressive."

A lesser shinobi might have basked in the rare praise of the Uchiha leader. I, however, merely tilted my head slightly. "Was it?"

His lips pressed together faintly, his keen eyes catching the subtle challenge in my tone... "You seemed… uninterested," he noted, as if gauging my reaction. "As though the outcome was already predetermined."

I allowed myself a small, knowing smirk. "Wasn't it?"

A brief silence. Then, he nodded once. "It was."

Good. He was honest—logical. That made this easier.

"If you already knew the outcome, why watch?" I questioned, feigning mild curiosity.

Fugaku's eyes sharpened slightly. "Because talent like yours is not often seen." He paused, then added, "And I dislike mysteries within the village..."

Ah~ So that was it. His curiosity wasn't just plain admiration—it was likely a level of control. The Uchiha Clan leader wasn't one to let a variable remain unchecked. He wanted to understand me, to measure my worth against his own expectations...

Which meant I could use this.

A small chuckle left me, barely audible. "You wish to test me, don't you?"

Fugaku didn't answer immediately, but the silence itself was enough of a confirmation. His posture remained composed, but there was an unmistakable shift—interest, real interest. At times like these, I loved just how predictable and naive human being were. Despite thinking they were the it.

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"If you are as skilled as I suspect… then yes," he finally admitted, but it was the most obvious thing. "A test would be appropriate; consider it an actual challenge of sorts."

I exhaled, letting some tension build before speaking again, "Then I propose a wager."

This caught him off guard, if only slightly. His brow lifted by the smallest of fraction. "A, wager?"

I nodded. "If I win… you will teach me all of your clan's jutsu. Without question."

The air between us was growing heavier, the mere suggestion I admit, was absurd—almost. I knew what I was asking for. The Uchiha were fiercely protective of their techniques, their history, their secrets. To demand unrestricted access was a move that could be seen as either arrogance… or ambition.

Fugaku studied me in silence, likely weighing my reasoning, searching for the why behind my words. But I knew he wouldn't back down. Not now. He wasn't just the Uchiha leader—he was also a warrior. And warriors did not retreat from challenges.

After a long moment, he exhaled. "And, if you lose?"

I shrugged, "Then I will do a favor of your choosing. No restrictions."

I saw Fugaku's eyes narrowing once more, just slightly. "That is a dangerous promise child."

"It is..." I admitted. "But so is denying an opportunity when it presents itself."

The street remained quiet, the tension between us was practically palpable at this point. Then, finally—finally—he nodded. I could understand why he would do so... If I remember correctly, this man was extremely loyal to his clan.

For him to even consider this means he has me in very high esteem. I'm touched by it even...

"Very well, Hayatou," he said. "Let's see if your confidence is justified."

Haha... Like fish to water. He took the bait as well. And, I believe it'll be even easier this time around...

"Good, give me a few minutes."

And just like that, the game was set.

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END