Soul of a Samurai

The lesson had finally ended, and the students all rushed to leave the classroom, eager to go home. Kyojin, however, remained seated, watching as Naruto bolted out the door before Iruka called out to him.

"Kyojin, stay for a moment."

Kyojin stood up and walked over to Iruka, who gave him a small nod. "Follow me."

Without another word, they both exited the academy together, stepping into the warm sunlight. Kyojin silently followed Iruka through the village streets, weaving between people until they reached a tall red building that stood out among the rest.

They entered, walking through the halls before Iruka led him up several flights of stairs, each step echoing in the quiet space. Eventually, they reached the top floor, where Iruka approached a large wooden door. With a polite knock, he opened it and stepped inside, gesturing for Kyojin to follow.

The room they entered was large, lined with shelves stacked with scrolls and papers. At the far end sat an old man with graying hair, a long white robe with red markings, and a hat with the kanji for "Fire" resting on his head. He was hunched over a desk, diligently working through paperwork with a brush in hand.

The old man looked up and smiled warmly. His voice was kind and grandfatherly as he greeted them.

"Iruka, how nice of you to stop by. Did you need something?"

Iruka stepped forward and gestured toward Kyojin. "Naruto brought this boy to my class today, and he expressed interest in joining the academy."

At this, the old man turned his gaze toward Kyojin, studying him with soft but calculating eyes. "I see…" He set his brush down and leaned forward slightly. "And what is your name, young one?"

Kyojin met his gaze, his expression neutral. "Kyojin."

Iruka gave him a nod before looking back at the old man. "This is the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Kyojin didn't react much, only nodding slightly and making a mental note of the name for later.

Hiruzen continued observing him, his expression gentle but curious. "Tell me, Kyojin… where are your parents?"

Kyojin paused at the question, thinking about how to answer. His memories flashed—his mother's lifeless body, his father's final moments in the snow, the burning village. He closed his eyes for a brief second before simply answering,

"Dead."

Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly, and for a brief moment, his smile faltered. But he quickly composed himself and asked another question, "Do you have a place to stay?"

Kyojin shook his head.

Hiruzen exhaled through his nose, leaning back in his chair. "I see… In that case, you will be given an apartment and an orphan fund until you become a ninja."

At that, Kyojin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Ninja?"

Memories of his father's words surfaced. Ninja are dishonorable. They use dirty tricks instead of proper combat.

Hiruzen's kind smile remained. "Yes. A ninja, or more specifically, a genin once you graduate."

Kyojin's grip tightened slightly around his wooden sword. "Must I learn ninjutsu?"

Hiruzen's curiosity was piqued. "Is there a reason why you cannot?"

Kyojin's face remained blank. "Ninjutsu is stupid tricks. Inefficient."

At this, Hiruzen let out a small chuckle. "I see… And what about kenjutsu?" His eyes flickered toward Kyojin's wooden sword. "Are you skilled with the blade?"

Kyojin nodded without hesitation. "Yes."

The Third Hokage studied him for a moment before nodding in approval. "Then, when the time comes for you to graduate, you may take a special exam. If you pass, you will not have to take the ninjutsu portion."

Kyojin took a moment to process this before nodding in acceptance.

At that moment, a woman entered the room, dressed in formal attire. She carried a small set of keys and an envelope before walking over to Hiruzen and handing them to him.

Hiruzen took them and turned back to Kyojin. "These are the keys to your new apartment. The envelope contains your allowance for the month."

Kyojin reached out and accepted them with a slight bow of gratitude.

"Thank you."

Hiruzen's smile grew slightly. "Make sure you use them wisely."

With that, Kyojin turned and left the room, Iruka following behind him. They walked down the flights of stairs, stepping back into the warm afternoon air.

Iruka looked at Kyojin and gave him a small nod. "I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Kyojin nodded back. "See you."

They then parted ways, Iruka walking back toward the academy while Kyojin made his way through the village, holding the keys tightly in his hand.

It wasn't long before he found the building that matched the key in his hand. His new home.

He walked up to the door and inserted the key into the lock, but just as he was about to turn it, something caught his eye.

A blur of bright yellow and orange.

Standing just a few feet away, Naruto Uzumaki was staring at him with his usual big grin.

Kyojin paused for a moment before letting out the faintest of smiles.

For the first time in a long while, he recognized someone.