Ninja Hospital.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had promised Shiranui Riku that once he was discharged, he would be relocated to the center of Konoha so that he would no longer remain on the fringes of society.
The atmosphere in the room was rather quiet now.
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't speak, and naturally, Riku had nothing to say to him either.
But Shiranui Riku waited.
He didn't believe that Sarutobi Hiruzen had come all this way just to win him over with kindness.
Riku knew full well—if the Hokage had come in person to visit him in the Ninja Hospital, it meant that there was something about him that Sarutobi Hiruzen valued.
Otherwise, the man would have just waited until his discharge to summon him to the Hokage Building.
And there was only one thing Sarutobi Hiruzen could be interested in: his Thunder Breathing.
Its ability to decimate a forest spoke volumes about its power.
"Riku, you were the one who caused the destruction in the Konoha forest, weren't you?"
As expected, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally got to the point.
Riku bowed slightly and responded with a tone of guilt: "I sincerely apologize, Lord Hokage. The damage occurred during my training. I'm thankful for your help that day—without it, I would've been consumed in that inferno."
Sarutobi waved off the apology. "Don't trouble yourself over it. Anyone in danger in Konoha—whether civilian or ninja—deserves my help as Hokage.
But Riku, what sort of ninjutsu were you practicing that caused such intense damage and such a strain on your body? Had we not intervened in time, your life might've been lost."
Riku let out a bitter laugh. "Lord Hokage, as you know, my family and I lived in other villages for many years. My father once saved a ninja whose forehead protector had a symbol of three clouds with a line through the middle..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes narrowed—Hidden Cloud Village. A rogue ninja.
Riku continued, weaving his fabricated tale: "That ninja was grievously wounded, barely surviving a few weeks under my parents' care. Out of gratitude and not wanting his techniques to die with him, he taught my parents one of his secret arts.
My father couldn't use Lightning Release, but my mother could, and she memorized the technique. Though I was too young to train then, I memorized every part of it.
Mastering it required understanding both the form and nature of lightning chakra. I began training the moment I learned to refine chakra. Just a few months ago, I finally succeeded. And a few days ago, I managed to execute the technique—though it cost me consciousness."
Sarutobi was stunned.
To master the change in both form and nature of lightning chakra at Riku's age... astonishing.
With such a rare gift, Riku was no ordinary ninja—he was a future elite. Had Sarutobi known of his abilities sooner, he would have taken him under his wing long ago.
"What's the name of the technique you used?"
"Thunder Breathing—Sword Style," Riku replied instantly.
He took the initiative. "Lord Hokage, I wish to offer this technique to Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen raised a brow. "Oh? Why? That was your family's inheritance. Why hand it over?"
Riku responded with sincerity: "I want to become a true Konoha ninja. And any technique I master should belong to Konoha.
Though my parents left this village, they always saw themselves as part of Konoha. If they could see me today, I believe they'd be proud of me for contributing to the village."
The Third Hokage nodded, visibly pleased. "Riku, I am gratified by your sense of responsibility. Despite your hardships, you've inherited Konoha's Will of Fire perfectly. This village will not treat you unfairly.
There's no rush for the jutsu. Rest first—once you're discharged and fully recovered, we'll revisit the matter. It's getting late. Rest well, and recover. A strong body is vital for any shinobi."
With that, Sarutobi Hiruzen departed, content.
Silence fell once more.
Riku stared into the empty room, eyes dark with conflicted thought.
Hand over Thunder Breathing?
He'd have to be insane.
But right now, he had no choice. He was living on borrowed grace, under someone else's roof.
Even if Konoha received the technique, the village's Lightning Release ninjas wouldn't understand its essence.
They could copy the form, but not the soul. Without the proper breathing patterns, its power would diminish significantly.
Through this meeting, Riku finally saw Sarutobi Hiruzen clearly.
Power and utility—those were what the man valued. If you had either, you were welcomed. If not, you were dismissed.
Compassion, generosity, tolerance—they were all façades.
Riku exhaled deeply.
Once Thunder Breathing was handed over, things should get easier. Word would spread about the Hokage's personal visit to him at the hospital.
People in Konoha would likely start treating him with less open disdain, if only out of respect for Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Now, Riku had to continue proving himself a genius.
Only by raising his status could he protect both himself and Uzumaki Kushina from being used as tools by the village.
Despite being wide awake, Riku was exhausted. He lay down and quickly drifted off.
The next morning—
He woke with sore muscles but found he could walk. Without delay, Riku left the hospital, intending to return to his old rundown home, pack up, and await Sarutobi's housing arrangement.
But just as he left the Ninja Hospital, a masked shinobi appeared.
"Follow me."
Riku complied. They stopped at a house one street over from the Ninja Academy.
"This is the house Lord Hokage prepared for you. He's instructed that you visit the Hokage Building once you've recovered fully."
Handing Riku a key, the ninja vanished using the Body Flicker Technique, leaving without another word.