An old man walked the streets of konoha as the people gazed at him in aweful respect.

"Hokage-sama!"

A little one called out to him holding a white daisy flower crown in hand smiling innocently.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and grinned as he received it and waved at the cheering crowds as he walked away still lost in thought.

...

Hiruzen pov

To think that these people still don't know what's to come...

Konoha will soon be at war.

I've tried for peace long enough.

There are just some things that couldn't be settled by talks of peace.

Soon Konoha will send every able Shinobi for the war effort.

Because of that, I've decided to deploy my old friend for a request for the war effort.

A survivor of the Uzumaki clan his knowledge of seals will be indisposable for this task.

I didn't want to disturb the peace he had with his family but if this mission fails I assure many people of Konoha will fall under grave risk.

Thinking of Ruki...

His request under my orders sounded absurd.

...

Earlier..

I sat down on the mat of the dining table where Ruki and his civilian son were seated.

"Perhaps Tetsuo-san would find it boring to hear the talks of old men."

I spoke out as I drank the tea the old Uzumaki offered me signalling that this was something only a shinobi must hear.

"Tetsuo, finish cooking breakfast. The hokage and I just need to catch up with a few things for a moment."

Ruki told his son seriousness in his eyes as he understood my gesture.

The younger man, Tetsuo-kun, gazed at his father and then to me hesitantly worriedly realizing what we both meant but then nodded as he left us be.

"What brings you here, Hokage-sama?"

The Uzumaki asked not prolonging the chase as usual.

He has always been straight to the point. Perhaps he's right, the matter is rather urgent.

"I'll be frank then. I need you to infiltrate Iwagakure and destroy their plans under my orders."

I told him directly.

"Infiltrate Iwagakure? I'm not as able as before Hiruzen. Infiltration is an odd request."

He admitted as he sipped his tea still gazing at me seriously although contemplating my words.

"There's a heavily guarded unit under Iwa. Many of the seals there are done by the Uzumaki clan. I heard they got a hold of some of the seals from your clan under a past bargain. You're the only one who could interpret and destroy them."

I told him without hesitance as I gazed at him.

"Seals of the Uzumaki... heavily guarded? What could they be guarding?"

Ruki asked me.

"I've heard they've created a weapon based on the ancient forbidden jutsus of Uzoshio. My anbu have not found the exact root of their plan but from what they've deduced it proves a horrifying threat to konoha. Several Shinobi would die if it reaches completion under the war. I wish to avoid some possible casualties."

I explained to the old Uzumaki shinobi as he listened.

He gazed at me in silence.

"This request..seems.. rather dangerous."

He said finally letting go of the words in his mouth.

"I believe so, Ruki-kun. That's why I implore you to use you expertise to prevent unnecessary casualty."

I reasoned to him as he looked at the tatami door where his son was cooking as we both heard him fumbling around the kitchen.

"From what you've said, this mission hardly has enough data. The Shinobi under this mission will be entering entirely unknown terrain."

Ruki answered as we suddenly heard a thud from upstairs.

The sound ended up breaking the thick atmosphere as I heard the older man and even his son chuckle behind the tatami door.

"I apologize, Hokage-sama. That's my granddaughter. She could be clumsy at times. She's still a child after all."

"Yes, I've heard she's the same age as Kagami Uchiha's son, Shisui."

The Uzumaki spoke out fondly as I replied then he returned to the somber air as he gazed at me and sighed.

"This mission has high chance that even if it succeeds several Shinobi assigned under it will still die."

Ruki directed his deducment of my words as he sipped his cup of tea.

"A handsome reward will be granted to the Shinobi under this mission. Even I myself know, that I'm asking for a lot. I wouldn't be far fetched to say for most Shinobi under this mission I'm asking for their lives."

I told him as he ended up silent thinking over the order.

He then suddenly stood up and bowed saluting fiercely.

"I've accepted orders under the, Hokage. I shall make sure of this mission's success for Konoha's sake."

Ruki said determinedly as his eyes lit with the will of fire.

"Nonetheless I have a favor to ask of you, Hokage-sama."

He blurted out as he stood still.

"Yes? What's that?"

I inquired as I finished the tea.

"Please allow my grandchild admission into the Shinobi academy."

The Uzumaki said.

"Admission into the Academy? If it's your grandchild, because of the blood that flows through her veins I doubt she'll have trouble passing even without my intervention."

I ended up replying to him in confusion.

"Perhaps that should've been so but she takes after the civilian side of our family. The doctors have diagnosed her chakra as nearly completely defective. Chances of passing the exam by herself have proven difficult."

He said as he sat himself down again.

An Uzumaki with defective chakra!?..

"If her chakra is defective, whatever hope could it be better for her to be a shinobi? Chakra is an essential aspect to defend the will of fire."

I answered still very much drowning in confusion to his thoughts.

"Yes, from what they've said my granddaughter may never be able to cast any form of justu but there's more to Shinobi than just chakra."

Ruki said confidently.

He's serious about this?

"Without jutsu a shinobi is much more likely to die from vulnerability... Don't you understand that Ruki-kun? If she continues failing then what are the chances that she could survive battle. There are reasons why those tests are conducted."

I reminded him as he sounded his absurd request.

"Hiruzen, before becoming Uzoshio's diplomat I was on a special unit similar to Konoha's anbu that risked their lives every moment of the day. I've met many talented shinobi with chakras as vast as the ocean who ended up succumbing to their fates early."

Ruki told me as he looked at me straight in the eyes.

"All Shinobi, talented or not will succumb to fate. Even Tobirama Senju, a genius of his clan as well as my mentor and the Second Hokage, died in battle. Only few Shinobi could ever hope to die of natural causes like first hokage."

I said as I took off my hokage headress in respect to the fallen.

"May the second and first hokage find peace."

We alouded in unison to the deceased.

"Nonetheless, out of all the Shinobi I've met who ended up greying their hairs then retiring. There's something in common they all had. Even if some of them didn't have the same talent or power like the first hokage."

Ruki explained as he looked to the ceiling melancholicly.

"Then what could that be?"

I asked him as his face stared blankly then turning back to me with an aura of fire burning like a storm.

"Instinct."

He said.

"The instinct to survive. I've found the most talented Shinobi dying as sacrificial ponds and this is exactly what they lack. This is what a shinobi needs to survive. This is the difference between a sacrificial pawn and the ones who end up reporting the events and getting the mission done."

Continuing he took out his old kunai from the side watching as it glistened under the light.

He gazed at me graveness in his voice reminiscing thoughts evident.

"It's instinct that drives the strongest Shinobi to end up victors. This the difference between talent and the strong. It's that the other ends up living. This is what makes a true Shinobi."

He reasoned making me astounded in his words.

Not having much to say I...

"I'll consider it. Nonetheless, I wish you well, Ruki. Best you prepare well. This mission in all certainly won't be easy."

I said as I left the man's abode in silence.