Ninja Hospital.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had promised Arima that once he was discharged, he would arrange for him to live in the heart of Konoha—no longer an outcast on the village's fringe.
Now, an awkward silence lingered in the room.
Sarutobi didn't speak, and naturally, Arima had nothing more to say to him either.
But Arima was waiting.
He didn't believe for a second that Hiruzen had come to visit him today out of pure kindness or a desire to win favor.
Arima knew full well—if the Hokage had come personally to the Ninja Hospital, it had to mean there was something about him that caught Sarutobi's attention.
Otherwise, he could've just summoned Arima to the Hokage's office after he recovered.
And there was only one thing on Arima that could possibly interest Sarutobi Hiruzen: his Thunder Breathing.
With its ability to decimate the forest the way it had, its power clearly spoke for itself.
"Arima, that destruction in the Konoha forest—was it your doing?"
As expected, Hiruzen finally brought it up.
Arima understood immediately—this was the real reason for today's visit.
He responded with a look of guilt. "I deeply apologize, Lord Hokage. It was due to my training that the village suffered damage. If it weren't for your timely rescue that day, I would've perished in that sea of fire."
Sarutobi waved a hand. "No need to dwell on such a minor matter. No matter who it is in Konoha, if they're in danger, as Hokage, it's my duty to help.
That said, Arima—what kind of ninjutsu were you training in to cause such extensive destruction? And the toll it took on your body… If we hadn't found you in time, you really might not have survived."
Arima offered a bitter smile and began his fabrication.
"Lord Hokage, as you know, my parents and I lived in other villages for several years. Back then, my father once saved a severely injured ninja. His forehead protector had a symbol that looked like three clouds, with a slash through it…"
Sarutobi's eyes narrowed sharply.
A defector from the Hidden Cloud?
Arima continued spinning the tale. "That ninja was gravely wounded. Even after trying everything, my parents could only prolong his life for about half a month. Before he passed, out of gratitude—and not wanting his self-created jutsu to be lost—he taught it to my parents.
My father couldn't use Lightning Release, so he couldn't learn it himself. But my mother could. Even though I was too young to train at the time, she made me memorize everything.
Because the jutsu required mastery of both the shape and nature transformation of lightning chakra, I've been practicing ever since I learned how to refine chakra.
A few months ago, I finally grasped the nature and shape transformation for lightning, and kept trying to use that jutsu. Just a few days ago, I succeeded for the first time... and then passed out from the strain."
Sarutobi was utterly stunned.
Arima had already mastered both the nature and shape transformation of lightning chakra at this age?
There was no doubt—this child was a genius.
Had Sarutobi known earlier about Arima's talent, even if this recent incident hadn't happened, he would have begun paying serious attention to him.
The ninja world had no shortage of shinobi.
But top-tier shinobi—those were rare.
And with the talent Arima had just demonstrated, there was every possibility he'd become one of the elite in the future.
After a moment of silence, Sarutobi asked, "What's the name of that jutsu you mastered?"
"Thunder Breathing: Sword Form," Arima replied immediately.
Then, without waiting to be asked, he added, "Lord Hokage, I wish to offer this jutsu to Konoha."
Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why? This is something your parents left behind—are you sure you're willing to just give it to the village?"
Arima replied with sincerity, "Lord Hokage, I said before—I want to become a Konoha ninja. That means anything I possess belongs to the village.
Though my parents left Konoha in the past, they always saw themselves as part of it. If they knew I offered this technique to Konoha, I believe they'd be proud of me—even in the afterlife."
Sarutobi nodded in great satisfaction. "Arima, I'm very pleased with your mindset. Life may have been hard on you these past years, but clearly, you've inherited the Will of Fire. And Konoha does not mistreat those who carry that will.
There's no rush about the jutsu. Focus on your recovery for now. It's getting late—I'll leave you to rest. A healthy body is the foundation for proper training."
With that, Hiruzen left, satisfied.
Once the room fell quiet again, Arima's eyes turned dark and unreadable.
Hand over Thunder Breathing?
He'd have to be out of his mind.
But in this current situation, backed into a corner and relying on others, he didn't have the right to say no.
That said, even if Konoha's Lightning Release specialists got their hands on it, they'd only grasp the outer form. They'd never understand its essence.
Because although Thunder Breathing: Sword Form could be paired with chakra, it required breath control techniques as well.
Without the breathing style, its power would be drastically reduced.
This meeting had also revealed Sarutobi Hiruzen's true character.
He was all about power and interest.
So long as you had strength—or something he could use—he'd treat you kindly.
Otherwise, you didn't even register in his eyes.
All that gentleness, kindness, tolerance? Just a mask.
Arima exhaled slowly.
Now that he'd "offered" Breath of Lightning, the road ahead shouldn't be too difficult.
News that Hiruzen had personally visited him would soon spread.
With that kind of signal, even the fools in Konoha would likely think twice before cursing him openly—at least out of respect for the Hokage.
From here on out, he needed to play the genius.
Only by doing so could he continue raising his standing in Konoha—and ensure that he and Kushina Uzumaki wouldn't one day be threatened or exploited by the village.
Though he was awake, the fatigue remained overwhelming. After lying in bed for a while longer, Arima drifted off to sleep again.
The Next Day.
When Arima awoke, his body still ached all over, but at least he could move.
So he left the hospital, intending to return to his old, rundown shack to rest a bit more, pack his belongings, and wait for Hiruzen's people to assign him a new place to live.
Just as he left the Ninja Hospital, a shinobi suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Come with me."
Arima followed the ninja and stopped in front of a house just a street away from the Ninja Academy.
"This is the house Lord Hokage has prepared for you. He said once you've recovered, you are to report to the Hokage Building immediately."
The ninja handed him the key and, without waiting for a response, vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.