Chapter 7: I Am the Hokage!
Dressed in his new clothes, Naruto felt warmth and comfort enveloping his entire body.
He looked up, a satisfied smile blooming on his face, and said to the Third Hokage, "Thank you, Grandpa Third Hokage, the new clothes are very warm, I like them a lot!"
Hearing this, the Third Hokage looked at the child's pure smile, then remembered the tight autumn clothes from earlier, and his mouth twitched unnaturally. He forced a smile, but it was tinged with undisguised guilt.
He repeatedly said, "As long as you like it, as long as you like it..."
Saying this, as if to make up for something, he picked up the kraft paper envelope that already contained living expenses from the table, then took out several crisp one-thousand-ryō bills from his pocket, carefully tucked them in, and finally handed the envelope to Naruto.
"This is your living expense for next month."
His tone became even gentler.
"Little Naruto is also at the age to make friends, so Grandpa will give you a bit more this time. When you're with friends, be a little more generous, like treating them to ramen or something."
"Wow! Thank you, Grandpa Third Hokage!"
Naruto excitedly took the heavy envelope, the thickness he felt at his fingertips making his heart blossom with joy.
Awesome, he actually got more money!
He cheered inwardly, this was definitely the most practical gain of the night.
Then, as if he suddenly remembered something important, he eagerly wanted to share it with his closest elder, saying with a hint of pride, "Oh right, Grandpa Third Hokage, I met a girl today..."
He recounted to the Third Hokage exactly how he had chased away three bullies earlier in the day, how he had protected the Byakugan girl who was being bullied, and how he had taken her to Ichiraku for ramen.
Finally, he looked up, his blue eyes sparkling, and declared, "I made another friend, her name is Hyuga Hinata! But her dad looks really strict, though I think he's probably a very good person too!"
Is that so, she left a good impression on Naruto during their first meeting?
Listening to Naruto's words, the Third Hokage nodded slightly in his heart.
Hiashi, you old stick-in-the-mud, you're quite capable when it comes to kids!
This initial good impression was crucial for maintaining stability within the Village, especially between the great clans and the Jinchuriki.
After chatting with Naruto about everyday matters and reminding him to train hard, the Third Hokage stood up and gently patted Naruto's shoulder.
"It's getting late, so Grandpa will head back first. Naruto should also rest early, you're still growing."
With that, the Third Hokage turned and left Naruto's small apartment, his figure merging into the night. He soon returned to his brightly lit Hokage Building office.
Outside, Konoha Village was already quiet.
He had just sat back down in his chair and refilled his pipe with new tobacco, but before he could light it, the office door was unceremoniously pushed open with a
The person who entered was a thin, sinister-looking old man.
His right eye and half of his body were wrapped in thick bandages, and he leaned on a cane, each step carrying a heavy sense of oppression.
It was his old friend, Danzo Shimura.
Danzo didn't even bother with pleasantries. He walked directly to the desk, his sharp gaze fixed on the Third Hokage, and spoke bluntly in his hoarse, accusatory voice:
"Hiruzen! I received a report that Hyuga Hiashi dared to privately contact the Jinchuriki! How can this be allowed?!"
His voice rose slightly with agitation: "He's the head of the Hyuga Clan, privately contacting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, what exactly does he want to do?"
The Third Hokage did not directly answer Danzo's aggressive questioning. Instead, he unhurriedly lit the tobacco in his pipe with a match, took two satisfying puffs, letting the pungent smoke circulate in his lungs, and then slowly spoke, his tone a calming one, attempting to defuse the situation:
"Alright, Danzo. Relax, I watched the entire interaction between Hiashi and Naruto. It was just a father looking for his daughter who happened to meet some children eating together. You shouldn't always exaggerate things like this!"
"It was just a father looking for his daughter who happened to meet some children eating together. You shouldn't always exaggerate things like this!"
"Hiruzen!"
The cold light in Danzo's single eye intensified, and his cane struck the ground heavily. "You're always so careless! Now, of Konoha's two great ocular jutsu clans, the Uchiha no longer exist, leaving only the Hyuga!
The other clans' strength cannot compare to the Hyuga Clan. We must take precautions in advance to prevent them from becoming too dominant and threatening the balance of the Village!"
Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage looked at Danzo with an extremely strange gaze.
Speaking of preventing one family from dominating, the Shimura Clan's power has expanded much faster than the Hyuga Clan's since you became the Hokage's assistant, hasn't it?
These words lingered in his mind, but ultimately remained unspoken.
Seeing the Third Hokage's silence, Danzo thought he was wavering. His cane struck the floor heavily again, emitting a dull thud, and he made a demand he had repeated countless times:
"I've said it before, important strategic weapons like Jinchuriki shouldn't be left to their own devices! They should be handed over to my Root for training! Hiruzen, hand the Jinchuriki over to me!"
"That's impossible, Danzo."
The Third Hokage's refusal was crisp and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.
Such conversations had occurred between them too many times; he was almost tired of it.
Seeing that he still couldn't make a breakthrough on the Jinchuriki issue, Danzo Shimura changed the subject, as if settling for a lesser goal, revealing his true fangs for the night:
"Since the Jinchuriki is out, then... the little girl who contacted the Jinchuriki today is Hiashi's eldest daughter, the future head of the Main Family.
Doesn't Hyuga Hiashi have another second daughter? According to Hyuga rules, she'll have the Caged Bird Seal placed on her in two years and be assigned to the Branch Family, won't she?
How about that second daughter of the Hyuga Clan is handed over to my Root for training? Root will give her better..."
"That's impossible!"
The Third Hokage slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, his gentle expression replaced by anger.
What do you want, Danzo?
Alarm bells rang in his heart. You want promising children from all the great clans, and now you're not even sparing the bloodline of the Hyuga Main Family!
Are you planning to bypass me, the Hokage, and use the power of Root to recruit how many talented individuals?
What "big thing" are you trying to do? Are you trying to sideline me?!
"Hiruzen! You're too weak!"
Danzo did not back down, his single eye staring intently at the Third Hokage, his voice dark and obsessive.
"Always worrying about this, worrying about that! Following my arrangements will always be right!
Otherwise, one day, you will regret your indecisiveness!"
"Enough, Danzo!"
The Third Hokage's voice boomed like thunder in the office, carrying an undeniable resolve and authority. He declared, "I am the Hokage!"
Danzo's single eye widened, filled with bloodshot veins and an expression of disbelief. He stared intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who stood before him with sharp eyes and undeniable authority.
This familiar, condescending Hokage posture was like a poisonous thorn, piercing deeply into the most painful part of his heart.
I also wanted to volunteer to stay behind then!
If it weren't for you... speaking up before sensei first.
The position of Hokage... the position of Hokage should have been mine!
Danzo felt like his molars were about to shatter, and a faint metallic taste even filled his mouth.
In the end, all the resentment and unwillingness transformed into a single, bone-chilling "Hmph!" squeezed from the depths of his throat.
He turned angrily and slammed the door shut.
"Bang!"
The loud impact echoed through the empty corridor, like his unvented roar of anger, reverberating for a long time.
[end of chapter]