Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 121 Afternoon Tea at the Old Man's House

The next afternoon, the sun was shining brightly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Lake Biwa, carrying a bamboo basket filled with various fresh fruits and vegetables, slowly walked into the quiet old house of Senju.

The courtyard remained as peaceful and serene as ever.

The bamboo grove rustles, and the stream murmurs.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of tea and the fresh scent of grass and trees.

However, just as they were about to reach that familiar tea room...

A piercing scream, inhuman and shrill, suddenly rang out from a room deep within the courtyard.

"Ah—! I was wrong! I was really wrong! Sister! I'll never do it again!"

Immediately following was a powerful roar.

"Sen-te-nani-ki! You idiot!!"

"Did you forget everything I asked you to memorize last night, 'On the Correspondence Between the Cold and Hot Properties of Herbs and the Nature of Chakra'?!"

"And another thing! Who gave you permission to secretly take Orochimaru's experimental frogs to compete in a long jump with the Inuzuka family's ninja dogs?!"

"Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget! I'll show you that the dignity of medicine is not to be challenged!"

"Super Strength Fist!"

"Bang! -- Clang!"

A series of sounds, including tables and chairs being overturned and heavy, thuds of fists hitting flesh, could be clearly heard.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Biwako exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of helpless smile in each other's eyes.

It seems that Rope Tree... is living a very exciting life.

They bypassed the room where the "sibling affection" was unfolding and arrived at the tea room.

As always, Mito Uzumaki was dressed in an elegant kimono, kneeling on the tatami mats and fiddling with the tea utensils.

She seemed oblivious to the commotion not far away, which resembled battlefield ruins, her face bearing a kind and gentle smile.

"Hiruzen, Biwako, you've arrived." She smiled and gestured for them to sit down.

"Mito-sama, excuse me."

"Hehe, what are you saying?"

Mito pushed two cups of freshly brewed fragrant tea in front of them. "Please sit down. Tsunade is just a bit impatient, please don't take offense."

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his teacup, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "Don't mention it. Only strict teachers can produce outstanding students. I think Nawaki's foundation is much more solid than ours was back then."

He said that, but in his heart he was silently mourning for that kid, Rope Tree.

With an older sister like Tsunade and a teacher like Orochimaru who's just a hobbyist, this kid's youth is destined to be full of surprises and hardships.

Tsunade was responsible for teaching him the most orthodox medical knowledge and chakra manipulation techniques.

Orochimaru, on the other hand, was responsible for instilling in him his modified ninjutsu theories, which were full of scientific and philosophical speculation.

For example, Orochimaru's original "Advanced Ninjutsu Mathematics" is said to be able to calculate the optimal release angle and chakra output power of ninjutsu by establishing a function model. Another example is "Introduction to Chakra Studies".

These courses were like gibberish to Nawaki, a passionate young man whose mind was filled with the idea of ​​"I want to become Hokage".

However, from another perspective, this is also a kind of luck.

With these two top experts personally training him, Rope Tree's future is absolutely limitless.

At least, unlike in the original story, they won't lose their lives needlessly due to momentary carelessness and lack of experience.

"That child did suffer a bit."

Mito Uzumaki sighed, but her eyes were full of relief. "However, this is a good thing for him."

She looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, her eyes softening.

"Speaking of which, it's all thanks to you, Hiruzen."

"It was you who showed them the way forward, whether it was Tsunade or Nawaki."

"I just did what I was supposed to do."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled modestly, "They were like unpolished gems; I merely brushed away the surface dust."

"Um.."

Lady Mito Uzumaki put down her teacup, a hint of a smile in her eyes. "A few days ago, Danzo even sent someone to deliver a copy of the 'First Five-Year Modernization Plan for Konoha Village' for me to give my opinion. That blueprint was really... full of power."

"Haha, yeah."

Hiruzen laughed too, "He's now the head of our Konoha construction team, and he's incredibly motivated. I estimate that in less than five years, Konoha will be completely transformed."

"And Sakumo."

Lady Mito continued, "I heard from Tsunade that he's currently on a farm, raising pigs like precious treasures, and has even set some kind of KPIs for them."

"you do not say."

Biwako covered her mouth and laughed, "But the vegetables and pork from that farm really taste good. My Asuma is now asking to eat Uncle Sakumo's tomatoes every day."

"These are all good things."

A relieved smile appeared on Lord Mito's face. "In all my years, this is the first time I've seen Konoha Village so full of life and vitality. The ninjas no longer exist just for fighting; they can use their abilities to build the village and improve everyone's lives."

She looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, her eyes, weathered by time, filled with admiration.

"Hiruzen, you did a great job. Better than any of us could have imagined."

"Hashirama's greatest wish was to create an era where children wouldn't have to go to the battlefield at a young age, but could instead watch the crops ripen right at their doorstep."

"You are making his wish a reality step by step."

Hearing such high praise from the old man who had witnessed all of Konoha's history, even someone as composed as Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

He is leading this village, filled with tragedy and regret, onto a brand new path, one full of light and hope.

"This is all thanks to the foundation laid by our teacher and the First Hokage. I'm just... standing on the shoulders of giants," Hiruzen said humbly.

"Hehe, you're still so modest, kid."

Mito smiled and didn't continue the topic.

The two had a very pleasant conversation, discussing everything from the village's construction to the education of ninjas, from the initial vision of the first Hokage to their outlook on the future of the ninja world.

Hiruzen Sarutobi discovers that this seemingly detached old man is actually very knowledgeable about everything that happens in the village.

Her wisdom is like the deep sea, with a calm surface concealing the power to see through the ways of the world.