After Sasuke and Naruto greeted him, Uchiha Kage gave a faint glance at Orochimaru, who had already switched back to his 'Fourth Kazekage' skin and was even calmly conversing with the Third Hokage.
And the topic of conversation was this 'irrelevant' person, him.
"How rare, that even in peaceful times, Konoha still has such a young ANBU shinobi," Although Orochimaru didn't think that the young Uchiha boy in the distance was the one he knew as a child, it didn't stop him from becoming interested in Uchiha Kage.
'Maybe he is a genius not inferior to Sasuke?'
"Konoha has always been merit-based. As long as one is capable, no matter how young, I treat them equally. Just like the Fourth Hokage back then. Despite opposition, I strongly supported him..."
He cast a subtle glance at Hyuga Hiashi beside him, and only after receiving a confirming response from the other party did Sarutobi Hiruzen continue.
"The Fourth Hokage...", Orochimaru bit his teeth hatefully in his heart.
'So, the old man thinks my abilities weren't as good as Minato back then?'
'Always taking the chance to throw jabs at me.'
"Indeed, compared to the Fourth Hokage, any ninja would seem less outstanding," Still, even though he had cursed Sarutobi Hiruzen a million times in his heart, Orochimaru kept his expression just like any outsider.
"It's a pity, though, to die so young," He even mimicked the Fourth Kazekage Rasa's tone to sarcastically comment on Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Minato died to protect the village. When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew. This is Konoha's Will of Fire."
Knowing that the 'Fourth Kazekage' in front of him had switched back to Orochimaru, Sarutobi Hiruzen habitually started to lecture a little more.
He also hoped his student would remember the Will of Fire he had passed down.
"That's truly touching," Not wanting to hear the old man's nonsense anymore, Orochimaru turned his head directly toward the exam field.
———
"Kage, that's great! Asuma-sensei had something come up, so now our Team 10 and your Team 8 are both under Kurenai-sensei," Ino had sneakily slipped back to Uchiha Kage's side while her father wasn't paying attention.
And through some idle chatting just now, she'd already learned from Hinata and Shino the reason they got promoted to Chunin, and had also been told by Yuhi Kurenai that Team 10 was now under her instruction as well.
Naive Ino didn't catch the deeper meaning in Kurenai's eyes, and instead happily thought she could now do missions with Uchiha Kage.
"Is that so?"
'What could possibly come up for Asuma right now?'
Uchiha Kage glanced at Kurenai walking over.
She not only perfectly blocked Ino's body but also leaned in and whispered to his ear.
"Asuma has been grounded by the Hokage."
"The reason?"
"Don't know," Kurenai shook her head. Asuma had rambled a bunch of nonsense without ever getting to the point.
"The Hokage's been really weird lately, don't you think?"
"Sensei, don't doubt the Hokage."
"You...", Watching Uchiha Kage seriously scolding her like a proper student, Kurenai couldn't help but get angry.
If there weren't so many people watching, she would've ruffled his hair hard.
"Forget it, the Hokage can do whatever he wants. But did you notice that person's figure looks kind of familiar?", Ever since Uchiha Kage had left for the Hokage's lounge, Kurenai had started paying attention to Samui, who wore a mask and ANBU gear.
That explosive figure and that back view, it all felt very familiar to Kurenai.
"Maybe a familiar person of Sensei's."
'Well, more like a 'familiar person' who used to stab each other.'
Seeing Samui was also afraid of being recognized, Uchiha Kage had already pulled a decent distance away from Kurenai.
'So sensible, I will give her extra chicken tonight.'
"No way, I don't know anyone in the ANBU... besides you," With Uchiha Kage's interruption, Kurenai lost interest in probing further.
"Sakura, have you ever thought of cutting your hair shorter?"
If not for the fact that Kurenai was her teacher, Ino swore she wouldn't have backed off so easily.
But looking at the female teacher chatting happily with Uchiha Kage, she could only comfort herself in her heart—Kurenai-sensei was already old, no way Kage would like her.
Then she sulkily went to Sakura and casually started focusing on her long hair.
"Eh? Cut it short? Why?"
Because Uchiha Kage disrupted Orochimaru's plans, Sakura hadn't really faced any danger in the Forest of Death.
Naturally, the famous scene where she cuts her hair with a kunai never happened.
So now she was just a bit curious why Ino suddenly wanted her to cut her hair.
"No reason, just thought short hair might suit you better."
"Really?"
Touching her cherry-pink long hair, Sakura imagined herself with short hair.
It might indeed make her look more mature.
"But more than that, I really envy Team 8. Just completing missions and they get promoted to Chunin. If only I'd been assigned to Team 8 from the start."
Sasuke and Naruto were just two idiots obsessed with each other. Staying in Team 7 was basically wasting her youth.
Lately, Sakura often imagined. If she were in the same team as Uchiha Kage, maybe things would've been different.
"Yeah, I envy them too. But it's probably because Kage is really strong. Otherwise, they wouldn't have completed such a special mission," Ino said casually, while secretly thinking she'd now be with Team 8 too, and a slight smile curled on her lips.
———
"What? You already learned it?"
Seeing that Orochimaru wouldn't budge, Sarutobi Hiruzen decided to deal with the issue of Uchiha Obito first.
But he didn't expect that after calling Kakashi into the lounge, the guy would straight-up say he had already learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. But he just had no talent for it and couldn't use it.
"Yes. I won't let go of the person who caused Minato-sensei's death, but..."
The Flying Thunder God was like a math problem. If you can't solve it, you just can't.
There's no faking it.
Kakashi was helpless too.
Still, he was quite interested in what Sarutobi Hiruzen said. About the mysterious masked man who might've reappeared after the Nine-Tails Night.
'But is that masked man really only beatable with the Flying Thunder God?'
'Even with my thousand-copied jutsu, do he stand no chance?'
"Try more. Maybe you'll get it this time!"
'This Kakashi, doesn't he want to inherit his teacher Minato's name at all?'
Sarutobi Hiruzen used to think Minato was just being secretive and didn't teach Kakashi. Didn't expect it was just his own... Ahem, glorious Hokage mind being mistaken.
"No way. Sensei said I think too much, so I'll never get it," Kakashi remembered Minato once said learning Flying Thunder God required shutting off the brain.
But most people thought too much, so they'd never get it.
Like him.
This was even why the technique's creator, Second Hokage Tobirama, didn't use it as well as Minato.
"There's a trick like that?"
'No wonder even I couldn't learn it...'
It was Sarutobi Hiruzen's first time hearing this.
"Yeah, according to Minato, it's a method his teacher taught him."
"Minato's teacher..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had heard long ago that Minato had a mysterious teacher who taught him both Rasengan and Flying Thunder God.
Just didn't know who that person was.
"Anyway, this matter is urgent. That masked man can only be dealt with by you. I'll have Genma help you study the Flying Thunder God Technique."
As the Hokage Guard of the Fourth Hokage back in the day, Genma Shiranui had learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. Though he could only use parts of it, it was still better than outsiders like Hiruzen and Kakashi.
"Understood," Kakashi looked bitter, feeling like he was back in school again.
———
"Eh? The Hokage wants me...? Then who'll act as referee?"
Since Hayate Gekkō was still lying in the hospital, Genma had been the referee for the Chunin Exams' elimination rounds.
"Kage, you go referee for them. Make sure the candidates don't get into life-threatening danger."
Glancing at Orochimaru, who was eagerly eyeing Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Kage, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly announced, to everyone's surprise, that Uchiha Kage would be the referee for the Chunin Exam.
'Like Uchiha?'
'Then go ahead and enjoy being seduced by an Uchiha a bit more.'
'Once the village's internal matters are settled, I'll deal with you, my dearest student.'
———
"Didn't expect the Byakugan could see through Shisui's Kotoamatsukami."
Soon, word that Sarutobi Hiruzen was planning to handle Root had reached Danzo's ears via an undercover agent.
Then, through information like Asuma being placed under house arrest, Danzo quickly deduced that Hiruzen probably found out about his manipulation of Asuma.
And thinking about how Sarutobi Hiruzen had recently been inseparable from Hyuga Hiashi...
"Hmph, what bullsh*t strongest genjutsu."
Back then, it caused endless worry between him and Sarutobi Hiruzen, and now it turns out the Byakugan could just see right through it?
What a joke.
"Go shut the Root base gate. No need for Sarutobi Hiruzen to issue a seal order, I'll close the door myself."
After so many years, Danzo had thoroughly figured out Sarutobi Hiruzen's temperament.
Though angry, he wouldn't really do anything to him.
Once he cooled off, Danzo would just come out again.
Only now, with this incident, the 'treasure' left behind by Tobirama-sensei...
'Tobirama-sensei, if your spirit still watches from the heavens, please visit me in my dreams once more.'
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y