Chiba curled his lip inwardly.
The scent of strong alcohol lingering on Tsunade was clear to his nose.
He understood perfectly—this teacher of his had likely been drinking all night and hadn’t eaten a proper breakfast at all.
“Meet someone?” Curiosity flickered in Chiba’s eyes, but he quickly guessed the answer.
If it wasn’t the Third Hokage, then it was highly likely to be Uzumaki Mito, who was about to pave the way for him personally.
He promptly reminded her, “I have no problem with that, but Teacher, today is the first day of the Ninja Academy. Minato and I still need to go and report in.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Tsunade rolled her eyes dramatically, her tone firm.
“You’re so skilled with the Shadow Clone, you even fooled me yesterday. Just send a clone to take your place at the academy. Enough chatter, let’s go!”
With that, she turned her head and shouted into the house, “Minato, hurry up and come out!”
“Coming!” Minato quickly set down his bowl and chopsticks, ran out, and bowed respectfully to the two.
“Lady Tsunade, Master Jiraiya, good morning.”
“Haha, no need to be so formal.” Jiraiya laughed heartily and added, “Minato, you’re coming with us today too. You’ll meet the Third Hokage and pay your respects to another elder. By the way, do you know the Shadow Clone? If you do, make a clone to take your place at the academy start.”
“Yes, I do!” Minato didn’t hesitate for a second and quickly formed the hand seals.
“Shadow Clone Technique!”
With a poof, white smoke exploded, and an identical Minato clone stood steadily by his side.
Seeing this, Chiba also raised his hands to form seals.
White smoke surged, and a lifelike Shadow Clone appeared.
He calmly instructed, “The school is in your hands. Just report in and attend class as usual.”
“Understood.” The clone nodded, gestured to Minato’s clone, and the two figures flashed away, speeding toward the Ninja Academy.
“Everyone’s here, let’s go.” Tsunade waved her hand and led the three of them out.
The journey was silent.
Within just a few minutes, they arrived at the most secluded courtyard in the heart of the Senju Clan Compound.
The wooden door was pushed open gently and swung wide.
In the center of the courtyard, two figures sat quietly.
One was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in his official Hokage robes with a gentle expression.
On the other side, a woman with long, vibrant red hair cascading over her shoulders and a gentle, dignified appearance caught Chiba’s attention.
It was Uzumaki Mito.
Her skin was delicate, and her temperament was extraordinary; she didn’t look at all like a senior who had lived through wars and spanned so many years.
Only her eyes, filled with the vicissitudes of endless years and the clarity of someone who had seen through the world, commanded respect.
“Is this the constant vitality effect of the Yin Seal? Unexpected, yet reasonable.” Chiba murmured to himself, a flicker of heat passing through his eyes.
“Thank you, Hokage-sama!” Since both Tsunade and Jiraiya had signaled them, Chiba and Minato didn’t stand on ceremony.
They both stepped forward and respectfully accepted the scrolls from the Third Hokage.
Neither of them opened the scrolls on the spot; instead, they carefully folded them and tucked them away close to their bodies.
Almost the moment they received them, a crisp system notification rang out in Chiba’s mind.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the common collectible “Lightning Release: Earth Flash”]
[Reward: Chakra +50, Ryo +100,000.]
“Tsk, just a basic Lightning Release Ninjutsu.” Chiba clicked his tongue inwardly, silently complaining about the Third Hokage’s stinginess.
However, he didn’t feel any dissatisfaction.
Gifts from elders were a kindness, not an obligation; there was no reason to take them for granted.
Besides, he had anticipated this.
Compared to the rare collectibles from before, the system’s bonus for this standard Ninjutsu reward from the Third Hokage was indeed significantly reduced.
For the next hour, the Third Hokage and Uzumaki Mito spoke gently, patiently asking about the two’s past experiences, daily training status, and their thoughts and understanding of the path of the Ninja.
Both answered truthfully, their attitudes neither humble nor arrogant, and their reasoning clear.
The two elders nodded to themselves, becoming increasingly satisfied.
Half an hour later, the Third Hokage slowly stood up, preparing to take his leave.
“We’ve chatted enough for today. Both of you have excellent character and talent. Train hard under your respective teachers; the future is bright for you both.”
After speaking, he turned to look at Uzumaki Mito, who was sitting on the veranda, and bowed slightly.
“Mito-sama, if there are no other instructions, I shall take my leave.”
“Go.” Uzumaki Mito did not try to keep him.
Her expression was calm but carried a hint of solemnity as she softly instructed.
“You should be aware that Chiba and Minato are descendants of the Senju Clan members who integrated into the Konoha civilian system back then. Now, they are both orphans without anyone to rely on.”
“Although the Senju Clan is withering day by day and no longer enjoys its former glory, its foundation still remains.”
“I do not wish to see any dirty business or unnecessary hardships befall these two children.” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“Furthermore, they are now your disciples’ disciples. I hope you can protect them well, stop those with ulterior motives, and not let the darkness from the shadows stain them. Do you understand?”
Her tone was gentle, yet it carried an undeniable weight.
Although she didn’t name anyone, the Third Hokage understood perfectly—the person with ulterior motives that Mito spoke of was none other than Danzo Shimura.
He had no objections to this.
He had no desire to let Danzo’s dirty hands reach out to these two geniuses with infinite potential.
If cultivated properly, Chiba’s monstrous intellect and heaven-defying talent, combined with Minato’s excellent character and profound vision, would surely make them loyal confidants who could solidify the status of his own lineage in the future.
It was just that the level of importance Mito placed on these two children slightly exceeded his expectations.
But thinking of Nawaki, he suddenly understood.
Mito was paving the way for Nawaki in advance, cultivating reliable right-hand men for the future young master of the Senju Clan.
“No matter.” The Third Hokage thought, a trace of calculation flashing through his mind, and he chuckled inwardly.
Nawaki was simple-minded, innocent, and sincere—very easy to manipulate.
He posed no threat to him or the Sarutobi clan; on the contrary, he could serve as a link to maintain the remnants of the Senju power.
The thought passed in an instant.
The Third Hokage straightened his expression, nodded, and replied solemnly, “I understand.”
“Before they fully mature, I will clear away all external interference, prevent any secret schemes, and ensure they can train in peace.”
“Very well.” Uzumaki Mito nodded in satisfaction and gestured with her hand.
“Go.”
“Yes.” The Third Hokage bowed respectfully.
Before turning away, he didn’t forget to look at Chiba and Minato, adding a gentle reminder.
“Chiba, Minato, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you may come to the Hokage Building to find me at any time.”
With those words, he turned and walked away quickly, his figure soon disappearing outside the courtyard.
The courtyard fell completely silent.
Uzumaki Mito then looked at Jiraiya, who was standing to the side, and spoke softly, “Jiraiya, I have some private words to discuss with Chiba and Minato alone. You should head back first.”
“Hm? Alright!” Jiraiya was slightly stunned, but he immediately nodded with understanding and didn’t ask any questions.
He waved at Minato with a smile, turned, and walked away, consciously leaving space for the three of them to be alone.