Knowing that the mission was just to drink and chat, Sakumo Hatake relaxed a little.
It had been a long time since he had such an easy mission.
Jiraiya, however, shouted, “Teacher Hiruzen, you’re messing around!
Just you wait!”
With that, he left.
Soon, Jiraiya returned, carrying dozens of skewers of barbecue and some snacks for drinking.
“What’s the fun in just drinking?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the barbecue and snacks Jiraiya brought, and couldn’t help but swallow a few times.
His eyes held a strong threat as he warned Natsuki, Jiraiya, and Sakumo Hatake: “I just had a sudden whim, wanting to enjoy myself while I’m still young and my body is still capable.
The three of you must not tell anyone else about this, or I’ll lose too much face.”
“Hahaha, I know, I know, I won’t say anything, This Great One’s lips are sealed,” Jiraiya immediately closed the door.
Hiruzen Sarutobi formed a hand seal to set up a soundproofing barrier, then picked up a skewer of barbecue and took a bite.
“The taste is really good!”
Inside the Hokage Office at this moment.
There was no hierarchy.
No seniority.
The four chatted happily, fueled by alcohol.
Jiraiya, his face flushed, recounted stories of failing training as a child and being punished by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He also cursed Sakumo Hatake a few times, saying that Sakumo Hatake was too strong as a child, which made his own position as a dead last even more obvious.
Sakumo Hatake retorted that Jiraiya’s lecherousness was evident from a young age, and that his wife had been confessed to by Jiraiya several times when they were children, but thankfully she had rejected Jiraiya every time.
Otherwise, his child might not be named Kakashi Hatake, but would instead take Jiraiya’s surname and be called Mad Demon Kakashi.
The conversation turned to Natsuki.
Finally, it returned to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The four chatted, exchanging insults and hearty laughter, thoroughly enjoying their brief time of camaraderie amidst the war.
All four had a good capacity for alcohol; even after finishing all of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s years of treasured liquor, no one was drunk, though their faces were flushed, their minds remained very clear.
The color of the curtains was dyed red by the setting sun outside the window.
Towards the end of their conversation, the topic returned to Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and said, “In this era, Konoha has no shortage of talents.
Besides the three of you, there are also Orochimaru, Tsunade, Might Duy, Kato Dan…
But what about the next generation?
Actually, I am a bit worried about the future of Konoha.”
“There are many excellent ones in the next generation.”
Jiraiya, propped up on his head and lying on the floor, shook his wine bottle back and forth.
“Tsunade’s younger brother, Nawaki, who is also Orochimaru’s beloved disciple, is an ambitious and very excellent Ninja.
Nawaki will surely be outstanding when he grows up.”
“And this guy’s son.”
“His son, Kakashi, is three years old now.
I hear he’s already shown great talent at the Ninja Academy, always getting full marks on theoretical exams, even more outstanding than his father was as a child.”
Sakumo Hatake nodded repeatedly, listening.
“You finally said something that makes me feel good.”
Jiraiya then mumbled, “I wonder if Kakashi, being so handsome, will be able to resist the temptation of beauty.
There will definitely be girls pursuing Kakashi at the Academy.
If it were me, I’d take them all!
Hahaha, Sakumo, I think your son might get immersed in beauty later, affecting his studies, and eventually become a dead last like I was as a child…”
“Bastard!”
Jiraiya hadn’t even finished speaking.
Sakumo Hatake, his face red, glared at Jiraiya and instantly delivered a punch to Jiraiya’s head.
Jiraiya yelped in pain.
“Might Duy’s son, Might Guy, practices the same Taijutsu as Might Duy.
I wonder how he will develop in the future,” Hiruzen Sarutobi mused.
“Teacher Hiruzen, actually, there’s another very excellent young Ninja named Minato Namikaze,” Natsuki said, crossing his legs and eating the last skewer of barbecue.
“Minato?” Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his head, a blond young man’s image coming to mind.
He showed a relieved smile.
“Yes, Minato is a very excellent child.”
He had a strong impression of Minato Namikaze.
After this child graduated from the Ninja Academy, he was taught by him for a very short time, and then he found inspiration from the Tailed Beast Ball of a Tailed Beast and independently invented an extremely powerful Ninjutsu—the Rasengan.
Later, due to the war, Jiraiya had to go to the battlefield, traveling through various countries to gather intelligence, stretched too thin to continue teaching Minato Namikaze.
However.
Minato Namikaze’s growth rate was still astonishing.
Now only thirteen years old, he was already a Konoha Jonin, though he had fewer missions and his reputation had not yet risen.
What was noteworthy to Hiruzen Sarutobi was that.
This child, Minato Namikaze, was very special.
He did not belong to any major clan, came from humble origins, had no inherited Bloodline Limit, and was only briefly taught by Jiraiya.
All his other training was self-taught, without any guidance.
“Minato, my disciple!”
As soon as his beloved disciple was mentioned, Jiraiya stood up, his eyes shining.
“Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since I last saw Minato.
I remember when I used to teach him, he was only this tall.”
Jiraiya extended his hand, making a gesture up to his waist.
“He was just a little brat back then, only up to my waist.
“Minato has grown up.”
Sakumo Hatake, his cheeks flushed and smelling of alcohol, narrowed his eyes and said to Jiraiya, “Every time I return from a mission and meet Minato, I can clearly feel that he’s grown much taller.
I even saw him yesterday, and he’s as tall as me now.”
“As tall as you?”
Jiraiya came over to Sakumo Hatake, put his arm around Sakumo Hatake’s neck, and compared their heights.
Then he lowered his head and said to Sakumo Hatake with great swagger, “That’s still pretty short.”
“Bastard!
Jiraiya, you’re getting more and more annoying!”
Sakumo Hatake shrugged his shoulders, picked up a wine bottle, and swung it at Jiraiya’s head.
With a bang.
Another bump appeared on Jiraiya’s head.
Jiraiya clutched his head, yelping in pain and calling Sakumo Hatake petty.
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched from the side, laughing heartily.
Suddenly, Hiruzen Sarutobi sensed something, and his expression immediately became serious.
“Sakumo, Jiraiya, stop messing around.
Hizashi Hyuga is rushing here, probably with some urgent matter to report to me.
Quickly use your Chakra to expel the alcohol…”
At this moment.
Hizashi Hyuga was speeding towards the Hokage Office.
In a few leaps, he had already reached the bottom of the Hokage Office building.
His expression was anxious.
As a member of Konoha’s Hyuga Clan, he was born with a Bloodline Limit, inheriting the Byakugan.
The Byakugan allows for ultra-long-distance peering and can clearly see the flow of Chakra, making it very suitable for gathering intelligence.
Currently, during the Ninja World War, members of the Hyuga family were assigned to different posts, taking turns using their Byakugan to observe movements around Konoha.
Just a short while ago.
He saw a member of Konoha’s Uzumaki Clan meet with an accident.
This person was crucial to Konoha.
Rescue must be launched immediately!
“Sandaime-sama!”
Hizashi Hyuga didn’t bother to knock, pushing the door open directly.
“Kushina has been abducted by Ninjas from the Land of Water!”
Kushina!
It really helps the fic grow!