Hokage Building, Hokage’s Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was reviewing the examination papers from this month’s Ninja Academy test.
It was hard to imagine that the leader of an entire village would personally grade the examination papers of Academy students.
Yet in this world, this absurd scene was completely normal.
As Hokage, Hiruzen handled practically everything, no matter how big or small.
Even trivial matters such as two villagers getting into an argument could end up requiring the Hokage’s personal attention.
No wonder that in the original story, even after becoming the Seventh Hokage, Naruto had to create countless Shadow Clones to handle his workload and still couldn’t finish everything.
Of course, not every examination paper had to be graded personally by the Hokage.
Most questions with standard answers were naturally graded by the Ninja Academy teachers.
For subjective questions, the teachers would first provide their own evaluations, and the Hokage only needed to review them.
However, in order to firmly maintain control over the weapon known as “ideology,” Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen was willing to go through the trouble himself.
He would never completely delegate the authority to evaluate these papers to the Ninja Academy teachers.
He ultimately had to look over them personally.
“Let’s see how the children answered this month’s big Will of Fire question.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen flipped through the examination papers one by one, starting from the beginning.
When he reached Kuroda Ren’s paper, his eyes suddenly lit up.
“The Hokage is like the sun, illuminating all of Konoha?”
“The Hokage’s kindness can never be repaid?”
As Hiruzen read the essay Kuroda Ren had written, he faintly felt something stir within him.
The Will of Fire had originally been proposed by the First Hokage, supplemented by the Second Hokage, and perfected by the Third Hokage himself.
In Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes, it had already become an almost flawless ideology.
And yet…
Perhaps there was still room for further improvement?
Look at what Kuroda Ren had written:
“Every person is born carrying original sin.
Only the grace of Lord Third allows us to bask in the light known as the Hokage.”
That line was excellent!
It went straight to Hiruzen’s heart.
Sarutobi Hiruzen secretly nodded.
He quickly glanced through Kuroda Ren’s other answers, picked up his pen, and directly wrote Full Marks on the examination paper.
“This child was also first in the practical examination, wasn’t he?”
“He even defeated that little genius from the Hatake clan.”
“Imai Nobuyuki also submitted a request to teach this child Water Release: Wild Water Wave.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen pulled out the relevant records and checked them.
After confirming that his memory was correct, he fell into thought.
“Water nature?”
“Let’s have Imai Nobuyuki teach him first.”
“If he truly has talent, then I’ll have to find a good teacher for this child.”
After quickly making his decision, Sarutobi Hiruzen continued grading the examination papers.
He had just reached Might Guy’s paper, which was filled with the word “youth” over and over again, and was already beginning to feel a headache coming on when—
Bang!
The office door was suddenly thrown open.
There was only one person in the entire village who would dare barge into his office like this.
Sure enough, Shimura Danzō walked in, one half of his face wrapped in bandages and a cane in his hand.
“Hiruzen!”
“I heard this year’s Academy has produced several geniuses.”
“My Root is in desperate need of manpower!”
“Don’t even think about it!”
The moment Sarutobi Hiruzen heard this, he immediately knew what Shimura Danzō was after.
He scolded him outright.
“Aren’t the children from the orphanage enough for you?”
“You are absolutely forbidden from interfering with these Academy students!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn’t completely control Konoha and also wanted to maintain a good reputation.
Therefore, he could only make use of Shimura Danzō to handle certain darker affairs.
But he would never allow Danzō to threaten his own authority.
The students of the Ninja Academy would eventually become the foundation of his rule.
Naturally, he couldn’t allow Shimura Danzō to get his hands on them.
“I only want one!”
Shimura Danzō immediately replied.
“I heard there are two geniuses in this generation: Hatake Kakashi and a child from the Uchiha clan named Tekka.”
“Just give me either one.”
“That’s impossible!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head.
“Hatake Sakumo’s son and the Uchiha clan aren’t people you can casually manipulate.”
“They will never be allowed to join your Root.”
During the Second Shinobi World War, Hatake Sakumo’s achievements had surpassed even those of the Three Legendary Sannin combined.
He also possessed tremendous prestige among ordinary shinobi.
Even Hiruzen, as Hokage, sometimes had no choice but to make concessions to him.
Put Hatake Sakumo’s son into Root?
Had Shimura Danzō lost his mind?
As for the Uchiha, that was even more impossible.
Who in all of Konoha didn’t know that the Uchiha clan hated Shimura Danzō the most?
They probably wanted nothing more than for Danzō to drop dead.
How could they possibly allow one of their clan members to work under him?
“This can’t happen, and that can’t happen!”
Shimura Danzō angrily shouted.
“My Root has no manpower.
How am I supposed to develop it?”
“If Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Tekka won’t work, then a civilian orphan should be fine, right?”
“There is also a child named Kuroda Ren in this generation.”
“Give that child to me.
That will work too.”
This was Shimura Danzō ‘s true objective.
He had deliberately made an impossible demand first, intending to retreat and ask for something easier afterward.
Given Sarutobi Hiruzen’s personality, there was a good chance he would agree.
Shimura Danzō couldn’t help mentally patting himself on the back.
It’s only Sarutobi Hiruzen.
So what if he became Hokage?
Isn’t he still at my mercy?
But then—
The moment Sarutobi Hiruzen heard the name Kuroda Ren, his expression immediately darkened.
“Shimura Danzō !”
For the first time in a long while, Sarutobi Hiruzen called Danzō by his full name.
He shouted sternly:
“Let me emphasize this one more time.”
“Kuroda Ren is the child of a hero!”
“I already have plans for him.”
“You are absolutely forbidden from interfering!”
“If I find out that you’ve been making any moves behind my back, you’ll bear the consequences yourself!”
A child capable of writing something like “the Hokage’s kindness can never be repaid” had to be firmly brought under his control.
How could he possibly allow Shimura Danzō to ruin him?
Moreover, judging from the child’s performance so far, he was unquestionably a genius among geniuses.
Perhaps he could one day become a powerful shinobi on the level of Jiraiya or Orochimaru.
A shinobi like that naturally had to be cultivated as part of Hiruzen’s own faction.
If successful, not only would Konoha’s strength increase tremendously, but Hiruzen’s control over the village would also become much stronger.
“Hiruzen!”
Shimura Danzō was stunned.
He hadn’t expected Sarutobi Hiruzen to issue such a severe warning over a mere orphan.
He hurriedly said:
“Hiruzen, it’s just a civilian orphan.
Is this really necessary?”
“Let him graduate early and hand him over to me.”
“Within three years, I guarantee I’ll give you a shinobi with Jōnin-level combat power!”
“Enough!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen had no intention of revealing his true thoughts.
Nor did he have any interest in continuing the argument with Danzō.
Instead, he ended the discussion with a classic line:
“Danzō, I am the Hokage.
What I say goes!”
Hearing those words, blood rushed to Shimura Danzō ‘s head.
He nearly lost his composure on the spot.
One of his favorite lines escaped his lips:
“Hiruzen, you’ll regret this!”
Bang!
Shimura Danzō slammed the door and stormed away.
◇ Bonus Chapter Goals ◇