4 Chapter 4: A New Beginning

After a night of deep contemplation and reflection, Ryu, having made his decision and chosen the path ahead, arrived at the Hokage's office for the first time. Despite being a Hokage now, he understood that he couldn't neglect his responsibilities on his very first day and attend to personal matters first.

Swiftly processing the few documents that required his attention, involving signatures and seals, Ryu motioned for his assistant, Sarutobi, a familiar face with a beard, to take them away. He was just about to stretch and take a well-deserved break when a sudden knock on the door interrupted his moment of respite.

Looking up, Ryu saw the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed casually with a pipe in his mouth, wearing a smile as he greeted, "Ryu, how do you feel about your first day as Hokage?"

Ryu, donning the hokage robe, quickly stood up and, while beckoning Hiruzen Sarutobi to enter, intentionally replied, "it's good, the work is much easier than I expected."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression remained unchanged as he continued, "Things have changed now. The Land of Wind and the Land of Earth have signed a ceasefire agreement with us, and only the Cloud and Mist ninjas have occasional small-scale frictions on the border. This won't last long, and the war will soon come to an end. For us, Konoha, the top priority is to quickly recover from the severe damage caused by the war."

Ryu nodded and said, "With the backing of the Fire Country, I believe Konoha will recover from the war swiftly."

"The financial assistance from the Daimyo is one aspect. For Konoha, the most crucial factor is the benefits brought by ninja missions," Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of smoke, "Next comes mission allocation, Ryu. If you have any questions, you can ask the old man."

Ryu replied, "Then we'll have to rely more on the Third hokage."

Ten minutes later, the new Fourth Hokage and the Third Hokage of Konoha Village, accompanied by a group of chunin serving as subordinates, sat in a spacious office.

Ryu picked up the scrolls containing various tasks and, with Hiruzen Sarutobi's assistance, issued task instructions to the upcoming Konoha ninjas.

After completing a high-level ninja's task with three lower-level ninjas, it wasn't long before another person entered alone.

"Lord Fourth! Lord Third!"

Ryu raised his head slightly surprised upon hearing this.

After all, the ninjas who entered before had first shouted for the Third hokage and then him.

This was the first time the order had been reversed.

Then, when he saw someone else coming in, he let out a slight chuckle once again.

Hiruzen Sarutobi beside him thought he didn't know this person, so he introduced, "Maruhoshi Kosuke, an elder of Konoha Village who followed the Second Hokage. A resolute person who embodies the Will of Fire and has dedicated his life to Konoha. Don't think his current rank is just genin; that's only due to personal reasons. Kosuke's strength is outstanding even among chunin. Therefore, Ryu, you don't need to consider the genin restrictions when assigning tasks to him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi then greeted Kosuke Maruyoshi with the familiarity of an old acquaintance, saying, "Kosuke, I've told you many times, don't call me 'sir,' just call me Hiruzen. You know who I used to be. I learned a lot from you."

To this, Kosuke's reaction was surprisingly calm.

He saw his gaze shift towards Ryu and Hiruzen. How could he not understand the hidden contradiction between the Third Hokage and Kosuke at this moment?

To Kosuke, he naturally preferred to see the rightful Fourth Hokage truly in power, rather than his old friend still clinging to authority.

However, his words remained mild, and he could only face his old friend with coldness and express his dissatisfaction.

"He is the previous Hokage, after all," he murmured quietly.

Hiruzen complexion darkened slightly. He didn't know whom his old friend was directing this gesture towards.

But sometimes, some things are just hard to let go of.

On one side, Ryu, who had a panoramic view of it all, was greatly surprised.

He had some impression of Kosuke, the true embodiment of ten thousand years of patience.

However, he didn't expect this person's character to be so lofty.

If they were truly discussing the successor of the Will of Fire, the other party would probably be more suitable than him, the true Hokage.

Looking at the other's left eye and the disabled left leg still standing, Ryu respectfully called out, "Elder Kosuke."

"Lord Hokage!" This time, Kosuke bowed, showing his respect.

At the same time, Ryu received Naruto's reputation point reminder for the first time that day, with a +1 point.

What a perfect subordinate!

It would be great if all the ninjas in Konoha possessed such qualities.

As Ryu felt exhilarated, he also earnestly discussed the task with Kosuke.

During this period, Hiruzen Sarutobi rarely uttered a word.

In the following time, Ryu, now familiar with the entire process, effortlessly handled one task after another, and Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly regained his composure, offering advice from time to time.

Two hours later, the work was nearly complete, with only one person remaining.

"Hatake Kakashi?"

Seeing the ninja scroll with Kakashi's large face in his hand, Ryu furrowed his brow slightly.

Noticing this, a Konoha chunin on the other side quickly explained, "Lord Fourth, it's like this. Jonin Hatake Kakashi was ambushed by Mist Ninja on the battlefield, and all the members of his team died. It caused severe psychological trauma, making it difficult for him to serve as a captain on subsequent missions. As for how to arrange Hatake Kakashi's future, I need you, Lord Ryu, to handle it."

Jonin were high-level combat forces indispensable to the village, and each one of them was given great importance.

Especially someone like Hatake Kakashi, who became a jonin at the age of twelve as a prodigy.

Naturally, his future plans would be presented to Ryu, the Hokage.

Ryu pondered.

If he remembered correctly, after Rin's death, Namikaze Minato had sent Kakashi to ANBU, where he had been protecting the pregnant Uzumaki Kushina ever since.

It was witnessing the gradual growth of new life that helped him emerge from his isolation.

Of course, Minato's and his wife's subsequent deaths were another matter altogether.

However, Ryu was not Namikaze Minato, nor did he have the ability to meddle in ANBU affairs, and he had no personal friendship with Hatake Kakashi, who was a serious three-generation master and apprentice of Naruto.

Fortunately, the Lord was by his side.

So Ryu directed this question to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The latter furrowed his brow, thought for a long time, and said, "The development of the village is indeed the most important. For the Hokage, a jonin who is at the peak of his abilities is certainly essential. But as you mentioned, Hatake Kakashi's psychological trauma is severe. It may not be appropriate for him to continue serving as a captain for the time being. However, he is still a highly skilled shinobi. We can consider arranging for him to be an instructor at the Ninja Academy, teaching the next generation of Konoha ninjas. This way, not only can he recover from his trauma, but he can also pass on his knowledge and experience to the future generation. It's a win-win situation."

Listening to Hiruzen Sarutobi's proposal, Ryu couldn't help but nod.

It was indeed a good plan.

As the Fourth Hokage, he needed to make choices for the betterment of the village and its people, considering both the individual and the collective.

Thus, Ryu decided to follow Hiruzen's suggestion and make arrangements accordingly.

Ryu, as the new Hokage, felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction with his first day of work. It was a new beginning, a chapter filled with hope and promise for the future of Konoha Village.

As the sun began to set, Ryu couldn't help but smile, knowing that there was much more to come in his journey as Hokage, and he was determined to face it with courage and wisdom.

"Yes, yes!"

"I heard that Hokage-sama is still single, so I'm not sure what kind of girl he's into."

"It's a shame my sister is already married. Otherwise, with my 36D, hehe..."

As Ryu listened to the increasingly explicit remarks from the onlookers, he paid them little mind, knowing that they had contributed significantly to his reputation points.

Continuing to build his reputation, Ryu turned a corner and was captivated by the curtain at the entrance of a nearby shop.

"Ichiraku Ramen!"

Being a ramen joint renowned throughout the Hokage's domain, it naturally piqued Ryu's interest.

Now that he had found himself in this world, he had to cultivate his refined palate.

"Welcome~~ Hey! So it's Hokage-sama! Dad, come out quickly! Hokage-sama has graced our humble shop with his presence!"

Just as Ryu opened the curtain and stepped into the shop, the excited voice of a young girl echoed within.

Iris, a cute and lively young girl, stood on a high stool, barely peeking over the counter.

The moment she laid eyes on Ryu, joy filled her, and she immediately turned her head and called out to her father in the background.

"I'm coming!"

Soon, under Ryu's gaze, the familiar owner of Ichiraku Ramen, affectionately known as "Teuchi," emerged. Sporting an apron and brandishing a rolling pin, he appeared younger than his true age as he hurriedly approached.

"Hahaha! Hokage-sama gracing us with his presence! My blood is pumping with excitement! Ayame!"

"Here!"

"Prepare the ingredients. Today, I shall showcase my skills before Hokage-sama and earn the reputation of Ichiraku Ramen!"

"Yes, sir!"

Ryu: "..."

Observing the father and daughter brimming with enthusiasm and a burning spirit as if they were about to step onto a battlefield, Ryu was left momentarily speechless.

So, these are the individuals who have befriended Naruto since their youth, unaffected by his inner demon. Are they truly such passionate and dedicated individuals?

Cough, cough, cough! Ryu coughed a few times hastily, capturing the attention of the father and daughter before speaking, "You two, it seems I haven't placed my order yet..." awkward silence

Ayame: awkward silence

"Well, Hokage-sama hasn't ordered yet," Teuchi scratched his head in embarrassment and admitted.

"Yes, Dad," Ayame, with wide eyes, innocently replied.

"Ahem! I'm so thrilled, so thrilled!" Teuchi clapped his hands a few times and turned to Ryu. "So, Hokage-sama, what type of ramen would you like?"

Relieved that the conversation had returned to normal, Ryu also breathed a sigh of relief and turned his attention to the menu posted on the left wall.

He perused the options, including "Classic Ramen 60 ryo," "Special Ramen 70 ryo," "Wild Vegetable Ramen 65 ryo," "Tonkotsu Ramen 60 ryo," "Special Char Siu Noodles 75 ryo"... and "Miso Char Siu Noodles 90 ryo."

Ryu, unlike Naruto, wasn't financially strained. Whether it was the assets inherited from the Senju clan or his Hokage salary, he had more than enough funds to not worry about expenses. Consequently, he opted for the pricier Miso Char Siu Noodles.

"Alright! One bowl of Miso Char Siu Noodles!" Ryu responded with a smile, and Teuchi swiftly prepared the ramen.

Soon, a generous bowl of fragrant ramen with succulent char siu was placed before Ryu.

"Enjoy your meal!" Teuchi and Ayame said in unison.

Ryu smiled, nodded, and picked up his chopsticks, savoring the long-awaited ichakaru Ramen.

"Mmm~ delicious!"

As he relished the hot ramen settling in his stomach, Ryu's eyes lit up, and he genuinely praised the dish.

"Thank you for the compliment!" Teuchi grinned from ear to ear.

At that moment, Ryu paused, chopsticks in hand, as he heard a distinct voice in his head, different from the system.

"Hokage reputation +5 for handmade noodles."

The reputation points unexpectedly increased by five?

Ryu had assumed that the compliments from everyone would only contribute a small amount to his reputation.

So, what set him apart from the rest?

Ryu gazed at the ramen on the table.

Was it because he sincerely praised the delicious ramen, and this was also the proudest aspect of their handmade noodles, making them treasure his words more than others?

Was it because he praised the right thing?

After deducing this conclusion, Ryu's eyes sparkled.

It seemed that the speed at which he could earn reputation points might accelerate once again.