Chapter 22

"Ding! The Hokage meeting is about to commence. Would you like to invite newcomers?"

Ryan wasted no time in making his decision.

"Invite!"

[Ding! Invitation successful]

Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, joined the group chat.

A system beep caught Ryan off guard for a moment.

"Minato?!"

Glancing at the system prompts, Ryan was taken aback by the unexpected arrival of Namikaze Minato, who had been reporting to him just a moment ago.

It seemed like Minato had been pulled into the Hokage chat group at an opportune time, which struck Ryan as quite coincidental. However, according to the system prompt, this Minato was the Fourth Hokage from the original book timeline—the one he was familiar with.

Although Minato held the title of Hokage, the elderly Third Hokage still held the real power behind the scenes.

"I wonder which period this Fourth Hokage is from. If it's just before the Nine-Tails Rebellion, things might get interesting."

While Ryan pondered over this, a burst of colourful light suddenly illuminated his surroundings, engulfing him and transporting his consciousness into the space of the Hokage chat group.

Inside the Hokage Building, within Konoha Village, Namikaze Minato, adorned in a handsome Hokage royal robe, sat amidst piles of files and reports. His flowing blond hair was slightly dishevelled. He stared wearily at the stack of documents before him.

"Seriously, why are there so many? Third Hokage, do we really have to process this many files?"

Ever since becoming Hokage, Namikaze Minato found himself inundated with an endless stream of paperwork. Each day was filled to the brim with files, and the workload only seemed to increase.

Today, the files had accumulated into a towering mountain, leaving Minato feeling overwhelmed.

Observing Minato's frustration, Sarutobi Hiruzen—the retired Third Hokage who still retained more authority than the current Hokage—approached with a cheerful smile, his pipe in hand.

"Hahaha, you see, even this old man couldn't escape it. The seat of Hokage isn't an easy one to occupy."

Minato couldn't muster a response to Sarutobi Hiruzen's comment. He could only persevere and continue working diligently. Each document was reviewed and approved promptly, which garnered a nod of approval from Sarutobi Hiruzen.

It seemed like the decision to step down and pass the torch to the Fourth Hokage was the right one, as it allowed him to retain power without the burden of tedious paperwork. This newfound freedom also offered him ample time to indulge in using the crystal ball for spying purposes.

<...Teacher and student are the same. Can do anything for research.>

Just as Minato was begrudgingly engrossed in his paperwork, a voice suddenly resounded in his mind.

[Ding! You have joined the Konoha Hokage chat group. The group owner, Ryan, has initiated a Hokage meeting. Please join now!]

"Hmm?!"

Minato, momentarily perplexed, halted his work and surveyed the office, searching for the source of the voice. Other than himself and the Third Hokage, no one else occupied the room.

"Master Third Hokage, did you hear something just now?"

If Minato heard correctly, it appeared to be related to a Konoha Hokage chat group—an opportunity to communicate with other Hokage. However, the Third Hokage seemed equally clueless.

"I didn't hear anything. Where is this sound coming from?"

Minato, puzzled by the situation, hesitated for a moment before deciding to voice his thoughts.

"But I definitely heard it..."

Minato regained his composure, suppressing the words he was about to utter. There was no doubt in his mind that he had heard the voice.

[Ding! Group owner Ryan has initiated a Hokage meeting! Please join now!]

"That's it! That's the voice!"

Minato exclaimed, disregarding his confusion. He had no desire to spend another second in his overwhelming office, surrounded by endless documents.

"Count me in!"

"I want to see!"

As Minato uttered those words, a radiant rainbow enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, he found himself in a pristine white space. At the head of a round table sat Ryan, wearing the familiar imperial robe.

Seeing Ryan and the attire he wore, Namikaze Minato couldn't help but be taken aback.

After a moment's pause, he opened his mouth and inquired, "Are you also the Fourth Hokage?"

Ryan, faced with Minato's question, raised his hands and replied, "Indeed, I am."

Minato's calm demeanour and lack of surprise puzzled Ryan.

"I see, so you already know about parallel universes and time travel."

"Please take a seat; not everyone has arrived yet."

Ryan's words elicited the iconic smile from Minato. He settled into a seat at the round table, intending to inquire further about the chat group.

Before Minato could utter a word, three more figures materialized in the chat space. Clad in Hokage robes, they all exuded an air of authority.

As Namikaze Minato's gaze fell upon the figure in the middle, his eyes widened in astonishment.

"The First... First Hokage?!"

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