Chapter 21: Third Hokage

"Please head to the Hokage's office as soon as possible."

"Hokage?" Ueda Aya exclaimed softly.

There weren't many notable teachers at the Ninja Academy, as most of them were just ordinary Chuunin. However, the position of principal was quite prestigious.

There had only been two principals in the history of the Ninja Academy: the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, and the current Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Although he was the principal, it was not easy for the teachers to meet Sarutobi Hiruzen. Aside from giving a speech at the start of the school year, the Third Hokage rarely visited the academy, preferring to handle his duties at the Hokage Tower.

This was why Ueda Aya was so surprised—Sarutobi Hiruzen was actually in the principal's office, and he had called for a teacher. This was an extremely rare occurrence.

"Okay, I'll go right away." Mu Yue nodded, then turned to the other teachers in the office and apologized.

"Sorry, I need to go to the principal's office. I'll talk about the lecture matters when I get back."

"This is nothing to apologize for, Mu Yue-sensei. Please go quickly, and don't keep the Third Hokage waiting," Iketani Yuu said, his face showing uncontrollable envy. His eyes practically turned into lemons as he spoke.

He had been teaching for many years but had never been summoned like this. Not to mention being called to the Hokage's office—he had never even set foot in it.

But then, he thought about Mu Yue's teaching abilities and the caliber of his students, and the envy faded.

In other first-year classes, the average score was around fifty, but Mu Yue's class had an average of over seventy, leaving the other classes far behind.

His class also took the top two spots in practical scores, with Uchiha Shisui, who had been recognized as a super genius, securing first place.

Iketani Yuu asked himself, could he produce a class like that? The answer was no.

After Mu Yue said his goodbyes, he made his way to the Hokage's office.

The Hokage's office was on the top floor of their building, the fifth floor, while Mu Yue's office was on the second.

Standing in front of the office door with the "Hokage's Office" sign, Mu Yue knocked.

"Come in."

A dignified voice of a middle-aged man came from inside.

Mu Yue opened the door and entered.

He quickly scanned the room. The office layout was simple: bookshelves and a desk by the window, and a set of chairs near the door.

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not appear as old as in the anime; his hair and beard were still black, and there were few wrinkles on his face. His gaze was commanding, exuding an aura of authority. Perhaps because he was at the Ninja Academy, he didn't wear the Hokage hat.

"You must be Mu Yue-sensei, please sit," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, not at all putting on airs. He stood up and gestured for Mu Yue to take a seat.

"Third Hokage-sama," Mu Yue said respectfully. He didn't act overly formal and sat down.

In his previous life, the Third Hokage had a less-than-ideal reputation. Many things had turned into conspiracies due to various reasons.

Mu Yue didn't know what this version of the Third Hokage was like, but as a teacher at the academy, he knew he had to maintain a cordial exterior, even if he might privately disagree with some things.

"Mu Yue, you have a talent for teaching," Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a smile, complimenting him.

"I've heard about your class's results. Your class's average theoretical score is twenty to thirty points higher than the others, and in practical tests, your class took the top two spots."

"The proctors said that your students' mastery of basic techniques like the Transformation and Clone Jutsu is better than the other classes."

"It's thanks to the students themselves. I only did my best to teach them, and the rest is all their hard work," Mu Yue replied after a moment's thought.

He was being modest, but not completely. He acknowledged that his students had put in the effort while highlighting his own dedication.

"Doing your best to teach, well said," Sarutobi Hiruzen praised. "If there were more teachers like you at the academy, we wouldn't have to worry about training the next generation of ninja."

Mu Yue didn't respond to that, merely showing a serious listening expression.

Acknowledging the statement would imply that other teachers were incapable, while denying it could be seen as a slight against those who were trying their best.

"Based on the performance of your class this year, I'm personally recommending you as this semester's Outstanding Teacher," Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a smile.

Mu Yue feigned surprise, then immediately expressed his gratitude.

"However, Third Hokage-sama, isn't this a bit too soon? It's only been a month, and I'm concerned it might negatively affect your reputation if people hear about it," Mu Yue said, showing concern for the Third Hokage's image.

"Outstanding Teacher is for those who perform excellently. If other teachers can produce classes like yours, I would award them the same," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied confidently.

Then, he continued with a grand promise: "If you maintain this teaching quality for the next year, I will promote you to Special Jonin and make you the Deputy Head of the Ninja Academy."

"Thank you, Third Hokage-sama, for your support. But as a teacher, my duty is to educate my students. I always keep that in mind," Mu Yue said sincerely.

In his heart, Mu Yue thought that both Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen were excellent at making promises. They could promise to make someone a Special Jonin so easily, and it seemed like a great honor.

But Mu Yue wasn't interested in the title; he was genuinely focused on his students' progress, as their improvement meant more rewards for him.

Seeing Mu Yue's sincerity, Sarutobi Hiruzen was convinced that he spoke the truth. The more he spoke with Mu Yue, the more he appreciated him.

"Mu Yue-sensei, I have something personal to discuss with you. Would you be willing to listen?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked suddenly.

Mu Yue nodded, curious about what the Third Hokage wanted to say next.

"I have a son, Asuma, who just graduated and became a Genin. He is still very young and immature, and I'm having trouble guiding him. I'd like to hire you as his private tutor," Sarutobi Hiruzen offered.

Given Mu Yue's teaching skills, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt confident that Mu Yue could guide Asuma, who had just become a Genin.

This was also a test of Mu Yue's abilities. If Mu Yue did well, Sarutobi Hiruzen would consider bringing him into his circle.

Whether it was the Outstanding Teacher title or the Special Jonin promotion, these were all ways to gain Mu Yue's favor.

For Sarutobi Hiruzen, it was nothing more than a simple task to arrange.

"Third Hokage-sama, I need to consider this carefully," Mu Yue said after a moment of thought, not immediately agreeing.

This took Sarutobi Hiruzen by surprise. He hadn't expected Mu Yue to refuse.

"Since I have classes Monday through Friday, I won't have time during the week. As for weekends, I also need to plan for the next week's lessons," Mu Yue explained.

"I must ensure that both parties can maintain the quality of education before I agree, so I need some time to think about it."

Sarutobi Hiruzen paused for a moment before smiling again, praising Mu Yue as an excellent teacher, then told him there were no other matters and that he could leave.

Before Mu Yue left, he gave the Third Hokage an evaluation.

(End of Chapter)

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