Chapter 36: A Conversation with the Third Hokage

Hokage Residence.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took off the Hokage hat with emotion, waved his hand, and intimately asked Kazuki to sit on the chair opposite.

"I've really been a big trouble for you. Having you worry about my family's affairs makes me feel a little ashamed."

"Come, sit down, Kazuki. Let me take a good look at Kagami's descendant, the future of the village."

Kazuki gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a sunny smile and sat down without hesitation, as if he was very familiar with him.

Although, this was only the first time Kazuki and Sarutobi Hiruzen met.

After Asuma's surprising gesture of kneeling before him, a shocked Hiruzen then listened to his son, who in an act of sincerity, criticized himself for his previous behavior and expressed his deep admiration for Kazuki, wishing for him to be his teammate.

This left Hiruzen pleasantly surprised. His troublesome son had finally matured! However, his experience as a leader made him sense something else in the situation.

Therefore, although he had planned to observe Kazuki for a while longer, urged by Asuma, he decided to look for him earlier than planned and talk to him as a father and as Hokage.

Kazuki was very sensitive to Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart, and did not wait for him to lay the groundwork. When they met, he directly told the Hokage father the general content of his conversation with Asuma.

Until now, the words spoken by Kazuki and Asuma have perfectly matched, and Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart has gradually settled down.

But this is not enough, the Hokage of Konoha still has to make a final test of Kazuki.

"Hokage-sama, I don't think there is any trouble with Asuma. On the contrary, I enjoy being with him. He is a passionate, sunny and talented ninja."

Kazuki took the tea handed over by Sarutobi Hiruzen with a smile, thanked him, and said slowly: "What surprised me most is that although he and I are just students of the ninja school, Asuma has a macro perspective on the village and the shinobi world. He said many ideas that touched me deeply and made me admire his magnanimity."

Sarutobi Hiruzen listened carefully, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.

Magnanimity... What did Asuma say to Kazuki?

To what depth did Asuma's thinking reach?

Sarutobi Hiruzen's curiosity and vigilance were aroused, and he shook his head with a wry smile. "Alas, I've been so busy with government affairs that I've neglected Asuma's upbringing and care..."

"He's never mentioned any of this to me."

Kazuki's face hesitated, as if he had something to hide, and his brows frowned.

After a moment, Kazuki looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen seriously and said in a deep voice: "Hokage-sama, this is something I shouldn't mention, as it concerns a family matter and also involves another high-ranking Konoha official."

"I am just a student of the ninja school. I am not qualified to comment on these things, but as a friend of Asuma, if you allowed me, I would like to talk to you as his father in this capacity."

Hiruzen looked at Kazuki, noticing the sincerity in his clear eyes, as well as a hint of embarrassment for his friend.

"Kazuki, your grandfather Uchiha Kagami and I were life and death companions, and you are a friend of my youngest son Asuma..."

"In private, you can just call me Uncle Hiruzen, no need to call me by my title, we should be a family."

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and touched his beard. "You make me feel a little younger. I don't have any grey hairs in my beard yet!"

Kazuki nodded heavily and said: "I know, Uncle Hiruzen..."

"The reason Asuma didn't understand some of your decisions had to do with a secret organization in the village called the Root, led by Shimura Danzo, his advisor."

When the name of Shimura Danzo was mentioned and entangled with Asuma, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes became serious.

Shimura Danzo, is he still reaching out his black hand to his son?

This is unbearable!

"Asuma inevitably came into contact with some intelligence, when he accidentally noticed the Root, he discovered a shocking dark plot after paying attention to it day by day."

"He doesn't understand why the Root did illegal operations but was not punished, and Shimura Danzo and you are good friends. Asuma thinks that it is because of your protection, Uncle Hiruzen, that the Root is so reckless."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked very strange, with worry mixed with relaxation, and his eyes kept signaling Kazuki to continue.

Kazuki said bluntly: "Asuma focuses on the experiment of developing Wood Release."

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly. He was not surprised that Kazuki knew about this matter.

But Asuma, why would he still pay attention to this experiment that was cancelled?

Kazuki seemed not to notice the change in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes and continued: "Asuma found that after the village stopped the experiment, some shinobi with Senju blood disappeared in Konoha and never appeared again."

"Even some children with Senju blood disappeared inexplicably..."

"Such a vicious incident, Asuma believes that the Root cannot do this without your affirmation."

At this point, Kazuki sighed helplessly. "I have told Asuma that as the Hokage, you are in charge of the affairs of the entire village, dozens of shinobi clans, and tens of thousands of shinobi. It is impossible to grasp all the changes in the village."

"And the Root is a powerful organization within ANBU. If they focus on hiding the truth from you, they might succeed, at least for a while."

Kazuki turned his gaze to the Hokage hat on the table and said in a tone that mixed admiration and resignation: "Uncle Hiruzen, Asuma admires you very much, but he admires you to the extent that he hopes you can do everything and manage the village without a trace of dirt."

"So, when Asuma saw that the darkness had not been dealt with, he, who admired his father so much, would not think about whether there was a problem with the root, but thought that you should have dealt with it long ago."

Hiruzen's expression became more and more shocked, and it was even clear that he was pleased with what he heard. He unconsciously took out his pipe, searching for the lighter on the table.

Kazuki stood up nimbly, lighting a flame on his finger and bringing it closer to the pipe.

Sarutobi Hiruzen patted Kazuki's shoulder, took a deep breath, and exhaled a thick puff of smoke.

"Kazuki, I don't know how to thank you..."

"I have to admit that Asuma is right. This matter was my negligence, which led to his disappointment..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed. "As a Hokage and a father, I have made mistakes, and I need to reflect on it."

"Fortunately, with your existence, Kazuki, I learned about these problems in time. I will make an explanation that will satisfy both of you and the village."

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled happily in his mind.

Asuma, who was thought to be simply rebellious, actually got into a quarrel because he worshipped his father too much?

As for whether this is reasonable?

In Sarutobi Hiruzen's opinion, this is too reasonable! The key is that it sounds quite comfortable and useful...

Kazuki's performance made Sarutobi Hiruzen very satisfied.

As a Hokage, what he needs is someone who tells him the truth, whether it is Uchiha or Ino-Shika-Cho...

Loyalty that is not absolute is absolutely disloyal.

At present, Kazuki's loyalty is extremely rare in the Uchiha clan and even in Konoha.

Hiruzen recalled Kazuki's exam and became increasingly convinced that the young man in front of him was a shinobi who united thought and action.

The will of fire must be burning in Kazuki's chest...

"Kazuki, don't worry, Uncle Hiruzen, as the Hokage, will definitely give an explanation to Asuma, you and the entire village."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked very serious, and said solemnly: "In Konoha, no matter who it is, even if the Hokage assistant makes a mistake, he needs to accept the village's severe punishment!"

"The will of fire is something that every shinobi in Konoha must abide by, and Shimura Danzo is no exception!"

Kazuki nodded in agreement, but inside Kazuki's body, Tobirama frowned, disapproving of the Hokage's words.

Although Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't hear him, he still cursed: "With your level, you were tricked by Kazuki to the point that you couldn't even hold your pipe, and you gave me a zero on the test of the will of fire!"

"I remember, monkey! When I can see you, you will explain to me how you manage Konoha!"

Kazuki listened to Sarutobi Hiruzen's speech with a smile on his face, while attacking the very indignant Senju Tobirama: "Tobirama, sometimes the dead are more useful than the living."

"But at present, you, the dead Hokage, are really not as useful as the living one. Look, Sarutobi Hiruzen doesn't care about you when you curse him. You should learn more from him..."

"Keep complaining, but I need to hear from the Third Hokage. You're a stubborn old man who refuses to change!"

Tobirama's face darkened. Even though he knew that Kazuki was just trying to provoke him, he couldn't help but feel irritated.

If conditions permit, he would like to rush out and teach Sarutobi Hiruzen a lesson.

[From the target Senju Tobirama: You have obtained the Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique!]

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