In the Land of Fire, inside the Hokage Building, a report passed through layers of smoke before reaching the hands of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Several Konohagakure advisors were still arguing over the previous matter, but Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts gradually drifted away.
The vigorous Hiruzen Sarutobi had taken over as Hokage several years ago. From being overwhelmed at the beginning to now handling everything with ease, he had truly grasped the village's highest authority. The important advisor posts and other positions were all filled with his own people. It could be said that he had completely secured the Hokage position the Second Hokage had assumed in a crisis.
Moreover, this was an era of peace, and every aspect of the village was flourishing. The Third Hokage had gained more and more supporters, and some had even begun calling him the strongest Hokage. Hiruzen Sarutobi found it amusing whenever he heard it. Leaving aside the godlike might of the First Lord, he himself admitted that he was inferior even to his teacher, the Second Hokage.
Yet he had never stopped such claims from spreading. As a result, the new generation inheriting the Will of Fire at the Ninja Academy now believed that the Third Hokage was the strongest Hokage in Konohagakure's history.
Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe against the desk, scattering tobacco residue onto the floor, then casually opened the report before him.
"Kumogakure..."
"Hiruzen, is there any new intelligence?" advisor Utatane Koharu asked.
"The Anbu obtained intelligence that Kumogakure has been operating frequently in the Land of Birds. They are suspected of contacting a small Kekkei Genkai Family."
"The Land of Birds? Such a remote place... There doesn't seem to be any particularly formidable Kekkei Genkai Family there," Mitokado Homura said.
"It probably isn't an outstanding Kekkei Genkai, or it would not have remained unknown. But what is Kumogakure's purpose...?"
"This intelligence alone does not reveal much for now." Hiruzen Sarutobi set the report aside and continued, "By the way, how has Lady Mito been recently?"
This Mito naturally did not refer to Mitokado Homura.
"Lady Mito is advanced in years. It is difficult to say whether she can last another few years. We need to make preparations early and determine a backup Jinchuriki candidate as soon as possible," said Utatane Koharu, who was in charge of medical matters.
"Do not worry. A suitable backup candidate has already been found. She will be brought back to the village after some time," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.
"Oh? Why have we not heard of this?" Several advisors were somewhat dissatisfied.
"The Jinchuriki is a matter of great importance. From beginning to end, only I have known. The backup candidate is a girl from the Uzumaki clan's surviving descendants. She is an orphan and is said to have some distant blood relation to Lady Mito. She is an excellent candidate for Jinchuriki."
The advisors nodded. This candidate was indeed suitable. Danzo, however, began entertaining certain thoughts, but ultimately chose to remain silent.
Hiruzen Sarutobi would never agree to let him set his sights on the Jinchuriki...
As Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, he suddenly recalled some earlier intelligence. He picked up the report concerning Kumogakure's contact with the Land of Birds' Kekkei Genkai Family again, and a sudden idea struck him.
"Come to think of it, when we were previously searching for the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki candidate, we seemed to have noticed Kumogakure's presence as well. They also appeared to be searching for Uzumaki survivors. Could there be some connection...?"
It was already morning, and the Mission Assignment Office was packed. Morita Keiko had been delayed by filling out the questionnaire and had missed the first wave. By now, there were no suitable missions left for her, giving her a headache.
It was not as though she would starve after one day without missions, but as a single mother, Keiko always lacked a sense of security. She had already secretly resolved to take on several more missions in a few days, even if the pay was lower and the work more difficult.
Unfortunately, there were truly not many low-level missions that paid well, involved little work, and were close to home. She could only hope some would appear tomorrow.
With no suitable missions available, all that remained was to hand in the questionnaire. Going home early was fine too; she could spend more time with her daughter.
After asking around among her colleagues, Morita Keiko was led to a small room inside the Mission Assignment Office.
The moment she entered, Morita recognized the ninja before her: Dodai, one of the village's renowned Elite Jonin and someone deeply trusted by the Raikage. Rumor had it that he possessed a special Kekkei Genkai, though the details were beyond the knowledge of a mere genin like Morita Keiko.
Several people stood behind Dodai like bodyguards, and every one of them felt stronger than she was.
Well, that was hardly unusual. She was only a genin, after all.
Keiko instinctively grew nervous. As a civilian genin who could only have become cannon fodder during wartime, getting involved with one of the village's Elite Jonin was no good thing. She had long since given up on advancing along the ninja path. All she wanted was to raise her daughter peacefully, and the missions she accepted were always harmless errands or cat-catching jobs.
She worried that this display meant the village intended to assign her some secret mission.
Morita Keiko made up her mind that if Lord Dodai wanted to give her any dangerous mission, she would refuse even if it killed her.
Keiko's thoughts were a complete mess. It was only several seconds later that she noticed a child seated beside Lord Dodai. The child looked no more than two years older than her daughter, barely able to sit on the chair with only his head showing. He was waving at her and said, "Please sit here. You are Morita Keiko, correct? Please hand the questionnaire over here."
Keiko was still dazed and handed over the questionnaire without thinking. Only after it left her hand did she find it strange. Why was there a child here...? Once she sat in the chair at the center, she realized this room seemed prepared for an interview. She was the interviewee, while the interviewers were Lord Dodai and... that child?
What the hell was this...?
"Morita Keiko, correct? Let me look at your file... Here it is. You have completed 623 D-rank missions, 72 C-rank missions, and one B-rank mission. Everything else is zero... Hmm, you appear to be a cautious ninja," Dada praised.
A bead of cold sweat ran down Keiko's face. This child really knew how to put things nicely. Fine, she was a cautious ninja. The only B-rank mission she had ever carried out was one she had completed with her husband when she was younger, and she had not been much help.
She had basically just waved flags and cheered from the rear, completely infatuated with her husband...
Dada continued, "Your, um... husband died during a mission, and you are currently raising your daughter alone... First, please allow me to express my gratitude to you and your family. Without your sacrifices, the village would not be what it is today." Dada suddenly rose from sitting on the chair to standing on it, then bowed to Morita Keiko.
Even Dodai, who stood nearby, showed surprise at the sudden gesture. Morita Keiko immediately stood as well, but her eyes quickly stung as she hurriedly said, "No, my strength is limited. I have not made any contribution to the village."
Dada sighed. The feelings ninjas in this world held toward their villages were both extreme and simple. Most loved their villages more than their own lives. Whether or not this was the result of years of education aside, such feelings were still astonishing.
Looking at Konohagakure's chaotic state in the original storyline, there were still large numbers of ninjas who faced death without fear and willingly sacrificed themselves for Konohagakure. It could not simply be dismissed as the Will of Fire brainwashing them. The people of this world truly had more extreme and sincere emotions.
The same went for those people always wanting the world to experience pain, to build some new world like XXX, or to create a world that XXX liked.
Dodai looked at the bowing Dada, deeply moved. The Raikage's second son continued to bring him more and more surprises.
"Ms. Morita Keiko, there are a few questions we need you to answer. May I ask, do you find it difficult raising a child alone?"
Keiko froze for a moment. Her emotions had been stirred up to this extent, only for him to ask such an everyday question? I thought the village needed me to make some sacrifice...
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