The Strength of the Third Hokage at His Peak

Name: Hiruzen Sarutobi

Chakra: 170000

Potential: S

Evaluation: Highly talented in Ninjutsu and skilled at Combination Ninjutsu. A single-nature Ninjutsu may not compare to a Kekkei Genkai, but if I were to use five high-level Ninjutsu of different Nature Transformations at once, how would you respond?

"The Third Hokage at his peak..." Seeing that string of zeros in the Chakra count, Mu Yue left the office feeling both astonished and a little envious.

After all, that was a full 170,000 Chakra—130,000 more than Minato had when Mu Yue last saw him.

Of course, Minato was only eighteen. Comparing a middle-aged ninja at his peak with a ninja still growing did not mean much.

How should I write the report when I get back... Beyond his surprise, Mu Yue was already considering how to write his report to Danzo.

Saying he needed time to consider it carefully was merely an excuse. He was busy, but not so busy that he could not spare a little time over a week to teach Asuma.

Mu Yue could tell that the Third Hokage was trying to win his favor. Otherwise, he would not have brought up the Excellent Teacher Award and Special Jonin rank.

But the Third Hokage's sincerity was too lacking. There were no actual benefits, only empty promises.

If the Third Hokage had exposed his Root identity the moment he entered the office and asked whether he wanted to follow him, Mu Yue would definitely have kicked Danzo aside and followed the Third Hokage.

But the Third Hokage had not revealed his identity. Clearly, he was still hesitating—acting like an old scumbag.

If he agreed right away, he would gain nothing from Danzo's side either. It was better to make an excuse and withhold his answer for now, tossing the problem to Danzo.

As for whether the Third Hokage might truly not know his identity, Mu Yue could only say it was not impossible, but highly unlikely.

Root was, after all, something that could not be brought into the open. If the Third Hokage did not even know that a Root ninja had entered the Ninja Academy, then he had been Hokage and principal for nothing.

After returning to the office, the teachers all asked Mu Yue curiously.

"Teacher Hanyu, what did Lord Third call you over for? Were you commended?" Ueda Aya asked curiously.

"Probably. The exam results were so good, and Teacher Hanyu is a new teacher too. He's incredible," Iketani Isamu said with a sigh. He was thoroughly convinced by Mu Yue now.

"I suppose he acknowledged my teaching results," Mu Yue said after sitting down, taking out some paper and a brush, and thinking for a moment.

"When will Lord Third acknowledge me too?" Kimura Sanjin felt that the gap between people was truly enormous.

He still remembered how green Mu Yue had been when he first arrived. He had never expected Mu Yue to surpass him, a senior teacher, in teaching achievements so quickly.

"You just need to do your best to teach the students," Mu Yue said as he practiced calligraphy.

"Mu Yue-sensei, could I trouble you to cover my class this afternoon? I have something to take care of." Iketani Isamu poured Mu Yue a glass of water as he spoke.

"Sure. I'm free this afternoon." Mu Yue nodded and agreed.

"Teacher Hanyu, I finally understand why all those students like you." Iketani Isamu hurriedly thanked him.

"By the way, Sugito, lend me some money. I'll pay you back when we get paid," Iketani Isamu said to Kimura Sanjin next.

He had originally wanted to borrow from Mu Yue, but after remembering how many times he had already asked Mu Yue to cover his classes, he felt too embarrassed to do so.

"How much do you need?" Kimura Sanjin asked. He and Iketani Isamu were old friends, so lending him some money was no big deal.

"80,000 Ryo should do," Iketani Isamu said after thinking it over.

"80,000 Ryo? What are you borrowing it for?" Kimura Sanjin's hand, which had been reaching for his money, froze.

Ninja Academy Teachers only earned 100,000 Ryo a month. Iketani Isamu was borrowing most of his salary at once.

It was not that he could not lend it, but he needed to ask clearly first.

Mu Yue also glanced over. According to the Hokage setting, one Ryo equaled ten yen, so Iketani Isamu was borrowing 80,000 Ryo—equivalent to 800,000 yen.

That might not amount to much for powerful ninja, but it was still a considerable sum for a Chunin Teacher.

"For a date. I can't exactly take her out for ramen, can I?" Iketani Isamu explained.

"Don't tell me you spend all your salary on dates?" Kimura Sanjin looked at Iketani Isamu as though he were a complete sucker.

"What do you mean, all on dates? Isn't spending money on dates still spending it on myself? It's not like I don't eat anything," Iketani Isamu tried to argue.

"Give it a rest. If you were by yourself, would you be willing to eat at those fancy restaurants?" Ueda Aya mocked.

She had warned Iketani Isamu long ago, but she could not talk him out of it.

"She doesn't like you at all. She's just treating you like a meal ticket." Ueda Aya tried to knock some sense into Iketani Isamu.

"How could that be? The day before yesterday, she even called me Brother Iketani." Iketani Isamu wore an infatuated expression as he refuted her.

"Give me 80,000 Ryo per time, and I'll call you that too. Believe me, I can call you into bankruptcy." Ueda Aya said expressionlessly. Calling someone "Brother" would not cost her a piece of flesh.

"You..."

"Forget it. I'll lend it to you. Remember to leave yourself some money for food," Kimura Sanjin sighed and finally lent Iketani Isamu the money.

Hearing that Kimura Sanjin was willing to lend him the money, Iketani Isamu no longer had the mind to trade barbs with Ueda Aya. He quickly thanked Kimura Sanjin and left the office.

Mu Yue thought that if the Hokage world had short videos, filming Iketani Isamu's daily office life as a series might become popular. Then he would not be short on money.

After silently making that jab, Mu Yue quickly settled down and practiced calligraphy. He did not stop writing until it was almost time for class, then headed to the classroom.

The moment Mu Yue entered the classroom, the students became excited.

"Great! Mu Yue-sensei is actually teaching Ninjutsu class."

"After Mu Yue-sensei's class last time, my Transformation Jutsu became much more refined than before. I hope he focuses on the Clone Technique this time."

Mu Yue glanced around. Very good—Obito was absent again.

Five minutes after Mu Yue began class, Obito sprinted into the classroom.

When he saw Mu Yue standing at the podium, Obito went blank.

He did not think he was late every day, so why did it feel like every time he was late, he happened to run into Mu Yue covering the class? Wasn't that damaging his image in Mu Yue's eyes?

"Mu Yue-sensei, I..." Obito wanted to explain himself.

"Sit down." Mu Yue gestured for Obito to sit, then began teaching the Clone Technique as most of the students had requested.

"Damn Teacher Ikeya, why didn't he tell me earlier that Mu Yue-sensei was covering the class?!" Obito complained, clenching his fist.

During the break, Mu Yue called Obito and Might Guy out and asked about their exam results.

"We passed!" Obito and Might Guy declared together, standing tall.

Mu Yue questioned them further and discovered that they had cut it extremely close. Their average score was sixty, and they had scored exactly thirty each.

"I don't know why, but my grades were better than before this time. Twenty-five points would have been enough to pass before," Obito said, scratching his head. Even he felt it had been a close call.

"Maybe it's because Mu Yue-sensei covered some classes for us," Might Guy said.

Even someone like him, who had difficulty absorbing lessons, could clearly feel the difference between Mu Yue and the other teachers.

"Huh? Doesn't that mean the next exam will be even harder?" Obito was dumbfounded. If it got any harder, he would not be able to manage it.

"Passing is my most basic requirement for you two. If you can't do that, then you'll have to follow all my arrangements." Mu Yue revealed a kindly smile.

If they could not even pass, their rewards would probably be even lower by then.

Seeing Mu Yue's smile, Obito and Might Guy once again recalled the terror of being dominated by practice papers. They instantly shuddered, then hurriedly promised that they would pass next time as well.

After Mu Yue returned home, he wrote the report and submitted it. Before long, a reply arrived from Root.