Mu Yue Was the People's Choice

"How could my Five Release Great Combo...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly opened his eyes and instinctively looked around warily, only to realize that he was at home, not fighting Sōsuke.

"Whew, I actually had a nightmare."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, then rubbed his forehead before finally feeling a little better.

He then looked at the clock. Seeing that it was only a little earlier than his usual waking time, he simply got up.

After washing up and finishing breakfast, Hiruzen Sarutobi went straight to the Hokage's Office to begin work.

I should tell Mu Yue about Sōsuke at noon today, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought after handling several documents.

No matter what, Mu Yue was Konoha's Hokage Advisor.

It had been understandable that he had not mentioned it yesterday, when he had just returned and his emotions were complicated. But dragging it out any longer would be inappropriate. He could not hide such important intelligence just to save face.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, the door to the Hokage's Office was suddenly knocked on.

"Come in."

Minato Namikaze pushed open the wooden door and entered the Hokage's Office. "Lord Third Hokage."

"Minato, is there something you need?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, setting down his pen.

"I came to report on some work—the recent evaluation of Special Jonin," Minato Namikaze explained.

Special Jonin were a very unique group.

Konoha had originally established this rank to promote talented people who lacked sufficient overall strength or were overly specialized and therefore did not meet the standards for regular Jonin, but possessed exceptional abilities in certain areas.

But as time passed, another unwritten rule had gradually been added: even without special talents, those with enough achievements and seniority could also be promoted to Special Jonin.

Now that the war was over, it was only