Asuma's Insight

The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy. After a long silence, Danzō finally erupted in anger, "Sarutobi, look at the disciples you've trained!"

The Third Hokage nodded slightly and smiled kindly, "Yes, the disciples I've trained!"

Hearing Sarutobi's dismissive reply, Danzō, who was brimming with indignation, was so furious his features seemed about to contort.

"You, you, you..."

The Third Hokage ignored him and turned to invite, "The sun is quite warm today. Why don't a few old bones like us go out for some activity?"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged nods and followed him out.

Soon, Danzō was the only one left in the conference room, raging impotently, "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

Meanwhile.

Jiraiya, who had caught up to Tsunade, asked, "Tsunade, you don't actually plan on leaving Konoha, do you?"

"Perhaps. After all..." Tsunade sighed softly. "There's not much left to be nostalgic about in this village my grandfather built."

Jiraiya winked slyly, "How can there be nothing to be nostalgic about? Aren't I and Master still here?"

"Heh, nostalgic for you peeking at others bathing?" Tsunade glanced at him with disdain, then her expression turned complex and unreadable. "As for Master... don't you know why we happened to appear here?"

Jiraiya fell silent for a moment, then chuckled evasively, "Don't say it like that. Master is also here for Minato and your disciple!"

Tsunade's expression turned cold. "So, he's using us as tools to balance the situation?"

Jiraiya opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

"Forget it. There are some things I don't want to investigate too deeply. Perhaps ignorance is bliss!"

Seeing the atmosphere suddenly turn somber, Jiraiya changed the subject and asked, "By the way, you said earlier you wanted to take Shizune away from Konoha. You were actually saying that deliberately for Danzō to hear, weren't you?"

Tsunade's eyes were grave. "If I hadn't said that, do you think he would have stopped? Don't forget, he's not someone who cares about the lives of his subordinates."

Jiraiya nodded and asked again, "But what about your other disciple after Shizune graduates? According to the normal graduation process, there are only three or four years left."

"Three or four years is enough."

Jiraiya's expression was strange. "You're not going to tell me that a ten-year-old child is already strong enough to contend with Danzō, are you?"

"You don't understand. He's different from us. In him, I seem to see the same radiance as my grandfather! That radiance that makes people around him willingly follow and strive for his ideals."

Tsunade said, a slight smile curving her lips. "No matter how crazy Danzō is, he can't possibly go against the entire village!"

Jiraiya stroked his chin, his eyes filled with surprise. "To think that the violent girl Tsunade would give such high praise. Shimizu Soseki, is it? I'm starting to get curious."

"Four hundred and thirty-one, four hundred and thirty-two..."

In the hospital room, the sound of counting accompanied heavy breathing.

"Soseki, why are you out of bed? You're a patient, you should be resting properly!" Asuma rushed forward to pull him up as soon as he entered the room and saw Soseki doing push-ups.

"Don't worry, I'm a Medical Ninja myself. No one knows my physical condition better than I do." Soseki stood up with a smile. "But what's wrong with your eyes?"

Soseki noticed that Asuma's eye circles seemed excessively dark.

"Haha..." Asuma's gaze darted away, and he looked around evasively. "Right, Soseki, let me peel some fruit for you!"

"Hmph, hmph! We beat him up!"

"Exactly! How dare he take you, Soseki, to do something so dangerous!"

Behind Asuma, Shizune and Kurenai entered, their faces flushed with anger.

"No wonder Asuma came in so quickly by himself. He was afraid of getting beaten, wasn't he?" Soseki chuckled, patting Asuma's shoulder with a hint of embarrassment. "Sorry, I made you..."

However, Asuma, his eyes red with emotion, said excitedly, "No, they were right to hit me! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

Soseki sighed, unsure whether to laugh or cry. As the "culprit," he didn't even have a place to apologize.

After scolding Asuma, Shizune and Kurenai quickly surrounded him, asking with concern from either side:

"Soseki, do you feel any discomfort anywhere?"

"Soseki, do you want to eat anything? I made lunch for you!"

A spark seemed to flash between Shizune and Kurenai's eyes, but after their gazes shifted away, they both looked around with tacit understanding.

"Soseki, let me clean your room."

"Then, then I'll tidy up the bedding."

After watching for a while, Asuma thought with a strange expression, "Although that older brother from last night was also very strong, compared to Soseki, he seems far inferior!"

"Huh? Asuma, why are you still here?"

"Yeah, weren't you going to the restroom?"

"When did I say I was going to the..." Asuma first pointed at himself blankly. When he met the four murderous gazes, he instantly came to his senses, clutched his stomach with his small hand, and said, "Ouch, my stomach suddenly feels unwell!"

Saying that, he hurriedly rushed outside.

"Ouch, who is it..." Asuma had just reached the door when he bumped into a soft body.

"You're so much more lively than Teacher Sarutobi, little Asuma."

Asuma looked up and excitedly shouted, "Lord Orochimaru!"

Hearing his shout, the few people in the room also greeted him enthusiastically.

Unlike his future dark persona, Orochimaru now possessed a more delicate and handsome appearance.

Furthermore, as the "first generation" commoner prodigy discovered by the Third Hokage, and having achieved great merit in the Second Shinobi World War, Orochimaru was quite popular in Konoha.

In the eyes of many, he was even the future Fourth Hokage.

Orochimaru smiled gently, "Aren't you going to invite me in to sit for a while?"

Soseki said shyly, "I was too excited, it was truly impolite!"

Orochimaru walked in slowly, secretly appraising him. Is this the one who brought Tsunade's dead heart back to life? Soseki collected his thoughts and looked expectantly, yet slightly nervously, at Orochimaru, asking, "Lord Orochimaru, did you come today because of what happened last night?"

Hearing Soseki's question, Asuma also became expectant. "Lord Orochimaru, is the village going to give us a reward?"

As a top-tier second generation shinobi, he didn't really care about rewards; he simply enjoyed the honor and recognition.

Orochimaru's gaze was gentle. "Of course. You thwarted Cloud Village's plot and protected your comrades... especially you, Soseki-kun. If you hadn't curbed that young girl's impulsiveness, I can't even imagine what the situation would be like now!"