Young Master, Please Become Hokage — Chapter 3

This had also caused his Jonin instructor to die instantly.

Akira Sarutobi recalled that battle. He had been unable to identify the identities of those inexplicable individuals.

After all, Naruto had not described the Second Shinobi World War in much detail, so it was perfectly normal for unfamiliar powerful fighters to appear.

Akira Sarutobi did not dwell on it and simply reported the situation he had encountered truthfully.

"Ninjas often live alongside death. That's perfectly normal."

Akira Sarutobi nodded, then met Minato Namikaze's eyes.

"But... Minato, don't you think sending children to the battlefield is deeply unreasonable?"

The deceased being mourned before them, Senju Nawaki, had been Akira Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze's senior, as well as their childhood playmate.

From the moment Senju Nawaki died, Akira Sarutobi's dissatisfaction with Konoha's current political system had erupted.

Now, the Cemetery had gained countless more gravestones belonging to children, along with who knew how many shattered families.

"This..."

Minato Namikaze lowered his gaze to the ground, looking as though he wanted to speak but hesitated.

In the end, he kindly reminded him.

"Young Master Ryo, watch your words..."

"When even telling the truth can become a crime, heh..." Ino Yamanaka, holding the umbrella beside him, curled her lips into a meaningful smile.

Minato Namikaze's smile gradually faded. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Young Master Ryo, perhaps some things truly are unreasonable right now... So what we can do is work hard, climb upward, become Hokage, and then... change those things."

Power.

Minato Namikaze had emphasized the importance of power.

Unless a ninja was like the First Hokage, capable of pacifying the Land of Fire alone—

Otherwise, while increasing one's strength, one still had to plan a Path to Power.

When they were children, the three of them had often discussed their dreams together.

There was no need to mention Senju Nawaki. His ideal had been to inherit his grandfather Senju Hashirama's will and become the village's Kage.

Minato Namikaze was the same.

Of the three, Akira Sarutobi had been the only one uninterested in becoming Hokage.

However, certain events—especially witnessing Senju Nawaki's death with his own eyes—had completely changed Akira Sarutobi.

When... a soul from the Celestial Dynasty, one with twenty-first-century thinking, personally witnessed children being sent to the battlefield to die, what thoughts and emotions would arise in his heart?

Akira Sarutobi's answer was: I'll become Hokage. It's time to instill this village with the true Will of Fire!

"Power truly is important."

Akira Sarutobi nodded.

After all, without power, even if one possessed strength on the level of Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, one could only be ordered around by those in power.

"Young Master Ryo, are you going to compete for the position of Hokage as well?" Minato Namikaze blinked, his gentle tone giving others the feeling of a spring breeze.

No wonder Kushina called him the Little Sun.

"That's right." Akira Sarutobi looked once more at Senju Nawaki's grave. "Some things need to change... No, rather, it's time to return to the original path we were meant to follow."

"Then let's work hard together."

Minato Namikaze's smile became even more radiant, without the slightest trace of jealousy.

After chatting for a while longer, Minato Namikaze bade them farewell. He still had to go to the other side of the Cemetery to accompany Kushina, who had also come to pay her respects.

"Young Master, Minato Namikaze seems absolutely convinced that he can become Hokage."

Ino Yamanaka curled her lips, disdain gleaming in her eyes.

"Should I... teach him a lesson in private?"

"..."

After hearing Ino Yamanaka's words, Akira Sarutobi's expression gradually turned strange.

There was nothing wrong with this childhood sweetheart of his.

Except for one problem.

It was just that... how should he put it? She seemed to have been handed the script of a lackey.

And that villainous master seemed to be himself.

The Shinobi World Has Grown Corrupt Again

"Young Master, I've looked into it these past few days. Although Minato Namikaze has suddenly begun to show some promise recently, he's still nothing worth mentioning. And he actually has the delusion of competing with you for the position of Hokage..."

The beautiful girl with the golden single ponytail spoke as a wicked curve appeared on her lips.

—A textbook villain archetype.

That was right. This was exactly the rhythm.

The lackey went up first to pick a fight with the Child of Destiny, only to be brutally taught a lesson.

Unable to win, he went looking for his master.

The arrogant and overbearing Second Generation Hokage felt humiliated and entered the fray himself, only to be beaten beyond recognition as well.

In the end, the villains became disposable experience fodder on the Child of Destiny's path to rise...

"Don't cause trouble."

Akira Sarutobi shot Ino Yamanaka a warning glance.

Ino Yamanaka shrank her neck and had no choice but to let it go.

In the original work, Konohamaru's parents... had no names. They were only mentioned on a manga title page as Hiruzen Sarutobi's right-hand aides, ANBU Elite Jonin.

Their faces were never even shown. Perhaps they had truly once taken the path of being utterly humiliated by Minato Namikaze's showboating. Too ashamed to face anyone, they could only wear masks and serve in the ANBU for the rest of their lives.

But Akira Sarutobi had no interest in playing anyone else's game of protagonist and villain, nor did he intend to follow the predetermined path of fate from the original work.

I forge my own destiny.

Since he had come to this world, he naturally had to follow his own will and carve out his path.

As the son of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, he had been born into great status.

He had inherited the Ninjutsu Doctor's "Seven Attributes" talent and possessed the Sarutobi Clan's "Innate Divine Strength" as well... He had every title and identity one could ask for.

Whenever he walked down the street, everyone addressed him as Young Master.

He received the same treatment as Konohamaru in the original work; whoever it was, they had to show him some respect.

With such an exceptional start, such talent and resources, Akira Sarutobi naturally had not wasted a single day.

Only then would he be worthy of such a heaven-sent beginning.

His outstanding talent, coupled with years of grueling training, had ultimately allowed him to reach his current level.

If his estimation was correct, his next step would probably be to receive a promotion from the Konoha High Command alongside Minato Namikaze, becoming a "Jonin."

"Nawaki Senpai, just watch. I will change Konoha. I will change this shinobi world!"

After saying that, Akira Sarutobi turned and left the Cemetery.

"Young Master, didn't you say that souls enter a dormant state after death? If that's the case, Nawaki Senpai definitely won't know what you're doing..."

Holding an umbrella, Ino Yamanaka hurried after him.

Akira Sarutobi said, "Shut up!"

The next morning, the rain had passed and the sky had cleared.

Akira Sarutobi began his morning training in the courtyard early in the day.

The enormous courtyard was empty. Only two people lived in this Old Residence.

After Konoha was founded, the first owner of this house had been Akira Sarutobi's grandfather, Hiruzen Sarutobi's father... Sarutobi Sasuke.

The second owner had naturally been Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Later, when Hiruzen Sarutobi became the Third Hokage, he moved away from here to an annex of the Hokage Building... taking over the public residence known as the Hokage's Residence from Senju Tobirama.

This large estate had thus naturally fallen into Akira Sarutobi's hands.

Akira Sarutobi did not like liveliness.

A quiet, desolate courtyard was best suited for training.

"Young Master, breakfast is ready."

Once he had finished a set of Konoha Taijutsu, the Blonde Ponytail Girl, wearing an apron, came over to call him in enthusiastically.

Ino Yamanaka, who also worked as a maid, had looked after Akira Sarutobi's daily needs since she was very young, having served as his playmate.

Akira Sarutobi drew back his stance, entered the house, and began eating.

Another peaceful day had begun.

After several years on the battlefield, returning now to tranquil days made everything feel like a dream.

"Young Master, the war is over. Things should be peaceful from now on, right?"

Ino Yamanaka took off her apron and came over to sit formally on the tatami.

No matter how clever she was, this was still her first time experiencing a shinobi world war. The lingering fear remained.

"Not necessarily."

Akira Sarutobi shook his head.

Ino Yamanaka thought her young master was referring to the Post-War missions following the end of the conflict.

However, what Akira Sarutobi said next greatly astonished her.

"The Second Shinobi World War ended when the various nations divided the interests of the smaller countries among themselves. Once they finish digesting the spoils of war, the Third Shinobi World War will break out..."

This was how the official Naruto databook assessed the Third Shinobi World War, saying... the Third Shinobi World War was a continuation of the Second Shinobi World War.

Because the Five Great Nations had not been severely weakened by the Second Shinobi World War, they began to swell with a baffling sense of confidence.

Each believed it could achieve something unprecedented.

In the end, this led to the tragedy of the Third Shinobi War, in which every nation suffered losses more devastating than in any previous war.

"Ah?"

At that, disappointment immediately appeared on Ino Yamanaka's fair face.

There would be another war in a few years.

"Why don't those people just die?"

She meant... the ambitious schemers of the various nations.

Keep talking. I like what you're saying.

Akira Sarutobi held no ill feelings toward this slightly wicked childhood friend.

After all, birds of a feather flock together.

In truth... Akira Sarutobi did not consider himself a good person either.

But unfortunately, this was a world where everything was judged by comparison.

Even if he was not a good person, he was still far better than those ambitious schemers.

That alone showed just how rotten this world was—so rotten that it needed a villain to save the shinobi world.

After the meal.

Ino Yamanaka cleared the table, and the two headed out together, leaving for the outside world.

Konoha in this era was still governed in separate divisions.