The Strongest Hokage

"Big brother... can I buy a small bowl of ramen from you for five ryo?"

"I'm so hungry... I only have five ryo..."

Cangwu looked at the girl, whose face lacked the innocence of an ordinary child.

He didn't answer, just smiled and asked Uncle Teuchi to make another serving.

He pushed the deluxe ramen in front of him over to her.

"No, big brother, I can't eat that much. Just a small bowl is enough."

The girl's voice was weak.

Cangwu lowered his gaze to her.

Her clothes weren't from a Ninja Clan. She was a civilian.

They were clean, but looked as though they'd been washed so many times that they'd faded.

"It's okay. Go ahead and eat. Careful, it's hot."

Cangwu patted the girl's head.

Seeing that Cangwu meant no harm and was being kind to her, the girl gathered her courage and began to eat.

Seeing this, Ayame brought over a small set of bowls and chopsticks for a child.

Perhaps because he wasn't wearing a forehead protector, and because of Cangwu's refined manner, the girl soon relaxed.

She stopped trying to hide how hungry she was.

Watching her made Cangwu hungry, too.

When Uncle Teuchi finished making another serving, Cangwu joined her in slurping noodles.

There was no denying it: Uncle Teuchi's ramen really was delicious.

Still, compared to the food back in his previous life... in a country known for its cuisine, Ichiraku's ramen was a little too salty.

"Hey, kiddo, why are you by yourself?"

"Where are your parents?"

After finishing a deluxe bowl of ramen, Cangwu felt he still wasn't full, so he asked Uncle Teuchi to make another.

Uncle Teuchi smiled. "You've got quite an appetite, customer. Just a moment."

The little girl looked up, the light reflecting in her big eyes.

"I went to look for Mom."

"I don't have much money left... You can have all of this, big brother."

As she spoke, the girl stubbornly placed the money in front of Cangwu again.

This time, Cangwu didn't push it back. He simply tucked it away.

"After you finish eating, I'll walk you home."

It was already dark. Although Konoha was... well, who knew? The Root Organization might still be targeting civilian children who were alone.

"Okay~!"

The girl didn't refuse and gave Cangwu a smile.

She was even missing a tooth. So cute.

Not far from Ichiraku Ramen, Hinata stopped in her tracks, her pretty face turning red.

She lightly tapped herself on the head.

I'm so silly... There's no way Teacher Cangwu would...

That was what she told herself, but when Cangwu led the little girl out of Ichiraku Ramen by the hand, Hinata still found herself following them as if in a trance.

They crossed the busy streets and reached a dimly lit alley, where the girl stopped.

"It's just up ahead. You can leave me here. Thank you, big brother~"

Cangwu nodded slightly and returned her smile.

But he didn't leave right away.

He could feel two pairs of eyes watching them.

He just couldn't tell exactly where they were.

Without using the Glint-Glint Fruit's power, Cangwu was really only a little stronger than an ordinary Genin.

Even though he didn't know their exact location, he could tell that the owners of those two gazes weren't far away.

The girl was still waiting there, making no move to head toward the place she'd pointed out.

Worried that members of the Root Organization might be lurking nearby, Cangwu asked gently:

"Hey, kiddo, why aren't you going home?"

"I don't have a key... Dad's still working. He won't be back until later."

The little girl lowered her head as she spoke.

"I'm used to it. Dad will be back soon, so you can go ahead..."

Cangwu shook his head and sat down on the ground beside her.

"Then I'll wait here with you tonight."

Cangwu watched the girl doodling on the ground with a little twig and asked softly:

"By the way, didn't you just say you went to look for your mom?"

"Didn't she give you a key?"

The little girl kept her head down, drawing on the ground. "Mom's a ninja."

"Dad said Mom's still training. She's been sleeping in the cemetery lately."

Cangwu froze.

"Big brother, look! I'm finished~"

Suddenly, the little girl looked up at the dazed Cangwu.

Looking at her young face, Cangwu replied automatically, "What did you draw? Let me have a look."

He looked down and saw that the girl had drawn a person.

It was a very childish drawing.

But Cangwu could tell at a glance that it was a woman.

Cangwu opened his mouth, about to praise the girl.

Then he saw her curled up on the ground, right in the arms of the woman in the drawing.

"Mommy, hug me."

Cangwu sat there in a daze, as if he'd been struck by lightning.

He just watched the girl curled up on herself.

After a long while, he reached out stiffly and picked her up.

A quarter of an hour later, the girl's father returned.

He was drenched in sweat, his face full of worry.

When he saw Cangwu holding his daughter, he immediately relaxed.

"It's gotten a little late... Sorry."

"Thank you."

The man thanked Cangwu solemnly.

Cangwu managed a faint smile and nodded. Then he handed the sleeping girl to the man and turned to leave.

Not long after Cangwu left, the girl also departed the alley.

On the way, Cangwu looked at the busy streets around him.

Many thoughts stirred in his mind.

Soon, a cool voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Cangwu, the Hokage-sama summons you."

Cangwu stopped and looked at the ninja who had appeared in front of him.

The ninja wore an animal mask and the standard battle armor of the Anbu, with a long sword strapped to their back.

Seeing the purple strands of hair, Cangwu knew who stood before him.

Uzuki Yugao.

After speaking, Uzuki Yugao gave Cangwu a long look, then disappeared with the Body Flicker Technique.

She was still on duty. She was an Anbu ninja.

Cangwu's expression didn't change. He turned and headed toward the Hokage Building.

Why was he being summoned all of a sudden?

Cangwu was a little puzzled.

But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out.

Besides, he'd been meaning to go see Ninja Bear anyway.

Before long, Cangwu arrived at the Hokage Building and stopped outside the Hokage's office.

Knock, knock, knock—

"Come in."

An old voice came from inside.

Cangwu opened the door and entered.

As soon as he stepped in, he saw piles of documents covering the Hokage's desk.

White smoke kept rising from behind the mountains of paperwork.

"Cangwu."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up, a pipe still clenched in his mouth.

His old face crinkled into a smile.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was very fond of this Genin teacher, who understood the Will of Fire so thoroughly.

"Hokage-sama." Cangwu stepped up to the desk.

"Mm... How's the teaching been going lately?" the Third Hokage asked casually.

Cangwu replied "respectfully," "With your guidance, the lessons on the Will of Fire have gone very smoothly. The children all admire you deeply as the one who embodies the Will of Fire."

At that, the smile on Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face grew even wider.

"Good, good."

"How are preparations for the graduation exam in a week?"

"They're ready. Most of the questions are about how the Hokage-sama upheld the Will of Fire during his time in office."

Hiruzen Sarutobi froze, then shook his head.

"Even though I'm the strongest Hokage, the questions can't be quite so direct... Still, since they're already prepared, there's no need to trouble yourself with making a new set."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe and looked at Cangwu with satisfaction.

"How's your training going?"