Night Talk

Night.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched as the Senju clan's ninjas left the reception hall one by one. The vast, empty hall made him extremely uncomfortable. The rustling of crickets in his ears made him restless.

Just moments ago, Mito Uzumaki had asked everyone present to leave, and now only two people remained in the room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi observed Mito Uzumaki's expression. She was calm, showing no signs of anger, as if her earlier outburst had been feigned.

"Mito-sama, please don't take my earlier defiance to heart. I was just..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused to think. He felt he needed to say something now to salvage his image in Mito Uzumaki's eyes.

"Alright, sit down. I know what you want to say."

Mito Uzumaki waved her hand, interrupting Hiruzen Sarutobi, and gestured for him to sit.

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over to a stool and sat down, but only on the edge, his posterior barely touching the seat. He still couldn't gauge Mito Uzumaki's thoughts and was ready to stand up again at any moment.

Mito Uzumaki looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's cautious, uneasy demeanor and found it amusing. Her expression changed, and her kind face reappeared.

"You little monkey, your performance just now impressed me. You're not as ordinary as I thought; you possess some extraordinary qualities."

Mito Uzumaki looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's tense expression and praised him. In her long life, she had seen too many geniuses favored by heaven.

Her husband, Hashirama Senju, her brother-in-law, Tobirama Senju, Madara Uchiha, Izuna Uchiha.

They were the most brilliant figures of their era. The talent displayed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, compared to them, was as plain as a roadside stone, attracting no attention.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi's character was good. Tobirama's teachings were effective, passing down Konoha's Will of Fire.

"Mito-sama, you flatter me. I just did what I had to do."

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied humbly. The current Mito Uzumaki was nothing like the fierce, ravenous woman from before; her grandmotherly kindness made Hiruzen Sarutobi relax considerably.

"There's no need for false modesty. You are quite outstanding among your peers. But do you think you are worthy of the Hokage position in Konoha?"

Mito Uzumaki's question extinguished the spark of praise that had just ignited within Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Was he worthy?

Hiruzen Sarutobi desperately wanted to answer that he was worthy of becoming Konoha's Hokage. It had been his dream since he became a ninja, a grand ambition that had never wavered through life and death.

Unfortunately, reality was cruel. He was not worthy!

"I will do my best to become a qualified Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi answered this way. He couldn't bring himself to directly say he wasn't worthy.

"Hmph, it seems you have some self-awareness."

Mito Uzumaki stood up, her eyes fixed on the Konoha symbol on the reception hall wall, her gaze becoming profound.

"In Konoha, there are many people more suitable to be the Third Hokage than you. For example, myself, or my son, Toma Senju."

"Even Kagami Uchiha from earlier is more suitable to be Hokage than you. The martial prowess to suppress everyone in Konoha, a distinguished background, a powerful clan... you have none of these."

"I've thought about it for a long time, and I still can't understand why Tobirama would pass the Third Hokage position to you. I truly can't fathom what that scoundrel Tobirama was thinking before he died, always causing me trouble, just like his dead brother Hashirama."

"And I always thought he was the one who gave me the least trouble."

Mito Uzumaki spoke to herself, her voice aged, reminiscing about the past. The burden of protecting Konoha now rested on her shoulders, so heavy it made it difficult for her to breathe.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat there, not daring to make a sound. Mito Uzumaki had just insulted two Hokages with a single sentence. How could he dare to interrupt?

Was this a topic he could interject in?

"Although I can't understand why Tobirama would pass the Third Hokage position to you, I will still help you. After all, this is Tobirama's dying wish. I hope I've misjudged you, and you possess some extraordinary qualities I haven't yet discovered."

Mito Uzumaki looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, and her words made his heart pound. His joy was evident on his face.

"Mito-sama, I will work hard."

"Don't get too happy too soon. I only said I would help you, not that I would definitely make you Konoha's Hokage. After all, what you possess is still far from enough to become Konoha's Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. He knew his own situation. He was self-aware.

However, the situation was much better now. Mito Uzumaki's willingness to help him was already the greatest mercy from heaven.

"Originally, I wanted to conceal the news of Tobirama's death and then find a way to suppress Konoha's clans. Once everything settled, I would release the news of Tobirama's death."

"But alas, those Uchiha fellows can never be let off their guard. The news of Tobirama's death has already spread throughout Konoha, and the news of you abandoning Tobirama and fleeing back to the village is known by everyone. Your reputations in Konoha are bound to be ruined."

"Mito-sama, I, we didn't mean to abandon Lord Tobirama. That was..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up, wanting to explain. On the battlefield, ninjas must obey orders, even if those orders go against their duties.

Moreover, this was the Hokage's order. The six of them were not in a position to defy Tobirama Senju's command.

Mito Uzumaki waved her hand, signaling Hiruzen Sarutobi not to get too agitated.

"I know, no need to explain. Tobirama was always resolute, especially on the battlefield. You could only obey his decisions."

"However, the villagers won't understand these things, especially with the Uchiha instigating things behind the scenes. You need to be prepared."

Mito Uzumaki advised Hiruzen Sarutobi. This situation was not without a solution: the Hokage sacrificing himself to uphold Konoha's Will of Fire and save the new leaves of Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi carried Tobirama's dying wish and the weight of righteousness, which could barely salvage his reputation in the public eye.

With careful management, it could still be mended.

After all, the opinions of villagers with no power whatsoever couldn't decide the position of Hokage; it was the ninja clans of Konoha who held that power.

"I understand, Mito-sama."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone was filled with gratitude. Fortunately, he had Mito-sama's help, otherwise the very spit of the Konohagakure citizens would have drowned him, let alone allowing him to become Konoha's Hokage.