It's Him, It's Him, It's Him

The early bird catches the bird.

Happy National Day!

The Hokage Building, which Houka had reduced to ruins with a single stomp, was quickly cleared into an open space by a large number of shinobi. Civilians were then commissioned to begin rebuilding it!

That night, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in a temporary office, holding a document in his hands. Yet his eyes were vacant and lifeless, and he looked frail and pitifully aged.

"Third Hokage, the casualty report is ready."

Yamanaka Inoichi knocked and entered, his expression somewhat strange.

Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to snap out of a dream. He set down the document and said, "Inoichi, have a seat and tell me."

Yamanaka Inoichi walked over and sat down before beginning his report. "Third Hokage, according to the statistics, seventeen Anbu shinobi were injured. All of them were caught in the aftermath, and their injuries aren't serious."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"As for the death toll..." Yamanaka Inoichi hesitated before saying, "So far, we haven't found any dead shinobi or civilians."

"Hm?" Hiruzen Sarutobi froze.

During that battle in the daytime, Houka had activated Susanoo. Every movement he made had seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth. Hiruzen Sarutobi had long prepared himself for massive casualties, yet now he was being told that no one had died?

"Perhaps because his target was you, Third Hokage, he didn't attack anyone else. After all... Houka grew up here too," Yamanaka Inoichi speculated.

He too had been startled when he compiled the figures.

Facing that Demon God-like giant, for no one to have died was practically a miracle.

But the facts were right before him, leaving him no choice but to believe them.

After hearing Yamanaka Inoichi's explanation, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned even more bitter.

He suddenly had the