Kuro: First Meeting, Lord Third Hokage
Hearing Kisame's question, Kakashi's lips twitched very slightly beneath his mask.
He maintained his polite smile and explained in a calm tone:
"Kai has gone on a mission and won't be back anytime soon."
"Besides, Kai is really not suited to be involved in receiving VIP foreign guests..."
Kakashi silently added a sentence in his mind, then turned around and looked at the boy standing to the right of the doorman.
Kakashi looked at Utakata's still somewhat childish and handsome face, and asked with some surprise:
"Who is this...?"
Kou smiled, turned to the side, and introduced Kakashi:
"This is Utakata, a rising star among the new generation of our Mist Village."
For some reason, he has rarely had the opportunity to go out for a long time.
"I brought him along this time so he could personally experience the splendor of Konoha."
Upon hearing the words "young talent" from Kou's mouth, Utakata's delicate face immediately flushed with a faint blush.
He quickly straightened his back, bowed deeply to Kakashi, and said somewhat nervously:
"Nice to meet you! I've long admired your name Red-Eyed White Fang. I am Utakata, a Utakata from Mist Village. Please, please take care of me!"
Kakashi looked at the somewhat reserved boy in front of him, a gentle smile appearing in his lazy, dead-fish eyes:
"Don't be so nervous, it's a pleasure to meet you, Utakata."
Just as Kakashi was exchanging pleasantries with the three, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Tsunade, who were behind him, slowly walked forward.
Kakashi turned to the side, raised his hand, and solemnly introduced himself to Koko:
"Lord Sora, this is our Third Hokage Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen."
This is Lady Sannin, one of the Lady Tsunade.
Sarutobi Hiruzen combed the tufts of beard that Tsunade had plucked, then reached out to Kokoro, a gentle and sincere smile appearing on his aged face:
"Welcome to Konoha, guests of Mist Village."
On behalf of Konoha, I extend my heartfelt welcome to your arrival!
Kou did not immediately respond to the Third Hokage Hokage's greeting.
He was taken aback when he looked at the old man in front of him, who was much older than he remembered and whose life force had clearly diminished.
Once upon a time, he, along with Kakashi, Guy, Asuma, and every generation of children from Konoha, walked out of the Ninja Academy under the watchful eye of this old man...
Although the Third Hokage did indeed harbor suspicion and distrust towards the Uchiha Clan after the Nine-Tails Incident.
But for himself, the old man chose to believe from beginning to end.
Even though he had countless times, in moments of extreme anxiety and unease, doubted whether the old man had long seen through his hypocritical mask,
But looking back with more mature eyes now—perhaps I was just overthinking things...
"If I hadn't left Konoha back then, would everything have been different?"
He silently asked himself this question deep in his heart, then suppressed this thought, which shouldn't have surfaced at this moment, back into his heart.
"Now that things have come to this, what's the point of talking about the past that can't be undone?"
Kousai shook his head inwardly, then met the Third Hokage Hokage's still gentle, but no longer sharp, aged eyes head-on, revealing a perfectly timed, gentle smile that belonged to Shiina Sora.
He reached out and grasped the old, broad hand in return.
"Nice to meet you, Third Hokage Lord Hokage. I am Mist Village Sora, the Mizukage Aide of Shiina Sora."
"I look forward to your guidance in the future."
--
Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in the main seat, with a man sitting opposite him.
Kakashi and Tsunade stood on either side of the Third Hokage Hokage, while Kisame and Utakata stood quietly behind Koko.
The afternoon sun slanted in through the windows, bathing the entire office in a warm, golden light.
Looking at the old man sitting naturally in the main seat, presiding over the meeting like Hokage, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.
"Strange, Jiraiya has already become the Fifth Hokage, so where is he? Could he be spying on the bathhouse again?"
He shook his head inwardly, then denied it:
"No, no, no, although it's highly likely, as the Fifth Hokage, he couldn't possibly not be involved in such a significant matter as discussing an alliance..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to have anticipated Koko's doubts. He remained silent, simply rising from his chair and bowing deeply to Koko.
"Our Fifth Hokage of Konoha is currently hospitalized at Konoha Hospital due to health reasons and is unable to come in person to discuss the alliance with you."
I am truly sorry that I can only temporarily assume this position.
Looking at the Third Hokage Hokage before him, he subconsciously stood up from his chair and reached out to gently support the old man's shoulder.
On that face, softened and made harmless by the Transformation Technique, a perfectly measured expression of sincerity and reluctance appeared:
"You don't need to do that, Lord Third Hokage. We understand."
He helped the Third Hokage back into their chairs before sitting down himself, his tone carrying a genuine hint of doubt:
"I just don't know what the reason is for the Fifth Hokage's hospitalization."
As far as I know, not long ago, our Mist Village ninjas had a brief encounter with Lord Jiraiya in the Land of Waves. He should have been in good spirits then, so how could he suddenly need to be hospitalized for a long period of time?"
"Uh, well..."
The Third Hokage Hokage guiltily shifted his gaze from Tsunade's face, his eyes involuntarily drifting to the right as he stole a glance at Tsunade, who stood beside him with a dark expression and her Tsunade turned to the side.
Following the Third Hokage's gaze, Koko glanced at Tsunade, then at the Third Hokage Hokage's embarrassed old face, and instantly understood everything!
"Oh, I see. That makes sense then, that makes sense."
He suppressed the urge to immediately go to Konoha Hospital to "visit" (mocking) Jiraiya, and naturally changed the subject:
"Since Lord Jiraiya unwell, we can only finish our business first, and then visit Lord Jiraiya at Konoha Hospital after the meeting."
"I have long admired Lord Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin."
"Thank you for your understanding."
The Third Hokage Hokage breathed a sigh of relief.
He refocused his attention on the gentle-smiling young man in front of him, and for some reason, a faint, inexplicable sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.
"Is it because this child's temperament is somewhat similar to Minato's?"
The Third Hokage pondered silently in their hearts, their aged eyes, which had seen countless people, scrutinizing Kou's face repeatedly:
"They do indeed resemble each other somewhat, gentle yet sharp, humble yet weighty."
But something seems off; there's no way I could possibly feel such a genuine yet inexplicable sense of familiarity with someone I've just met!
"What... exactly is going on...?"
As Kou felt the Third Hokage Hokage's gaze, which was becoming increasingly scrutinizing, fall on his face, alarm bells immediately went off in his mind.
He quickly coughed lightly and spoke in a calm tone:
"It's about time. We... shouldn't we start discussing the main topic now?"
As the knocking sound rang out, the Third Hokage Hokage instantly snapped back to his senses.
He looked at Kou, who was waiting for his response, and said with a hint of apology:
"I apologize, I am indeed getting old and easily distracted. I apologize for my lapse in composure just now."
He shook his head with a chuckle:
"It's alright. Being able to sit face to face with the Third Hokage Lord Hokage and discuss the alliance between Mist Village and Konoha is something I, as a junior, am quite happy about."
I will definitely benefit greatly from our conversation.
"An alliance...?"
The Third Hokage Hokage repeated the word in a low voice, and the smile on his face disappeared.
"The Mist Village's proposal to form an alliance with Konoha must have been for more than just dealing with the Akatsuki."
He looked at Kou and said meaningfully:
"The alliance is a matter of great importance, and we hope to hear Mist Village's true thoughts before making a decision."
As he listened to the Third Hokage Hokage's pointed question, the smile on his lips not only did not fade, but deepened even further.
He met the Third Hokage's scrutinizing gaze, which seemed to see right through him, and calmly and unhurriedly replied:
"As you suspected, Mist Village's proposal to form an alliance with Konoha wasn't entirely due to the threat from Akatsuki."
He paused, then looked directly at the Third Hokage Hokage with his gentle yet resolute eyes, conveying his long-prepared answer in a calm tone:
"As for the real reason for proposing the alliance—it's because we in Mist Village want to expand the scope of our mission orders to the entire continent."