The Third Hokage Really Knows How to Keep His Subordinates in Line!

"Ye Ning! Did you catch the assassins?"

Beside the carriage, the Daimyo climbed down with the help of several samurai. He cowered behind one of the tall warriors, peeking out with wide eyes. He didn't look even remotely like a dignified Daimyo.

"Ass...assassination?"

The two ninjas were so frightened they could barely get the words out. Their whole bodies were trembling. "We only wanted to rob you! We weren't trying to assassinate anyone! Please, sir, you have to believe us!"

At this point, even the two ninjas, slow-witted as they were, realized they must have provoked some big shot.

Ye Ning could only laugh helplessly.

The whole thing was just absurd... The problem was, the two ninjas really didn't seem to be lying. And given how weak these two nobodies were, there was no way an assassination attempt made sense.

"Father, they're just two Konoha rogue ninjas who were trying to rob us. They weren't assassins."

"Robbers? Rogue ninjas? Rogue ninjas from Konoha?"

Seeing that Ye Ning had tied up the two ninjas and they no longer posed a threat, the Daimyo finally regained some composure. He stepped out from behind his bodyguard, his anger plain on his face. "Well, well, Sarutobi Hiruzen! You're the Third Hokage, and you can't even keep your own subordinates in line!"

Ye Ning's mouth twitched. He didn't bother reassuring his sham father, instead wearing an expression that said he was enjoying the show.

If nothing unexpected happened...

The Third Hokage was about to have a rough time...

"Hey, Ye Ning, you seem pretty excited."

Konoha was already close. Ye Ning only had to raise his eyes to see the village gates. How could he not be moved, with the place he'd thought about day and night for two and a half years right before him?

"Don't worry, I won't go back on my word!"

The Daimyo yawned. Clearly, he'd had a rough night and hadn't slept well, but his expression was serious.

Ye Ning's heart stirred, and his excitement gradually grew.

The Scroll of Seals!

It contained nothing but forbidden techniques!

Even learning one of them could make a person a force to be reckoned with!

The Four-Symbols Seal, Multi-Shadow Clone Technique, Impure World Reincarnation, Flying Thunder God Technique... They were all recorded on the scroll.

Impure World Reincarnation... He'd pass on that one. It was certainly a powerful weapon, but the technique was still incomplete, and each reincarnation required a living sacrifice. Besides, if he wanted to use it, he'd have to scour the entire Shinobi World for graveyards.

He was all for carrying on Cao Wei's legacy, but not in the field of tomb raiding...

What Ye Ning really craved was the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.

The Clone Technique he knew was still the most basic of the Three Basic Techniques. He hadn't even mastered the more advanced Shadow Clone, much less the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique, which was a level above it.

Right now, he was like a Special Jōnin with a severe weakness in his skill set. His raw strength could make him unbeatable throughout the Fire Temple, but when it came to genjutsu and even some basic ninjutsu, he was a blank slate.

And that was why he'd come to Konoha.

Only by making up for his current shortcomings could he truly gain the ability to protect himself in the Shinobi World.

At last, they reached the gates of Konoha. The anger the Daimyo had been suppressing finally found an outlet. Without giving the gate guards a chance to speak, he strode into Konoha in a fury. Ye Ning followed behind with an exasperated expression, explaining their identities to the ninja on gate duty.

Although it had been a long time since the Daimyo had visited Konoha, he knew his way around the village surprisingly well. He led Ye Ning straight to the Hokage Building.

Only then did the Third Hokage, who was still discussing postwar matters in a meeting room, receive a report from an Anbu Ninja.

Inside the meeting room.

The Third Hokage had just received the news. He stood up in shock, slamming his palm on the table, and his gaze naturally fell on Danzo, seated beside him.

The many Jōnin present, including Danzo, who knew the Third Hokage well, were all bewildered. They couldn't understand what news he'd just heard that could have provoked such a strong reaction.

"The Daimyo is here. He's downstairs in the Hokage Building."

Those words made Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and the others tense up, though the other Jōnin didn't react much.

They didn't have much of an impression of the Daimyo. Most of them had never even met him. Only Hokage Advisors Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had much contact with him.

Danzo frowned, displeased.

"The Daimyo? What's he doing in Konoha?"

Danzo wasn't the only one who didn't understand. Even the Third Hokage couldn't figure out why the Daimyo had come to Konoha.

Shouldn't you be staying in the Land of Fire, playing your figurehead role? What are you doing in Konoha?

Had your comfortable life stopped satisfying you? Did you come to Konoha looking for a thrill?

The Third Hokage drew a deep breath and said helplessly, "The Daimyo has come to visit. Come with me to greet him."

Whatever the case, they had to show the Daimyo the respect he was due and go through the proper formalities.

That would also keep the Daimyo from making a fuss and using the opportunity to demand something unreasonable.

Soon, they met.

Seeing the Daimyo's icy expression, along with the two ninjas in Ye Ning's hands, the Third Hokage's heart sank. He immediately realized the Daimyo hadn't come in good faith.

Still, the Third Hokage's face was wreathed in smiles as he came forward to greet him.

"Daimyo, why didn't you let me know you were coming to Konoha? If you'd told me in advance, I could have sent some ninjas to escort you!"

Just listen to that!

What a masterful way with words!

No wonder he was a seasoned politician!

He didn't ask why the Daimyo had come to Konoha or what he intended to do there. Instead, he asked why he hadn't been notified in advance, shifting the blame for not preparing a proper welcome onto the Daimyo while lowering his own posture and making him feel right at home.

Brilliant!

Absolutely brilliant!

If Ye Ning hadn't watched Naruto, he might actually have believed this kind-faced man.

But the Third Hokage's humble demeanor did nothing to thaw the ice on the Daimyo's face. If anything, it only made him angrier. He let out a cold laugh.

"The Third Hokage really knows how to keep his subordinates in line!"

The Daimyo gave a few mocking laughs, his eyes full of scorn.

Keep his subordinates in line?

What did he mean?

Had some ninja or villager just offended the Daimyo?

Before the Third Hokage could work it out, the Daimyo gestured for Ye Ning to push the two ninjas forward. He said mockingly, "You should know these two ninjas, shouldn't you, Third Hokage? They're from Konoha, after all! Oh, and by the way, these two tried to assassinate me a few days ago."

Assassination?

The Third Hokage's gaze dropped, immediately fixing on the Forehead Protectors on the two ninjas' foreheads.

Konoha rogue ninjas?