No Patience for Waiting

Kakashi began to feel dissatisfied, and he subconsciously began to doubt Hiruzen Sarutobi's intentions, but he still had to verbally defend Hiruzen Sarutobi to some extent:

"Um... Yun Yan, aren't you overthinking this? This should just be our Konoha's normal reception procedure."

Or perhaps the reason for such politeness and leniency was that the Lord Hokage wanted to lull them into a false sense of security, thereby gaining an advantage in the subsequent negotiations?

Yun Yan rolled his eyes in disbelief:

"Really? Is it really to paralyze the Kumogakure delegation?"

But even if we're too complacent, isn't that a bad thing? Look, even old man Sarutobi came out in person. He stood in front of the Hokage Building to greet us. Isn't that giving us more than enough face?"

Seeing Yun Yan nod, Kakashi looked in the direction he was pointing and, sure enough, he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi standing in front of the Hokage Building with a big smile and a humble demeanor.

This... Kakashi found it a little hard to accept.

Lord Hokage, why are you lowering yourself like this? You are the Hokage, the leader of the most powerful ninja village in the Shinobi World. Even if it's just to give them face, there's no need for you to personally come to the Hokage Building to greet this so-called Kumogakure delegation.

Doesn't this diminish the morale of our Konoha? Why go to such lengths? Or have you truly become senile?

Seeing the change in Kakashi's expression, Yun Yan continued to fan the flames with great interest:

"Kakashi, believe it or not, if it were our Konoha delegation going to Kumogakure for negotiations, not only would the Fourth Raikage personally come to greet them at the Raikage Building, but even the elders of Kumogakure wouldn't come to the Kumogakure gate to greet them."

At most, they'll send a ninja to lead our people into Kumogakure, into the Raikage Building, and into the Raikage's Office. That should be about it.

Even when it comes to knocking on the Raikage's Office door, the Konoha delegation will have to do it themselves.

Do you believe it or not?

Following the direction Yun Yan suggested, and especially considering the Kumogakure's consistently unreasonable and domineering style, Kakashi suddenly realized that it might actually be true.

Thinking about it like that made me feel even more uncomfortable.

When your delegation from Kumogakure came to Konoha, we treated you with the same hospitality.

But when it's our turn to visit your Kumogakure, this is how you behave—looking down on Kumogakure and not taking us seriously at all.

The difference between the two sides is just too great!

Since the gap between the two sides is so vast, why are we being so overly enthusiastic in our welcome? What are you thinking, Lord Hokage?

For a time, Kakashi seemed to be Yun Yan, and the already fragile reputation of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, began to crack in Kakashi's heart.

However, things did not unfold according to Kakashi's wishes. All Kakashi could see was their beloved Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, shaking hands with Tsuchida, the Dodai from Kumogakure, in front of the Hokage Building, and the two entered the Hokage Building together in a very amicable manner.

Kakashi and Yun Yan could not inquire about what happened after they entered the Hokage Building.

It's estimated that the next step won't be direct negotiations, since negotiations between two ninja villages aren't easy. Instead, the two sides will probably go to the Hokage Building for some more pleasantries.

This small talk could go on for who knows how long, after all, politics is hypocritical and protracted.

Kakashi was clearly prepared for this, and he had no other choice but to wait quietly outside the Hokage Building.

Waiting for what? Of course, it's waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi Kumogakure to meet with the envoys from Kumogakure, for them to exchange pleasantries, and even for them to be accommodated and received. Only then will Hiruzen Sarutobi have time to meet Kakashi.

Before that, Kakashi could only wait outside the Hokage Building.

Having completed such a long mission, the Lord Hokage must have many questions to ask, so Kakashi can't just turn around and run away.

He wasn't planning to run away, but Yun Yan didn't have the patience for that.

Standing next to Kakashi, Yun Yan looked utterly bored.

"Kakashi, the Kumogakure delegation has already entered the Hokage Building, shouldn't our escort mission be over by now?"

"If there's nothing else, I'll go home. I bet Quan is still waiting for me; I can't let her keep worrying."

Kakashi stared speechlessly at Yun Yan, his tone bordering on exasperation:

"That's great, someone's waiting for me at home..."

"However, Yun Yan, I regret to inform you that we cannot leave now. After the Lord Hokage finishes receiving the Kumogakure delegation, he will definitely want to see us. We still need to wait for the Lord Hokage's summons."

After glancing in the direction of the Hokage Building, Yun Yan's expression immediately turned sour:

"What the hell? Waiting here for Sarutobi to summon me?"

The problem is, how long will Sarutobi take to dawdle with the Kumogakure delegation? Even if it's not a formal negotiation, the two sides will probably have a lot of verbal sparring. How long will we have to wait?"

Kakashi sat helplessly on a rooftop, shaking his head.

"I don't know, let's wait and see."

Yun Yan did not sit down, his resistance quite obvious:

"You can wait, I don't have the patience."

I was feeling a bit hungry, so I decided to go to Ichiraku Ramen of ramen and then go straight home.

Kakashi, if Sarutobi wants to find me later, just have him send someone to my house.

Even if you came to my house, I probably wouldn't want to move today. We can always talk about it tomorrow.

After saying this, Yun Yan vanished without a trace, leaving Kakashi's side.

Kakashi didn't even have time to stop him. He stared at the spot where Yun Yan had disappeared, caught completely off guard.

"Hey! Yun Yan! You..."

"Damn it, they just ran away like that? They have absolutely no respect for the rules of ninjas!"

Kakashi slapped his thigh in frustration, but then, after a moment's thought, he suddenly realized that this was very much in line with Yun Yan's style.

When has this guy ever cared about the rules of ninjas?

Kakashi was quite helpless and could only continue sitting on the roof, waiting for things to develop and for Hiruzen Sarutobi to summon him.

Whether it was luck or bad luck, Hiruzen Sarutobi received the Kumogakure delegation in a very short time. Before long, Kakashi saw the Kumogakure delegation being escorted out of the Hokage Building by two elders from Konoha.

Not only did they send over the Hokage Building, but they also dispatched relevant ninjas to receive the Kumogakure delegation and take them to their lodgings. The arrangements seemed very thoughtful.

Seeing this, Kakashi was puzzled. How could they be so fast this time?

Oh no! After the Kumogakure delegation finishes receiving us, the Lord Hokage should be summoning us immediately.

I have no problem waiting here, but that bastard Yun Yan just ran away, which is really rude!

Should I drag Yun Yan over before the Lord Hokage summons me, just to avoid any impoliteness later?

Oh right... if I remember correctly, Yun Yan just said that he planned to eat a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen first, and then go home after he was full.

Yes! It's Ichiraku Ramen!

With that in mind, Kakashi headed straight for Ichiraku Ramen, and Kakashi had already planned everything out while running there.

If I were to run into Yun Yan at Ichiraku Ramen, I would do everything in my power to drag him back to the Hokage Building and have him wait there for the Lord Hokage's summons.

If Yun Yan ate quickly and was no longer at Ichiraku Ramen, then he would have to apologize. He didn't have time or the inclination to go to Yun Yan's house to look for him, so he could only tell the Lord Hokage about it and ask him to send Lord Hokage to look for Yun Yan separately later.

As it turned out, Kakashi did have a bit of luck. When he arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, he happened to see Yun Yan sitting at a table drinking the leftover ramen broth.

Judging from the way he was holding the bowl and drinking the soup, you could tell he had finished the bowl of noodles, and he would probably pay and leave after finishing the soup.

Thank goodness, I made it in time! If I had been any later, I probably wouldn't have been able to find him!

Filled with such surprise, Kakashi, dressed in his Anbu uniform, barged into Ichiraku Ramen and grabbed Yun Yan's arm as he put down his empty bowl:

"Yun Yan! Thank goodness! You're still here!"

The Lord Hokage has already received the delegation from Kumogakure and will probably summon us soon. You'd better come back with me right away!

Setting down the empty bowl, Yun Yan turned to look at Kakashi, and they exchanged bewildered glances.

Wow... Old man Sarutobi was quite quick this time. He finished meeting with the Kumogakure delegation so soon? Shouldn't they have spent half the time talking and the other half just getting to know them? How come he was so efficient this time?

And Kakashi! That kid actually came straight to Ichiraku Ramen to ambush me. How worried is he that I'll leave?