I Want to Follow Lord Hiruzen

"This Konoha-sama, the area ahead is the core region of Seven Herbs Island. Please turn back."

The Merchant Ninja did not make a move. Living in the Land of Fire, they had to avoid clashing with Konoha's people.

"This island belongs to you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi found it somewhat strange. Shouldn't naturally occurring treasures belong to whoever was capable enough to claim them?

"This island is ours!"

One of the Merchant Ninja pulled the abacus from his back and pointed it at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Miki Xiaoai tugged at Hiruzen Sarutobi's sleeve, looking frightened.

Many nearby villagers had once come to the island to gather herbs. After these Merchant Ninja arrived, they killed many civilians and seized Seven Herbs Island and Hongzhou Island.

This was the absolute gap between ninja and civilians. In Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, these Merchant Ninja were beneath notice, but to ordinary people, ninja with merely Genin and Chunin strength were already nightmares.

"It is mine now!"

With a flash, Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared before the three ninja. One punch each sent them all flying, even shattering the abacuses on their backs.

Of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi had held back. Otherwise, they would have died on the spot from those punches.

"My lord!"

Miki Xiaoai had only just reacted when the three Merchant Ninja were knocked down by Hiruzen Sarutobi. She only had time to let out a startled cry.

"Let's go. We'll continue."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured for Miki Xiaoai to come over. She froze for a moment before understanding, then trotted to his side and jumped onto his back.

Hiruzen Sarutobi flashed away again, taking Miki Xiaoai with him.

"T-too strong..."

The three Merchant Ninja had not even reacted before losing their ability to fight.

"He's definitely a Jonin!"

After lying on the ground for a while, the three of them shakily got to their feet. Having lost all desire to trouble Hiruzen Sarutobi again, they quickly ran off to report what had happened.

"Lord Hiruzen..."

Miki Xiaoai lay on Hiruzen Sarutobi's back, her thoughts in disarray.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had appeared like a hero out of nowhere, and he was so powerful. It was inevitable that her heart would stir.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

A young girl would not reveal her feelings so easily.

After reaching the core region of Seven Herbs Island, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not find any spiritual herbs. The spiritual energy was clearly rather dense, and the environment was suitable, so why were there no spiritual herbs?

Miki Xiaoai, on the other hand, quickly found the Seven-Star Flower she wanted beside a small stream.

Hiruzen Sarutobi held it in his hand and examined it, but he could not see anything unusual about it. At least, as far as he knew, it was not any sort of special medicinal herb.

"My lord, have you found the herb you needed?"

Having found the medicine she needed, Miki Xiaoai could not help worrying about her father at home. Still, she wanted to stay with Hiruzen Sarutobi until he found the herb he needed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, finding it strange. Could it be that the Shinobi World was unsuitable for spiritual herbs to grow?

"Let's go. There probably aren't any."

Hiruzen Sarutobi carried Miki Xiaoai on his back and quickly returned to the dock.

No Merchant Ninja came to cause trouble along the way, and no other problems arose. As for spiritual herbs, they did not find a single one.

They took a merchant ship away from Seven Herbs Island and returned to the Land of Fire.

"Lord Hiruzen, I need to go home first. Can you come with me?"

Seeing the hopeful look in the girl's eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed.

"Let's go."

Considering how well-endowed you are, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought.

Having received an affirmative answer, Miki Xiaoai was overjoyed and led Hiruzen Sarutobi to her village.

However, by the time they returned to the village, her father had already passed away.

"Didn't you say that as long as we had a Seven-Star Flower, he could be cured?"

Miki Xiaoai cried as she questioned the healer.

"..."

The healer shook his head, but his eyes were fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi in the distance.

"It was too late. I didn't expect his condition to worsen so quickly."

The girl sat on the ground in despair, the light fading from her eyes.

"You had already made arrangements with those Merchant Ninja, hadn't you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over and looked down at the old man who called himself a doctor.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

At Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, the man visibly panicked.

Miki Xiaoai did not understand what Hiruzen Sarutobi meant and looked at him in confusion.

"They wanted to trick you over to the Merchant Ninja, then either keep you for themselves or sell you as a slave."

"Do you want me to kill them for you?"

Human trafficking existed in this absurd Shinobi World. The girl was quite pretty and well-built, so it was normal that she had been targeted.

"..."

Miki Xiaoai said nothing, but Hiruzen Sarutobi already understood what she meant.

Drawing the Kusanagi Sword, he slaughtered them all.

He killed his way from the village to Hongzhou Island. At the Merchant Ninja's headquarters, he found some poorly preserved spiritual herbs. It seemed that the spiritual herbs from Seven Herbs Island had been harvested by these people.

Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi kill so many people without expression, Miki Xiaoai felt numb and lost.

Her father was dead. What was she supposed to do now?

"Lord Hiruzen, may I follow you for the rest of my life?"

It seemed that Hiruzen Sarutobi was the only person she could rely on.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the girl and nodded. She had the aptitude to cultivate immortality, and her talent was fairly good, so he did not consider the deeper meaning behind her words.

"I still have a mission. Follow a caravan from the Land of Fire to Konoha. Just give them my name when you get there."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words rekindled the girl's hope, though he seemed to have misunderstood what she meant.

He only wanted to give her a place to live, but the girl wanted him!

Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi's departing figure, Miki Xiaoai clenched her fists.

Lord Hiruzen! I will follow you for the rest of my life!

A few days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi had arrived in the Land of Bears. Like Konoha, this place had extremely dense forests, though they were not as exaggerated as those within the Land of Fire.

Hoshigakure was located in a valley surrounded by poisonous gas. Miasma lingered there year-round, making it impossible for ordinary people to reach.

Meanwhile, Miki Xiaoai finally arrived in Konoha with the caravan.

Konoha's prosperity dazzled her, but she still remembered Hiruzen Sarutobi's instructions.

When she arrived in Konoha, she was to give his name.

The restless Uchiha Clan had taken over the job of Konoha's gate guards. Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi were currently responsible for guarding the gate.

"Stop! What are you doing in Konoha?"

Miki Xiaoai's shifty gaze naturally could not escape the Uchiha Clan's eyes.

"Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi told me to come!"

Miki Xiaoai gathered her courage and spoke Hiruzen Sarutobi's name.

The two Uchiha exchanged glances, finding it strange.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, had not appeared in the village recently, so they did not know whether she was telling the truth.

"Take her to the Hokage's office."

Uchiha Inabi nodded. Since the Third Hokage had sent her, they naturally had to take her to Lord Orochimaru.

"Did my teacher send you?"

Orochimaru was discussing matters concerning the Medical Division with Tsunade. Hearing Uchiha Inabi's words, he found it strange.

What relationship did this girl have with his teacher?

"Yes! Lord Hiruzen told me to come to Konoha."

"What did he send you here for?"

Tsunade spoke up as well.

Miki Xiaoai gathered her courage and shouted her answer.

"I want to follow Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi for the rest of my life!" Miki Xiaoai's eyes brimmed with love.

Orochimaru:?

Tsunade:?