Old Man Sarutobi Arrives

The next day, Lin Chuan went to school as usual. No Uchiha came looking for him, much less an elder showing up after he had beaten a younger one.

This was the Ninja Academy, not some dark forest where big fish ate little fish. The Uchiha were not shameless enough to send a Jonin to bully him.

Classes went on as usual in the morning, he skipped class as usual in the afternoon, and he trained furiously at the training ground for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, he headed home for dinner as usual...

What he did not know was that Old Man Sarutobi had asked Iruka about the situation last night. Upon learning that Lin Chuan had been rather attentive toward Naruto at school, he could not help but smile, privately remarking that Lin Chuan was an interesting little fellow.

Then, this afternoon, after Lin Chuan's father got off work, Old Man Sarutobi went to the Lin family home. He met Lin Chuan's parents and offered belated condolences to Lin Chuan's father, who had retired due to injury.

When Lin Chuan arrived home, his cheap dad happened to be seeing off guests. Seeing Old Man Sarutobi in casual clothes, looking like a kind old grandfather next door, along with Shikaku Nara at his side, Lin Chuan was somewhat surprised that Old Man Sarutobi had come so quickly.

He had thought that after beating an Uchiha, it might take ten days or half a month before Old Man Sarutobi even noticed the matter!

"Xiaochuan, you're back! Hurry and greet Grandpa Hokage, and Uncle Shikaku too," Lin Chuan's dad said when he saw him. The flush of excitement had yet to fade from his face. It had been a long time since he had met such an important figure, and he excitedly pulled Lin Chuan over to introduce Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shikaku Nara.

"Grandpa Hokage, Uncle Shikaku," Lin Chuan said. His mind was in turmoil, and before he had time to think, he followed his cheap dad's lead. The Hokage was Konoha's top authority, while Shikaku was the head of the Jonin Corps and part of Konoha's decision-making circle. He did not dare be disrespectful.

"Haha, Xiaochuan has grown taller. You were still nursing when I held you," Hiruzen Sarutobi casually said, tossing out the usual pleasantries. Things like saying he had held someone as a child, that they had been chubby back then, or that he had bought them candy were far too easy for an old politician...

"Really? Did that happen?" Lin Chuan's dad was a little bewildered by Hiruzen Sarutobi's words. Had such an important person as the Hokage really held Xiaochuan when he was little? Why did he not remember? Could his memory have been wrong?

This dirty old pervert... did he spy on people nursing their children? Lin Chuan inwardly snickered when he heard that. He knew Old Man Sarutobi was making it up. The man's face was full of wrinkles, yet he did not even blush when lying.

"Haha, then we won't disturb you any longer. We'll be going," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile before turning to leave. Only after he and Shikaku Nara had left the village at Konoha's edge did he ask, "Shikaku, what do you think of that child?"

"He has talent and is willing to work hard. He is worth cultivating," Shikaku said. He knew what Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to hear, so naturally, he picked the flattering words. After all, that boy was Shikamaru's classmate and seemed to get along well with him. Shikaku did not mind putting in a good word for him.

"Heh heh." How could Hiruzen Sarutobi fail to hear the implication in Shikaku's words? They were both shrewd men, and naturally, he would not be stingy when it came to nurturing a genius.

That was not what worried him. This child reminded him of the village's previous geniuses, whose outcomes had not been very good. He only hoped this child could grow up smoothly!

The two said nothing more as they returned to the Hokage's office and continued handling the documents left unfinished that day...

With Hiruzen Sarutobi gone, the Lin family sat down to eat. Lin Chuan's father had even planned to invite Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shikaku to stay, but those two were busy men. How could they possibly eat at an ordinary family's home?

At the dinner table, Lin Chuan finally voiced the question in his heart. "Dad, why did the Hokage come to our house..."

"It was injury compensation. He brought some money and asked whether I needed a job. He said I could work at the Mission Department," Lin Chuan's dad said, his mouth stuffed with food, yet his smile still unable to fade.

He had retired due to injury many years ago and had thought the Hokage had forgotten him, apart from the monthly disability allowance. Who could have imagined that the Third Hokage would personally visit to offer condolences? For an ordinary Chunin like him, it was truly an overwhelming honor.

"Tsk. I think his real goal wasn't the compensation. He came for me," Lin Chuan said as he shoveled rice into his mouth. Thinking of Hiruzen Sarutobi's intentions, it was nothing more than investing in a young genius early, showing concern and offering protection. After all, the young genius had just offended the Uchiha.

Otherwise, why would Old Man Sarutobi leave neither early nor late, but time his farewell precisely for when Lin Chuan was about to reach home, so he would see that the man had come to offer condolences? What cunning calculations. He had even used sensory ninjutsu on an elementary school student.

Of course, Lin Chuan did not resent it. In fact, he welcomed it. This was the reward for presenting himself as a genius. Not only did he get money and protection, but he had also secured an easy clerical job for his cheap dad. His father would no longer need to fight and kill while doing missions to support the family.

Old Man Sarutobi had handled it quite cleverly. He did not openly say he was investing in Lin Chuan early. Instead, he started with Lin Chuan's cheap parents, subtly influencing him and making him develop goodwill toward Konoha's higher-ups, eventually nurturing the Will of Fire.

If he had been a child born and raised in Konoha, he definitely would have been moved by Old Man Sarutobi's kindness. He definitely would have thought the Third Hokage was a wonderful man, and once he grew up, he definitely would have supported the Third Hokage.

Even if the Third Hokage died in battle, he would continue supporting the Hokage's faction, thereby securing a genius and preventing that genius from bringing destruction to the village. Orochimaru was the perfect cautionary example.

As the leader of a village, the Hokage knew perfectly well what geniuses existed within it. There was nothing wrong with Old Man Sarutobi doing this.

If Lin Chuan continued to be a genius, he guessed Old Man Sarutobi had probably already considered his Jonin instructor. A genius like him would certainly be incorporated into the Hokage faction's master-disciple lineage, ensuring the Hokage position was passed down through the same line.

Judge deeds, not intentions. Old Man Sarutobi was quite skilled at winning people's hearts...

As the saying went, understanding a person was not difficult. Look at what they did, not what they said.

Even a hypocrite, if he could pretend for an entire lifetime, was no different from a true gentleman. As expected of an old politician hardened by years of experience, Old Man Sarutobi had done nothing wrong.

Fortunately, Lin Chuan's moral standards were rather flexible. Being grateful to Old Man Sarutobi now did not stop him from putting a blade through Old Man Sarutobi later, because Mr. Lin occasionally did not eat beef.

Once the young genius's reputation spread, he could even use Old Man Sarutobi as a shield. Otherwise, if that old schemer Danzo got his hands on him, he would not even have a place to cry.

At least Old Man Sarutobi still acted reasonably. He was merely somewhat conservative, indecisive, and prone to compromise. As for that old schemer Danzo, forget it. He was nothing but a rat in the gutter, with more schemes than the eyeballs on his arm. Lin Chuan could not contend with Danzo yet, but sooner or later, he would put a blade through that old schemer too.

With Old Man Sarutobi's attention, he could now train furiously without restraint. He no longer had to worry about that old bastard Danzo, but this was not a long-term solution. Old Man Sarutobi was only a safeguard with limited use. He still needed a teacher who could protect him...