The Third Hokage Steps Down

Long Ye and Rin's relationship had always been separated by only a thin veil; it was merely a matter of who would be the first to tear through it.

Long Ye looked at Rin, who had lowered her head and was fiddling with her fingers, her face full of shyness. Just as he was about to make a promise, the hushed conversation of two people approaching from across the way caught his attention.

"I heard the Hokage is stepping down. Is that true?"

"Absolutely. I heard that during the previous Shinobi World War, he made major concessions during the ceasefire negotiations with the other nations, harming the Land of Fire's interests. That gave people something to use against him."

"Sigh! The Hokage only did that because he wanted to end the war as soon as possible and restore peace to the Shinobi World. In the end, he was thinking of the bigger picture and trying to keep Konoha from sinking deeper into the quagmire of war..."

"Have you heard who they're considering for the next Hokage?"

"I've heard a little rumor. Supposedly, the higher-ups are planning to recommend Jiraiya as the Fourth Hokage..."

Long Ye's expression changed slightly.

"The Hokage is stepping down? Is that true?" Rin was equally shocked as she turned to look at Long Ye.

Beyond her respect for the Hokage, Rin also felt grateful toward him. After all, without him, she might still have been trapped in a dark, sunless prison.

Long Ye shook his head slightly. "This is the first I've heard of it too, but it might be true."

Because according to the history he knew, Hiruzen Sarutobi had indeed stepped down to take responsibility for his mistakes.

Of course, a large part of those so-called mistakes had resulted from Danzo and his faction