The Third Hokage Steps Down

The relationship between Long Ye and Lin was already just a thin veil between them; it was only a matter of who would be the first to break through it.

Long Ye looked at Lin, who was blushing and fidgeting with her fingers, he was about to make a promise when two people walking towards him whispered to each other, catching his attention.

"I heard the Lord Hokage is returning to power, is it true?"

"It's absolutely true. I heard it's because during the previous Shinobi World War, the Land of Fire made huge concessions in peace talks with various countries, sacrificing its interests, and thus they were given a handle to use against it."

"Ah! The Lord Hokage did that simply to end the war as soon as possible and restore peace to the Shinobi World. In the end, it was all for the greater good, to prevent Konoha from being bogged down in war any further..."

Have you heard about who will be the next Hokage?

"There's a rumor that the higher-ups are planning to nominate Jiraiya as the Fourth Hokage..."

Long Ye's expression changed slightly.

"The Lord Hokage is abdicating! Is it true?" Rin was also very surprised and turned to look at Long Ye.

Rin felt a sense of gratitude towards the Hokage, in addition to respect, because without him, he might still be in a dark and hopeless prison.

Long Ye shook her head slightly. "This is the first time I've heard of it either, but perhaps it's true."

According to the history he knew, Hiruzen Sarutobi's resignation was indeed a resignation to take responsibility.

Of course, a large part of the so-called mistakes were the result of Danzo and his Danzo taking advantage of the situation.

Lin nodded sadly.

After all, such things are unlikely to be baseless rumors, and no one would dare to spread such news recklessly. Since it has spread, its authenticity is undoubtedly very high.

The day after Long Ye and the other person heard this news.

The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, announced to the entire nation that he had officially resigned from his position Hokage.

The news spread to every corner of the Land of Fire on the same day.

At the same time, everyone was watching to see who would succeed the next Hokage, because there was more than one person who had the ability and qualifications to succeed the Hokage.

Among them, the most popular and prestigious are the Konoha Sannin.

The Sannin were already renowned throughout the Shinobi World during the Second Shinobi World War, and their fame was further proven in the recently concluded Third Shinobi World War.

Three days later.

No one expected that the person ultimately chosen would not be any of the Sannin, but rather the Yellow Flash Minato Namikaze, who had shone brightly in the recently concluded Fourth Shinobi World War.

This result, while unexpected by many, was also quite reasonable.

After the Shinobi World War, Minato Namikaze no longer needed to prove his strength, reputation, or loyalty to the Land of Fire. Therefore, his succession was also supported by the entire population of the Land of Fire.

But no one knows the undercurrents and turmoil that went through during the selection process for Hokage.

The back mountain of Konoha.

Three figures stood before a grave, paying tribute to the victims of Konoha.

If anyone were here, they would immediately recognize them as the legendary Konoha Sannin, who established their "legend" during the great battle.

"The war is over! Jiraiya, what are you planning to do next?"

The beautifully dressed Tsunade looked at the grave in front of her and asked.

Jiraiya, standing to the side, thought for a moment and said:

"I will continue my journey of cultivation. Perhaps somewhere in the world, I will find another disciple who can change this world!"

"You're just looking for trouble!"

On Tsunade's other side, Orochimaru, with his effeminate appearance, spoke in a low voice.

Jiraiya glanced at him sideways and asked with a puzzled look, "Orochimaru, don't you plan to find someone to inherit your ninja way?"

Orochimaru smiled, "My only wish is to learn all the techniques in this world."

Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly.

"No matter how skilled you are in Ninjutsu, life is finite and can never be eternal."

Tsunade tried to persuade him to abandon this unreliable idea.

Jiraiya agreed with Tsunade's words and nodded in agreement.

"Indeed! Life is finite, but willpower is infinite. As ninjas, we must pass on our ninja way and willpower to make our lives worthwhile."

Since they couldn't see eye to eye, Orochimaru said nothing more and turned to walk away.

"He's becoming more and more paranoid! Especially after experiencing this war and witnessing countless deaths," Tsunade said, watching Orochimaru's lonely figure disappear into the distance.

Jiraiya frowned, looking thoughtful.

"Tsunade! What are your plans?"

Jiraiya's gaze fell on the flawless face of the woman beside him.

"I might leave Konoha soon!" Tsunade said after thinking for a moment.

"Soon?" Jiraiya, puzzled.

Tsunade nodded. "That's right! Because I discovered a very interesting and promising young man in the village. He may become the greatest medical-nin in the Shinobi World in the future, without a doubt. I will observe him for a while longer."

"You're talking about Long Ye, aren't you!"

Jiraiya looked enlightened.

"I've heard about his abilities; they are indeed extraordinary. If properly nurtured, he could very well become a strategic force for Konoha in the future..."

"Besides him, Shisui, who comes from the Uchiha, is the same. This kid's Sharingan has Awakening, and his power is terrifying. He's so young. Even if I were to face him now, I would have to be on my guard."

Jiraiya's expression turned somewhat solemn Jiraiya thought about that incredible power.

"This kid's Sharingan Awakening, it seems, also because of that Long Ye. The conditions for Awakening this power are truly extraordinary..."

"However, with Shisui included, the Uchiha now has two members who possess such terrifying power. Some people must already be wary of them."

Tsunade certainly knew that the other person Jiraiya mentioned was the head of the Uchiha.

This person witnessed the tragic deaths of his comrades during the Shinobi World War and also Awakening that same eye power.

"Those who are not in a position should not meddle in its affairs. They should have the wisdom to resolve the conflict between their clan and Konoha. After all, this clan has existed for far too long."

Jiraiya neither nodded nor shook his head, giving the woman a subtle glance, thinking to himself: The Senju Clan has a long and distinguished history, but now, isn't it just you left?

Although he thought this in his heart, he dared not say it back then, because such words could easily provoke the other party to go berserk, and the consequences would be something he was unwilling to bear.

"I'll be leaving this afternoon. Who knows when we'll meet again? Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"

After a brief moment of seriousness, Jiraiya revealed his playful, mischievous nature.

Tsunade glared at him. "Yes! What I want to tell you is that I hope we never see each other again."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at the grave, then turned and left.

Jiraiya's smile froze, and he sighed.

"That's true! The main reason we've met is because of the war. If we didn't see each other, it would at least mean that there's no war in Konoha. No war, no death..."