The man tasked with delivering the message nodded. "Yes!"
Then he vanished in a flash.
A short while later, Fugaku Uchiha arrived at the Hokage Office.
"Lord Hokage!"
Fugaku bowed slightly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe before looking up, forcing a faint smile onto his face. "Sorry to bother you on such short notice."
"I've already received the news about Dai!"
Fugaku got straight to the point.
News of the war had been reaching the village from time to time lately, and the Uchiha Clan had naturally received plenty of it.
"Mm!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.
Then he spoke, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"We may need the Akatsuki Squad's help this time."
Fugaku nodded. "Understood!"
Only after hearing his agreement did Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression relax. Then he sighed again.
"Still no news of Xia Le?"
"It's been five years since he left Konoha, hasn't it?"
At that, Fugaku fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "Not yet, but he left a letter before leaving. He went traveling!"
"Is that so?"
"If only he were here right now!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed.
Deep down, however, he felt inexplicably relieved.
Xia Le's presence undoubtedly placed immense pressure on him as Hokage. His overwhelming strength gave him an almost dominant position in Konoha, and he had the Uchiha Clan's support on top of that.
Then there was Hiruzen's own age and the length of his tenure to consider.
If Xia Le were around, it would truly be hard to say who would become the next Hokage.
Over the long succession of Hokage, the passing down of the Will of Fire had become a complicated web of political relationships.
Within that web, how could human greed and selfish desires possibly allow the position of Hokage to pass to an outsider?
Compared with Xia Le,