The day after the New Year.
Konoha's villagers gathered in great numbers before the Hokage Building. Today was the day of Konoha's Hokage inauguration ceremony.
Since this was an era of peace, the process for Namikaze Minato to become Konoha's Fourth Hokage was quite complicated... But there was an enthusiastic old man who helped him settle everything...
Whether it was the jonin confidence vote or the appointment by the Land of Fire's daimyo... Aside from earning the title of Yellow Flash, the previous Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had practically handled everything for Namikaze Minato's family.
Well... including figuring out what to do when Namikaze Minato's wife, Uzumaki Kushina, gave birth in the future... A Nine-Tails Jinchuriki giving birth... was very dangerous.
So, where were there ever any chosen ones in this world? It was only because someone else had carried the burden for you.
Itachi brought Kitahara along to watch... The crowded throng pressed shoulder to shoulder, making the venue feel somewhat like a bustling town market... After all, this was Konoha's grandest event.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen had not resigned out of guilt, some ninja might never have witnessed such a spectacle in their entire lives...
But if one was lucky, like that familiar old man beside them wearing a chef's hat... Uncle Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen could chat and laugh with the Seventh Hokage...
Heh... Fate.
Fugaku Uchiha stood atop the Hokage Building. Although the Uchiha clan held no position among Konoha's upper ranks, the captain of the police force, which operated independently of the system, still had a place among the spectators.
Every Konoha villager in the venue stared longingly at the Hokage Building... Becoming Hokage was every Konoha child's dream... Becoming Hokage was every adult's aspiration after growing up.
"Now that the war is over, the Fourth is only in his twenties. Isn't that too young?"
"Hey, hey, hey! Use your brain before you say that! If it weren't for the Fourth, how could the war have ended so quickly?"
"Bastard! You know that's not what I mean... I just think Lord Jiraiya or Lord Orochimaru would obviously be more suitable!"
"But the Fourth Hokage was the greatest contributor to the Third Shinobi World War!"
The two ninja argued, then suddenly began punching and kicking each other.
"...They're fighting." Itachi tilted his head and said blankly.
"..."
The bystanders hurried over to mediate and pulled the fighting pair apart. Yet the two were still hurling insults at each other from a distance... Masked Anbu and members of the police force appeared before them.
"They fought inside the village, so they should..."
"Our original mission was to escort them to the police force..." The Anbu commander at the lead waved his hand. "Dismissed!"
"..."
The Anbu vanished at once. The police force members stood there in a daze for a moment before restraining the two ninja and taking them away.
This little incident did not provoke much thought from the crowd, because a familiar figure appeared atop the Hokage Building—the short old man who had led them through two Shinobi World Wars.
"I am Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konohagakure..."
"Whoa!"
"Lord Hokage!"
"Long live the Hokage!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen held considerable prestige in Konoha. At least in the eyes of these villagers, that old man with a pipe in his mouth was their only memory of the Hokage.
"Quiet. I have a few words to say!"
The old man's voice was not loud, yet it cooled the blazing atmosphere of the entire venue. The villagers stopped making noise.
Kitahara found it vaguely familiar... He seemed to have heard Sarutobi Hiruzen's words somewhere before... But when exactly?
"I am the host of today's Hokage inauguration ceremony..."
"Since the outbreak of the war, many of our relatives and friends have fallen on the battlefield. Their lives wrote the chapter of Konohagakure's victory..."
"Everyone dies. Every person has only one life... Even I am no exception..."
"The new generation of ninja is already capable of taking on the responsibilities they should bear. The Will of Fire passed down within them has already..."
"Everything we do is for the village's future, to preserve the existence of the Will of Fire..."
"Where the leaves dance, fire burns on. The firelight will continue to illuminate the village and allow newborn leaves to sprout..."
As he reached the stirring parts, Sarutobi Hiruzen even choked up. The villagers below all had tears in the corners of their eyes to varying degrees. There was even a young man in a green bodysuit whose tears would not stop flowing... If he had not clenched his teeth so tightly, he might have burst into loud sobs...
Itachi seemed deeply moved. His eyes gradually showed signs of reddening as he muttered softly, "The Will of Fire..."
Hey, hey, hey! Kid, don't be like this! You're making me nervous! Say, have you ever heard of loyalty and filial piety?
"Caw..."
A stream of Chakra entered Itachi's body. Kitahara had long grown sick of the Third's words, and they had made him sleepy... But Itachi's reaction jolted him fully awake!
As Kitahara's Chakra entered his body, Itachi's eyes finally turned crimson, two tomoe appearing and disappearing within them...
Every stream of Chakra carried a piece of Kitahara's thoughts. Itachi's emotions gradually settled, his Sharingan glowing with an eerie red light.
"Kitahara, let's go back and have a proper talk..." Itachi held the crow in his arms and whispered into his ear.
Looking across the shinobi world, the ideas of loyalty and filial piety seemed to be appearing for the first time. This was the essence of human history... But there was not a single honest person in the shinobi world...
Yet Uchiha Itachi was a good child now...
The speech atop the Hokage Building was drawing to a close.
Sarutobi Hiruzen beckoned Namikaze Minato to his side and removed the conical hat that symbolized the Hokage's identity. "My task is complete! Minato! It's yours now!"
"Yes! Third Hokage!"
The blond young man took the hat and placed it on his head. Sarutobi Hiruzen clapped his hands and called out loudly, "From this day onward, the Yellow Flash who struck fear into the entire shinobi world shall be Konoha's leader, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato!"
Applause surged like waves. The Yellow Flash's name was indeed resounding... At the very least, he was a powerhouse...
Namikaze Minato did not say much. He simply smiled modestly and waved. Ever since the Third Hokage started delivering speeches at every turn, children had gradually begun setting their sights on becoming Hokage.
Namikaze Minato was the first person to realize that dream. As he watched the villagers below gradually disperse, he turned and swept his gaze over the spectators... The Ino-Shika-Cho clans... The Uchiha... The Hyuga... The Aburame... The Inuzuka... Utatane Koharu... Mitokado Homura...
Compared to the calm expressions on those faces, the red-haired woman wearing a ninja forehead protector at the end was clearly far more excited... Uzumaki Kushina...
Warmth filled the Fourth Hokage's heart. He gave everyone a slight nod. "From today onward, please take care of me!"
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Not humble at all, are they... This bunch...
Below the Hokage Building, a group of Uchiha clan members in police uniforms had surrounded a little boy... drawing quite a few onlookers.
"Lord Itachi! Please do not touch your Sharingan with your hands!"
"We've already sent someone to notify the captain!"
"Bear with it for a moment... The captain will be down soon!"
"Can you try drawing back the Chakra around the optic nerves of your Sharingan? You can't?"
"...Itachi is only five this year. He hasn't learned how Chakra flows yet!"
The little boy asked, "I think I understand how to disperse the Chakra in my body... Would that work?"
"...Well, that probably won't be of much use."
"Then... could you move away first? I... I'm not used to... this..." Itachi looked nervously at the villagers pointing and whispering about them.
Clearly, someone had misunderstood.
The leader gave a few instructions, and the other Uchiha officers walked over to the spectators, shouting, "Move along... Move along... Stop crowding around here..."
"..."
"Caw..."
The instigator was held tightly in the little boy's arms, unable to breathe.
The Fourth Hokage and his wife died in the Nine-Tails' attack... Likewise, the Third Hokage's wife... Sarutobi Biwako... was killed...
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