Summoned by the Third

Minato Namikaze spoke with a troubled look on his face.

"With so many deaths occurring in peacetime, people find it impossible to understand, so conspiracy theories have started spreading."

"The Uchiha Clan Head went to see the Third, and they talked all night, trying to find a way to resolve the current trouble."

"But no matter how the discussion went, it always came back to you."

"If we can't find a reasonable solution, I'm afraid you won't escape responsibility."

Ling Feng couldn't help laughing as he listened.

"I won't escape responsibility? You should know that all I did was accept a mission."

"Not only was it an A-Rank mission with generous pay, but the difficulty described was also very low. I think anyone would have accepted it."

"If I'm going to be held responsible simply because I accepted the mission, that'll be a hard sell, won't it?"

After hearing him out, Minato Namikaze nodded silently.

"You're right. That's also the answer the Third expected."

"Oh? So you came to find me on the Third's orders." Ling Feng looked at Minato Namikaze, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

Minato Namikaze froze. For some reason, Ling Feng's words made him uneasy. Without knowing why, he found himself taking what Ling Feng said very seriously.

The disappointment in the boy's tone was obvious, but why did it matter so much to him?

These were just the Third's orders.

"That's right. These are the Third's orders. There's nothing I can do..." Minato Namikaze tried to explain.

But Ling Feng shook his head and said, "If this had been your own idea, I might have been a little happier."

"What?"

Minato Namikaze realized that facing Ling Feng put him under tremendous pressure.

He was only a five-year-old child!

"I think you'd be better suited to being Hokage," Ling Feng said with a smile.

Minato Namikaze froze, then hurriedly said, "Ling Feng! You can't just say things like that!"

Seeing his reaction, Ling Feng laughed. "It was only a joke."

Minato Namikaze couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief.

Yet he found that he couldn't get Ling Feng's words out of his mind.

"Ling Feng, there's one more thing. The Third wants to see you."

Ling Feng waved a hand and said, "Got it. He certainly knows how to bide his time. What an old fox. He should have met with me ages ago, yet he actually used the Uchiha Clan to test me."

With that, Ling Feng headed deeper into the woods, ready to begin his physical training.

Minato Namikaze stood there, somewhat dazed. He realized he couldn't make sense of Ling Feng's muttering.

"Ling Feng, you'll go, won't you?"

"Once I finish training."

With that, Ling Feng began his training, running until he disappeared from Minato Namikaze's sight.

"This child even treats a summons from the Third so casually. I wonder what the Third would think if he knew..."

"Still, not only can I not see through this child, but he feels like some all-knowing, all-powerful being, as though he knows every secret."

"But he's only five years old..."

Thinking this over, Minato Namikaze shook his head, rubbed his aching forehead, and left as well.

In any case, he had found Ling Feng and delivered the message, so his mission was complete. He needed to return and report as soon as possible.

Inside the Hokage's private office in the Hokage Building.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was signing documents.

Minato Namikaze knocked on the door and entered.

"You were gone rather a long time."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke without looking up.

"Sorry. Ling Feng was training on the Back Mountain, so it took me some time to find him," Minato Namikaze replied.

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped working and looked at Minato Namikaze.

"You said the child was training on the Back Mountain? Hasn't he been concerned about all the talk in the village?"

Minato Namikaze shook his head. "No. I looked into it. Aside from accepting an A-Rank mission two days ago and a B-Rank Mission the following day, he's been training the entire time. He hasn't had any further contact with anyone."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed deeply.

"I really can't figure this child out!"

Minato Namikaze said nothing, but inwardly, he had already reached the same conclusion. Exactly! It's downright strange! He's five years old, but he acts like a fifty-year-old!

Even facing Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't make Minato Namikaze as nervous as being alone with Ling Feng did.

"Still, this is enough to prove that Ling Feng has nothing to do with those ten deaths in the Uchiha Clan. Otherwise, he wouldn't be calmly accepting missions and training by himself."

Hiruzen Sarutobi offered his analysis.

Minato Namikaze nodded in agreement. "Ling Feng has no family, and he never gets involved in any disputes. He has the potential to become a talented shinobi for Konoha. We can't let him get dragged into the conspiracy the Uchiha Clan is caught up in."

"Of course. That's precisely why I've summoned him."

"I'll find a way to deal with the Uchiha Clan, but Ling Feng must cooperate with us first. Konoha does need talent, but it needs people who follow orders."

"The Uchiha Clan's conduct has become increasingly troubling. We can't keep blindly protecting their interests. What do you think, Minato?"

As Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, he rose and walked to the window, gazing out over Konoha with a world-weary expression.

Hearing this, Minato Namikaze hurriedly replied, "Yes, I agree."

"Oh, right. Where's Ling Feng? Why haven't I seen him? Are you sure you told him to come see me?"

As though something had just occurred to him, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned and looked behind Minato Namikaze, only to find no one there.

Minato Namikaze scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, Ling Feng said he needed to finish his training before coming over."

Hiruzen Sarutobi froze at those words.

What? Someone in Konoha actually had that much nerve?

Since he had taken office as Hokage, who hadn't come running the moment they received his summons?

This kid really was something!

"This kid has some nerve. Let's hope he doesn't have too much training to do!"

At last, Ling Feng arrived.

But a full two hours had passed since Hiruzen Sarutobi said those words.

"Lord Third. Lord Minato."

After entering the office, Ling Feng bowed slightly to the two men.

Having come to the Hokage Building, he still needed to observe basic etiquette.

After all, they were much older than he was.

Looking at the utterly composed Ling Feng, Minato Namikaze couldn't help turning his head away, inwardly filled with admiration. The young really do know no fear!

The Third's expression, on the other hand, was decidedly unpleasant.

"Ling Feng, you certainly have quite an extensive training routine!"