Hiruzen raised his head and swept his gaze over them one by one: Asuma, Shikaku, Ibiki, Shibi, Kakashi, Tsunade, Orochimaru...
Finally, his gaze settled on Xuandou.
He stared at him with a complicated look.
This evil Uchiha, whom he loathed and even feared, had finally reached a level he could never catch up to.
Kumogakure, which he had failed to defeat even with all his strength.
The enemy that had caused his death in battle.
In the end, it had fallen to this Uchiha whom he had deliberately suppressed, who had moved away along with his entire clan.
Both its village and its country had been annexed by him.
Then what did all his years of work to make Konoha prosper amount to?
If Xuandou kept growing like this, wouldn't their Konoha have become invincible?
At that very moment.
Frustration, regret, anger... all these emotions intertwined in his heart as scenes from the past gradually surfaced in his mind.
"Lord Hiruzen, long time no see."
Xuandou cupped his hands and nudged Naruto forward to greet Hiruzen.
"This must be Naruto. It's been a long time, little Naruto."
"I even held you when you were born. To think you've grown this big in the blink of an eye!"
A trace of embarrassment first crossed Hiruzen's face, but he immediately took the hint and greeted Naruto.
Things were no longer as they once were.
After all, he was already dead now.
The Sarutobi Clan had also fallen into decline.
If he still refused to behave with dignity, someone might well scatter his ashes.
He had never imagined it.
He was the Hokage, yet someone had actually come to audit the Hokage's family's accounts.
"Old man, you don't need to show these two any courtesy. They actually dared accuse you of embezzling the