Third Hokage's Funeral, Time to Pop the Champagne

After that harrowing battle, Konoha was greeted by a light drizzle.

This rain seemed like tears shed by heaven for the departed lives, gently falling on this weathered land, trying to wash away all the pain and dust.

In the rain, the Konoha were scarred and broken.

The once towering Hokage Building is now a ruin, its broken walls appearing even more dilapidated under the erosion of the rain.

Steel bars and stones were scattered haphazardly on the ground, and the destroyed windows stood empty, like silent mouths telling the story of the past tragedy.

Fortunately, the Mission Hall is still intact, and the Konoha Tournament is being urgently convened here.

The atmosphere in the hall was heavy and oppressive, as if an invisible boulder was pressing down on everyone's heart.

In the main seat, Tsunade's expression was solemn, her eyes revealing both exhaustion and determination.

As Three Sannin, she knew that she bore a heavy responsibility at this moment, and that the future of the entire Konoha rested on her shoulders.

In the Vice Seat, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had serious expressions and furrowed brows. Time had etched deep marks on their faces, but their eyes still shone with the loyalty and concern of the Old Generation Ninjas for Konoha.

Kakashi Hatake, the Fourth Hokage's Disciple, who was sitting in a wheelchair, also held a high position. Now, Kakashi looked dejected, his hands resting limply on the armrests of his wheelchair, his eyes filled with remembrance of the deceased Hokage and worry about the current state of Konoha.

Hyuga Hiashi stood tall and straight, with a stern expression.

Tsume Inuzuka was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, his eyes showing the alertness characteristic of the Inuzuka Clan.

Shibi Aburame remained hidden in the shadows, only revealing a pair of deep eyes, making it impossible to discern his expression.

The Veteran Trio Ino-Shika-Cho) are no longer as relaxed as they used to be.

The group of high-ranking Jonin other, their expressions filled with grief.

Kurama Murakumo, the Kurama Clan Head, looked at Uchiha Yu for a while, then closed his eyes to rest.

In addition, there were many Konoha High Command and Clan Leader of Minor Clans Uchiha Yu had never heard of before.

Uchiha Yu, standing in the middle of the group, seemed somewhat out of place.

After a long while, Might Guy spoke first.

"Why did you call Yu to the meeting? He..."

Mitokado Homura sighed and explained, "Currently, there are only two members of the Uchiha Clan alive. Although Uchiha Sasuke is the son of Fugaku, he is still young and does not count."

By saying this, he had essentially sealed the fate of what happened last night.

Mitokado Homura cleared his throat. "To put it simply, last night, Danzo secretly colluded with Itachi Uchiha Clan Compound, killing countless people, all in an attempt to stop the Uchiha Clan's rebellion."

He paused here, "According to eyewitness Uchiha Yu, he saw a mysterious Uchiha ninja with a strong aura and a very old appearance. Based on his description, I can only think of one person."

Everyone held their breath, Mitokado Homura continued, "Madara Uchiha."

"Madara Uchiha!? How! How is this possible!"

Chaos erupted as everyone panicked. Tsunade shouted, "Quiet!"

The Konoha High Command kept quiet, as they still had to give face to the Three Sannin.

Mitokado Homura's eyes were fixed on Uchiha Yu's face. "There's no reason why this brat has ever seen Madara's face, and Danzo's Root Squad, which numbered thirty or forty, didn't leave a single survivor."

"Based on all the evidence," Mitokado Homura said gravely, "Sandalus might still be alive."

Everyone present was stunned!

How is this any different from a ghost story?!

Utatane Koharu sighed, "Danzo wanted to wipe out the Uchiha Clan. Madara Uchiha, as the former Clan Leader of the Uchiha, could no longer hold back and killed Danzo. The missing Uchiha clan members and Danzo, who colluded with Danzo, should all be directly related to Madara."

Everyone present was shocked, except for Uchiha Yu, who looked completely unconvinced.

Because he was the one who first proposed this conclusion.

With Kakashi and Tsunade by his side.

Last night, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had to listen to Uchiha Yu explain in detail what he had seen.

Given the incredible feat of wiping out the Root and killing Danzo, even these two Senior Advisors had no choice but to believe the "truth" that Uchiha Yu had described.

Mitokado Homura continued, "According to the investigation, when the Uchiha Clan plotted their rebellion, Uchiha Yu was in the Land of Snow and was not on the list. However, because of his contributions to the village, his actions last night can be defined as self-defense. The details have been submitted to the Daimyo, Daimyo will judge whether he is guilty or not."

"I can vouch for him." Kakashi propped himself up. "Yu risked his life to save me twice. He is a teammate you can trust."

"That's right!" Might Guy also stepped forward. "This kid has no problem as a person!"

Kurenai Yuhi glanced at Asuma, who was still grieving beside her, and after a moment's thought, spoke up, "Uchiha Yu, as a genius ninja of the village, deserves more protection. During the last mission, he was Danzo..."

At this point, Kakashi gave her a look, Kurenai Yuhi immediately shut her mouth.

But everyone knew what she meant.

We cannot allow the last two remaining members of the Uchiha Clan to be wronged any further.

"Ahem." Utatane Koharu cleared her throat. "Danzo's actions have seriously violated the village's will. The village will now protect the remaining two Uchiha clan members."

Her words essentially absolved the village of all responsibility for the Uchiha Clan Massacre massacre.

The conclusion was not only addressed to Uchiha Yu, but also to other clans and ninjas in the village.

The practice of discarding a donkey after it has served its purpose is akin to a situation where the two parties are mutually dependent and their interests are

Especially Hyuga Hiashi.

Now, as the head of the largest clan in the Clan Leader, he has sensed a subtle atmosphere.

Death of Sarutobi forced Konoha's Senior Advisors to stabilize morale first. If they were to resort to Danzo's Danzo at this point, Konoha would truly fall apart.

Mitokado Homura tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "Orochimaru killed Hiruzen Sarutobi. Now, we need to select a new Hokage."

As he said this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's son, Asuma Sarutobi, stood up, turned around, and walked out of the hall.

Despite the pain on her face, Kurenai Yuhi did not chase after him.

"Hmm," Mitokado Homura looked around, "You should first list out the candidates you think are suitable, and I will personally submit them to the Daimyo for his judgment."

Utatane Koharu glanced at Tsunade in the main seat and said, "I suggest Tsunade do it."

Upon hearing that Tsunade was to become the new Hokage, the ninjas' fighting spirit was rekindled!

After all, most of them had met the legendary Three Sannin, and some of the older ones had even witnessed Tsunade's heroic performance in the Ninja World War.

If we send away the aging and feeble Hiruzen Sarutobi and replace him with the young Tsunade as the new Hokage, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing!

The entire Clans set an example, but Tsunade directly objected, saying, "I don't want to do it. After curing Kakashi's poison and treating the village's wounded, I will leave the village with Shizune."

"Ah! Lady Tsunade! This won't do!"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade, you've finally returned to Konoha, and now that you're the Third Hokage, you need to take charge of the bigger picture!"

"Lady Tsunade, please reconsider! What will Konoha do without you!"

Tsunade: "I don't think I'm qualified to be a ninja again, let alone a leader of ninjas. Let's drop this suggestion!"

Mitokado Homura sighed, "Tsunade, don't refuse yet. Does anyone agree to Jiraiya becoming the Fifth Hokage?"

These words rekindled hope in those who had just suffered.

After all, in places like the countryside, male leaders are still more respected.

After a long discussion, the final vote was cast with nineteen votes for Jiraiya and ten for Tsunade.

"Um," Uchiha Yu raised his hand, "As the last member of the Uchiha clan, I should also have the right to vote, right? I think Tsunade is a good choice."

Several days passed quickly.

It has been Sarutobi's Seventh Day.

The Sky Manipulation over Konoha was overcast, and fine rain fell like sorrowful threads, casting an even heavier shadow of grief over the funeral of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The entire village was immersed in solemnity and grief, and an inescapable gloom permeated the streets and alleys.

The people attending the funeral were dressed in black and stood in neat and quiet rows. Their faces were full of grief, and many of them had tears in their eyes and were sobbing softly.

Amidst the crowd, Uchiha Yu stood quietly beside Sasuke, who was in a wheelchair, steadily holding an umbrella over the young Sasuke.

Rainwater slid down the umbrella, forming glistening curtains of water.

Sasuke's small body looked particularly frail in the oppressive atmosphere. His eyes were glazed over, and his youthful face was filled with confusion and sorrow.

He seemed unable to fully grasp the profound significance of the funeral, merely caught up in the sorrowful atmosphere around him, staring blankly at everything before him.

Uchiha Yu tilted the edge of the umbrella slightly, perfectly concealing his facial expression.

He bit his lip, trying his best to suppress the inappropriate urge to burst into laughter.

Unfortunately, in his eyes, this so-called funeral was more like a farce.

He recalled Hiruzen Sarutobi's past actions, the injustices and persecutions he had inflicted on the Uchiha Clan, and an overwhelming sense of sarcasm welled up within him.

If it weren't for the need to conceal his true emotions, he probably would have burst out laughing on the spot.

The ceremony began slowly, with solemn and sorrowful music flowing gently through the air.

One by one, the ninjas stepped forward with sorrowful expressions, holding flowers that symbolized respect and remembrance, and gently placed them in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi's monument.

Their movements were gentle and slow, as if they were afraid of disturbing the departed Hokage.

Even Kakashi Hatake, who was in a wheelchair, struggled to reach the monument with the help of others and placed the flowers down.

As Kakashi acted, the cries around him grew louder.

Everyone was immersed in the intense atmosphere of grief, tears streaming down their faces.

Seeing this, Uchiha Yu found it even harder to suppress his smile.

His shoulders trembled slightly, and his body, which he was trying to suppress, began to move uncontrollably.

In order to avoid being noticed, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and join in the "howling" with the crowd, trying to use the abrupt sound to cover up his laughter that was about to burst out.

He pretended to cry while secretly mocking the hypocritical scene in his heart, but on the surface he still had to put on a look of deep sorrow, which he found extremely ridiculous and ironic.

The Hokage's death is death.

The deaths of more than 650 members of the Uchiha do not mean they are truly dead.

And now, who remembers them?

Hypocritical Konoha

Just then, a Blondie kid rushed into the crowd.

Upon seeing Naruto, several ninjas quickly grabbed him, shouting, "Naruto! This is Hiruzen Sarutobi Sarutobi's funeral! Don't cause trouble!"

Naruto fought back tears, "I! I know! I, I came to deliver flowers!"

When everyone saw that Naruto was indeed carrying flowers, they felt embarrassed and made way for him.

Naruto walked up to Hiruzen Sarutobi's Hero's Monument and placed a yellow flower on it.

He turned to look at everyone's faces, rubbed his nose, and said, "Hmph! I'll become Hokage someday! I'm off!"

The villagers had long understood Naruto's show-off nature, so they didn't mind.

Naruto walked away looking cool, but his eyes were still filled with tears.

He pretended it was all rainwater, wiped it a couple of times, and went to the outer edge of the crowd.

"Huh? Kind big brother?"

Following Naruto's gaze, he indeed saw Uchiha Yu trying to suppress his laughter.

"Big brother!" Naruto Uzumaki stepped forward and gave Uchiha Yu a big bear hug on the lower back. "What are you doing here?"

Uchiha Yu suppressed a laugh, "I came because I heard meals were provided."

"Really? Really? Meals are included?!"

"Shh!" Uchiha Yu was speechless. "Keep your voice down. Are you afraid people will know we're hungry?"

"That's true."

Naruto Uzumaki noticed Sasuke's bewildered expression and waved his hand curiously in front of Sasuke. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Sasuke experienced more bad things in one night than Naruto did in his entire life.

Being born without parents is completely different from witnessing your parents die hundreds of times.

People are afraid of losing things.

Even if it didn't exist in the first place.

Uchiha Sasuke seemed to have an innate curiosity about Asura's chakra reincarnation. He looked Naruto up and down, but still wore a sour face, showing no desire to communicate.

Thanks to Tsunade's treatment, Sasuke recovered from most of the physical discomfort he experienced after the Tsukuyomi, but the memories in his mind continued to irritate him.

Right now, all he can think about is revenge, and even Naruto Uzumaki can't pique his interest.

"Weirdo~"

Naruto crossed his arms, squatted in the rain, and silently played with the frogs in the puddles.

Seeing this, Uchiha Yu couldn't help but ask, "Hey, aren't you going home?"

Naruto Uzumaki pouted. "Didn't you say meals would be provided?"

Uchiha Yu was so Naruto that he laughed!

"Alright, let's go, I'll take you guys to get something to eat."

The rain was pouring down, and most shops had to close because of the death of the Third Hokage.

As usual, at Ichiraku Ramen, the owner, Teuchi Otsutsuki, neither cared whether Naruto was a Nine-Tailed Fox nor about the death of the Third Hokage.

The ramen is still being made, and business continues as usual.

However, business in the shop was not good today. The fire a few days ago still caused heavy damage to many villagers, and with the deaths of Third Hokage, they had no appetite to eat.

Naruto Uzumaki, acting as the laborer, pushed Uchiha Sasuke's wheelchair to the shop entrance. As soon as Naruto smelled the aroma of ramen, he hurriedly pushed the wheelchair inside without even noticing the steps on the ground.

With a thud, Sasuke made intimate contact with the ground, his nose almost crooked from the impact.

"Naruto." Uchiha Yu gritted his teeth, Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head sheepishly, "Hehe, hehe."

At that moment, a solitary figure sat in a corner of the shop.

Upon hearing someone approaching from behind, the guy immediately shrank back and hid in a corner, as if afraid of being seen.

Looking at the number of empty bowls, Uchiha Yu knew who that guy was.

Konoha's Number One Big Eater, the Hinata Hyuga!

That's right, it's Hinata.

Hinata's appetite far surpasses that of her peers, and it wasn't until after she married Naruto that her appetite became apparent.

Teuchi Otsutsuki ramen coupons, but he would never dare let Hinata know, fearing that Hinata would devour all his secrets.

Young Naruto, unaware that the person sitting in the corner was his Official Match, was focused on eating ramen and shouted at his Teuchi, "Ramen Shop Owner! Two thousand bowls of ramen!"

Uchiha Yu delivered a Charged Heavy Hammer to Naruto, knocking him to the ground, and Teuchi, "Bring ten bowls of rice first!"

The ramen was served quickly, and Naruto, eager to eat his second bowl, splashed ramen soup everywhere.

However, no matter how fast he ate, he couldn't eat as fast Earth Grudge Fear Uchiha Yu, who ate half a bowl of noodles and soup in one bite and finished the whole bowl in two bites.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Sasuke, sitting to the side, still had a listless look in his eyes and appeared worried.

When Uchiha Yu was eating his sixth bowl, he turned to Sasuke and said, "Eat something, what are you going to do? Go on a hunger strike?"

Sasuke remained silent, staring blankly at the ramen.

Uchiha Yu sighed, "If you keep starving Tenten like this, with your eyes glazed over, when will you ever get your revenge?"

Upon hearing this, Sasuke became motivated and slurped up the noodles with even faster hand speed than Naruto!

Naruto, thinking Sasuke was going to steal the rest of his noodles, quickly swallowed them without even chewing!

Uchiha Yu knew his purse was doomed, but luckily he had looted a lot of Uchiha treasures. His generous Teuchi said, "Bring ten more bowls!"

After a hearty meal, three diners, rubbing their bellies and picking their teeth behind Half-Person Tall Ramen Bowl, sat with burps.

"Ah, that was great! I haven't eaten this well in ages!" Naruto Uzumaki rubbed his stomach contentedly. "I wish I could eat this well every day."

Uchiha Yu clutched his wallet. "You can only eat like this on a good day. Such an opportunity is rare, you know!"

Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head. "Okay. By the way, big brother! Can you take me out of the village?"

What are you going to do?

"I want to see! I never went out when the Old Hokage Grandpa was alive, but now that he's gone..."

"Don't even think about it." Uchiha Yu refused on the spot. The Fugitive Crime the village alone with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was much more serious than killing Danzo.

While the two were chatting, Uchiha Sasuke suddenly forced himself up and stood up!

Seeing his staggering posture, Uchiha Yu tilted his head and asked, "Going to the toilet?"

Sasuke a deep breath. "Please! Teach me!"

"Teach what?" Uchiha Yu asked rhetorically.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, "The way to become stronger! The way to kill Itachi!"

Naruto Uzumaki interrupted, "Um, who is that... what's this 'Yu' thing?"

"It's not Yu, it's Itachi, one against seven." Uchiha Yu explained, "Seven days ago, the Uchiha Clan was wiped out, leaving only Sasuke and me. His brother fought against seven of them."

Naruto Uzumaki was confused. "Why would his brother kill his own clansmen?" As he said this, he suddenly noticed a pair of bloodshot eyes staring at him and immediately shut his mouth.

Sasuke continued, "Teach me!"

Uchiha Yu thought for a moment, "Teaching you is not impossible, but you can't learn what I know, so I'll have to find you a teacher."

"Please!" Sasuke immediately knelt Dogesa.

It's truly remarkable that Sasuke could do something like this before he had fully developed his cool personality.

Uchiha Yu smacked his lips and thought for a while, "Alright. I'll communicate with the village in a few days. The Ninja Academy can't teach you much practical stuff anyway, so I'll get you out of there early to graduate."

"But before that, I need to obtain Jonin Qualification before I can form a team. And before Jonin Qualification, I also need to participate in the Chunin Ninja Exams."