Two weeks later.
The Third Hokage announced his retirement, with Minato Namikaze succeeding him as the Fourth Hokage, and work began on his stone likeness on Hokage Rock.
At that moment, Sarutobi held his pipe as he sat with Liumu atop a water tower in the village, watching the stonemasons hammer away at Hokage Rock in the distance.
"Those daimyo were that easy to convince? They approved it in just two weeks?"
Sarutobi smiled. "You underestimate Minato. His popularity in Konoha is at its peak right now. Even the heads of the various clans have nothing but praise for him."
The Hokage's succession required approval from the daimyo and the leadership of the Land of Fire.
After Sarutobi proposed his retirement, firmly resolved to leave, he also submitted Minato's name.
Within two weeks, the matter was finalized.
The face on Hokage Rock was nearly finished, and the day of Minato Namikaze's inauguration as Hokage drew ever closer.
"I heard Jiraiya is in the Land of Crafts?" the Third Hokage asked casually, taking a puff of his pipe.
Liumu gave a quiet hum of agreement, his expression no longer teasing.
"Yes. Master Jiraiya discovered something in the Land of Crafts and asked me to take a look, so I might not be able to attend Minato's inauguration as the Fourth Hokage."
The weapons of the Land of Crafts had caught Liumu's attention as early as his promotion to Chunin.
But back then, even though Konoha had sent ninja to investigate their secrets, they had never found anything.
Liumu suspected that Master Jiraiya's discovery this time was very likely related to that.
"With Jiraiya absent and you gone too, Minato will probably be quite disappointed."
"He won't!"
Liumu laughed, stood up, and patted the dust off his backside.
This immediately drew a