Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze's Conversation

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was as solemn as autumn frost, his brows furrowed. He carefully sealed the crystal ball again, making it airtight, and nervously surveyed his surroundings, secretly praying that no one had noticed his "spying" behavior.

Then, he quietly called for the person waiting outside to enter the room.

"Go find Minato Namikaze immediately and tell him you have important matters to discuss in the Hokage's office."

"Yes!" A crisp reply came from the shadows, and then silence returned to the room.

Not long after, a figure appeared in front of the Hokage Building with astonishing speed.

The visitor was none other than Minato Namikaze. He stood tall and straight as he entered the office, then bowed slightly and respectfully greeted, "Lord Hokage."

"Oh, you've come." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice carried a hint of weariness.

He slowly raised his head from the mountain of documents on the table, his gaze piercing through the gaps between the layers of documents to land on Minato.

His eyes held both reproach and confusion as he cut to the chase, asking directly, "Why did you make Uchiha Kōki graduate?"

Facing the Third Hokage, Minato's eyes were firm and clear, without the slightest hesitation or retreat. He straightened his spine and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I believe his strength has already qualified him for graduation."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly, dissatisfied with Minato's answer, and his tone became somewhat stern. "What I mean is, why didn't you fight him?"

Minato repeated his earlier statement without hesitation, "I don't think it's necessary. He's already strong enough to graduate."

In fact, Minato's words were true. There were three parts to this assessment. Leaving aside the written test for now, Koki's performance in the other two tests—basic Ninjutsu skills and perception and vigilance—was flawless.

Let alone graduating as Genin, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to directly promote him to Chunin; he wouldn't be inferior to Jonin either.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was well aware of these circumstances, but his concerns were far more complex than they appeared on the surface.

After a long silence, Minato added with a smile, "Besides, didn't the Lord Hokage tell me that if I felt it was right, I should just give him the Forehead Protector?"

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened in anger, and he almost jumped up.

He was speechless for a moment, stammering, "You..."

How could you say that? He... he was just saying it offhand! Who knew Minato would actually do it!

Thinking about this, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but regret why he had said those words in the first place.

I even spent the whole morning watching the crystal ball, hoping to see a great test, but it turned out like this. It was such a waste of time!

A sense of helplessness and anger welled up inside him, yet he couldn't bring himself to lash out at Minato. Was he really supposed to just tell him, "You have to defeat him and stop him from graduating?"

Isn't this bullying?

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, his gaze fixed on the mountain of documents piled up in front of him. His brows were furrowed. This Minato was truly a headache!

Minato Namikaze stood silently to one side, watching the Lord Hokage's furrowed brows and worried expression.

After a moment's thought, he asked softly, "Why is the Lord Hokage so troubled?"

As you know, there has never been peace among the Five Great Nations.

"Kumogakure possesses abundant natural resources, but it also boasts many powerful ninjas. Especially the warlike Third Raikage A, A, who is not only incredibly strong but also ambitious. Under his leadership, Kumogakure has always maintained vigilance and a sense of threat towards other nations."

"Ōnoki of Iwagakure is no pushover either; he harbors similar ambitions and has been plotting how to expand Iwagakure's influence."

"Another matter has made the situation even more complicated: the sudden disappearance of the Third Kazekage has undoubtedly added more uncertainty to the current situation. According to our intelligence, Sunagakure has dispatched a large number of personnel to Konoha; in fact, it can be said that their presence can be traced in every village."

"The current situation is extremely critical! If war breaks out, I firmly believe that Konoha will become the target of everyone's attacks, and it is even highly likely that they will join forces to attack Konoha."

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a chill run down his spine. He secretly admired Minato's insight and analytical skills; every point he made was reasonable, causing him to fall into deep thought.

Konoha is located in the heart of the Five Great Nations, possessing abundant natural resources and fertile land. It is not only densely populated but also a hub of economy and culture.

However, all of this made Konoha a target for other countries.

Apart from Kirigakure in the Land of Water, due to its unique geographical location, surrounded by the sea and numerous islands, it is less involved in the conflicts between nations.

However, the other three countries all wanted to take Konoha for themselves.

Hiruzen Sarutobi still vividly remembers the horrific scenes of the Second Shinobi World War.

At that time, Kumogakure and Iwagakure joined forces to attack Konoha, and even Sunagakure joined in.

That war brought enormous losses to Konoha, with countless ninjas sacrificing their lives, the village being destroyed, and the lives of its people being severely impacted.

The Third Kazekage actually sent two people to launch a sneak attack on Konoha! If it weren't for Hatake Sakumo sitting firmly in the rear at that time, Konoha would probably have been in deep crisis long ago.

Minato continued, "Lord Hokage- sama, once the war begins, a large number of ninja from the village will inevitably rush to the front lines. At that time, the village will be left empty and short-handed, with numerous missions piling up."

"Therefore, I firmly believe that there is no problem with letting Koki graduate at this time. Her combat strength is formidable, and even if she doesn't go to the battlefield, she can stay in the village to assist in handling various affairs and do her best to protect Konoha."

What do you think?

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi in agreement. Indeed, with the flames of war ignited, Konoha would be severely short of manpower. Every ninja would be crucial, and every bit of strength would be a hope for victory.

When the interests and safety of the village were mentioned, Hiruzen Sarutobi temporarily put aside his prejudice against the Uchiha Clan, after all, this was a matter of life and death for the entire Konoha!

After a moment of contemplation, he said to Minato Namikaze, "That's right, you did a very good job."

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "As expected of Minato! He's so thoughtful and considerate in every aspect."

I really misunderstood him before!

Minato Namikaze secretly breathed a sigh of relief; at least Koki wouldn't be troubled anymore.

He bowed slightly and replied respectfully, "Lord Hokage, I only did what I believed was right. Koki is a child with immense potential, and I firmly believe he will make even greater contributions to Konoha in the future."

Hopefully, you won't bother him again after this.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Minato Namikaze a deep look, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Minato, you certainly have a good eye. I hope you will continue to dedicate yourself to training more outstanding ninjas and work tirelessly for the prosperity and development of Konoha."

Minato Namikaze nodded solemnly. "Yes, I will do my best."