The Hokage Wants to See You
Bright sunlight filters through the gaps in the dense foliage, creating irregular patches of light and shadow that scatter like golden fragments on the ground.
Just as Koki returned, a deafening roar suddenly filled her ears, like a thunderclap exploding in the sky.
"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" The sounds continued incessantly, echoing through the sky.
Koki was startled by the sudden loud noise and stopped in his tracks in astonishment. He looked in the direction from which the sound came and his eyes widened in disbelief.
Not far away, a figure descended from the sky like a bird and landed lightly on the ground.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a weasel!
At this moment, he exuded a powerful aura, completely different from his usual image.
Looking at the enormous wild boar before them, a deep, bottomless dent had appeared on its iron-hard skull, clearly indicating that it had suffered an extremely violent impact.
As the wild boar's massive body collapsed, dust billowed up, forming a thick cloud of smoke that filled the air.
"I... what the hell!?" Koki stared in disbelief, utterly unable to comprehend what she was seeing.
Is this still my gentle, cute, and well-behaved younger brother?
In his memory, Itachi was always a well-behaved, sensible, and lovable younger brother, who always gave people a feeling of being weak and in need of care.
However, what he was seeing at that moment completely shattered his preconceived notions about his own child.
Itachi noticed that his older brother, who had just returned from training, was looking at him with a surprised expression. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a shy smile, but his eyes still revealed a hint of unease. He seemed to realize that his behavior just now was too shocking and had greatly surprised his brother.
He hesitated for a moment, a hint of caution and unease in his voice, and asked softly, "Brother, was I a little too violent just now?"
"No... no," Koki quickly replied, though he tried to make his voice sound natural and fluent, he still couldn't hide the slight stutter.
He killed a huge wild boar with just three punches! But so what? This was his most beloved younger brother!
Upon hearing this, Itachi excitedly ran to his brother's side, looked up at him, seemingly forgetting that he was the one who had just been so brave, and said with great joy, "That's good."
"..." Gekko Hayate looked at the Uchiha brothers, who had such a deep bond, and was completely speechless.
He muttered to himself, "I really don't know who it was that used just one punch to make that wild boar's hard skull so deeply dented."
"By the way, we mustn't waste these treasures! Hayate, hurry up and bring them all back to the village; we're sure to get a fortune!"
Hayate stood still, his lips twitching slightly involuntarily.
He glanced helplessly at the enormous wild boar carcass lying on the ground, sighed deeply, and finally nodded in agreement, "Alright, leave it to me."
"Alright, then please transport it there now. I'll take Itachi to check on Shisui's situation!"
"..." Hayate fell silent again.
He must have owed the Uchiha a huge debt in his past life, otherwise why would he be in such a helpless situation now?
It has been over a month since the start of the mission for the Team Koki. In this month, they have grown rapidly, completing one mission after another with their efficient cooperation and outstanding abilities.
After getting Minato's permission, Koki would occasionally bring her younger brother Itachi along on missions, which made Itachi extremely happy.
There weren't many tasks today, only three, making it a relatively easy day for the Team Koki.
Just now, Itachi easily completed one of the tasks—slaughtering three enormous wild boars—thanks to his immense strength.
Since when, wild boars have been roaming the forests. These giant beasts have thick hides and are terrifying when they become ferocious.
Not only are they incredibly strong, but they are also exceptionally intelligent and adept at hiding, leaving the villagers helpless and forced to seek help from the ninjas.
Meanwhile, Shisui is busy trying to find the beloved cat of an elderly woman.
As for the third task... just thinking about it gave Koki a splitting headache.
This wasn't the first time they'd done this task; it was a childcare assignment posted by a single mother.
This single mother is a businesswoman who frequently leaves the village for work, so she has to entrust her child to the care of a ninja.
But this child is no ordinary child!
Its cries can pierce eardrums, leaving one with a constant buzzing in their ears; its destructive power is even more astonishing, capable of turning a room upside down in minutes, leaving one completely bewildered.
The natural attraction that Koki possesses for most children had absolutely no effect on him; he was helpless when the child started crying.
"Don't worry, brother, I'm here!" Itachi patted his chest, his expression full of adorable confidence.
"Alright! I'll leave it all to you then."
"Leave it to me!" Itachi's answer was crisp and resolute.
Strangely enough, the child became completely subservient to Itachi the moment he saw him, and obeyed his every word.
With Itachi's help, the third mission was successfully completed.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the streets of Konoha, draping the entire village in a golden cloak.
Koki, Itachi, Shisui, and Hayate had just submitted their missions for the day and were preparing to take a short break when Minato unexpectedly appeared in front of them.
For the past month or so, the Minato has been managing them in a completely laissez-faire manner.
He never interfered with their decision-making, granting them absolute freedom and trust.
Minato knew that these three boys all possessed extraordinary talent and potential, and what they needed was a vast world and opportunities to spread their wings and soar.
Occasionally, Minato would quietly appear, silently observing their growth and changes, but rarely offering any comments.
Of course, he would also impart some of the essence of Ninjutsu and practical experience to them from time to time, and share his insights from the battlefield, so that they could understand the way of the ninja and their responsibilities.
However, Minato never taught, nor did he need to teach, the basics.
After all, with their strength and talent, these three had already mastered basic skills like Water Walking and climbing trees to perfection.
Wouldn't it be a waste of talent to have Minato teach these three such basic things?
"You did a great job. Come on, I'll treat you to Ichiraku Ramen today."
"Yay!"
The Konoha in winter are covered with a thin layer of frost, and a chill permeates the air.
Team Koki and Minato walked into Ichiraku Ramen Shop together. When Teuchi saw them, his already smiling eyes curved even wider, like two crescent moons.
"Welcome, you've finished the task?" the Teuchi- aged man greeted him warmly.
"Yes, the same as always."
"Okay!" the Teuchi uncle replied and busied himself cooking noodles.
Before long, five bowls of steaming hot and delicious ramen were served on the table, their rich aroma instantly filling the air and making one's mouth water.
"Wow." After taking a bite of ramen, Koki closed her eyes contentedly.
On a cold winter day, a bowl of steaming hot ramen is just so comforting! The warmth spreads from the tip of your tongue throughout your body, as if dispelling all the cold and fatigue.
"If you have something to say Minato-sensei, please speak freely," Koki said while slurping her ramen.
He could tell from the beginning that Minato had something on his mind, but he just hadn't said anything.
Minato hesitated for a moment, his eyes shifting with conflicting emotions. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly said, "Yes, the Lord Hokage wants to see you."
After saying that, he dared not look into Koki's eyes again, afraid that he would be angry.
The other three looked at Koki, awaiting his decision.
"Sure, when?" Koki answered without hesitation.
His tone was relaxed and casual, as if the matter was unimportant. In his mind, meeting Hiruzen Sarutobi was something he had long expected, and the time had come.