The next day.
Shinji walked out of the Academy. It was almost the start of the new school year, so he had to come over and arrange things.
After all, Hiruzen had long stopped paying attention to the Academy's affairs, practically entrusting everything to him.
'No, I have to let Iruka grow up as soon as possible.' Shinji rubbed his slightly sore neck, thinking to himself.
He simply didn't have much time. His days were spent either at the Hokage Building or the training ground. He had already decided that he would just send a Shadow Clone to teach when the new school year began.
Time was fixed, and he no longer had much time to go to the Academy to teach.
Hmm?
Walking on the street, Shinji saw Jiraiya, looking sneaky, waving at him repeatedly.
"What's up, senpai?" Shinji quickly walked over, looking at Jiraiya with a strange expression.
Why did he look like he was stealing something?
"You brat! Can you help me out?!" Jiraiya threw an arm around Shinji's shoulder, speaking with a slightly tearful expression.
"Help you?" Shinji thought of Tsunade and quickly shook his head.
No way. Tsunade looked very annoyed whenever she saw him, so he'd better not go asking for a beating.
Shinji said, "My body can't handle it."
Jiraiya shook his head and said, "No, it's about whether you can talk to the old man and let me leave the village, even if it's just to perform missions for a while."
Knowing Hiruzen's intentions, Jiraiya naturally wouldn't mind a little more time. It was just that he had been dragged around by Tsunade recently, and he felt that no matter how many digits were in his bank account, he couldn't keep up.
Shinji spread his hands. He knew what Hiruzen's intentions were in keeping Jiraiya in the village. Moreover, it was his suggestion, so Jiraiya couldn't leave the village.
"You brat! If I don't go out and hide for a while, Tsunade will kill me." Jiraiya was exasperated.
This kid wasn't helping his senpai at all.
"Such a good thing?" Shinji looked at Jiraiya mockingly.
Jiraiya shouted, "Get lost! I'm talking about my money!"
Hearing this, Shinji looked at Jiraiya with an expression as if he were looking at an idiot, and after a long time, he slowly said, "Senpai, do you really think Tsunade-senpai is angry because of what you did?"
"Although it's also possible that your money swayed her."
Jiraiya was stunned, then retorted, "Isn't it? No! How do you know?!"
"Don't worry about how I know. Think about how Tsunade-senpai dealt with you when you peeped into the bathhouse before. That kind of thing is what would truly take your life."
Shinji waved his hand and then headed towards the Hokage Building.
Listening to Shinji's words, Jiraiya was stunned. He remembered that time many years ago when he was caught by Tsunade peeping into the women's bathhouse.
Tsunade was probably in a bad mood at the time and furiously beat him up. That time, he really almost lost his life.
Six ribs were broken, both arms fractured, and several internal organs ruptured. In the end, it was Tsunade who treated him and saved his life.
"Yes, if she were truly angry, why would she only beat me that one time? And it only looked painful." Jiraiya couldn't help but ponder.
Logically, she should have been even more furious than last time. After all, this time he had truly seen everything.
"Could it be—"
Jiraiya's old face turned crimson.
Shinji, who had arrived at the Hokage Building, felt speechless. Jiraiya, this emotional idiot, could actually write the best-selling Icha Icha Paradise.
Then what about his own fate?
Ugh—never mind. If he dared to do such a thing, Hiruzen would be the first to skin him alive.
After all, his three previous disciples had already gathered the vices of 'gambling, lust, and drugs.'
As soon as Shinji entered the office, he was stunned.
Good heavens, the entire office was almost turning into a 'fairyland'.
Asuma pulled a cigarette from the pack on the desk, put it in his mouth, and with a click, skillfully lit it.
"Yo, Shinji's here."
Hiruzen waved with a smiling expression.
Shinji glanced at the two of them, walked to the window, and opened it.
"Old man, old Asu, are you two trying to get nicotine poisoning?"
Hearing this, Hiruzen and Asuma finally noticed that the smoke in the office was a bit excessive.
"What's wrong?" Shinji sat down and then asked the two.
"The old man wants me to lead a team again." Asuma stated the reason simply and directly.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. The current missions were too demanding. Even with intern ninjas, it still didn't change things.
"That's it?" Shinji couldn't help but feel speechless.
Was it really necessary for the father and son to smoke like this after only a few words about something like that?
Asuma sighed. "I've just trained my subordinates, and now suddenly I have to switch. I'm not used to it."
It wasn't that he didn't want to lead a new team as soon as possible. It was just that he had been with his original Genin for several years, and they had just managed to become independent. Now he was being asked to lead new ones.
Shinji understood. Although Asuma was no longer at odds with his father's ideals, as he once was, this was his first team, and he had watched them grow like his own children.
Shinji turned to Hiruzen and said, "Sensei, why don't we follow what I suggested before? After all, having Asuma lead a team won't solve the problem."
He had brought this up with Hiruzen a long time ago. He suggested that the Jonin of the Uchiha clan should also participate in leading teams, and more importantly, that Konoha could truly integrate with the Uchiha clan.
After all, the Uchiha clan had been independent from the village for too long. Even if it wouldn't change quickly, before, only a few Jonin led teams or participated in village missions. Now that missions were heavy, there was no reason not to seize this opportunity to accelerate progress.
Although much had changed now, the situation of large clans could not be resolved in just one or two years. Not just the Uchiha, but the Hyuga as well.
The Hyuga clan's privilege was that the Main House could become Genin by receiving education within the clan without going through the Academy. Hinata was the only exception.
And the Uchiha clan had previously always been the Police Force. Although they were now distributed, most of their clan members still became Genin through this method.
Shinji felt there was no need to continue this, as so many years had passed.
Only the Ino–Shika–Chō had always had a natural cooperative model. Otherwise, clans like the Inuzuka and Aburame had long been integrated into various teams.
As long as the active forces of the Uchiha clan were unleashed, it would definitely be a good thing for Konoha.
"Alright." Hiruzen sighed.
He hoped that Asuma, as his son, could set an example.
Hearing this, Asuma finally relaxed and quickly got up, intending to leave.
Halfway there, he suddenly remembered something and turned to Hiruzen, saying, "Konohamaru has been very wild lately. Spend more time with him when you have nothing to do."
Hiruzen was stunned, then nodded.
Shinji, however, shook his head. The conversation between these two father and son was so awkward.
He got up and snatched Hiruzen's pen, saying, "Alright, old man, take a day off today and go spend time with your grandson."
Saying this, Shinji pushed Hiruzen out the door and casually closed it.
Looking at the documents piled up on the desk again, Shinji couldn't help but sigh.
Hiruzen, for the entire Konoha, might be a good Hokage. But for his family, he was not such a good presence.