"Welcome, esteemed guest from afar."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was unhurried, carrying the calm and gentleness of someone long in a position of authority, like a kindly elder from next door.
"I am the Third Hokage of Konoha Hidden Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"Hansen."
Hansen merely stated his name and said no more, instead walking with interest to the large floor-to-ceiling window.
His gaze swept over the bustling street scene below, finally resting on the four giant Hokage Faces carved into the distant mountains, as if admiring an interesting work of art.
His almost dismissive attitude instantly caused the two advisors standing beside the Hokage to furrow their brows in displeasure.
Mito Mitokado Homura, clad in a formal long robe, had a stern, rigid authority etched on his aged face.
He couldn't help but let out a cold snort, his tone unfriendly: "Young man, seeing the Hokage-sama, yet still standing by the window looking at the scenery, is that your idea of manners?"
Only then did Hansen slowly withdraw his gaze from outside the window, turning to look at the old man who had spoken, a playful curve on his lips.
"Old man, are you telling me what to do?"
"You...!"
Mito Mitokado Homura nearly choked, his old face turning crimson, his finger pointing at Hansen, trembling slightly with rage.
As a Hokage advisor and an elder of Konoha, never had he suffered such a blatant defiance!
The nearby Utatane Koharu's face also darkened, and just as she was about to speak, she felt the air in the office suddenly thicken!
It was as if the gravity of the entire space was gripped by an invisible hand, the air becoming viscous like mercury, every breath a struggle against immense force.
Mito Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu instantly felt like they had been thrown into a ten-thousand-meter deep sea.
Invisible pressure squeezed them from all directions, making it difficult to breathe, their faces pale, and even maintaining a standing posture became incredibly difficult.
"Homura, Koharu, we have an important guest; do not be rude."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice broke the suffocating silence. He raised a hand to stop his two companions, and within his seemingly cloudy old eyes, an unprecedented sharp glint erupted.
As his words fell, the pressure, enough to instantly suffocate even an elite Jonin, quietly dissipated.
Mito Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu gasped for air, their backs instantly drenched in cold sweat. When they looked at Hansen again, their eyes held nothing but shock and fear.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep puff from his pipe, exhaling wisps of white smoke, but even the smoke couldn't fully conceal the shock deep in his eyes.
He couldn't see through him.
This man named Hansen had an empty body, not a single trace of Chakra.
But what was that power just now...?
Deep within Hiruzen Sarutobi's memory, a long-haired figure clad in red battle armor suddenly appeared.
That was his teacher's elder brother, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, known as the "God of Shinobi."
In his memories, the First Hokage usually acted like a friendly uncle next door, warm and approachable, even a bit eccentric.
You couldn't sense the world-destroying power from him at all.
Only when he truly became serious would that immense Chakra, like a divine force, sweep across the land, making all things submit.
The feeling this young man before him gave him was surprisingly identical to the First Hokage deep in his memories!
A living "God of Shinobi"?
At this thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart suddenly constricted.
He no longer hesitated or tested, a sincere and amiable smile appearing on his face as he solemnly tapped his pipe against the ashtray.
"May I ask, Mr. Hansen, what brings you to Konoha? If you are a lost traveler, Konoha is happy to offer you all assistance."
Hansen heard the reverence in Hiruzen Sarutobi's words and casually spread his hands: "Nothing special, if I had to say, it's sightseeing."
"I heard you're holding the Chunin Exams here soon; it seems quite lively, so I thought I'd stay and watch."
"Chunin Exams?" Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately seized the opportunity, "I see! The Chunin Exams are indeed a grand event in the ninja world. Excellent young ninja from various villages will come to Konoha to showcase their skills."
"Since Mr. Hansen is interested, we naturally welcome you with open arms!"
The cunning Hokage made the wisest decision within a few short seconds.
"Oh?"
Hansen raised an eyebrow, not expecting the other party to be so accommodating.
"Then, during the time before the exams begin, Kurenai will be your exclusive guide to show you around the village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately arranged: "All your accommodation and expenses within the village will be covered by the village."
"Kurenai, be sure to let Mr. Hansen feel Konoha's hundredfold enthusiasm!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Kurenai Yūhi, who was standing nearby, was startled for a moment, then immediately replied.
"Thank you then." Hansen nodded with satisfaction.
Just then, a faint, almost imperceptible warmth emanated from the tiny black cube mark on the back of his hand.
Hmm?
Hansen's heart stirred, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the map in the Hokage's office, finally settling on the location of the Land of Wind.
A fragment was approaching.
And its destination was directly Konoha!
—So, are the other cube fragments possessing certain people?
He subtly withdrew his gaze, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
It seems this Chunin Exams will be more interesting than expected... Outside the Hokage's office.
Walking down the corridor bathed in the afternoon sun, Kurenai Yūhi's mood was still complex.
She turned her head, secretly observing the composed man beside her.
His domineering presence in the Hokage's office earlier contrasted sharply with his current relaxed demeanor, and this contrast made her heart beat somewhat uncontrollably.
She gathered her courage and couldn't help but ask: "Mr. Hansen, you seem to... not have much reverence for the Hokage-sama."
"Reverence?" Hansen chuckled at her words. He stopped, turned to look at Kurenai Yūhi, his platinum eyes seeming to see through people's hearts, "Why should I have reverence? Because he's old, or because of that hat on his head?"
Kurenai Yūhi was momentarily speechless.
"Kurenai," Hansen's tone was flat, yet it carried an undeniable truth, "Do you think the Hokage's hat is heavier, or the power that... made those two advisors unable to breathe just now is heavier?"
With that one sentence, Kurenai Yūhi felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
She couldn't refute it. The rules of the ninja world were inherently so cruel and direct.
In the face of absolute power, authority and status were nothing but illusions.
"Alright, let's not talk about such heavy topics."
Seeing her lost in thought, Hansen changed the subject, his face once again displaying that cynical smile.
"Where to next, my guide? It's getting late. How about you show me Konoha's nightlife?"
"Night... nightlife?"
This suggestive word caused a rare, intoxicating blush to appear on Kurenai Yūhi's beautiful face.
She instinctively avoided Hansen's aggressive gaze, her heart quickening.
"What, do Konoha's ninja just go home and sleep at night?" Hansen continued to tease.
"Of... of course not!"
Kurenai Yūhi composed herself, forcefully regaining her elite Jonin's competence and charm, though her slightly reddened earlobes betrayed her inner feelings.
"If you don't mind, I can take you to an izakaya in the village tonight. The sake there is quite good; it's a place I often go to relax."
She extended the invitation proactively, partly to fulfill the mission the Hokage had given her, and partly... out of a personal motive she hadn't even realized herself.
She wanted to understand this man more deeply, not just to gather information.
"Sounds good." Hansen readily agreed, "Then it's settled. I'm looking forward to it."
Watching the enigmatic smile on the man's face, Kurenai Yūhi's heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
She had a feeling that something beyond her control might happen tonight.
But for some reason, deep down, she not only felt no resistance but also a subtle anticipation that she herself hadn't noticed.
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