It was not only Minato who was striving in his training…
The young prodigies of the Ninja Academy were also working extremely hard—and had even hired external support.
That external support was naturally their parents…
After the general assembly to distribute the profits from the "Sage Region Pills," Hiruzen's authority within Konohagakure had already begun to rise slowly yet irresistibly…
To the extent that his every word and action—even if unintentional—would be scrutinized by more and more people.
For example, when Hiruzen had Minato come to help raise the strength of the Ninja Academy students…
The parents began to ponder: what exactly was the Hokage-sama's intention?
If the so-called group founded by Asuma had someone else as its leader, it would have been one thing—perhaps it was simply a matter of thinking the children were playing a bit too excessively and wanting to exercise some mild control…
But the name of the gang leader was Sarutobi Asuma!
That made it rather thought-provoking…
Moreover, Asuma had even taken out the Sarutobi clan's Fire Release manuals from home. It was said that they were the kind personally annotated by Hiruzen…
Did that not clearly indicate that the Hokage-sama supported it?
Following that line of reasoning, and combined with the hints—intentional or otherwise—revealed by Hatake Sakumo and the others, it seemed the Hokage-sama hoped the children would continue to consolidate their foundations at the Ninja Academy.
But they must not idle away their time; instead, they should pursue specialized improvement.
So what should be done?
After one sum of money after another had been distributed, the simple yet cunning shinobi began to feel somewhat uneasy.
One million ryō had already reached the threshold of an S-rank mission…
And even those who had not received money saw in Konohagakure's public notices that, should anyone in the village suffer misfortune in the future, their families would receive corresponding compensation.
It was even specially emphasized that this was only the beginning—the village would not forget any of its own.
In addition, Hizashi and Hiruko—the two of them—very deliberately wore their Konohagakure Committee uniforms and wandered about the village…
Wherever they went, they wore warm smiles and asked whether there was anything in the village that needed to be resolved, or any shortcomings that remained…
Any injustice or grievance could also be reported to them—they were members of the Konohagakure Committee and could directly reach the Hokage-sama!
They had indeed earned quite a bit of applause.
But it also made many jōnin and ambitious chūnin grind their teeth…
Damn it—so envious!
Then how could one be selected for the "Konohagakure Committee"? It was said that in the future there would even be the title of candidate member…
Naturally, one had to actively align oneself with the Hokage's policies!
If one could not show one's face directly before the Hokage, was it not the same as letting Asuma see?
And so—
Whether they were shinobi who wished to advance, or those heated by the Will of Fire and eager to work for the village, or simply those who genuinely wanted to help the children…
Under Hatake Sakumo's lead, they proactively got in touch with the Ninja Academy and set up after-school classes.
Everyone brought out their specialties and drafted a "teach-support-mentor" plan…
It wasn't only aimed at the gifted kids; even the children with average talent benefited greatly.
With so many parents, there was always one who suited you…
Quite a few chūnin played a major role in this as well. Their combat strength might be average, but many of them had one or two signature skills that were very suitable for children to learn.
Low difficulty, but an extremely high return on investment!
In that atmosphere, Namikaze Minato's visit to the Ninja Academy kept getting hyped up more and more. Most parents said they would go watch in person that day, to cheer for their kids and lend support…
Even Hiruzen had heard about it. With a chuckle, he replied, "Then it seems I, the headmaster, have to go too… join in the children's bustle—it'll make me feel young again."
And if the Hokage was going, then his aides naturally couldn't sit idle either, making the momentum even more heated.
...
Ninja Academy.
Obito was taking big bites out of a rice ball packed full of meat, his mouth stuffed until his cheeks bulged.
It was made by a classmate's mom. Since the fathers generally came to the academy to help the children improve, the other half couldn't just sit around either, so they made lots of nutritious, heartfelt meals…
They made many portions at once and handed them out for the kids to share.
Obito kept freeloading food and drinks like this, and over this period his body had grown a lot sturdier…
"Man, no wonder Kakashi doesn't want to graduate! Only an idiot would graduate!"
Obito let out a satisfied burp. "These days are basically heaven… In my next life I'm still gonna be a Konoha shinobi. Or maybe after graduating I'll become a Ninja Academy teacher instead."
"Idiot…" Kakashi shot Obito a sideways look, but he was also eating with gusto.
Deep down, he truly was glad he hadn't graduated.
The academy atmosphere was simply far better than before…
Every day, seasoned parents came by to help them improve, and there was all kinds of good food being fed to them.
Compared to graduating—stepping out the school gate and being able to see countless blondes everywhere…
Just like Obito said, this place really was heaven…
...
Sakumo squatted in the corner by the wall, smiling as he watched the children each practice their ninjutsu.
Today, he was the parent on duty.
Even though he was busy as the ANBU Vice Commander, there was always time to rest…
Compared to the past—relaxing his nerves by taking on some easy missions—coming to the academy to watch the children train seriously was as healing as it could be.
But he couldn't come all the time; after all, he had to give others a chance.
With Sakumo, this "Konohagakure Committee" member, standing here, the other parents naturally felt too embarrassed to show off their little signature tricks…
"The First Hokage once said that founding Konoha was so children could grow up to the age where they could taste fine wine…"
Sakumo sighed inwardly: "If the First Hokage saw this scene, he would probably be very happy, right? The Third Hokage truly is a man who inherited the First Hokage's will!"
A moment later, Sakumo cleared his throat and, putting on a serious expression, said, "Children, it's time for us to hold a formal battle meeting!"
"So that the blond monster won't land at the Ninja Academy…"
"And won't steal all the spotlight in front of the Hokage-sama!"
The Ninja Academy students immediately tightened their little faces and assembled in orderly formation before him.
The elites chosen by vote to face Namikaze Minato sat at the front, while the rest also sat behind and listened attentively.
Those with poorer talent still had the responsibility of acting as sparring partners; everyone was participating together.
Kakashi secretly rolled his eyes at his father.
A dignified member of the Konohagakure Committee and ANBU Vice Commander—how had he ended up playing the king of children?
It seemed his usual work was too repressive…
But the children were very receptive to Sakumo's approach.
It made them feel like "little adults," participating in an important battle meeting of the village.
"A one-on-one duel would be unwise… He has trained for many more years than you, and he is the disciple of the Hokage-sama's disciple. That format is unfair."
"To deal with this kind of troublesome opponent, everyone must unite and charge shoulder to shoulder!" Sakumo raised his eyebrows, his tone cheerful.
"When you've grown stronger, it won't be too late to challenge him one-on-one."
"When the time comes, I'll join forces with Hizashi, Orochimaru, and even the aides to stir up the atmosphere for you. Don't worry—Namikaze Minato won't refuse."
Sakumo was the reserved type.
In front of his son, he subtly mentioned that he was familiar with many committee members, elevating his own standing a little.
Although Kakashi wore a look of disdain, his chest subtly straightened.
"Alright, Sakumo-ojisan!"
Asuma suddenly said loudly, "You're right. Our previous idea of one-on-one really was wrong. I'll go home and ask Father to give us a chance to strike together!"
"I don't believe he can take down all fifty-plus elites of our group in one go…"
The little companions immediately cheered, repeatedly asking Asuma, "Will the Hokage-sama come too?"
Sakumo paused, then gave an awkward smile.
This was bad—when it came to name-dropping in Konoha, he had forgotten there was this little fellow of impeccable lineage…
His father was the Hokage, his elder brother was the Daimyō's son-in-law—truly effective on both fronts within the Land of Fire.
In the future, he might very well become a wielder of the "Face Fruit" ability, though for now it was limited to within the Land of Fire.
After a while, the children quieted down, and Sakumo laid out the arrangements: "When the time comes, don't hold back. Boldly display your talents and what you've learned!"
"Don't worry about injuring Namikaze Minato…"
If Minato were to be injured by the children, then it would simply mean he needed to return to retraining—he could not blame anyone else.
And judging from the feedback Sakumo had received from the patrol unit, such a possibility was not great…
"We have the numbers. What you currently know isn't much yet, so like this…"
"We'll divide into a ninja tools group, a genjutsu group, a ninjutsu group, a close-combat group, and a support group…"
"When the time comes and we head to the training ground, you must follow your respective captains' arrangements. You cannot disrupt the formation."
As if performing a magic trick, Sakumo pulled out a map—it was precisely the training ground they would go to on the day of the match.
"Shh…" Sakumo said mysteriously,
"Children, part of a ninja's battle is also a battle of intelligence!"
"This isn't cheating; it's flexible adjustment within the rules…"
"Of course, the village regulations and the ninja code cannot be flexibly interpreted. The consequences of violating them are very serious." At this point, Sakumo originally intended to add a safeguard.
He paused slightly, then returned to normal.
He occasionally thought about the conflicts between the ninja code and the Will of Fire…
He also worried that if those two ideologies ever collided head-on, terrible consequences might occur.
But now that there was the Third Hokage, he probably didn't need to worry about that issue, right?
"Here, here, and here—these are all advantageous terrain…"
"You must hold your ground!"
"Rely on favorable terrain and launch layer upon layer of interception against Namikaze Minato. Show your style!" Sakumo marked key strategic points for the children.
The atmosphere grew ever more heated. Asuma straightened his chest, as if he could already see the scene of their victory celebration…
One against fifty—the advantage was on their side!
And after school—
Obito hummed a tune all the way back to the Uchiha clan compound.
Reviewing his assignment, he had been placed into the assault squad by Sakumo.
The once-unstable Great Fireball Technique, under the guidance of a tokubetsu jōnin parent, had already become quite presentable.
He had also learned a few respectable sword techniques and could barely exchange a couple of moves with Kakashi.
It was just that he was still not very stable and would occasionally lose focus…
He was very much looking forward to the day of the decisive battle with the Great Demon King, Namikaze Minato…
But upon arriving at the clan compound—
The atmosphere turned strange. Most of the Uchiha wore complicated expressions on their faces.
It was neither anger nor joy, as if they had suffered some kind of shock and their thoughts were wavering.
At first glance, it looked as though they had encountered some disaster.
Obito rushed forward and happened to see Uchiha Isshin sitting on a stone bench, his expression heavy. "Clan Head! What's going on with everyone…?"
"You'll understand once you go home and take a look." Isshin waved his hand weakly.
"In short, don't let petty gains shake your commitment to the greater interests of the Uchiha."
"But…" Isshin added helplessly, "don't be hostile toward the village either."
Obito looked at Isshin in confusion.
Who would be hostile toward the village? Wouldn't that be a mental problem!
But the tone Isshin had used—when Obito thought it over, he grew increasingly uneasy.
Could it be that something had happened at home?
Or some kind of force majeure, which was why he said not to be hostile toward the village…
Obito's heart fell into chaos. There was still his grandmother at home!
He stumbled and scrambled all the way back, his heart pounding violently with anxiety.
He didn't even notice that his eyes had turned red.
With his single-tomoe Sharingan glaring, Obito rushed into the house and shoved the door open.
He saw his grandmother smiling warmly at him and saying words he would never forget in his life: "Obito, why are you only getting home now?"
"I had someone go call you. Our family has money now—the village issued a lot! We've benefited from the Hokage-sama's good fortune. There are still people thinking about widows and orphans like us…"
"Compared to the Warring States Period, the village now is truly good—better even than twenty years ago!"
Obito's grandmother chattered on: "Didn't you want to buy a pair of goggles? And you said your classmates always bring you meals?"
"Grandma will go buy groceries right now and cook more. You can bring some for your little friends to try…"
"It's not good to always eat other people's food…"
On the table were stacks upon stacks of thick banknotes. Just looking at them together brought a sense of reassurance.
Obito let out a long breath.
And his grandmother's words seemed, along with the pupil power that had just burst forth, to wind themselves deep into his mind…
People always remember the moment when they are tense, and for the Uchiha, awakening the eyes only deepened that memory.
"Grandma, you don't know—Clan Head Isshin talks in a really scary way!"
Obito complained, then his eyes filled with the sight of money. "That's so much… The Hokage-sama is too good…"
And at that very moment—
Obito's appearance—running while awakening his Sharingan—was just so captured by a mysterious creature.
"Oh?"
"Does this count as a kind and talented Uchiha?"
"Let it be him. I'll report to Madara-sama first…"
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