As he spoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a document scroll from his robes. A nearby attendant stepped forward and respectfully presented it to the Fire Daimyō.
After receiving Hiruzen's letter of resignation, the Daimyō sighed with some emotion.
"Although the appointment and dismissal of a Hokage must receive the approval of the Daimyō of the Land of Fire to take effect officially, this is actually the first time I've ever received a Hokage's resignation since Konoha was founded."
He shook his head with a faint smile.
"After all, the first two Hokage both died while still in office. You, Lord Sarutobi, are the only one who has personally delivered a resignation while still alive."
"Truly, the world is unpredictable."
Hiruzen froze for a moment.
He couldn't tell whether the Daimyō was mocking him or simply speaking casually. The tone sounded like a remark directed at him, yet the Daimyō's expression seemed genuinely reflective.
For a moment, Hiruzen didn't know how to respond.
"Well then, since you wish to step down, I will accept your resignation."
The Daimyō casually placed the scroll aside before continuing,
"Since you will no longer serve as Hokage, has Konoha already chosen a suitable candidate for the Fourth Hokage?"
Hiruzen quickly regained his composure. His expression turned serious.
"Your Excellency, because the shinobi on the front lines are still returning in succession, the election for the Hokage will not begin for several more days."
"However, within the village, the support for Namikaze Minato becoming the Fourth Hokage is extremely strong. There is a high probability that he will take the position."
"Namikaze Minato?"
The Daimyō thought for a moment.
"I've heard of him. Isn't he the one other countries call the Yellow Flash?"
Hiruzen nodded.
"That's correct. Namikaze Minato has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique created by the Second Hokage. His speed is so fast that he moves like a flash of light."
"And because of his blond hair, he earned the title Yellow Flash."
"During this war, Minato made tremendous contributions. Without him, it would have been impossible for Konoha to achieve victory."
"Hahaha! He certainly sounds like an excellent candidate."
The Daimyō laughed heartily.
"I won't interfere in the internal affairs of your village. Once you've made your decision, simply have Namikaze Minato come see me as soon as possible to report."
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
"It shouldn't take long. I estimate that the decision will be finalized in about half a month."
His words were measured and deliberate. Although he never explicitly declared that Minato would become the Fourth Hokage, he had already left a deep impression in the Daimyō's mind—subtly guiding him to view Minato as the natural successor.
Just as Hiruzen was preparing to move on to the next topic—
The Daimyō suddenly spoke again.
"Oh yes, Shisui has already mentioned another matter to me."
His smile faded slightly.
"He told me that the higher-ups in your village originally planned to have the Uchiha clan take the lead in giving up the death compensations and subsidies for fallen and injured shinobi. Is that correct?"
Hiruzen froze.
His eyes instinctively flicked toward Uchiha Shisui, who stood expressionlessly behind the Daimyō.
A bad feeling rose in his chest.
Before he could respond, the Daimyō continued,
"Lord Sarutobi, if you ask me, you handled this matter somewhat poorly."
Hiruzen forced a bitter smile.
"That may not be entirely accurate. My own misjudgments prolonged the war and caused greater casualties among the village's shinobi. At the same time, the war consumed enormous resources and left many families without support."
The Daimyō, however, waved his hand dismissively.
"You're being too harsh on yourself. After all, Konoha faced four great shinobi villages during this war. The fact that you managed to win at all is already a tremendous achievement."
"A few mistakes in decision-making are unavoidable."
Then his tone sharpened slightly.
"But even so, squeezing your own people like that isn't the right approach."
Hiruzen quickly lowered his head.
"Your Excellency speaks the truth. In this matter, I indeed failed to consider things thoroughly."
The Daimyō leaned back and continued,
"To be honest, the territories of the other countries are poorer than the next."
"The Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth are practically nothing but rocky mountains. Their only real wealth lies in mineral resources."
"As for the Land of Wind, although it's vast, most of its territory is just endless desert. I've even heard that their Kazekage personally searches for mineral deposits to supplement the village's finances."
Hiruzen nodded along, offering a polite smile.
The Daimyō laughed loudly.
"Compared to them, the Land of Fire is far more prosperous!"
Of course, Hiruzen knew this argument was somewhat exaggerated.
Countries like the Land of Rice Fields, Land of Hot Water, and Land of Grass were also quite fertile—yet they were not counted among the Five Great Nations.
Each of the great nations possessed deep reserves of strength. They couldn't be brought down by just one or two wars.
Still, the Daimyō clearly enjoyed Hiruzen's flattery.
"And besides," the Daimyō continued,
"Konoha's shinobi protected the interests of the Land of Fire. If I personally cover their death compensations and disability subsidies, what's the problem?"
"After all, those people shed blood and risked their lives for the country and for Konoha."
"If you can't even guarantee a decent life for their families after they die, then who would be willing to shed blood for the country in the future?"
"Don't you agree?"
Hiruzen's heart leapt with joy.
Those words sounded like music to his ears.
Originally, he had come here today for two reasons.
First, to formally submit his resignation as Hokage.
Second—
To ask for money.
But before he even needed to bring it up, the Daimyō had already offered to cover the compensation expenses himself.
The Daimyō waved his hand casually.
"If you're short on funds, you should just tell me."
"Why go and squeeze your own people?"
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