Chapter 52: Third Old Geezer!
On the outer perimeter of Konoha Village, the wide Naka River wound from the edge of the village, passing through the dense forest, and eventually merging into the distant sea.
And within this forest, several trickling streams dotted the area, adding a touch of liveliness to the greenery.
Menma, Naruto, and Hinata ran all the way and stopped at a small riverside.
“This is my secret base!” Naruto excitedly introduced it to Menma and Hinata.
Menma looked around. This clearing the size of a basketball court was surrounded by lush forest, overgrown with weeds, and in the center was a long-extinguished campfire.
Some hollow logs hung on the surrounding tree trunks, and the ground was scattered with gravel chunks the size of little fingers.
It seemed Naruto often practiced here.
Naruto rummaged in a tree hole of a dead tree and pulled out three simple fishing rods.
These were little hooks Naruto had made himself by tying branches with fishing line and iron nails.
“Menma bro, Hinata, pick one.” Naruto enthusiastically handed over the three simple fishing rods.
“Then I’ll take this one.” Menma casually picked the one closest to him.
Hinata did the same and randomly selected one.
The three didn’t rush to fish but started searching for earthworms under the dead tree.
“Byakugan!” Hinata softly shouted, veins bulging around her eyes, her gaze piercing through the mud, accurately pointing out the earthworms’ locations.
Menma and Naruto followed her guidance to flip open a section of dead wood, indeed finding several small holes, then began digging with branches.
“Wow! So many earthworms!” Naruto exclaimed in surprise.
When he used to search for earthworms alone, he would look for a long time and find only a few. It took him a long time of fumbling to learn that earthworms liked the soft soil under dead wood.
Menma also gave Hinata a thumbs up.
The three came to the riverside, each picked a spot to sit, started threading earthworms onto the hooks made of small iron nails, then cast their lines.
Under the shade of the tree, the clear river water flowed slowly, and the three children chatted idly while fishing.
Menma deliberately told Naruto and Hinata fairy tales he had learned as a child in a previous previous life, captivating them so much that they almost missed fish biting their hooks.
Naruto clumsily pulled up his fishing rod and found it was just a palm-sized fish. Somewhat disappointed, he placed it in a small pond piled up by the riverside, then threaded an earthworm, cast the line, and continued listening to Menma bro’s story.
“In the era of constant warfare long ago, there was a country with a law that anyone who redeemed a countryman enslaved abroad could receive compensation from the state. One day, a man named Zigong redeemed a citizen but gave up the compensation. When his teacher Confucius learned of it, he criticized him instead.” Menma told Naruto the story of Zigong redeeming a person.
“Why?” Naruto’s little face showed some confusion.
The person was redeemed, Zigong didn’t take compensation, saving the country money—wasn’t that killing multiple birds with one stone?
Menma patiently explained: “Because Zigong’s action was personal morality. By refusing compensation, he achieved his small righteousness, but it invisibly raised the cost and standard of doing good. If Zigong didn’t take the state’s compensation, then later if others redeemed countrymen and asked the state for compensation, they would be accused by others of ‘not being selfless enough.’ That’s called moral kidnapping.”
Menma analyzed bit by bit for Naruto: “You can’t impose your own standards on others and expect them to do the same. That would only elevate morality to a level only a few can afford, thereby discouraging ordinary people’s enthusiasm for doing good.”
“In that case, doing good becomes a burden—who among ordinary people would still want to do it?”
“Morality is for constraining oneself, not for kidnapping others.” Menma summarized: “If acts of kindness become a burden, in the end, fewer and fewer people will be willing to do good.”
Little Naruto nodded somewhat understandingly.
Seeing this, Menma didn’t push him, just hoping he would remember the story.
Then, Menma told Naruto some other fable stories.
Time passed quietly, and the three gradually caught several fish and started a fire to roast them.
Naruto volunteered to treat Menma and Hinata to a grilled fish feast he cooked himself, but got slapped in the face with a ‘snap’ by a fish’s tail, making Menma and Hinata burst into laughter.
Naruto wasn’t annoyed either, scratching his head and giggling along.
This leisurely time playing with peers of the same age was something Naruto cherished greatly.
On a big tree not far away, Hyuga Ko silently protected Hinata from the shadows. Seeing the three start eating grilled fish, he also took out his carried dried rations from his pocket and chewed them in small bites.
Suddenly, there was a slight rustle beside Hyuga Ko.
He turned his head and found that at some point, to his right appeared a little old man dressed in casual clothes, with somewhat pointy hair and a tuft of goatee beard.
Hyuga Ko immediately set down his rice ball, his whole body tensing.
“Relax.” Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Hyuga Ko a kindly smile, like an ordinary neighborhood old man.
“Third Hokage-sama!” Hyuga Ko recognized this Third Hokage who also served as the Ninja Academy principal and remained respectful despite his surprise.
He just didn’t understand why the Third Hokage-sama was here.
“I’ll go check on the kids. You rest too.” With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi leaped down from the tree trunk.
“Yes, Third Hokage-sama!” Hyuga Ko slightly bowed but didn’t dare relax at all.
He quietly stood on the tree trunk, watching Hiruzen Sarutobi walk toward the three little kids over there.
Big Sister Hinata keenly noticed the movement and looked up at the approaching old man.
Menma had actually noticed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s arrival long ago but pretended not to know and continued eating grilled fish until Hinata looked up, then he followed suit.
Naruto, who was burying his head in eating fish, also noticed something off and looked in the direction of Hinata’s gaze.
“Huh? Old man, who are you?” Naruto had never encountered anyone else at this secret base.
“Ah, I’m just a passing old man.” The Third Hokage smiled and slowly walked over, slightly surprised by Hinata Hyuga’s vigilance and sharpness.
And that kid named Menma reacted a bit slower than Hinata, but he was also a good seedling.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had deliberately not worn his Hokage miko robe and hat today, wanting to approach these three children as an ordinary old man.
But he clearly didn’t understand Hinata.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi reached the campfire in front of the three kids and was about to get chummy with them.
Hinata pursed her lips and said something shocking: “Isn’t this the Third Hokage old geezer?”
Pfft—
Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
‘No, I remember this Hyuga Clan girl is supposed to be a pretty shy kid, right?’ Hiruzen Sarutobi was dumbfounded.
Hyuga Ko on the tree clutched his forehead and sighed.
“Heh, let me introduce you. This is our village’s Third Hokage-sama.” Hinata waved the grilled fish in her hand, introducing him to Menma and Naruto.
“Hokage!!!” Little Naruto’s eyes instantly lit up, full of longing and admiration.
In his mind, the Hokage was the strongest person!
Menma slowly ate his grilled fish and casually picked up a branch skewering grilled fish and handed it over: “Old man, want some?”
Looking at the sincere gaze of the child before him and the offered grilled fish, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly found these three little guys extremely amusing.
He laughed heartily, took the grilled fish, and sat down by the campfire.
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