Chapter 109: Asura’s Letter Of Challenge【subscribe】
Konoha in early spring was gradually awakening from its cold hibernation.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window in the Hokage’s Office, watching the bustling streets of Konoha outside the window, with wisps of green smoke rising from his pipe.
After entering spring, the villagers also became active, with crowds surging on the streets, and the shouts of vendors intertwining with the children’s play to form a vibrant scene.
The pain brought by the war was slowly healing, and the haze of the Nine-Tails Attack four years ago was also quietly fading with the spring breeze.
‘All of this was achieved under my governance!’ Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his pipe, but his gaze suddenly froze.
On the distant street, it seemed something had happened.
Looking closely, it appeared that Uchiha clansmen from the Konoha Military Police Force were punishing a merchant, causing the surrounding pedestrians to involuntarily step back a bit.
His brows furrowed slightly under the Hokage hat.
‘If only the Uchiha Clan could behave themselves a bit more.’ Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t help but think.
“Hokage-sama.” Shikaku Nara’s knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
“Come in.” Hiruzen Sarutobi withdrew his gaze from the distance and looked toward Shikaku Nara, who entered pushing the door with a scroll in hand.
The latter placed the scroll on the Hokage’s desk and said to the Third, “Hokage-sama, this is the latest intelligence from the Land of Bears. Please review it.”
“Oh?” Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down in his chair and opened the scroll to read it carefully.
As he read, the Third Hokage’s aged face grew much more solemn.
According to the news spread by the messenger from the Land of Birds upon return, the Land of Bears had been renamed the Land of Stars, and the Land of Birds was the first to recognize this new regime change in the country, abolishing the daimyo system, with a mysterious person becoming the ruler of the Land of Stars.
This new regime, located at the hub of western continental trade routes, was establishing trade relations with neighboring countries at an astonishing speed.
“Ruler…” Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and looked up to ask Shikaku, “What do you think?”
As the chief strategist by Hiruzen Sarutobi’s side, such intelligence had naturally passed through his hands once before being reported to the Third Hokage.
“Hmm, the Land of Birds sending a messenger to the Land of Bears is highly suspicious.” Shikaku Nara pinched his chin in analysis. “This is a small country without a ninja village, sandwiched between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind. During the last great war, it even became the main battlefield of the war between Sand Village and Stone Village.”
“So, I believe this action was definitely not taken by the daimyo of the Land of Birds on his own; there must be instructions from the daimyo of the Land of Wind or the daimyo of the Land of Earth behind it.”
Shikaku Nara’s analysis precisely captured the helplessness of small countries being used as pawns under the control of great powers.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and continued to ask, “Has there been more news from the daimyo of the Land of Earth and the daimyo of the Land of Wind?”
“Neither country has made a statement and is still enforcing the blockade against the Land of Bears—what should now be called the Land of Stars.” Shikaku hesitated for a moment before adding, “But strangely, they are allowing small countries to trade with the Land of Stars.”
“Recently, merchant caravans from the Land of Fire have frequently hired ninjas to escort them to border cities in the Land of Stars; most are B-rank missions as merchant caravan guards. Quite a few ninjas from our village have taken these tasks, escorting the caravans to the border cities between the Land of Birds and the Land of Stars.”
After the end of the Third Great Ninja War, ninjas from various countries contracted their spheres of influence, and when executing commissions to guard merchant caravans or important figures in other countries, as long as there was no conflict between the missions, they generally did not provoke incidents.
Ninjas are also human and grow weary of war.
“The missions our ninjas have taken mostly end with escorting the merchant caravans to the border cities of the Land of Stars, because the Star Ninjas of the Land of Stars take over the guarding of these caravans and ensure their safety. Moreover, it’s said that the business environment in the Land of Stars is quite good, and merchants coming and going praise the Land of Stars effusively.”
When Konoha’s ninjas operate outside, they also bring back some collected intelligence to the village, such as the merchants’ favorable impressions of the Land of Stars.
“Is that so…” Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pipe and pondered briefly.
The embers in the pipe flickered uncertainly as Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled the coup in the Land of Snow two years ago.
Two years ago, the Snow Ninja leader Fukazake Nutou led his forces in a coup, killing his own elder brother Fūka Sayuki and becoming the king of the Land of Snow.
Fukazake Nutou himself was a ninja, commanding a group of Snow Ninjas.
However, unlike relations with other countries and ninja villages, the Land of Snow was resource-poor, and its ninjas were trained by the state. As the king’s younger brother, Fukazake Nutou had ninja talent and was thus trained to become the leader of the Snow Ninjas.
But Fūka Sayuki had not expected his younger brother to lead the Snow Ninjas in killing him, his own elder brother.
However, the rebellion in the Land of Snow was, in a strict sense, an internal power struggle among the rulers. The rebel Fukazake Nutou was both the Snow Ninja leader and a member of the Snow royal family, with rights to the throne.
The Third exhaled a smoke ring and said to Shikaku Nara, “For now, that’s it. Keep a close watch on the movements of the Land of Stars and Hoshigakure, and remind the teams that have taken western merchant caravan guard missions to stay vigilant.”
“Yes!”
Shikaku Nara nodded in acknowledgment.
Five o’clock in the afternoon.
After finishing a day’s work, Hiruzen Sarutobi stretched his body.
He pulled open a drawer and took out an envelope from inside.
“Time to give Naruto his living expenses today.” Hiruzen Sarutobi counted the silver taels inside, stood up, removed his Hokage hat, and changed into casual clothes.
Arriving at Naruto’s house, just as he was about to knock, the door suddenly opened from inside.
“Huh? Third Grandpa!” Naruto’s little hands gripped the door handle, and upon seeing the Third outside, he widened his eyes in surprise.
The Third Hokage was one of the few people around him who treated him well. Though not family, the other seemed to know a lot about his parents.
“Little Naruto, where are you off to?” Hiruzen Sarutobi asked curiously.
“To the park!” Naruto pushed the door open, inviting the Third to come in and sit.
Of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew Naruto’s few friends: an orphan named Menma, and the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan, Hinata Hyuga.
Both had a good relationship with Naruto and often played together.
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought, they were just four- or five-year-old kids; it was normal for them to like playing.
After learning about Menma’s background and Hinata’s situation, he felt at ease letting them play together, hoping that peers could give Naruto a normal childhood.
“Then I won’t disturb you. This is your living expenses for this month.” Hiruzen Sarutobi didn’t enter but simply took out an envelope and handed it to Naruto.
And instructed him, “Don’t spend it recklessly!”
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to leave, Naruto, holding the envelope in both hands, suddenly asked, “Third Grandpa, do you know my mom and dad?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had turned halfway, paused and raised an eyebrow slightly. “Why do you ask?”
‘Could it be that Danzō has been secretly contacting Naruto again?’ The first thing the Third thought of was his old friend.
Naruto stood on tiptoe, his little face entangled as he pressed, “I’m just curious—why do others have parents, but I don’t…”
“Menma doesn’t have parents either,” the Third said after a moment of silence.
“But…” Naruto wanted to say more, but was interrupted by the Third.
“Your parents were both heroes.” Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed heavily, his face somber. “But the dead cannot be brought back to life.”
With that, he prepared to leave.
Whoosh—
“Hokage-sama!” An Anbu Ninja wearing an animal mask suddenly landed on the armrest of the corridor, kneeling on one knee as he reported.
“Shura left a forewarning letter at the Hyuga Clan!”
