Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 101 A Morning at the Nara House: Starting with Utter Trouble

Autumn.

The morning sunlight, like a thin golden veil, shone through the rustic windowpanes of the Nara house and fell squarely on a young face.

On the tatami mat, a boy lay sprawled out, fast asleep, with a trace of drool even hanging from the corner of his mouth.

He kicked the blanket to the corner, revealing his white pajamas.

"Nara Shikaku!!"

A powerful roar, with the penetrating force of a sound-based ninjutsu, suddenly erupted in the quiet courtyard, startling several sparrows that were dozing under the eaves into flapping their wings and flying away.

The boy on the tatami suddenly jerked as if he had been electrocuted, and then reluctantly opened one eye.

Those were lifeless, dull eyes, their pupils unfocused, filled with despair for the world and resentment towards waking up early.

Why do people need to get up?

Can't we just sleep until we naturally wake up, like those lazy cats that bask in the sun every day at the village entrance?

Why accept a mission?

Isn't it better to lie down?

Life is truly full of countless troubles.

"...This is so troublesome."

The boy, Nara Shikaku, muttered something in a voice only he could hear.

He rolled over, trying to cover his head with the blanket, pretending he hadn't heard anything, and continued his rendezvous with the unfinished game of chess in his dream.

However, his mother's voice clearly wouldn't give him that chance.

"Stop playing dead! The sun's already high in the sky! If you don't get up, you're not eating today!"

The sliding door was violently flung open, and a woman dressed in a plain-colored kimono, with an apron tied around her waist and a rice scoop in her hand, stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

She had neat short hair and a heroic air about her; she was none other than Nara Nono, the mistress of the Nara family.

"Mom... let me sleep for five more minutes..."

Shika buried his face in the pillow, his voice muffled as he bargained.

"Five minutes? What did I tell you last night?"

Nara Nono walked over, yanked off his blanket, and lightly tapped his bottom with the rice spoon in her hand. "It's your team's turn to help out at the ecological farm today. If you're late, and Farm Manager Sakumo thinks everyone in the Nara family is as lazy as you, where will you put your face?"

Ecological farm... Shuomao Farm Manager...

Upon hearing these keywords, Nara Shikaku's drowsy brain finally began to function again.

Slowly getting up from the tatami mat, yawning, with messy long black hair, she wandered into the bathroom like a sleepwalking ghost.

Nara Shikaku looked at his listless face and sleepy, lifeless eyes in the mirror and couldn't help but sigh again.

This face looks completely unreliable.

I don't know how those two guys, Haiyi and Dingza, could trust this friend who seemed like he could quit at any moment, for ten years straight.

"Ugh, what a hassle."

Nara Shikaku scooped up a handful of cool water and splashed it on his face, which finally dispelled some of his sleepiness.

He changed into a black uniform that allowed him to move around easily, and then, in his most skilled and quickest way, tied his messy long hair into a high ponytail on top of his head.

The whole process was smooth and seamless, probably the most efficient moment of his day.

Today, we're going to that ecological farm... to herd sheep.

Herding sheep!

The thought of dealing with over a hundred bleating white creatures gave Lu Jiu a headache.

He would rather stay at home and sit in front of the chessboard all day.

"Shikaku! What are you still dawdling in there for? Breakfast is going to get cold!"

The mother's urging voice came from outside again.

"Here it comes..."

Shika sighed again, resignedly wiped his face, and walked out of the washroom.

A sumptuous breakfast has already been laid out on the table.

Steaming hot miso soup, grilled saury golden brown on both sides, and a side dish of cucumber salad made with fresh cucumbers from Sakumo Farm.

In the very center is a large bowl of fluffy white rice, each grain plump, translucent, and emitting an enticing aroma.

This is "Naruto No. 1" rice, named by the Hokage himself. It is said to have a yield several times that of ordinary rice and an exceptionally good taste.

Shikaku picked up his chopsticks and listlessly picked at the rice in his bowl.

"What's wrong? Still half asleep?"

Narano pushed a bowl of miso soup in front of him, scolding him as she looked at him with concern. "Did you stay up late reading again last night?"

"No, I'm thinking about the game record," Shikaku said.

"Don't follow your dad's example at such a young age. He spends all his time either looking at clouds or playing chess."

"Where is Father?" he asked casually.

"Your father?"

Nono's tone softened when her husband was mentioned. "He was summoned by the Anbu sent by the Hokage before dawn. They said it was for some kind of 'brainstorming session on the coordinated planning of Konoha's second phase of agricultural development and water conservancy construction'."

"puff……"

Shikaku almost spat out the food in his mouth.

The name, as always... is full of the unique, incomprehensible yet impressive style of the Naruto.

Nono's tone carried a hint of helplessness, but even more so, admiration. "I wonder just how much is going on in the Hokage's head. Building roads, constructing reservoirs, and now even growing vegetables in a barrier. I think in a few years, our Konoha Village will be sweeping across the land."

Shikaku nodded in deep agreement.

Even someone as fearless and troublesome as the Third Hokage of that village was filled with respect for him.

That person was like an omnipotent god.

Every idea he proposed seemed like a pipe dream at first.

Use a barrier to create a temperature-controlled greenhouse and grow vegetables in winter?

There's also that so-called "real battlefield simulation system." I heard that ninjas who go in come out looking like they've lost half their lives, but their strength increases by leaps and bounds.

These things were completely beyond the imagination of these traditional ninjas.

But ironically, these outlandish plans were gradually turned into reality under the execution of those two "scroll kings," Lord Danzo and Lord Sakumo.

The Leaf Village of today is completely different from what he remembered from his childhood.

The streets have become wide and clean, with newly opened shops everywhere, and the villagers' faces are always filled with a heartfelt smile called happiness.

This change is good.

Although Shikaku found it troublesome, he didn't dislike it.

"Alright, eat up."

Nono put another piece of fish on his plate. "After you finish eating, hurry up and find Haiyi and Dingza. Don't keep them waiting. When you go to the farm today, be smart and keep a close eye on those sheep. If they eat any of the new tomatoes that Sakumo Farm Manager planted in his experimental field, I won't let you off the hook."

"Okay, okay, Mom..."

Lu Jiu ate his breakfast slowly, feeling like a condemned prisoner being led to the execution ground.

He straightened his clothes, then yawned and listlessly pushed open the door.

"I'm going out."

"Be careful on the road!" His mother's voice came from behind him.

The autumn sun shines warmly on my skin, it feels so comfortable.

On the streets, you can already see groups of people who have gotten up early.

There were merchants rushing to open their shops, ninjas carrying ninja tool kits ready for missions, and children in uniforms going to school together.

Everything seemed so peaceful and tranquil.

"A sunny day..."

Nara Shikaku stood at his front door, looking at the vibrant scene, and yawned again.

Then, he walked toward the street corner where he had arranged to meet Haiyi and Dingza.

Before he even reached the street corner, he saw a familiar figure waving his arms wildly in his direction like a fool.

"Shikaku—! Here! Here!"

Yamanaka Inoichi's energetic voice carried from a great distance.

Beside him stood a sturdy figure, as big as a small mountain, smiling憨厚ly, holding half a half-eaten rice ball in his hand.

Ugh.

Looking at his two goofy teammates, Shikaku felt that today was going to be another troublesome day.