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

Chapter 591 The Hokage's Daily Life, The Collapse of the Strategist

This wail was less a report and more a blood-soaked cry of a corporate slave who had been exploited for months on a 996 schedule, finally seeing a savior who could give him a breather.

"Splash—"

Rolls of paper were scattered all over the floor, each roll seemingly radiating resentment about trouble, urgency, and the need for money.

Seeing this, the Sannin, Danzo, and the others wisely kept silent, watching this scene, which could be described as the most tragic performance art of the year in Konoha, with a complex expression that mixed sympathy and schadenfreude.

"Shikanobu, what's wrong with you...?" Hiruzen put down his teacup, both amused and exasperated, just about to say something.

Nara Shikaku struggled to his feet from the ruins of the scroll, disregarding any semblance of dignity as the acting Hokage, and with tears streaming down his face, he grabbed Hiruzen Sarutobi's leg and began a tearful accusation.

"Lord Hokage! If you don't come back soon, these old bones of mine... these strands of hair! They're really going to die here!"

He pointed to his hairline, which had receded by at least one centimeter since he went to war, and was filled with grief and indignation.

"You have no idea!" Deer Antlers began his frantic report, speaking so fast it sounded like he was reciting a rap.

"Shimura Danzo's General Engineering Department! It's a bottomless pit! They're always asking for funding, always shouting about the future of Konoha! The budget you approved before you left, they've already exceeded by three times in just a month or two!"

"And the First Hokage!"

The stag's voice trembled slightly, a sense of powerlessness in the face of the unreasonable power of nature. "He said that the Tongtian Wooden Tower, expanded thirty-five times, is still too small for him to operate! He's requesting another piece of land. Do you know how big that land is... almost the size of the entire Iwagakure village! Am I supposed to approve it?!"

"After Orochimaru left, his Zero Lab is now under the control of that kid named Hiruko. That kid is a genius, but also a madman! In just half a month, the lab has exploded again and again! This time the commotion was particularly loud, even the Inuzuka family's dogs next door were too scared to bark! Now they've submitted a repair request, and that cost... Hokage-sama, they say this money concerns the future of Konoha, it's an investment they can't refuse!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a throbbing pain in his temples.

Good grief, these people are really not being polite at all, are they treating him like a money-printing machine?

Seeing the Hokage's solemn expression, Shikanobu thought that his suffering had finally found resonance, and his emotions became even more agitated.

I feel like my brain has been completely burned out by all these bizarre reports and budgets.

"Lord Hokage, please, don't say anything more, just let me take a vacation! If you don't give me a vacation, I'll be the next one buried in the Heroes' Memorial! I'll die from overwork!!"

Looking at his chief strategist, who was clinging to his leg and had completely lost his composure, Hiruzen Sarutobi was both annoyed and amused.

He lifted his foot and seemingly casually "kicked" the antlers off his leg, but the force was just right, causing the antlers to roll twice and land right on a pile of scrolls.

"Alright, stop howling, it's giving me a headache."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head helplessly, then walked behind his desk, picked up the crimson calligraphy brush that belonged exclusively to the Hokage, and his entire aura changed instantly.

If he was just a traveler returning home a moment ago, now he is the sole and absolute helmsman on this giant ship called Konoha.

shhhhh--

The pen tip flew across the document so fast that it left only afterimages.

Those complex problems that had long troubled Shikanobu and could have caused any country's finance minister to resign on the spot seemed to become simple and clear in Hiruzen Sarutobi's hands.

"As for obtaining the wind..."

Hiruzen picked up the million-word barbecue report, didn't even look at it, and directly stamped a big red seal on the cover.

"[Read and forwarded to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Commerce for a joint assessment, submitting an economic value analysis report on the Konoha specialty food industry chain's impact on tourism and transnational cultural export.]"

In less than an hour.

The mountain of official business was handled in an orderly manner, and every decision accurately grasped the core of the problem and provided the most reasonable and efficient solution.

Order was restored in the office.

Nara Shikazuki stared blankly at the effortless figure, his inner lament gradually transforming into deep admiration and heartfelt satisfaction.

Yes, this person...

This man, who seems to always be exploiting himself, is the true pillar of Konoha.

As long as he sits here, even the biggest trouble seems to cease to be trouble.

The helmsman of Konoha, this giant ship, has returned.

Just as Shikanobu was feeling excited and preparing to say a few more words of flattery, Hiruzen Sarutobi finished dealing with all the urgent matters, casually picked up a brand-new draft plan from the side, and threw it in front of him.

"Alright, what you just said is all old news. Now, let's talk about the future."

When Shikano looked down, he saw a line of strong, powerful characters on the cover of the scroll: "Draft of the Preliminary Framework for the Ninja World Peace Alliance System".

"This is the initial framework of the Ninja Alliance, just a general direction. There are too many details involved, such as cross-border trade rules, technology sharing clauses, joint infrastructure standards, and mutual defense agreements. I don't have time to deal with them all."

Hiruzen picked up the tea, which had gone a little cold, and blew on it.

"You're in charge of perfecting it. I need to see a complete plan by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow...?"

As Lu Jiao looked at the thickness of the draft, he felt that every word exuded the aura of overtime work and hair loss. His vision went black, and the world that had just regained a little color turned gray again.

"Lord Hokage, this...this workload..."

"The capable should do more work, like deer antlers."

Hiruzen patted him on the shoulder, giving him a kind smile. "If one person can't do it, just ask someone for help. I remember, Shikaku's brain isn't any less sharp than yours. If you call him along, the efficiency will be much faster, right?"

"I just got back. I traveled a long way and I'm tired. My family is waiting for me to eat."

After saying that, under Nara Shikanobu's stunned gaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi's figure turned into a wisp of smoke with a "poof" and disappeared from the office.

Only a light, fleeting sentence lingered in the air.

"Oh, and don't forget to send the report on the Akimichi family's barbecue tomorrow. I'll read it before bed tonight."

Nara Shika stood frozen in place, holding the heavy "Draft of the Ninja Alliance" in his hands, stunned for a full half minute.

Then, he suddenly slapped his forehead.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot! That brat Shikaku Nara, he's back already!"

……

After a familiar spatial shift, Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared at the entrance of his own mansion.

Pushing open the door, the warm light and the aroma of food wafted in, instantly dispelling the dust and fatigue of the past few days.

"I'm back."

His wife, Biwako, gently greeted him and took the Hokage's robe he had taken off.

"Oh my god!"

Inside the restaurant, the excited shouts of the young son Asma could be heard, and he was embraced tightly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled, bent down, and lifted his son high in the air. Hearing his son's laughter, his heart softened.

However, when his gaze passed over Asma and landed on the dining table, he paused slightly.

Beside the dining table, besides Biwako and Asuma, another figure stood up.

He was a boy whose face bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Hiruzen, but whose temperament was completely different.