Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Chapter 79: The Whirlpool from the Root

Hokage Office Building

"Hokage-sama."

As a chunin, Minato Namikaze respectfully returned the intelligence scroll he'd reviewed, while the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, smiled with satisfaction.

"Minato, I was pleased with your recent performance. You’ve seen the intelligence, so I’ll keep this brief. From today onward, you’re a team."

With Sarutobi’s approving smile and a light tap on the table, the door opened, and a figure emerged from the shadows outside.

"Ku—"

At first sight of this person, Minato’s blue eyes widened in surprise; the red hair almost made him call out "Kushina." But as the figure stepped out, he saw a different, ordinary face beneath the same red hair.

"Hokage-sama."

The red-haired female ninja greeted him with a respectful bow, but her overly formal, mechanical manner gave an impression of lifelessness—her voice was void of any emotion.

And her eyes, especially, left Minato stunned. They were completely empty, devoid of any feelings.

Hiruzen Sarutobi observed her arrival with a calm nod. He was well aware of the training in the Root, a place where ninjas were shaped into emotionless tools.

"Minato, your teammate was once part of the Uzumaki clan, but after her training in the Root, her heart has closed. I believe your Will of Fire will be able to warm her."

Looking at Hiruzen’s hopeful expression, Minato took a deep breath, showing a serious expression as he nodded resolutely.

"Thank you for your trust, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen smiled in approval at Minato, a clear inheritor of the Will of Fire, then said, "Minato, go and get to know your teammate. Also, don’t neglect your training during this time. Here’s a reward for your last mission."

Hiruzen Sarutobi handed Minato another scroll, and Minato's face lit up in surprise as he saw it.

"Hokage-sama, I..."

Holding the advanced ninjutsu scroll, Minato was visibly thrilled; after all, no shinobi could resist the allure of high-level techniques. But he felt that he hadn’t done much on the last mission.

Seeing Minato’s hesitation, Hiruzen laughed heartily. "Minato, I’ve seen your love for Konoha with my own eyes. I hope you grow even stronger so that you can protect the village better. This scroll includes the Second Hokage's insights into the Flying Thunder God Technique."

Feeling the Third Hokage’s trust, Minato nodded firmly in excitement.

"I understand! Thank you, Hokage-sama!"

Minato wasn’t one to refuse, so he took the ninjutsu scroll respectfully and left with his new teammate.

Watching them leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled with narrowed eyes. The new generation, inspired by the Will of Fire, had arrived.

There was no denying it; Hiruzen Sarutobi was indeed skilled at inspiring loyalty.

"Since you’re here, come in."

As Minato left, Hiruzen casually glanced toward the window, his voice amused.

"Haha, the old man’s still as sharp as ever! He already noticed me."

With his usual boisterous laugh, Jiraiya, the white-haired ninja, entered through the window. Hiruzen Sarutobi was well accustomed to this unconventional entrance.

However, after entering, Jiraiya turned serious as he watched the two figures departing from the Hokage building. "Red hair… Old man, is this who you’ve chosen?"

He watched the golden-haired Minato and the red-haired kunoichi fade from view before turning to Hiruzen with a solemn expression. Sarutobi nodded calmly.

"Jiraiya, I believe Minato’s Will of Fire will fill that empty heart. Lady Mito once said it well: only those who know love can wield such great power."

Hearing this, Jiraiya nodded gravely. "Understood. So Minato won’t be accompanying me to the frontlines this time?"

The ninjas from the Root were all trained to be emotionless tools, but here they wanted to fill that void with love—and then turn them into weapons for war, like jinchuriki. Clearly, this would take time, and a high-intensity battlefield would hardly offer any.

"Jiraiya, don’t worry. Minato is my chosen inheritor of the Will of Fire. I’ll make sure to nurture him well while you’re away."

Jiraiya smiled upon hearing this. Minato was his first disciple, and he held high hopes for him. Sarutobi’s words meant that he would personally take care of Minato’s development.

"In that case, old man, I’ll be on my way."

Jiraiya laughed heartily, and Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a resolute nod.

"Jiraiya, this mission is a heavy one. Orochimaru set out yesterday with a battalion of elite shinobi."

"Don’t worry, old man, the war will end soon!"

Jiraiya’s usual playful smile was replaced by a determined look as he paused at the window, glancing back at the Third Hokage with resolve.

Watching Jiraiya disappear from view, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled with satisfaction.

"The least reliable Jiraiya has quietly grown into someone dependable."

Left alone in the Hokage office, Hiruzen gazed out toward the Hokage Rock, where his own likeness was carved, a look of nostalgia and determination in his eyes.

"Konoha will win this war!"

Of his three disciples, Hiruzen Sarutobi placed the most faith in Orochimaru, which is why he’d sent Orochimaru to the frontlines first with elite reinforcements.

The second was Jiraiya, with whom he shared a deep, fatherly bond, as both he and Orochimaru were orphans.

And Tsunade!

Thinking of Tsunade, Hiruzen took a deep breath, his eyes growing somber.

His bond with Tsunade wasn’t as close; she’d never lacked for anything a shinobi needed—training, resources, even powerful jutsu. With the heritage of the Senju, she’d grown up as a princess, never wanting for anything.

"Tsunade… I hope the Uchiha don’t cause any trouble under your watch."

As the situation at the Rain Country front grew more intense, Orochimaru and Jiraiya had both led shinobi reinforcements to the battlefield.

At the same time, within the village, the Uchiha were mobilizing elite forces from the Police Force, determined not to miss this opportunity.

The Police Force, temporarily vacant and now allied with the Senju, opened its doors for the first time to other clans and even civilian shinobi, allowing anyone who passed the assessment to join.

Reports of this development landed promptly on the Hokage’s desk.

(End of Chapter)