At this time, he returned to his previous gentle and indifferent smile, which seemed to be able to melt the coldest rocks.He gently opened the door of Hokage's office.
"Master Sanzaime Hokage, I'm back."Lan Zhan's voice echoed in the office, revealing endless respect in the calmness.
The man sitting behind Hokage's desk wore Hokage's hat, which covered part of his face, only to see him quietly looking at the black rainstorm outside.
This man, known as Dr. Ninjutsu, is regarded as the most promising Hokage with his profound knowledge and strong strength.
He was smoking his pipe quietly like that, and the curling smoke rose in front of him. He silently stared at the curtain-like rainstorm outside the window, as if thinking about some esoteric philosophy, and as if recalling the past years.
After a long time, he said to Lan Zhan, who was standing respectfully in place.:
"... So Yousuke?Let's sort it out.I haven't paid much attention to these tasks recently, please help me."
There was a trace of exhaustion in the voice of the third generation of Hokage, but there was full trust in Lanzhen.
"Yes.Then I violated it."
Facing Hokage's almost unconditional trust, Lan Zhan bowed deeply, bowing so deeply that his forehead almost touched the ground.
Then he walked forward quickly and began to organize the various materials and books on Hokage's desktop.
Those things that were enough to be called confidential did not have any cover in front of Lan Zhan, so they were exposed to him at will.
But Lan Zhan made no attempt to observe.Even with Naruto like Sarutobi Hizen, judging from his keen insight, Ryusen Soosuke didn't mean to spy on those materials at all, he just silently sorted out those documents and files.
He does things in such an orderly manner. Those with numbers are classified according to the numbers, as if they are the most precious treasures; those without numbers are listed separately and neatly placed in a place where Hokage can access them at any time.
Sarutobi Hizen carefully observed this almost artistic treatment for a long time.
As a highly respected Hokage in the village, he knows that every decision and every way of handling affairs is like painting on a huge canvas, requiring precise brushstrokes and far-reaching considerations.
After a long time, he slowly moved his gaze back to the window. The scene outside the window seemed to be a reflection of his heart at the moment, with a little haze and uncertainty.
"...how is Hagi Kakashi?Is it still like that?"There was a hint of worry in his voice, after all, Kakashi, the child, has changed since that incident.
"Yes, Master Sanzaime Hokage."The person who answered had a calm voice, but it was difficult to hide the helplessness.
Looking at Hokage, who was sitting at his desk and turned around with a dim expression, wearing a white feather weave, Lan Dye, who was sorting out books, pushed his glasses.
The eyes behind those glasses were deep and calm, and there was a slightly regretful expression on his face. This expression was like tiny ripples on a calm lake, which was particularly obvious on his usual indifferent face.
"He refused to open up to me or communicate with other people. He was just angry by himself."
While sorting out the books, he said slowly, every word seemed to be beating heavily in the air.
"Really..." Hokage's answer was slightly weak, as if part of his energy had been taken away.
"This is not a good thing, Master Sanzaimu.In this case, that emotion will crush him like this rain.He is still just a child, and even the ninja's regulations should not make him obsessed with his father."
Lan Zhan said in a firm tone, and the movement of organizing the books in his hands did not stop, and he neatly placed a book, just like his organized words.
"..." As soon as he heard the word "father", the man who was smoking dryly paused slightly, as if he had been hit by something.
His expression obviously became a little unpleasant, and his eyes, which were originally only a little dim, were mixed with a trace of pain at this time, and the smoke in front of him seemed to become a bit heavier, like a visualization of heavy emotions. .
But looking at Lan Yan, who was still doing the finishing work unshakable, he sighed as if he had given up something.The sigh was like a helpless wind, blowing gently in the room.
"Even in the face of me, you still maintain your principles. This is what is so valuable about you.You are right, Suzuke.Did I do something wrong?"
Hokage's question was more like asking and answering himself, with a trace of confusion in his eyes.
"How come, Master Hokage.You have never made any wrong choices, I know that."
Lan Zhan answered very sincerely. He stopped the work at hand and stood up straight to show his respect for Hokage.
Slapping the dust on the documents on the ground, Lan Zhan moved softly but seriously, sorting them and putting them back on the desktop or bookshelf.
He turned to look at the somewhat lost Hokage, with a gentle smile on his face. That smile was like a warm sun, but the background was with a trace of calmness that he was struggling to maintain.
"Everything is for the will of fire.Sometimes you always have to make the necessary sacrifices.Sometimes gossip is good intentions, but Shuo Maojun doesn't understand your behavior.This is a tragedy, and I can only let this tragedy not expand anymore."
Lan Zhan's words seemed to be analyzing a complicated thing. He tried to give Hokage some relief, although he knew that these words might not completely eliminate the guilt in Hokage's heart.
"Yeah, this is a tragedy...because I never thought he would die."
Hokage was holding a cigarette bag dryly, looking at the black rain outside the window in confusion.The black rain was like his mood at the moment, dark and heavy, and the raindrops made a slight sound on the window, as if telling some sad story.
"Ninjas should prioritize their own tasks, but they conflict with the will of fire.No matter how you choose, there will be public opinion.I instinctively suppressed this storm, but I was numb and let it go.I never wanted to kill him directly, So Yousuke.I never thought about it."
Hokage's voice was slightly hoarse, and his self-blame was palpable.
"I am also very sorry for Shuo Maojun's death, but it was a choice he made by himself, and I can't blame him."
Lan Zhan lowered his head slightly, as if expressing his regret for this incident.
Looking at Hokage, who seemed to be looking out the window and seemed to be looking at something else, Lanyan sorted out the documents on the desktop and on the bookshelf. His movements were meticulous and rigorous, and the corners of each document were neatly placed. .
Then, he stood back to his original position respectfully, and slowly handed over his hands to beg.
"It's just that Kakashi is still young, and I hope to adopt him as an adopted son."
His eyes were full of firmness and determination, as if he saw a ray of hope in the dark, and wanted to hold on to it tightly.
"Adopted son?Kakashi?"Retracting his gaze from the black rain outside again, Sarutobi Hizen looked at the 20-year-old teenager in surprise.
His eyes were full of doubts, and he wanted to adopt Kakashi at this age, which is rare in the village.
"If you do this, you may be greatly criticized in the village.Your age is too young, even if you want to protect him, you only need to correct it a little bit."
Hokage frowned and said, he didn't want Lan Zhan to get into unnecessary trouble in the village because of a momentary impulse.
"No, I want to be his foster father.Although I am not very old, the first generation of Hokage adults once said that children's lives are more important than anything else.I just do what I can."
Lan Zhan's answer was loud, he stood upright, his eyes did not shake in the slightest.