Hokage office.
Iruka knocked on the door.
"Is that Iruka? Come in."
An old man's voice came from inside the door.
Iruka opened the door and walked in with Ryosuke.
"Lord Hokage, Ryosuke has come." Iruka said respectfully.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was sitting reviewing documents, also raised his head to look at Ryosuke in front of him.
"You are Ryosuke, right? Not bad!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded with a smile.
"Lord Third Hokage, hello." Ryosuke said.
"Well, Iruka, you go out first."
Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look at Iruka and ordered.
"Okay, then I'll go down first."
Iruka turned and left after hearing this.
He closed the door of Hokage's office smoothly.
"Ryosuke, do you know why I called you here today?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his cigarette, looking enigmatic.
"Is it because the number of people graduating from our class happened to be one more?" Ryosuke asked.
"There is this reason, but that's not all."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Ryosuke in front of him, and he vaguely saw the shadow of his disciple Orochimaru on his body.
Although the talent shown by Ryosuke is far less than that of Orochimaru, both of them are equally smart, and they are calm in any situation.
Even when meeting the Hokage, Ryosuke who is only 12 years old this year is very calm.
This made Sarutobi Hiruzen a little bit impressed.
But Ryosuke's talent is still only a little bit interesting.
In this life, at best, he will just be an Elite Jōnin.
Otherwise, Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to train him well so that he could assist his grandson Konohamaru in the future.
That's right!
In Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart, his younger son Asuma did not have the talent to become the Hokage.
On the one hand, his strength is not enough, and the situation cannot be controlled by him at all.
On the other hand, his personality is not smooth enough, he is too impulsive in doing things, and it is easy for him to be emotional.
Such a character cannot become the Kage of a village.
Of course, we are talking about Konoha here.
For other villages, that's another story.
Therefore, Sarutobi Hiruzen began to train his grandson Konohamaru early.
Even giving him the name Konohamaru represents Sarutobi Hiruzen's expectations for him.
After all, his grandson is still young, and if he is carefully trained, he can always be cultivated into a person that satisfies him.
The only problem, probably, is that Sarutobi Hiruzen himself didn't know if he could survive to that time?
So, he had to make some preparations in advance.
At least, he has to pave the way for his grandson, lest his calculations fail.
Ryosuke didn't know Sarutobi Hiruzen's inner thoughts, if he knew that Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to train Konohamaru to be the Fifth Hokage, he would definitely laugh out loud.
Konohamaru?
Hokage?
Just his age alone is a big problem.
How old is Konohamaru this year?
8 years old only.
And when will Sarutobi Hiruzen die?
Just this year.
So, he, Sarutobi Hiruzen let alone seeing Konohamaru become an adult, even if he wants to see him graduate from ninja school, it is impossible.
But none of these matters were known by Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He planned according to the normal situation and felt that it would not be a problem for him to live another 10 years.
Ten years later, Konohamaru will have turned eighteen.
He will be an adult, and can take over his mantle.
In the ten years, Sarutobi Hiruzen will also have cultivated a group of trustworthy team for him.
When the time comes to help him ascend to the Hokage, he won't be afraid of being ostracized by those ninjas.
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought well. But the reality is far more cruel than he has imagined.
He probably would never have imagined that he would die this year.
It is impossible to complete his so-called inheritance plan at all.
"Ryosuke, what is your dream?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly asked such a question at this time.
Ryosuke thought for a while, and then said, "I want to become stronger and have the ability to protect the people I love. Protect everything I have now and in the future."
He didn't hypocritically say anything about protecting the village.
With Ryosuke's current strength, there is no need to pretend to be a character who loves the village.
He will protect only those around him who love him and whom he loves.
As for the village?
To be honest, he didn't care that much.
But Konoha's environment is indeed the best.
If it's not necessary, Ryosuke doesn't want to judge the village or something.
"Do you want to protect the one you love?" Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded with a knowing smile, seeming to agree with Ryosuke's dream.
"So, as a freshly graduated Genin, how long do you think it will take you to gain that kind of power?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked.
Ryosuke shook his head.
"I am not sure." He said.
"This time may be ten years, or more."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Ryosuke, you are very smart, you should know that if a ninja does not have enough resources, their growth is limited."
"Like your good friend Nara Shikamaru and others, they are all from the ninja family. From the moment they were born, their future growth path has been arranged by their parents at home."
"Although you are stronger than them now, and you have graduated as a chief student and become a Genin, but if you don't have the same resources as them, then your growth speed will slow down, but Shikamaru and the others will become stronger and stronger. "
"Until they surpass you, then you may not be able to overtake them again for the rest of your life."
"Are you willing?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's words carried a hint of bewitchment, as if he wanted to see the expression of loss and unwillingness from Ryosuke's face.
But what a pity!
He was disappointed.
Ryosuke was not lost or unwilling.
"I will work harder, even harder than before, and I believe that the village will not treat any worthy young people badly." Ryosuke said.
Sarutobi Hiruzen paused for a cigarette. Ryosuke's answer made it impossible for him to continue his prepared speech.
This is not the same as what he had thought.
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