Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 109 The Asura's Announcement [Please Subscribe]

In early spring, the leaves gradually awaken from their cold winter slumber.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood by the window of his office, watching the bustling streets of Konoha outside, the smoke rising from his pipe.

As spring arrives, the villagers become more active, and the streets are bustling with people. The shouts of vendors and the playful antics of children create a vibrant scene.

The wounds inflicted by war are slowly healing, and the shadow of the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage four years ago is also quietly fading away with the arrival of spring.

'All of this was achieved under my rule!' Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his pipe, his gaze suddenly freezing.

On the distant street, something seemed to have happened.

Upon closer inspection, it appeared that members of the Uchiha clan from the Konoha Police Department, acting as law enforcement officers, were punishing a vendor, causing passersby to involuntarily move away.

His brows furrowed slightly beneath the Hokage hat.

'It would be even better if the Uchiha clan could behave themselves a bit,' Hiruzen Sarutobi thought to himself.

"Lord Hokage." Nara Shikaku's knocking interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in." Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his gaze from the distance to Shikaku Nara, who was pushing open the door with a scroll in his hand.

The latter placed a scroll on the Hokage's desk and said to the Third Hokage, "Lord Hokage, this is the latest intelligence from the Land of Bears. Please take a look."

"Oh?" Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down in the chair and opened the scroll to read it carefully.

As he watched, Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face grew increasingly serious.

According to the news spread after the return of the envoy from the Bird Kingdom, the Bear Kingdom has been renamed the Star Kingdom. The Bird Kingdom was the first to recognize the new regime change in this country, the daimyo system of the country was abolished, and a mysterious person became the ruler of the Star Kingdom.

This new regime, located at the crossroads of trade routes in the western part of the continent, is establishing trade relations with neighboring countries at an astonishing pace.

"Your Majesty..." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe, looked up at Shikaku, and asked, "What do you think?"

As Hiruzen Sarutobi's chief strategist, such intelligence naturally passed through his hands before being reported to Hiruzen.

“Hmm, the fact that the Land of Birds sent an envoy to the Land of Bears is very suspicious.” Nara Shikaku analyzed, stroking his chin. “It’s a small country without any ninja villages, sandwiched between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind. In the last great war, it even became the main battlefield for the war between the Village of Sand and the Village of Rock.”

"Therefore, I believe this action was not taken by the daimyo of the Land of Birds on his own, but rather at the behest of the daimyo of the Land of Wind or the Land of Earth."

Nara Shikaku's analysis was remarkably accurate in capturing the helplessness of small countries as pawns under the control of larger powers.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and continued, "Has there been any more news from the daimyo of the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind?"

"Neither country has made a statement and is still enforcing the blockade against the Bear Country, which should now be called the Star Country." Shikaku hesitated for a moment, then added, "But strangely, they allow small countries to trade with the Star Country."

"Recently, the Fire Country caravans have been frequently hiring ninjas to escort them to border cities of the Star Country. These are mostly B-rank missions for caravan protection. Many of the ninjas from our village have also taken on these missions, escorting the caravans to the border cities between the Bird Country and the Star Country."

After the Third Shinobi World War, ninjas from various countries reduced their spheres of influence. When they were entrusted with escorting caravans or important figures in other countries, they generally did not provoke trouble as long as the tasks of both parties did not conflict.

Ninjas are human too, and they can get tired of war.

"The missions our ninjas receive are basically just escorting caravans to border cities of the Star Kingdom and that's it. The Star Kingdom's ninjas take over the protection of these caravans and are responsible for their safety. Moreover, it is said that the business environment in the Star Kingdom is very good, and the merchants who come and go all praise the Star Kingdom."

When Konoha ninjas are out on missions, they also bring back information they gather to the village, such as the merchants' goodwill towards the Land of Stars.

"Is that so..." Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe and pondered for a moment.

The embers in his pipe flickered intermittently as Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled the coup d'état in the Land of Snow two years prior.

Two years ago, Kazahana Noto, the leader of the Snow Ninja in the Land of Snow, led his troops in a coup, killed his own brother Kazahana Hayate, and became the king of the Land of Snow.

Feng Hua Nu Tao himself is a ninja who commands a group of snow ninjas.

Unlike other countries and ninja villages, the Land of Snow is resource-poor, and its ninjas are trained by the state. Kazahana Noto, the king's younger brother, possessed ninja talent and was thus groomed to become the leader of the Snow Ninja. However, Kazahana Hayate never imagined that her younger brother would lead the Snow Ninja to kill his own brother.

However, the rebellion in the Land of Snow was, strictly speaking, a power struggle within the ruling class. The rebel leader, Fuuka Nutō, was both the leader of the Snow Ninja and a member of the royal family of the Land of Snow, possessing the right to inherit the throne.

The Third Hokage exhaled a smoke ring and said to Nara Shikaku, "Let's leave it at that for now. Keep a close eye on the movements of the Land of Stars and the Star Ninja Village, and remind the teams that accepted the mission to escort the westward merchant caravan to be on high alert."

"Yes!"

Nara Shikaku nodded in agreement.

Five p.m.

After finishing his workday, Hiruzen Sarutobi stretched his body.

He opened a drawer and took out an envelope.

"It's time to give Naruto his allowance today." Hiruzen Sarutobi counted the silver coins, got up, took off his Hokage hat, and changed into casual clothes.

When they arrived at Naruto's house and were about to knock, the door suddenly opened from the inside.

"Eh? Third Hokage!" Naruto's little hands gripped the doorknob, and when he saw the Third Hokage outside, his eyes widened in surprise.

The Third Hokage was one of the few people around him who were kind to him. Although they weren't family, the Third Hokage seemed to know his parents very well.

"Where is Naruto going?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked curiously.

"Let's go for a walk in the park!" Naruto pushed open the door and invited the Third Hokage to come in and sit down.

Hiruzen Sarutobi certainly knew Naruto's friends: an orphan named Menma and Hinata Hyuga, the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan.

Both of them had a good relationship with Naruto and often played together.

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought to himself, "They're just a few four or five-year-old kids, it's normal for them to like playing."

After learning about Menma's background and Hinata's situation, he felt relieved that they could play together, hoping that having playmates of the same age would allow Naruto to have a normal childhood.

"Then I won't bother you any longer. This is your living expenses for this month." Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't go into the house; he simply took out an envelope and handed it to Naruto.

And he was told, "Don't spend it recklessly!"

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to leave, Naruto, who was holding an envelope in both hands, suddenly asked, "Third Hokage, do you know my mom and dad?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was halfway around, paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow slightly: "Why do you ask that?"

'Could it be that Danzo is secretly contacting Naruto again?' The Third Hokage's first thought was of his old friend.

Naruto stood on tiptoe, his little face full of confusion, and asked again, "I'm just curious, why does everyone else have parents? But I don't..."

“Doesn’t Menma also have parents?” the third generation said after a moment of silence.

“But…” Naruto wanted to say something, but was interrupted by the Third Hokage.

“Your parents were heroes.” Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed heavily. “But the dead cannot be brought back to life.”

After saying that, he was ready to leave.

call out--

"Lord Hokage!" A member of the Anbu wearing an animal mask suddenly landed on the handrail of the corridor and knelt on one knee.

"Shura left a notice at the Hyuga clan!"

(End of this chapter)