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

Chapter 595 Antlers: The Sky Has Collapsed

"No! Absolutely not!"

The first to slam her fist on the table was Tsunade.

Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were full of confusion as she placed her hands on the table and leaned forward.

"Teacher! You are the Kage of the village, the pillar of Konoha! How can you take such a risk? The Land of Water is shrouded in fog year-round, and people are unpredictable; it's a powder keg right now! If something happens to you..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her worry was already evident.

Beside them, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, the longtime partners, also looked solemn.

"Hokage-sama, Tsunade is right."

Mitokado Homura adjusted his non-existent glasses and, in his usual rule-bound tone, advised, "For the Hokage to personally risk his life by going to a potentially hostile country is not only irresponsible towards your personal safety, but also poses a huge risk to the political stability of the entire Hidden Leaf Village!"

"yes!"

Koharu Utatane raised her voice, abandoning even her usual composure, "Every decision you make affects the entire village, even the entire ninja world! Whatever the matter, send an envoy! Send troops! Anything is fine!"

Even Orochimaru, who was just moments ago extremely pleased with his share of the budget, has now lost his smile, his golden snake eyes filled with rational confusion.

"Teacher, if I may be so bold, with your current prestige in the ninja world and the overwhelming strength that Konoha has displayed, we only need to send a sufficiently powerful delegation, and Kirigakure would certainly not dare to disobey us. From a strategic point of view, your personal trip is too low in terms of return on investment; it doesn't make sense."

In an instant, the entire conference room was in complete chaos.

Opposition voices rose and fell, and a group of people argued so loudly they almost lifted the ceiling off the building.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt as if a hundred noisy crows had been stuffed into his ears, and his temples throbbed.

Being a leader is really difficult.

It is especially difficult to lead a group of highly capable, loyal subordinates who each have their own ideas.

Amidst the chaos, a nonchalant voice slowly broke in.

"Hey, all of you, calm down."

Jiraiya picked at his ear, grinning nonchalantly. "What's wrong with the teacher wanting to travel and relax? Staying in the office all day reviewing documents is so boring. But speaking of which, teacher, the Land of Water is too humid. Too much sea breeze can easily cause rheumatism, which is bad for the bones of the elderly. Why don't you stay in the village, peacefully drinking tea and reading newspapers, enjoying your retirement?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Tsunade shot her a glare.

"Shut up!"

The entire conference room erupted in chaos.

Mitokado Homura, Akimichi Torifu, and even those who had remained silent, such as Uchiha Fugaku and Hyuga Hiashi, joined the ranks of those who opposed it.

This is no longer a simple visit; it's like handing Konoha's heart to a wounded beast that could bite back at any moment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair quietly, without saying a word.

He simply looked at the group of people in front of him.

Looking at their faces, I saw genuine worry, anxiety, and even panic.

These people were his teammates, his disciples, and the pillars of the village whom he had personally promoted.

Their expressions were genuine and not feigned.

A strange warmth flowed through my heart, and my soul felt a moment of comfort.

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his hand and gently pressed it down.

A simple gesture, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

The noisy conference room fell silent instantly. Everyone stopped arguing and turned to look at the man in the head seat.

"I know what you're worried about."

Hiruzen Sarutobi surveyed the entire room and calmly said, "But there are some things that can only be resolved completely if I go there myself."

He stood up, walked to the huge ninja world map hanging on the wall, and pointed to the easternmost part of the continent, to the archipelago shrouded in ocean and thick fog.

"The establishment of the Ninja Alliance system has, for the first time, made it possible for several countries to sit down and develop together... We are building an unprecedented cycle. But..."

His fingers tapped heavily on the words "Land of Water".

"This cycle is missing a crucial link—the ocean."

"The Land of Water is the only gateway to the endless ocean for this continent. It controls the sea routes essential for our future development and possesses the marine resources necessary for our future industries. More importantly..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone turned somber, carrying a hint of icy chill.

"It is also the only country that exists outside the rules we set. A closed, xenophobic island with sharp internal conflicts is a huge destabilizing factor. It is like a time bomb that could explode from behind at any moment while we are making great strides."

"So, I have to go."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around and said, word by word, "I'm going to personally fit this last and most crucial piece of the puzzle into the map of the Shinobi League."

His words were somewhat cryptic, but his undeniable authority silenced everyone instinctively.

They knew that the Hokage's mind was made up.

"For this mission, I need an absolutely elite team to handle any emergencies."

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued.

He turned his head to look at Uchiha Kagami, who was sitting next to Uchiha Fugaku and maintained a gentle smile throughout.

"Jing, who do you think is the most suitable?"

Uchiha Kagami was slightly taken aback, but then he understood the Hokage's intention. This was giving him and the Uchiha clan an opportunity.

He stood up and respectfully replied, "Lord Hokage, I believe that Uchiha Shisui of the Uchiha clan is capable of this task."

"Uchiha Shisui?"

Upon hearing this name, many people present showed thoughtful expressions.

They had heard of this genius young man from the Uchiha clan; his Body Flicker Technique was unparalleled, making him one of the best among the new generation.

But they are only the new generation.

Let him be the Hokage's bodyguard captain? Send him to that dangerous, treacherous Land of Water? Isn't he too young?

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright. Uchiha Shisui will lead an elite ANBU unit as the escort force for this trip."

He paused for a moment, then made an even more baffling decision.

"In addition, two other people will be traveling with me."

"Ghost Deng Haiyue, and Ghost Deng tide."

Dead silence.

If the announcement that Uchiha Shisui would lead the team was only somewhat surprising, the appearance of these two names caused the minds of all the high-ranking officials present to freeze instantly.

Hozuki siblings?

Those two Kirigakure geniuses captured in the Battle of the Land of Whirlpools?

Weren't they always undergoing "labor reform" in Konoha's special prison?

Bring two prisoners from enemy countries to accompany the Hokage on a visit to their homeland.

What kind of operation is this?

Everyone was stunned, except for a few people whose pupils suddenly contracted the moment they heard those two names.

Danzo Shimura's hand holding the pen froze in mid-air, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.