As Kagura answered, someone entered through the door.
It was Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Compared to Tsunade, Hiruzen didn't seem seriously injured at all. He was wearing his usual attire.
He walked up to Kagura's bedside and smiled slightly after giving him a thorough glance.
"It looks like you're fine now?" he asked.
Kagura nodded in agreement.
Hiruzen casually pulled over a chair and sat down.
An awkward silence settled between them.
Finally, Hiruzen broke the silence. With a teasing glance at Kagura, he said smilingly,
"Tsunade must have just left. I heard she watched by your bed all day yesterday."
At the mention of Tsunade, Kagura showed a hint of embarrassment on his face, mumbling out a reply:
"Ah... yeah, she always cares deeply for her comrades."
"Is that so?
Yet strangely, after you woke up, she never went to check on Orochimaru or Jiraiya.
She stayed right here with you."
Hiruzen wasn't going to let Kagura off the hook so easily and kept pushing.
Perhaps before this, he could still naively think Tsunade's feelings toward Kagura were merely ordinary friendship.
But he might be a little dense, not stupid.
Judging from Tsunade's behavior these two days, it was obvious she had taken a liking to this kid.
And for him, who was about to assume the Hokage position, this wasn't exactly good news.
Faced with Hiruzen's continued questioning, Kagura's facial muscles twitched slightly.
Then he just shut his eyes again and ignored it.
Seeing Kagura's childish evasion, Hiruzen shook his head with a smile before speaking again:
"Actually, I'm really happy."
???
Upon hearing this, Kagura opened his eyes in confusion and looked over.
Happy about what?
Happy that Konoha's first pedophile has appeared?
Seeing Kagura's questioning gaze, Hiruzen explained:
"I was very happy when you fearlessly stood in front of Tsunade that day.
You're exceptional. Even during the Era of Warring Clans, your talent would shine brightly.
But precisely because you are too talented, you've never truly understood the meaning of companionship.
Yet that day, when facing Kinkaku's attack, you still bravely stepped forward to protect your comrade—I was genuinely pleased."
Meeting the sincerity in Hiruzen's eyes, Kagura hesitated for a moment before replying:
"I wasn't thinking much back then. It was just an instinctive reaction."
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen's smile widened. He chuckled softly and said,
"Exactly. Instinct always shows what you really feel inside."
Saying this, he rose and moved to the window, gazing toward Konoha's highest point.
That was Konoha Village's most iconic landmark—the stone carvings of the past Hokage's heads.
Right now workers bustled there, continuously shaping the third statue.
Looking closely, it was clearly Hiruzen's own likeness being formed.
Watching the distant activity, Hiruzen spoke once more:
"Do you know how Konoha got its name? [It means 'leaf' in an ancient dialect.]"
Though she knew Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't see it, Kagura still instinctively nodded in response.
"I know. This name was chosen by Madara Uchiha. The full name is Konoha Village.
The 'Wood' refers to the Senju Clan, represented by Hashirama Senju who possesses the Wood Release.
The 'Leaf' refers to the Uchiha clan, whose emblem resembles a fan-shaped leaf."
"That's right," Hiruzen replied. "Since its founding, the Uchiha clan has always been an important member of Konoha.
Because of this, the Uchiha have long held the crucial duty of guarding Konoha."
At this point, he turned his head toward Kagura and continued.
"Indeed, because of Madara Uchiha, my Second Hokage, Tobirama-sama, always had reservations about your clan.
And now Danzo seems to have inherited this mindset, maintaining certain prejudices against the Uchiha.
But I am different. I believe in every single one of my village companions."
At that moment, a gentle breeze blew through the window, sending several fallen leaves dancing gracefully through the air.
As he watched the swirling leaves, a spark seemed to ignite within Hiruzen's eyes.
With a voice filled with emotion, he spoke, "Kagura, I believe in you,
just like Hashirama-sama — the First Hokage — believed in the Uchiha clan back then.
It is precisely because of these bonds between comrades that we have the Konoha we see today."
Facing everything he had just said, Kagura remained silent.
Luckily, at this moment, knocking sounds came again from outside the door.
Two young boys peeked inside—none other than Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Seeing them acting so sneakily brought a warm feeling into Kagura's heart.
Observing this, Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle as he pointed toward them and said to Kagura,
"Aren't these also bonds meant for you?"
They departed shortly after expressing their regards. Jiraiya and Orochimaru left together with Sarutobi-sensei.
Meanwhile, Kagura fell into deep thought.
"He didn't ask how Kinkaku ended up dying..."
He quietly muttered the words to himself.
Yes, the moment she saw Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kagura had started contemplating how to explain the cause of Kinkaku's death.
Truthfully, she did not want anyone discovering it was she who killed Kinkaku.
Otherwise, after defeating him, there would have been no reason for her to clean up the bloodstains or drag herself away from the scene.
But perhaps these measures could deceive others who arrived later, they wouldn't work against Hiruzen, who had witnessed the battlefield firsthand.
Fame and recognition? He had no interest in those. She only knew one rule clearly: the bigger your reputation, the quicker you'd die.
If the hidden-away Madara Uchiha discovered that within the Uchiha clan there was an eight-year-old capable of defeating someone like Kinkaku...
then she would definitely be marked as a target. Possibly even become a replacement for Obito...
None of this was what Kagura wanted. Right now, all she desired was to lie low until she grew strong enough to stand on her own.
Actually, from the moment Tsunade told her that Sarutobi-sensei acknowledged her as the one who killed Kinkaku, Kagura had faintly sensed the man's protective intentions toward her.
It felt like a silent bond between teacher and student.
Or maybe Sarutobi just wanted to take the credit for himself?
"Aniki, he's about to become Hokage already. Would he really care about merits like that?"
Kagura hadn't expected that after Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived, he didn't bring up Kinkaku at all.
He just gave her a warm smile and left.
Inhaling deeply, Kagura turned her head toward the window.
Watching the leaves gently falling from the sky, she murmured softly:
"Bonds between comrades, huh...?"
Time flew by, and three days passed.
Whether it was due to her body being tempered by the Tailed Beast's chakra, or simply because of her innate physical gift,
the injuries the doctors said would take a week to heal were gone in just three days.
Except for her right arm still wrapped in bandages, there were no traces of injury left on her body.
Faced with the doctors' astonished stares and those unsettling eyes that seemed to want to study her like an experiment, Kagura hurried out of the hospital like she was fleeing.
After carefully putting on formal attire, she saw Tsunade and the others waiting at the hospital entrance.
Unlike usual, the three were already waiting in their finest clothes.
When Kagura reached them, she gave a slight smile and slightly lifted her head while saying:
"Let's head out."
Compared to usual, Konoha was bursting with life today. Celebration decorations usually only seen during festivals now lined the streets.
Everyone dressed in their best clothes and poured into the streets.
Because today was the official inauguration day for Hiruzen Sarutobi as the Third Hokage!
On the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already stood at the highest point.
Dressed in his white Hokage robe with "Third" written on the back, wearing red ninja attire underneath, and donning the iconic Hokage hat.
Behind him, the statue representing his status as Hokage had already been completed.
As he appeared, thunderous celebration erupted from the crowd gathered below.
Being Hokage means more than power—it's the soul of the village.
Ever since the sudden death of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, the village had been clouded by unease.
However, on this day, when everyone saw the figure of this new Hokage above, the people's confidence surged back.
Looking at the respected figure above, Jiraiya's face revealed an excited smile.
"Hokage, huh...
I'll definitely become Hokage someday too!"
"No, you won't get the chance.
The next Hokage will be the one known as the Fastest—the man destined for greatness."
While silently making this remark upon hearing Jiraiya's whispering, Kagura couldn't help but feel exhilarated by the surrounding enthusiasm.
For the first time, a hint of yearning appeared in her gaze toward the figure above...
Equally excited as she looked upward, Tsunade suddenly asked a question:
"Now that Sarutobi-sensei officially became Hokage, he definitely can't continue being our team leader anymore.
Then who will become our new team leader in the future?"
Hearing this, the other three exchanged startled glances.
That's right. Who would take over Sarutobi-sensei's role from now on?
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice replied from behind them:
"Starting today, I'll be your teacher."
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