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

Chapter 373 Winter Anecdotes

And about ten meters in front of the girl.

The blond-haired boy, Minato Namikaze, stood gracefully beside a plum tree.

His school uniform was spotless, without even a single snowflake on it.

"Kushina, you attacked me first."

Minato smiled and reminded him. His hands were in his pockets, and he moved as lightly as if he were walking on the wind.

"call--"

Kushina jumped up, clutching three snowballs no bigger than a fist. She swung them around forcefully.

The three snowballs, arranged in a triangular shape, blocked all escape routes from the water gate.

This move is already considered an advanced skill among this year's students.

However, Shui Men's feet moved only by an extremely small, almost imperceptible angle.

The snowball whizzed past.

"Didn't win."

Minato's voice came from behind and to the left of Kushina.

"Ugh—! How awful!"

Kushina suddenly turned around, and another round of dense snowballs rained down.

Minato weaved left and right amidst the dense white light, never straying far, always remaining within a five-meter radius of Kushina.

Just as Kushina was panting and leaning on her knees from the violent throw,

The water gate started moving.

When Kushina came to her senses, she felt a sharp, bone-chilling coldness on the back of her neck.

"hiss--!"

A handful of fine, loose snow slid down her collar and onto her back.

"Minato Namikaze!"

Kushina's eyes seemed to be spitting fire, and she completely turned into a giant red dumpling as she chased after the blond man's afterimage across the playground.

Exclamations and shouts could be heard from the students watching.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was standing on the steps not far away, wearing a black cloak, when he happened to pass by.

He watched the children playing in the snow, clutching a recently approved document in his hand—an application for volunteer uniforms for the Expo.

Looking at Minato's incredible dodging skills, and then at Kushina's amazing physical abilities.

"This isn't a snowball fight, it's clearly a huge dog food wholesale market."

Hiruzen muttered a complaint under his breath, but a sense of relief washed over him.

If only the children in the original story could have such carefree snowball fights.

"Lord Hokage."

A deep voice came from the side.

Hiruzen turned his head to the side.

It is Hatake Sakumo.

The farm manager was wearing a crisp, dark green cotton overcoat, with a few specks of dirt still clinging to the cuffs.

He was holding a thick scroll in his hand.

"At the farm, the first batch of barrier heating has been installed. The First Generation Lord went to see it in person and said that the vegetables are growing faster than his hair."

Sakumo's tone was steady, but his eyes, which were always habitually in a fighting state, were now filled with tranquility.

"Thank you for your hard work, Sakumo."

Hiruzen reached out and patted his beloved student on the shoulder.

"Kakashi's building a snowman over there. If you want to go see it, hurry up and go before Shikano gets upset with you."

Sakumo was stunned for a moment.

He looked in the direction Hiruzen was pointing.

Just then, Kakashi was seen riding on Asuma's neck, holding a carrot and trying to poke it into the middle of the giant snowball.

"That snowman..."

Sakumo looked at the snow block that truly had the flair of "White Fang" and lowered his voice.

"Asma said that the snowman needs to be big so that it can protect everyone in the snow."

Hiruzen added a comment.

He looked up at the still-falling snowflakes.

"Just like what we're doing now."

Sakumo nodded without saying anything.

He put away the scroll and bowed slightly to Hiruzen.

"Hokage-sama, I'll go pick up Kakashi first. I'll attend the technical meeting tonight on time."

"Go ahead, go ahead."

Hiruzen waved his hand.

Watching Shuo Mao's firm back as he walked towards the school gate.

Before Hiruzen could leave, a familiar figure ran towards the direction of the Hokage Building.

Jiraiya.

This newly appointed lecturer was wearing a thick yukata with exaggerated patterns and a string of beads around his neck that he had gotten from who-knows-where.

He ran until his face was flushed, waving a crumpled timetable in his hand.

"Teacher! Please save me!"

Jiraiya slid down to his knees right next to Hiruzen's feet, splashing snow everywhere.

"Look at the outline you gave us! 'On the Intrinsic Logic of Peace and Gourmet Food'? And you want to give a practical lesson in the snow? These kids' attention is completely focused on that damn snowman right now, who's going to listen to my sermon?!"

Jiraiya clutched his hair, his entire being teetering on the brink of collapse.

"I am a hero! A legend who walks the line between life and death! Not a cook teaching little kids how to knead dough in the snow!"

Hiruzen lowered his head and gave him a cold look.

"So easily startled."

"Yahiko was just praising you. He said the peace principles you teach are more effective than heating, they're so warm."

Jiraiya's sobbing abruptly stopped.

He looked up, and the tears in his eyes instantly welled up and he held them back.

"Really? He really said that?"

"Yes, he also said he plans to make a large statue of you at the Winter Festival."

Hiruzen spouted nonsense without batting an eye.

Jiraiya suddenly stood up, patted the snow off his bottom, and his previous dejected mood vanished. He even flaunted a strand of white hair by his ear.

"I knew it! My talent is unstoppable. It's just peace, right? It's just teaching in the snow, right? Teacher, just you wait and see!"

After he finished speaking, he dashed off in the direction of Yahiko and the others.

"Yahiko! Konan! Nagato! All of you, gather around the teacher! Today we're not learning ninjutsu, we're learning the essence! Do you understand?!"

Looking at Jiraiya's boisterous back view.

Hiruzen sighed deeply.

This is Konoha under his rule.

Even if he managed to trick these legendary powerhouses into doing such absurd work, at least the air is sweet now.

In the distance, Sakumo Hatake had already reached the school gate.

Kakashi and Asuma, who were arguing, suddenly stopped what they were doing.

"Oh, Tosang!"

Kakashi screamed and pounced like a kitten, crashing directly into Sakumo's arms.

Sakumo casually handed the takoyaki in his arms to Asuma, then picked up Kakashi in one swift motion.

His rough, large hands rubbed his son's fluffy red hat, and the tense muscles in his face completely relaxed.

"Is it stacked up?"

Sakumo glanced at the enormous snowball.

"Not yet. Kakashi said he's missing a cloak and his loving father."

Asuma blinked frantically beside him.