Konoha: You're letting me build up my bonds, but you're offending the entire ninja world.

An awkward cough interrupted their comparison.

"Xuan Yue, don't corrupt the children."

The Third Hokage appeared before the two with a wrinkled face and an embarrassed expression.

Chapter Seventy: Kill all those who don't approve of you, and the rest will all approve of you.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was originally in the Hokage's office using a crystal ball to check on the health of women in Konoha and to see how Naruto Uzumaki was doing.

Not long ago, Naruto Uzumaki turned three years old, so he let the child live on his own, but a nanny was still responsible for cooking and other daily tasks.

He would instill the Will of Fire in the little guy from time to time, and successfully gave him a dream—to become Hokage.

But as they were watching, Shimura Gengetsu suddenly barged in.

Hiruzen Sarutobi witnessed firsthand how Sarutobi burned down a shop and threatened all the shop owners in the area.

He didn't believe that Shimura Gengetsu's contact with Uzumaki Naruto was Danzo's doing, because his old friend would only use underhanded tricks and wouldn't be so blatant.

Even so, Naruto's identity was too special, so he had to test him.

It just so happens that he hasn't met or chatted with Shimura Gengetsu in private yet.

This is also a good opportunity to build a closer relationship.

So these will be his subordinates from now on.

When he arrived at the scene, he heard the two little ones comparing themselves to each other until...

"Naruto, in this respect, I am indeed inferior to a Chunin."

Hiruzen Sarutobi reluctantly admitted that he didn't dare to eat it... After all, there was a special intelligence department in Konoha's Chunin, and some of the ninjas there actually dared to eat that stuff to analyze intelligence.

"what?"

Upon hearing his Hokage grandfather admit it himself, Naruto's little face was filled with disappointment.

In his mind, the Hokage is omnipotent.

I never imagined they wouldn't even dare to eat feces.

"Naruto, the Hokage's responsibilities are far greater than those of a Chunin; all the villagers need to be accountable," Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly tried to justify himself. "But that doesn't mean the Hokage is omnipotent. He also needs the strength of others, understand?"

“I understand.” Naruto Uzumaki nodded seriously. “I will definitely become Hokage and gain everyone’s recognition.”

"why?"

Shimura Gengetsu asked in confusion.

"Huh?" Naruto Uzumaki didn't understand.

Why do you need everyone's approval?

Naruto Uzumaki said weakly, "That way no one will hate me anymore, and no one will refuse to sell me their stuff."

Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively sensed something was wrong.

"No need at all, you're overthinking it."

Shimura Gengetsu chuckled softly and coaxed, "Look at those people just now, did they approve of me?"

Naruto hesitated for a moment, but ultimately shook his head.

“That’s right, but I don’t need their approval. If they dare to speak ill of me or refuse to sell me anything, they can forget about staying in Konoha.”

"Xuan Yue!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, his face flushed, quickly called out, "Naruto isn't a genius like you; he's still a child..."

"fine."

Gengetsu Shimura patted Naruto Uzumaki on the shoulder, "Then endure it for two years, write down in your little notebook all those who gossip about you behind your back, and when you become strong in the future, kill all those who don't approve of you, and what's left will be those who approve of you, right?"

Naruto Uzumaki trembled. Even at the age of three, he knew the horror of death and killing. This was the first time he had ever heard someone speak of killing so lightly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that Danzo was deeply sinful.

孽 孽!

What an arrogant personality! How did Danzo cultivate it?

"Naruto, your brother Gengetsu is just teasing you." Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly straightened his sapling. "Anyone who attacks their comrades doesn't deserve to be Hokage, you know."

"The most important quality for becoming Hokage is to use your power to protect them."

Naruto Uzumaki nodded his little head vigorously.

He also felt that this was wrong.

"It's fine, I'm not going to be Hokage anyway." Xuan Yue casually tossed a pebble, skipping it seven times in a row.

There was a fisherman on the other side of the river. He was about to open his mouth to curse, but when he saw the old man sitting next to Shimura Gengetsu, he silently shut his mouth, picked up his tools, abandoned the bait he had just prepared, and went to a more distant place.

"So, Xuan Yue, what is your dream?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

He must find a way to bring the child back to the right path.

"me."

The boy opened his palms and rested his chin on his hand. "I want to build bonds with everyone in the ninja world."

"Oh? Everyone?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked. "Why?"

"With bonds in place, there should be no more wars."

"What a grand ideal! You remind me of the First Hokage..." Hiruzen Sarutobi exclaimed, encouraging him, "Although it will be difficult, I believe you will succeed."

That's great, there's still hope for this child!

What bad intentions could a child have who wants to build bonds with everyone?

"Yes, I will." Gengetsu Shimura nodded earnestly.

"Alright, now that we've said enough, you should all go back and eat." Hiruzen Sarutobi got the answer he wanted and felt much relieved, so he prepared to leave.

Just as he stood up, Shimura Gengetsu grabbed him.

"Old Deng, aren't you going to invite us to dinner?"

"Why should I invite you to dinner?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was completely confused.

Shimura Gengetsu said confidently, "Of course I helped you eradicate the scourge of the village! Just now, a general store owner was even more arrogant than me, daring to pick and choose customers to buy from, and even said that this kid was some kind of fox demon. If he is a fox demon, then I am the father of the Sage of Six Paths. So I burned the store down. Shouldn't you thank me?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips twitched violently.

“Xuan Yue, it’s wrong to attack the villagers at will.”

"Then they should look at their own problems. They made me so angry that I couldn't help but take action. They deserve to die. I'll go and kill him right now."

As he spoke, he exuded a murderous aura, which frightened Naruto Uzumaki so much that his face turned pale.

"This is a crime too serious to be committed."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was utterly exhausted. It seemed that it would be a long road before he could lead this kid back to the right path.

"Thank you for helping me discover the problem in the village, and thank you Naruto too. I'll treat you to a meal."

"Hand-Pulled Noodle!"

"BBQ!"

The two gave two different answers at the same time, and Naruto Uzumaki was pinned down by Gengetsu Shimura.

"You freeloader, don't be picky. Old Deng treated me to a meal."

"Oh, okay." Naruto Uzumaki, who had never eaten barbecue before, nodded with a wronged expression.

At the barbecue restaurant, Hiruzen Sarutobi was ripped off.

As for Shimura Gengetsu, it's unclear whether it's due to the advancement of the Senju bloodline or the Otsutsuki bloodline he acquired from Hinata, but in any case, his appetite has greatly increased. He used to be able to eat ten plates of special beef, but now he can easily eat twenty.

Naruto Uzumaki is also a little foodie. He came reluctantly, but eventually finished three plates.

When it came time to pay the bill, the Third Hokage simply put it on the tab in the Hokage's office.

Goodness, it turned into an official banquet all of a sudden.

As they stepped out of the shop, Naruto Uzumaki held the Third Hokage's hand with one small hand, while waving his other hand at Gengetsu Shimura, saying, "Big Brother Gengetsu, remember my address, come visit me when you come to play!"

Xuan Yue waved her hand, said nothing, and slowly walked into the distance.

Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head and said, "Naruto, the first step to becoming Hokage should start with going home."

"no problem!"

Naruto Uzumaki left full of energy.

"I really didn't expect this..."

After the two men had both left, the kind smile on the old man's face gradually disappeared, turning into a sigh.

He originally intended to use the villagers' hostility to temper Naruto's will, making him crave recognition even more, so that he could do his best for the village in the future.

But Shimura Gengetsu's sudden intervention may affect the plan.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to criticize anything, because this was the kind of emotion he wanted to see in Gengetsu Shimura—kindness.