I am the new Hokage of Konoha.

"No! I want to train! I want to sign up to fight on the front lines!" He even raised his fist at the end, encouraging himself with a determined air.

However, his ideals were soon shattered by reality.

"It's no use. Naruto, who's still two years away from graduating from the Ninja Academy, no matter how loudly you shout, you'll only stay in the village." Maki, who was laughing and joking with Yui who was chugging milk tea, rolled her eyes after hearing Naruto's familiar silly talk and said directly.

Before inviting Naruto out shopping, she had already anticipated that he would complain due to his impatient nature, so she wasn't surprised.

Upon hearing this, Naruto's big eyes immediately glared at Maki, and he said confidently, "Ordinary students do have to study for six years to graduate from the Ninja Academy. But I know that Sasuke's brother, and that white-haired uncle who often brings inappropriate books to my house for meals, both graduated from the Ninja Academy early. Sasuke, don't you think so?"

After saying that, Naruto turned to Sasuke for confirmation.

His gaze subtly shifted from a nearby bonito rice ball stall, and Zuo Zhu, with his hands in his pockets, gave a cool nod.

"See? Sasuke has confirmed that Itachi graduated early. Sasuke and I can follow suit!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly. "Sasuke, what do you say? With our strength, we can definitely pass the exams and get our genin headbands ahead of time. Then..."

"So, I'll just go to the front lines and be cannon fodder. I'll be on the scene for less than a second before I'm killed off?"

moment!

As if doused with cold water, Maki's sarcastic interjection abruptly halted Naruto's excitement.

However, he quickly realized what the other person meant and angrily retorted, "Don't interrupt people! And besides! How could I, Naruto, be cannon fodder! You know I'm very powerful!"

"So powerful that he can't even beat a four-year-old child?" Maki chuckled, her words piercing Naruto's heart like a needle.

"Um... well... Miss Maki, you're different from everyone else..."

Upon hearing this, Naruto blushed for once and scratched his hair, which resembled Minato's, while glancing around and saying something.

Yes, even now he still can't beat Maki, who activated Wood Release early on.

Beside him, Zuo Zhu's lips twitched subtly.

To prevent further collateral damage, he quickly pulled Naruto aside and pointed out, "In the past, the Ninja Academy did have a rule that students could graduate early if they passed the exam. But that's no longer the case. No matter how talented a student is, they must complete six years of study. Naruto, your idea won't work."

"What???" Instantly, as if struck by lightning, Naruto's face was filled with disappointment. "Why is this happening? What kind of idiot came up with this policy?"

"I heard that they don't allow students to graduate early for the sake of their mental health. Also, the idiot you mentioned, Naruto, is the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, and also my father," Maki explained to Naruto with a half-smile.

"Cough cough cough~~ What idiot? I'm talking about myself." Naruto reacted quickly and pretended to be stupid.

He wasn't afraid of the Hokage, who had always treated him well, but rather of this troublesome devil in front of him losing his temper.

'What a waste of such a cute face.'

As if encountering a raging flood, Naruto quickly shifted his gaze from Maki's beautiful face, inherited from her parents, and then looked at Yui, who had been obediently standing to the side, watching them with a gentle smile. After comparing the two, he couldn't help but sigh.

For the rest of the time, Naruto, whose fantasy had been shattered, could only dejectedly accompany Sasuke as they strolled around the streets like two guardian deities.

However, "patience" is one of the few things he lacks.

Soon, Naruto, who had already shopped around seven or eight hundred times and could even name the shop owners on the street, got bored and started saying in his old manner: "Hey Maki, you can go shopping with Yui, why do you have to drag me and Sasuke along?"

tons~ton~ton~

After walking for a while, Maki, feeling a bit thirsty, didn't rush to answer. Instead, she first opened the water cup she carried with her, which contained goji berries, and drank it down in large gulps.

Unlike her best friend Yui, who likes to drink milk tea.

Ever since she noticed that her father was drinking water infused with goji berries, Maki, who took her father as a role model, also chose to drink this somewhat strange-tasting beverage without hesitation.

To this day, she still clearly remembers the strange look that Sister Jingyin gave her when she asked for goji berries.

Regardless, Maki, who had drunk a lot, had now gotten used to the unique taste, and she even found that drinking this beverage seemed to be quite good for her health.

Forehead......

It seems like I've taken too much supplement.

After drinking most of it in one gulp, Maki, who had just straightened her head, only felt a wetness on her lips.

When I reached down and touched it, I realized my nose was bleeding.

Having undergone ninja training early on, Maki, who was indifferent to blood, was about to wipe it away when...

Suddenly, her big, bright eyes darted around, and after a chuckle, she put her arm around Yui's small shoulders while openly raising her blood-stained fingers to Naruto, feigning a pitiful expression:

"Naruto-kun, can you bear to see two four- or five-year-old children all alone outside? What if they get kidnapped by adults? Also, look at me, I'm bleeding now, and I'm very weak."

"You...you..." Naruto pointed at Maki in shock.

He may be a bit simple-minded at times, but that doesn't mean he's stupid!

Putting aside Maki's strength, just considering her identity, everyone in Konoha knows her right now, so how could she possibly be in danger?

Just as Naruto was about to retort indignation, Maki quickly gave Yui a look.

So, the latter immediately put on a sad and gloomy look and said, "Naruto-nii, do you hate being with us?"

"I...I..." Naruto was somewhat incoherent.

Just then, unable to stand by and watch any longer, Sasuke, who also wanted to leave as soon as possible, made his move.

"Take it and use it."

Knowing everything all along, he took out Naruto's wallet, added his own, and handed it to Maki, saying calmly.

"How could I possibly accept this?"

Despite saying that, Maki still happily took it and waved her hand, saying, "Naruto and Sasuke, you can do whatever you want!"

Naruto stared blankly at all of this.

So, you called me and Zuo Zhu over just for your own pocket money?

Thinking that all the expenses for their previous shopping trip had been paid by him and Sasuke, Naruto, who wasn't too stupid, finally realized what had happened.

Then, just as he was about to say something, his anger flared up, but Yui's pitiful look made him pause.

Finally, with a deep sigh and filled with sorrow for the loss of the pocket money he had painstakingly saved up over the years, Naruto and Sasuke were about to leave this place of heartbreak.

However, at that moment, a sudden, huge explosion rang out from not far away, breaking the silence of Konoha.

Naruto and Sasuke stopped in their tracks instantly.

Maki, who had been looking like a money-grubber, suddenly straightened up, grabbed the somewhat bewildered Yui, and looked seriously into the distance.

Chapter 287 Maki's Attack

Boom!!!

A thick plume of black smoke rose rapidly into Konoha Village along with a violent explosion.

This is just the beginning.

In the following hours, numerous explosions continued to occur at the scene, causing the rising black smoke to become increasingly dense.

Clearly, this was not an accident.

It was a premeditated attack, clearly targeting Konoha.

Realizing this instantly, Maki grabbed the bewildered Yui while looking at the accident site, quickly pondering the situation.

"Judging from the location of the black smoke, it looks like Konoha Station."

Maki, who enjoys exploring the village in her spare time and is so experienced that she could be considered a walking map, quickly identified the accident site and realized the seriousness of the situation.

Although she is only four years old, children in the Naruto world are precocious, and with the influence of her powerful parents, she naturally understands the importance of the train station, or more precisely, the trains and railways within it, to the current war.

"An enemy has infiltrated and deliberately sabotaged the train station? Is it those Iwa ninja and Sunagakure ninja?"

At this moment, Maki, who said these words, not only did not feel flustered or afraid, but instead rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

Although she had previously mocked Naruto's idiotic idea of ​​wanting to go to the front lines and fight for Konoha, deep down, she had also had the same thought.

I just buried it in my heart, knowing full well that it was absolutely impossible.

But now, the enemy has taken the initiative to come to Konoha.

This gave her an opportunity.

For the sake of Konoha, and also to prove herself, the fearless Maki decides to go and help.

Having been born with a significant head start over others, she received formal ninja training. Even before attending the Ninja Academy, in terms of sheer strength, most ordinary genin and chunin were no match for her, who possessed Wood Release.

This is also the source of her confidence to go.

Of course, we need to take care of the immediate issues first before we go.

"Naruto! Sasuke! You two hurry up and take Yui home." Maki patted her slightly panicked best friend's head and immediately called out to the two who hadn't gone far.

"Miss Maki, you're alright, why don't you take Yui and leave first? Sasuke and I need to go help everyone!"

Like Maki, after noticing the attack on Konoha, Naruto and Sasuke were not afraid at all. Instead, they were full of courage and wanted to fight the enemy and do their part for Konoha.

Therefore, Naruto, whose mind was filled with passion at the moment, refused Maki's request without even thinking.

Then, looking at the two young girls who were still little kids, he patted his broad chest and said, "Miss Maki, you and Yui should go home quickly. Leave things like war to adults like Sasuke and me."

"Master?" Maki scoffed. "Can you really trust someone who can't even beat a four-year-old to you?"

Naruto blushed instantly, and before he could say anything,

Maki, however, said bluntly, "I'm not saying anything more! Yui is yours to handle."

Finally, Maki gave Yui, who was looking worried, a reassuring look, and without further hesitation, she flashed across the rooftops, leaping several times before heading towards the scene of the incident without looking back.

"Miss Maki! What are you doing? Come back here!"

Seeing that the burden had been pushed onto him again, Naruto was about to say something when he suddenly noticed the direction Maki was heading. His face instantly turned panicked, and he hurriedly shouted anxiously.

Naruto never expected that Maki entrusted Yui with the same thought as him.

Although he knew the other party was very strong, she was still just a four-year-old girl, so how could he be at ease?

At the same time, Sasuke's expression changed drastically upon seeing this scene.

You have to understand that Maki's identity is special. If something were to happen to her, it would be a terrible situation!

Just as Sasuke was about to do something, Naruto hurriedly chased after Maki, shouting to Sasuke without turning back:

"Sasuke, I'll go and bring Maki back! You're in charge of Yui!"

Sasuke was about to say something when he heard this, but the next second he saw that Naruto had already run far away.

Looking back at his younger sister, who was only five years old and had the normal reactions of a child compared to the prodigy Maki, he sighed slightly and could only stop in his tracks.