bookbashuk Chapter 60 A Word of Entrustment
Chapter 60 A Word of Entrustment
"Father...you wanted to see me?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke slowly stepped into the Hokage's temporary office and saw his father, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sitting quietly at the desk, looking even more somber and worried.
He involuntarily tensed up, his voice revealing a hint of unease and hesitation.
Hiruzen slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on his son's face.
After a long silence, he spoke calmly and deliberately, "You transplanted Fugaku's Sharingan, didn't you?"
Upon hearing this, Shinnosuke felt an indescribable fear and panic instantly well up inside him...
He hurriedly explained, "Father, I...I just...wanted to help you..."
In fact, when Shinnosuke was organizing documents in the Hokage's office that day, his initial intention was simply to remove Fugaku's Sharingan to avoid unnecessary trouble.
But when he touched the bottle containing the Sharingan, a different thought suddenly came to his mind.
Shinnosuke muttered to himself, "Back then... I was asking myself..."
"The Sarutobi clan has been in decline for far too long. Father, the clan needs to become strong, it needs to rise again. And I, as the eldest son of the Sarutobi clan head, shouldn't I bear more responsibility?"
These sounds, like chilling melodies, kept drilling into Shinnosuke's ears and the depths of his heart, eventually completely controlling his reason.
Driven by this strange power, Shinnosuke inexplicably took the Sharingan and successfully transplanted it into his own body.
Hiruzen's gaze remained calm, and his expression showed little emotional fluctuation.
"So...you asked Kakashi for help, right?"
Shinnosuke nodded and then recounted all the details of his conversation with Kakashi that day without holding anything back.
After he confessed everything, his unease and self-blame were finally relieved, and he turned his gaze back to his father, waiting for his response.
After listening to his son's story, Hiruzen Sarutobi simply nodded slightly, without immediately showing anger or reproach.
"It's because I was too weak... that you all ended up in this situation."
"Father!"
Upon hearing this, Shinnosuke felt even more distressed, and his tone became more urgent...
"This has nothing to do with you; it's entirely my own fault..."
Hiruzen shook his head, a worried look in his eyes: "This Sharingan... hasn't it been tempting me all along, making me use it, wield its power?"
"I've hesitated and struggled countless times... but... I just couldn't make up my mind... perhaps that's what makes Danzo more decisive than me..."
He paused, sighed, and continued, "Later, Tobirama-sensei was suddenly resurrected, and then Danzo rebelled. This series of unexpected events led to you having this Sharingan transplanted into you."
Hiruzen dared not casually remove this Sharingan...
because...
He couldn't be sure whether the Sharingan would remain contaminated after he removed it.
At the same time, he was worried about Tobirama's attitude...
When Kakashi was mentioned, Hiruzen's expression became even more complex and indescribable, and the bitterness deep in his heart was palpable.
He knew very well that even though Kakashi didn't show any abnormality on the surface, that seemingly normal calm made him even more uneasy.
Sometimes, the biggest problem is precisely when there is no problem.
Even so, Hiruzen still held a sliver of unwavering and stubborn hope for Kakashi.
He recalled his conversation with Tobirama not long ago...
"Kakashi possesses the qualifications and will of a Hokage. Only when he truly breaks free from the curse of the Sharingan can Konoha truly gain a future, and only then can the ninja world possibly regain hope."
Now, for Hiruzen, his mission is to protect Konoha as much as possible and protect every important person.
On the verge of world destruction, he had already made his own decision, to give the ninja world an explanation.
Whether it's the aftermath of the Uchiha clan massacre or the series of events that have occurred recently...
Only one's own death...
Only then can all the discontent in the ninja world be quelled.
As for the teacher...
Perhaps, after he has fulfilled his purpose, he should return to the Pure Land.
The so-called full function...
Hiruzen looked up at Shinnosuke again, his gaze regaining its firmness and determination.
"Shinnosuke, for the time being, you will go to the Daimyo's residence to take over Asuma's place."
Upon hearing his father's words, Shinnosuke was slightly taken aback and said anxiously, "Father, are you going to...?"
Hiruzen waved his hand, interrupting what he was about to say...
"Going to the Daimyo's residence will allow you to help Konoha control the situation and consolidate the core power of the Land of Fire. This is the responsibility you, as the eldest son of the Sarutobi clan, should shoulder the most."
On the other hand, it also avoids Tobirama's line of sight...
Protect your eldest son...
"Yes, Father. I understand."
Hiruzen nodded slightly, his expression relaxing a little.
He looked at his son, his tone softening:
"Remember, the power of the Sharingan is immense, but only a strong will can truly wield it."
"I believe in you, and I believe in Kakashi. You will both eventually break free from the curse. As long as the Will of Fire exists, Konoha will have a future."
Hiruzen seemed to be speaking to himself as well...
"Yes, Father!"
After Shinnosuke left, Hiruzen took out his crystal ball...
Inside the crystal ball...
The setting sun casts a soft glow on the clear stream.
Naruto was jumping around happily, seemingly more joyful than ever before.
Kakashi sat quietly on the grass, looking at Naruto's youthful face, feeling a surge of warmth and tenderness.
He seemed to be infected by Naruto's pure and enthusiastic smile, and a rare smile gradually appeared on his lips.
A moment later, Naruto suddenly stopped, excitedly ran to Kakashi, and looked at him expectantly: "Kakashi-nii-san, can you teach me ninjutsu?"
"Ninjutsu?"
Why did you suddenly want to learn ninjutsu?
Naruto straightened his back, a rare look of seriousness and determination on his face...
"Because I want to become very strong, learn many powerful ninjutsu, and become a powerful ninja like you, a great ninja like the Hokage!"
Naruto's bright eyes were filled with anticipation and determination, and his innocent words instantly touched Hiruzen's heart...
Kakashi chuckled softly and affectionately ruffled Naruto's hair. "Alright, since you're so eager to learn, I'll teach you some powerful ninjutsu."
"Really? That's great!"
Naruto cheered and jumped for joy, his face beaming with an incredibly bright smile, as if he had obtained the most precious treasure in the world.
Seeing Naruto's pure and genuine joy, the Third Hokage felt immense relief and satisfaction.
However, he was also curious about what kind of ninjutsu Kakashi would teach Naruto...