Chapter 420: But He Called Me Hokage

Chapter 420: But He Called Me Hokage

Though the tranquility of the night can stir the heart, Lu Ke actually prefers the daylight.

The vibrant mornings, clear noons, and the warm, mellow glow of the sunset are all quite captivating.

Though not as dramatic as a child’s growth, Shoubo has developed considerably over the past two years.

Her delicate features have become more striking and elegant, her skin so fair it seems to glow, and her every smile and frown exudes the freshness of youth.

This is a natural process. During his frequent visits home from the Land of Steel, Lu Ke has taken good care of the young sapling.

Though most of the rare treasures he provided were wasted, the persistent effort over time has elevated Shoubo’s life force. If she were to train seriously, her progress would likely outpace even the protagonist with a cheat.

However, these minor improvements are just a slight boost for Lu Ke. Once defeated in a hundred thousand words, he can now hold his ground for a million before collapsing.

The two studied together, from noon until night, and then from night until the next morning. Soaked in the sea of knowledge, Shoubo finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.

"We still have a lot of work to do..."

Lu Ke pushed open the window, letting the stale air dissipate. It felt as refreshing as wearing new underwear at the start of a new year!

The brief afterglow passed as the tobacco burned. Lu Ke dressed leisurely and made his way to the living room, where Qian Chuan Guang was organizing the shop.

The boy sorted Kunai, Shuriken, Senbon, Makibishi, and Soldier Pills onto the shelves, then took out small bags and placed some of the tools inside.

"Good morning."

Habitually ruffling his brother's hair, Lu Ke brought him out of his work, and Qian Chuan Guang obediently let his hair be mussed, a hint of grievance in his eyes.

"Bro, that's too much, always using me as a shield..."

"Sorry, sorry, won't happen again."

Lu Ke offered a perfunctory apology, "Did Uncle Asuma give you a hard time while I was gone? After all, you’re just a kid."

Qian Chuan Guang thought for a moment, "No, he didn’t, but because I stepped into the Ichiraku Ramen shop with my left foot, I’m now a blacklisted customer and not allowed to enter again."

Lu Ke: ...Isn't that just a clear case of making things difficult?

Lu Ke sighed inwardly, feeling that his future father-in-law, though a good cook, was rather foolish.

Doesn't he know that targeting him and his brother will only make his daughter return... both day and night?

Looking at the neatly packed bags in front of his brother, Lu Ke asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

"Preparing the tools for customers who have pre-ordered. When they come, they can just pick them up, saving time and effort. The shop is doing so well that we can’t keep up without this."

Qian Chuan Guang explained as he packed the items, "This was your idea, remember?"

"Ah... I’d forgotten."

Lu Ke scratched his head, "If it’s too much trouble, we could just close the shop. The profits from the tool shop don’t really help us much anymore."

Qian Chuan Guang’s eyes widened, "So confident! Did you make a lot of money in the Land of Steel over the past two years?"

Lu Ke thought for a moment, "Pretty much."

"Really? Can making iron tools earn that much...?"

Faced with such a naive question, Lu Ke smiled but said nothing.

In any world, the fastest way to amass wealth, aside from unsustainable exploitation, is through commerce within the rules.

In the Land of Steel, his automated factory produces high-quality tools that far surpass those on the market, boosting the entire region’s economy. Even Konoha’s wealthiest, Konan, probably doesn’t have as much wealth as he does.

Surprisingly, after a brief moment of excitement, Qian Chuan Guang decided to continue running the shop.

He said he needed something to do to pass the time, and his parents were used to running a shop. With Lu Ke around, he didn’t have to do any physical labor and was quite comfortable.

In the future, he could be even more arrogant and not care about customers' attitudes.

Hearing this, Lu Ke didn’t object.

The Ichiraku Ramen shop, despite its massive profits, still runs every day, welcoming every hungry customer... except for the two of them.

"Besides, I want to inherit your skills!"

Though still youthful, the boy’s tone was serious, his dark eyes gleaming with longing.

Lu Ke thought for a moment and nodded, "If that’s what you want, I’ll teach you my forging techniques. Remember to study hard."

"Sure!"

...

The training ground was vast and flat.

Wearing a green windbreaker, Tsunade stood in the rest area, with Shizune, holding a pink pig, by her side.

Behind them, the retired Third Hokage, Asuma Sarutobi, smoked his pipe, while the half-steel-faced Kazuo Shimura stood silently.

The retired best friends still played their roles, but without the titles of Hokage and Root Division leader, they couldn’t stage their usual dramatic confrontations.

"What brings you here, Sensei?"

Ignoring the ominous presence of Kazuo Shimura, Tsunade looked at Asuma Sarutobi with a hint of exasperation.

"Hehe, I heard you’re appointing the head of the Ninja Tools Department. I came to observe and lend you some support."

Asuma Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, his small figure looking like an ordinary old man without his Hokage robes.

"Hmph, the Uchiha Clan and the Nekomata Contract can provide high-quality tools, making them the best candidates for this position. Appointing someone out of nowhere is a misuse of power", Kazuo Shimura said coldly, clearly displeased with Tsunade.

Don’t misunderstand, he isn’t colluding with the Uchiha Clan; he’s just unhappy with the current Hokage. Ask him what he’s unhappy about? He’s unhappy with every Hokage except himself!

Not being named Sarutobi or Danzo, he finds every Hokage unsuitable.

Tsunade glanced at Danzo, her tone indifferent, "Oh, you’re right, I am misusing my power. But who cares? I’m the Hokage. When you become Hokage, you can misuse your power too, and I promise not to say a word."

Danzo: ...

The evil Senju brat will one day learn that he is the most suitable Hokage!

"Why haven’t you become Hokage yet? You can’t, can you?" Tsunade stood her ground, mocking him.

"Hiruzen! Can’t you control your disciple?!"

Danzo’s face turned from green to purple, his anger causing his veins to bulge, nearly fainting from the strain.

Seeing his old friend’s anger, Asuma Sarutobi awkwardly looked at Tsunade, planning to scold her lightly.

Tsunade, anticipating his move, crossed her arms and coldly said, "So, I should leave?"

She didn’t owe Konoha anything. Helping was a favor, not an obligation. Besides, the Third was still alive, and someone else could take over if she left.

Asuma Sarutobi shivered at her words, waving his hands.

Tsunade’s capabilities were undeniable. Though her decisions often seemed too aggressive, these reforms had indeed raised Konoha’s overall strength.

If she left, who could take her place? The traitorous Orochimaru or the perverted Jiraiya who spends his days with female fans? They couldn’t let the evil Uchiha Clan become Hokage, could they?

"Danzo, you’re an old man, yet you still argue with the young. Apologize!"

"Me? Apologize?"

Danzo looked at Hiruzen, feeling betrayed, his eyes nearly tearing up.

"Hiruzen, you’re going too far!"

"Danzo, I am the fire..."

Asuma Sarutobi stopped mid-sentence, remembering he was no longer Hokage. He sighed, not saying another word.

At that moment, the sound of heavy footsteps approached. A large group of people entered the training ground.

The clan leaders of the Aburame, Inuzuka, Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka Clans had gathered. The most prominent were undoubtedly the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans, their leaders walking side by side, exuding politeness but hiding deep animosity.

Fugaku Uchiha was followed by two calm young men, Itachi and Shisui Uchiha, the twin stars of the Uchiha Clan, who had completed numerous S-rank missions despite their young age, their resumes and true strength shining brightly.

In contrast, Hiashi Hyuga walked alone, his face showing clear displeasure despite his usual composure. Unlike the Uchiha Clan, which produced many talents, the Hyuga Clan had declined, with only the weak and gentle Hinata and the young Hanabi as heirs.

Neji Hyuga, though a genius, couldn’t compare to the prodigy Itachi, who had graduated from the academy at a young age. Besides, Neji was from the branch family, unsuitable for such occasions.

With more people and their own agendas, the simple inspection became a scene of hidden tensions. When Lu Ke entered, he was met with curious and probing gazes.

Tsunade, as the organizer, stepped forward, scrutinizing Lu Ke’s expression to ensure he wasn’t nervous or anxious. She then got straight to the point, skipping formalities.

"Lu Ke, are you ready to demonstrate your Scientific Ninja Tools?"

"Ready."

"If your performance is impressive, the position of Head of the Ninja Tools Department is yours. Even if it’s just good, you can still earn it after some training."

Despite her anger at his antics the previous day, Tsunade still offered some reassurance to the amiable young man.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

Lu Ke nodded calmly, smiling as he rubbed his ring, a large, sleek metal block appearing in his hand. The block had a hard, smooth design, radiating a cold metallic sheen, with intricate patterns etched on its surface.

"Is this the true form of your Scientific Ninja Tools? What’s its name?"

Tsunade first examined the storage ring, considering its potential uses, then looked curiously at the large, bulky metal block in Lu Ke’s hand. Though solid, it seemed unwieldy, lacking the sharpness of a blade and the practicality of a blunt weapon. Still, she didn’t dismiss it; after all, many tools had unique functions.

"This is the basic model, a handheld version. Its full name is ‘Mercy Gatling Bodhisattva,’ but you can call it the Gatling. It eliminates recoil and has attributes like cooling, tracking, penetration, enhancement, and durability."

Lu Ke smiled, looking at a Shuriken target, then at the crowd. "The target might not be able to withstand it. I need a powerful volunteer to test the damage. Can you assign someone?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. The training ground targets had been specially treated to withstand most B-rank jutsu. Could this basic model really be that powerful, or was Lu Ke unaware of the target’s strength?

Considering the attitudes of the Land of Steel’s samurai leader, Sando, and Kirigakure...

Tsunade’s lips curled into a smile, raising her voice and looking at Kazuo Shimura.

"For a powerful volunteer, who better than Elder Danzo?"

"He was my teacher, the Third Hokage’s best partner and the former Root Division leader, with strength comparable to the Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. And he’s always ready to help, so he’ll definitely assist!"

Swish, swish, swish!

All eyes turned to Danzo, the clan leaders, curious about the Scientific Ninja Tools, began praising him.

"Lord Danzo is a disciple of the Second Hokage, almost as powerful as the Third Hokage!"

"Lord Danzo is incredible, possibly the strongest in Konoha!"

"Here’s the Sixth Hokage!"

Amidst the flattery, Danzo’s face remained cold as he stepped forward. Though he dismissed the Scientific Ninja Tools, he wasn’t foolish enough to be a test subject. However, being publicly named and praised left him no choice.

Besides, someone thought he could be Hokage!

Even if it’s the Sixth... from another angle, it could mean he’s twice as strong as Hiruzen!

Danzo walked to Lu Ke, his cold gaze assessing the ordinary-looking man.

"Go ahead, young one. Show me what your Scientific Ninja Tools can do."

"Of course, Lord Danzo."

Lu Ke smiled, raising his weapon and slowly aiming it at Danzo’s navel, then lowering it.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end