Naruto: People are in Konoha, the system arrived 20 years earlier Chapter 082

As the year-end approached, a warm and peaceful atmosphere gradually permeated Konoha Village.

Many ninja who were out on missions also began to return.

New Year’s Eve was still quite important to most Konoha villagers.

In recent days, Hayato, who had nothing to do, changed out of his usual mission attire into comfortable casual clothes and headed to Sakumo’s house, planning to pay a visit.

A gentle breeze brushed his face, and his mood was exceptionally light.

Arriving at Sakumo’s doorstep, he gently knocked on the door.

Not long after, the door slowly opened, and Kakashi’s figure appeared in the gap, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

“Hayato, why are you here?” Kakashi paused for a moment, then fully opened the door, inviting Hayato inside.

Hayato, holding a carefully selected gift in his right hand, handed it to Kakashi, “New Year’s Eve is coming soon. I thought I should visit Sensei’s house to thank him for his continuous care and guidance.”

At this moment, a tempting aroma of food wafted from the kitchen. Sakumo, busy cooking, turned his head upon hearing Hayato’s voice, looking towards the entrance with a kind smile on his face.

“Oh, it’s Hayato. You’ve come at just the right time. Stay and have a meal with us.”

Hayato quickly waved his hand, “How can I impose like that, Sensei?”

Sakumo laughed heartily, “Hey, don’t be so polite. The more, the merrier.”

Seeing this, Hayato no longer refused, “Since Sensei says so, then I won’t be shy.”

After greeting Hayato, Sakumo turned to Kakashi, who was standing nearby, and said, “Kakashi, go prepare another set of bowls and chopsticks. We’re going to celebrate properly today.”

“Okay.” Kakashi replied, then trotted into the kitchen, squatting down to rummage through the cabinet for tableware, his movements swift and practiced.

After a while, Sakumo brought three exquisite dishes to the table, while Kakashi served Hayato curry rice.

As a guest, Hayato sat on a chair, with nothing to do, his gaze couldn’t help but wander.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a brand-new Konoha forehead protector stacked on a table in one of the rooms.

Sakumo noticed Hayato’s gaze, patted Kakashi’s shoulder, and said proudly, “That’s Kakashi’s forehead protector. He also passed the Ninja Academy’s graduation exam and officially became a ninja starting today.”

Upon hearing this, Hayato suddenly realized, remembering that Sakumo had mentioned earlier that Kakashi and his classmates were training hard, hoping to graduate this year.

He hadn’t expected Kakashi to actually achieve it. He was genuinely happy for Kakashi and congratulated him with a smile, “Congratulations on your graduation, Kakashi.”

Kakashi handed the curry rice to Hayato, his eyes curving slightly, “Thank you. Please take care of me in the future. I’ll work even harder.”

“Sit down, both of you.” Sakumo motioned for Kakashi to sit, then plopped down on a chair himself, smiling at the two of them. “Kakashi, you guys probably gave Lord Hokage a lot of trouble this time.”

A hint of embarrassment flashed in Kakashi’s eyes, “Probably.”

Hayato immediately understood what they meant and said softly, “It seems you’re not the only one who graduated early from our class.”

Kakashi nodded lightly, “Mm, but some people couldn’t graduate for various reasons.”

Meanwhile, in the Hokage’s office.

Hiruzen rubbed his temples, looking at the genin registration forms in front of him. He took a deep drag from his pipe, exhaled slowly, his brows tightly furrowed.

“It started a bad precedent, truly a headache,” Hiruzen muttered to himself, his heart filled with helplessness and worry.

He now somewhat regretted why he had agreed to Hayato’s early graduation application back then, causing everyone else to follow suit.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps and a commotion in the hallway broke the silence in the office.

With a bang, the Hokage’s office door was pushed open directly, and Asuma rushed in, his face full of excitement.

“Dad, what do you mean? Why won’t you let me graduate!” Asuma ran up to Hiruzen, his eyes red, his voice filled with questioning and unwillingness.

Many people in his class had successfully graduated early, and he himself had such good grades. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t graduate this time.

Hiruzen put down his pipe and looked at Asuma with a serious expression, “Why won’t I let you graduate? Don’t you know yourself?”

Asuma, in a fit of excitement, slammed his hand directly on the Hokage’s desk, a loud slap echoing as the papers on the desk trembled three times.

He protested loudly, “You’re clearly deliberately not letting me graduate! My taijutsu and ninjutsu are among the best in the class. Why can those with worse grades than me graduate, but I can’t?”

“Look at you, how many points did you get on the cultural studies exam? You ask me why you can’t graduate?”

Hiruzen slapped a test paper directly on the desk with a loud smack. The paper clearly showed a score of ten points.

Yes, out of a hundred points.

In fact, for Ninja Academy students, it was important to learn theoretical knowledge. How much ninjutsu and taijutsu could the Ninja Academy teach?

To graduate early, one definitely had to first complete and thoroughly understand the cultural studies knowledge taught at the Ninja Academy.

Asuma stretched his neck, looking at the disastrous test paper, his confidence somewhat lacking, and he mumbled softly, “Being a ninja isn’t being a scholar. Why be so serious about this?”

Hiruzen picked up his pipe again, then walked up to Asuma and tapped Asuma’s head hard with the pipe, saying earnestly, “A ninja is not a brute. They must focus on comprehensive development. Go back and think carefully about what you should do next.”

After lecturing Asuma, Hiruzen sent him away, then returned to his desk, beginning to agonize over how to group the newly promoted genin.

After a long time, Hiruzen pounded his aching lower back. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a photograph on the upper right of his desk.

It was a photo taken many years ago with his three disciples. In the photo, Hiruzen stood behind the three of them. Orochimaru stood sideways to Hiruzen’s right, showing only half of his cold face; Jiraiya stood in the very center, smiling amiably; Tsunade stood to Hiruzen’s left, smiling faintly, her eyes sparkling with resolute light.

Memories of the past surged like a tide. Hiruzen slowly stood up, a determination forming in his heart.

Thus, Hiruzen left the Hokage Building and headed to Konoha’s sake bar.

Entering the bar, Hiruzen immediately saw a somewhat lonely figure drinking in silence at a table.

It was Tsunade. She was bowing her head, clutching her sake cup tightly, her eyes somewhat empty and bewildered.

“You’re here indeed,” Hiruzen’s voice sounded faintly, carrying a hint of imperceptible concern.

Tsunade, who was currently trying to pass the time by drinking in silence, froze, then turned to look at Hiruzen, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

“Old man.”

Hiruzen ordered a cup of sake, swirling the cup, and slowly began, “Tsunade, are you still dwelling on the medical ninja reform issue from before? If you were given another chance, would you be willing to start over?”

Tsunade paused slightly, a complex expression flashing in her eyes, “You mean?”

Hiruzen looked at Tsunade seriously, his tone firm, “I’ve thought about it carefully. Your idea indeed has feasibility. I can let you try, but the current medical ninja system is still too poor. So I want you to become a jounin instructor and first cultivate some elite medical ninja. You will prove to everyone that you are right.”

Upon hearing this, all the drunkenness immediately vanished from Tsunade’s face, replaced by excitement and elation. “Sensei, I will prove to you that I am right.”

Hiruzen smiled slightly, then raised his sake cup and clinked it with Tsunade’s, “Mm, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

After the two master and disciple had a simple drink, Tsunade curiously asked, “Sensei, which students do you want me to take?”

Hiruzen smiled mysteriously, “You’ll know tomorrow when you come to my office.”

With that, he drained the sake in his cup, then put down the cup and slowly walked out of the bar.

At the bar entrance, Hiruzen turned his head to look at Tsunade.

“Tsunade, it’s best to drink less sake. You need to keep a clear head to face new challenges.”

Then Hiruzen lifted the curtain and left the bar.

Watching Hiruzen’s retreating figure, Tsunade propped herself up, a strange surge of power welling up within her.

Just as she was about to leave her seat and go home for a refreshing bath, the bar owner’s wife came over to Tsunade and said softly, “Lady Tsunade, Lord Hokage left without paying for his sake.”

Tsunade’s expression froze, and then a furious curse echoed through the bar.

“That old geezer!”