Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 404 A Brand New Konoha

Minato, watching this simple interaction from a distance, smiled even more broadly.

This is what he hoped to see.

This "weight" is not only physical, but also mental.

It embodies the villagers' hopes, the care of their companions, and the responsibility for the village's future.

Minato landed gently on the ground and continued to follow behind his disciples.

His gaze was fixed ahead, as if he could foresee their future path.

Meanwhile, on the banks of the Naka River, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was instructing several Yamanaka clan ninjas on the maintenance of a vertical farm.

His face was covered in mud, but he looked excited.

"Look, the flow is much smoother here!"

The pillar points to a thriving plant.

"Yamano clan ninjas, you have a natural advantage in sensing the emotions of plants!"

The latter were a little embarrassed by the praise, and they watered the plants carefully.

The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, stood in the control center a short distance away.

He was surrounded by Orochimaru's Team Zero members.

A huge display screen shows real-time data from the vertical farm.

Chakra delivery volume, water and fertilizer ratio, and even the temperature and humidity of each layer.

"The data is normal, and life energy is active." Orochimaru's voice was somewhat hoarse, but full of fervor.

"There has been a new breakthrough in the study of plant cells."

Tobirama didn't speak, but simply observed silently.

He tapped his fingers on the table, seemingly deep in thought.

At that moment, Obito's roar could be faintly heard from afar.

Hashirama seemed to have heard it; he looked up and followed the sound.

"Oh? Is that Uchiha practicing his voice again?"

"Youth is wonderful, full of energy."

A look of reminiscence crossed his face.

It was as if I could see myself and Ban running through the forest back then.

Tobirama glanced out the window, then looked away.

"Their load seems a little heavier than it was a few days ago," he said calmly.

Orochimaru pushed up his glasses.

"It was a special arrangement by the teacher. He was experimenting with the effects of different loads on physical fitness and willpower."

Upon hearing this, Hashirama's face showed curiosity.

"Hiruzen's thoughts are getting deeper and deeper."

The doorman remained silent.

He was focused solely on the data on the screen, but his breathing unconsciously became deeper.

In Tobirama Senju's heart, there was both admiration for Hiruzen's meticulous planning and a slight, barely perceptible worry.

Hiruzen's every step was precise and far-reaching.

He is not only improving students' physical fitness, but also forging their minds.

But can they truly understand the full meaning of the Will of Fire by materializing it into heavy sandbags?

Tobirama remembered that when he was teaching Hiruzen and the others, he focused more on the necessity of rules and sacrifice.

Hiruzen's current approach, however, carries a gentler, guiding quality.

Is this a good thing, or will it make them too immersed in this warmth in the future, ignoring the inherent cruelty of the ninja world?

Tobirama's mind raced as he began a silent simulation of Hiruzen's educational philosophy.

He concluded that although Hiruzen's teaching methods were novel, their foundation remained the unbreakable Will of Fire.

Tobirama buried this subtle thought deep in his heart.

Time slipped away quietly with the sound of the wind in my ears.

The three members of the Water Gate team were running as fast as they could along the dirt road outside the village.

Obito is in the lead.

His physical abilities and endurance had greatly increased under deliberate torture, and coupled with this excitement, Kakashi pushed him to the front.

"Haha! Kakashi, Rin! I'm going to shake you off!"

Obito's voice echoed in the morning breeze.

He glanced back, his face full of smugness.

"....-_-...."

Kakashi followed closely behind.

Although he didn't say it, he was somewhat helpless about Obito's childish behavior.

He wanted to see just how far this idiot could go.

With each step I took, the weight of the sandbags served as a reminder.

This is not just ordinary training.

"The weight of the Will of Fire..." Kakashi silently repeated in his mind.

He turned his head and looked at the Fire Shadow Rock in the center of the village.

The first generation, the second generation, the third generation... each of those three faces carries a burden that is unimaginable to ordinary people.

And his father, Hatake Sakumo, was also the White Fang of Konoha, the sharp blade that protected the village.

Deep within him, his extreme desire for speed and endurance was completely ignited by a single, simple sentence from Minato-sensei.

Rin Nohara maintained a steady pace from behind.

Although she is not a combat-type ninja, she knows better how to make good use of her physical strength.

The three of them continued forward step by step along the training route outside Konoha Village.

The weight of the sandbags is like an invisible shackle.

However, in the hearts of the boys, it was also a heavy trust from the Hokage and the village.

Obito accelerated again.

He wanted to be the first to cross the finish line.

It's not just about winning against Kakashi, but also about fulfilling the Hokage's expectations.

Kakashi's breathing became steady.

He adjusted his pace, squeezing his body's potential to the limit.

Lin felt a slight pressure as she watched the two figures accelerating ahead.

I need to become stronger myself so that I can better support them.

They ran through a dense forest, the trees rustling in the wind.

We passed through several open farmlands.

The lush green crops shimmered in the morning light.

Finally, we arrived near the massive dam of the Namakawa Reservoir.

The reservoir, built under the supervision of Danzang, was magnificent and sturdy, with water rushing down the dam and making a deep roar.

The water gate crew is gradually approaching their destination for the day.

Obito stared at the finish line, which was so close at hand, his muscles trembling, but he refused to stop.

He was panting heavily, and almost every step he took looked like he was about to fall.

"Ahhh...just a little bit more!"

The boy suddenly accelerated, unleashing his last bit of strength, and rushed towards the finish line without regard for anything else.

Kakashi followed closely behind, and although he didn't have the same exaggerated burst of speed as Obito, he was even faster.

Lin also did her best to follow behind.

Her cheeks were pale from overwork, but her resolve remained unwavering.

Obito crossed the finish line, then his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, sweat pouring down his face.

He felt completely soaked, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

Kakashi swayed slightly after crossing the finish line, but did not fall.

He held his knees, his breathing rapid but much more steady than Obito's.

He even had the strength to let out a sneer at Obito, who was sprawled on the ground.

"Idiot. I told you not to waste your energy talking."

Obito raised his head, his tired but still shining eyes staring at Kakashi.

"You...you're the idiot! I...I was the first one to cross!"

Kakashi simply shrugged noncommittally, offering no rebuttal.

He knew that what Obito needed was this victory of self-affirmation.

Lin crossed the finish line at that moment. She supported herself on her knees, bent over, coughed violently a few times, and her face turned pale.

But when she looked up and saw Obito slumped on the ground and Kakashi standing, a relieved smile returned to her face.

"Obito, Kakashi, today's check-in successful!"

Obito appeared energetic as he looked behind him.

"When is the teacher coming?"

Lin sat on the grass by the reservoir.

Looking at her two companions, her resolve grew even stronger.

The wind blew across the water, creating ripples.

The distant Konoha Village appeared even more sacred in the morning light.

Three teenagers stood before the magnificent reservoir, each lost in their own thoughts.

Minato's figure appeared silently before them.

His clear blue eyes, filled with approval, swept over the three sweaty boys.

"Well done."

The sound of the water gate was soft, yet it carried a power that was enough to soothe people's hearts.

He reached out and gently patted Obito on the head.

Looking at the three of them, those deep blue eyes, as deep as the ocean, slowly moved from their faces to the Hokage in the distance.

"Alright. That concludes today's training. Let's grab something to eat at the food court, and then this afternoon we'll head to the forest outside the village for chakra nature transformation training."

As soon as he finished speaking, Obito suddenly jumped up from the ground, as if all his previous fatigue had vanished.

"That's awesome, Minato-sensei! I love the grilled meat from the food court the most!"

Kakashi pursed his lips.

"Idiot, barbecue will only make you fatter."

Rin covered her mouth and chuckled softly, then followed Obito and Kakashi toward the village cafeteria.

Sunlight shone on their energetic figures, adding a bright touch to the peaceful Konoha.