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

Chapter 122 Hidden Cloud Village

Just as the two were having a pleasant conversation and the atmosphere was peaceful.

"Bang--!"

The door to the room next door was suddenly kicked open from the inside.

A figure scrambled out, stumbling and crawling.

It was the Senju Rope Tree that had been "focused on cultivation" for a long time.

At this moment, he was bruised and swollen, his hair was a mess like a bird's nest, his brand-new ninja outfit was wrinkled, and there were two lines of snot hanging from his face.

He looked just like a refugee who had just been captured from some battlefield.

The moment he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi sitting in the tea room, his eyes lit up as if he had seen a living bodhisattva who could save him from suffering.

"Naruto Uncle!!"

Nawaki let out a piercing scream, crawled over on all fours, and then clung tightly to Hiruzen Sarutobi's leg.

"Help! Uncle Naruto!!"

"I don't want to memorize anything anymore! I don't want to do any more acid-base correlation experiments!"

"Orochimaru-sensei said that if I get one more problem wrong, he'll hang me up so they can study the effects of gravity on human blood circulation!"

"And my sister! She forced me to eat all sorts of raw herbs, saying it was to train my tongue!"

"Last night I dreamt that mint and houttuynia cordata were chasing me!"

Rope Tree cried so heartbreakingly that it moved all who heard it to tears.

He felt that his life had completely transformed from a passionate battleground into a terrifying, mind-bending path of popular science, complete with a strong herbal flavor.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the boy in his arms who was crying with snot and tears streaming down his face, and then glanced at Tsunade, who had chased after him from the house and was now standing with her hands on her hips, looking at him with a look of utter disappointment. He felt his temples begin to throb.

"Tsunade, Orochimaru, you two come out here right now."

"Yes, teacher."

Tsunade and Orochimaru walked over one after the other and stood respectfully in front of Hiruzen.

Tsunade's face still showed anger, while Orochimaru pushed up his glasses.

With his golden eyes, he curiously examined Rope Tree, who was clinging to his teacher's leg and crying. He seemed genuinely considering the feasibility of suspending Rope Tree to study blood circulation.

"Teacher, don't listen to this kid's nonsense!"

Tsunade said angrily, "I'm doing this for his own good!"

"If he doesn't study the theoretical knowledge properly and master the precise techniques, he'll just be a moving chakra target on the battlefield!"

"Tsunade is right, teacher."

Orochimaru calmly added, "Only when Nawaki understands the essence of ninjutsu can he truly unleash its full power."

"Knowledge is the primary productive force."

Looking at the two disciples before him, who had very different personalities but were both exceptionally outstanding.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, feeling like a worried old father.

He reached out and ruffled Rope Tree's messy hair, then said in a gentle tone:

"Rope Tree, your sister and teacher are doing this for your own good."

He looked at Tsunade and Orochimaru.

"Starting tomorrow, Rope Tree's theory classes will be halved. In the afternoons, I will personally lead him in practical sparring."

"teacher?!"

Tsunade and Orochimaru were both taken aback.

Nawaki, who was still clinging to Hiruzen's leg, suddenly raised his head, forgetting to shed tears, his face filled with shock.

me?

...I had a sparring session with the Naruto uncle?

Maru-la—

------

After leaving the Land of Hot Water, the Kirigakure delegation's ships continued sailing north.

As they drew closer to the Land of Lightning, the fog on the sea completely dissipated, and the sky became high and clear blue.

But the warm, oceanic scent in the air was gradually replaced by a dry and violent atmosphere.

Finally, after several days of sailing, the outline of a majestic continent appeared at the edge of the horizon.

"Is that... the Land of Lightning?"

Hozuki Shio lay on the gunwale, gazing curiously at the unfamiliar land.

Unlike the Land of Water, with its gentle coastline and numerous islands, the Land of Lightning's coastline is filled with jagged rocks and steep cliffs.

Huge waves relentlessly pounded against the black reefs, sending up white sprays several meters high and creating a deafening roar.

The sky is no longer pure blue; large swaths of dark clouds perpetually linger on the distant horizon, and silvery lightning flashes occasionally streak across them, bringing with it rumbling thunder.

A wild, primal, and powerful aura swept over us.

"All personnel, prepare to log in."

Master Yuan's voice drew everyone's attention back.

The ship docked at a secluded fjord. Two ANBU ninjas who were to stay behind remained on the ship, while the rest of the crew quickly set foot on the land of the Land of Lightning.

The mountain ranges are like sharp swords piercing the sky, stretching endlessly without end.

There is almost no vegetation on the mountainside.

"Hiss... What the hell is this place?"

Hozuki Shio's hair stood on end. "The air is so dry and hot, I feel like my skin is going to crack."

She could clearly sense that the air around her was filled with an extremely active and volatile substance.

This environment made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

It's like a fish suddenly being thrown into a dry desert.

"Brother, don't you think...?" Hozuki Shio frowned and said to Hozuki Kaigetsu beside her.

"Um."

Hozuki Kaigetsu's answer remained concise.

In this land dominated by lightning year-round, the strength of these water-style ninjas is significantly suppressed.

This is the advantage of location.

"It seems there's a reason why the ninjas of Kumogakure so revered taijutsu and lightning release."

Master Yuan, leaning on his cane, looked at the huge village perched atop the mountain, its silhouette faintly visible beneath the thunderclouds, and spoke slowly.

In such a harsh environment, only the strongest physique and the most powerful lightning release can survive.

The group concealed their presence and began hiking towards the Hidden Cloud Village.

Instead of taking the main road, they chose a more secluded mountain path.

The closer they got to Kumogakure, the stronger the shock became in their hearts.

They saw, beneath the cascading waterfall, a burly Cloud Village ninja, shirtless.

He used only his physical strength to withstand the impact of the water flow and carry out extreme physical training.

They even saw several boys who looked no more than ten years old climbing the cliff face with their bare hands.

Without the slightest fear, their faces were instead filled with excitement and the thrill of the challenge.

"Are...are these guys...monsters?"

Looking at the insane scenes of cultivation before her, Hozuki Shio couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

She had always thought that the Kaguya clan of Kirigakure was the most warlike and most fanatical fighting race.

But now it seems that these muscular men from Hidden Cloud Village who treat cultivation like a daily routine... are by no means weak.

"It's ingrained in my bones."

For the first time, Hozuki Kaigetsu's voice carried a fighting spirit.

As he watched the Cloud Village ninjas constantly challenging themselves in extreme environments, his once dormant heart began to beat faster involuntarily.

Master Yuan saw all of this, but he remained silent, silently calculating in his mind.

Hidden Cloud Village.

This is a village that embodies the concept of power to its fullest extent.

To form an alliance with a village like this and then confront the Land of Whirlpools...

This game of chess is getting more and more interesting.