It was quite surprising that the Third Hokage wanted to see her. She was just a Genin, so why would the Hokage summon her? It was like the CEO of a large company suddenly summoning a low-level employee they barely knew.
There was surprise, but less joy, and more apprehension, along with a touch of excitement. The Third Hokage was known as the Professor of the Ninja World; if he could offer a few pointers, that would truly be a pleasant surprise.
The Hokage Building was directly in front of the Hokage Rock. Inoyue climbed over the railing and jumped down from the Hokage Rock, using Chakra threads as a buffer during her descent.
As soon as she jumped down from the Hokage Rock, Inoyue regretted it. She was wearing a casual dress, and it exposed her during the fall, making her flustered and embarrassed. But thankfully, besides a few ignorant children, there was no one else below.
The Hokage Building was not far and she arrived quickly. The building was round, rising in layers, about five stories high, with a large 'Fire' character hanging at the top.
Floors 1-4 of the building were offices for various departments, while the fifth floor was the Hokage's office, somewhat resembling an administrative building in the real world.
The higher Inoyue went, the stricter the guard seemed. By the time she stood outside the Hokage's office, she noticed no less than ten Anbu guarding in the shadows. Of course, these were only the ones she detected; there were others she couldn't perceive.
Standing outside the Hokage's office, she raised her hand to knock, her heart pounding, unsure if it was from nervousness or excitement. Her deepest memory of the Hokage was the old man whose nose bled profusely after Naruto's Sexy Jutsu.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
"Come in!" A steady voice came from inside, not as aged as she had imagined.
Inoyue pushed the door open and entered. The Third Hokage was signing documents, with two Chunin assisting him nearby.
As soon as she entered the room, she immediately felt several gazes lock onto her, but she couldn't pinpoint where the hidden people were.
...
"Inoyue, you're here! Have your injuries fully recovered?" The Third Hokage removed his Hokage hat and placed it aside, greeting her with a smile.
"Yes! Almost completely!" Inoyue nodded. As expected, the opening was a name followed by "yo," similar to Iruka's "yo" in the anime.
It had to be said, the Third Hokage's amiability was nearly perfect; his smile quickly put people at ease.
However, "By the way, this is our first meeting, are we that familiar?" Inoyue inwardly complained about the Third Hokage's somewhat overly familiar demeanor. Her past experience told her that if someone she hadn't had much contact with suddenly became very enthusiastic, something bad was usually about to happen.
The Third Hokage's enthusiasm made Inoyue a bit uncomfortable, but his next words surprised her: "How was your birthday yesterday? Did you like the birthday cake?"
Birthday cake? Inoyue's mind flashed, a bit bewildered! The Hokage was indeed the Hokage; he even knew this. Could it be...? Did he peek at me with his Crystal Ball?
Yes, he must have been peeking.
The birthday cake was given to her by Yūgao. Yesterday, it was just the two Little girl celebrating her birthday together. If he wasn't peeking with his Crystal Ball, how would he know it was her birthday?
Inoyue grew wary, looking at the Third Hokage with a cautious gaze, like a Little girl looking at a creepy uncle. She wondered if she had been spied on while bathing.
"Hokage-sama, you..." Inoyue asked timidly. She couldn't help but wonder if the real Third Hokage was somewhat different from the one in the anime, a bit... a bit...
Things came a bit suddenly, and Inoyue was momentarily stunned. However, the next second, she suddenly felt an urge to slap herself. She was overthinking again. Ever since her Mind's Eye fully awakened, her thoughts had been racing, and some things she thought about seemed a bit excessive.
...
Inoyue was 8 years old; her birthday was just yesterday.
"Happy Birthday! I apologize for not congratulating you in person!" The Third Hokage suddenly offered his belated congratulations.
This statement was a big shock, and Inoyue timidly spoke: "Hokage-sama, would you please just get straight to the point?" Inoyue's timid appearance made people unconsciously reflect on whether they had done something wrong to upset the Little girl.
Inoyue's expression betrayed her inner thoughts. Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead beaded with a large drop of sweat: "It seems I was too enthusiastic; the Little girl is a bit scared!" His usual charm that captivated children seemed to have turned negative now.
"Ahem… cough… cough!" The Third Hokage coughed twice, hiding his embarrassment: "Genin Chiba Inoyue, based on Minato Namikaze's recommendation and an assessment of your own strength, I hereby promote you to Chunin! I hope you will continue to strive and work hard!"
Huh? Inoyue blinked her long-lashed big eyes, then just stared at the very serious Third Hokage, showing no reaction.
Promoted? From Genin to Chunin? In less than three months. That's too fast, she could hardly believe it.
"What? Genin Chiba Inoyue, are you unwilling?" The Third Hokage questioned, his Hokage authority slightly evident at this moment.
Unwilling? How could that be? A Chunin was much stronger than a Genin. Not only did they have higher pay and holidays, but they could also access some Ninjutsu within their clearance in the Ninjutsu Library.
"Willing! Willing!" Inoyue beamed, her eyes curving into two crescent moons. This offer was substantial; it felt like being hit on the head and losing her bearings.
The Third Hokage was quite satisfied with Inoyue's reaction, sighing inwardly: "After all, she's still a child."
...
"As a congratulation for becoming a Chunin, you can make two requests!" The Third Hokage said with a smile. This made the Ninja standing on both sides pause, because being promoted to Chunin was already an honor; how could one make two requests? The Little girl in front of them was truly an exception.
The Hokage was indeed the Hokage; as soon as he spoke, it was one big offer after another. Inoyue hadn't even fully processed the last one, and now there was another.
"Really?" Inoyue was completely overwhelmed by the Third Hokage's offer, fully immersing herself in the role, letting go of her last bit of caution.
"Yes, really!" The Third Hokage nodded. At this moment, the Third Hokage looked more and more pleasing to Inoyue; the 'good person' card had fully unleashed its power, and Inoyue was instantly won over by him.
"I want the Shadow Clone training scroll." Inoyue instantly made her first request. She had been thinking about this request for a long time, always frustrated by the lack of opportunity. This time, it was truly a case of finding what she sought without even trying.
"Oh! Haha, you can. And what else?" The Third Hokage asked with a chuckle. Her first request was to learn a Ninjutsu; Konoha truly had successors.
"And... and..." Besides Shadow Clone, what else did she want to learn?
Flying Thunder God? That seemed to require very high spatial aptitude; no need to think, she definitely wouldn't qualify. Edo Tensei? If she dared to ask, the Third Hokage would surely kill her, then interrogate her about where she learned of it. What else was there? Summoning Technique? This Jutsu wasn't hard to learn, but it seemed she didn't even have a Summoning Beast!
Ah! So anxious! This was a great opportunity; once this village was passed, there would be no such shop.
Yay! That's right, Inoyue's eyes lit up. With an innocent expression, she timidly asked: "Can I save this request?"
Saving a request, such a proud act, was usually a setting for heroines in romance novels, yet Inoyue used it here. Her mind truly worked fast enough. At this remark, the Chunin on both sides could barely keep their composure, inwardly shouting, "That works too?!"
"Yes! You can. You can come to me anytime after you've thought it over!" The request could indeed be saved; the Third Hokage agreed without any hesitation. The Chunin on both sides were truly in disarray; when they were first transferred to the Hokage's side and the Third Hokage told them to make a request, why didn't they think of that?
"Thank you, Hokage Grandpa!" Inoyue's clear, childlike voice was very pleasant to hear. The Third Hokage enjoyed it immensely, even chuckling aloud.
If such a request could be granted, Inoyue would truly be letting these two great offers down if she didn't act cute.
...
"Alright! Inoyue, since you are already a Chunin, you must execute your first mission very well!" The Third Hokage said with a sigh, sounding very much like a proud father whose daughter was growing up.
Inoyue was still in high spirits, immediately standing straight and loudly replying: "Hokage Grandpa, please rest assured, Inoyue will definitely complete it very well!"
"Good! You certainly look like a Chunin." The Third Hokage was quite pleased with Inoyue's performance.
"This mission is a B-rank mission, estimated to take within three years. You are to go to Kikyo Pass..."
The Third Hokage was speaking, and Inoyue was listening, but after hearing "three years" and "Kikyo Pass," Inoyue's head suddenly boomed and exploded!
What was this for? Going to Kikyo Pass, and for three years? What was the most famous major battle between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind? The Kikyo Pass Battle! Staying there for three years would absolutely mean dying without a burial place.
Oh no! Inoyue's mind finally cleared, and her earlier excitement vanished instantly.
She had been tricked! It was all the Third Hokage's scheme. Those initial offers were all on a string, and she was the fish that took the bait. Poor her, wagging her tail and trying hard to be cute, but the result... so disheartening! Offers weren't that easy to get.
"Ah... Third Grandpa, I want to use my remaining request, can I?" The disheartened Inoyue, lacking confidence, interrupted the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage wasn't angry about being interrupted; he smiled with great interest: "Little Inoyue has thought of her request so quickly? Tell Grandpa, what kind of strange request is it!"
Inoyue tried to meet the Third Hokage's gaze, and with a very timid, weak voice, she said: "Um...! Hokage Grandpa, I don't want to go on this mission, can I?"
[ +1 chapter, 10 powerstones (1/5) ]