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

Chapter 286 Kakashi: No!

Just then, he saw a familiar figure.

Hatake Sakumo.

The White Fang of Konoha, who struck fear into the hearts of his enemies on the battlefield, was now dressed in casual home clothes, holding his son Kakashi's hand with his left hand, and carrying a sturdy-looking cage made of bamboo with his right hand.

His wife, Yoshiko Hatake, was standing beside him, covering her mouth, her shoulders trembling, as if she was trying her best to endure something.

"Kakashi."

Sakumo stopped and crouched down to be at eye level with his son. His expression was incredibly serious and solemn, as if he were teaching some kind of secret ninjutsu of his clan.

"This is a gift my father brought back from the front lines."

He handed the bamboo cage to Kakashi.

Kakashi's large, dark eyes, peeking out from behind his mask, were filled with curiosity and anticipation. He leaned closer.

Inside the cage were three golden scorpions, each about the size of a palm. They were crawling restlessly in the cage, their metallic stingers raised high, exuding an ominous aura.

Kakashi's small frame froze instantly.

He looked up at his father, then looked down at the menacing scorpion in the cage, and his whole being seemed to freeze in a daze.

"Pfft..."

Yoshiko Hatake, standing next to her, finally couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing, which quickly escalated into a wild, unrestrained laugh.

"Sakumo, you bastard..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over with his family. "This is truly... a very unique gift."

"Lord Hokage."

Sakumo stood up and bowed respectfully, his face still serious, completely oblivious to the fact that there was nothing wrong with the gift he had given.

"These are specialties of the desert in the Land of Wind, and these are some of the best quality and most vigorous ones."

He explained, "I have kept detailed records of their toxicity, flesh texture, and shell hardness. I believe they have enormous potential for development in terms of both consumption and the making of ninja tools."

As he spoke, he actually pulled out a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively took it and unfolded it to take a look.

The scroll is titled "Preliminary Ideas on Large-Scale Artificial Breeding and Ecological Closed-Loop Construction of Sand Scorpions".

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused in his movements.

He looked at the familiar, meticulous, and rigorous handwriting on the scroll, which even included diagrams of different parts of the scorpion and recommended cooking methods, such as stir-frying with soy sauce, deep-frying, and grilling.

A complex emotion, a mixture of absurdity and admiration, welled up inside me.

"Sakumo..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi solemnly closed the scroll and handed it back to him, saying, "Your contributions to the village are truly... meticulous."

He simply couldn't find a more suitable word.

"This is my duty as a Konoha ninja."

Sakumo answered calmly, then looked down at his son.

Kakashi, the future Copy Ninja, finally recovered from his petrified state. He reached out his small hand and carefully took the heavy bamboo cage.

"...Thank you, Father."

His voice came from under the mask, muffled, "They...look quite energetic."

Yoshiko Hatake was laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight and could only lean on her husband, with tears welling up in her eyes.

"You two... are truly cut from the same cloth..."

After bidding farewell to the quirky Hatake family, Hiruzen Sarutobi carried Asuma and continued forward.

The celebrations and revelry have only just begun.

The entire Hokage Avenue has been transformed into a dazzling, never-ending river.

The laughter of people, the sounds of children chasing and playing, the shouts of vendors, and the aroma of food mingled together to create the most moving symphony of this peaceful era.

"Wuhu! That place is so beautiful!"

Asma, sitting on her father's shoulders, suddenly cried out excitedly, pointing ahead with her little finger.

At the end of the street, a huge red carp lantern made of colored paper and bamboo strips was hung high, its tail swaying slowly in the night breeze, lifelike.

The warm light emanated from inside the carp lantern, bathing a large area in a festive orange-red hue.

"Let's go take a look."

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed, propped his son up on his backside, and led his wife and child toward the most bustling source of light.

Just then, a figure in equally vibrant red in the crowd also noticed the giant carp lantern.

"Wow! Nagato, look! What a huge fish!"

Kushina's eyes lit up instantly, reflecting the brilliance of the koi lantern. She excitedly grabbed her cousin's sleeve and shook him vigorously.

"Hmm...it's so big."

Nagato Uzumaki had half a freshly bought roasted rice cake stuffed in his mouth, and his speech was slurred.

He held his beloved toad doll in his other hand, his little face flushed from the heat of the food, looking somewhat adorable.

His attention was actually drawn more to the sweet and cloying aroma of candied apples from the stall next to him.

"Let's go check it out!"

Kushina was a complete doer; she couldn't wait any longer and grabbed Nagato's hand to push her way into the crowd.

"Oh, Ku...Kushina!"

Rope Tree's voice came from behind, sounding somewhat exasperated, "Don't run around!"

"Brother Rope Tree, let's go take a look at that big lantern up ahead!"

Kushina turned around, revealing a radiant smile that could melt ice and snow. "I'll be back soon!"

Looking at her boundless energy and then at Nagato beside him who just wanted to eat in peace, the boy ultimately couldn't bring himself to put on a stern face.

He took out a few banknotes from his ninja tool bag and stuffed them into Kushina's hand.

"Here you go, buy whatever you want to eat."

"yes!!"

Kushina grabbed the money, stuffed it into her pocket like a precious treasure, and then, pulling Nagato along, like a little fish freed from its restraints, she instantly merged into the joyful crowd.

"What is that dark, moving ball?"

Kushina rushed into a food stall, pointed curiously at the dumplings rolling on the hot plate, and asked loudly.

The stall owner, a kind middle-aged man, cheerfully introduced the adorable little girl with red hair, saying, "Little girl, this is called takoyaki. It's made by wrapping octopus pieces in batter and then baking it. It's delicious!"

"An octopus? You mean that thing in the sea with lots of tentacles?"

Kushina's imagination instantly soared to the coast of the Land of Whirlpools. "You can eat its feet too?"

"Of course!"

The uncle deftly packed a plate of freshly baked takoyaki into a small boat-shaped cardboard box, brushed it with sauce, and sprinkled it with bonito flakes. "Here, have a taste!"

"I'll take one!" Kushina said generously, slapping out her banknotes.

Nagato stood quietly to the side, watching the bonito flakes that seemed to dance in the heat, her small Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"Wuhu~"

Kushina used a bamboo skewer to pick up a piping hot dumpling and stuffed it into her mouth without caring that it was too hot.

"Mmm! Five ants! (So delicious!)"

She mumbled a praise, then tied up another one and held it to Nagato's lips.

"Nagato, you have to try this too! It's called takoyaki, and it's super delicious!"

Take a small bite into the longskin; the outer skin is slightly charred, the inside is soft and chewy, and the sauce is salty and sweet.

Two completely different textures exploded in his mouth, causing his usually calm black eyes to widen slightly.

Really delicious.

This was the third type of unprecedented delicacy he had ever tasted in the Land of Fire.