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

Chapter 321 The Inheritance of a Piece of Rice Ball

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight crossed the outline of the Hokage Rock, bathing the sleeping Konoha in a warm golden glow.

Deep within the Uchiha clan's territory, the once tranquil central courtyard is now completely different.

The air was filled with the aroma of food and the barely suppressed whispers. Every corner had been meticulously maintained, and even the moss on the stone lanterns carried a solemn freshness.

Uchiha Tetsuka, Uchiha Hachidai, Uchiha Fugaku... all the core members of the clan were dressed in their most formal attire.

They looked solemn and stood ramrod straight.

When the figure in the white robe appeared at the entrance of the courtyard, all sounds vanished instantly.

Madara Uchiha walked slowly, with Kagami Uchiha gently leading the way beside him.

That aura of authority, accumulated over nearly a century, still made everyone present feel a slight pause in their breathing.

As he walked through the courtyard, the young Uchiha clan members instinctively lowered their heads, while the older ones bowed deeply, their actions filled with awe stemming from their bloodline.

Uchiha Fugaku stood at the front of the line, forcing himself to calm down, but his clenched fists betrayed his nervousness.

This is the legendary ancestor. The one who stood shoulder to shoulder with the First Hokage, and also fought against him, almost changing the entire landscape of the ninja world.

However, the anticipated scrutiny and oppression did not materialize.

Madara Uchiha's gaze swept over the young and energetic faces, and he stopped in the center of the courtyard.

"Please sit down."

Everyone took their seats according to their assigned places. A sumptuous feast had already been prepared, and the steaming dishes emitted an enticing aroma. They were the freshest produce from Konoha Farm, carefully prepared by the clan's best chef.

The atmosphere remained somewhat tense, and everyone quietly observed the old man in the main seat out of the corner of their eyes.

Madara Uchiha picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of Akimichi-exclusive pork belly that was sizzling with oil.

He chewed slowly, his movements deliberate yet imbued with an ancient elegance.

"It tastes very good."

He put down his chopsticks and gave his evaluation.

The atmosphere of the banquet instantly relaxed. Uchiha Kagami smiled gently and began to introduce the clansmen at the table to Madara.

"This is Tiehuo, now a key member of the garrison."

"Fugaku, the most outstanding young man of this generation."

Ban simply nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Halfway through the banquet, the children could no longer suppress their natural instincts.

One of the boys, with black hair and black eyes, stood out the most. He stumbled as he walked and almost fell, which drew a murmur of surprise from the crowd.

But he quickly regained his balance, grinned, revealing two small tiger teeth, which made him look a little silly.

Uchiha Kagami quietly introduced, "This is Obito, a very energetic child from the clan."

Ban stopped moving.

He looked at the child in front of him, at those clear eyes, at that pure heart that showed no fear whatsoever.

Madara Uchiha reached out and gently placed his hand on the head of the child named Obito, patting it lightly.

"This child is very good."

Obito chuckled as his head was patted, and he pushed the plate in his hand forward a little.

Madara Uchiha picked up a skewer of dumplings and took a bite.

The soft, chewy texture of glutinous rice and the sweet aroma of red bean paste melt on the tip of the tongue.

Very sweet.

He slowly finished the whole skewer of dumplings, then smiled at Obito, who was looking at him expectantly.

In a corner of the courtyard, beneath a maple tree, Hiruzen Sarutobi took it all in.

He didn't go up to disturb them, but just watched quietly.

Uchiha Kagami stood beside him, his face showing unprecedented relief and comfort.

"Hiruzen, thank you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, patted his old friend on the shoulder, and kept his gaze on the white-haired old man who was surrounded by children and looked somewhat at a loss.

"Look,"

He said softly, "Home is the best place to belong."

……

At the same time, in the Hokage's office.

Nara Shika, sporting two heavy dark circles under his eyes, stared at a document in front of him with a worried expression, his hair looking listless.

Document title: "Preliminary Proposal Regarding the Treatment and Identity Registration of Senior Uchiha Madara after His Return to Konoha".

"Trouble, this is a huge problem..."

He scratched his head, feeling that his intelligence was being challenged like never before.

"Identity registration... what should I write? Age, should I write the age at death plus a few years? Household registration status, should it be 'resurrected' or 'returned missing person'?"

"And then there's the living allowance... How should we set the standard? Should it be based on the level of the First Hokage's advisor, or... a special allowance for contributions to world peace? If the amount is set too low, won't the Uchiha clan feel that the village is neglecting its ancestor?"

He picked up the pen, then put it down, then put it down again, then picked it up again.

Finally, Nara Shikazu sighed, pushed the documents aside, and took out a cigarette from the drawer.

"Forget it, let me have a smoke to calm down first."

He had just put a cigarette in his mouth when the office door was pushed open.

"Shika-no-Kami, the Hokage asked me to retrieve the distribution plan for the aid supplies to the Land of Whirlpools..."

Nara Shika raised his head, saw the person who had arrived, and his hand, which was about to light the fire, stopped in mid-air.