Actually, it can't really be considered "private goods"; it's more like praising Kawaki Aoba, letting the Hokage know just how outstanding his disciple is. And these are all facts—Kawaki Aoba played a crucial role.
Next, Yuhi Kurenai's report was comprehensive, and Kawaki Aoba's role was highlighted.
From discovering the Sand Village ninjas tailing the spies to leading them around in circles, causing an elite jonin to die in extreme frustration, and finally escaping from Sasori of the Red Sand's clutches, Kawaki Aoba can be said to have made great contributions.
Of course, the version Yuhi Kurenai reported to the Third Hokage had been processed. Although every sentence was true, some details were selectively glossed over.
Even so, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already very impressed.
Whether it was his constant vigilance, his exaggeratedly terrifying sensory range, or the cleverness of secretly using exploding tags to eliminate two Sand Village chunin, these things were completely beyond what a mere genin could accomplish.
Not to mention that Kawaki Aoba even relied on a sneak attack to seriously injure a Sand Village elite jonin. Although it was an elite jonin without puppets and weakened, it was still impressive.
And don't forget, Kawaki Aoba himself is someone who has lost his eyes.
This made it even more remarkable.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze turned to Kawaki Aoba, focusing on the white gauze covering his eyes.
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a bit of regret. If he had known earlier that Kawaki Aoba was a genius, he would have drawn him in more closely long ago.
No, he had known that Kawaki Aoba was a genius from the start. After all, he was a genius who could create ninjutsu without hand seals before graduation.
But back then, he hadn't anticipated that this young boy was such a prodigy.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind flashed with the figures of two people, one big and one small—his disciple Jiraiya's apprentice, Minato Namikaze, and Sakumo Hatake's son, Kakashi Hatake.
And now, Kawaki Aoba in front of him was undoubtedly a talent on par with those two.
Moreover, unlike those two geniuses, Kawaki Aoba was also a genius in politics.
Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled the time in this very office when they had teamed up to play tricks on the Second Elder of the Hyuga clan.
It was clear from that incident that this little devil was definitely not someone to be easily fooled.
As Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts raced, Kawaki Aoba, who had been standing behind Yuhi Kurenai as a mere background figure, was now growing increasingly speechless.
In his Observation Haki perception, the emotional shifts on Hiruzen Sarutobi's body flickered non-stop like neon lights on the street.
The Hokage kept switching between regret, worry, amazement, and vigilance. The frequency of emotional switching was something Kawaki Aoba had never seen before.
Damn, how did it become guilt again?
Kawaki Aoba muttered to himself, already numb to the fluctuations.
It turned out that Hiruzen Sarutobi had noticed his youngest son, Asuma Sarutobi.
This made him realize that, as Hokage, he had been focused on reaping benefits and smoothing things over during the Byakugan turmoil but hadn't given his own son much help.
Yet, his youngest son, Asuma Sarutobi, had been involved, running back and forth for this little guy during that time. Their bond was genuine, and with the partnership in play, it seemed stable.
After realizing that Kawaki Aoba was one of his own, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a bit unkind. He had indeed wronged this kid in the previous incident.
Except for Kawaki Aoba, who could perceive it with Observation Haki, no one else could detect any changes from the Hokage's calm exterior.
At this time, Yuhi Kurenai finally finished reporting the entire process of their escape from the Land of Wind.
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi was convinced that the Third Kazekage had indeed been assassinated by Sasori of the Red Sand.
Only then could the unusual movements of the Sand Village ninjas during this period be explained.
Just when Hiruzen Sarutobi thought Yuhi Kurenai's report was over, she surprised him with another revelation:
"Hokage-sama, my intelligence report is complete, but my disciple, Kawaki Aoba, still has some humble opinions."
"I was shocked after hearing them, but I couldn't judge whether this kid's analysis was correct, so I thought I'd ask Hokage-sama to help determine whether what he analyzed is reliable."
Behind her, Kawaki Aoba slightly raised his head. After waiting so long, was it finally his turn to speak?
"Oh." As expected, Hiruzen Sarutobi was very interested in Kawaki Aoba's analysis. This was also thanks to Yuhi Kurenai's careful preparation—without it, how could Kawaki Aoba have had the opportunity to express his views directly to the Hokage?
"Aoba, right? What are your thoughts? Feel free to speak up. If they are truly good suggestions, I, as Hokage, will consider adopting them," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, recognizing Yuhi Kurenai's intentions without exposing them. He himself was intrigued by the young Kawaki Aoba and eager to understand his thoughts.
Even if Kawaki Aoba's ideas were naive or childish, the Hokage would not hesitate to praise and encourage him. That was the privilege a genius deserved.
Though Kawaki Aoba couldn't see, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave him a kind smile.
Yuhi Kurenai silently stepped back, leaving the opportunity for Kawaki Aoba to present his thoughts.
Kawaki Aoba stepped forward, moving to face the Hokage. He showed no nervousness, only calm confidence as he prepared to share his thoughts.
"Hokage-sama, I think Sand Village is likely to declare war on us soon, and from there, the scale of the war will expand, eventually evolving into the Third Shinobi World War..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi listened closely to Kawaki Aoba's analysis. Gradually, his serious expression transformed into one of solemnity.
The outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War.
Was it the alarmist talk of a reckless teenager, or an accurate prediction of what might happen?
Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't entirely sure, but the analysis in Kawaki Aoba's words left him unable to find any flaws.
Although, due to his age, Kawaki Aoba didn't fully understand the differences between the ninja villages, their internal factions, and the complexity of getting all four major villages to cooperate against Konoha, the Hokage couldn't deny the weight of his predictions.
Hokage, is it such a narrow dream?
But Kawaki Aoba was right about one thing: Konoha is too strong. So strong that any ninja village, if they find an opportunity to weaken Konoha, will not hesitate to act on it.
So, this Third Shinobi World War...
Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts drifted away, back to the beginning of the Second Shinobi World War. He remembered how suddenly the war had erupted; even his teacher hadn't realized how quickly it would happen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen snapped back to the present. He admitted that he had been persuaded by this young man and even felt an impulse to order the storage of war supplies immediately.
But he knew he couldn't act impulsively. As Hokage, he had to consider all aspects of Konoha.
Well, he'd better call Danzo and the others over later to discuss it. He should also hear Shikaku's opinion.
As for this young man in front of him...
After pondering for a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi made a decision.
"Ahem, you're called Aoba, right? The village will take your analysis seriously, and your thinking is very advanced. At such a young age, you can already consider issues from the Hokage's perspective. It's truly remarkable."
Kawaki Aoba: …
What the heck? Is this supposed to be said to me? I have a strange feeling that the death star above my head is flashing.
If he couldn't genuinely feel the faint goodwill emanating from Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kawaki Aoba would have thought this old guy was jealous of his talent and wanted to make him famous throughout the ninja world before Itachi.
Hmm, speaking of Uchiha Itachi, it seems pretty good if I could take his script. When the time comes, I'll carry two watermelon knives and hack my way from the streets of the Hyuga clan to the end, killing all those guys who annoy me, especially some old geezer. I'll chop him into meat paste.
As for the rest, I'll leave it to Hiruzen Sarutobi to deal with. I believe he'll be happy to do it.
Cough, well, he's overthinking it. There's no way such a thing could happen, no matter how he imagines it.
However, facing the Hokage's praise, Kawaki Aoba appropriately showed his humility: "Hokage-sama, you're overthinking it. I'm just an ordinary Konoha ninja, and this is what I should do."
"Hmm?" This time, it was Hiruzen Sarutobi's turn to be surprised. This kid's thinking is truly advanced.
Putting down the pipe in his hand, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked with interest: "Then Aoba, what is your dream?"
In Hiruzen Sarutobi's view, Kawaki Aoba, who could be called a genius in terms of talent and wisdom, should be someone with lofty ideals. Even if his goal was to become Hokage or a high-ranking member of the village, he wouldn't be surprised.
But to Hiruzen Sarutobi's surprise, Kawaki Aoba's next answer greatly exceeded his expectations.
"Dream?" Kawaki Aoba turned and "looked" at Kurenai Yuhi behind him. Although he had no eyes, it felt like he was staring at Kurenai Yuhi.
"Rather than calling it a dream, I'd prefer to call it an expectation." As he spoke, Kawaki Aoba counted on his fingers: "First, I want to become stronger, carry out more missions, and strive to be promoted to Jonin within 10 years, solve the troubles on my body, accumulate more money, and then propose to the girl I like.
After that, get married, have children, watch my children grow up day by day, go to the ninja school, graduate, become Genin, and I can retire smoothly, enjoy my old age, receive a pension every month, and wander around the village when I have nothing to do, chat with familiar people about life, and recall the past glorious years..."
The corners of Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth twitched, and he wanted to interrupt Kawaki Aoba's rhythm several times.
At the same time, he also doubted his life. Is this little guy really only 10 years old? How is he already considering retirement pensions? Do ninjas even have that?
Could this kid be from the Nara clan?
If it weren't for the previous Byakugan incident, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that it was necessary to have the Nara clan leader come over to confirm this kid's family ties.
"Ahem, Aoba, don't you think it's a bit of a waste for a genius like you to live an ordinary life?" Seeing that Kawaki Aoba had already considered where he would be buried after his death, Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly interrupted.
"Many ninjas of your generation have the goal of becoming Hokage. Have you never considered it?"
"Hokage?" Kawaki Aoba scratched his head, and then his tone became a little heavy: "No matter how I think about it, becoming Hokage is too far away for me. It's better to be down-to-earth.
Moreover, isn't it the same to contribute to the village no matter where you are? There are always some things that someone has to do. The Hokage has the Hokage's responsibilities, and ordinary ninjas also have their own places to shine. In my opinion, apart from the difference in position, the love of ordinary ninjas for the village may not be worse than the Hokage's.
Where the leaves dance, the fire burns. The firelight will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout.
Konoha belongs to everyone, whether it's the Hokage, ordinary ninjas, or those villagers. Everyone's final destination is only the Will of Fire.
As long as you have a heart to protect Konoha, then aren't you all doing the Hokage's work?
How can the Hokage be such a narrow dream."
Hiruzen Sarutobi: …
He had forgotten how many times he had been amazed by this little guy today.
A heart to protect Konoha! Doing the Hokage's work!
How can the Hokage be such a narrow thing!
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi actually felt that he saw the firelight from Kawaki Aoba.
Is this the purest will in that child's heart?
Such remarks simply made him, an old guy, feel ashamed.
For a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was very glad that Kawaki Aoba had lost his sight. Otherwise, looking into the other's eyes, which were full of the light of the Will of Fire, he doubted whether he would flinch.
"Aoba, you are very good, really very good. In you, I see the purest Will of Fire."
Please maintain this original intention and strive forward. Let me, this old guy, see how far you can go.
"Kurenai, although your team's mission failed, considering that you eliminated a team of elite Sand Village ninjas during the mission, it can be considered a wash. The record of this mission failure will not be recorded in your ninja files.
In addition, the information about Sasori of the Red Sand and the Sand Village that you brought back is also very important, so it counts as completing an A-level mission.
In addition, Genin Aoba's performance in this mission was extremely outstanding. In the name of the Hokage, I will reward him with a jutsu from the Book of Seals."
At this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi had finalized the outcome of the four's mission. At the same time, he was also considering which jutsu from the Book of Seals he should give to Kawaki Aoba.
Unexpected Reward!