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

Chapter 118 The Roots Everywhere

"Boss! A jug of your finest sake! And a tempura platter, a grilled eel, and... two of these soft-boiled eggs, please!"

Hozuki Kaigetsu silently looked at the menu, then pointed to one of the dishes and said to the owner, "One serving of salt-grilled saury."

Master Yuan simply ordered a pot of hot tea and then quietly listened to the conversations of the diners around him.

This tavern is one of the largest intelligence hubs in the Land of Soup.

Most of the people coming and going were merchants who traveled all over the country and well-informed travelers.

Here, you can often hear strange and unusual stories about the various countries in the ninja world that you can't hear through official channels.

"Hey, have you heard? Konoha Village's been in an uproar lately!"

A fat man who looked like a traveling merchant took a sip of wine, lowered his voice, and spoke mysteriously to the people at the table.

"Oh? How is it so terrible?"

"I just came back from the Land of Fire last month. You guys didn't see it! Konoha Village is incredibly prosperous right now!"

The fat merchant slapped his thigh and began boasting, spitting as he spoke, "They built a new road called Naruto Avenue. It's wide and flat, and both sides are lined with newly opened shops! Barbecue restaurants, dessert shops, breakfast shops... Let me tell you, that shop called Sarutobi Breakfast sells fried dough sticks, oh my, they're incredibly fragrant!"

"Really? Didn't Konoha just finish a war? How come it's developing so fast?"

"Fast? It's more than just fast!"

Another tall, thin man who looked like a ninja tool merchant joined the discussion, saying, "I heard from a friend of mine who does business in Konoha that this is all thanks to their Third Hokage! That guy named Hiruzen Sarutobi!"

"First, he sent that iron-fisted elder named Shimura Danzo with a large group of ninjas to run some kind of Konoha construction team, which completely renovated the village. Then he sent the famous Konoha White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, to set up some kind of farm!"

"Really? Konoha's got some serious tricks up their sleeves!"

Every word of the merchants' discussions reached Hozuki Shio and the others.

Hozuki Shio's eyes widened in amazement. She was usually so focused on researching ninjutsu that she never expected Konoha to come up with something so interesting.

She glanced at her brother instinctively.

Hozuki Kaigetsu remained expressionless, but Hozuki Shio could see a glint of light flash in his eyes, hidden beneath his bangs.

As the next head of the Hozuki clan, he was shocked when he learned the news not long ago.

Strong infrastructure capabilities mean efficient wartime mobilization and material transportation.

A self-sufficient agricultural system means an unbreakable logistical support system.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's methods of governing the village are truly endless...

Master Yuan calmly held his teacup.

A light shone in those cloudy eyes.

Konoha...

This village, founded by Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, is developing at an incomprehensible and unimaginable speed under the leadership of the Third Hokage.

Therefore, this further strengthened his determination to seize the sealing technique of the Land of Whirlpools.

After finishing his meal, Master Yuan drank the sake in his cup in one gulp, and then stood up.

"let's go."

"Huh? You're leaving already? I'm not full yet!" Hozuki Shio protested unhappily.

"Foodie."

Hozuki Kaigetsu glanced at her speechlessly, then stood up as well.

The group left the tavern.

Shortly after they left.

In a corner of the tavern, two figures who had been quietly drinking tea also stood up.

It was a man and a woman, both dressed in the most ordinary civilian clothes, and with unremarkable appearances, the kind of people who would be easily lost in a crowd.

They exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

"Ninja".

The woman spoke in a specially trained coded language that only the two of them could hear.

"Um……"

"Unfamiliar faces"

After saying that, the two figures disappeared silently from the tavern entrance, as if they had blended into the air.

They were Danzo's most elite Root spies.