Start with Naruto Awakening - Awesome!

　After shaking his head, Ye Chenye stopped thinking about it and put it all behind him. Once he reached the pinnacle of the world, all difficulties would be paper tigers, unable to stop him.

　Konoha Village Gate

　It was already night, and looking in from the outside, Konoha Village was brightly lit, a scene of bustling prosperity.

　But Ye Chen merely glanced at him indifferently and vanished from the spot.

Chapter 285 What is Hiruzen Sarutobi up to?

　Is this content being published for the first time? (Second update)

　In a corner of Konoha Village, a secluded wooden house that no one cares about.

　Ye Chen walked alone to his residence, which could be considered his home.

　Since I was away, the cabin was completely empty.

　In front of the wooden house stood rows of iron-clad wooden stakes, dented and uneven from being hammered. These stakes were covered with sheet metal, and one could vaguely see the powerful, explosive fist marks on them.

　These were all training tools used by Ye Chen, because the wooden training posts were no longer sufficient for him to hone his body, and they had to be replaced as his strength increased.

　Before the system awakened, Ye Chen already possessed the talent to become a ninja, but not at the top level… so he relentlessly trained his physical body, hoping to gain the ability to protect himself in the Fourth Shinobi World War.

　Subsequently, he awakened his system and obtained the Overbearing Comprehension Card. His ability to comprehend and successfully use it in an instant was also due to his physical body, which was already honed to be far superior to that of ordinary people.

　Otherwise, his physical strength wouldn't have been able to support the consumption of the three types of Haki, and he wouldn't have been able to stand out at the Ninja Academy! He gently pushed open the door; almost three years had passed. As expected, the house was very clean; the chairs, tables, and floor were all spotless.

　Without a doubt, Kushina must have come to clean; only she would bother to come here.

　Even if I'm not there every day, she'll come, as if we'd made a pact.

　Ye Chen walked around the small house for a while. Although Kushina had already cleaned it, he still tidied up the room out of habit.

　After tidying up a bit, Ye Chen didn't rest. Instead, he sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and savored it thoughtfully, as if waiting for something.

　Sure enough, in no time at all, an ANBU ninja wearing a cat-face mask, somehow managed to enter, and suddenly appeared in front of Ye Chen.

　However, a hint of respect also appeared in his eyes.

　"Lord Rakshasa, the Hokage requests your presence."

　Even the language has changed. If it were before, they would simply say, "The Hokage-sama requests your presence," or "The Hokage-sama summons you to wait."

　But now, honorifics are being used.

　This is where the power and influence change. When someone is powerful enough, they will naturally earn respect and even awe.

　"Is it finally here?"

　Ye Chen murmured to himself, then nodded, stood up, and followed the ANBU ninja to the Hokage Building.

　Arriving at the Hokage Building again, Ye Chen felt completely different.

　Ye Chen knew that if he returned to the village, people would know and look for him, but the first person to come was Hiruzen Sarutobi.

　It was somewhat expected; how many things in Konoha could escape the Hokage's eyes?

　Root: Although it is omnipresent, Hiruzen Sarutobi's methods are no less effective than Danzo's Root, and are even more covert.

　Looking at the Hokage Building, this wasn't his first time here, but with his current perception, it seemed even more mysterious than before, containing many things he hadn't noticed before.

　Ye Chen specifically activated his Observation Haki to investigate the entire Hokage area, and the results he discovered left him somewhat astonished.

　The entire Hokage Building is enveloped in a sensory barrier! This sensory barrier is roughly the same type as the barrier that covers the entire building, but because it is much smaller, its detection capabilities are also much stronger.

　Once touched, it will inevitably be discovered. Infiltrating the Hokage Building is simply impossible! Moreover, even if one could bypass the sensory barrier, under Ye Chen's detection, all the elite ninjas and ANBU members visible within the Hokage Building would be easily detectable.

　(1/2)

　There were many ninjas, monitoring all directions.

　Furthermore, there were also some hidden ninjas watching every move inside the Hokage Building; these were basically the ninjas the Third Hokage could summon at any time.

　This demonstrates Sarutobi's power and the strength and foundation expected of a Hokage.

　Under such tight security, stealing confidential items from the Hokage Building, such as the Scroll of Seals which only the Hokage can access, is simply impossible.

　In the original story, Naruto was able to obtain the Scroll of Seals so easily; there's no doubt there was something fishy going on.

　He's the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki and also a prince! He should have some privileges, right?

　The Third Hokage turned a blind eye to this, tacitly approving of it, even when Orochimaru later stole forbidden techniques.

　Even after betraying Konoha, they weren't hunted down! Of all five great ninja villages, only the Konoha rogue ninja lived so freely outside.

　If this were in Kirigakure, Iwagakure, or other villages...

　Rogue ninja will face endless pursuit! Because whether it's the Tsuchikage, Mizukage, or Kazekage, their respective ninja villages have all formed teams to hunt down rogue ninja, a relentless pursuit to the death.

　Moreover, the fate of rogue ninjas was extremely tragic! Many preferred suicide to being captured.

　In a sense, the bonds within Konoha are also based on the master-disciple relationship; outsiders who cross this line will not fare well.

　Previously, Ye Chen's strength was not as great as it is now; his Observation Haki was limited, and he could only sense the presence of malice in the shadows.

　However, with his 15th level of Observation Haki, having undergone a complete transformation, his insightful abilities were in no way inferior to the secret techniques of Uzumaki's One-Word Technique and Kagura's Eye.

　Now everything has been thoroughly investigated, and nothing can escape his eyes anymore.

　Ye Chen finally arrived at the Hokage's office. Only Hiruzen Sarutobi was inside; he wasn't sitting in the Hokage's chair, but rather on the sofa.

　Upon seeing Ye Chen enter, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled kindly and waved, saying, "Please sit down."

　As he spoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the teapot again and poured a cup of tea for Yoru.

　Ye Chen watched Hiruzen Sarutobi's movements quietly, and after sitting down, he didn't say a word.

　Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi again, to be honest, my awe of the Hokage didn't seem as strong as before.

　Although he didn't hold it in any reverence, in his eyes, the Hokage was just another person.

　Three years in the Land of Rain, yet time left no mark on Hiruzen Sarutobi.

　He still looks like a little old man, although Hiruzen Sarutobi is currently in his prime, he just looks much older than his age.

　She's comparable to Granny Chiyo from Sunagakure, but I wonder if those two have... a romantic relationship.

　Ye Chen remained silent, while Sarutobi sipped his tea, observing Ye Chen's current state.

　He's grown taller, more than a head taller than me. As the Hokage, it's embarrassing.

　But there's nothing we can do about it; height and such are determined by the parents' genes at birth.

　It's not easy to change things after birth.

　Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no choice but to speak up, "Little Yoru, it's been three years, and you've become even more handsome! I wonder how many girls in Konoha you've captivated, hahaha!"

　""

　Ye Chen, this is Naruto

Chapter 286: I'm laid my cards on the table; I'm not interested in Naruto.

　This content is being published for the first time (first update).

　Konoha, Hokage Building Office

　Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke first, his expression kind and gentle, like a kind old grandfather, saying, "Little Yoru, it's been three years, and you've become more and more handsome. I wonder how many girls in Konoha you've captivated, hahaha."

　""

　Ye Chen, this is the Hokage. "The Hokage is getting younger and younger, with excellent health and spirits. Under your leadership, Konoha will surely become even better."

　Ye Chen said things against his will, since it wouldn't get him struck by lightning anyway.

　Since Sarutobi became Hokage, Konoha has experienced the Second Shinobi World War, the Third, and the Fourth—it hasn't escaped any of them! Furthermore, it outlived Konoha's youngest Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and then there was the Nine-Tails' attack, the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Orochimaru's Konoha Destruction Plan, and Pain's Shinra Tensei! In short, for the next twenty years, Konoha will truly be very peaceful! "Is that so? Hahaha! Little Yoru, you can joke now. It seems the battlefield really is a place to hone one's skills."

　Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression froze for a moment, then he smiled in response, appearing kind and approachable, completely lacking the imposing presence of a Hokage.

　Compared to the arrogant Onoki and the self-important Kazekage, this... Hokage was much more approachable, which was one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's strengths. Although he didn't achieve any great feats like the First or Second Hokage, he at least had a good reputation among the people of Konoha.

　After he gloriously sacrificed his life for the village, people would often go to his cemetery to burn incense and paper money for him.

　"I wasn't joking, I was serious."

　Ye Chen said, his expression remaining largely unchanged.

　Hiruzen Sarutobi's laughter faded as he stood there awkwardly, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation. He sighed and slowly said, "I really have to thank you properly for what happened on the battlefield in the Land of Rain."

　This sentence caused Ye Chen's eyes to flicker slightly, and his expression to change subtly.

　This tone was completely unlike how the Hokage of Konoha would treat a Konoha ninja; rather, it was as if two beings of equal standing were conversing.

　Yoruichi defeated the Kazekage and Tsuchikage, personally ending the Second Shinobi World War and mediating the conflicts between the Land of Rain, the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Fire.

　While this wouldn't directly elevate Ye Chen's status to that of a Shadow, it certainly...

　Even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had to give Yoruichi sufficient respect.

　Previously, those were just polite words, more like elders showing concern for younger generations and trying to build rapport.

　Then comes the magnanimity a Hokage should possess! If it were Danzo, he would probably be furious and intolerant of any dissent.

　Before meeting Yoruichi, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already spoken with Sakumo Hatake many times and pondered a great deal about what the future of Konoha truly should be.

　Seeking common ground while reserving differences, mutual respect, and not letting those who make sacrifices feel disheartened—perhaps this is the true essence of the Will of Fire in Konoha.

　"It's all what I should do. At least, without Konoha, I would have died long ago, wouldn't I?"