Hiruzen looked at his disciples, who seemed unsure of what to do, and smiled. "Originally, I called you all together to introduce you to each other, establish a ranking, and then guide your training. But first, let's go have some ramen. After that, we'll find a place to call our own home. How does that sound?"
Jiraiya's face lit up, "Yes! I haven't had ramen for so long!"
As they walked, the youngest, Tsunade, asked curiously, "Master, what do you mean by ranking?"
Hiruzen led the group forward, explaining, "Sakumo will be the eldest brother, followed by Shinku as the second, Naoto as the third, Orochimaru as the fourth, Jiraiya as the fifth, and you, Tsunade, as the youngest sister. That means you'll have five older brothers to look after you. If anyone ever bullies you, you can rely on them. Doesn't that sound good?"
Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya and frowned. "I don't want to be ranked below this idiot. I should be his senior!"
Jiraiya smirked. "Too bad, violent girl. You're the youngest. That means I'll be the one protecting you!"
Hiruzen watched them bicker with amusement, enjoying the lively atmosphere. Is this what it feels like to have children running around the house?
As they made their way through Konoha's commercial district, the group attracted a lot of attention. Many villagers greeted them warmly.
"Good day, Lord Hokage!"
"Are these your students? They're so full of energy and absolutely adorable!" an older woman said as she reached out to pinch Tsunade's cheek.
Before she could, Jiraiya stepped in front of Tsunade, taking a defensive stance. "Don't bully my junior sister!"
The woman chuckled, "Oh my, how chivalrous! You're still a little man but already protecting the girls."
Jiraiya hesitated, unsure of how to respond, his face turning bright red.
Hiruzen chuckled, "Yes, these are my disciples. Since Tsunade is the youngest and the only girl, it's natural for them to dote on her. I brought them out for a meal after training."
After exchanging pleasantries, they continued their walk.
"The villagers are so kind," Tsunade said, clenching her fists. "One day, I want to become a great ninja like Master!"
Jiraiya scoffed, "All that attention was a bit much for me."
Naoto, trying to be friendly, asked, "Little sister, training to be a great ninja like Master will be tough. Are you ready for it?"
Sakumo added, "If you ever have questions about swordsmanship, you can ask me."
Shinku nodded, "The same goes for genjutsu. If Master isn't around, you can come to me."
Naoto smiled, "I may not specialize in anything, but I'm always up for training together."
Hiruzen watched them with satisfaction. It seems assigning ranks was the right choice.
When they arrived at a ramen shop, Hiruzen stepped inside first. "This is Konoha's best ramen place. Order whatever you like—it's my treat."
The shop owner hurried over. "Lord Hokage! Welcome! Please, come this way."
"It's just me and my six disciples today," Hiruzen said as they sat down.
Jiraiya was the first to speak. "I want a large tonkotsu miso ramen!"
One by one, the disciples placed their orders, and soon they were all enjoying their meal. After finishing, Hiruzen ordered three more large bowls while keeping an eye on the younger ones, making sure they didn't wander off. Then, he went to settle the bill.
"Lord Hokage, that's 11 bowls of ramen. The total comes to 3,340 ryō," the cashier informed him.
After paying, Hiruzen sighed to himself. 'Money is hard to earn, but really easy to spend. Who knew a few bowls of ramen could be this expensive? And after this, I still have to look for a house... another big expense.'
Indeed, Hiruzen had decided to move out of the Sarutobi clan's estate. As the Hokage, living within his clan's territory wasn't ideal—he needed to distance himself from family ties for the sake of fairness.
After their meal, Hiruzen led his disciples to the Hokage Building—not to his office, but to the government hall, where village affairs were handled. He wanted to check if there were any suitable houses for sale.
Inside, the hall was bustling with activity. As soon as Hiruzen entered, a sharp-eyed staff member noticed him.
"Lord Hokage! Are you here for an inspection?"
"No, I'm looking for a house to buy," Hiruzen replied, scanning the room. "Go on with your work."
Another staff member chimed in, "How big of a place do you need, Lord Hokage?"
A few others whispered among themselves, "Does Lord Hokage really need to buy a house? Can't he just live wherever he wants?"
"Of course, he'll get the best house in the village!"
Hiruzen frowned as the murmurs continued. His disciples, sensing his mood, remained silent.
Raising his voice, he declared, "Follow the proper procedures. No special treatment. Maintain order."
The hall fell silent for a moment before resuming its usual operations, but the commotion had already soured Hiruzen's mood. I won't be able to get anything done here today. Annoyed, he turned to leave with his disciples.
Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Hiruzen! Are you here for an inspection? Let's talk in my office."
It was Koharu.
Hiruzen hesitated. Now he couldn't just walk away.
Koharu smiled, "The government hall is still a bit chaotic. Since you're busy, I don't bother you with these small matters often, but I can report to you now." Without waiting for a reply, she pulled him toward her office.
His disciples stayed behind, understanding that this was official business. They quietly stood guard outside the office while Hiruzen took a seat at her desk, flipping through a few documents.
Koharu took the opportunity to bring up a few concerns.
After listening for a while, Hiruzen said, "The government hall needs reform. From now on, all services should be handled through proper queues—no more disorder. Different government tasks should have separate counters: one for real estate, one for business permits, and so on. You can handle the details. I won't interfere beyond this."
Koharu nodded, "Understood. I'll take care of it. But tell me, why did you come to the government hall today?"
Koharu glanced at Hiruzen and asked, "I heard you transferred Torifu to the Land of Iron to replace Danzo?"
Hiruzen nodded and answered her questions one by one, "Last time, when Kagami went to the daimyo's mansion, it was to handle the bounty exchange on my behalf. But it seems the daimyo has other matters in mind. I plan to go with Danzo to meet him. As for today, I'm looking to buy a house and move out of my clan's estate. A Hokage staying within his clan's territory could send the wrong message, so it's better to relocate. Also, four of my disciples are orphans—I want them to move in with me. That way, I can guide them more closely, even during the evenings when I'm free."
Koharu considered his words before offering, "Then let me help you find a better place. You're the Hokage—you can live wherever you like." She was already reaching for documents to check for available properties.
Hiruzen shook his head. "No need. There was already some gossip in the government office earlier. I'll just follow the proper process and pay for it myself."
Koharu frowned. "Why do you care so much about what people say? There will always be rumors. Even if you pay the full price, some will still claim you're taking advantage of the village. If that's the case, why not find a place and build one yourself?"
Hiruzen remained firm, "I have my own plan. One building is an option, but I'll need a suitable piece of land. Help me check if there's any vacant land close to the Hokage building."
Though he wasn't particularly concerned about the rumors, it was better to avoid unnecessary criticism. A Hokage had to be mindful of public perception. Instead of dwelling on the matter, he casually picked up some documents from Koharu's desk while waiting.
A short while later, Koharu presented him with a few options. "Hiruzen, I found three locations. One is near the Senju clan's district, another is along the commercial street, and the last is further away, near the prison. See if any of these work for you."
Hiruzen studied the options carefully but found all of them unsuitable. The first was too close to the Senju clan, which might create political ties he wanted to avoid. The second, being in the commercial district, was too noisy and surrounded by shops—not ideal for a Hokage's residence. As for the third location near the prison, there was no need to even consider it.
"Koharu, do you have any other choices? I don't think these three are ideal. I'd prefer somewhere more secluded, where my students can train in ninjutsu and taijutsu without disturbance."
Koharu raised an eyebrow, "If you need training space, just use the village's training grounds. If that's not enough, there's always the Forest of Death behind the Hokage Rock. Why are you making this so complicated?"
Hiruzen's eyes lit up, "The Forest of Death? Koharu, please handle the paperwork—I'll head over there and mark a spot to build my house."