After delivering the eulogy, Hiruzen Sarutobi, along with Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado, personally carried Tobirama Senju's coffin.
He also personally inscribed Tobirama Senju's name on the memorial stone.
Whether it was genuine or just for show, at least in Li Anshi's view, Hiruzen Sarutobi truly displayed his grief over Tobirama Senju's death.
The ninjas and villagers of Konoha felt the same way.
However, in addition to their grief, they also felt a sense of helplessness.
Ever since the First Hokage founded Konoha, the word "war" had been distant from the villagers of Konoha for over a decade.
Even when the First Hokage passed away last year, the Second Hokage was still there to shelter everyone from the storm, preventing the clouds of war from reaching the people of Konoha.
Now, with the Second Hokage's recent passing, the incursions from the Lands of Lightning, Earth, and Wind made everyone feel the shadow of war looming once again.
The deceased were gone, and they needed to look forward!
...
"Everyone, Konoha has reached a critical moment of survival. I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, will continue to uphold the will of the First and Second Hokage. Today, I will succeed as the Third Hokage and protect Konoha with my life..."
On top of the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi donned the Hokage's robe and made his promise to the villagers.
However, it was clear that Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength and prestige were far inferior to those of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. Therefore, the villagers of Konoha still carried worry on their faces.
Hiruzen Sarutobi could clearly see this.
However, unless he could bring peace to Konoha like the previous two Hokage, this mindset of the villagers would accompany Hiruzen Sarutobi for the rest of his life.
After the villagers left, the Third Hokage and the present Jonin remained in the Hokage Building for a meeting. Only then did Li Anshi have the chance to return home.
"Sob, sob..."
Li Anshi took out his key, opened the door to the shop, and entered. He paused slightly.
Underneath Li Anshi's workbench, a small figure was curled up, suppressing her sobs.
Li Anshi sighed inwardly.
He had wondered why he hadn't seen Tsunade at the funeral. It turned out she had come to his place alone to hide and cry.
The house he rented belonged to the Senju clan, so Li Anshi wasn't surprised that little Tsunade had a key.
It seemed that hearing the sound of Li Anshi opening the door, Tsunade's crying stopped for a moment.
Li Anshi pretended not to notice Tsunade and went to the kitchen to stir-fry two portions of egg fried rice. After plating them, he brought them to the table.
"Tired of crying? If you're tired, come out and eat something."
"Hmph, hmph... I wasn't crying!"
Little Tsunade suddenly stood up from under the table and retorted to Li Anshi, "I wasn't crying!"
"Yes, yes, yes, Lady Tsunade wouldn't cry. Eat something first."
Li Anshi pushed a plate of egg fried rice in front of Tsunade, then ignored her and started eating his own.
"Grumble, grumble..."
Seeing that Li Anshi didn't seem to believe her, Tsunade wanted to argue, but the sounds coming from her stomach made her shut her mouth.
Sitting in the chair, Tsunade listlessly poked at the food a few times. The egg fried rice, usually so delicious, now tasted like wax to Tsunade.
Suddenly, Tsunade noticed the ninja forehead protector on Li Anshi's head and was stunned.
Although Tsunade was only five years old, children in the ninja world matured early.
She had known Li Anshi since she was three years old, and she knew that Li Anshi was a student who hadn't even passed the Ninja Academy's graduation exam.
Without any surprises, Li Anshi would have lived a peaceful life as an ordinary carving shop owner in Konoha.
But, because her grandfather had died, even someone like Li Anshi, who hadn't passed the graduation exam, had become a Genin and had to go to the battlefield to fight ninjas from other villages. For a moment, Tsunade felt extremely guilty.
"I'm sorry, Anshi."
Tsunade lowered her head and apologized to Li Anshi. "It's because Great-Grandpa died that you have to become a ninja again and go to the battlefield..."
"It's our Senju clan that failed to fulfill our responsibility to protect you..."
Li Anshi suddenly looked up at Tsunade, who was pursing her lips.
He had never expected that Tsunade, who was suffering from the loss of a loved one, would apologize to him like this after seeing his forehead protector.
In a daze, Tsunade's life flashed through Li Anshi's mind.
Looking at Tsunade's entire life, it seemed to be filled with loss.
At the age of four, she lost her great-grandfather, Hashirama Senju.
At five, she lost her great-uncle, Tobirama Senju.
In her youth, she lost her younger brother, Nawaki Senju.
In her adulthood, she lost her lover, Dan Kato...
After becoming Hokage, she lost Jiraiya...
It seemed that only when she lost money, knowing that the people she cared about were safe and sound, would Tsunade's heart find a moment of peace.
"Sigh..."
Seeing Tsunade's forced strength, Li Anshi felt a pang of pity in his heart.
Reaching out, he ruffled Tsunade's hair and smiled. "Alright, little princess."
"You don't need to blame everything we're going through on the Second Hokage and the Senju clan. The Second Hokage didn't owe us anything. The same goes for the Senju clan."
"The First Hokage established Konoha, allowing us to live peacefully in this chaotic world for so many years. The Second Hokage, with his own strength, kept the war outside the Land of Fire..."
"The Senju clan practically dedicated the entire clan's strength to the construction of Konoha..."
"It can be said that without the Senju clan, there would be no Konoha today. Besides, the ninja world is not peaceful. We are not living in a peaceful world, but in a peaceful ninja village."
"The First Hokage, the Second Hokage, and the Senju clan have already given enough..."
"Now, it's our turn, the people who have been sheltered by the First Hokage, the Second Hokage, and the Senju clan, to stand up and take on the responsibility of protecting Konoha."
"So, little princess Tsunade, just rest assured and accept our protection. If you feel uneasy, then work hard to cultivate and become stronger!"
"All the powerlessness in this world comes from a lack of personal strength. Think about it, if you had the strength to rival, or even surpass, the First Hokage, who in the entire ninja world would dare to make a move in front of you?"
"Also..."
Li Anshi extended two fingers, and a carving knife, very familiar to Tsunade, instantly appeared between them.
"Little princess Tsunade, you don't need to worry about my safety. Because my strength is terrifyingly strong."
"I wouldn't dare say I'm on par with the previous two Hokage, but someone like the Third Hokage wouldn't last a single move against me!"