On the Road to Land of Iron

In the early morning, at the gates of Konoha Village, Sarutobi Hiruzen, dressed in his divine robe and Hokage hat, stood tall. Behind him were Shimura Danzo, Uchiha Kagami, and Akimichi Torifu, all fully armed and wearing jonin vests. Further behind, in casual clothing, were Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, who had come to see him off.

As the two Chunins guarding the gate saw them approach, they immediately bowed and greeted, "Lord Hokage"

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, his voice calm and authoritative. "Proceed with the usual registration. I'm heading to the Land of Iron to participate in the Five Kage Summit"

He led the group through the gates, followed by Danzo, Kagami, and Torifu. Homura and Koharu stayed behind at the gate, watching them leave.

In a small town within the Land of Fire, Hiruzen changed out of his Hokage attire and into more casual clothing before stepping into a hotel.

Inside the room, Hiruzen looked at his three companions with a frustrated expression. "I shouldn't have worn the divine robe while traveling. Now it's all dirty and torn. How am I supposed to wear it to meet anyone now?"

Akimichi Torifu, ever prepared, pulled out a sealing scroll. "I have a few more back at the village," he said.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed and waved him off. "We'll change when we're almost there. If we change now, it'll just get dirty again later." He then paused, rubbing his temples in thought. "By the way, who even came up with this divine robe, this Hokage robe? It's not practical at all," he mused, shaking his head.

"It seems that the First Hokage was the first to start wearing the divine robe, and the other villages followed suit," Kagami mused thoughtfully.

"When I return to the village, I'll change this tradition in the name of the Hokage. I'll design a few new outfits specifically for the Hokage where there will be clothes for formal occasions, for battle, and for casual wear." Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at his friends, who looked at him with disbelief, and after a long pause, he still couldn't understand why they were reacting that way. He shrugged and said weakly, "At most, I'll design a few sets for you too."

Shimura Danzo, standing nearby, frowned and spoke up sharply, "Hiruzen, you are the Hokage! You represent Konoha and the Land of Fire. Can you please pay attention to your image?"

"There's no one here. I'm the Hokage outside, but here, we're partners," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied with a grin. "Do I need to pretend to be the Hokage in front of you?"

Indeed, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been letting his guard down more and more recently, becoming increasingly integrated into this world. It was a real, living world, not the one-dimensional stereotype he had seen in his previous life. Even Danzo, who had been portrayed as a villain in the past, was becoming someone he could trust and rely on after spending so many days together.

Danzo and the others were visibly moved by Hiruzen's words, understanding the deep bond they had formed over time. They could feel the sincerity behind it.

Seeing the tears welling up in their eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a bit disgusted by the emotional atmosphere. He quickly cleared his throat and said, "Alright, enough of this. Let's go for a walk."

As the four of them strolled leisurely down the street, they found themselves unknowingly at a hot spring pavilion, a place where people could relax and take a bath. Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced around, feeling a sudden urge for a soak. He exchanged looks with his companions, silently asking, Do you want to take a bath?

Each of them silently nodded in agreement.

Without further hesitation, they rented a small pool and settled in together. After a long and relaxing soak, they felt their muscles loosen, their entire bodies feeling lighter and more refreshed. They lazily reclined by the pool, enjoying the peaceful moment.

Suddenly, they heard some noise from the neighboring pool, as if someone else had just arrived. Then, a voice drifted over from the other side, followed by a frustrated tone: "Finally, I'm home. I can have a proper bath now."

Passerby B glanced at the other, frowning. "Now that you're back, don't just go running around."

Passerby A, however, responded with a shrug, "How can you make money if you don't go around? How can you survive without earning money?"

Passerby B shook his head, clearly frustrated. "Money is important, but life is even more so. There's war and chaos everywhere. You could die any minute if you're not careful. It's better to be cautious."

Passerby A smirked, "Haven't you heard? The war's about to end."

Passerby B raised an eyebrow. "How do you know the war is about to end?"

At that moment, a new voice chimed in—Passerby C. "I know. Maybe the new Hokage of Konoha can't hold out much longer and wants to sign a peace agreement."

Passerby A quickly shook his head, correcting him, "No, no, no. It's the third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. He's seen how hard life is for the common people, and he's decided to hold the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron to bring the war to an end."

Passerby C scoffed, "Do ninjas really care about our struggles? Forget it."

Hearing the conversation, Danzo's hand twitched, and he was about to step forward to argue. However, Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly pulled him back, covering his mouth as he whispered, "Only by listening can we truly understand what kind of impression we leave among the civilians."

Passerby B continued, "You're wrong about that. It's complicated when it comes to other hidden villages, but Konoha... Konoha is different. At least the war wasn't started by Konoha. It was the Hokage who decided to end it."

Passerby C scoffed, "Four Hidden villages uniting to attack the Hidden Village of the Fire Country, how shameless."

Passerby A shook his head. "Sure, at first it was four villages against one Konoha, but that ended in a draw. Later, the Hidden Village of the Wind Country got fed up and just went home. After that, it was the Earth Country and the Water Country fighting. I heard both their Second Kages died in the battles."

Passerby B nodded grimly. "The Second Raikage of the Lightning Country and our Second Hokage of Fire Country are both dead. The cost of war is just too great. It's a blessing the war is finally ending. So, will you keep doing business after the war is over?"

Passerby A grinned confidently. "Of course, business will continue. I wasn't scared during the war, so I'm not scared of peacetime."

Passerby C sighed, "Someone like you still making money? In a few years, I might even buy a house and settle in the capital. The capital is the safest place."

Passerby A laughed, "If you want the safest place, it's definitely Konoha. There are ninjas there, so wars can't even touch it. I have a friend who does business there, and he hires ninjas to protect his goods unlike us having to deal with mountain bandits and road thugs. Konoha is the perfect place for businessmen, but the property is too expensive there."

Passerby B chuckled and shook his head. "Enough talk about all that. Let's talk about something else. Heh... 10,000 words omitted here."

"The civilians have their own concerns. For them, the wars and power struggles of the shinobi world are distant events. They are focused on their daily survival and stability." Kagami show thoughtful look and added.

Hiruzen nodded quietly, his thoughts drifting as he sat on the bed. "You're right. They don't think about our sacrifices. But that doesn't change the fact that we are responsible for them. We fight to protect their peaceful lives, even if they don't always understand the reasons behind it."

Danzo scowled, clearly frustrated. "It's always the same with civilians. They take everything for granted. The moment they feel safe, they forget how much it costs to secure that peace."

Torifu sighed, "Well, we can't expect everyone to understand. People will always be more concerned about their own lives. We do what we can, and in the end, it's for the greater good."

Hiruzen looked around at the faces of his companions, each of them lost in their own thoughts. "Perhaps... but that doesn't mean we shouldn't listen. Knowing their perspective might help us make better decisions moving forward."

Kagami added thoughtfully, "Yes, the true strength of a leader is understanding the people they lead, even when their appreciation is not always evident. We fight, not just for them, but because it is the right thing to do."

The room fell silent as the weight of their words hung in the air. They had all chosen this path, and despite the doubts and frustrations, their resolve remained strong. The peace they sought was fragile, and it was their duty to protect it, even if that meant they would never be fully understood.

Danzo's face hardened as he heard Hiruzen's words. "Hiruzen, are you suggesting we start focusing more on the civilians rather than our shinobi responsibilities? They are simply a tool in our fight. We protect them, but we should not pleasing them."

Hiruzen shook his head slowly, his expression unwavering. "It's not about pleasing, Danzo. It's about understanding. If we truly want Konoha to thrive, we need the trust of both our shinobi and the civilians. They may not fully understand the complexities of our world, but they deserve peace, just as much as we do. If we can improve their lives, they will be more inclined to trust and support us."

Torifu nodded thoughtfully, "I agree with Hiruzen. The more we support the civilians, the more they will understand that the shinobi world isn't just about power struggles. It's about protecting everyone."

Danzo was still unconvinced, but his gaze softened a little. "Maybe... but the moment we weaken our shinobi strength by focusing too much on civilians, we'll become vulnerable."

Hiruzen met his gaze steadily, his voice firm. "We won't weaken ourselves. We'll strengthen our foundation by building a stronger bond between the shinobi and the people. A true village is built on trust, not fear."

Kagami who had been silent until now, spoke up, "Perhaps the balance between the two is what Konoha needs."

"True strength lies not only in the power of our shinobi but in the bond we share with the people we protect. Strength alone is fragile, but unity creates lasting peace only then can we truly call ourselves a village." They all pondered the implications of Hiruzen's words.

Danzo retorted, "Hiruzen, have you considered the risk? With a large number of civilians entering the village, we might also be inviting spies, which could create security issues."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, frustrated, responded, "Should we be afraid of every potential threat? What is the Anbu for if not to verify and review the people entering the village?"

Danzo replied, "There seems to be no proper review process in place. From what I know, Anbu doesn't handle civilians, and our guard team only deals with civilians who commits crime."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, realizing the gap between ninjas and civilians, sighed. "It's clear this divide isn't trivial. Let's put a pin in this discussion for now. We'll focus on the Five Kage Summit and address this matter later when we return to the village."

Hiruzen, Danzo, Kagami, and Torifu all returned to their rooms, feeling the weight of the situation ahead of them.

The breeze was soft, and the sky was clear as Hiruzen traveled, still wearing his divine robe and Hokage attire. Underneath, he had his combat suit, though the usual vest was absent. He'd rather not wear the robe, but Danzo, Kagami, and Torifu insisted on it, arguing it was necessary to maintain the dignity of the Hokage.

Hiruzen couldn't help but grumble inwardly as he walked through the empty wilderness. There was no one around to witness the "dignity" he was trying to maintain, and the thought of wearing the robe to impress only the wind and the distant mountains made him secretly frustrated.

"Danzo, how is your communication with the Land of Iron? Is there anything concerning?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, still slightly concerned.

"I sent them a Hokage letter with some of our requirements," Danzo replied nonchalantly.

"That's it?" Sarutobi Hiruzen blinked in disbelief. Was this really how they handled things? It felt so rough, so direct, not at all the careful diplomacy he was used to. It seemed like a huge oversight.

"What else do you expect?" Danzo replied, his tone confident. "This is how it's always been done in previous years."

Time passed quietly as the group continued their journey. After a long silence, Torifu, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "We'll be crossing the border up ahead everyone, stay alert."

The group immediately became more cautious, focusing their attention as they silently moved forward.

They crossed the border without incident. The next 20 miles also passed without any trouble.

But then, without warning, Hiruzen made a swift and precise hand gesture, signaling for them to stop. The group immediately halted and hid behind the cover of the terrain.

"There may be an ambush ahead," Hiruzen said quietly but firmly.

The others froze, eyes scanning the surroundings. But how did Hiruzen know this?

The answer lay in something most wouldn't expect, when he set out on the road, he had activated the visibility of his attribute panel, something that helped him detect threats that were hidden in plain sight. His training, intuition, and the extra layer of awareness from this ability had alerted him to the danger.

As Sarutobi Hiruzen traveled, strange panels suddenly appeared in front of him, flashing with cryptic symbols. It wasn't an ambush but it was something ghostly. He realized a supernatural presence was nearby, not a typical threat.

"Stay back," he whispered to the others, sensing the danger approaching.