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

Chapter 356 Protecting This Patch of Smoke

When the first rays of sunlight pierced through the window paper, casting grayish-white shadows into the room, Hatake Sakumo finally put down his pen.

A huge scroll, several meters long, stretched from one end of the low table to the other, then fell onto the tatami mats and extended to the doorway.

The surface was densely covered with fine lines, precise symbols, and dense text marked in different colors.

It was no longer a cold engineering blueprint, but a grand war scroll depicting the coordinated operations of the entire Hidden Leaf Village.

"Phew—finally!"

Sakumo Hatake exhaled a long breath, and a wisp of white mist rose gently in the cool morning light, lingering for a long time.

An overwhelming sense of exhaustion swept over him instantly, almost crushing his body.

After a night of tension, the relaxation brought intense soreness that spread from my shoulders to my fingertips.

But Sakumo's eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, reflecting the gradually brightening sky outside the window, clearer than ever before.

He did not get up immediately, but remained seated quietly at his desk.

Instead of looking at the scroll that contained all his hard work, he carefully took out a piece of drawing paper that was warm from his body heat from inside his clothes.

The drawing paper was a bit wrinkled, and on it was a disproportionately large hero holding a hoe, drawn with crayons. Next to it were a few lines of crooked writing: "Dad is the best!"

"Really..."

Shuo Mao gently stroked the rough paper with his fingertips, as if touching some rare treasure.

He carefully folded the drawing paper in half, then in half again, and gently placed it back in the position closest to his heart.

After doing all this, he slowly and solemnly began to gather up the huge scroll on the table.

slam-la-

The paper rubbed against the table, making a soft, crisp sound.

"Hmm—Sakumo?"

"Are you... done with your work?"

A soft voice came from behind, and the sliding door was silently opened a crack. Hatake Yoshiko knelt in the doorway, holding a cup of steaming water.

She didn't come in, but quietly watched her husband's broad, slightly tired back.

"Um."

Shuo Mao didn't turn around, he just responded with a sound.

"Drink some water first to warm yourself up."

Miko placed the water glass next to her husband. "I'll go prepare breakfast and then wake Kakashi up."

"it is good."

Shuo Mao picked up the water glass, and the warm touch from his fingertips dispelled some of the chill.

He took a sip and felt a warm current slide down his throat, soothing his stomach that had been empty all night.

From the next room, Miko's gentle calls and Kakashi's soft, baby-sounding murmurs soon came through.

"Um~ what are you doing~"

"Um... Mom... sleep a little longer..."

"No way, the sun's about to shine on our butts! Didn't Kakashi say he was going to see Dad off today?"

"...Um...For Dad..."

The child's murmurs were indistinct, carrying a languid quality as if just pulled from a dream.

As Sakumo listened to the fragmented, everyday conversation, he completely relaxed.

He went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. The man in the mirror had obvious dark circles under his eyes and looked haggard, but there was a calm and firm light in his dark eyes.

"Tsk—"

"I'll become a middle-aged man sooner or later..."

Shuo Mao picked up a toothbrush and carefully cleaned his teeth, leaving no corner untouched, just as meticulously as he was when handling a mission.

When he finished getting ready and returned to the dining room, breakfast was already laid out.

The saury was grilled until golden brown on both sides, sizzling with oil.

The miso soup, simmered in broth, is sprinkled with bright green scallions, accompanied by a small dish of homemade pickled vegetables and several freshly steamed Konoha No. 1 pork buns, a special offering from the Akimichi family.

Kakashi was already dressed and sitting obediently in his seat, his delicate face quite handsome.

Upon seeing Sakumo enter, he immediately jumped off the chair and pounced on him.

"dad!"

Shuo Mao bent down and caught the small cannonball steadily, then held it in his arms.

Good morning, Kakashi.

"Good morning!"

Kakashi wrapped his arms around his father's neck, nuzzling his head against the crook of his neck, bringing with him a childlike scent of soapberry mixed with milk.

"Alright, alright, come down now, it's time to eat." Hatake Yoshiko smiled and patted her son's bottom.

"I'm starting to eat."

After three resounding announcements, the family began to enjoy breakfast.

Kakashi clumsily picked up the fish meat with chopsticks, and Miko carefully removed the fish bones from time to time.

Shuo Mao ate quietly, quickly but gracefully, without making a sound.

"Should we go show it to the Hokage today?"

While wiping the rice grains from Kakashi's mouth, Miko asked softly.

"Well, give us the finished product later. The Hokage already works hard enough. Let's give it to the Second Hokage first." Sakumo swallowed the last bite of rice.

"It will pass," Miko said confidently.

Her eyes held no understanding of the ninja world, only the purest trust a wife could have for her husband.

Shuo Mao looked into his wife's eyes, nodded, and said nothing more, but felt a greater sense of peace in his heart.

After breakfast, it's time for this little family to work together without fail.

"Daddy, the bowl!"

Kakashi tiptoed, carefully holding his small bowl as if it were a precious treasure, and handed it to Sakumo.

Sakumo took it and casually patted his little head.

He stacked the three people's bowls and chopsticks together and carried them into the kitchen.

Miko had already put on her apron and was rolling up her sleeves.

The kitchen wasn't too big or too small, but there was still plenty of room for two people to turn around.

"Whoosh—"

The water was flowing and making a gurgling sound.

Miko was in charge of washing the dishes, and Sakumo stood beside her, taking the cleaned dishes and wiping them carefully with a clean cotton cloth before putting them back in the cupboard.

The two remained silent, yet their movements were perfectly synchronized, as if they had coordinated their actions hundreds of times on the battlefield.

The morning sunlight streamed through the small kitchen window, refracting into tiny rainbows in the steam and reflecting on Miko's gentle profile.

As Shuo Mao watched, he felt the exhaustion from a sleepless night gradually melt away in the silent understanding and warm moisture.

After tidying up, Sakumo returned to his room, changed out of his casual clothes, and put on a set of dark-colored regular clothes that would allow him to move around easily.

He stood in the entryway, carrying the huge scroll on his back, carefully securing it with a rope.

"I'm going out."

He was about to open the door when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Wait a moment."

It's Miko.

She walked up to White Fang, reached out, and straightened his collar, which was wrinkled from being pressed down by the roll strap.

Her fingers were slender and warm, gently brushing against his neck.

Shuo Mao stood quietly, savoring the faint fragrance emanating from his wife.

"Dad, be careful on the road!"

"Don't let strange older men fool you!"

Kakashi ran over too, his little hands grabbing Sakumo's trouser leg, his masked face looking up as he earnestly gave him instructions.

Shuo Mao squatted down to be at eye level with his son.

He reached out and gently hugged the small body, so soft, yet containing a power that made him fearless.

"Um."

Without saying much, I just gave him a tight hug.

Then, Sakumo stood up and took one last look at his wife, at the tenderness and concern in her eyes.

Shuo Mao opened the door.

"Whoosh—"

The morning sunlight streamed in instantly, bringing with it the cool air and the vibrant life of the village. The wind, which had been waiting for so long at the door, finally met him again, fulfilling its wish.

The sky was a pure, clear blue, like a flawless gem after the rain.

Shuo Mao took a deep breath, his chest filled with boundless energy.

"I'm going out."

He didn't turn around; his voice was calm.

"Be careful on the road."

"Be careful on the road!"

Behind them, a mother and child responded in unison with warmth, and several early birds flew gracefully in the distance.

A slight smile curved Shuo Mao's lips as he strode towards the rising sun that belonged to him.