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

Chapter 104 The Man Lying on a Sheep's Back Watching the Clouds

"Alright, that's the gist of it. Go on, the sheepfold is over there."

Chunin Inuzuka pointed to a huge circular building not far away.

After handing over their mission, the trio of pig, deer, and butterfly arrived at the sheep pen in Zone E with solemn expressions.

As the gate to the sheepfold slowly opened, a hundred white sheep, looking incredibly delicious, surged out like a tidal wave, bleating all over.

The three of them were taken aback by the sight.

These sheep were completely different from what they had imagined.

They were all plump and strong, full of energy, and their eyes sparkled with wisdom.

They didn't have the docile appearance of ordinary sheep at all; instead, they looked like a group of ninja academy students who had just finished class.

"Meow—!"

As soon as they stepped out of the enclosure, several particularly mischievous sheep rushed off to the side.

Hai's expression changed instantly, and without thinking, he rushed over, shouting, "Don't run around! Come back!"

"Ding Zuo! Quick! Use your human bomb tank... no, use your body to block them!"

Nara Shikaku stood on a high point at the entrance to the sheepfold, his hands in his pockets, looking at the chaotic scene before him.

His brain, with an IQ of over 200, began to work at breakneck speed.

The behavior patterns of sheep... the deterrent effect of the leader... the possibility of an individual leaving the group...

He quickly came to a conclusion.

"Haiyi, you go to the left; Dingzuo, you go to the right. Don't chase after them."

Lu Jiu spoke lazily, his voice reaching the ears of his two companions.

"and then?"

Haiyi ran while turning back to ask.

"Then, watch me."

Shikaku slowly took out a small cloth bag from his ninja tool pouch.

Inside was a small handful of roasted beans mixed with a secret herbal concoction, which his father, Nara Deer Antlers, had casually "borrowed" from his own kitchen before leaving home that day.

He placed the few beans that emitted a peculiar aroma in his palm, and then whistled at the lead sheep, the one that was the strongest and had the most curved horns.

The lead sheep, which had been munching on the grass at its feet, was oblivious to the chaos around it.

It raised its head when it heard the whistle.

When it smelled the unique fragrance in Lu Jiu's hand that made even its sheep tremble, its dark eyes instantly widened.

It hesitated for a moment, seemingly pondering which was more important: its dignity as the king of sheep or the irresistible temptation of the delicious food before it.

Ultimately, appetite triumphed over reason.

The Sheep King strides up on his four strong legs and runs to Lu Jiu, licking the few beans in Lu Jiu's palm clean.

Still wanting more after finishing the meal, she rubbed her head against Shikaku's hand.

Their attitude was incredibly docile.

"Done."

Shikaku clapped his hands, a look of complete control on his face.

"Meow—"

The flock of sheep that had been running around wildly, giving Haiyi and Dingzuo a headache, seemed to have received a silent command and instantly fell silent.

They all stopped their commotion and gathered behind the lead sheep, forming a fairly orderly line.

Haiyi and Dingzuo were both dumbfounded.

"Shikaku...you...how did you do that?" Yamanaka Inoichi asked, dumbfounded.

"Um."

Shikaku yawned. "That's called capturing the king first."

As he spoke, he took out a bean from his pocket and waved it in front of the leader.

The lead sheep immediately followed like a little dog.

And so, under the command of Nara Shikaku, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio herded a hundred sheep and set off in a grand procession toward Full Moon Grass Slope.

With the lead sheep resolved, the grazing process became exceptionally smooth.

The leader, who had been completely "subdued," became Shikaku's most loyal "adjutant."

With just a glance, a gesture, or even the direction of a yawn, Lu Jiu can understand and immediately direct the flock behind him to adjust their formation and change direction.

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio, initially flustered and disorganized, gradually became more adept and skilled.

Haiyi is responsible for patrolling the left flank of the team to prevent any sheep from falling behind.

Ding Zuo, like a reliable city wall, stood guard on the right side of the flock, giving the sheep an invisible sense of security with his massive body.

Meanwhile, Commander-in-Chief Nara Shikaku strolled leisurely at the back of the column, his hands behind his head, gazing at the clouds in the sky, occasionally speaking to issue one or two instructions in the simplest language.

"Ding, there's a puddle ahead, go around it."

On their way to Full Moon Grass Slope, they had to cross a small hill with a slightly complicated terrain.

"The path ahead is narrow. Change formation, one whip," Lu Jiu called out lazily.

"receive!"

Hai Yi responded and immediately whistled.

The lead sheep bleated when it heard the whistle.

Those hundred white sheep actually resembled a well-trained army, instantly shrinking their formation from a loose, scattered array into a long line.

"My God... Shikaku, you're a genius!"

Seeing this amazing scene, Haiyi exclaimed sincerely, "You should give up being a ninja and become the 'Sheep King' on the farm! You'll be even more amazing than the Hokage!"

"Get lost, don't cause me any trouble." Lu Jiu rolled her eyes at him.

Finally, as the sun rose directly overhead, they successfully herded all one hundred sheep to their destination—Full Moon Grass Slope.

This is the most scenic and lush part of the entire ranch.

The lush green pastures stretched like a soft carpet all the way to the distant horizon.

A clear stream meanders through the middle of the meadow, its surface shimmering in the sunlight.

As soon as the sheep arrived, they scattered happily, like a hundred moving cotton candies, and began to enjoy their lunch.

"Phew... We're finally here! I'm exhausted!"

Haiyi and Dingzuo plopped down on the grass, feeling like their legs weren't even their own anymore.

Choza pulled out two giant rice balls and a water bottle from his four-dimensional ninja tool bag and began to replenish his energy.

"Lu Jiu, aren't you going to eat?" he asked indistinctly.

"I have no appetite."

Nara Shikaku didn't rest; he slowly walked over to the lead sheep, who was leisurely grazing.

The lead sheep seemed to sense his approach, and it lay down obediently, nuzzling him with its head.

Shikaku yawned and then lay down.

"Ah...that feels so good..."

The boy let out a satisfied groan, put his hands behind his head, crossed his legs, and habitually put a blade of grass he had picked from the ground into his mouth.

He squinted, watching the strangely shaped white clouds drifting lazily across the sky.

Some resembled the rice ball in Dingza's hand, some resembled Haiyi's boisterous face, and some... resembled the father's helpless expression that always read "You stupid son."

The sun is just right, the breeze is not dry.

Beneath me was a soft, all-natural wool mattress, and all I could hear was the casual chatter of my companions and the rustling of sheep grazing on the grass.

At that moment, Nara Shikaku felt that herding sheep might not be such a troublesome thing after all.

It was even a little... pleasant.

"Hey, Shikaku, you really know how to enjoy yourself!"

Yamanaka Ino couldn't help but complain when he saw how lazy he looked, almost blending into the grass.

"Life is about finding moments of peace even in trouble."

With a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, Shikaku answered lazily in a philosophical tone.

"Cut, salted fish."

Although Inoichi said that, he followed Shikaku's example and lay down on the grass.

Not far away, Akimichi Choza finished his rice ball and leaned against a big tree to take a nap.

On an autumn afternoon, the three boys enjoyed this rare moment of leisure on the picturesque ranch.

Unbeknownst to them, on a watchtower not far away, a figure dressed in a secret service uniform and wearing an animal mask was watching everything unfold.

"The Pig-Deer-Butterfly Squad has successfully completed the first phase of the rotational herding mission without any abnormalities."

"Nara Shikaku... performed well, demonstrating leadership skills beyond his years and... the ability to find a comfortable sleeping environment."

"Mission rating... Hmm, excellent."