Master, Please Become a Hokage

Ōnoki added another question.

“Of course.” Sarutobi Ryo nodded, answering decisively, “I am the man who will become the Fifth Hokage!”

......

Shortly after.

Ōnoki led Sarutobi Ryo to the top of the tower.

This was the most sacred room.

A place only the Tsuchikage could enter at any time.

The few who came here also did so with a sense of reverence.

Simply put... for the Iwagakure ninjas, this was the most sacred place.

At this moment.

Three outsiders appeared here.

It was also the first time Iwagakure had allowed people from other villages to enter.

The room with the pool was ornately decorated.

A stone was enshrined on the central water platform.

“That is the legendary... Iwagakure's most precious gem...”

Utatane Koharu glanced at it, sighing.

Because of her preconceived notions, even though the stone wasn't particularly eye-catching, she still believed it possessed the greatest value.

On Uzumaki Mito's side, she sensed for a moment but didn't detect anything special about the stone.

“Hmph, how could our Iwagakure's treasure be understood by outsiders...”

Ōnoki remained dismissive of Uzumaki Mito's assessment.

However, there was some surprise in his eyes.

He thought to himself, as expected of the First Hokage's wife, she actually saw some of the essence.

On the surface, Ōnoki remained dismissive, turning his gaze to Sarutobi Ryo.

The meaning was clear: What do you think of our Iwagakure's treasure?

Chapter 212. Sarutobi Ryo's Matrimony? Marrying the Kazekage?

Whoosh...

The sound of water gently lapping at the ears.

Sarutobi Ryo's gaze passed over the pool, intently looking at the platform in the center.

The base, made of the most expensive silk and jewels, enshrined an unremarkable stone.

The stone was about the size of a young man's fist and didn't seem special at all.

However, such a sacred, magnificent, and solemn room was dedicated to enshrining a single stone.

In the eyes of ordinary people, the stone must be incomparably precious.

Immediately, Sarutobi Ryo's gaze turned to the pool.

The water in the pool was extremely clear; because it was too clean, even fish couldn't survive in such a pure environment.

After all... water that is too clear has no fish.

And in the pool, many stones of similar size were laid, with no significant differences between the individual sizes.

“This stone... is the symbol of our Iwagakure's Stone Will...”

Ōnoki said proudly, with his hands behind his back.

He believed that no one could see the true essence.

“Mm.”

Sarutobi Ryo nodded, and under Ōnoki's astonished gaze, his body trembled slightly.

Trembled?

No!

That was the appearance of hot air surging!

Ōnoki immediately recognized the essence of the technique Sarutobi Ryo was using.

“It's Dust Release!”

He couldn't help but exclaim.

At this time, Sarutobi Ryo was also floating in the air.

Dust Release... was an extremely, extremely, extremely rare Bloodline Limit.

Ōnoki even guessed that besides Pakura, perhaps only one other ninja with Dust Release could be found in the entire ninja world; that was the limit for Dust Release Bloodline Limit holders.

And now, Sarutobi Hiruzen's son had used Dust Release, which meant... on the Sunagakure side...

Uzumaki Mito and Utatane Koharu were equally shocked.

The two women looked incredulously at Sarutobi Ryo, whose feet were dozens of centimeters off the ground.

Just like that, Sarutobi Ryo quickly crossed the pool, floating towards the platform.

When he reached the center...

Pa.

Sarutobi Ryo held the stone in his hand, glanced at it, and then casually threw it into the pool.

Plop~!

Just like throwing garbage away, without even looking at it.

This scene stunned Utatane Koharu and Uzumaki Mito.

Even with their extensive knowledge.

Even having personally sealed the Nine-Tails, and even having faced Uchiha Madara...

Uzumaki Mito never imagined that Sarutobi Ryo would be so bold, directly throwing away someone else's treasure like garbage...

The problem was.

The thrown stone splashed water.

It sank to the bottom of the pool, resting against other stones.

So many stones, all looking completely similar.

So... how would one distinguish which was the gem that was just thrown away!!

Sarutobi Ryo ignored the three people's shocked gazes.

Amidst Ōnoki's gradually changing expression... Sarutobi Ryo leaned over again, casually picked up a stone, and placed it on the platform.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became extremely strange and silent.

After a long time...

Ōnoki sighed deeply, completely convinced.

He looked at Sarutobi Ryo with extremely complex eyes.

At this moment.

He had already acknowledged that Sarutobi Ryo possessed the Stone Will.

However, how ironic it was.

So many people in Iwagakure, including his youngest son, Kitsuchi, had not grasped the true essence of the Stone Will.

An outsider... a young man from another village, had observed everything so simply.

This was truly...

Sigh-worthy.

Plus, this young man was able to defeat Han.

And had created various achievements.

And possessed such talent and will...

Ōnoki was immediately filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

“The Third Hokage... truly had a good son... Hmph...”

Ōnoki sincerely sighed.

He didn't say the second half of the sentence.

Even if his son, Kitsuchi, possessed one-tenth of Sarutobi Ryo's talent, he wouldn't have to... struggle so much to choose the future of Iwagakure.

After all, the next Tsuchikage was really hard to choose, really hard to choose...

Afterward, Ōnoki led Sarutobi Ryo away first.

Utatane Koharu and Uzumaki Mito exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

The more intelligent Uzumaki Mito quickly understood...

“There is no true 'gem'...”

That's right.

Every stone can become the 'most precious gem' and then be enshrined.

This is the essence of the Stone Will.

The people of Iwagakure... everyone... can become dragons!

Even if one of the seemingly most precious stones is shattered, others can replace it.

Iwagakure... is the most tenacious village!

“Kill one of me, and there will be others to follow. Advancing wave upon wave, passing on the torch... Our Konoha is the same...”

Sarutobi Ryo's words echoed in the corridor.

Ōnoki didn't speak, but he clearly acknowledged the inheritance of each other's villages.

......

Soon.

Sarutobi Ryo was arranged to stay in a room.

Ōnoki threw out an ancient scroll and left.

Although he acknowledged Sarutobi Ryo's talent.

It was clear that he didn't think Sarutobi Ryo could learn Dust Release at the speed of light.

As the only Bloodline Elimination user in the ninja world, currently.

Ōnoki was very clear about the difficulty of learning Dust Release.

So many people in Iwagakure had not been able to learn it, which he felt was quite regrettable.