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

Chapter 345 The First Generation Who Recommended Himself

Sakumo stood there, stunned. His rigorously trained ninja mind, used to analyze the details of battle and survival, was now struggling to process everything before him.

The earthworm breeding program that was once envisioned, which would have required months or even years of arduous work, was surpassed in seconds.

That most powerful bloodline limit, the legendary Wood Release, has just completed an... ultimate gardening project.

The fact that such a powerful force was used so casually almost comically, yet its effects were undeniable.

His meticulously crafted soil improvement plan was now being surpassed without a trace, and his silver hair seemed to stand on end.

Hiruzen chuckled. This was the Hashirama he remembered: unpredictable, powerful, and passionate about the well-being of the village, even if it meant using world-changing power to improve a vegetable patch.

The sight of this ninja god transforming into a god-level farmer is exactly the kind of positive story Konoha needs right now.

Ban's silence was profound; his folded arms tightened slightly as his gaze swept over the newly revitalized soil.

He then turned his attention to the ninjas working in the fields in the distance: Akimichi, Inuzuka, Yamanaka, Nara—different clans were working side by side.

Their movements were coordinated, their faces beaming with the simple joy of labor and harvest. There was no hatred, no fear. Only the steady rhythm of life, only creation.

The sweat on their foreheads was for the harvest; their genuine smiles reflected a shared goal.

This is a village built by everyone, not his ideal, nor Hashirama's.

This is something entirely new, a kind of... peace.

A faint, almost imperceptible warmth spread through his chest, a feeling he hadn't experienced in decades.

Hashirama remained in Sage Mode, looking at the revitalized soil and nodding in satisfaction.

"Alright! Don't bother with those little bugs! This land can grow anything you want, Sakumo!"

He then turned to Sakumo, whose Sage Mode imprint was still present, making his joyful face appear exceptionally striking.

"Sakumo, I've been thinking about this. This farm... it has enormous potential! Enormous, enormous potential! I've made up my mind!"

Hashirama Senju declared, his voice echoing slightly due to the natural energy.

Sakumo's spirits lifted. What grand strategy or world-changing farm plan would this god of the ninja world propose next?

Hashirama's finger pointed to the ground, then swept across the vast green world before him.

"From today onwards, I'm going to work here too!"

A moment of silence followed.

"What?"

Shuo Mao blurted out, his voice barely audible, his usually sharp mind completely blank at that moment.

The White Fang of Konoha, this calm and collected assassin, stood frozen in place, his mouth slightly agape.

I felt my reason was being tested.

A Hokage, a legendary Hokage, actually asked... to work on a farm?

"I'm here to work!"

Hashirama repeated, puffing out his chest. "With my Wood Release, we can grow the best crops! The most fertile soil! Whatever else you need, I can help you!"

"Just think about how many possibilities there are!"

His excitement was boundless, and he began to gesture wildly, indicating the name.

Sakumo's thoughts churned, and his entire concept of command structure, ninja duties, and even... reality itself seemed to shatter around him.

The man who once shaped the landscape of the ninja world now wants to become his farm helper.

"!!!?"

Shuo Mao's composure vanished, his legendary calmness disappeared; this had surpassed any S-class mission, surpassed any strategic predicament.

My chin, if it could, would just fall to the ground.

He stood frozen in place, feeling an unimaginable shock. His thoughts froze, as if some invisible force had instantly stripped away all logic.

A Hokage, a legendary Hokage, actually asked to work on a farm?

This was beyond anything Sakumo had ever witnessed in his life. His rigorously trained ninja mind, used for analyzing battlefield and mission details, was now struggling to process everything before him.

He once thought that using the precision of an assassin to plan field ridges was the ultimate contrast.

Now, a ninja god who can change the landscape is coming to be a helper on the farm.

A certain white-toothed person stood there, mouth slightly open.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood not far away, his smile widening. He looked at Hashirama, then at Sakumo's seemingly frozen figure.

Deep down, a feeling of heartfelt relief and a touch of weariness welled up at the same time.

"Lord Hashirama, you really are..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke softly, his voice carrying just the right amount of helplessness.

Hashirama turned his head, glanced at Hiruzen, and his eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Third Hokage, don't stop me!" Hashirama waved his hand, as if brushing away some vines.

"Seeing this reminds me of the original intention that Ban and I had when we founded the village. What were we doing it for? Wasn't it so that people could live like this?"

Hashirama pointed to the Akimichi clan members working in the distance, and then to the flock of sheep being led by the Inuzuka clan members.

"Look at them, their faces show no weariness of war, no shadow of hatred. Only the joy of working hard for the village, for their home! This is the true Will of Fire!"

Hashirama's voice was filled with excitement as he stepped forward and gently patted Sakumo on the shoulder.

"Sakumo! You did a fantastic job!"

Sakumo's body trembled slightly, and Hashirama's palm, carrying immense power, caused his shoulders to sag slightly.

He sensed the authenticity of Hashirama's emotions, that unreserved joy, which instantly dispelled all his doubts.

Ban remained silent, standing in place with his arms crossed.

He looked at Hashirama, then at Sakumo, and finally his gaze fell on the ninjas working in the fields.

The Akimichi clan was using the Expansion Technique to turn over the soil when they saw the Inuzuka clan herding livestock with their ninja dogs.

The usually calm and serene look in his eyes was now slightly disturbed.

"Hashirama, you're still the same as ever."

Ban's voice was deep, carrying a subtle, complex emotion.

Upon hearing this, Hashirama turned to look at Madara.

"Ban! Don't you think this is a good thing?"

Hashirama countered with a question, the Sage Mode mark on his face appearing incredibly vivid at that moment.

"..."

Ban didn't answer immediately; he simply lowered his eyelids slightly, and no one could see what he was thinking at that moment.

Sakumo finally regained his voice.

He took a deep breath and tried to keep his tone steady.

"Lord Hashirama... doing this here is a waste of your power."

Sakumo tried to persuade Hashirama to step down, emphasizing the importance of matching duties with status.

Hashirama laughed and patted Sakumo on the shoulder.

"Waste? How can it be a waste? Is fighting the only way to protect the village?"

Hashirama countered, his logic simple and direct.

"Isn't ensuring that villagers have enough to eat and that children can enjoy fresh vegetables even in winter a form of protection?"

Sakumo was speechless for a moment. Hashirama Senju's words coincided with Hiruzen Sarutobi's emphasis on the Will of Fire.