Reborn as the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen

After leaving the gold exchange, Sarutobi Hiruzen led the Konoha delegation toward Sunagakure.

The journey was no longer a casual outing. The mood was tense, and everyone was on high alert.

Finally, after three days of travel, they neared the Hidden Sand Village.

Being considerate of his exhausted subordinates, Hiruzen allowed everyone to rest for a day before making their official entrance.

The three younger shinobi cheered at the decision and eagerly searched for an inn to stay in.

Once settled in, someone suggested they visit the hot springs to wash away their fatigue. The three young shinobi shared one bath.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Akimichi Tōrifu, and Nara Shikatsu shared another.

As they soaked in the warm water, Shikatsu tried once again to persuade the Hokage to handle the situation diplomatically rather than causing a major incident.

Hiruzen only smiled but ignored his advice, instead chatting with Tōrifu about trivial stories from the past.

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Sarutobi Shinya had returned with the captured gold exchange staff and their records.

Behind the scenes, he had already secretly summoned several former Hokage for assistance. Upon hearing about the bounty placed on Hiruzen, Kagami flew into a rage.

Without hesitation, he mobilized several squads and headed toward the Fire Country's capital to demand an explanation.

Upon reaching Sunagakure, the Konoha delegation was greeted at the entrance by Second Kazekage Shamon, along with his disciples: Takumi, Chiyo, Ebizo

As Hiruzen and his group approached, Shamon smiled and extended a hand.

"Welcome, Hokage, and everyone from Konoha", He gestured toward his disciples.

"This is my second disciple, Takumi. And of course, you've already met Chiyo and Ebizo before."

Hiruzen studied Takumi closely. It was said that Takumi would go on to become the Third Kazekage, the strongest in Sunagakure's history.

To evaluate his abilities, Hiruzen instinctively analyzed his stats in his mind:

Takumi — Status

Body: 10/10

Spirit: 31/31

Elementary: 28/28

Combat Skills:

Advanced Body & Combat Mastery

Nature Transformations:

Advanced Wind, Earth, and Energy Mastery

Kekkai Genkai: Intermediate Wind-Earth Fusion - Magnetic Release

Threat Level: Moderate

Not bad, Hiruzen thought. He truly deserves the title of Kazekage-in-waiting. His fusion ability is impressive, far surpassing the Third Mizukage.

Hiruzen then introduced his own people.

"This is Nara Shikatsu, one of Konoha's top strategists," he said casually.

Shikatsu blinked in surprise. Since when did I become Konoha's advisor? Isn't it my son?

"This is Akimichi Tōrifu, my assistant. And these three are our next-generation shinobi—Yūhi Shinku, Hatake Sakumo, and Mitarashi Naoto."

Tōrifu nodded politely, while the younger shinobi stood respectfully as they were introduced.

Takumi observed them carefully.

Konoha truly is the strongest village. Even their young shinobi seem promising and these are just the regular ones—not even from their elite bloodlines or secret clans. I've heard that the Third Hokage personally trained three disciples as well. They must be incredibly talented.

He sighed inwardly.

Compared to Konoha, our Sunagakure is lagging behind in nurturing young talent.

To make matters worse, Chiyo—his senior sister—was now competing against him for the position of Kazekage.

But Takumi was determined.

When I become Kazekage, I will lead Sunagakure to prosperity. I refuse to let us fall behind Konoha any further.

After a round of formalities, the group entered Sunagakure, heading toward the Kazekage's office.

Hiruzen removed his hat, shaking off the fine layer of sand that had settled on it before placing it on the table.

"The landscape here is quite different from the Land of Fire," he remarked.

Shamon gave a tired sigh.

"The environment is worsening every year. It's nothing like Konoha's lush forests," he admitted bitterly. "Our buildings suffer from constant sand erosion, and every few years, we have to rebuild. To make things worse, funding is shrinking."

Hiruzen arched an eyebrow, "Shrinking?"

Shamon leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.

"After the Five Kage Summit, Sunagakure lost 400 million ryō due to diplomatic concessions. The villagers are growing restless. The succession of the Kazekage seat is in turmoil, and now I hear whispers that the Daimyō may further cut our funding. Sunagakure is struggling."

Hiruzen nodded slowly, understanding the weight of his words.

Sunagakure had always faced challenges due to its harsh desert environment, but the situation now seemed particularly dire.

Even worse, the presence of the One-Tail (Shukaku) only added to their troubles.

"When we first built Sunagakure, this area was an oasis," Shamon continued. "But every time Shukaku goes on a rampage, he destroys the land further. Over time, this place became the barren wasteland you see today."

Hiruzen stroked his chin thoughtfully.

While Konoha had its own internal issues, Sunagakure's struggles were far more pressing.

If the Daimyō of Wind Country really cut their funding, Sunagakure might be forced into desperate measures—including hiring mercenaries, increasing crime, or even waging war just to survive.

This was not just a Sunagakure problem.

If Sunagakure collapsed, it could destabilize the entire region—and potentially affect Konoha as well.

Hiruzen exhaled, "I see," he said at last. "This… complicates matters."

Shamon gave a bitter smile, "That's an understatement."

The meeting was far from over, but one thing was clear: Sunagakure was on the brink of crisis, and Hiruzen needed to tread carefully.

"Senior, I think the Hidden Villages rely too much on the daimyō and noble families," Sarutobi Hiruzen said thoughtfully, "And that's not necessarily a good thing."

Shamon raised an eyebrow, "Why do you say that? Ninjas have always accepted missions from nobles and daimyō. Without them, there wouldn't be enough high-paying tasks. Without missions, the villages lose their main source of income. Ninjas and nobility are interdependent—it's been that way for generations."

Hiruzen paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully,

"I believe this over-reliance on the nobility limits the growth and independence of the Hidden Villages," he finally said. "It isn't sustainable in the long run. It warps the very purpose of being a ninja."

Shamon frowned, "Then how do you think the Hokage should change this system?"

Hiruzen exhaled, his voice calm but firm,

"Ninjas should have their own identities, their own lives, and their own ideals—not just exist as disposable tools for the nobles." He leaned forward slightly. "Right now, a ninja's life is worth no more than a few silver coins. If someone powerful dislikes you, they can simply pay for a bounty, and soon, assassins will line up to cash in on your death. Even I, the Hokage, am worth only 80 million ryō in the eyes of the nobility."

Shamon stared at him in shock. His fingers twitched slightly, but he said nothing. After a long silence, he sighed and leaned back.

"Perhaps I'm just too old," he admitted. "I only want to protect what we built—the Sand Village, the legacy of the previous Kazekage. But time moves forward, and I know I can't stop the future. The ninja world will be shaped by your generation now."

Hiruzen forced a smile and clapped his hands on his knees.

"My fault, my fault. I didn't come here to complain about philosophy. Let's get down to business."

His expression turned serious, "So, what kind of assistance does the Kazekage need from Konoha?"

Shamon didn't pursue the topic of nobles any further.

If the discussion was now official diplomacy, then he would represent Sunagakure, and Hiruzen would represent Konoha—as two Shadows of their villages.

Shamon cleared his throat,

"Recently, the Tailed Beast's seal in Sunagakure has been unstable. This has worsened our environmental conditions and caused unrest. We know that Konoha has exceptional sealing techniques, so we hope for the sake of the Five Kage Alliance you will assist us."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.

"And what price is the Kazekage willing to pay?" he asked calmly.

Shamon smiled faintly, "The friendship of Sunagakure?"

Hiruzen let out a short, sarcastic laugh.

"Kazekage, let's be serious," he said, shaking his head. "Friendship? Do you truly believe in friendship between villages? Everything has a price—it's just a matter of whether Sunagakure can afford it."

He folded his arms, "I can solve the three major problems you mentioned earlier. But the real question is: Can you afford it?"

Shamon's smile faded.

Sealing techniques were incredibly rare—even Konoha only had them because of Uzumaki Mito's and now, he expected Konoha to just offer their expertise for free?

Shamon hesitated, "How about discussing an alliance of trust?"

Hiruzen rolled his eyes,

"Kazekage, that's not how this works. Friendship changes with leadership. You might recognize our goodwill today, but will the next Kazekage? And the one after that?" He leaned forward. "Friendship depreciates over time but money? Money is always money."

Shamon sighed, rubbing his temples, "How much are you asking?"

Hiruzen smirked, "Konoha is struggling, you know. We've fought four consecutive wars, and we still owe pensions and disability compensations. I was thinking… maybe 1 billion ryō would be a fair starting point?"

Shamon's face twitched,

"You can't be serious," he muttered. "Sunagakure lost 400 million ryō after the last Five Kage Summit. We don't have that kind of money."

Hiruzen shrugged, "A Hidden Village doesn't go bankrupt just because of a 400-million-ryō loss. You still receive funding from the Wind Country daimyō. Sunagakure has been rebuilding and stockpiling resources for years. Not to mention—you made plenty of money from past wars."

He chuckled, "And now you want to play poor in front of Konoha? We've been at war with four nations, and we're so broke we can't even pay our war veterans. So for the sake of 'friendship between villages,' why don't you help us out instead?"

Shamon grimaced. This was a trap.

Hiruzen had turned his own argument against him, making it impossible to negotiate through "friendship" alone.

Shamon knew he couldn't push this any further.

"Let's… discuss this tomorrow," he said at last.

Hiruzen smirked again, "Of course," he said, standing up. "Take your time, Kazekage. Think it over."

Shamon let out a long breath as Hiruzen finally left the office. The younger Hokage had pushed him into a corner.

Negotiating with this shameless brat is a nightmare, he thought bitterly.

As Hiruzen stepped outside, he shook his head. That wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped. It wasn't fun when the other person didn't fight back. Still, business was business.

Sunagakure would have to pay up eventually—one way or another and Hiruzen would make sure of it.