"Salary?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Lin Yu, who was asking for his salary, with disdain. He almost said: This fake teacher, who worked for half an hour and took five years of leave, still has the nerve to ask for a salary?
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke. He would never give money! Not even in his dreams!
"This salary is easy to discuss, but the salary for the Ninja Academy is settled by the day. Lin Yu, how many days have you worked?"
Lin Yu's smile remained unchanged and he said, "Five years, three months, and six days. I haven't taken a single day off!"
"You're lying!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that this kid Lin Yu wouldn't tell the truth. He took a piece of paper from the drawer and placed it on the table, saying, "Look, this is your salary slip. You've worked a total of ten days, and you've been slacking off for nine of them! You still dare to ask me for a salary?!"
Lin Yu picked up the salary slip, tore it up without even looking at it, and said seriously, "Old man, you need to look carefully. How many excellent students have I taught!"
"Kakashi Hatake, who became a Jonin in his teens, has now joined the ANBU!"
"And Rin Nohara, who recently became Tsunade's disciple, has saved countless people on the Sand Ninja battlefield!"
"Finally, there's my beloved disciple, Obito Uchiha... Sigh, if my beloved disciple Tobi knew that his teacher, who taught him with all his heart, was being shortchanged on his salary, who knows how he would stir things up underground!"
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe. He felt very regretful and sad for the ninjas who had sacrificed their lives in the war. He also knew that Obito Uchiha was a well-behaved and sensible child. The ANBU's report also stated: He helps old ladies cross the road every day!
Alas, what a good child, it's such a pity! The compensation must be doubled!
Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to tell the finance department later. As for Lin Yu's salary... no way!
"So, old man, what about my salary..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and said, "Tobi was a good child. I will give his family sufficient compensation. He is a hero of Konoha! As for you, Lin Yu... go home and sleep."
Good heavens! You're not giving me a salary, are you?
Asuma, your old man is just stingy, it has nothing to do with me. Your marriage with Jirou is settled!
Lin Yu was a little happy that Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't giving him a salary. You betrayed me, Uzumaki Lin Yu, first!
You won't blame me for finding a wife for your son, will you! It's just that you might not be able to hold your grandson!
No! It seems there's still an unborn Konohamaru Sarutobi. Damn Hiruzen, why does he have so many sons! Forget it, since you have an eldest son, then I'll let Jirou play with Asuma!
Asuma, if you want to blame someone, blame your father for not being your only son! Lin Yu thought firmly in his heart: I'm definitely not doing this for Kurenai! It's all because Hiruzen is withholding my salary, this is the price!
"Ahem, okay, I have something else to talk to you about this time. Let's put the salary issue aside for now."
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe and pulled out a few lists from the mountain of documents, throwing them to Lin Yu.
"These are some candidates for Hokage that I and the Konoha higher-ups have nominated. See if you have anything to add."
Lin Yu flipped through it and saw the familiar names: Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Minato Namikaze.
"These are some alternates. You can look at them too. They are all nominated by the major clans."
Lin Yu took them and exclaimed in surprise.
"Danzō Shimura, and Fugaku Uchiha?"
"Old man, have you decided on the final candidate yet?"
Lin Yu threw the documents back. He had no interest in such matters. Hokage, only a fool would want to be Hokage!
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, sighed, and asked, "Lin Yu, aren't you going to compete for it?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that Lin Yu was very strong and a good person, but he hadn't learned much of the "Will of Fire"! By rights, he shouldn't have asked.
But Lin Yu was still young. He couldn't be the Fourth Hokage, but he could be the Fifth. This Will of Fire must be instilled in him!
Lin Yu pointed at Hiruzen Sarutobi's slightly graying hair and said, "I don't want to be bald at a young age!"
"You brat!"
"By the way, old man, are you thinking of retiring so soon? This isn't like you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out the window. From this position, he could vaguely see the prosperity of Konoha village, which was also where he often looked.
"There are many reasons. First and foremost, too many ninjas were sacrificed in the Third Great Ninja War. I need to take responsibility for my mistakes."
Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi had no more to say, Lin Yu asked curiously, "Anything else?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed, "Isn't this reason enough?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi would certainly not say that the Hokage position paid poorly and was tiring, and that Danzō was coveting his position every day. If it weren't for the war, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have resigned long ago!
As for the desire for power? Sorry, we're not familiar! He, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was afraid that Danzō would misunderstand!
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe and said, "Currently, my most favored candidates are Jiraiya and Orochimaru. They have enough strength and have made great contributions, but I always feel that these two are a bit unreliable."
Lin Yu rolled his eyes. Of course!
One is focused on "adult" content, and the other is currently focused on dissection. If either of them became Hokage, Konoha would either be full of entertainment and adult venues, or Konoha village would become a Konoha research base.
Neither outcome would be good!
"Lin Yu, what do you think?"
"Me? Of course, I'm rooting for Minato Namikaze!"
Lin Yu blurted out without thinking. Nonsense! Minato Namikaze was his person! Would he support Jiraiya, that pervert, instead?
"Minato? This child is also quite good. He has good strength, he's Jiraiya's disciple, he loves Konoha, not bad, not bad!"
When Hiruzen Sarutobi thought about it, Minato Namikaze seemed much more reliable than the other two.
"How about it? Minato is good, right? Why don't we just decide on Minato!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and said, "This isn't something I can decide alone. The selection of the Hokage requires a process. First, there's nomination by the higher-ups, then approval by the Daimyo, and finally a vote of confidence from the Jonin!"
"The final vote is particularly crucial. If the number of affirmative votes is less than four-fifths of the total votes, it will be considered a failure!"
"So troublesome? I say they should just have a competition and whoever is stronger becomes Hokage. Why go through so many procedures, it's so bothersome!"
Lin Yu felt like leaving. He thought Hiruzen Sarutobi had called him over for something important, but it turned out to be just listening to him complain. You old man aren't Mikoto, I'm not willing to spend time with you!
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. The Hokage wasn't just about who was stronger, but also about gaining the recognition of the people in the village.
If being the village leader was just about being the strongest, then it would become a gang organization.
"By the way, Jiraiya seems to have returned. Help me notify him and tell him to come tomorrow..."
*Whoosh!*
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes blurred. When he looked up again, Lin Yu was nowhere to be seen in the office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the large footprint on his desk, and his beard was so angry it almost shortened.
This brat didn't even open the door, he actually climbed out the window! It's outrageous!
You'll never get your salary in this lifetime!