Naori tapped Torifu's forehead. "It's no wonder you couldn't see them. I took Akihara and Minato to visit Master."
"You wouldn't believe it, but Master has already started intensely practicing Mifune. Anything I said was just brushed off, so I eventually came back. I didn't want to disturb him from his game."
As she spoke, it seemed as if Naori was still complaining a bit.
Torifu knew exactly what his Master was like. In front of outsiders, he was incredibly authoritative and imposing, but with his own family, he was like an old child.
All day long, besides going for walks, he would be holed up at home playing games. He had been playing for so many years, but his rank remained the same, barely avoiding a drop.
However, Torifu thought it was quite good. Hashirama was already old, and though his physical functions were still those of a young man, his soul was eighty years old.
It was already rare for him to remain so optimistic and cheerful. If he liked to play, then let him play; nothing bad would come of it anyway.
It was always good to pass the boring hours.
"Alright, don't be angry. If Master loves to play, let him play. As long as he's healthy, that's all that matters."
Naori fully agreed with Torifu's words. "You're right, it's already not easy for us to still have Master."
After sighing with emotion for a while, Naori got up to prepare lunch.
Today, to celebrate Konan's championship, she had specifically bought many fresh vegetables from the street.
It wasn't easy to get vegetables in winter. Greenhouse production was low, and prices were naturally very high.
Most families couldn't afford them, but Naori, of course, had no such concerns.
With Minato helping her carry bags, she had swept through an entire street.
"If you're tired, we can always go out to eat instead of cooking yourself."
Naori waved her hand. "How could I? This is a huge event in Konan's life, and it needs to be commemorated. Besides, cooking doesn't bother me now, so there are no concerns about preparing a meal."
Seeing that Naori was quite happy, Torifu didn't say any more and let her be.
After Minato helped put all the bags and bundles in the kitchen, he came to the gazebo to drink tea.
Perhaps influenced by Torifu and Amado, Minato, a half-grown child, had also taken a liking to hot tea.
But truthfully, drinking a cup of hot tea in winter was incredibly refreshing.
"Seeing Yahiko and Konan's fight, did you get a bit antsy yourself?" Torifu asked casually.
This casual question hit Minato directly. "Cough, cough… I did, a little."
The arena competition was limited to ninja under fourteen years old, so how could Minato not know it was to restrict him?
Watching the battles between ninja of similar age to him in the arena made Minato feel a surge of desire to go down and compete himself.
As Torifu would explain it, this was youthful exuberance, a common trait in adolescents.
Even if Minato was usually humble and polite, he would surely have such aspirations.
Not to mention a genius like Minato; he would definitely want to spar with other ninja who held the title of genius.
"As your older brother, I naturally understand you. I'm already planning to renovate the Chunin Exam grounds and turn them into an arena. You'll naturally be able to spar then."
Torifu said with a smile, "And ninja from other villages will certainly come here seeking challenges, so you won't have to worry about a lack of opponents."
Minato's face lit up with joy. He hadn't expected this to truly be a decision his older brother made for him.
"Thank you, Big Brother."
"There's no need for thanks between us."
Minato was already very famous in the village, especially among the new generation of ninja; no one could surpass him.
He was the undisputed next Hokage; even the heads of the major clans had already foreseen this.
But if Minato rose to power, people would certainly compare him to Torifu.
Everything Torifu had done was arguably unmatched even by Hashirama, so Minato naturally couldn't compare.
So, Torifu planned to build this arena, allowing Minato to spar with various ninja.
He would forge a fearsome reputation, ensuring the villagers wouldn't underestimate him.
While Torifu might have been overthinking things, being somewhat redundant, it was better to have it than not.
With a more outstanding resume, Minato would have an easier time once he took office.
The young Minato naturally didn't know that Torifu was doing all this to prepare for his succession as the Fourth Hokage.
Because it felt completely unrelated to him.
However, if he knew, he would undoubtedly be even more grateful to Torifu.
If, in his childhood, Torifu had suggested Minato become the Fourth Hokage, Minato's reaction would have been one of timidity and self-doubt.
Now, however, Minato was filled with confidence. He believed he could become the Fourth Hokage and aimed for it.
The older he grew, the deeper his feelings for the village became.
From passively believing he needed to become the Fourth Hokage to share his elder brother's burdens, to now aspiring to be Hokage, genuinely wanting to do something for the village.
Minato's transformation was immense, and Torifu had watched a somewhat insecure boy grow step by step into the Leaf Village's top genius.
"Oh, right, should I also make a version of your current form and put it in the game? I feel like the villagers really like you, it should sell well."
Minato was momentarily speechless. How did the conversation suddenly jump to games? That was quite a leap, wasn't it?
But Minato still replied, "Whatever you want, Big Brother, it's up to you."
That indifferent answer completely extinguished Torifu's enthusiasm, and he dropped the idea.
"Mifune's disciple will be coming to our house this afternoon to spar with Yahiko and the others. If you're interested, you can watch. Samurai techniques might be useful for ninja."
This was news that piqued Minato's interest. His current training was at a steady stage.
It was a good opportunity to observe techniques from other fighting styles and see if he could gain any insights.
He had thoroughly mastered the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, and now all he needed to do was improve his speed.
This was also something that would take time; it couldn't be achieved overnight.
So, he had to find ways to improve his strength, and this was a perfect opportunity.
He just wondered if Kaito's strength would allow him to gain any enlightenment. If not, then they would see.
"Okay, Big Brother, I understand. I'll go watch this afternoon."