Chapter 69
On the other side, Konohagakure, which had been ravaged by Orochimaru and his forces, was brightly lit. Despite the destruction, the village had to properly honor the passing of the Third Hokage. At the very least, they held a formal and respectable memorial service for him during the day.
Everyone wore solemn black mourning robes, their expressions as heavy as the atmosphere. It was certainly not an occasion for laughter.
Mourners silently placed white flowers on the altar before Sarutobi Hiruzen's portrait, their heads bowed in reverence. The only sound breaking the silence was the loud cries of a young boy, no more than seven or eight years old, a long blue scarf dragging on the ground as he sobbed uncontrollably.
"Aaaaaah! Grandpa!"
This child was none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen's grandson, Sarutobi Konohamaru. Even his name was a testament to the Third Hokage's expectations and ambitions for him.
A middle-aged man with a short beard extinguished his cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke, and patted Konohamaru's back with a sigh.
He understood that while the Sarutobi Clan's good days weren't necessarily over, they certainly wouldn't be as comfortable as they had been under Hiruzen's rule.
Once the memorial concluded, life in the village resumed. The most pressing matter now was the vacant position of Hokage and the search for a suitable successor.
In a high-rise council building, several elder officials sat in a circular formation, engaged in a serious discussion.
"The envoy from Sunagakure delivered a message earlier," an elder reported. "They confirmed that the Fourth Kazekage had been assassinated by Orochimaru. Their attack on Konoha was due to false orders from him. As a gesture of sincerity and a desire for peace, Sunagakure is offering a large amount of reparations in supplies and funds to aid in Konoha's reconstruction."
The council members exchanged knowing glances. None of them were ignorant of the situation—Orochimaru's deception had been obvious. Still, considering the damage Konoha suffered, Sunagakure's compensation was a necessary means to restore stability.