msmithbooks Chapter 376 This winter is really not cold
Chapter 376 This winter is really not cold
Hiruzen Sarutobi pulled the scroll to the very end.
At the very center of the entire expo, in the prime location directly below the Fire Shadow Rock, there is a huge blank area deliberately left out by the antlers.
That was the largest location in the entire field, with the best view and the highest level of defense.
"Lord Hokage, this position..."
The deer stretched out its hand, its fingertips hovering over the blank space for a long time.
"This is the core special zone that you personally entrusted to us."
"I've already prepared the water, electricity, and barrier defense array points according to your requirements, but you haven't told me what exactly to exhibit."
The muscles on Deer Antlers' face were tense from the tension.
As the person in charge, he disliked these uncontrollable variables the most.
Hiruzen put down his pen, leaned back in his comfortable office chair.
Sakumo also turned to the side, his gaze falling on that empty space.
A brief silence fell over the office.
Hiruzen reached out and took out three specially made metal nameplates from a hidden compartment in the table.
The designer brand gleamed with a cold, silvery sheen under the lights.
He picked up the first piece and quickly wrote a few lines on it.
[First Advisor Booth: Demonstration and hands-on teaching of the Wood Release ecological cycle system.]
Hiruzen pushed the sign onto the table.
Deer Antlers' gaze darted back and forth between the words "first generation" and "teaching".
His fingers began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Hokage-sama, are you serious?"
"Should we have that ninja god teach everyone how to plant trees at the expo?"
Hizen didn't say anything and continued writing the second piece.
[Second Generation Advisor Booth: Analysis of the Underlying Logic of Ninjutsu and a Lecture on Cutting-Edge Chakra Technology.]
Deer Antlers looked at the sign and took a deep breath.
On the day of the expo, this place will probably become the quietest and most oppressive spot in the entire village.
Hiruzen finally picked up the third name tag.
His movements slowed down a bit, and he applied more pressure when writing.
[Booth of Consultant Madara: A Review of the Uchiha Sengoku Period History and a Discussion on the Correct Use of Eye Power.]
Deer Horn stared at the last five words, his face turning from green to white, and then from white to green again.
He gripped the table tightly, his fingernails scraping against the surface with a faint, harsh sound.
"The first generation of adults focused on agriculture, the second generation on education..."
"And then, Madara Uchiha is going to hold a seminar at the expo?"
Hiruzen stood up and walked to the window.
The snow outside had gotten even thicker, and several ninja school students were practicing wading through water at the school gate.
"I've already thought about the security arrangements."
Hiruzen had his back to the two of them, and his voice sounded unusually calm.
"On the day of the expo, the secret service will be responsible for the innermost circle to protect the research results of the three advisors from being stolen."
"The security forces are responsible for the central area, maintaining order at the scene, and preventing people from being too frightened by the first generation's live performance of the tree suddenly blooming and causing a stampede."
"And Danzo's root is responsible for the outermost circle."
Hiruzen turned around, his gaze sweeping over Shikano's pale face.
"Anyone who tries to sneak in without a ticket, or anyone with a camera trying to take pictures of the core members, will be sent to the Root Base for in-depth talks."
Deer Antlers wiped the sweat from his forehead.
It's already foreseeable that one day he'll be so busy he'll practically have an out-of-body experience.
"I see."
Just then, the office window suddenly gave a slight tremor.
A white-haired figure appeared on the terrace outside the Hokage's office at some point.
Jiraiya pushed open the window and jumped in, still covered in clumps of snow.
He came in just in time to hear part of the seminar.
"Teacher! Are you really going to push that Lord Ban into the booth?"
Hiruzen waved his hand, signaling Jiraiya to be quiet.
"Ban has promised me that he will cooperate to the fullest extent with this kind of behavior of sharing joy with the people."
Jiraiya's lips twitched.
"Cooperate? I bet if someone asked a stupid question at a seminar, he would definitely use that fan to blow that person all the way to the border of the Land of Fire."
"Lord Hokage, Hatake Masaru."
The sound of a ninja reporting came from outside the door.
"The head of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi, has arrived with a quality inspection team, saying they want to inspect the temporary load-bearing beams in the exhibition area."
Hiruzen glanced at Sakumo.
Shuo Mao nodded, turned around, and walked out of the office.
Deer Antlers, carrying the heavy pile of reels, floated away like a ghost, muttering to himself about the layout of the three-layered human wall.
The office fell silent again.
Hiruzen looked down at the few remaining sheets of white paper on the table.
He picked up his pen again and drew a small pattern on the paper.
That was what he saw in the future simulator—a symbol representing a new era that had never appeared in reality.
The winter festival is about to begin.
He looked up and gazed out the window.
At the end of the snow-covered landscape, a towering 100-meter-tall wooden structure stands quietly in the heart of the ecological farm.
Like a sleeping behemoth, it awaits to display its incredible vitality before the entire Ninja Realm.
Meanwhile, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen was deep in thought, staring at a bowl of steaming hot broth.
He was holding an invitation in his hand.
That was a special booth application form for the expo, personally delivered by the Third Hokage.
Looking at the scallions floating in the soup, Shouda slowly rolled up his sleeves.
"Since it was the Hokage himself who gave the order."
"Let's make one that everyone can enjoy."
He picked up the strainer and slammed it heavily against the edge of the pot.
On the Hokage Avenue.
A boy carrying a schoolbag is walking through the snow, his steps uneven.
His gaze was drawn to a flashing neon sign on the roadside that was being tested.
The signboard uses colored fluorescent tubes to spell out a line of words.
The First Konoha Culture and Technology Expo: Witnessing the Beginning of a Miracle.
The blond boy rubbed his nose and let out a loud sneeze.
Then, he looked at the flowing colored text and thought to himself.
"This winter doesn't seem cold at all."
He turned around and waved to the little red-haired girl who was walking behind him.
"Kushina! Hurry up! Ichiraku Ramen is closing!"
Kushina pushed off the snow with both feet, and her red hair flew up.
"I'm here! Minato, wait for me!"
Her clear voice carried on, accompanied by a trail of tiny footprints, as she ran toward the blond figure who was calling her.
The snowflakes continued to fall softly, adding a touch of romance to the upcoming winter festival, but the warmth surging through the village had long since melted away the chill of the ice and snow.
Along the Naruto Avenue, all sorts of shops have hung up colorful lights, with red, yellow, and green ribbons of light winding under the eaves like colorful snakes.
The air was filled with the faint aromas of grilled meat, ramen, sweet candy, and delicate floral scents.
Preparations for the Winter Festival are nearing completion, and the entire Hidden Leaf Village is immersed in a busy yet joyful atmosphere. This is the first grand festival in Hidden Leaf Village since the war, and everyone is looking forward to this celebration that bids farewell to the shadows and welcomes a new life.
What the villagers talk about most is the undercurrents between the major businesses in the village.
On the surface, everyone is contributing to the Winter Festival, but in reality, the competition has long been fierce.