Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 348 Farm Cherry Tomatoes

He strode forward, first nodding to Sakumo, then taking a deep breath and bowing deeply to Hashirama Senju with unprecedented solemnity.

"The First, the First Hokage!"

His voice was loud, but with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

"I salute Akimichi Torifu, the current head of the Akimichi clan of Konoha Village!"

Upon hearing the voice, Hashirama Senju slowly stood up. He patted the dirt off his hands, looked at the chubby, serious-looking junior in front of him, and broke into a hearty smile.

"Oh! They're children from the Akimichi family!"

He strode forward, showing none of the airs of the legendary God of Shinobi, but rather like a kind elder, patting Akimichi Torifu's broad shoulders heavily.

Hashirama seemed a little uncomfortable with such formal etiquette and casually waved his hand.

"No need to be so polite, no need to be so polite."

"I remember your grandfather, he was a very reliable guy, and you're even stronger than him! Hahaha!!"

"You must have a really good appetite!"

Hashirama's force was considerable; Torifu felt a slight weight on his shoulder, but more than that, a warm current flowed through his entire body. The First Hokage actually remembered his predecessor.

This warmth instantly dispelled Qu Feng's tension.

"Yes! We Akimichi people have always had a huge appetite!"

Qu Feng stood tall and answered proudly.

As Sakumo watched this scene unfold, the tension in his heart gradually eased. He stepped forward, took out an exquisitely crafted scroll from his pocket, and handed it to Senju Hashirama.

The scroll was small, wrapped in waterproof tarpaulin, and sealed with a sturdy hemp rope. Every detail showed the maker's meticulousness.

"Lord Hashirama, this is a simple manual for the Konoha Ecological Farm."

Shuo Mao began to explain.

"It records the existing zoning of the farm, the shift schedules of each family, and... the distribution map of the core array points of the Constant Temperature Barrier Farm and the composition of the guard squads."

This is his duty as the farm manager. Whoever joins the farm, regardless of who they are, must understand the rules. This is Shuo Mao's principle.

Hashirama Senju glanced at Sakumo with some surprise, then solemnly accepted the scroll.

He untied the hemp rope and slowly unrolled the scroll. On it was a clearly drawn map, marked with dense text. The detail and the rigor of the logic impressed even him.

"The Barrier Team, Uchiha, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, Akimichi... a single guard squad actually includes so many clans."

A genuine expression of admiration appeared on Hashirama's face.

"That's amazing. To unite everyone's strength in this way to protect the food we depend on for survival... Tobirama would be very happy to see this."

He carefully put the scroll away and placed it in his pocket.

"I will study this manual carefully."

Seeing how seriously the First Hokage took his work, Sakumo felt a strange sense of accomplishment welling up inside him.

Akimichi Torifu, who was standing to the side, had completely relaxed by now. He looked at the First Hokage, then at his close friend Sakumo who had a serious expression on his face, and grinned.

He suddenly remembered something and reached into a small cloth bag at his waist.

A moment later, he took out a few bright red, translucent cherry tomatoes, each one so plump it looked like it would burst with juice at the slightest touch.

"First Lord, try this!"

Qu Feng handed over the tomato, his face showing a simple, heartfelt expression of offering a treasure.

"This is a new variety we've cultivated on our farm; it's juicy and exceptionally sweet!"

Hashirama Senju's eyes lit up as he looked at the few bright and juicy cherry tomatoes.

Without being polite, he picked up one and put it in his mouth.

A gentle bite.

The plump flesh bursts open between your teeth, releasing sweet juice mixed with the taste of sunshine, which explodes in your mouth.

"Ugh—!"

Hashirama Senju's eyes widened instantly.

He seemed to be struck by lightning, frozen in place. After a moment, he let out a breath that soared to the heavens.

"tasty!!!"

This exclamation, containing immense chakra, caused the surrounding air to buzz.

"It's so delicious! This... is brimming with the power of life! This pure, striving aroma of growth... is simply a masterpiece!"

He finished the rest of the tomatoes in a few bites, smacked his lips with lingering satisfaction, and fixed his gaze on Akimichi Torifu with an unprecedented intensity.

"Is there anything else?"

Akimichi Torifu was amused by his appearance and burst into laughter, stuffing all the remaining cherry tomatoes in the bag into his hands.

"Yes! Plenty!"

Qu Feng proudly patted his chest.

"These are Akimichi No. 1 cherry tomatoes, carefully cultivated using improved fertilizer provided by the Nara family and the Inuzuka family's ninja dogs' round-the-clock herding practices! Even our pigs love them!"

As Hashirama Senju stuffed a tomato into his mouth, he nodded indistinctly, his face beaming with pure happiness.