After passing the graduation exam, the next step was the Ninja interview.
Finally, was she going to have a face-to-face conversation with the legendary Hokage-sama, Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Since stepping into Konoha Village, every step of her growth seemed to have the faint shadow of his meticulous planning.
From the initial arrangement of her residence, to the measures of protection disguised as surveillance, and even the fate-deciding graduation exam, all revealed his concern and importance.
It must be because of her uniqueness that she received such special care.
Chizhao looked down at the card holder strapped to her leg, a helpless, bitter smile playing on her lips.
Having the heart of an NPC, but not the fate of an NPC.
“Next, Shiratori Chichao.”
“Yes.”
The staff member pushed open the sliding door, revealing a spacious room.
A large window opposite was open, allowing the boundless blue sky and the vibrant green foliage to enter the room without reservation.
The scenery was like a vivid oil painting, leaping into the space, full of life and vitality.
In the center of the mirror-smooth wooden floor, an ancient chair stood alone, particularly eye-catching.
And opposite the chair sat the Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi.
As he held the Ninja registration form and his gaze fell upon the four characters “Shiratori Chichao,” his brows subtly raised, and with the pipe in his mouth, he gently exhaled, and a wisp of smoke leisurely rose.
“Please take a seat on the stool.”
Following the instructions of another Ninja, Chizhao glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi out of the corner of her eye as she slowly sat down on the chair.
On the wall opposite, a huge Konoha emblem tapestry was prominently displayed, not only decorating the somewhat simple interview room but also adding a touch of solemnity.
Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned close to the Ninja beside him and whispered a few words; the Ninja respectfully nodded, then picked up some documents from the table, gently pushed open the door, and quietly departed.
In the spacious room, only Shiratori Chichao and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained.
A small bird flew in from outside the window, landing lightly on the windowsill, tilting its head, curiously observing everything inside.
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s old yet deep voice broke the silence in the room:
“We finally meet, Chizhao.”
Gazing at Hiruzen Sarutobi’s peaceful face, Chizhao hesitated for a moment in her heart, then offered a smile in response:
“Yes, after all, Old Man Hokage… Grandpa, you always hide behind the scenes.”
Her words carried a hint of playfulness, but the hidden meaning in them made a flicker of surprise flash in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes, which was quickly concealed by his enigmatic smile.
“How did you find out?”
“Because everything was too smooth, it felt unreal.” Chizhao smiled slightly: “Jiraiya-sensei must have told you everything about me, which is why you’ve been so attentive to me.”
“Hahahaha!” Hiruzen Sarutobi burst into laughter. “I never thought that at such a young age, you could see through things so clearly. It’s truly rare.”
Chizhao's gaze shifted to the ground, and she subtly smirked, humming softly:
“You have a lot more to not expect.”
“You're right, Jiraiya told me everything, including the fact that you don't have Chakra.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly reined in his smile and said seriously:
“For a Ninja, not having Chakra is fatal, but you possess incredible abilities that fill this fatal weakness.”
Chizhao listened quietly, not quite understanding what he meant, but she showed no emotion, simply waiting patiently for him to continue.
“Do you like Konoha Village?” Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly asked.
“Huh? Of course, I like it.”
“Then, are you willing to sacrifice your life to protect it?”
Here it comes, the classic will of fire.
It seems Old Man Hokage is testing her attitude, assessing whether she will pose a threat to the Village in the future?
After all, she moved here from Hidden Sand Village.
“Of course, I am willing, because I have my family and my friends here.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi, with his pipe in his mouth, nodded slightly as if pleased with the answer.
“In that case… are you willing to join Anbu?”
Chizhao’s pupils contracted slightly; she had not expected the conversation to suddenly turn to this.
“Anbu?” She repeated the word softly, pondering to herself.
Speaking of which, if she became a regular Ninja, she would take on Delegation missions.
And missions, in a sense, were more about helping others, which should be doing good deeds.
If she were bound by good deeds like this, and accumulated them slowly, Jiraiya and Shukaku would disappear sooner or later.
“Is it responsible for assassinations?”
For a moment, the room fell silent. Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke, looked at her unusually calm eyes, leaned back in his chair, and gently closed his eyes:
“It will involve that aspect, but it is not the main task. The newly formed Anbu Special Intelligence Department is specifically used to collect intelligence or secrets from countries and organizations, to prevent potential conflicts in the future.”
“And you, Chizhao, being difficult for enemies to detect due to your lack of Chakra, undoubtedly gives you a unique advantage in intelligence gathering, making it as easy as picking something out of your pocket.”
Chizhao remained silent, but her mind was rapidly calculating.
Although Anbu's missions might not be glorious, for her, it was a good opportunity to quickly accumulate hardened film.
“Then… is the pay good?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi was momentarily stunned by her sudden question, then lightly coughed, and after careful thought, replied:
“As for the benefits, they will naturally be much higher than those of ordinary Ninja.”
“Then I’ll join.”
Her answer was almost without hesitation, so much so that Hiruzen Sarutobi thought if they had discussed the salary from the beginning, the interview might have ended even sooner.
But as far as he knew, their grandparents didn't lack money.
So why was she so eager to earn money?
Looking at the calm girl, Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his eyes, then pulled out her Ninja registration form and placed it aside.
“Alright, then you can go back and wait for news for now.”
After Chizhao’s figure disappeared outside the door, the room was once again enveloped in silence, with only the occasional bird song from outside the window echoing in the empty room, lingering for a long time.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the lush scenery outside.
A fallen leaf danced lightly in the wind, happened to float before his eyes, he reached out to catch it, but it was carried away by a gentle breeze, drifting into the distance.
If she stayed in Anbu, Orochimaru wouldn't be able to figure out her movements for a while.
At least it would allow her to grow quickly during her time in Anbu.