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

Chapter 387 Tree Life Cycle Stages and Corresponding Maintenance Focus

The area where the lecture hall was filled with sages was now more than just packed to capacity.

From the designated seating area to the aisles, from the aisle steps to the surrounding lawn, and even the branches of the few not-so-tall trees around, everything was covered with figures of all sizes.

The entire Hidden Leaf Village seemed to be drawn to this one voice.

"Ahem! Um... everyone, please be quiet, please be quiet!"

Hashirama Senju stood on the wooden platform he had personally created, waving his hands somewhat helplessly.

He also wore a wooden badge pinned to his chest, made by Tsunade herself and laser-engraved by Tobirama, on which four large characters were written in a flamboyant style—

Botanist.

He clearly hadn't expected his casual science lecture to cause such a huge sensation; a hint of nervousness even appeared on his usually bold and cheerful face.

"Um... Tobirama, isn't that thing you call a megaphone a bit too loud...?"

He muttered something to himself to a miniature device next to him.

Tobirama's cold and emotionless voice immediately came from the device: "Not much. Based on precise calculations of the venue area and ambient noise levels, the current volume can transmit your voice losslessly to 99.8% of the individuals present. Also, brother, please begin as soon as possible."

"Well……"

Hashirama choked for a moment, then cleared his throat and faced the expectant faces again.

In the crowd, Kushina Uzumaki was excitedly tugging at Minato Namikaze's sleeve, her little face full of adoration.

"Minato! Minato! Did you see that?! It's the First Hokage! Alive! He's amazing—dattebane! He brought everyone here with just one sentence!"

Minato Namikaze smiled gently, but he wasn't looking at Hashirama himself; instead, he was looking at the surging crowd.

He keenly sensed that Hashirama possessed an unimaginable charisma and appeal, which did not stem from the prestige of the God of Shinobi, but rather from an infectious power originating from life itself.

This, perhaps, is the deepest power behind the name "Naruto".

Not far away, Jiraiya was pressing his forehead in pain.

His three disciples were also swept up by the crowd. Yahiko was holding a small notebook, his face full of fervor as he prepared to take notes. He firmly believed that this legendary figure would speak of a more profound truth about peace than protecting the ramen broth.

Xiao Nan quietly looked up, simply feeling at ease with the person standing on the high platform whose smile was as warm as the sun.

"Alright, alright! Let's begin!"

Hashirama on the podium finally adjusted his mindset. With a wave of his hand, his entire aura instantly changed.

"Today, I'm going to tell you how a seed grows into a towering tree!"

"A tree, from seed to towering tree, is like us ninjas; it has a juvenile stage, a youth stage, and a prime stage!"

He opened his palm, and in his palm lay an ordinary acorn.

"First, there's the seed germination period!"

As he spoke, Hashirama Senju channeled a small amount of chakra into his palm.

Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of people, the seed trembled slightly, a thin crack appeared on its skin, and a tender white radicle carefully emerged. Then, two tender green cotyledons unfolded, greedily absorbing the sunlight and moisture from the air.

"Wow--!!!"

The crowd, especially the children, erupted in thunderous gasps.

Hashirama smiled smugly: "At this stage, what it needs most is moist soil and a warm embrace, just like a baby needs its mother's care! Too cold won't do, and too dry won't do either!"

He used the simplest metaphors to tell the original mystery of life.

Not far below the podium, Sakumo Hatake subconsciously straightened his back. He took out a small notebook from his pocket and quickly jotted down key data such as maintaining soil moisture content at 60-70% and temperature at 15-25℃ with the pencil he carried with him.

Akimichi Torifu, standing beside him, was a completely different person. He stared intently at the tiny sprout in Hashirama's hand, unconsciously swallowing hard, and muttered, "I wonder... how this newly sprouted thing will taste with the secret sauce..."

"..."

"Next comes childhood!"

The sapling in Hashirama's hand had grown to about a foot tall, with lush branches and leaves.

"At this time, it's like a naughty little devil, growing everywhere!"

As he spoke, he gently pinched off a side branch that was growing crookedly with his fingers.

"Therefore, we need to prune! Cut off those bad, crooked branches so that nutrients can be concentrated, allowing it to grow taller and stronger!"

Hashirama Senju scanned the children below the stage, his voice booming.

"Just like your teachers and parents, sometimes they criticize you and stop you from doing bad things. That doesn't mean they don't love you; it means they want you to become better people!"

These words resonated deeply with many parents and teachers from the ninja academy present, who nodded in agreement.

Hiding in the crowd, Jiraiya felt as if he had been shot in the knee.

He recalled the syllabus for "Ideological and Moral Education and Peace Theory" that Hiruzen Sarutobi had forced upon him, and then looked at the First Hokage on the stage, who was explaining things in a simple and engaging way, and a huge sense of frustration welled up inside him.

How can the differences between people be so great?

As Hashirama spoke, he became more and more excited, talking about everything from flowering and fruiting in his youth to precise fertilization in his adulthood. He didn't use any profound terminology, but rather vivid and interesting metaphors like "supplementing the tree with nutrients."

Even when talking about pest and disease control, he couldn't help but glance at a few women from the Younu tribe wearing high-necked trench coats in the crowd.

"For example, some small insects are beneficial to trees, while others are pests! This requires professional ninjas to distinguish and deal with them!"

Several members of the Oil Women tribe stiffened for a moment, then, amidst the good-natured laughter of those around them, somewhat awkwardly adjusted their sunglasses in response.

The entire lecture was less of a science popularization event and more of a large-scale talk show on the theme of plants.

Finally, the lecture came to an end.

The small oak tree in Hashirama's hand has grown into a robust sapling, more than half a person's height, with lush branches and leaves.

He gently stroked the leaves, his smile fading and his expression becoming extremely solemn.

"Look, everyone, from a tiny seed to a big tree that can shelter everyone from the wind and rain, it needs sunshine, rain and dew, and careful care."

"Planting it is just the beginning."

Hashirama Senju's voice, amplified through the loudspeaker, resonated clearly throughout every corner of the venue and touched the hearts of everyone present.

"Maintenance is essential throughout its entire life."

He raised his head, his warm gaze sweeping over the faces that were either young, mature, or old.

"The same goes for villages."

"A strong wall and a bountiful field are both good. But a powerful village is not just made up of these things."

"It is made up of each of us, each family, these unseen roots buried deep underground."

"Only when every root is healthy, diligently sinking downwards, stretching outwards, connecting with each other, and supporting one another, can our great tree, Konoha, truly be fearless of wind and rain, and grow to... be able to touch the sky!"

The moment the words fell, a powerful yet incredibly gentle life energy quietly spread out from Hashirama's center.

That's not ninjutsu; it's the manifestation of will.

The wind stopped.

The noise subsided.

Everyone felt a warm current envelop them.

At this moment, a flower bud on the display stand of the mountain flower shop quietly bloomed.