Jokichi watched that fading beautiful purple figure, touching the spot on his cheek where he was kissed, and couldn't help but smile softly.
This feeling isn't bad.
After locking the courtyard gate, Jokichi walked onto the main street.
There were more pedestrians on the road, but they all seemed to be in a hurry.
The post-war reconstruction made everyone busy.
However, everyone who saw Jokichi would smile and greet him.
His posture of using Wood Release to completely annihilate the enemy was like a god descending to the mortal world, deeply branded in the heart of every villager.
He was now the hero of Konoha.
Jokichi also smiled and responded to everyone, appearing very sensible and polite.
Suddenly, a green figure slammed on the brakes in front of him.
"Yo, the boy who uses Wood Release, good morning!"
The man gave him a thumbs up with a brilliant smile, incidentally flashing his blindingly white teeth.
"Guy-sensei, is there something you need?"
Jokichi wore a light smile on his face, very polite.
"I'm here to thank you."
"Thank me?"
"That's right!"
Guy put his hands on his hips, stood up straight, and wore a cheerful smile on his face.
"You showed mercy to my disciple Lee during the preliminaries earlier, and you also intervened in time on the battlefield yesterday to help me solve a big problem."
"A big problem?"
Jokichi was somewhat puzzled.
He remembered that Guy's opponent was Baki. Although he was a very tricky guy, he wasn't worth being called a big problem by him.
Seeming to see through Jokichi's doubts, Guy explained.
"At that time, besides Baki, there was also an Oto ninja named Yugi besieging me. Although his strength was very weak, his abilities were very troublesome, and attacking together with Baki was endlessly annoying."
At the end, he added.
"Fortunately, you suddenly popped out from underground and conveniently killed him."
"So that's how it is!"
Jokichi suddenly realized.
"However, this is nothing worth thanking for. We are all Konoha ninjas, we are comrades, aren't we?"
"Even so, I still have to properly thank you. This is a thank-you gift."
Saying that, Guy took out a package from behind.
Jokichi took a closer look, and the corner of his eye twitched unnaturally.
"Uh, let's just forget about the thank-you gift, this is too formal."
"No, no, no, this is a token of my appreciation, please be sure to accept it."
"No, no, no, you are too formal."
After a round of pushing and shoving between the two, Jokichi ultimately couldn't withstand Guy's enthusiasm and accepted the green bodysuit.
Seeing Jokichi accept the gift, Guy smiled with satisfaction.
"Then, I will take my leave."
"Wait a minute."
"What's wrong?"
"There's something on your head, let me get it off for you."
Saying that, Jokichi reached out and gave a tug on Guy's head, instantly pulling off a tuft of hair, causing Guy to cry out in pain.
Jokichi quickly apologized.
"I'm sorry, I used too much force."
"It's fine, it's just a little hair. Well then, boy, see you next time!"
After speaking, Guy ran off in a puff of smoke.
Watching the retreating figure kicking up a long dust dragon, Jokichi shouted loudly at him.
"My name is Sakakura Jokichi, Guy-sensei can just call me Jokichi from now on."
"OK!"
Guy replied without turning his head, and then vanished from sight in a puff of smoke.
"Guy is really an interesting person!"
Jokichi couldn't help but laugh, put away Guy's hair and clothes, and continued walking towards the Hokage building.
No other interludes occurred this time.
Jokichi successfully arrived at the Hokage building.
The Third Hokage sat behind his desk working as usual, as if everything was no different from before, except his face was much more haggard.
His body could no longer support the workload intensity of a Hokage, but before a new Hokage was chosen, he could only hold on for a while.
There were many people in the office.
Various clients and ninja squads coming to accept commissions.
Previously, to prevent the conspiracies of Otogakure and Sunagakure, all returning ninjas stayed behind in Konoha. Over the past month, a massive number of missions had piled up with no one to do them.
Now, the war was over.
The previously piled-up missions were suddenly spread out all at once, resulting in a severe shortage of manpower.
Jokichi waited until the people in front had finished their business before walking up.
But before he could state his purpose for coming, Hiruzen spoke first.
"Jokichi, your performance in the Chunin Exams was exceptionally outstanding, enough to prove that you can hold your own. I am now officially appointing you as a Chunin."
"Of course, there is a severe shortage of manpower in the village right now, so we can't let you continue to go back to Team 7 to do chore missions. Let me see which team to transfer you to."
Saying that, Hiruzen took out the ninja formation roster and flipped through it.
Looking at the old man busy with his own things in front of him, Jokichi hesitated for a moment before still speaking up.
"Grandpa Hokage, I'm here to apply for permission to leave the village."
"Permission to leave the village!?"
Hiruzen froze for a moment, asking.
"You want to leave the village?"
"That's right."
Jokichi took a deep breath.
"This war made me deeply feel my own weakness, so I want to travel and train outside."
"No."
Hiruzen refused without even thinking about it.
"The village is so busy right now, and it's exactly the time when we are short on manpower, yet you choose to leave. Isn't this adding to the chaos?"
"Even with one more person like me, it won't solve the village's manpower shortage."
Jokichi insisted.
Looking at Jokichi's firm gaze, Hiruzen took a deep breath.
"Do you really have to leave right now?"
"Mhm!"
Jokichi nodded firmly.
"Phew!"
Hiruzen took a large drag from his pipe, then exhaled heavily.
"I'll tell you the truth. Your performance yesterday caught the eye of some guys with malicious intentions. I hope you don't leave the village for the near future."
"I can still handle a few scumbags."
Jokichi said indifferently.
"Although I feel I am very weak, most people are even weaker than me. That Fourth Kazekage, and that subordinate of Orochimaru, were taken care of by me in just a few moves."
"..."
Hiruzen was left speechless.
Indeed, in terms of combat power alone, Jokichi was perhaps the strongest in this village.
However, the outcome of ninja battles doesn't just depend on combat power, there are many other key factors.
"I naturally wouldn't doubt your strength, but many things cannot be solved by power alone. You need all-around qualities."
Hiruzen said.
"If you can prove that you possess the comprehensive qualities of a Jonin, I will agree to let you leave the village to travel and train."
"Was my performance in the Chunin Exams not enough?"
"Not enough. Besides your outstanding combat power, your performance in other aspects is at most Chunin level."
Jokichi pondered slightly for a moment before saying.
"The most direct way to prove the comprehensive qualities of a Jonin is to solo an A-rank mission or higher. Let me use my mission performance to prove it!"
"Do you not understand what I mean?"
Hiruzen's face was stern.
"My whole point is to keep you from leaving the village recently. If we use a mission for a practical test, what would be the point of that?"
"So, wouldn't it be better to just let me leave the village directly?"
"No!"
"I must leave!"