Chapter 120: I Support You
As Minato's figure disappeared into the distance, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Uchiha Kei's lips.
The fish had finally entered the trap.
Minato was the fish—
And Kei's carefully orchestrated plan was the trap.
Kei had fully exploited Minato's ideals and aspirations, weaving a snare based on his knowledge of the future—
a trap so subtle, so precise, that Minato walked right into it step by step without ever realizing it.
And most importantly?
Kei hadn't lied.
Every word he said had been true.
Both he and Fugaku would follow through.
They would stabilize the Uchiha clan, guide it toward peaceful integration with Konoha.
They'd even lend Minato political support—by quietly undermining his rivals.
Sure, Minato might find such tactics distasteful.
But he wouldn't be involved directly, and technically, it wouldn't be tied to him at all.
If blame fell, it would land squarely on Orochimaru, or perhaps some shadowy figure whose existence couldn't even be confirmed.
And once Hiruzen voiced his "concerns" during the Daimyō Council—that Orochimaru's ambition and inner darkness made him unfit for the Hokage position—
Kei's promise to Minato would be as good as fulfilled.
Minato would attribute his victory to the silent backing of the Uchiha.
After he took office, all he needed to do was schedule a meeting with Fugaku.
Then, after a few months, Fugaku would announce the clan's reform measures.
Everything would fall perfectly into place.
"Though in truth, even without the Uchiha's help, you were destined to become the Fourth Hokage," Kei mused inwardly.
"But I need you to believe that it was because of your alliance with us that you earned this position."
There was no denying it—having foreknowledge of the future and using it to influence the present felt incredibly satisfying.
What felt even better was tightening the relationship between the Uchiha and the future Fourth Hokage.
---
Meanwhile, Minato had already returned to the Konoha encampment in a flash.
But his mind was still racing.
He was no fool—
From that conversation alone, he had pieced together most of what was really going on.
Orochimaru, once the frontrunner, had taken a major hit due to public opinion.
Even if it hadn't ruined him entirely, the Uchiha's quiet interference had left a mark.
As for his teacher, Jiraiya?
He'd never shown any interest in becoming Hokage.
In fact, Minato was pretty sure the man would rather sneak around bathhouses and write those lewd novels than sit behind a desk at Hokage's office.
Tsunade had long since left Konoha.
She wasn't even on the list of potential candidates this time.
That left Minato as the ideal choice.
He had the strength.
He had the honor.
He was even teammates with the current generation's Ino-Shika-Chō.
And—he was Jiraiya's student.
Politically, he had the perfect pedigree.
The only knock against him was his youth and lack of political experience.
But those very weaknesses...
Might be used against him.
"Let's just hope things don't turn ugly," Minato thought, his brows furrowed.
He didn't quite know how to process everything Kei had told him.
Because Kei wasn't just smart—
He was frighteningly insightful.
And strong. Strong enough that, given time, he might become a truly great ninja...
Or a dangerously unpredictable one.
Sighing, Minato made his way to Jiraiya's quarters.
He was lucky—this time, the old man hadn't wandered off somewhere.
That saved Minato a good deal of time.
"Yo, Minato! You're back," Jiraiya called out with a grin as his student stepped through the door.
"Looks like you've leveled up again. How's Kōhei doing? What kind of mess did they get into?"
Minato forced a smile.
"Fukuhiko-san's already been taken to the medics—he's injured.
As for their mission, well... it's not so much a crisis as it is... an opportunity.
Although the opposing side was led by Kitsuchi, so..."
"Whoa, whoa—what are you even talking about?" Jiraiya interrupted, rubbing his head.
"Opportunities? Crisis? You feeling okay? Or did you see some young girl bathing in the woods and now you're overwhelmed with guilt?"
Minato stared blankly at his teacher as Jiraiya's expression turned suddenly sleazy.
A bead of sweat slid down Minato's temple.
Shaking his head quickly, he clarified:
"No, nothing like that, sensei!
Here's what happened—Fukuhiko-san encountered some Iwa-nin opposed to the peace talks, led by Kitsuchi.
But the situation's... more complicated than that."
As Minato spoke, his expression dimmed slightly.
Before leaving, he had already learned the contents of the intelligence Uchiha Kei had provided.
While that information gave him the confidence and leverage he needed to gain valuable political experience during the upcoming negotiations—
Kei's first gift to him, no less—
he still felt uneasy thinking about the Iwa-nin's methods.
Rationally, he understood it was probably the best course of action.
But emotionally…
he wasn't sure he could be so decisive if he were sitting in the Hokage's seat.
"Is that so…" Jiraiya fell silent after hearing Minato's explanation.
After a long pause, he finally sighed and gave Minato a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"You've done well, Minato. And so has that brat, Uchiha Kei. His intelligence was invaluable."
Minato hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Sensei, I know that logically speaking, Iwa's decision wasn't wrong…
But emotionally, it just feels—"
"Wrong?" Jiraiya finished, reading his student's heart with a faint shake of his head.
"That's war, Minato.
Endless war has twisted reason into routine.
Hatred and national interests have become immovable walls.
And those walls grow taller with every battle and every grab for power."
Minato opened his mouth, then paused—before asking a question that even he knew sounded childish:
"Is there really no way to change that?"
It was a naive question.
Because between nations and villages, everything came down to cold, hard interests.
The secret orders from Iwa's leadership might have been brutal—
But in times of war, such decisions were not only strategic… they were necessary.
Minato sighed. He didn't expect a real answer from his teacher.
But to his surprise—
Jiraiya spoke up.
"There is," Jiraiya said, his face growing unusually serious.
"When people can truly communicate with one another—maybe then, some of that hatred can finally be erased."
"Through communication?" Minato repeated, unsure what to say.
"Yes," Jiraiya nodded.
"But to speak to others, to bring about change, you need the right position.
For example—Hokage."
"Hokage…" Minato echoed softly, stunned.
He had just agreed to work with the Uchiha—
And now, here was Jiraiya speaking of the very same path.
To become Hokage...
Only from that seat could he truly promote understanding between people.
Wasn't that his belief all along?
Perhaps the Uchiha had seen that belief in him, too—
Believed in the way he viewed them—
And that's why they were willing to bet everything on him.
With that thought, a strange calm washed over Minato.
He looked at his teacher and suddenly broke into his trademark bright, easy smile.
"Jiraiya-sensei," he said with cheerful resolve,
"I've made up my mind.
I want to run for Hokage."
Jiraiya grinned and nodded.
"Good. You have my support."
"I mean… the Fourth Hokage," Minato clarified.
"No problem," Jiraiya said, voice full of warmth.
"I support you—now and always."