By the time Minato Namikaze and Obito Uchiha returned to Konoha, the Third Hokage and the rest of the village leadership had already received news of the Land of Water's renewed declaration of war.
Konoha was now trapped in the precarious position of fighting a war on three fronts. Unease spread through the village like wildfire; some shinobi were even showing signs of demoralization, fearing battle. The Land of Fire could no longer sustain heavy losses among its ninja forces. Alongside the declining population, the economy was also suffering.
Minato reported the details of the mission in the Land of Water to the Sandaime, slightly altering Kakashi's actions to frame the incident as Kirigakure persecuting his student, which led to the subsequent conflict. The Kirigakure ambush served as clear evidence supporting this narrative. Seeing the wounds on the Yellow Flash himself, the Sandaime couldn't truly place blame on Minato; he understood that Kirigakure restarting the war was merely a matter of time. The usually conservative Third Hokage seemed to age several years in that moment. His ever-present pipe lay resting on the desk as he dealt with mounting paperwork, the need to confirm the next Hokage becoming increasingly urgent.
Seizing the momentum, Minato Namikaze declared his aspirations to the Third Hokage, reaffirming the Will of Fire: "Where the leaves of Konoha dance, flames will burn ever brighter."
"Minato, have you made your decision?" the Sandaime asked gravely.
"I swear I will not fail the trust you place in me, Lord Hokage," Minato vowed.
Ultimately, in such a dire crisis, someone capable had stepped forward to bear the responsibility. This commitment far surpassed Jiraiya's attitude, and Minato's character lacked the darkness that tainted Orochimaru. Most importantly, Minato had no ties whatsoever to Danzo's faction. For a young man with no powerful backing to have reached this point was worthy of nothing but admiration.
From this point on, the name "Yellow Flash" will likely serve as the Fourth Hokage's deterrent against the other four great nations, the Third Hokage mused. He hoped the young Minato could protect Konoha's peace for at least twenty years. In the blink of an eye, he picked up his pipe again, his mind made up.
"Two months from now, at the Daimyo conference, I will propose you as the new Hokage. Before then, however, you still need to accumulate more distinguished war merits. We cannot allow the other faction to become a stumbling block in your path."
Minato understood perfectly well who this "stumbling block" referred to. He nodded and accepted responsibility for the conflict he had inadvertently escalated, taking the role of supreme commander for the war effort against the Land of Water. Based on his recent insights into Kirigakure, he felt eighty percent confident he could repel their invasion with minimal losses.
However, the Third Hokage rejected this proposal.
"The Kirigakure front will be handled entirely by the Uchiha clan, with Uchiha Fugaku as supreme commander. You will be responsible for the front against the Land of Lightning."
"Lord Hokage!" Minato protested, "Kirigakure's Silent Killing techniques directly counter the Uchiha's Sharingan. Why assign them to the Mist front? Wouldn't they be better suited against Kumogakure?"
The Third Hokage didn't answer directly. Instead, he pulled out a map of Konoha village and circled the Uchiha clan's compound.
Occupying a prominent corner of Konoha, the Uchiha clan crest was strikingly visible. What was truly remarkable, and unlike any other clan, was that the Uchiha rarely formed alliances with other families. Furthermore, they possessed the largest number of Jōnin-level shinobi in Konoha, even surpassing the Hyuga, another major clan, by more than double.
Such a powerful force, if united internally, could potentially deliver a fatal blow to Konoha from within during wartime.
Minato took his leave from the Sandaime. Just before he departed, the Third Hokage added a few words that impressed upon him the heavy weight of the Hokage title once more.
"Among your students is a genius named Uchiha Obito. After Kakashi Hatake, he's the second youngest Jōnin in Konoha, with a boundless future. He will serve as vice-commander for the Land of Water campaign this time. Don't let him stray onto the wrong path."
"Understood."
The sound of the door closing faded, and silence returned to the Hokage's office.
Assigning the Uchiha clan to the Land of Water front wasn't actually the Sandaime's idea. It was a decision made under pressure from the Council Elders and Danzo. According to intelligence from Uchiha Shisui – a direct descendant of Uchiha Kagami, who had been a student of the Second Hokage – certain elders within the Uchiha clan had proposed using the war as an opportunity to expand their own power, dissatisfied with their current status. There were even whispers of using force to seize political control of Konoha. They also had spies planted within the Land of Fire Daimyo's court.
Rumors circulated that Uchiha Shisui, having awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, possessed power that already surpassed his own clan head, Fugaku. His ability, according to Shisui himself, was a most uncanny genjutsu capable of permanently altering a person's thoughts.
The aging Third Hokage felt that Konoha could not endure any more turmoil. Beset by internal strife and external threats, his only hope lay with Minato. He believed Minato could change the current situation and restore peace both within Konoha and beyond its borders.
Walking home, the Yellow Flash was already deeply engrossed in figuring out how to tackle the multitude of problems he would face after becoming Hokage. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice Uzumaki Kushina practically radiating suppressed fury until he reached his own doorstep.
Kushina, Konoha's "Red Hot-Blooded Habanero," had finally decided to move in with Minato. But this was their very first day living together! And this man already had the audacity to stand her up for dinner!
If this can be tolerated, what cannot?! she fumed silently.
The instant Minato looked up, he saw his normally lovely and beautiful girlfriend with her red hair flaring upwards, rage etched clearly on her face. Powerful chakra leaked from her, creating an intense pressure that made the Yellow Flash suck in a sharp breath.
He glanced at the time and swallowed nervously.
Crap, I'm late!
Before he could react, his cute girlfriend's fist was already hurtling towards his face. At this range, not even the Flying Thunder God technique could save Minato from his fate.
The fist whistled through the air. A blow that would undoubtedly be fatal to any ordinary ninja struck the air beside Minato's cheek with surprising lightness, yet the shockwave it generated sent distant windmills spinning rapidly.
Her anger vented, Kushina's furious expression vanished. She threw her arms around the exasperating man who had caused her so much worry, hugging him tightly.
"Ahaha... I just finished reporting to Lord Hokage," Minato explained awkwardly, wilting under Kushina's gentle gaze.
If there was one person in the entire ninja world the Yellow Flash could never defeat, it was undoubtedly the Uzumaki woman standing before him.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Obito hesitated outside Nohara Rin's front door. Not wanting to go home early, he had been wandering aimlessly through Konoha when he found himself in her neighborhood.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door opened to reveal the girl with two purple markings on her cheeks. The exhaustion from her usual overtime shifts at the Medical Corps was etched onto her face, making Obito's heart ache.
"...Obito? You're back? Is Kakashi... alive?" she asked, her voice weary.
"He's alive," Obito confirmed, then paused, "but he's not coming back."
He hesitated, unsure how to continue, but Rin pulled him inside. The scattered medical supplies and the scent of disinfectant didn't bother him; what truly made his stomach clench was the sight of a festering, ugly wound on Rin's arm.
"Who did this to you?!" Obito demanded, his voice tight with anger.
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