After the meal, Kiyosuke sent Itachi back to the Uchiha clan compound.
Well, the Uchiha clansmen around looked at him warily, as if he were an enemy. Some even activated their Sharingan.
Damn, no wonder their relationship with the village is bad. How could it be good when they treat the villagers like enemies?
"Thank you, Mr. Kiyosuke. I'm home," Itachi said.
As he spoke, the door opened, and Fugaku Uchiha, who had met Kiyosuke once before, opened the door and said, "Mr. Asakawa? Thank you for sending Itachi back. Please come in and have a seat."
Kiyosuke originally wanted to refuse, but after thinking about it, he walked in.
"Then I'll take the liberty."
...
Kneeling on the tatami, facing Fugaku Uchiha, his wife, Mikoto Uchiha, served tea.
"Please have some tea."
"Thank you."
Taking a sip of the hot tea, Kiyosuke asked, "Mr. Fugaku, do you have something to discuss?"
"Yes, indeed." Fugaku Uchiha looked at the young man in front of him. He remembered that when he saw him a few years ago, Kiyosuke was a rash kid who had just been taken as a disciple by Orochimaru. In the blink of an eye, this child had become a hero of Konoha, known as the "Flame Lord," and was hailed as a hero of Konoha alongside his friend Minato Namikaze.
For a moment, he felt a sense of mixed emotions.
He said, "Mr. Asakawa, heroes emerge from the young. You've achieved great feats on the battlefield in the Land of Water and become a hero of Konoha. There's even a possibility of you becoming the Hokage."
"Oh? As far as I know, Minato - sensei also has this qualification. Not only him, but also Orochimaru - sensei."
Now, the three people in the village who had the qualifications to become the Hokage were them.
What? Danzo?
This guy suffered from being slow - reacting. He couldn't become the Third Hokage, and there was no way he could become the Hokage in this lifetime.
"I know."
Kiyosuke squinted his eyes, put down the teacup, and said, "Are you planning to place your bets?"
"Yes."
"For the future of the Uchiha clan?"
"Yes."
"I'm all ears."
Fugaku Uchiha took a deep breath and didn't hold back. He said, "Our ancestor, Madara Uchiha, and Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, jointly founded Konoha. However, with Madara Uchiha's defection, the Senju and other clans have been obsessed with this matter. They've lost trust in the Uchiha, and the estrangement has been growing day by day."
Back then, Madara Uchiha's reputation in the ninja world was so fearsome that it could even stop children from crying. The title "Shura of the Ninja World" was not without reason. In addition, compared with the Senju clan, the Uchiha clan didn't have a very good reputation.
With the establishment of Konoha, the Uchiha clan's reputation had just started to improve a bit, but because of Madara Uchiha's defection, it took a sharp turn for the worse. The Senju and other clans, who had always been wary of the Uchiha clan, began to implicitly exclude them. Coupled with the Uchiha clan's arrogant temper, the conflict between them and the village grew larger and larger.
"Mr. Asakawa, today I'll be straightforward. I hope you can become the Hokage."
"Oh? Why not Minato - sensei or Orochimaru - sensei?" Kiyosuke raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile.
"Minato is my friend, and I know his personality. If he becomes the Hokage, he will definitely try to mediate the conflict between the Uchiha clan and the village. However... his foundation is not stable yet. Even if he takes the position, it will be difficult for him to handle the village's affairs. Plus, with the aftermath of the war, he won't be able to deal with this matter for a long time. The village no longer trusts our clan."
"Indeed, Minato - sensei's foundation is still shallow. Even if he becomes the Hokage, he will remain a Jounin in name for a long time, and the real power will still be in the hands of the Third Hokage."
"Lord Orochimaru... You are his disciple, and you should know what kind of person he is. He covets the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan." Fugaku Uchiha was very wary of Orochimaru. This was a cold - blooded and snake - like guy. One wrong move, and they could become his prey. Negotiating with him was like seeking skin from a tiger.
"So you thought of me. In terms of military achievements, status, and strength, I'm an excellent choice, except that I'm not old enough." Kiyosuke played with the teacup and said with a smile.
Fugaku Uchiha nodded and said, "Yes, although you are Lord Orochimaru's disciple, if you become the Hokage, you will definitely not be willing to be a puppet of the Third Hokage."
Kiyosuke was young and full of vigor, with sufficient strength and his own ideas. He would never let Hiruzen Sarutobi manipulate him. He was the best choice.
"Indeed, if I become the Hokage and he tries to interfere, I'll send him back to farm." Kiyosuke said with a smile, "The Third Hokage is no saint. And those so - called Hokage advisors are also a disgrace. Heh, those old fogeys surely want a share of the power. They can all go home and till the fields."
Back then, when Hiruzen Sarutobi became the Third Hokage, to consolidate his position, he made his contemporaries, Enma Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo Shimura, the Hokage advisors, giving them power comparable to that of the Hokage. In fact, these three had ulterior motives, couldn't help at all, and would only hold things back. They were useless.
Fugaku Uchiha said seriously, "If you want to become the Hokage, the Uchiha clan will fully support you."
There was no possibility for the Uchiha to become the Hokage. At least, for now, he couldn't see any hope. They could only pin their hopes on others.
"No, I refuse. I won't become the Hokage. This position isn't suitable for me. In fact, you'd better manage your clansmen first. Looking down on others all day long won't do. The Sharingan isn't all that. Wait until you get the Mangekyo Sharingan. Mr. Fugaku, have faith in Minato - sensei. If nothing unexpected happens, it will probably take him about three years to spare the effort to solve the problems of the Uchiha clan."
Of course, that was if nothing unexpected happened.
Fugaku Uchiha smiled bitterly. "I know Minato has a good chance, but if I personally help you ascend to that position, it might be better for the Uchiha clan."
"No, with my temper, if the Uchiha clan dares to cause trouble, I'll deal with them directly. Mr. Fugaku, I'll say it again. Manage your clansmen. You're a qualified clan leader, but those old fogeys won't make allowances for you. They're eager for the Uchiha clan to rebel so they can suppress it quickly and get rid of this internal threat. In peacetime, the Uchiha are seen as an internal threat."
Clenching his fists, Fugaku Uchiha felt unwilling, but what Kiyosuke said made a lot of sense. Even if the Uchiha shed their blood for the village, they still couldn't win the trust of the village's high - level.
Now he could only hope that Minato or Kiyosuke would become the Hokage and reconcile the conflict between the clan and the village.
"Still, I want to thank you, Mr. Fugaku, for your trust." Kiyosuke bowed slightly. Even though he knew that Fugaku Uchiha supported him for the sake of the clan, he was still grateful. At least, this man believed in him, right?
"It's nothing. I'm doing it for the clan." Fugaku Uchiha returned the bow.
This was a serious man who adhered to etiquette and cared deeply about the clan.
He had been toiling for the clan until now.