Chapter 73 — Yujiro: Time for the Old Men to Cough Up the Gold
The grand celebration in Konoha ended by the next day.
After all, Yujiro wasn't Caesar—he had no intention of feeding the entire village in a week-long banquet.
So once the excitement wore off, everyone just went back to their usual business.
But beneath that cheerful surface, a few less-than-cheerful developments were quietly unfolding in Konoha.
---
1. The Third Hokage's Retirement Arc
Perhaps the death of his lifelong rival, Danzo, had finally broken something inside him.
Whatever it was, Hiruzen Sarutobi's ambition was gone.
The once-proud Hokage had turned into a tired old man with no fight left in him.
Within days, he submitted his resignation to Minato.
Minato refused, of course—but Hiruzen didn't press the issue.
Instead, he just… stopped showing up.
One day on duty, three days off.
Most of his time was now spent at home, entertaining his grandson.
Yujiro, watching from afar, could only mutter to himself:
"I just hope his grandson doesn't end up being called Konohamaru… That name's way too heavy for a kid to carry."
He chuckled bitterly.
"It's like naming your child 'Mount Tai' just because your ancestor once lifted a pebble."
---
2. The Morning After
The next day, in the Hokage's office—
Yujiro sat across from Minato, sipping tea,
casually badmouthing the Third Hokage like a bored comedian roasting a former boss.
"You can't deny it, bro. The old man's been slacking off big time."
Minato waved his hands frantically.
"No, no, no—that's not fair. The Third's been through a lot lately!"
Yujiro smirked but didn't argue.
He didn't need to.
Sure, it's fine for the old man to criticize himself—but not for me to do it? Yeah, no thanks.
He thought to himself, "The difference is, he's retired. I'm still on the payroll."
And since he saw Minato about eight times a day…
it was clear who'd have the last laugh in the long run.
---
3. The Uchiha Reform Plan
Yujiro leaned forward, his tone suddenly turning serious.
"Alright, let's talk about the elephant in the room—how to handle the Uchiha clan."
"I've made my decision. When I get back, I'll talk to Fugaku myself.
We're going to relinquish one-third of the Police Department's control. Those positions will be opened to all of Konoha's ninja."
Minato blinked.
"Wait—you're serious?"
"Of course. The Uchiha who lose their police positions will be reassigned—to the Gestapo, Cheka, or Tonton Makut divisions."
"All under your direct command, bro. You point, they stab."
Yujiro grinned wickedly.
"That's just the first step. The long-term goal is to fully integrate the Police Department into Konoha's main structure.
The Uchiha will no longer isolate themselves—but become part of the village's backbone.
What do you think, bro?"
Minato wasn't sure what had happened during Yujiro's trip,
but the man had developed a strange habit of calling everyone "bro."
Still, it wasn't the weirdest thing Konoha had seen.
After all, over in the Cloud Village, their jinchūriki had been rapping for twenty-five years straight.
Compared to that, Yujiro's "bro" phase was perfectly acceptable.
What wasn't acceptable, though, was the sheer magnitude of what Yujiro was proposing.
Minato's golden brows furrowed in disbelief.
"Are you… serious about this?"
Yujiro simply nodded.
Minato's eyes lit up like a child seeing ramen for the first time.
"Do you have any idea what this means?! The Uchiha have always been the biggest thorn in the Hokage's side!"
"If you can convince Fugaku to agree, if the Uchiha truly integrate into Konoha—then… then I could finally sleep at night!"
But his joy faded as quickly as it came.
"This is… incredible, but… will Fugaku really agree to that?"
Yujiro's expression sharpened. His voice dropped an octave.
"He doesn't have a choice."
He smiled thinly.
"The retirement home next to the Third has an empty bed reserved for him.
If he's smart, he'll walk there on his own. If he's not…"
He gave a lazy shrug.
"We'll help him walk there."
"A-Are you sure that's… appropriate?"
Minato asked, clearly uncomfortable.
"What's inappropriate about it?"
Yujiro's tone was calm, but his eyes glinted with the same lightning that lived in his chakra.
"Maybe it's too fast?"
"We don't have time, bro." Yujiro's expression grew solemn.
"Your wife's due in two months, right?"
Minato blinked.
"Yes… but what does that have to do with—wait."
His face suddenly drained of color.
"You're saying—Obito…"
Yujiro nodded slowly.
"If I were Obito, I'd never let this chance slip by."
The air in the Hokage's office grew heavy.
Even the soft ticking of the clock seemed too loud.
"It's not just him," Yujiro continued. "We have the Cloud, the Stone, the Mist… even the Sand."
"They're all watching. Waiting for a crack."
He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head, eyes sharp as a hawk's.
"So, yeah, bro—it's time for the old guard to pay up.
The elders, the nobles, the complacent clans… they've been hoarding gold and influence for decades."
He grinned.
"Now it's our turn to make them spend it."
"You know, Konoha's been hauling a lot of big cargo lately,"
Yujiro began, lounging back with the casual smugness of a man who'd just sold an entire nation's surplus stock.
"We've made a killing."
The Third Great Ninja War had barely ended, and already Konoha's economy was bouncing back.
Trade routes reopened, reconstruction projects launched, and contracts poured in from all over the Fire Country.
"We're thriving again," Yujiro said with a grin. "You think the other villages aren't jealous?"
He gave Minato a look.
"If I were in their shoes—watching Konoha get stronger by the day while they're still bleeding out—
I'd strike first. Before it's too late."
Minato's expression stiffened.
"…You're saying… a Fourth Great Ninja War?"
Yujiro nodded solemnly.
"Exactly. The Fourth War."
---
The word hung heavy in the air.
Minato fell silent.
He was, at heart, a man of peace—someone who believed every problem could be solved with understanding and a smile.
So the mere mention of war drained the color from his face faster than a tax audit drains a businessman.
He looked like someone had just stepped on his favorite frog.
Yujiro, on the other hand, practically vibrated with excitement.
"War, huh…"
His eyes lit up like fireworks.
"Oh, my beloved comrades, my blood boils for this!
If Konoha must fight the four great nations, then let the heavens thunder and the earth tremble—because I, Uchiha Yujiro, LOVE WAR!"
Minato could only stare.
"…Please don't ever say that in public."
After a moment, Minato's voice returned, calm but firm.
"If that's the case… then we have even less reason to act rashly."
He exhaled deeply, as though the weight of the entire village pressed down on his spine.
Yujiro swore he saw the man's hairline recede another millimeter under the pressure.
"We can't afford internal strife now," Minato continued.
"Don't move against Fugaku yet, Yujiro. Not when we might be facing another war.
We need to unite every force we can. If Fugaku agrees to reform peacefully, that's ideal.
If he doesn't… then we'll take our time."
Yujiro clicked his tongue.
"Tch, fine…"
He sounded annoyed, but inside he was really annoyed.
Half his system questlines depended on internal reforms—if he couldn't move against Fugaku,
then poof! there went a mountain of achievements and rewards.
"So what, my Konoha Industrial Expansion Plan—gone.
My Capital Relocation Plan—gone.
My Infrastructure Reform, Ninja Army Reorganization, Tech-Equipment Modernization Plan—
all down the drain, huh?"
He gave Minato a pleading look.
"C'mon, bro. Just one of them? Something small?"
Minato avoided his gaze like a guilty husband caught near a hostess bar.
"Well… maybe… we'll, uh, need to discuss it… later…"
"So that's a no."
"I didn't say no!"
"You didn't say yes either!"
Yujiro sighed dramatically, then leaned forward again.
"Alright, fine, no industrial revolution. But what about my Mount Myōboku Toad Oil Development Plan?"
Minato blinked.
"…Your what?"
"Come on, it's a small project! Doesn't need much funding or manpower.
Short production cycle, instant results, massive profit potential!"
Minato rubbed his temples.
"You do realize Toad Oil from Mount Myōboku contains natural energy, right?
One wrong batch and half the village turns into stone."
"I know."
"You know and you still—wait. Don't tell me…"
"Yup!" Yujiro said proudly, slamming a hand to his chest.
"We'll just use the brand name! The product doesn't actually have to come from Mount Myōboku!"
Minato's face froze.
Then came the slow, inevitable sigh of a man who'd given up on sanity.
"…I knew it. Only you would come up with this."
"So what's the selling point of your fake toad oil, then?"
Yujiro straightened up, his tone firm, his voice full of conviction.
"Obviously—it's for virility!"
He said it with such passion that Minato nearly fell off his chair.
The office went silent for three long seconds.
Minato looked up at the ceiling, then at the man across from him.
"…Yujiro, remind me again—are you planning to be Hokage, or the world's most dangerous entrepreneur?"
Yujiro grinned.
"Why not both, bro?"