— — — — — —
"This doesn't seem right, does it? After all, the Uchiha did make some serious contributions to Konoha this time," Hiruzen said, pretending to hesitate, his voice laced with that familiar false humility.
A true politician move. It was just who he was.
Still, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a tiny bit guilty.
Renzo had been doing great over the past few months—he'd even helped guide Asuma onto a better path.
Danzo immediately jumped in: "Hiruzen, are you seriously going soft again? Don't forget—the policy of suppressing the Uchiha came from the higher-ups!"
"Konoha's current military strength is already heavily damaged. If we let them keep growing unchecked, are you sure youcan hold them back when the time comes?"
"Especially Uchiha Fugaku! He awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan! He beat the Six-Tails Jinchūriki solo! Took out a Kage-level opponent! Killed who knows how many jōnin and chūnin!"
Danzo slammed his palm down. "If we just let him return to Konoha with all those battle-hardened Uchiha soldiers, can you really say none of them will turn against us?"
Danzo would never let any of those Uchiha come back right now.
"...Sigh."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Fine. We'll go with your plan. But I'm not taking responsibility for this. If Fugaku asks, youexplain it to him. Deal?"
Classic Hiruzen. When there was backlash or dirty work to be done, he always pushed it onto Danzo.
"Heh." Danzo sneered inside, calling Hiruzen a hypocrite, but nodded anyway: "Fine. I'll be the villain again. I'm the shadow of Konoha, after all—this kind of thing suits me."
"That's settled, then," Koharu and Homura chimed in, nodding in agreement.
Suppressing the Uchiha? Weakening them? No big deal. Nothing new there.
— — —
Far away in an underground base
Renzo watched the whole conversation unfold through his nano surveillance system.
"Heh, what a bunch of schemers…"
He smirked coldly. "Too bad all that plotting is for nothing. You guys won't even get the chance."
He gave an order to Red Queen: "Send the footage to Fugaku. He needs to understand the truth of the situation—and make sure he gets the Uchiha on the front lines ready. I don't want them caught off guard and taking heavy losses."
For now, the Uchiha had to stay where they were—split across the two war fronts a bit longer, like Danzo wanted. And once things settled down in Konoha, they could return.
Of course, Renzo sent two shadow clones—one to each battlefield.
Partly to protect his clan. Partly to take out some of Danzo's ROOT operatives.
This time, he was going to make Danzo pay in blood.
"Yes, Master," Red Queen replied immediately.
She used a satellite to connect with a communicator Renzo had given Fugaku and transmitted both Renzo's words and the surveillance footage.
...
Bang!
Fugaku slammed the table in fury after watching the video.
"Those bastards! Outrageous!!" He gritted his teeth. "Hiruzen! Danzo! How dare you treat the Uchiha like this? Do you think we're fools? Disposable tools!?"
This kind of betrayal—use them on the battlefield, then plan to get rid of them afterward—how could he not be enraged?
He wanted to kill Danzo and Hiruzen right then and there.
But now wasn't the time to lose control.
He took a deep breath and asked calmly, "Red Queen, how's the operation? Is everything still on track?"
She replied without hesitation, "Everything's going according to plan. The Master told me to inform you—he's already brought Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru to our side. The plan will succeed. Just cooperate as instructed."
"Oh?" Fugaku's eyes lit up a bit, finally feeling a little more at ease. "Then I'll be waiting for Renzo's good news. And don't worry, I'll make sure the clan here knows what to do."
"Understood."
---
Elsewhere, Minato secretly contacted Jiraiya and showed him all the evidence they'd gathered—every dirty secret, every shady move Danzo had made… including Hiruzen's role in it all.
Jiraiya's face darkened as he scrolled through it.
"So Tsunade was right... Nawaki's death, and the targeting of the Senju clan—Danzo was behind it? And Sensei… he just let it happen?"
His fists clenched.
"And Sakumo... the whole village turned on him, but Danzo was pulling the strings?"
"And Sensei… he also knew. He knew and did nothing... Why?"
"Is power really worth that much to him?"
"The Hokage's job is supposed to be protecting the village, making Konoha stronger. But look at what they've done…"
"Suppressing geniuses, eliminating anyone who disagrees with them, targeting the Senju, the Uchiha… even the Hyuga. Everything they've done is digging up the very roots of Konoha!"
Jiraiya's eyes were red. He was furious.
This—this wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't the teacher he looked up to.
This wasn't the Hokage he believed in.
Minato's face was dark as well. "That's why the Third isn't fit to be Hokage anymore. Maybe... he never was."
"Sure, he's done some good for the village. No one's denying that. But it's not enough to cover up all the damage he's caused. The lives lost. The future ruined."
"Sensei…"
He looked Jiraiya straight in the eyes, serious and determined.
"I need your help. Your support."
"I want to become the Fourth Hokage. A realHokage."
"And when that happens… I want you to watch over me. Keep an eye on me."
"If I ever stray from the path—if I ever stop putting Konoha's people first—I want you to be the one to call me out. To stop me. Can you do that?"
Minato's words came straight from the heart—honest, passionate, and pure.
Jiraiya could see that. His student still had that fire. That kindness. That unwavering will to do what's right.
Minato wasn't just aiming for the Hokage title—he was ready to carry the Will of Fire.
Jiraiya laughed quietly, his eyes softening as a rare look of pride spread across his face.
"You little punk…"
Jiraiya felt a spark of hope in this situation.
Maybe all wasn't lost after all.
Maybe the future still had a chance.
"Alright," He clapped a firm hand on Minato's shoulder, eyes now steady and resolute. "I'll support you. I'll be there. And I'll watch over you."
"Go for it, Minato. Go and chase your future."
"As long as you don't lose your way—I'll always have your back."
"Don't let me down."
From that moment on, Jiraiya's disappointment in the Third was set in stone.
He placed all his hope for the village in Minato.
"Minato has to be the Child of Prophecy," he told himself.
"He has to be."
Minato bowed deeply, full of gratitude. "Thank you for believing in me, Sensei."
Having a teacher who not only believed in him, but was willing to walk beside him through it all… it made him feel lucky.
"Hahaha!"
Jiraiya chuckled and pulled him up, his somber look fading. The tension in the room lifted a bit as he smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"So, what do you need me to do next, huh?"
"You're gonna need more supporters, right?"
"Don't underestimate Hiruzen and Danzo. Even the other two old advisors won't be easy to deal with."
"Just that evidence you've got? It's not enough to take them down."
"Want me to reach out to my two old teammates—Tsunade and Orochimaru? Get them on board?"
"I've also got some pull with a few of the ninja clans around here. I can talk to them, maybe win them over to your side too."
Minato nodded without hesitation."If you're willing to help, then that'd be amazing."
"Renzo already told me he's brought Lady Tsunade and Lord Orochimaru over to our side, but if you could go confirm it personally, I'd feel much more at ease."
This wasn't just politics—they were putting their lives, and the lives of those they loved, on the line.
He wanted to be careful.
"Wait, what?"
Jiraiya blinked. "Renzo? You mean that Uchiha genius who showed up a couple years ago?"
"You two are close or something?"
"He actually managed to win over both Tsunade and Orochimaru?"
In Jiraiya's memory, Uchiha Renzo was just some up-and-coming prodigy from the Uchiha clan—a rising star who had barely made a splash before Hiruzen and Danzo started suppressing him.
He thought the guy had gone quiet since then.
But now? Now he'd apparently grown into someone who could shake the whole village?
.
.
.