Inside Hokage's office.
Various barriers designed to block perception, sound, and sight stood erected. Layer upon layer, they enveloped the small office, making it as impenetrable as an iron barrel.
Hiruzen, Minato, Jiraiya, and the council members, Koharu and Homura, all showed serious expressions as they stood or sat within the room, discussing this forbidden topic.
With Danzo dead, the five people present were the top 5 at the pinnacle of Konoha's power. The authority they wielded was even sufficient to stir up trends within the Ninja World.
Now, everyone looked grave as they listened to Hiruzen recount the beginning, end, and details of the coup incident in Kirigakure.
The content was both shocking and appalling.
Because the two names that appeared in the coup incident each posed a massive threat to Konoha.
Yuki Sora, Uchiha Madara…
Silence.
Deep thought.
Disbelief.
Doubt.
Then came the expressionless acceptance of the facts. Information obtained through Hokage's channels couldn't reasonably be false, and the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure had no reason to use the name 'Uchiha Madara' to deliberately create a false mystery.
"But it doesn't make sense. That person should truly be dead. This was confirmed by the First and Second Hokage. How could there be a problem?"
"Then..."
"As long as we verify whether Uchiha Madara's corpse is still there or not, wouldn't we have the answer to this question?"
Koharu and Homura exchanged words rapidly, their tones unable to conceal a trace of apprehension and fear.
For Ninjas who lived through the era of the dual gods' rivalry, it was truly difficult to maintain a calm mindset towards the name Uchiha Madara.
Even if they hadn't witnessed the battles between the two personally, the battlefield ruins spanning hundreds of kilometers were real.
This was also the reason Konoha's leadership had always been wary of the Uchiha. Everyone knew perfectly well that if the Uchiha produced a Ninja comparable to Uchiha Madara… no, even one with half of Madara's strength, it would be enough to overturn the entire Konoha.
Minato felt strange but still cooperated with the others, putting on the appropriately shocked expression.
He felt he had known about this beforehand, yet didn't know why or how he knew. This feeling was very contradictory, making Minato feel weird, yet his subconscious resisted delving deeper into the question.
Contradictory, strange, complex…
Although Minato felt utterly uninterested in all this, he forced himself to coordinate with the atmosphere in the room, making various reasonable reactions.
"Minato, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Just as everyone was discussing, Hiruzen suddenly cut off the conversation and turned his gaze towards Minato, saying with an expectant look: "You will soon become the Fourth Hokage, so I would very much like to hear your opinion. This is important."
As soon as these words were spoken.
The other three people present all showed expressions of 'we knew it'.
"Minato, don't feel guilty over a temporary failure. You must know that even the First Hokage experienced countless failures before finally founding Konoha!" Homura encouraged with a smile. "We all see the purest Will of Fire in you. It is the power of protection. We need you, and Konoha needs you too."
Beside him, the usually eccentric and picky Koharu also smiled and said, "Minato, have no worries. Your capacity is sufficient to shoulder the heavy responsibility of Hokage. Now that Danzo has sacrificed himself and Orochimaru is missing, it is time for you to step up and bear the responsibility. With great power comes great responsibility…"
"I believe you have the ability to make Konoha great again!"
Jiraiya, beaming with pride, even slung an arm around Minato's shoulder and said heartily, "I'm so envious of you, Minato! If I had your sense of responsibility when I was young, I might have had hope of becoming the village's Hokage too!"
Jiraiya's personality was straightforward. Daring to speak these words meant he held no more resentment in his heart about his student becoming Hokage before him.
For a moment,
The entire Hokage's office was filled with a warm and harmonious atmosphere. But this touching scene of the Will of Fire's inheritance inexplicably caused a trace of barely noticeable disgust to appear in Minato's eyes.
'So…'
'This weak and humble inheritance truly cannot bring real peace to the world, can it?'
Seeing Hiruzen, his teacher Jiraiya, Homura, and Koharu all feel unfounded apprehension and fear just from the name 'Uchiha Madara', Minato felt more and more that the so-called Will of Fire, without the support of powerful strength, was fundamentally a meaningless slogan.
However,
That trace of disgust came and went quickly. Minato's facial expression changed fluidly into one of considerable being moved and wishing he could die for those who recognize his worth. He said decisively and forcefully: "I believe we should open the coffin and examine the body. Regardless of the outcome, we should simultaneously strengthen our precautions against the Uchiha Clan to prevent Uchiha Madara from joining forces with the Uchiha and doing something that harms the village."
"Agreed."
Hiruzen was the first to respond.
"Seconded!"
"Seconded!"
"I agree too!"
The two elders and Jiraiya all unhesitatingly expressed their support for Minato's proposal.
As soon as the words fell, the gazes of the group holding Konoha's supreme power towards Minato were filled with unconcealed approval.
Calm, decisive, meticulous, planning before acting… these were all the excellent qualities essential for a true Hokage.
'This child Minato, without a doubt, possessed the character of a Hokage.'
"Then the matter of opening the coffin shall be entrusted to Minato!"
Hiruzen looked at Minato with an expression of wanting to add more responsibility to his shoulders and said with a smile, "Jiraiya, you go along as well. As for Homura and Koharu, you two go make preparations beforehand. Should the Uchiha Clan show any unusual movements, notify me immediately."
"Alright."
"Understood."
"Don't worry, old man!"
Koharu, Homura, and Jiraiya all accepted their respective tasks.
Soon, the three left separately.
Just as Minato also prepared to turn and leave to plan his task, Hiruzen waved for him to stay.
Hiruzen, clad in the Hokage's ceremonial robe, walked up to Minato, patted his successor's arm, and said, "Minato, I know you are a gentle person. But for the sake of the village, when certain things require a ruthless hand, you absolutely must not hesitate. Even if you must bear darkness for it, it is worth it."
"And I, the Third Hokage of Konoha, will set an example for you. After Danzo's death, the Root is in complete disarray. But the existence of the Root in the darkness is necessary."
"Some stand in the light, while others must silently protect in the darkness. Light and dark, yin and yang, harmonizing… only then can the Will of Fire be passed down forever."
Minato was taken aback, pretending to be very surprised as he asked, "Hokage-sama, what do you mean…"
"Minato, be prepared. When the war ends, you will assume the position of Fourth Hokage. And I will take Danzo's place, transforming into the Root in the darkness, protecting this village together with you…"
As he spoke, a rather regretful expression suddenly appeared on the Third Hokage's face. He sighed: "I originally intended to train Kagami's descendant, Uchiha Shisui, as Danzo's successor. But I never expected he sacrificed himself too early, dying too soon at the hands of that Yuki Sora…"
The Third Hokage had once had plans to cultivate Shisui into a right-hand man, using that as an opportunity to change the awkward relationship between the village and the Uchiha.
But now, it seemed everything would have to be reconsidered from scratch.
…
Meanwhile,
Land of Water, Kirigakure.
In an unknown, dark laboratory.
Within the dim environment, a piercingly miserable wail suddenly rang out.
"Yuki Sora, Yuki Sora... I'll kill you, I'll kill you!!!! Kotoamatsukami, Kotoamatsukami, Kotoamatsukami... Why, why, where is my Ocular Power, where is my Mangekyo!!!!!"
"...Is this really alright, Shisui-kun? I am the one who granted you new life. Without me, you would be sleeping permanently in that dark world of the deceased."
"You, you... Yuki Sora, what have you done to my body! What have you turned me into!!!!"
"A monster? The Uchiha, possessing fragments of the Sage of Six Paths' genes, indeed have souls more tenacious than ordinary Ninjas. The experiment... proceeded unexpectedly smoothly..."
"Yuki Sora! What, what exactly have you done to me!!!"
"Shisui-kun, you should feel proud of your new life. Because your appearance will lead this world into a brand new era. Your name is destined to be recorded in history. First Shinigami Test Subject... Uchiha Shisui!"
Looking at the pure white Shisui bound by golden Reiatsu Chains within the glass container before him, a rather satisfied smile appeared on Sora's face.
The new world has arrived.