Minato smiled and said, "Though that's what you say, Obito, I'm sure you also did some guiding to fit your expectations. You're always so persuasive, naturally, the majority of people would be influenced by you."
But Obito said, "Minato-sensei, although I did indeed want things to develop according to my ideas, if that wasn't what everyone wished in their hearts, then why didn't they follow someone else's guidance?"
"After all, I didn't stop Naruto from speaking. He had a mouth, but in front of the majority, the result was, Naruto almost got forced into a blackened state, ready to destroy the world."
Minato grew anxious inside, "Obito, what happened to Naruto?"
Obito laughed, "Relax, Naruto's fine. After going through many things, he seems to have broken free from Ashura's chakra's influence, and he's become smarter, showing a bit of your flair, Minato-sensei."
Minato let out a breath of relief, then said, "That's good. Though I can't stop you, I also don't want you and Naruto to end up fighting to the death, never resting until the other is gone."
Obito shook his head, "Minato-sensei, Naruto and I were never enemies. Naruto's heart is good, but because of limited understanding, he can't fully grasp many things, and instead he's dragged along, becoming a guardian of the old world."
"To guard the world out of justice in his heart is not wrong. But if the world itself has problems, then he actually has no way out. That's what makes him conflicted."
Namikaze Minato raised a different point of view, "If there are problems, solve the problems. Is that so hard?"
Obito said, "What if the problem lies in Konoha itself? If solving Konoha means solving the problem, could Naruto do that?"
Minato gave a bitter smile, "Obito, Konoha has problems, yes, but it hasn't gone to the step you assume."
Obito replied, "And that is precisely why, Minato-sensei, you and Naruto cannot do it. Konoha is indeed better than other villages, but this 'better' is only better by comparison to worse cases."
"What I want is harmony, but never a harmony based on comparison with worse. If we don't thoroughly break and overturn some systems, then in the future we'll only ever end up with a relatively better world through comparison."
"And such a relatively better world is not a truly good future. Minato-sensei, do you understand my meaning?"
Minato was stunned, then suddenly recalled the words Obito had spoken to that Shimizu Dojin earlier.
He and Jiraiya sought a result of treating shinobi as people within the shinobi system.
But what Obito sought was to overturn the system completely, and treat humans simply as humans themselves.
At first glance, Obito's thinking might seem fanciful, leading to many bad consequences.
But… after Obito had really once unleashed Infinite Tsukuyomi, Minato suddenly felt that perhaps those consequences weren't as unacceptable as imagined.
And the future might indeed be better than one that followed the old systems step by step.
Suddenly Minato had some realization of what Obito wanted to do. Not just to make places prosperous, but likely to completely erase the very concept of shinobi.
If it had been before, he would have felt fear. But now, he suddenly thought, maybe it was worth trying.
"Obito, after the war ends, I might become the Fourth Hokage. Now Danzo is dead, Root is without a leader. This department is extremely important, and I truly want it in my own hands. Only you are suitable."
Obito suddenly laughed, "Minato-sensei plans to raise his own inner circle now? Looks like you also realized our current Hokage has problems, and you want to escape his control."
Minato was a bit embarrassed, but still voiced his true thoughts, "The Third Hokage-sama isn't as bad as you think, Obito. From his perspective, many decisions were forced."
"He… was actually a good person. You don't need to smear him."
Obito smiled, "Minato-sensei, does it matter so much whether Hiruzen was a good person? Even whether he was forced or not doesn't matter."
"Think of this: if the events I spoke of from the previous life had gone differently, if during his Hokage term Kakashi's father had not died, Orochimaru had not defected, Tsunade had not developed hemophobia, I had not blackened and fallen, the Uchiha still existed, Konoha used Jiraiya's connection with Akatsuki to reconcile, and everyone stood united, then to what heights would Konoha have risen?"
Minato had indeed thought about such things. The more he thought, the more he yearned, and alongside yearning came regret.
This was also one of the reasons he wanted to become the Fourth Hokage.
But… he also knew none of that was entirely the Hokage's fault, so he said, "Obito, many times, things don't go as you wish. Like your fall. It was because Madara set his sights on you. How much does that really have to do with Hokage-sama?"
Obito said, "Yes, every event can have a reason, every result can be explained. But suppose we stand from the perspective of an ordinary villager of Konoha, if during Hiruzen's term there existed a possibility for a better outcome, yet he didn't achieve it, does that mean he bears no fault?"
"Don't forget, Sakumo-senpai was driven to death by this very logic. The real reason villagers were dissatisfied was: why couldn't Sakumo-senpai both save his comrades and complete the mission? If he had achieved both, would villagers still have criticized him?"
Minato's heart skipped, then he smiled bitterly, "Obito, you really can twist any argument. You mean, if Hokage-sama in that position, regardless of his character, can make Konoha better, then he's right, and if not, then he's wrong?"
Obito spread his hands, "Isn't it so? Minato-sensei, don't you want to become Hokage because you believe you can make Konoha better if you take the position?"
"If you've had that thought, it already proves many problems. Otherwise, kind as you are, you wouldn't have begun raising your own inner circle."
In Minato's eyes appeared a trace of deep thought, "Yes… his treatment of Naruto, if you explain it, it can be justified. That's why I wasn't angry."
"But… he could have done better."
"As for why I want Root under my control, it's because he… intends to hold a grand funeral for Danzo."
Obito laughed, "Exactly. No matter how many reasons of helplessness, it doesn't change the fact: not every blame can be shifted onto Danzo. Even if he could take it, from the eyes of outsiders, Danzo always stood too close to him, didn't he?"
Minato fell silent. Indeed, the Third Hokage indulged Danzo far too much.
In fact, from Obito's perspective, Danzo's main guilt was not whether his actions were right or wrong, but that the final result brought immense disaster to Konoha.
So regardless of Danzo's intentions, if the mission failed, he was wrong. He should be criticized and reviled by villagers, just as White Fang had been.
But in the end, Danzo not only avoided curses, he lay on the merit rolls, and even after death received a dignified funeral. Forming a stark contrast with the desolate end of White Fang.
Wasn't that… a bit unfair?
Minato sighed, "Anyway, Obito, Root will be handed to you. Compared to Danzo, the shinobi world's 'darkness,' you actually resemble more the black hand behind the shinobi world. In some sense, Root is more fitting for you to wield."
Obito showed a pure smile, "Minato-sensei, see? That glorious future of Konoha I spoke of, isn't it practically realized in my hands?
"The things Hiruzen feared, aren't they trivial in your eyes?
"So, I don't have any evil intent. Everything I do is for Konoha!" [T/N: Welcome back, Danzo!]
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