A few days later, in the Hokage's office in Konohagakure—
"Sarutobi!"
"Have you lost your mind?! How could you go along with the Fourth's madness and agree to elevate Fugaku Uchiha to the position of Elder?!"
Bang!
Danzo slammed his hand on the desk, his voice filled with anger.
"Danzo..."
"In the current state of the ninja world, we must consolidate all the forces within the village if we are to stand a chance!"
The Third Hokage, dressed in casual robes, exhaled a puff of purple smoke from his pipe, the haze swirling around him.
"Even the legendary Rinnegan has appeared in the Land of Rain!"
"It seems that mysterious organization's power is indeed extraordinary…"
"And they've made their intentions clear: to collect all the Tailed Beasts and create a terrifying power capable of shaking the entire ninja world, all in the name of achieving peace!"
"If our village continues to fracture internally, aren't we essentially cutting off our own limbs?"
The Third Hokage squinted as he spoke in a calm, measured tone.
Just yesterday, information about the leader of the Akatsuki organization had spread across the major ninja villages.
"So what if they have the Rinnegan?"
"We must first pacify internal chaos before dealing with external threats!"
"If we don't eliminate internal strife, how can we resist outside enemies?"
"Even if we are to consolidate power, it must be stable and reliable strength!"
"The power of the Uchiha is absolutely unreliable!"
"Don't forget Madara from back then!"
"And the Sharingan within the Akatsuki organization!"
"The strongest fortresses are often breached from within!"
Danzo's sharp tone was filled with urgency, his cold and calculating gaze sweeping over both the Third Hokage and Minato Namikaze.
"Elder Danzo!"
"I'm not here to consult with you on this decision; I'm here to announce it."
"Your role as an elder advisor is to fulfill your duties—nothing more. Leave the rest to the Third Hokage and me; we'll handle it."
"At the next high-level meeting, Clan Leader Fugaku will undoubtedly be present!"
"As the Hokage, I've made this decision. Whether anyone agrees or opposes it, it won't change the fact!"
Minato's usually calm face carried a faint shadow, and his tone was uncharacteristically firm.
"You…?!"
Danzo was momentarily stunned by Minato's unyielding attitude, rendered speechless.
When he turned his accusatory gaze toward the Third Hokage, the latter's eyes had already shifted to the streets outside the window.
"You'll regret this!"
Danzo could only leave behind this parting remark before storming out of the office, his footsteps echoing loudly.
"Lord Third…"
"Elder Danzo's views are completely at odds with ours. Perhaps it would be better if we…?"
Minato's gaze lingered on the office door, his tone carrying a hint of suggestion.
"Minato… don't be hasty."
"Where there is light, there will always be shadows. When the leaves dance, shadows are sure to follow."
"Where the leaves fly, the fire burns eternal. The flames will continue to illuminate the village and nurture new leaves to sprout."
"But our village is vast, and there will always be places the light of the fire cannot reach. People like Danzo, who are willing to dwell in the shadows, may one day prove useful…"
The embers on the Third Hokage's pipe flickered as he took a deep drag, igniting the tobacco within. The smoke swirled through his throat and lungs before being exhaled slowly, filling the room.
Just then, a cool evening breeze wafted through the window, dispersing the smoke.
That night, at Minato Namikaze's home—
"Minato… what's wrong?"
Kushina Uzumaki asked with concern as she watched Minato clearing the dishes.
Ever since Orochimaru's defection, Kushina had noticed that Minato's mood had been off.
"Huh?"
"It's nothing!"
Minato forced a smile in response.
"Your emotions are written all over your face… you can't fool me."
"We're husband and wife—shouldn't we be open with each other?"
"Even if I can't help much, I can at least be a good listener, someone to help ease the burden in your heart. And who knows, I might even have some good advice to offer?"
Kushina stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Minato, resting her cheek against his back.
"Kushina…"
Minato turned around and gently embraced her. His eyes lingered on her soft, crimson lips, which seemed to stir the deepest, most primal desires within him.
"Minato…"
Like dry wood meeting a spark, the fire ignited instantly.
"Be gentle… don't wake Naruto…"
Moments later, the room was filled with a symphony of soft whispers, rising and falling in a tender melody.
When it was over—
Having released all the frustrations in his heart, Minato felt a profound sense of clarity. In this moment of 'sage-like calm,' an idea suddenly struck him.
Looking at the delicate figure in his arms, Minato's mind began to formulate a plan.
After his battle with Sōmi, Minato had been troubled by the limitations of his own power.
But now, he found himself considering the Nine-Tails sealed within Kushina.
A Perfect Jinchūriki could freely wield the vast Chakra of their Tailed Beast.
If that were the case, as someone well-versed in sealing techniques, couldn't he achieve the same?
The Akatsuki in the Land of Rain, Sōmi of Sunagakure, the Raikage of Kumogakure, and the cunning Tsuchikage of Iwagakure—none of these opponents were to be underestimated.
Peace… should not be achieved through war, but through collective effort and cooperation!
For now, the greatest threat appeared to be Sunagakure. After all, its borders were adjacent to the Land of Fire, and Sōmi's power was overwhelming. Not even Minato, combined with Jiraiya, could defeat him…
As for the Akatsuki in the Land of Rain, their goal was to collect all the Tailed Beasts?
There was no way Minato would let them succeed. He had things he was willing to stake his life to protect!
But to protect everything, power was the key—not just his own strength, but the strength of the entire village…
In the Land of Wind, outside Sunagakure, within the barrier where Sōmi resided—
"Hm?"
"So Orochimaru has found a new hideout?"
"And he's finally handed over the research on the Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique…"
"Hm…"
"A technique that allows one to transfer their consciousness into another's body, thereby achieving eternal life—it truly is an extraordinary jutsu…"
"However, consuming too many souls will inevitably affect the purity of one's own soul."
"It's like adding ink to a clear pool of water; as the ink accumulates, the water's color will gradually change."
"This transformation might be something even Orochimaru himself hasn't noticed!"
Without creating a perfect vessel—like White Zetsu—Sōmi had no interest in this technique.
As he examined the scroll containing the forbidden technique, Sōmi murmured to himself.
The scroll appeared to contain the original version of the technique. As for the later modifications, which allowed Orochimaru to attach his soul to Cursed Seals for resurrection, even if Orochimaru had perfected them, there was no way he would hand over that version.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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