These thoughts weighed heavily on Minato, leaving him visibly dejected. But in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes, that gloom looked more like dissatisfaction.
"Minato?" the Third Hokage asked gently, his tone growing even warmer.
Seeing that Hiruzen was waiting for an answer, Minato quickly replied, "I was tied down by another shinobi. I couldn’t get here in time."
The answer caught Hiruzen by surprise.
"Someone capable of keeping up with your speed? Has the Uchiha Clan produced another prodigy like Shisui Uchiha?"
He refused to believe the Uchiha could produce another genius on Shisui’s level—not yet, at least.
As for the future, only Itachi Uchiha seemed to possess that kind of potential. Talent was something one was born with.
Fortunately, Hiruzen had already planned for that. Raised under Shisui’s guidance from childhood and deeply influenced by Konoha’s Will of Fire, Itachi would never turn his blade against the village, no matter how powerful he became.
As for Uchiha Kei, who constantly caused him trouble, Hiruzen regarded him as little more than a waste. Judging from Kei’s physical condition, he simply didn’t possess much room for growth.
More than once, Hiruzen had suspected that Uchiha Kei was merely a pawn pushed to the forefront by someone operating behind the scenes. He didn’t know who that hidden mastermind was, and that uncertainty was precisely why he had repeatedly tolerated Kei’s provocations.
Until he understood just how powerful that unseen force truly was, Hiruzen had no intention of openly turning against them. In fact, he had even begun considering how he might make use of them.
After all, this branch of the Uchiha lived extravagantly, seemingly possessing an endless supply of resources. New members joined them every month, and their numbers continued to grow.
If he could gain access to those resources, he would no longer need to compromise with the daimyō. Better still, if he could pressure them with moral obligations into fighting on the front lines and gradually wear down their population, it would be even more advantageous.
The thought filled Hiruzen with quiet satisfaction.
In his mind, Uchiha Kei was nothing more than a piece of meat already sitting in his bowl.
The only question was whether biting into it would chip his teeth.
Still, Hiruzen had already prepared for the worst.
If everything truly came to the worst possible outcome, he could simply hand the position of Hokage over to the Uchiha. Once an Uchiha became Hokage, would Kei still refuse to devote himself to Konoha?
When that time came, Shisui would be the ideal candidate. Surely the Uchiha wouldn’t rebel against one of their own.
As for Danzō’s repeated claims that an Uchiha Hokage would plunge Konoha into ruin—they were complete nonsense.
Konoha belonged to its people, not to the Hokage.
Only after becoming Hokage had Hiruzen truly understood the burdens that accompanied the title. He was nothing like Danzō, whose heart was consumed by his obsession with the office and its authority.
Hiruzen understood exactly where his own power came from.
It came from his personal strength.
From his three disciples, each possessing Kage-level power.
From Might Dai, who had devoted himself to him and could open the Eight Gates.
From the Sarutobi Clan, which could mobilize three thousand shinobi at a moment’s notice.
And from the unwavering loyalty of the Ino-Shika-Chō clans.
Danzō, on the other hand, always imagined that once he became Hokage, his every word would become absolute law.
What a foolish dream.
Hopefully, after getting thoroughly beaten this time, Danzō would finally wake up to reality.
Without strength to support it, authority was nothing more than an illusion—a dream that vanished with the slightest breeze.
Thinking of all this put Hiruzen in an exceptionally good mood.
As expected, I’m still quite remarkable.
To any observer, the smile on his face seemed to express nothing more than pride that Konoha had gained another powerful shinobi—even if that shinobi happened to be an Uchiha.
Seeing Hiruzen’s expression, Minato sighed inwardly.
The Third truly is broad-minded.
Unfortunately, Minato couldn’t share his optimism.
He simply couldn’t rejoice over an Uchiha who had slaughtered his own comrades.
"Third Hokage," Minato continued, "the man who stopped me wasn’t especially fast. But he was incredibly experienced. Every time I was about to move forward, he interfered at exactly the right moment."
He wanted to explain everything clearly—especially the man’s ruthless fighting style and terrifying swordsmanship.
Those qualities alone were enough reason, in Minato’s eyes, for Konoha to reject such a dangerous individual.
Compared to gaining another powerful shinobi, Minato would rather Konoha remain a village filled with people who cherished their comrades.
"At first, he simply kept stalling me with what looked like immortality. No matter how many Rasengan I used, I couldn’t injure him. For a while, I even wondered if I’d fallen under a genjutsu."
Still in high spirits, Hiruzen decided to offer an explanation.
Since Minato seemed unconvinced by his earlier comments about the Flying Thunder God Technique, he might as well teach him something else.
"Minato... you were indeed affected by a genjutsu."
"However, it wasn’t cast on you."
"It was cast on the user himself."
"The technique is called Izanagi."
It was merely Hiruzen’s own speculation—but speculation he considered highly plausible.
Ever since the Uchiha civil war, this innate Three-Tomoe Sharingan technique had disappeared from the shinobi world. Consequently, Izanami, the technique created specifically to counter Izanagi, had vanished along with it.
"Izanagi?"
It was Minato’s first time hearing the name.
"Yes."
"It is one of the Uchiha Clan’s ultimate dōjutsu."
"The user records their current state with the Sharingan. Then, during the technique’s duration, any injury they suffer—even death itself—can be rewritten, restoring their body to the state that was originally recorded."
How is that even possible?
Wouldn’t that make them invincible?
Minato found it impossible to believe.
Although awakening the Three-Tomoe Sharingan wasn’t easy, it was hardly an extraordinary rarity within the Uchiha Clan.
Once an Uchiha awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, they generally possessed the combat ability of a jōnin. It wasn’t that only jōnin could awaken it.
That was precisely why the Uchiha had become one of Konoha’s great clans.
They simply produced more jōnin than anyone else.
Given enough opportunities, even an Uchiha who seemed utterly mediocre could eventually rise to jōnin level.
For every other shinobi clan, however, one’s future was practically decided from birth.
A single glance at a child’s innate talent was often enough to predict both their future growth and their standing within the clan.
Those who lacked the potential to become jōnin would never become jōnin.
Such was the cruel reality of the shinobi world.
Talent was an inescapable shackle.
The Uchiha alone possessed the ability to break free from those shackles, and they certainly had reason to be proud of it.
Unfortunately, that very privilege also made them the target of endless resentment.
The Uchiha were already extraordinary enough.
If they also possessed an invincible technique that made them impossible to kill...
Then the fact that they had never unified the entire shinobi world would seem almost absurd.
Naturally, Minato remained skeptical.
Hiruzen, however, had no intention of explaining further.
"Minato..."
"In the world of shinobi..."
"Anything is possible."
Another vague answer devoid of any real explanation.
Before Hiruzen could continue, a voice suddenly came from the hospital bed.
"Don’t flatter yourself, Hiruzen."
"The subordinate serving Uchiha Kei is far more dangerous than you imagine."
"There is always a price to using Izanagi."
"But just as Minato said..."
"I never saw that man pay any price at all."
People who lack confidence tend to overexplain.
Those who lack authority tend to lose their temper.
Those who lack insight worry endlessly.
When Hiruzen started rambling without end, perhaps it meant his credibility was already beginning to crumble.
Danzō no longer trusted Hiruzen as completely as he once had.
Relying on others is never as reliable as relying on myself.
This crisis... I’ll have to overcome it with my own hands.
"Danzō! You’re awake!"
His sudden voice interrupted their conversation.
"I was never unconscious."
"Then why..." Hiruzen asked in confusion.
"Hmph."
"I simply couldn’t accept what I’d witnessed."
"Hiruzen..."
"Uchiha Kei must be eliminated."
Danzō’s tone left no room for doubt.
Having already betrayed Hiruzen to Kei once, Danzō clearly had no qualms about betraying Uchiha Kei as well.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus Chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus Chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 100+ Chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789