Chapter 172: Minato! You Can't Handle Being Hokage, Let This Old Man Handle It For You!
Konoha Village.
As Minato walked toward the Hokage's office, the streets gradually filled with people.
Several figures bearing the Uchiha crest saw Minato, and their eyes lit up. They stopped and bowed respectfully. These were the Uchiha clansmen who had chosen to stay in Konoha.
"Lord Fourth."
"Although Lord Third appointed Lord Shisui as the new Clan Head, the clansmen… don't fully trust him."
"In our hearts, we lean more towards you."
"But… Lord Third is powerful, and we dare not openly take sides."
Their eyes were filled with hope and blessings for Minato to regain power, but also mixed with helplessness and fear of reality.
Minato looked at them gently. "I understand your situation. Please believe that I will bring a bright future for the Uchiha and for Konoha."
Hearing this, hope reignited in the eyes of the Uchiha clansmen.
…
Hokage Building, Top Floor Conference Room.
The atmosphere was incredibly heavy. Minato Namikaze stood alone in the center. Opposite him sat Hiruzen Sarutobi, flanked by Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
Hiruzen slowly twirled his pipe in his fingers, the curling smoke obscuring his expression. He broke the silence first.
"Minato, your safe return is a blessing for Konoha."
"Regarding what you mentioned… well, your vision for the village's future, this old man is willing to listen."
He paused, his gaze seemingly inadvertently sweeping over Minato's young yet resolute face. "However, the position of Hokage carries the fate of the entire village. Every transition must be handled with extreme caution, as it concerns the stability and legacy of Konoha. You must know this better than anyone."
Homura Mitokado's aged voice chimed in at the right moment, carrying a tone of interrogation. "Fourth Hokage, during the Nine-Tails incident, you sacrificed your life to seal the demon fox and protect the village. That was a great merit. But you didn't have to die. You abandoned the village and left in that manner, and Konoha suffered immense turmoil and pain because of your departure."
"The memory of the people, sometimes, is longer and more complex than we imagine. Now that you have returned, there will naturally be… various voices in the village."
"What we old folks have to consider first is how to ensure a smooth transition for Konoha and avoid unnecessary internal friction. After all, any rash decision could tear the village apart."
Koharu Utatane took over, looking straight at Minato. "Minato, we have never doubted your ability. But the Konoha of today is very different from when you left. Various factions are intertwined, and maintaining balance is difficult."
She paused slightly, as if choosing her words. "I want to know, what do you think your return at this moment can bring to Konoha? Or perhaps… what will it take away?"
Minato remained calm throughout, seemingly unmoved by their verbal offensive. He looked at each of them in turn, finally resting his gaze on Hiruzen.
"Lord Third, Advisors, I understand your concerns."
"My past choices were indeed made out of desperation and haste, and they brought subsequent trouble to the village. I deeply regret this and have never shirked my responsibilities as the Fourth Hokage."
"But my loyalty to Konoha remains as it was then, unwavering. I stand here today not merely for my own desires."
Minato tilted his chin slightly, his gaze seeming to penetrate the walls of the conference room, looking further away. "There are many eyes watching in the village. They are expecting change, expecting a more vibrant Konoha, a Konoha that can truly protect them and give them hope."
"Some old shackles, it is time to break them."
"Some new voices deserve to be heard."
"As for what I can bring… Perhaps, an opportunity. An opportunity for Konoha to re-examine itself, heal rifts, gather strength, and truly face the deeper threats lurking beneath the surface of peace."
The conference room fell into a brief silence again. Hiruzen took a deep drag of his pipe, the smoke gathering and dispersing before him.
"Opportunity, Minato, is always a double-edged sword."
"The 'rifts' you speak of, this old man prefers to call the natural grain formed by the great tree of Konoha after weathering storms to survive better. Every grain represents a history, a balance, and the Will of Fire countless people have dedicated themselves to."
"'Gathering strength'? Konoha's strength has never truly dissipated. It is simply operating in a more mature, steady manner."
"Young people have the passion and vigor of youth, which is good; it is the vitality of Konoha. But supporting this vitality is the foundation forged by generations, the gears that silently bear the infamy and burden in corners you cannot see, keeping the village running."
After a debate destined to be fruitless, the final decision remained that Hiruzen Sarutobi would continue to hold the position of Hokage until Minato Namikaze could prove with practical actions that he truly understood the responsibilities of a Hokage.
"Minato…"
"Do you think this old man truly covets the position of Hokage?"
Hiruzen shook his head self-deprecatingly, a look of reminiscence and desolation in his eyes.
"When I handed this hat to you back then, how relieved and expectant I was. I thought I could finally lay down this heavy burden, live a few days of leisure, play with my grandchildren, and enjoy my old age."
"Who could have predicted fate's cruel twist…"
"The Nine-Tails incident, you and Kushina suddenly departed, leaving Konoha in turmoil, everything needing to be rebuilt. At that time, this old man's heart ached more than anyone else's!"
He pressed his hand to his chest, as if it truly ached.
"The burden of Hokage should have been carried by you young people. These old bones of mine should have retired behind the scenes long ago. But with the current situation, internal and external troubles, which one allows for peace of mind?"
"Konoha cannot fall into chaos; that is the bottom line!"
"If Konoha were truly prosperous and peaceful right now… forget you returning, even if you just sent a messenger, this old man would immediately hand over the Hokage position without a second thought!"
"More than anyone, I wish to see Konoha have successors, to see the younger generation holding up the sky. But… not now, Minato."
"The village has just experienced the huge shock of the Uchiha resurrection. The people are unsettled, and dark currents are surging. And you mentioned 'deeper threats'…"
"At a time like this, any rash move could trigger an irreversible disaster."
"This old man is not reluctant to give up power, but reluctant to give up this hard-won stability, reluctant to give up this Konoha bought with the blood and lives of countless people!"
"I am guarding this foundation for the village, guarding the last wishes of those departed heroic souls!"
He let out a long sigh, as if pouring all his grievances and burdens into it.
"So, Minato, it's not that this old man won't let go, but that Konoha… temporarily cannot do without this old face, these old bones."
"Suffering a bit myself is nothing. As long as Konoha can be stable, what does my little sacrifice matter?"
In the corner, Danzo Shimura remained silent throughout. Every one of Hiruzen's high-sounding words made his stomach churn.
Old fox.
Danzo narrowed his single eye slightly, hiding the deep contempt within. The same act for decades, over and over again, still as disgusting as ever. So-called righteousness, so-called sacrifice, were nothing but fig leaves for clinging to power.
Hiruzen's sigh echoed in the conference room, lingering with a deliberately cultivated sense of tragedy.
Minato listened quietly, his expression calm, unruffled. He knew further argument was useless. Without any extra debate or expression of disappointment, he turned and walked calmly toward the door.
Perhaps only when Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade return can the structure of Konoha change? Or perhaps… a turmoil is needed for Konoha to move forward…
…
Team 7 Meeting Point.
Naruto and Sakura had been waiting for a long time, but there was still no sign of Sasuke.
"That guy Sasuke, late again!" Naruto pouted in dissatisfaction.
"Idiot Naruto! Sasuke-kun must be busy with something!" But Sakura was also eagerly anticipating Sasuke's arrival.
"Yo." Kakashi appeared right on time.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto perked up immediately.
"Why isn't Sasuke here today?" Sakura asked.
Kakashi scratched his head, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Ah, about that… I have a rather important mission coming up and will need to leave the village for a while. So, starting today, a new instructor will take over for you. Incidentally, he was also my teacher."
"Who is it? Is he stronger than Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi smiled and didn't answer directly, turning instead to Naruto. "As for Sasuke… actually, Naruto, you arrived a bit late last time, so you didn't know. Sasuke Uchiha has already left Konoha with his parents."
"Eh?!" Naruto's eyes widened. Sasuke left? His parents were resurrected too? Then he thought about the Uchiha clansmen he saw at the compound and the night of the massacre, and realized. So the Uchiha clan members were all resurrected just like my mom and dad! Sasuke's parents are back too… that's really great.
"Is that so…" Naruto scratched his head, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss. He had thought he could have a good competition with Sasuke when he arrived. Not being able to say goodbye properly felt regretful.
Kakashi patted Naruto's shoulder. "Alright, just wait here for your new teacher. He should be here soon." With that, Kakashi vanished.
Naruto and Sakura were left looking at each other. Sakura felt like her head was about to explode. Sasuke-kun… left Konoha? And Naruto arrived late last time? What happened? And who is the new teacher? A string of questions left her completely baffled.
"Hey, Naruto!" Sakura couldn't help but press him. "What on earth is going on? Why did Sasuke-kun leave? And what did you mean by arriving late last time?"
Naruto scratched his hair, looking troubled. "I… I'm not really sure either, ya know. All I know is that back then, Grandpa Third was arguing with my newly resurrected mom and dad."
"Hah?!!" Sakura's eyes bulged even more. Naruto's… newly resurrected mom and dad? It sounded like a fantasy.
"Idiot Naruto! Aren't you an orphan with no parents? Are you trying to trick me along with Kakashi-sensei?!" She felt Naruto must be making up stories. "Tell me the truth!"
As the words left her mouth, Naruto's trademark sunny smile froze. The air seemed to solidify in that instant.
Sakura instantly realized her slip of the tongue. "Ah! S-sorry! Naruto! I didn't mean that!"