The curtain of Ichiraku Ramen was lifted, and a blast of hot steam mixed with the rich aroma of bone broth rushed out.
"Yo! Teuchi! Give me four... no, five bowls of the Supreme Deluxe Chashu Ramen! Double the Narutomaki!"
Jiraiya's booming voice rang out, making the entire small shop seem to tremble.
He squeezed toward the counter without a shred of dignity, plucking the purple toad from his shoulder and setting it beside a dedicated dish.
"Coming right up! Lord Jiraiya, Lord Fourth Hokage, and Lady Tsunade! It's rare to see you all together!"
Wearing a white apron, Teuchi's eyes—always narrowed into thin slits—glinted with focus. His strainer sliced through the air in a clean arc as he shook off the excess broth. "Just a moment, everyone. It'll be ready shortly!"
Minato Namikaze smiled as he found a seat, helpfully pulling out chairs for the others.
Tsunade didn't stand on ceremony either, sitting down with a commanding presence while her eyes scanned the narrow yet cozy shop.
"So this is the 'delicacy' you were talking about? It looks pretty ordinary to me." Although Tsunade was picky, her throat hitched involuntarily when she caught the rich scent.
"Tsunade, you just don't get it."
Gamakon sprawled on the counter, his horizontal pupils fixed intently on Teuchi as he sliced the chashu. His tone was profound. "This is the soul of Konoha. One might even say the truths of the ninja world are hidden in this bowl of noodles."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "What does a toad know about truth?"
Gamakon didn't argue, merely looking meaningfully at Teuchi's perpetually squinted eyes.
*As a transmigrator, looking at this legendary 'Otsutsuki Ichiraku' gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.*
*Even though it was just a meme from the trolls in his previous life, in a world full of overpowered freaks, being able to quietly cook noodles for decades was a level of mastery in itself.*
Watching Teuchi's practiced movements, Gamakon's thoughts drifted further away.
The ninja world might look peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents were surging.
On the Akatsuki's side, though Obito had been temporarily misled by Minato, that thousand-year-old cunning schemer Black Zetsu certainly wouldn't give up.
Not to mention Isshiki Otsutsuki, lingering in another dimension, or Kaguya Otsutsuki, sealed on the moon.
Compared to those 'gods' who wanted to destroy the world or remake planets at every turn, the power struggles within Konoha were practically child's play.
But if the 'playing house' wasn't handled correctly, it could lead someone to drop the ball at a critical moment.
Gamakon glanced at Minato Namikaze, who was currently fighting Jiraiya for a piece of garlic.
Minato was a perfect Hokage—sunny, powerful, and benevolent.
But precisely because he was too perfect, he was destined to never touch certain bottomless shadows.
The brighter the light, the deeper the shadow.
Beneath the great tree of Konoha, someone had to handle the rotting, light-starved roots.
Previously, that person had been Danzo, but that old geezer's selfishness was too great; he even wanted to chop down the tree to use as firewood for himself.
Now that Danzo's downfall was certain, the position of 'Darkness' was vacant.
Minato couldn't act as both the sun and the moon, could he? That would be beneath his station and didn't fit his character profile.
He needed to find a successor.
The image of a slimy, cold serpent flickered through Gamakon's mind.
Orochimaru.
That scientific madman who chased truth, a cold lord with zero interest in politics but ruthless methods.
As long as he was given enough funding, enough experimental subjects (legally obtained), and a taste of 'immortality,' Orochimaru was absolutely the best candidate to take over Root and handle the dirty work for Konoha.
Moreover, he was strong enough, cold-blooded enough, and didn't have any boring ambitions of world domination.
Gamakon narrowed his eyes, a plan already forming in his heart.
He needed to find a chance to discuss this privately with Minato.
As for why he wouldn't tell Jiraiya first?
Gamakon glanced at the white-haired hero beside him, who was currently stuffing his face and looking completely undignified.
What was the point of telling this guy?
Aside from shouting useless nonsense like "But he's my best friend!" or "Orochimaru has his reasons!", this mount's political IQ was basically zero.
Trying to explain such delicate political maneuvering to him was like casting pearls before swine.
"Noodles are up!"
Teuchi placed five large bowls of ramen, piled high like mountains, onto the table.
"Let's eat!"
The group clapped their hands together in thanks, followed by a synchronized slurping sound.
Even Tsunade's eyes lit up the moment she tasted the broth. Her tense shoulders relaxed completely as she began to devour the food.
They polished off the meal in a flash.
When it came time to pay, Minato clutched his rapidly shrinking wallet, counting coins with a pained expression, while Jiraiya picked his teeth with a satisfied look, having no intention of paying.
Jiraiya laughed and patted Minato on the shoulder, stepping out of the ramen shop first.
By now, the night was deep.
Pedestrians were thinning on the streets of Konoha, and the streetlights stretched their shadows long.
The relaxed atmosphere from the ramen shop gradually dissipated as they drew closer to the Hokage Building.
Back in the Hokage's office.
The windows were wide open, and the night wind rushed in, rustling the documents on the desk.
Minato walked behind the desk and sat down, fingers interlaced under his chin. His sapphire eyes looked exceptionally deep in the shadows.
Tsunade found a sofa and sat down casually. Shizune stood to the side holding Tonton, while Jiraiya leaned against the window, his playful grin gone.
Gamakon hopped onto the desk, taking the most prominent spot.
"Speak up, Minato."
Jiraiya was the first to break the silence. "Calling Tsunade back so urgently... besides the medical system matters, it must be about how to handle Danzo, right? What do you plan to do with that old fossil?"
Although Danzo had been removed from his post and Root had been locked down, as long as he was alive, the foundation he had built in Konoha for decades remained. The Root ninja who were fanatically loyal to him were like a time bomb that could go off at any moment.
Tsunade also looked at Minato and snorted. "If you ask me, just kill him and be done with it. A pest like that is just a waste of food."
Minato didn't answer immediately.
He took a scroll out of the drawer. It was a top-secret file recovered from the Root base, containing a detailed list of the subordinates Danzo had controlled using the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal over the years.
"Killing him is the easiest way."
Minato's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable chill. "But Danzo is, after all, a disciple of the Second Hokage and an elder of Konoha. A public execution or a suspicious assassination would cause unrest in the village and might even lead other villages to believe Konoha is in total chaos."
"Furthermore..."
Minato's finger tapped lightly on the scroll. "The Root ninja all have cursed seals. If Danzo dies an unnatural death, those seals might trigger a chain reaction, leading to their sudden deaths or a loss of control."
"Then what do you intend to do?" Jiraiya frowned. "We can't just put him on a pedestal and worship him, can we?"
Minato looked up, his gaze sweeping across everyone present before finally landing on Gamakon.
The man and the toad locked eyes.
Gamakon grinned, revealing a cruel smile.
Minato withdrew his gaze and spoke slowly, laying out the plan he had decided on during the walk back.
"I have decided to let Danzo Shimura 'commit suicide.'"
"Suicide?"
Jiraiya and Tsunade were both stunned.
"Precisely."
Minato stood up and walked to the window, overlooking the sleeping village of Konoha. His silhouette looked cold under the moonlight. "For the glory of Konoha and for the future of those lost ninja in Root, Elder Danzo Shimura must 'commit seppuku out of guilt for his dereliction of duty and his inability to face the previous Hokages.'"
"Only this way can he die with 'dignity.'"
"Only this way can the Root ninja be incorporated legitimately rather than being purged as rebels."
"And only this way can the darkness of Konoha finally turn the page."
Jiraiya opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
*He looked at the disciple who was once sunny and gentle, now deciding the life, death, and posthumous reputation of a village elder with such calm calculation.*
*This method was ruthless, yet incredibly stable.*
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a playful curve touching her lips. "Make that old man 'kill himself'? That's a tall order. A man like him fears death more than anything. Why would he cooperate?"
Minato turned around, his face wearing that gentle smile once again, though this time it held a chilling depth.
"He will cooperate."
Minato pulled a specialized Flying Thunder God kunai from his robe, spinning it lightly on his fingertip.
"Because I will personally go and 'persuade' him."
"I believe he will 'willingly' commit suicide."
Gamakon sprawled on the table and let out a yawn, his horizontal pupils shimmering with excitement.
Finally, it was time to act.
Once this tumor was removed, the ship of Konoha could truly set sail without burdens to face the coming storms.
"Then, let's move tonight," Minato said, pinning the kunai onto the map where the Root base was located.
"Time to send Danzo on his way."