Chapter 114: A Day in the Life of the Fourth Hokage

Only someone with space-time abilities can counter another with space-time abilities.

Obito wasn't sure if Byakuya was offering him a warning or mocking him yet again, but if he truly wanted to weaken Konoha's strength, his best chance was to target Namikaze Minato.

As Minato's former disciple, Obito was well-acquainted with the Flying Thunder God technique.

It could be said that if not for Minato, Konoha might have still won the war against Iwagakure, but the cost would have been devastating.

After all, at that time, Konoha's outposts had been completely overrun, leaving only a handful of survivors. It was Minato who single-handedly turned the tide, leading them in a series of strikes against the Iwagakure ninjas, pushing the front lines forward by dozens of kilometers.

These achievements earned him the respect of the front-line ninjas and led to his selection as the Fourth Hokage.

However, despite Minato's ability to protect thousands of Konoha ninjas during the Iwagakure War, he couldn't protect the members of his own team. In the most critical moments, he always arrived just a little too late.

Obito's mind drifted to a dark thought: if he targeted Minato and Konoha, would Minato be late once more?

But he quickly dismissed the idea. How could he be evil? This cruel world was nothing more than a game.

The only real world was one where Rin existed and could live peacefully.

Obito repeated this thought to himself, trying to convince himself through sheer force of will. His Sharingan seemed to grow more vivid as if stimulated by this inner turmoil.

To avoid having his change in demeanor noticed by Black Zetsu and Byakuya, Obito used Kamui to slip away into a vortex.

Black Zetsu watched Obito leave, then turned to Byakuya and asked, "Byakuya, are you trying to push him towards confronting the Fourth Hokage?"

Byakuya responded ambiguously, "The choice is his to make. But, Black Zetsu-senpai, I'm curious about the masked man's true identity. Is he really Madara's successor? Didn't Madara leave Konoha alone back then?"

"Madara did leave Konoha alone... but not all Uchiha were willing to stay in Konoha."

Black Zetsu glanced at Byakuya and continued, "He's a special Uchiha, one who once had ties to Konoha, but now those ties are more about hatred."

"You really do know how to play people, Black Zetsu-senpai..."

Byakuya remarked with a hint of admiration, then seemed to recall something, adding, "But his background and personality feel somewhat familiar, as if I've seen him somewhere before."

"Even though he tries to act tough, deep down, he's conflicted."

Black Zetsu's expression subtly shifted. He had almost forgotten that Byakuya and Obito had crossed paths before. Given Byakuya's abilities, it would be easy for him to remember Obito's appearance and personality.

If Byakuya were to discover Obito's true identity...

But then again, perhaps it doesn't really matter. Both Byakuya and Obito are merely tools for Black Zetsu to use in resurrecting his mother. As long as one of them served their purpose, that was enough.

With this in mind, Black Zetsu chuckled lightly, "Is that so? Maybe you really did meet him once. But now he's Madara's successor, so his past identity doesn't matter anymore."

"You're right, Black Zetsu-senpai. What someone used to be doesn't matter anymore," Byakuya agreed, nodding. Identity was something he never found important; he had almost forgotten what his own identity was before joining the Akatsuki.

---

While Byakuya and Black Zetsu were discussing their earth-shattering schemes, Konoha was in the midst of the Fourth Hokage's inauguration ceremony.

When the Third Hokage handed over the hat that symbolized the power of the Hokage, Namikaze Minato accepted it. As he placed the hat on his head, he addressed the crowd below:

"Thank you all for your trust. I vow to protect Konoha with my life."

His words were met with a resounding round of applause from the crowd, who looked up at him with admiration.

After the handover ceremony between the old and new leadership, the era of the Third Hokage officially ended, signaling the beginning of a new chapter. However, whether this would be an era truly belonging to the Fourth Hokage or one shared by two Hokage remained uncertain.

Wasting no time, Namikaze Minato moved into the Hokage's office and, with the assistance of the village's senior advisors, began his duties. The heavy workload immediately gave Minato a taste of the difficulties that came with being Hokage. Even with the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, providing guidance, Minato worked until dusk.

When he finally returned home, he found Kushina in the kitchen, cooking. Upon seeing him, she smiled and said, "So, our Fourth Hokage is finally back. How was your first day on the job? I remember our dream back in the Academy was to become Hokage, and now you've made it come true."

Minato walked over to the kitchen, helping her chop vegetables as he sighed, "Being Hokage is even harder than I imagined. If it weren't for the Third Hokage's help, I don't think I could have even completed the basic tasks today."

Kushina reassured him, "It's like that at first, but you'll get used to it. I'll be here, supporting you every step of the way."

Half-jokingly, Minato replied, "Then I'm grateful for Lady Kushina's support."

Kushina nodded in satisfaction, "That sounds good, but for now, our Hokage should go set the table. Dinner is almost ready."

Minato followed her suggestion, and soon the two of them were sitting at the table, eating and chatting.

As they ate, Minato, the newly appointed Hokage, began to vent some of his frustrations, while Kushina listened quietly. Despite her silent support, Minato couldn't help but express some minor grievances.

Before becoming Hokage, Minato had believed that the Hokage's power was limitless. He thought that once he assumed the role, he could immediately start changing the undesirable aspects of the village. However, he quickly learned that while the Hokage does wield significant power, enforcing decisions requires the backing of a loyal Anbu unit.

The Anbu under the Third Hokage, while officially part of the village, essentially functioned as Hiruzen's personal force. This was manageable as long as there was no conflict between them, but in the event of a disagreement, these Anbu would follow the Third Hokage's orders rather than his.

Building his own Anbu unit, one loyal to him, was not going to be an easy task. It could take months or even years to fully establish, and during that time, his authority would be limited, making it difficult to implement any significant changes.

Finding allies was also crucial. Due to their mentor-student relationship, Jiraiya was a natural ally. The "Ino-Shika-Cho" trio, with whom Minato had a long-standing bond, were also staunch supporters. However, these alliances were only enough to maintain his position—they wouldn't allow him to truly exert his influence unless he secured additional strong support.

The responsibilities of the Hokage extended far beyond just these challenges. There were countless other matters that Minato needed to address as he settled into his new role.

Being Hokage required Minato to juggle numerous responsibilities, including managing the Ninja Academy, maintaining relations with the daimyo, and balancing the complex dynamics among the village's ninja clans. On top of that, he had to oversee missions, cultivate new talent, and handle a myriad of other tasks. Just hearing about these duties was enough to give Kushina a headache.

However, understanding that Minato needed allies, she suggested, "Minato, I'm quite close with Mikoto. How about I invite her and Fugaku over sometime? You could have a chat with Fugaku."

Minato quickly grasped Kushina's intention—she was encouraging him to seek cooperation with the Uchiha clan. Since he already planned to visit the major ninja clans, and knowing that the Uchiha were an unavoidable and critical part of the village's delicate balance, he agreed with a nod.

After discussing village matters and the ninja clans, Kushina remembered something else and said, "Oh, there's another thing. Kakashi still seems to be struggling to move past his grief. Otherwise, he could have been a valuable member of your Anbu team. I think I'll check on him tomorrow."

Hearing Kakashi's name brought a shadow over Minato's expression. After the wars with Iwagakure and Kirigakure, only Kakashi remained from the original Team Minato. Both Rin and Obito had died tragically, leaving not even their bodies behind. Minato couldn't help but think that if only he had been faster, he might have been able to save them. But he was always just a step too late. It felt like a curse.

Kushina noticed Minato's sorrow and comforted him, "This is the reality of war. Many from our class didn't make it either. Once Iwagakure comes to sign the treaty, we can finally enjoy some peace."

Minato nodded, then said, "I plan to assign Kakashi to the Anbu. If he continues like this, it could lead to something tragic."

Kushina was puzzled, "But isn't Anbu a dark and dangerous place? Won't that just make things worse for him?"

Minato moved closer to Kushina and shook his head, "Don't forget, I'm the Hokage now. I'll be the one assigning missions. I intend to have Kakashi work as a protector until our child is born."

Kushina smiled, "I guess I wasn't thinking straight. Maybe pregnancy really does make you a bit dull."

Minato reassured her, "Not at all. You've always been smart, just a bit anxious."

Then, as if recalling something, Minato added, "Oh, there's something I forgot to mention. It's a piece of news from Amegakure."

Kushina looked curious, "What news? Is it good or bad?"

Minato quickly replied, "I'd say it's good news. Do you remember the three children Jiraiya-sensei taught in the Land of Rain?"

Kushina nodded, a bit surprised, "Of course I remember. But didn't they lose contact with Jiraiya-sensei? Have you heard from them recently?"

Minato didn't keep her in suspense, "They've formed an organization in the Land of Rain and recently took over as the leaders of Amegakure."

Kushina, intrigued, began to analyze the situation, "So they've become the leaders of Amegakure? Jiraiya-sensei's students are really impressive. If we could establish a connection with them as former comrades, the village wouldn't have to worry about large-scale attacks from the north and might even gain a powerful ally."

Minato, slightly exasperated, clarified, "I didn't mean it from a Hokage's perspective. It's not about strategy."

He was slightly exasperated by how Kushina seemed to be thinking of everything from his role as Hokage, always putting his responsibilities first.

After a brief pause, Minato continued, "What I meant to say is that there are several Uzumaki ninjas living in Amegakure. You're not alone in this world. Yes, you still have kin out there."

"Amegakure has several Uzumaki ninjas?" Kushina was momentarily stunned. She had grown accustomed to living a solitary life. Apart from Mito-sama, she had no contact with other members of the Uzumaki clan. After the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, those who survived either left the country or went into hiding. She hadn't seen any of them since.

Now, Minato was telling her that there were still several Uzumaki clan members residing in Amegakure. It was hard for her to process this information, but the smile on her face betrayed her true feelings—she was genuinely happy. For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to leave Konoha immediately and go in search of her kin.

But then, just as quickly, Kushina dismissed the idea. Her position was far too sensitive—she was not only the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki but also the wife of the Hokage. Leaving the village was no simple task; the elders would never allow it.

If she tried to leave with a large group, it would raise alarms in the other ninja villages and make Amegakure suspicious of Konoha's intentions. After all, relations between Amegakure and Konoha were not the best, and the Uzumaki clan's relationship with Konoha was strained, to say the least. Some would even say they were enemies.

The brutal truth was clear: whatever the reasons at the time, Konoha had broken its alliance with the Uzumaki clan when they failed to protect the Land of Whirlpools, violating the promises made between them. And despite that betrayal, Kushina had still ended up as Konoha's Nine-Tails jinchuriki. If not for Mito-sama and her meeting Minato in the Academy, she might have been consumed by the Nine-Tails long ago.

Seeing the turmoil in Kushina's thoughts, Minato smiled and said, "I'll arrange for Yahiko and his group to visit Konoha when there's an opportunity. I'm very interested in the ideas they're implementing in the Land of Rain, and Yahiko seems like a fascinating person—his letters suggest as much. When the time comes, I'll make sure you get to meet Nagato, Karin, and Byakuya."

Minato hesitated for a moment when he mentioned Byakuya's name, recalling his previous encounter with him. He hadn't expected Byakuya to be an Uzumaki as well. Minato vividly remembered what Byakuya had said to Rin and Obito—advising Rin to retire from being a ninja, claiming she wasn't suited for it. Rin had been considering retirement but was talked out of it by Kakashi and Obito, only to die on the battlefield in Kirigakure. Byakuya had also extended an invitation to Kakashi and Obito, which they both declined. As a result, Kakashi lost an eye, and Obito was crushed under rocks. It was as if those who ignored Byakuya's advice were cursed.

Kushina noticed Minato's momentary distraction and asked, "What's on your mind?"

Minato shook off his thoughts, smiling as he replied, "Nothing much, just remembering my meeting with Byakuya and Konan. We actually crossed paths once before, though I wasn't sure at the time whether they were friend or foe."

Kushina was surprised and asked, "Really? You never mentioned that before. What does Byakuya look like? How old is he? How strong is he?"

Minato thought for a moment and answered, "He's about Kakashi's age, both in terms of strength and years. He has a bright and sunny appearance, but when he looked at me, there was something odd in his gaze—as if he already knew my identity and location."

Kushina grinned and boasted, "Well, that's the Uzumaki clan's sensory prowess for you. And you're a prominent jonin in the village, now the Hokage. It's only natural that someone would remember you." Kushina then smiled, "Go on and take a bath now since you've got to visit Kakashi tomorrow."