Chapter 83

Kazuki knew that the stubborn old man would not go down so easily. If he was so easy to kill, then someone would have done it long ago. He knew, at worst, the old man would just have a few broken ribs. Just as he thought, a powerful cylindrical beam of Dust Release tore through the sky from where the old Tsuchikage fell earlier. Kazuki simply flickered out of the range of the attack, but his eyes never left the location where the smoke was clearing. A short figure flew into the air, and Onoki stood back in the air proudly again. But the traces of blood on his mouth made Kazuki estimate the extent of damage; the old man must have broken at least a couple of ribs with the last punch.

As the dust settled, revealing Onoki hovering once more, Kazuki's eyes narrowed in acknowledgment of the Tsuchikage's toughness. Despite the blow he had dealt, Onoki had swiftly recovered, showing the determination of a seasoned warrior.

"Your toughness is impressive, Tsuchikage-sama," Kazuki remarked, with a mix of admiration and amusement. "But even your legendary strength couldn't prevent a few broken bones."

Onoki's expression hardened, his gaze piercing through the battle haze. "You underestimate Iwagakure's resolve, Namikaze. We don't give up easily, even in tough times."

Kazuki smirked slightly, acknowledging Onoki's defiance. "I wouldn't expect less from the leader of such a famous village. But let's not drag this out. I have what I need, and your resistance only delays the inevitable."

"It seems your reinforcements have arrived. Now that you know I'm alive, remember your priorities. I've left a sizable gift back at your village. A word of caution: don't recklessly tamper with the Fuinjutsu seal I've left behind. Even with my worst estimation, triggering the seal would be strong enough to destroy Iwagakure twice over. Don't blame me later for not warning you," Kazuki said casually, his sensory technique detecting the approaching Iwagakure army, likely the main force defeated by his sensei. With his chakra depleted from continuous battle, he had no intention of confronting the massive incoming army. He informed Onoki about the trap he had left behind while kidnapping Kurotsuchi.

Before Onoki could recover from the shock of the new information, Minato vanished again using his teleportation technique.

"Damn you, Minato!" Onoki cursed, quickly flying toward the village to ensure none of the Iwa Shinobi triggered the trap set by the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster. He resolved to evacuate the entire Iwagakure village if necessary, unwilling to underestimate the threat from a Fuinjutsu Grandmaster.

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Two days after Kazuki retreated from Iwagakure, all the major village armies completely withdrew to their respective borders, and the unofficial results of the Fourth Shinobi War spread far and wide. However, this news was overshadowed by an even more shocking revelation that left all the villages bewildered, including Konoha. Iwagakure had officially declared that Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage, was alive and revealed him as the Fuinjutsu Grandmaster of the Leaf Village. Even the underground black market promptly updated its bingo book, listing Minato Namikaze with an active bounty of 120 million ryo.

The Fourth Raikage dispatched a team with his personal letter to Onoki to verify the rumors, leading to a temporary ceasefire agreement between Kumo and Iwagakure. However, before the other major villages could relax, Tsunade unilaterally declared that if the major villages didn't send their surrender letters within a week, Konoha would actively restart the war.

The higher factions within Konoha were in uproar, except for two individuals: Hiruzen and Elder Kenji. Elder Kenji was brimming with delight, and if Hiruzen had allowed him, he would have already been on the frontlines. As for Hiruzen, he understood that Tsunade's reaction was inevitable. And after taking Kazuki as her student, Tsunade reverted to her old attitude, reclaiming her arrogance and pride as the Senju princess. Having vowed to rebuild the Senju, Hiruzen knew this day would come. However, he was partially relieved, as relinquishing his mantle meant he could rest easier, and perhaps Tsunade would allow him to retain some authority out of nostalgia.

As Konoha celebrated its apparent victory, a high-level meeting commenced with the village council and the Daimyo faction. The Daimyo's demeanor suggested he had struck some sort of jackpot, evident in the way he expressed himself during the meeting.

Before Hiruzen could declare the agenda for the meeting, the Daimyo interrupted without waiting for the Hokage to speak.

"Hiruzen, tell me, are the rumors true? Is Minato truly alive? Why didn't you tell me that he was still alive? We wouldn't have had all this verbal spat if we knew about this matter. Quick, you should hurry up and ask Minato to return to the village," the Daimyo urged.

Hiruzen understood that the Daimyo had a hidden agenda in wanting to meet Minato. However, being aware of the true identity of the Grandmaster, Hiruzen couldn't help but sigh at the fool. He knew that if he clashed with Tsunade, he would be spared his bones. But if he involved her student, then the Daimyo would rue the day he crossed Tsunade. That little monster would not spare anyone who messed with those he held dear, and he had even declared this to the whole world in the recent war in his own way, and Iwagakure had come out worse after harming the Nara clan. Although no one knew who was truly responsible for all this except a select few from Konoha who were aware of Kazuki's true identity.

"Hokage-sama, the Daimyo-sama is right. You should invite Minato to this meeting if he is around. If not, you should summon him back to the village immediately. It's better he show his face to the world. With him around, we can start asserting dominance now that we have won this war," a minister of the Fire Country commented on behalf of the Fire Daimyo.

"Hahaha, such hypocrisy! Last time I checked, you guys were withdrawing your support for the war. Now you are talking as if Konoha won only because of your support. How much more shameless can you guys get?" Elder Kenji didn't hold back, sarcastically pointing out the Daimyo faction's two-faced behavior.

"Elder Kenji, you cannot say such things. Our village needs the fire country; their support is inevitable for us. And if possible, we should also include the Daimyo in the upcoming negotiations with the major villages," the man who was currently filling in for Danzo's position commented, trying to curb Elder Kenji's words.

"Shut Up! You should stop making comments about the village's opinion. As the war is now practically over, we don't need you to fill in for Danzo's position anymore. We will be finding a suitable replacement soon." Koharu, though selfish, knew the consequences of letting the Daimyo faction influence village decisions. Now, with the Leaf Village having so many bijuu under control, the Shinobi clans that were showing favor towards the Daimyo faction had totally abandoned them. So she wanted to kick them hard while they were down.

"Enough! I know we have had a few misunderstandings in recent times, but this is not the time to quarrel about such things. Let's talk about how to put an end to this war," the Daimyo said, knowing that after Tsunade's more than stellar victory, his power within the village had taken a hit for good. He needed to find a different avenue to retain his influence on the village.

"Hiruzen, I am willing to apologize for what happened during the last meeting, but you cannot deny that these things happened because Tsunade did not follow your orders. Even now, Tsunade has blatantly declared that she will resume the war if the major villages don't surrender within the week. I would suggest you remove Tsunade from the commander's position and ask her to return to the village before the other villages declare their decision," the Daimyo suggested, wanting to trim Tsunade's power as much as possible. At the rate she was growing, if he let her be, then in the future, he would not even be able to put a finger on the village affairs.

"That is no longer possible; I have already sent out a declaration assigning Tsunade as the supreme commander for this war, granting her complete power and authority equal to mine to make decisions regarding the upcoming negotiations. If need be, she can even restart the war if the other villages do not heed her words," Hiruzen announced firmly. He had already resolved that Tsunade was the rightful successor as the Godaime Hokage, and as her Sensei, he aimed to ensure her ascension remained unimpeded. However, he couldn't ignore the selfish motive lurking within him. He knew Kazuki was someone who repaid gratitude, and although his support wasn't necessary for Tsunade's ascension, it would certainly smooth the process.

"Sandaime, have you gone crazy? This is as good as declaring that she will be the next Hokage. Now that Yondaime is still alive, you should step down and hand over your position to him instead of trying to place your student as the new Hokage. Especially a person as impulsive as Tsunade should never take that mantle," one of the ministers stood up, berating the Hokage. However, Hiruzen, a cunning man himself, finally understood the Daimyo's angle. They wanted to enlist Minato, believed to be alive, to their side and create a second faction within the village, pitting him against Tsunade. Although Minato wasn't currently as popular as the Senju, he still had the capital to challenge her as the Yondaime, and with Kakashi recently stepping into the Kage rank, this could bring two Kage-level shinobi who were at a relatively young age into their faction if they could lure Minato.

"Hahahaha!" Hiruzen couldn't help but laugh out loud at the Daimyo faction's scheme. Everyone within the meeting room couldn't help but wonder if Hiruzen had truly gone mad, but he quickly composed himself with a cough because only he knew where this would lead to.

"Hiruzen, do you find what my subordinate said amusing? It's only logical; Yondaime is alive, so you should step down and let him take your position. The Fire Country will not recognize or support any other person as Hokage as long as Minato is alive. We should also seek his opinion on this matter at the earliest. It's better for Minato, instead of Tsunade, to lead the negotiations with the other villages. Now that Minato is showcasing his prowess again, I don't think anyone would refute his authority," the Daimyo revealed his ambition. Even the elder council started realizing the Daimyo's true intentions. If Minato was indeed alive and still desired his Hokage position, there would surely be two factions within the village. The Daimyo aimed to fan the flames of conflict, ensuring he retained control over the village regardless of who emerged victorious. They would need the country's support to rebuild the village if internal conflict arose.

"No, I believe it's unnecessary. I'm unaware of why exactly Iwagakure would spread the rumor that Minato is alive. If that were true, I would be the happiest person, but we all know Minato died trying to protect the village. Tsunade is the best candidate available, and most of the clans have already approached me regarding their support for Tsunade. As the current Hokage, I have an obligation to fulfill the village's request, especially if it's to the benefit of the village. Normally, I would have sent a letter declaring my decision, but now that you're here, Daimyo, know that Tsunade has been chosen to succeed me as the Godaime Hokage," Hiruzen declared with a hint of mockery in his tone. He had already finalized his decision, knowing that the issue of Minato would not pose a problem. He took pleasure in taunting the Daimyo faction, to this day because of his incompetence,led the Fire Country to delve far too deeply into village politics. He smiled, anticipating their suffering once Tsunade ascended.

"Hiruzen! This is atrocious! How can you select a Hokage without my approval? The Fire Country will not support your decision in this matter, and I want you to summon Minato now!!!. There's no need to play coy. If you suppress him, it will only lead to factionalism within the village," the Daimyo exclaimed, no longer holding back. He felt that Hiruzen was dead set on making Tsunade the Hokage, and he wouldn't let that happen unless it served his advantage.