Chapter 507: Is Fugaku Running for Fourth Hokage?
It was not easy to meet Kushina.
In the past, Mugetsu usually had ANBU deliver a message during mealtimes to arrange an appointment. But now that Mugetsu held a rather special identity within ANBU, things could be handled more simply. He no longer needed a fixed time window just to schedule a meeting.
Near the agreed location, Mugetsu spotted Kushina standing beneath a large tree.
It was almost like she was competing with him. Aside from their first meeting, when Mugetsu arrived earlier, Kushina usually beat him there every time afterward.
Hana did not know what Kushina looked like, but the instant she saw that vibrant red hair, she felt certain. This had to be the Uzumaki Kushina Mugetsu mentioned.
"Kushina, good afternoon." Mugetsu walked forward with a smile and greeted her.
Kushina was about to answer, but her attention immediately shifted to the girl beside Mugetsu.
She stroked her chin and studied Hana carefully, and a few guesses formed in her mind.
If Mugetsu brought someone to see her, there were only two possibilities. Either that person was close to him, or that person was related to her.
Hana quietly observed Kushina as well. Even before they spoke, she could sense the difference in their personalities.
After a moment, Kushina looked from Hana back to Mugetsu.
"Hana Uzumaki, a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan."
"Mugetsu, so you really like red hair, I thought…"
They spoke at the same time. Mugetsu introduced Hana, while Kushina blurted out her own speculation.
"Thought what?" Mugetsu asked, genuinely puzzled.
The first time he met Minato and Kushina, he had complimented Kushina's hair to get on her good side. Now Kushina had clearly misunderstood his relationship with Hana.
"Ah haha, nothing." Kushina laughed awkwardly and tried to gloss over it after realizing she guessed wrong.
Then she straightened and introduced herself properly, turning to Hana with a serious expression.
"Hello. I'm Uzumaki Kushina."
Since the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan, Hana was only the second clansperson Kushina had met.
The first was Uzumaki Mito, who had also lived in Konoha with Kushina, but Mito had already passed away peacefully. Seeing another Uzumaki, and someone around her age at that, made Kushina genuinely happy.
"Hello, Kushina. I'm Hana Uzumaki." Even though Mugetsu had introduced her, Hana still offered a formal greeting.
Meeting a fellow clansperson after so long left Hana excited too.
Because they shared the same bloodline, their conversation naturally drifted to childhood memories of the Land of Whirlpools.
As they talked, they realized their homes had been only a few streets apart.
If not for everything that happened, Kushina being sent to Konoha, the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, the war that erased their clan, they might have become classmates. They might have walked to school together and laughed together like it was the most normal thing in the world.
When they reached that point, both of them fell silent.
Even Kushina, usually so lively, struggled to keep smiling while recalling the destruction of her clan and her country.
Her parents, the relatives she knew, the neighbors she grew up with, even the playmates next door, all of them had died in that annihilating war. How could she possibly be cheerful?
Mugetsu watched the atmosphere sink and deliberately shifted the focus.
"I understand the excitement of meeting a fellow clansperson," he said, "but you two are completely ignoring me."
"Hehe, I got carried away." Kushina scratched her head in embarrassment.
Then she remembered something and looked at Mugetsu with curiosity.
"By the way, how did you two meet? Weren't you on a mission, Mugetsu?"
Kushina could tell whether Mugetsu was in Konoha just by checking her meals. When he was in the village, he usually helped prepare a portion for her. If a day passed without one, he was likely out on a mission.
"I was on a mission in the Land of Grass and happened to run into her," Mugetsu replied simply.
"That's it?" Kushina's eyes widened. He made it sound like he just ran into someone while buying groceries.
Hana quickly added, her voice earnest. "Actually, I was in danger in Hidden Grass Village, and Lord Mugetsu rescued me. Then, seeing I was struggling, he brought me back to Konoha."
She was deeply grateful. Whether in Hidden Grass Village or after arriving in Konoha, Mugetsu had helped her again and again.
In Hana's heart, Mugetsu was unquestionably the kindest person she had ever met.
"That makes more sense." Kushina nodded.
Even Hana's version was still simple, but it was enough for anyone to imagine the classic scene.
A Uzumaki constitution. A kidnapping. A rescue.
Kushina's thoughts suddenly froze.
No, wait.
The more she thought about it, the more a strong sense of deja vu crawled up her spine.
Was this not exactly what happened between her and Minato?
Her relationship with Minato had been terrible at first. Kushina thought he was dull and strange, and Minato also wanted to compete with her for the Hokage position. It was only after she was kidnapped by Kumogakure, and Minato rescued her, and she finally saw who he truly was, that everything began to change.
"Is the world a giant Minato and me?" Kushina stared at Mugetsu and Hana, then felt an odd sense of seeing her own shadow.
But after watching them for a moment longer, she dismissed it.
Mugetsu and Hana did not even look like friends yet.
"Fine," Kushina decided. "I'll chat more and see what kind of person Hana really is."
Mugetsu had never even had a girlfriend. If it were not for the lack of suitable friends, Kushina would have introduced one long ago. If Hana's personality was good, Kushina felt she could at least try to nudge them in that direction.
...
It was nearly dinner time when Obito finished training and left the southern forest with Shisui, heading back home.
"I'm home!" Obito called out before he even reached the door.
"Oh, it's Obito." Hearing her grandson's voice, Grandma smiled warmly and slowly walked over.
"Grandma, how have you been lately?" Obito guided her back to the living room, asking with real concern.
"I'm not senile yet," Grandma teased with a laugh. "You weren't gone long this time. What changes could there be?"
The mission Obito spent on the East Coast battlefield had been far longer. He remembered being away for more than half a year, returning only once in the middle, and spending most of that time outside Konoha.
Obito chuckled and scratched his head. As long as Grandma stayed healthy, he did not mind getting teased.
"Grandma, where's Charmander? Did he go out to play?" Obito immediately thought of the ninja beast he kept at home.
He had huge hopes for Charmander. Someday, it would definitely be stronger than Jiraiya's toad.
"Isn't Charmander right there?" Grandma pointed toward the sofa.
Obito followed her gaze and saw a burning tail sticking out from behind the couch.
"Charmander, why are you sleeping at this hour? Wake up!" Obito called.
An afternoon nap was fine, but still sleeping when it was time for dinner? Obito had every reason to suspect Charmander had been living lazily while he was gone.
Hearing Obito's voice, Charmander swayed forward, waddling toward him.
It had been eating a little too well lately, and the extra weight made it sleepy.
"Is this really Charmander?" Obito stared at the round belly and looked horrified.
Before he left, it was Charmander.
How did it become a little fat lizard after a single mission?
"Roar!" Charmander let out an indignant cry.
How dare he insult a dragon? If it was not Charmander, then what was it?
Obito's mouth twitched. He grabbed Charmander by the scruff of its neck, lifted it up, and stared straight into its eyes.
"Charmander, did you not train at all while I was gone? How did you get this fat?" Obito demanded.
Charmander shook its head.
It would slack off a little when it rained, sure, but it had not stopped training completely.
The real reason it got like this was simple.
Grandma fed it too well.
Obito could not tell if Charmander was telling the truth. After thinking for a moment, he nodded decisively.
"Fine. Whatever happened before doesn't matter. From now on, you're increasing your training until you lose weight."
Charmander was not intimidating enough to begin with. With a round belly, it had even less deterrence.
"Charmander." Charmander shook its head stubbornly. It felt fine as it was. It did not need to lose weight.
"You mean increasing a little isn't enough, and you want even more training?" Obito interpreted confidently.
Charmander: …
If it could breathe fire better than Obito, it would have blasted him already. Was Obito bullying it because it could not speak human language?
"Then how about this training plan?" Obito immediately drafted a schedule, copying the structure of Mugetsu's past training plans.
Charmander turned its head away and stayed silent.
It would not give Obito another chance to frame it until it found a translator.
Meanwhile, the ninja beast Fire Dragon had been thinking about, Zorua, was enjoying the dinner Shisui prepared.
Because Zorua showed the strangest intelligence among all the ninja beasts, and because its genjutsu was uniquely powerful, Shisui did not leave it in anyone else's care. Instead, he prepared plenty of food and money and let Zorua manage itself.
When it felt lazy at home, it could eat the Inuzuka Clan's secret dog food. If it wanted something hot, it could use a Transformation Jutsu, then buy it in the village.
"How does living alone feel?" Shisui asked as he untied his apron.
Zorua thought for a moment, then looked up. "It was new at first. But then I started to miss Shisui."
For Zorua, it still preferred the atmosphere of the southern forest.
Training was harsh, but the chatting and playing during breaks was fun. Without the entertainment of tricking Obito, life felt much more boring.
"When you get stronger, I'll take you on missions with me," Shisui said, stroking the fiery red fur on Zorua's head.
Because the ninja beasts had only recently been born and were still weak, none of the disciples brought them along, not even Kakashi, whose beast had hatched earliest.
They had been doing top level wartime missions. The chances of encountering powerful enemies were far too high.
After dinner, Shisui took Zorua on a half hour walk around the Uchiha compound.
Then he brought Zorua home, and afterward he went alone to attend the clan meeting.
Today happened to be the day of the regular Uchiha gathering.
Obito disliked clan meetings, and Shisui had already built real prestige within the clan due to his previous actions, so he did not call Obito.
As Shisui approached Naka Shrine, he encountered Uchiha Inaho.
"Shisui, it's been a while. Were you on another mission?" Inaho asked.
Shisui nodded.
"Recently I've run into some doubts with Fire Release," Inaho said. "Are you free later, Shisui?"
Even though Shisui was much younger, Inaho was a pure blood Uchiha who respected strength. He did not think it was shameful to seek advice. Shisui was a strong shinobi who could defeat him instantly in a fight.
"We can talk after the meeting ends," Shisui agreed.
Besides his personality, Shisui had another reason.
He needed to cultivate like minded companions inside the clan, people who could help change the Uchiha from within.
Inaho was one of the more prominent young Uchiha, with considerable prestige among his peers.
That made him a good choice.
But the most important reason Shisui chose him was that Inaho was neither a dove nor a hawk.
He was simply an Uchiha with powerful clan pride.
Inaho had once supported the hawk elders because he believed it would strengthen the clan. Later, after Shisui explained the consequences clearly, Inaho firmly stood with Shisui instead.
"Then I'll trouble you, Shisui." Inaho smiled.
Shisui walked ahead, Inaho following behind, and the two entered Naka Shrine together.
The moment Shisui stepped inside, many Uchiha greeted him.
For the Uchiha, defeating a clan elder mattered far more than battlefield rumors. After the grand competition, Shisui's reputation inside the clan had risen again.
Shisui responded to each greeting the way Mugetsu taught him.
To win even more favor, Shisui had specifically obtained a list of every Uchiha shinobi from Fugaku. He memorized their names and faces so he would not miss anyone.
Uchiha Shin noticed this from the side and quietly grew more impressed.
A powerful genius was not frightening. A brainless genius would eventually become nothing more than a weapon. But a genius with strength and the ability to win hearts was someone you could not underestimate.
"As expected of Kagami senpai's descendant," Shin thought, then shook his head. "Is it possible he can complete Kagami senpai's unfinished work?"
He felt it was unrealistic.
Even if Shisui was more outstanding than Kagami once was, Shin believed that unless Konoha underwent a major reshuffle, the Uchiha, let alone becoming Hokage, would not even dream of becoming true high ranking officials.
When the meeting began, Shin pushed the other thoughts aside. After gathering himself for a moment, he spoke loudly.
"To restore the Uchiha's glory, we must gain greater influence in Konoha. And the most important thing is to have an Uchiha Hokage!"
"The Uchiha were a shinobi clan on par with the Senju during the Warring States era. Now the Senju have already produced two Hokage, yet we have not even had one. I believe this is unacceptable."
"No matter how difficult it is to go from nothing to something, we must strive with everything we have for that Hokage position!"
The atmosphere inside Naka Shrine ignited instantly.
Uchiha shinobi were stirred by Shin's speech. If the Senju could do it, then surely the Uchiha could too.
Shisui had to admit Shin was skilled at provoking emotion. Even Inaho beside him became heated from a few sentences.
This time, Shisui did not object, because Shin's words were not wrong.
Shisui even believed the Uchiha should have a Hokage.
If they had an Uchiha Hokage, resolving the Uchiha problem would become far easier.
"Then how do we compete for the Hokage position?" someone asked.
Everyone understood the benefit of having a clan member become Hokage. But becoming Hokage was unbelievably difficult.
Right now, the Sannin stood at the peak of their influence in Konoha, and no one in the clan could truly compete with them.
"To become Hokage, the most important things are contributions to Konoha and strength," Shin said, then raised his voice. "I believe Fugaku is capable of competing for the Hokage position."
In truth, Shin was simply shouting slogans to lift the clan's pride. He did not have any real plan to make Fugaku Hokage.
If it failed, Shin would not lose face. Fugaku would.
Shin was already imagining the aftermath. Once Fugaku failed, he could step forward and stir emotions again, claiming the failure had nothing to do with ability and everything to do with prejudice from Hiruzen and the other high ranking officials.
"Fugaku is indeed the strongest shinobi among us," another Uchiha agreed. "He should have the best chance."
Fugaku froze.
He did not expect Shin to pull this out so abruptly.
Fugaku looked at the expectant faces around him and felt hesitation tighten his chest.
Did he not understand his own strength?
Without the Mangekyo Sharingan, in a few years he might not even be a match for Shisui and Obito. Competing on the same stage as the Sannin was even more unrealistic.
But as clan head, openly admitting he was unqualified would crush the clan's confidence.
For a moment, Fugaku did not know what to say.
Shisui stepped in calmly and rescued him.
"The Third Hokage is strong and healthy, and the next election is still far away," Shisui said. "Why don't Elder Shin first discuss how the Uchiha should assist Fugaku in becoming Hokage, so we can prepare in advance?"
Shisui had fought Fugaku before.
Fugaku was not weak, but he was not at the level of the Sannin.
Shisui even felt Fugaku might not be able to defeat Guy if Guy opened the Sixth Gate and combined it with Rock Breathing Chakra Mode.
Fugaku's Sharingan genjutsu would not work on Guy.
Shin did not believe Fugaku could become Hokage anyway, so he did not think deeply. He casually mentioned a few things Kagami had done in the past, treating it like an easy speech.
After the meeting, Shisui kept his promise and guided Inaho. Then he went to Mugetsu's home to report what happened at the clan meeting.
"If the Uchiha can produce a Hokage or high ranking officials, that would naturally benefit your plan," Mugetsu said, shaking his head. "But it isn't realistic in the short term."
Unless it happened during the future Fourth Hokage era under Minato, the Uchiha would face massive resistance.
"However," Mugetsu continued, "this is an opportunity."
"You can use the argument that the Uchiha monopolizing power would make other clans wary and affect the Hokage election. Then use that pressure to persuade the Uchiha leadership to reform the Police Force."
In Mugetsu's view, if the Police Force problem was fully resolved, Shisui's life mission could advance by about forty percent.
The Police Force was one of the core reasons the Uchiha became what they were.
Tobirama truly understood the Uchiha. Who would have guessed that what looked like a huge piece of cake handed to them actually contained a potent poison?
Shisui grew thoughtful.
He understood Mugetsu's logic, and he immediately realized it was far better than his original plan.
The best part was that it used benefit as bait.
If Shisui tried to tell the clan the Police Force was harmful and they should give it up, they would treat him like a madman. But if giving up part of the Police Force was framed as a sacrifice for the Hokage position, the mindset changed completely.
"It really is wonderful to have a teacher like you," Shisui said sincerely.
Every time Shisui thought he had learned everything he could, Mugetsu still found a way to show him something deeper.
...
Land of Rain, Shinobi Sect base.
The intensive training for the transfer toward eastern Land of Rain had entered its final phase. Mugetsu's shadow clone issued another mission, ordering the Shinobi Sect to promote the grand lecture.
To aim for a higher level lecture reward, Mugetsu maximized public opinion, pushing for the strongest possible outcome.
Amegakure was a key promotional area.
From Hanzo down to ordinary Rain genin, everyone had heard that Mugetsu would soon hold a week long unrestricted lecture.
Not only Rain shinobi allied with the Shinobi Sect could attend, but also rogue shinobi and shinobi from other nations. No prerequisites. No barriers.
"That Ninja Master's lecture, I kind of want to go. I heard he's really good at teaching."
"I want to go, but I don't. Even if we're partners, Hanzo probably doesn't like them. If we attend, we might be punished."
"This is too hard to decide. If it's really impossible, just disguise yourself with Transformation Jutsu."
"Good idea. I'll go disguised on the first day to see what it's about. If it's not as amazing as the rumors say, or if he doesn't teach anything useful, I'll come right back."
Hanzo, patrolling through Amegakure, overheard his subordinates talking and sighed faintly.
What kind of image did he have in their eyes now?
A furious leader defeated by Sosuke?
They were scared of punishment just for attending a lecture.
What made Hanzo even more uneasy was that a subtle thought similar to theirs had indeed flashed through his own mind.
The idea of his subordinates yearning for Sosuke's guidance made him feel awkward.
Those were his subordinates.
But rationally, Hanzo could understand.
Even before Sosuke defeated Kakuzu and then challenged him, Sosuke was already famous for teaching. If Sosuke were not truly capable, how could so many shinobi follow him in such a short time?
"Maybe… I should also go and see," Hanzo thought.
After considering it carefully, he realized he did not actually understand Sosuke, the man he viewed as a great enemy.
What was Sosuke's purpose?
Why did he create the Shinobi Sect?
What kind of person was he?
Hanzo only had vague impressions.
They had only spoken three times.
Once, when Hanzo heard Sosuke's reputation and summoned him to Amegakure to warn him.
Second, before the canyon battle.
Third, during the peace negotiations.
Hanzo's image of Sosuke was built more from reports, both from Rain shinobi and from Danzo.
If he wanted to judge properly, he would have to see Sosuke in person, especially during this loudly promoted lecture.
On that day, Hanzo dispatched ANBU to investigate the attitude of all Amegakure shinobi toward Sosuke's lecture.
The results surprised him.
Two fifths of Amegakure shinobi had strong interest in attending.
And the remaining shinobi were not dismissive because they believed Sosuke lacked ability. They were hesitant because they believed Sosuke would not reveal anything truly valuable in such a public lecture.
Hanzo had not expected that.
Amegakure had opposed the Shinobi Sect not long ago, yet nearly half the village wanted to attend Sosuke's teaching.
That reality pushed Hanzo from hesitation into certainty.
On the first day of the unrestricted lecture, he would disguise himself as a rogue shinobi and attend Sosuke's class.
He wanted to see what it was really about.
Mugetsu's promotion was thorough.
Not only Amegakure, but also the nations surrounding the Land of Rain rapidly spread the news.
"Unrestricted lecture and teaching…" Kitsuchi, reading the report in Iwagakure, felt genuinely moved.
He admired Sosuke and was curious about the legendary teaching ability described in intelligence reports.
With Kitsuchi's strength, he did not need anyone to teach him directly. At his level, advancement depended mostly on his own effort.
Still, he wanted to see it.
In the end, Kitsuchi went to the Tsuchikage's office to ask Onoki for permission.
"During wartime, you want to go to another country just to attend a lecture with a bunch of rogue shinobi and shinobi from small nations?" Onoki stared at him, speechless.
Onoki was not speechless because Kitsuchi wanted to go out.
He was speechless because Kitsuchi's reason was so straightforward it sounded foolish.
If Kitsuchi said it was to scout the Land of Rain, it would sound legitimate. If he added that it was to win over emerging forces, Onoki might even approve funds.
"Then I apologize for disturbing you," Kitsuchi said, assuming it was a refusal.
Onoki thought for a moment, then spoke again.
"You can go to the Land of Rain, and you can attend the lecture," Onoki said, "but you will complete a mission along the way."
"Now that our arrangements in the Land of Grass failed, we need to accelerate our arrangements in the Land of Rain to consume Konoha's strength."
Even if the request was blunt, Kitsuchi was still his son. Onoki was not going to deny him something this small.
Given the Land of Grass situation, Kitsuchi's presence or absence would not change much.
Kitsuchi smiled honestly and nodded.
Because it was a mission, he did not travel alone.
He brought three Iwagakure jonin and five Iwagakure chunin.
The Land of Wind also bordered the Land of Rain, and intelligence about the Ninja Master's lecture flowed in quickly.
"I heard this Ninja Master's Fire Release is unmatched," Pakura said, looking intrigued. "They say he can suppress Hanzo's Water Release with Fire Release even while it's raining."
Pakura was an expert of Scorch Release and also proficient in Fire Release. Because Scorch Release was so efficient at killing, she rarely used Fire Release.
But Sosuke's Fire Release clearly was not ordinary.
After all, defeating a demigod like Hanzo while fighting against an elemental advantage already ran against common sense.
Pakura checked her schedule and found she had no major obligations during the lecture period.
After thinking it over, she decided to go to the Land of Rain to see it herself.
Still, she was a hero of Sunagakure. If Sosuke showed nothing that interested her on the first day, she would leave quickly.
As time passed, even Mugetsu's main body far away in Konoha heard the news that Ninja Master Sosuke was about to give an unrestricted lecture.
"Ninja Master?" Obito scoffed the moment he heard it. "Teacher Mugetsu is the real Ninja Master. Teacher Mugetsu is just low key. Otherwise that title would definitely be Teacher Mugetsu's!"
Obito did not care about most titles.
But Ninja Master felt like a title that fit Mugetsu perfectly.
That Sosuke was just stealing it.
Mugetsu's class was the strongest class in the Ninja Academy's history. He produced several famous geniuses like them. What teaching achievement did this so called Ninja Master even have?
"Don't underestimate Sosuke," Kakashi said calmly. "He shouldn't be as good as Teacher Mugetsu, but he's still a dangerous shinobi. Otherwise he couldn't gather so many followers so quickly."
In Kakashi's eyes, Sosuke was like a stronger version of Hanzo, someone you avoided provoking if you could.
Yamato scratched his head.
He did not know who the Ninja Master was.
He did not know who Hanzo was.
He could not understand what they were talking about.
His unusual experiences made him a complete novice to the shinobi world's bigger picture, to the point that Obito could even enjoy acting like a scholar around him.
Shisui did not pay much attention to Obito and Kakashi's argument. During breaks, Shisui usually thought about clan matters.
"Teacher Mugetsu," Obito said, turning to Mugetsu eagerly, "are you going to attend? I feel like you could demonstrate your teaching on the spot and let them know what a true Ninja Master looks like."
Mugetsu smiled and shook his head.
Crashing his own lecture through an alias was pointless.
"There's always someone better out there," Mugetsu reminded him. "Don't think I'm unbeatable."
It was good that his disciples trusted him, but excessive reliance would lead to problems.
Obito muttered stubbornly, "Teacher Mugetsu is omnipotent and unbeatable."
Even Mugetsu himself could not shake Obito's belief.
...
Root.
"Unrestricted lecture?" Danzo's eyes narrowed the moment he read the report. "Sosuke, you really are a threat."
Danzo immediately felt that this man would become a serious menace in the future.
Back then, Sosuke gathered followers by lecturing everywhere. Those followers eventually became the Shinobi Sect.
Now Sosuke was holding a grand lecture event on purpose. Danzo could feel the intent.
Sosuke wanted to expand and strengthen the Shinobi Sect.
Amegakure bordered the Land of Fire. Danzo would not allow a small nation next to the Land of Fire to grow too strong. It did not align with Konoha's interests.
Danzo mobilized Root squads to the Land of Rain at once, strengthening Root's presence there.
He believed the Shinobi Sect was planning something major in the Land of Rain.
And to Danzo, this might become his chance to obtain sage art inheritance and the Rinnegan.
.....
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