The Hokage's office was filled with even thicker smoke than usual, almost completely swallowing Hiruzen Sarutobi's figure.
Danzo's resolute departure and Orochimaru's cold judgment were like two poisoned kunai buried deep in his heart. They completely shattered the inner wall he had spent so many years building in the name of balance and the greater good.
For the first time, he clearly felt his own age, stubbornness, and... the possibility that he had made a terrible mistake.
"Was I wrong..."
His aged fingers unconsciously rubbed the pipe that had long since gone cold as Hiruzen muttered to himself. His voice was as hoarse as an old bellows.
"In order to maintain that fragile balance, did I really... destroy Konoha's future?"
Orochimaru's words echoed endlessly in his ears like a curse.
"You enjoy destroying Konoha's sharpest spear, yet still expect it to protect the village from future storms."
"That is the kind of leader I am willing to follow... All he wants are results, and a Konoha powerful enough to crush everything in its path!"
Powerful enough to crush everything...
A trace of confusion flashed through Hiruzen's cloudy eyes before it was replaced by deep concern.
Uchiha Chiya truly possessed the power to crush everything. His methods, his character, the people and strength gathered around him...
If he became Hokage, what kind of future would Konoha face?
Would it become stronger than ever before, or...
Would it become nothing more than the Uchiha Clan's Konoha?
Or perhaps an extension of Chiya's own will?
Tsunade...
She had originally been the disciple he most wanted to succeed him. As Hashirama's granddaughter, she possessed unmatched prestige.
But now, it was obvious that her relationship with Chiya was unusually close.
Even if he somehow forced her into the Hokage's position in the future, she would probably never escape Chiya's influence and might even become his puppet.
That was absolutely not the future he wanted.
Jiraiya?
That carefree disciple had never shown the slightest interest in becoming Hokage.
Forcing him into that position would only torment both him and the village.
Then...
Who else was left?
A figure suddenly pierced through the darkness in his heart like sunlight.
Namikaze Minato.
Yes.
Namikaze Minato!
Born without the burden of a powerful clan, Minato had no family ties influencing his political position. That meant his authority would depend on the Hokage's faction rather than clan support.
He was Jiraiya's disciple and a true successor of the Hokage's lineage.
During the Third Great Ninja War, he had earned the legendary title of the Yellow Flash through the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. His strength was outstanding, his military achievements were unmatched, and he already enjoyed considerable prestige among the younger generation and ordinary shinobi.
Warm, cheerful, polite, diligent...
He possessed almost every quality needed to become a beloved Hokage.
Although his strength and reputation could not yet compare with the godlike Uchiha Chiya...
He was still young.
He still had limitless potential.
More importantly...
He was right.
His ideals, his background, and his teacher all matched Hiruzen's vision of the perfect heir to the Will of Fire.
"Minato... Yes, Minato!"
The more Hiruzen thought about it, the more convinced he became that this was the only practical and best choice.
Before Uchiha Chiya's prestige and influence became completely impossible to shake, he had to leave behind the proper flame for Konoha and for the position of Hokage.
At this moment, thoughts of balance, hesitation, and compromise with the elders were all thrown aside.
An unprecedented sense of urgency drove him forward.
He could not wait any longer.
"Someone!"
Hiruzen suddenly raised his voice, carrying the determination of someone prepared to risk everything.
An ANBU instantly appeared and knelt on one knee.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Immediately! Bring Jonin Namikaze Minato here! Immediately!"
Hiruzen's tone was urgent and unquestionable.
"Yes!"
Although the ANBU was surprised that the Hokage was summoning a Jonin with such urgency, he carried out the order without hesitation and disappeared in a Body Flicker.
Silence returned to the office.
Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen forcibly calmed his turbulent emotions.
He walked toward the massive bookshelf behind his desk and formed a series of hand seals, undoing layer after layer of sealing techniques.
The bookshelf silently slid aside, revealing a hidden compartment.
Inside were not gold or jewels.
Only a handful of scrolls.
Yet each scroll radiated ancient and powerful chakra. Written across them were the words Scroll of Seals, Forbidden Techniques Archive, Personal Insights, and more.
These were Konoha's greatest inheritance.
They were the crystallization of the wisdom and power accumulated by generations of Hokage.
They were also one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's greatest trump cards after decades of ruling the village.
Originally, he had planned to carefully pass them on only when he truly stepped down.
But now...
He could not wait that long.
With great care, he took the scrolls out and placed them on his desk, as though he were laying out Konoha's entire future.
His eyes were filled with complicated emotions.
Determination.
Reluctance.
But above all, the resolve of someone placing everything on a single gamble.
Not long afterward, respectful knocking came from outside the office.
"Hokage-sama, Namikaze Minato has arrived as ordered."
"Come in."
Hiruzen quickly adjusted his expression, trying to appear calm, though the urgency in his eyes was impossible to completely hide.
The door opened.
Minato walked inside.
He was still wearing the standard Konoha Jonin flak jacket. His golden hair shone brightly beneath the lights, and his face carried its usual warm smile mixed with a hint of confusion.
It seemed he had only recently returned from a mission, as traces of travel still lingered on him.
"Hokage-sama, you wanted to see me?"
Minato bowed respectfully. His voice was clear and energetic.
"Minato, you're here. Sit."
Hiruzen pointed toward the chair opposite his desk. His tone was gentler than ever before.
Minato sat down as instructed, keeping his back perfectly straight.
His blue eyes curiously glanced at the unusual scrolls on the desk before looking back at the Third Hokage, whose expression was clearly different from usual.
"Minato, you performed very well during this war."
Hiruzen slowly began, looking kindly at the young man before him.
"The title Yellow Flash not only frightened our enemies, it also greatly inspired the morale of the village."
"You are Konoha's hero and its hope for the future."
Caught off guard by such high praise, Minato smiled awkwardly.
"Hokage-sama, you praise me too much. I merely fulfilled my duty as a Konoha shinobi."
"The true heroes are the comrades who sacrificed themselves, and... powerful people like Lord Chiya, who brought the war to an end."
Hearing Minato bring up Chiya on his own, Hiruzen's eyelid twitched slightly.
However, he quickly concealed it, and his expression grew even more serious.
"Yes. The war is over."
"But the village's future now faces new challenges."
Hiruzen leaned slightly forward, staring directly at Minato.
"Minato, what do you believe is the most important quality of an outstanding Hokage?"
Minato froze briefly.
Clearly, he had not expected such a profound and direct question.
After thinking carefully for a while, he answered cautiously.
"I believe it is the combination of overwhelming strength and an unwavering determination to protect the village."
"Strength is used to resist external enemies."
"The will to protect unites people's hearts and leads the village toward prosperity."
"At the same time, a Hokage also needs wisdom and tolerance."
"They must understand the overall situation and unite everyone who can be united."
His answer was balanced and reasonable.
It emphasized strength, but also highlighted will and wisdom.
There was almost nothing to criticize.
A satisfied look flashed through Hiruzen's eyes.
This was exactly the answer he had hoped for.
Unlike Uchiha Chiya, who emphasized absolute power too heavily.
Unlike his own later years, where he had become too obsessed with political balance.
"Very well said, Minato."
Hiruzen nodded heavily.
"Strength, will, wisdom, tolerance..."
"You have seen what truly matters."
"Then... if the village needed you to shoulder an even greater responsibility, would you be ready?"
Minato's heartbeat suddenly skipped.
From the Third Hokage's unusually solemn expression and words, he sensed an extraordinary meaning hidden beneath them.
A greater responsibility?
Did that mean...
His breathing unconsciously became faster.
Shock and disbelief briefly appeared on his face before being replaced by an overwhelming sense of duty.
Taking a deep breath, determination and sincerity shone within his blue eyes.
"As long as the village needs me, I am always prepared to devote everything I have to Konoha, Hokage-sama!"
"Good! Good! Good!"
Hiruzen said good three times in succession.
At last, a genuine smile appeared on his face, as though he had finally found his greatest hope.
Without any more hesitation, he pushed the scrolls across the desk.
"Minato, it is time for these to be entrusted to you."
Minato's eyes fell upon the scrolls.
The moment he recognized the words Scroll of Seals, his pupils contracted sharply.
He was naturally familiar with the Scroll of Seals and immediately stood up.
"Hokage-sama! These... these are far too precious! I..."
"Sit down, Minato."
Hiruzen's voice allowed no refusal.
It carried the solemn weight of entrusting someone with an enormous responsibility.
"This is not a reward."
"It is a responsibility."
"Konoha's future requires even greater strength to protect it."
"Although your Flying Thunder God Jutsu has already reached mastery, it is still not enough."
"You must gain a deeper understanding of the mysteries of space and time and master more ways to deal with increasingly complex situations."
Pointing toward the scrolls, he explained them one by one.
"This is a copy of the Scroll of Seals. You have seen it before."
"It contains many advanced forbidden techniques, secret arts, S Rank ninjutsu, sealing techniques, as well as concepts and notes collected and created by previous Hokage."
"This scroll contains my lifetime of experience studying countless ninjutsu, especially the practical applications of all five chakra nature transformations."
"And this one records my experiences handling village affairs, dealing with every faction, weighing benefits and disadvantages, along with my personal reflections."
Listening to the Third Hokage's explanation while looking at the priceless scrolls before him, Minato felt both overwhelming warmth and crushing pressure flood into his heart.
As intelligent as he was, he immediately understood what all this meant.
This was the Hokage's inheritance.
The Third Hokage was choosing and nurturing his successor.
The immense honor and unprecedented pressure left him momentarily at a loss, causing even his voice to tremble.
"Hokage-sama... I... I fear my abilities are too limited to bear such a great responsibility..."
"I trust my judgment."
"And I trust your potential, Minato."
Hiruzen interrupted him firmly.
"From today onward, I will personally guide your training."
"Ninjutsu, government affairs, understanding people..."
"I will teach you everything I know."
"You must grow stronger as quickly as possible."
"You must become more powerful, wiser, and capable of carrying the responsibility of leading Konoha into the future."
Looking at Minato, his eyes were filled with expectation, along with a trace of anxiety hidden deep within.
"Time... may be running out."
"Konoha needs a Hokage who is bright, powerful, and capable of representing the Will of Fire."
"Minato, don't let me down."
"And don't let the village down."
Looking into the Third Hokage's solemn eyes and feeling the complete trust and immense expectations placed upon him, every trace of hesitation and fear within Minato was gradually replaced by burning determination.
He stood once again.
This time, his back was even straighter, and his eyes were as unwavering as stone.
Facing Hiruzen, he bowed deeply.
"Yes, Hokage-sama! I will always remember your teachings and your trust!"
"I will give everything I have, train with all my strength, and never betray your expectations!"
"For Konoha's future!"
His clear and powerful voice echoed throughout the Hokage's office like sunlight breaking through the mist.
Looking at the golden haired young man standing before him, shining with hope like the rising sun, Hiruzen finally revealed a truly relieved smile for the first time in a long while.
The wager had been placed.
The game that would decide the future had finally gained a new variable.
"Minato... don't let me down."
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