He looked at Inabi, then at the people behind him. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked:
"Why do you think that way?"
Inabi was stunned for a moment, then spoke as if it were only natural:
"Because we're strong! Strength is everything! As long as we take out the Third Hokage, won't the Hokage position naturally become ours?"
The few people behind him all nodded in agreement.
After hearing this, Gento shook his head.
"Violence can indeed solve most problems, but it cannot solve everything."
He looked at Inabi:
"The reason Hiruzen became Hokage, and why the shinobi obey his orders, is not because of his Hokage title, nor because of the Hokage robe he wears."
"The reason he became Hokage is because, from the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire at the top, to the clan heads of the major shinobi clans in the middle, down to the ordinary civilians, all recognize him."
"The reason his orders can pass through the Hidden Leaf Village without obstruction is not because the Anbu are strong, but because everyone believes his words should be followed."
Gento paused, looking into Inabi's eyes:
"Our Uchiha can of course kill Hiruzen by force. But…"
"If you, Inabi, were to put on that Hokage robe, do you think the other shinobi clans would support you? Do you think those civilians who were just cursing us would recognize you? When your orders are issued, would those below carry them out with full effort?"
Inabi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but after thinking for a long time, he ultimately shook his head.
Gento looked at him:
"Politics… isn't all about fighting and killing."
"Thinking you can just kill all opponents and be done with it; that's the thinking of a naive child."
He stood up, walked in front of Inabi, and patted his shoulder:
"Give me a little more time."
"I promise, days like this will soon pass."
Inabi stared at him blankly.
After a moment of silence, he finally nodded.
"Alright."
He said.
"We trust you."
The people behind him looked at each other, then also nodded one after another.
They had come following Inabi; since Inabi believed, they believed as well.
Ever since Gento took office, what he had brought to the clan were tangible benefits.
Everyone could see that.
The group gradually dispersed.
And the room became quiet.
After everyone left, Shisui, who had been at the side, walked up to Gento.
Before Gento could ask, he spoke first:
"Clan Head Gento, I have awakened the Mangekyo and obtained a Dojutsu–Kotoamatsukami."
He raised his eyes.
"The Kotoamatsukami in my right eye can rewrite a person's will without them noticing. The target will believe the implanted thoughts originate from their own mind, without any sense of discord or suspicion."
"This technique can be used multiple times within a short period, but it has a drawback; it can be detected by abilities like the Byakugan, and like conventional genjutsu, it can be dispelled by injecting chakra."
Gento nodded.
This was roughly the same as what he knew from the original story.
The one Danzo took was this right eye, and he had attempted to use it to control Mifune during the Five Kage Summit.
In the end, it was discovered by Ao's Byakugan.
Shisui continued:
"The Kotoamatsukami in my left eye… is even more powerful. It can permanently alter the target's will, and it cannot be dispelled."
His voice lowered slightly:
"But the cost is also great. After using it once, it cannot be activated again for ten years."
Gento's pupils contracted.
Permanent alteration, impossible to dispel, and the target would believe it to be their own true thoughts…
As expected of the strongest genjutsu.
Kotoamatsukami could be said to be the perfect technique for controlling puppets!
Looking at Gento's expression, Shisui hesitated for a moment, then asked:
"Clan Head Gento, the Third Hokage and the other higher-ups have already begun to be wary of our Uchiha. At today's meeting, they will definitely try to suppress us. Should we…"
He paused.
"Should I use the left eye's Kotoamatsukami on Hiruzen or Danzo during the meeting?"
Gento's eyes flickered upon hearing this.
This proposal… was indeed tempting.
Hiruzen was the Third Hokage, a central figure of power in the Hidden Leaf Village.
If he could be controlled directly, the Uchiha's position would stabilize in no time.
But after a moment of silence, Gento still shook his head.
"There's no need."
He looked at Shisui, his tone serious:
"Using such a precious Dojutsu on people like Hiruzen and Danzo would be too wasteful."
"I have another use for your left eye's Kotoamatsukami."
Shisui's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but ask:
"May I ask who you have in mind…?"
Gento did not hesitate:
"A certain Feudal Lord."
Shisui's pupils shrank abruptly.
A Feudal Lord?
This…
That lofty existence whom even the Hokage must treat with respect?
To shinobi, the Feudal Lord stands above all!
Shinobi are merely tools to carry out missions; for the sake of completing a mission, they can even sacrifice their lives!
This was the kind of education they had always received.
But now, Shisui was stunned.
The education he had accepted since childhood, all the beliefs in his mind, were shaken at this very moment.
Shinobi are tools.
The Feudal Lord is the one who uses the tools.
How could a tool in turn control the one who uses it?
Gento looked at Shisui's expression and knew he had been deeply shaken.
After all, the power of shinobi as a tool was simply too great, too dangerous.
To fully control such a tool, it was necessary to repeatedly indoctrinate shinobi from a young age.
In fact, that was exactly what had been done.
Now, a deep ideological imprint had already been stamped into the minds of shinobi.
It could not be erased in a short time.
But… Gento was not like the other shinobi…
He had awakened the memories of Blue Star!
And the education he had received on Blue Star since childhood was: Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born superior?
Gento looked at Shisui and did not explain further.
He knew Shisui needed time to process it.
That kind of "ideological imprint" ingrained since childhood could not be erased with just a few words.
He went out and found Fugaku, who was speaking with his wife Mikoto in quiet, and said:
"Let's go, Fugaku."
"Let's see how the Third Hokage plans to deal with this mess."
...
When Gento entered the meeting room with Fugaku, the leaders of the major shinobi clans had already arrived.
Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Choza Akimichi–the heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans–sat on one side.
Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga clan, sat on the other.
There were also the two elders, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, along with representatives of several small and medium-sized shinobi clans, each seated in their places.
Gento and Fugaku sat at the edge.
Everyone was present.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, cleared his throat, and spoke in a heavy voice:
"It is with great sorrow that I inform everyone that the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, has unfortunately sacrificed himself in the battle against the Nine-Tails."
The meeting room fell silent.
Then, an uproar broke out.
"What?"
"Minato… he mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique!"
"Even the Flying Thunder God couldn't get him out?"
The clan heads looked at each other, their faces filled with disbelief.
They had all witnessed Minato's strength; how could that Yellow Flash possibly…
In the corner, Danzo's eyes suddenly lit up.
His back straightened unconsciously.
If Minato was dead, didn't that mean he, Danzo Shimura, had another chance?
However, Hiruzen's next sentence was like a bucket of ice water poured over him.
"Since that is the case, I have no choice but to reluctantly continue serving as Hokage."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of forced reluctance:
"What do you all think?"
Danzo's face immediately darkened.
He stared fixedly at Hiruzen, his eyes nearly spitting fire.
Reluctantly?
No choice?
You old fox, you've been waiting for this day all along!
Anyhow, no one paid attention to Danzo's expression.
Shikaku was the first to nod:
"With the Hidden Leaf in such devastation, there is indeed no one more suitable than you, Third Hokage-sama."
"Agreed."
Inoichi nodded as well.
"The Third Hokage has ample experience. With you continuing as Hokage, we are reassured."
Hiashi also spoke slowly.
The other clan representatives all voiced their agreement.
No one objected.
Danzo sat in the corner, opening his mouth in the end but saying nothing.
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction:
"In that case, I will write to the Feudal Lord shortly to report this matter."
He paused, then asked:
"In addition, does anyone else have anything to say?"
Just as his words fell, Gento's voice rang out.
"I have something to say."
...
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