Chapter 83 (Patreon)

“What do you mean, Yujiro?” Minato asked curiously.

Yujiro smiled faintly.

“Send a few shinobi to gather evidence on the daimyo.”

Minato’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Evidence?”

“Anything useful.” Yujiro’s tone was calm. “Once we have enough, use it to make them understand something very simple.”

“Konoha is not a branch office of the Land of Fire’s court.”

“It is the military power that protects this nation, and the daimyo need to acknowledge that position properly.”

Minato fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

“All right.”

He had a feeling that if Konoha truly moved according to Yujiro’s vision, the village would eventually become powerful enough to make the entire shinobi world uneasy.

And because of that, Minato had already decided that he would fully support Yujiro’s judgment.

“Minato-sensei, I’ll leave the daimyo’s side to you,” Yujiro said.

“As for the other hidden villages, I’ll handle them.”

“The other hidden villages?” Minato immediately looked at him. “What are you planning to do?”

“Konoha has just gone through a major crisis. The other villages may have stayed quiet on the surface, but they’ve all been watching us.”

Yujiro’s voice remained steady.

“The Third Shinobi World War ended earlier than expected, but border skirmishes haven’t stopped these past few months.”

“And not long ago, Kirigakure and Kumogakure joined hands to put pressure on Konoha.”

Yujiro’s smile did not change.

“That debt needs to be settled.”

“Don’t worry, Minato-sensei. I’m only going to collect what they owe.”

“I’ll bring the ANBU elites with me. Kurama will come too.”

Minato looked at the harmless smile on Yujiro’s face and silently thought of Kumogakure and Kirigakure.

Of all the people they could have provoked, they had chosen Yujiro.

Still, Minato was not too worried.

With Yujiro’s current strength, and with the Nine-Tails at his side, there were very few places in the shinobi world he could not enter openly.

“Then when are you planning to move?” Shisui asked.

At that moment, Yūgao Uzuki, Izumi Uchiha, and Kurenai Yūhi, who had just come out of the house, all looked toward Yujiro.

Yujiro scratched his head.

“After the New Year celebration.”

It was already October.

There were still two or three months until the New Year festival.

He might as well take the chance to relax for a while.

“That’s fine.” Kurenai smiled at him. “You should rest for a few months.”

Then she turned toward the others.

“All right, lunch is ready. Yondaime-sama, please stay and eat with us too.”

“Ahem… no, I should head back.” Minato coughed lightly. “Kushina already made lunch at home.”

The moment he thought of Kushina’s cooking, his expression stiffened ever so slightly.

Minato left soon after.

Shisui and Kakashi, on the other hand, stayed behind without the slightest hesitation.

Yujiro could only shrug.

Over the next few months, Yujiro was busier than he expected.

He had not thought that this year would be the time when the future Konoha Twelve began to be born one after another.

One clan after another sent invitations, asking Yujiro to visit.

Refusing them was not easy.

Even the clans whose children had already been born somehow found excuses to invite him over later.

Before he knew it, December had arrived.

The weather had turned cold.

But the Hyūga clan estate was lively from morning onward.

The reason was simple.

The day before, the eldest daughter of the Hyūga main family had been born.

Yujiro had no choice but to accept Hiashi Hyūga’s formal invitation.

At the banquet, Yujiro drank casually and without putting on airs.

He did not act distant because of his status, nor did he restrain himself too much.

That kind of straightforward attitude made Hiashi appreciate him even more.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table loosened.

“Hokage-sama!” Hiashi stood up with his cup in hand, his steps already unsteady. “I must toast you!”

He raised his cup toward Minato.

Minato could not refuse and drank with him.

Fortunately, he was not facing Yujiro alone today.

Otherwise, he would probably have been the first one to fall.

Shisui and Kakashi had come with them as well.

By this point, Hiashi was clearly drunk.

Holding his cup, he staggered toward Yujiro.

“Come, Yujiro! Drink with me!”

“Nii-san, you’ve had too much,” Hizashi said helplessly from the side.

But there was nothing he could do.

The daughter of the Hyūga main family had been born only yesterday. Hiashi was simply too happy.

“Nonsense!”

Hiashi burped, then tried to straighten his back with great dignity.

“I am the head of the Hyūga clan. How could this little bit of alcohol defeat me?”

With that, he stumbled over to Yujiro’s side.

“Yujiro, listen carefully.”

Hiashi pointed at him with his cup, swaying as he spoke.

“I truly admire you. From the bottom of my heart.”

Yujiro blinked.

“Is that so?”

“Of course it is!” Hiashi nodded heavily. “Look, my daughter was born just yesterday, right?”

“She is the eldest daughter of the Hyūga main family.”

Hiashi slapped the table.

“How about this? Let’s settle the engagement right now.”

The table instantly went silent.

Everyone drinking there froze.

Even Minato was stunned.

Your daughter was born yesterday, and you are already arranging her engagement?

Isn’t that a little too fast?

Yujiro also stared at Hiashi in disbelief.

Was he serious, or was this the alcohol talking?

“Good! I’ll agree on Yujiro’s behalf!”

At that moment, Kurama, who had been lying on Yujiro’s shoulder, suddenly spoke with great confidence.

“Hahaha! Good, good! Then it’s settled!” Hiashi laughed loudly.

“If I have another daughter in the future, we’ll decide that one too!”

“That saves trouble… hic…”

After saying that, Hiashi collapsed under the table.

Yujiro looked at him, then silently raised his hand and knocked Kurama on the head.

There were times when this fox was far too quick to make decisions.

And just like that, a completely unexpected infant engagement was decided.

Even Yujiro himself was left speechless for a while.

However, this was not something he needed to think about right now.

What mattered more was how to continue unlocking his Limiter.

The gap between the Third Stage Limiter and the Fourth Stage Limiter was far too large.

It was the difference between standing on the ground and touching the sky.

Time passed quickly.

Another two months went by.

During those two months, Yujiro spent most of his time training with Yūgao and Izumi.

He also personally tested the ANBU’s training methods and field exercises.

Konoha’s ANBU had become much stronger than before.

The number of newly recruited ANBU had already exceeded two thousand.

Konoha’s overall strength was steadily rising.

However, becoming an elite within the ANBU was still extremely difficult.

Yujiro did not set any complicated requirements.

Only the code names of the top one hundred ANBU would be carved onto the ANBU Elite Monument.

Recently, the ANBU had been preparing for a major operation.

It was the same matter Yujiro had mentioned at the beginning of the year.

Now, the time had come.

At the Konoha ANBU base, Yujiro stood before ten squads.

Each squad had ten members.

Every unit was arranged with a clear purpose.

Sensory shinobi.

Medical shinobi.

Tactical specialists.

Assault shinobi.

Each squad had a complete formation.

Yujiro had also chosen his own team.

Shisui, Kakashi, and Itachi.

In the past half year, Itachi’s progress had been extremely fast.

Yujiro looked at the ANBU elites in front of him and spoke.

“Next, I’ll be leading you on a special mission.”

“Prepare everything you need. We depart at eight tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, Yujiro-sama!”

One hundred ANBU elites answered in unison.

Yujiro nodded.

Their destination this time was Kirigakure.

They were going to demand compensation.

Two days later.

The border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water.

Although the war had ended, small clashes along the border had never truly stopped.

This time, Yujiro intended to make Kirigakure lower its head completely.

Over the next few days, the ANBU under Yujiro’s command moved through the border like shadows.

Nearly half of Kirigakure’s stationed forces were wiped out.

Yujiro did not personally take action.

He left the fighting to the ANBU as training.

At the same time, inside Kirigakure’s Mizukage council chamber.

“Yagura-sama! Konoha’s forces have already entered the Land of Water!”

“We must respond immediately!”

The elders of Kirigakure looked at Yagura with grim expressions.

Yagura slowly raised his head and swept his gaze across the room.

Then he let out a long, heavy breath.

“You all know what happened last time.”

His voice was quiet, but the room immediately fell still.

“Even if I draw out Isobu’s power completely, I may still not be able to defeat Yujiro.”

Since his defeat against Yujiro, the Sharingan’s control over him had also been lifted.

Yagura still felt confused whenever he thought about it.

But the memory of that battle remained painfully clear.

Because of that, when news from the border arrived, Yagura felt fear before anger.

And it was not only him.

Even the tailed beast sealed inside him was afraid.

“Elder Genshi,” Yagura suddenly asked, “how has Mei Terumi been doing recently?”

“Her progress is remarkable,” Genshi replied with a faint smile. “I never expected Kirigakure to produce a shinobi with two kekkei genkai.”

“Keep that information sealed,” Yagura said. “Do not let anyone outside our side know about Mei Terumi.”

He had already begun treating Mei as the future Mizukage.

Among the younger generation, she was the only one who truly caught his eye.

“Then… what about the border?” Genshi asked again.

Yagura closed his eyes for a moment.

Then he sighed.

“Order everyone stationed at the border to withdraw to Kirigakure.”

The elders in the council chamber exchanged helpless looks.

Kirigakure could not afford another disaster.

Not now.

Still, a small hope remained in their hearts.

Mei Terumi.

As long as she was given a few more years to grow, Kirigakure might one day regain the dignity it had lost.

One day, the humiliation they suffered now might be repaid.

With that thought, a trace of confidence slowly returned to the elders’ faces.

Unfortunately, night had already fallen.

And a squad had already arrived near Kirigakure.