Chapter 162 (Patreon)

“How are we supposed to convince Yujiro to become Hokage?”

Tsunade frowned slightly. “Why don’t you just ask him yourselves?”

“Tsunade-sama, if it were that simple, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Minato rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking helpless.

Jiraiya gave a weary shrug before his expression turned serious.

“We already spoke to Yujiro about it a long time ago. His accomplishments have surpassed those of every Hokage who came before him. There’s no denying that.”

“Of course not,” Tsunade agreed without hesitation.

Hashirama and Tobirama were her grandfather and granduncle, but even she could not deny the truth. In terms of everything he had accomplished for Konoha and the shinobi world, Yujiro stood above them both—even if their achievements were placed side by side.

“That’s why Jiraiya-sensei and I approached him before,” Minato continued with a sigh. “We wanted him to succeed me as the Fifth Hokage. But judging from his reaction, the position doesn’t interest him in the slightest. We’ve run out of ideas.”

“I see...” Tsunade pressed her lips together in thought. A moment later, a confident smile appeared on her face. “All right, I understand. Leave the matter of making Yujiro the Fifth Hokage to me.”

Jiraiya and Minato visibly relaxed when they saw how confident she was.

After all, Tsunade was currently living under the same roof as Yujiro. She was closer to him than anyone else and could speak to him every day. If she brought it up often enough, he might eventually agree.

“Then we’ll be counting on you, Tsunade-sama,” Minato said with a smile.

With that settled, he left with Kakashi and Shisui.

None of them had much time to rest. As Yujiro had mentioned before, Konoha’s Chūnin Exams would begin in less than two months.

The scale of the event would be unprecedented. Shinobi from nearly every village in the world would be taking part.

With so many people entering Konoha, criminals and enemy agents would inevitably try to slip into the village among them. Minato and the others now had to identify and capture every infiltrator before that could happen.

Jiraiya, meanwhile, resumed gathering material for his “research.”

Tsunade remained behind, already considering how she might persuade Yujiro to accept the position of Fifth Hokage.

---

Meanwhile, in the Raikage’s office at Kumogakure...

“Who sent this?” the Raikage asked in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the sealed letter in his hand.

“Sunagakure appears to be behind it,” Mabui replied.

A broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

“Lord Raikage,

“Konoha’s Chūnin Exams will soon begin.

“This is our chance to overturn the present balance between the major shinobi powers. We cannot allow this opportunity to pass us by.

“In three days, a secret conference will be held at the central fortress in the Land of Iron.

“Those summoned are Sunagakure of the Land of Wind, Iwagakure of the Land of Earth, Kirigakure of the Land of Water, Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Iron.

“No word of this meeting may be allowed to escape.

“Secret Conference of the Five Powers.

“—Sunagakure.”

Had Yujiro never come to Kumogakure, A would have supported such a scheme without hesitation.

Now, however, he had witnessed Yujiro’s power firsthand. Knowing how overwhelming that strength was and still choosing to oppose him would be no different from hurling oneself against an unshakable mountain.

The Raikage might be hot-tempered, but he was no fool. He understood the situation facing Kumogakure perfectly well.

“What do you think, Lord Raikage?” Mabui asked quietly.

“What is there to think about?” A returned to his chair. “Does Kumogakure have any other choice?”

He placed the letter on his desk.

“Send its contents to Konoha through our most secure channel. After that, make preparations to depart. We’re leaving for the Land of Iron immediately.”

A gave a cold smile.

“I want to hear what kind of plan Sunagakure believes can bring Konoha down.”

“Yes, Lord Raikage.” Mabui nodded.

She had reached the same conclusion. Konoha’s advance toward supremacy over the Five Great Shinobi Countries could no longer be stopped. Even Kumogakure was powerless to stand in its way.

The memory of Yujiro’s overwhelming presence had already been burned into the hearts of Kumogakure’s shinobi and civilians alike.

Moreover, despite his unfathomable strength, Yujiro was not an unreasonable man. If Kumogakure’s only choices were destruction or accepting Konoha’s leadership, then the latter might not be such a terrible future.

---

At the same time, Sunagakure had sent copies of the secret invitation to Kirigakure and Iwagakure.

Inside the Tsuchikage’s office, Iwagakure’s senior councilors sat in a circle around the letter, silently studying its contents.

“Tsuchikage-sama, how do you intend to answer?” one thin elder asked in a low voice.

“What answer is there?” Ōnoki let out a quiet sigh. “Sunagakure’s intention couldn’t be clearer.”

He looked around at the gathered elders.

“They want to form an alliance with Iwagakure, Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and the Land of Iron. Then, once Konoha’s Chūnin Exams begin and the village’s attention is divided, they intend to start the Fourth Shinobi World War and bring Konoha down.”

The elders fell silent after hearing his analysis.

In truth, they had all reached the same conclusion the moment they read the invitation. Sunagakure had made its intentions painfully obvious.

“Then... what course will Iwagakure take?” another elder asked, staring intently at Ōnoki.

Ōnoki narrowed his eyes and glared back at him.

“What is that look supposed to mean? You actually want to accept their proposal?”

The elder stiffened.

“Have you lost your mind?” Ōnoki snapped. “Can you defeat Yujiro? Or do you believe all our villages combined would be enough to defeat him?”

“We may still have a chance,” the elder replied cautiously. “If the four great shinobi villages join forces with the Land of Iron, we might be able to stand against Konoha.”

“Don’t be absurd!” Ōnoki’s temper immediately erupted. “You understand nothing! Konoha already has three shinobi who wield the Mangekyō Sharingan. Jiraiya and Tsunade, two of the Legendary Sannin, are there as well!”

His voice grew even harsher.

“And then there’s Yujiro, whose strength defies all common sense! As if that weren’t enough, Konoha brought members of the Akatsuki into its ranks six months ago. Even my own student, Deidara, is among them!”

Ōnoki leaned forward and fixed the elder with a fierce glare.

“Tell me—which one of them are you capable of defeating?”

After being subjected to Ōnoki’s furious rebuke, the elder shrank back until his head nearly disappeared between his shoulders.

Ōnoki took a breath and forced himself to calm down.

“We cannot defeat Konoha. Even if every one of these powers joined forces, the outcome would not change. I don’t enjoy admitting it, but that is the truth.”

His stern gaze swept across the room.

“So stop chasing impossible dreams and face reality.”

He then turned back to the elder who had suggested accepting the proposal.

“And you—step down. As of today, you are no longer an elder.”

The man stared at him in stunned silence.

He had offered a single opinion—and somehow lost his seat on the council because of it.