novel-bin Chapter 374 Uchiha
Chapter 374 Uchiha
Chapter 374 Uchiha
Daming Prefecture Library.
Hiruzen Sarutobi flipped through the notebook in his hand. The fragmented, disjointed, and mysterious sentences that he would have previously regarded as myths and legends were now, in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, undoubtedly a true description of the past.
Although the information was incomplete and one-sided, it ultimately gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a general understanding of the ancient times.
The situation seems to be more complicated than expected.
Half a day later, Hiruzen Sarutobi closed the last yellowed volume of the local chronicle in his hand.
His face revealed little emotion, but deep within his eyes, which had seen the vicissitudes of life, lay a solemnity even more profound than when he arrived.
He carefully put the scrolls he had flipped through back in their places, his movements meticulous.
"Thank you." He nodded slightly to the civil official who had been waiting by his side, said nothing more, and turned to walk out of the library.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared at the entrance of the side hall, Taichi immediately went to greet him.
Without a word, the Third Hokage's seemingly calm yet more profound gaze, along with the invisible heaviness surrounding him, already spoke volumes.
The library in Daming Prefecture did indeed contain something. Those fragmented pieces of information might have confirmed some of his worst suspicions.
"Let's go back to the village." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice had a slightly hoarse quality.
"Yes," Taiichi replied, and together with the Dark Guards protecting the Third Hokage, they quickly left the magnificent yet oppressive mansion and embarked on their journey back to Miyo.
Just after the Hokage left the Daimyo's residence, the civil official who had led the way came to the Daimyo again.
What did Hiruzen Sarutobi watch?
"Reporting to you, sir, they are all ancient biographies, local chronicles, and some books of myths and legends."
It turns out that this civil official has a photographic memory. He doesn't need to monitor him in person. He can simply watch from afar which books the Hokage takes and then search for them later to find out what books the Hokage read.
Daming frowned, trying hard to recall the contents of the books, but he only felt confused and couldn't understand them.
He didn't believe that the Hokage would travel all the way to Kyoto just for these myths and legends; there must be something he didn't know about.
The fact that even the Hokage values it so highly suggests that its worth is not to be underestimated.
"Pass down the order to have people go to the library to organize relevant ancient books, especially those related to myths and legends, and give me a detailed report."
"Yes, sir!"
Leaving aside the series of measures taken by the Daimyo in response to the Hokage's actions, after Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to Konoha, the process of transferring Hokage power began to operate at maximum efficiency.
The document recognizing the daimyo has been officially filed and made public, and the name Minato Namikaze is now closely associated with the "Fourth Hokage".
The villagers spread the news excitedly, their faces beaming with anticipation for the future.
The process has progressed to the most crucial step—the Jonin trust vote.
Inside the largest conference room on the top floor of the Hokage Building, the air was heavy and oppressive.
All the Jonin in the village were present, with the heads of various clans in the front row: Hiashi Hyuga's Byakuya eyes were calm and undisturbed, Fugaku Uchiha sat with his arms crossed, Shikaku Nara's eyes were slightly closed as if he was dozing, and Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka had solemn expressions.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood before the main seat, his voice resounding throughout the hall: "Now, the vote of confidence regarding the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, Minato Namikaze, begins."
One by one, metal plates engraved with leaf patterns were dropped into the central sealed wooden box, the crisp clinking sound striking everyone's nerves.
As the last metal plaque fell, the Anbu members responsible for counting the votes began counting them out in front of the many Jonin.
"trust."
"trust."
"trust."
Every vote count tugged at everyone's heartstrings, but as "trust" continued to build, everyone present showed genuine smiles.
As the last vote was announced, the voice from the underground counting team suddenly rose in volume: "Votes of confidence, all passed!"
After a brief silence, a huge cheer nearly lifted the roof off.
Jiraiya patted Orochimaru's shoulder hard, his silly grin causing the latter to frown and dodge in disgust.
Tsunade crossed her arms, her gaze passing through the bustling crowd to Minato, a look of relief mixed with a subtle, complex emotion.
Taichi, sitting in the front row, nodded slightly and exchanged a knowing glance with Fugaku Uchiha beside him.
The Fourth Hokage's rise to power was undoubtedly good news for the Uchiha clan. Not only did the Fourth Hokage himself harbor no ill will towards the Uchiha, but the relationship between his girlfriend Kushina and Fugaku's wife was reassuring enough.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi heard the final result of the vote, he breathed a long sigh of relief. Now everything was finally settled.
"Everyone, the Fourth Hokage has been chosen, so the village will officially hold the inauguration ceremony for the Fourth Hokage in one week."
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"Yes, Lord Hokage." All the Jonin stood up and bowed to the Third Hokage.
In fact, all the necessary procedures have been completed so far, and Minato is now officially the Fourth Hokage. The so-called enthronement ceremony was just a formality in front of the people of Konoha.
It may not be important, but it is absolutely necessary. This is the declaration of the legitimacy of the Hokage.
One week later.
The midday sun generously poured down, coating the entire Hokage Building with a layer of flowing gold leaf.
As time went on, more and more civilians and ninjas gathered in the open space in front of the Hokage Building.
The time had come, and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in a plain white Hokage robe, appeared on the roof of the Hokage Building.
He was followed by two advisors, clan heads, and some Jonin representatives.
The crowd in the square, from ninjas to civilians, from young children to the elderly, all focused their gazes on one another at this moment.
"They're here!" someone shouted from the crowd, as if a drop of boiling oil had been thrown into it.
Everyone turned to look at the other side of the rooftop, where Minato Namikaze was wearing a brand-new divine robe. On the pure white fabric, the bright red characters "Fourth Hokage" on the back were like burning flames, instantly igniting everyone's passion.
"Lord Minato!"
"The Fourth Hokage!"
"Golden Flash!"
The cheers rose higher and higher, countless arms waved, and flowers were thrown into the passageway like raindrops.
Shuimen walked with a steady gait, his face bearing his usual warm smile. He waved to the enthusiastic villagers below, his smile like the brightest autumn sunshine, dispelling the last vestiges of war's gloom and instilling hope and strength in the hearts of everyone who looked up to him.
When Minato arrived in front of the Third Hokage, the entire plaza miraculously fell silent, with only the rustling of the wind blowing the curtain and the expectant beating of countless hearts remaining.
Looking at the young man he had personally promoted and forged in blood and fire, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes were filled with deep satisfaction.
He stepped forward, his aged yet steady voice resonating throughout the plaza with the vibrations of chakra: "Where the leaves dance, the fire will never cease." His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried immense power, striking the hearts of everyone present. "The fire will illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout. Minato Namikaze, today, I formally entrust this burning will, this duty to protect Konoha, to you!"
He stretched out his hands, removed the Hokage hat that symbolized his identity from his head, and solemnly handed it to Minato.
The tassels on the edge of the straw hat swayed gently in the wind, and that deep red color carried the weight of all the glory, sacrifice, and legacy since the founding of Konoha.
"Please, Fourth Hokage!"
Minato's smile slowly faded, replaced by an unwavering resolve and unparalleled solemnity.
He took the Hokage hat and carefully placed it on his head: "I will fight with all my might, Third Hokage."
The dense crowd downstairs was unusually quiet at this moment. They watched as Minato Namikaze received the Hokage hat from the Third Hokage, as if completing a transfer of power.
Then, they saw the new Hokage put on the Hokage hat, come to the edge of the rooftop, and face everyone.
"I, Minato Namikaze," his voice, though not loud, pierced the silence clearly. Each word was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating layers of echoes, carrying an undeniable conviction and power, "I hereby swear!"
He raised his right arm, his five fingers together, the fingertips pointing straight to the sky, the movement swift and decisive.
"With my life as fuel, I will ignite the flame of Hokage! All people of Konoha, whether ninja, women, children, or the old and weak, are my brothers and sisters! I will protect everything in Konoha with my life; as long as I live, this protection will never cease!"
The vows were resounding, like the clanging of metal, echoing and colliding in the scorching sunlight and stagnant air, carving deep into the souls of every listener.
After a brief, vacuum-like silence—
"The Fourth Hokage!!!"
"Long live Lord Namikaze!!!"
"Long live Konoha!!!"
The long-accumulated volcano finally erupted violently! A deafening roar of cheers surged into the sky like a tidal wave, seemingly tearing the entire heavens apart!
Countless arms waved wildly, hats, clothes, and flowers were thrown into the air, and tears mixed with ecstatic smiles flowed freely across countless faces.
The sound waves transformed into a tangible impact, causing the curtain on the platform to shake violently and even the ground beneath their feet to tremble slightly.
On the viewing platform, Jiraiya grinned widely, his eyes practically disappearing as he clapped his hands vigorously; Orochimaru's narrow golden eyes flashed with a barely perceptible hint of approval; Tsunade smiled, but her gaze was distant, as if she were looking into the distant past.
Taiyi stood at the heart of the clamor, surrounded by a sea of people and deafening shouts, but his gaze pierced through the jubilant celebration and landed on the back of Shuimen, who stood as straight as a javelin.
New leaves are already unfurling on the branches, while a storm is quietly gathering on the distant horizon.
Minato officially assumed the position of Fourth Hokage, but the transfer of power had already begun before this, only now the process was accelerated.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped down as Hokage and temporarily assisted Minato in governing as an advisor and elder.
At first, everyone thought that the old Hokage was greedy for power and refused to step down, but after a while, everyone gradually realized that Hiruzen Sarutobi was genuinely assisting Minato.
Taiichi didn't know what Hiruzen Sarutobi's mentality was when he served as an advisor in the original work, but in this world, even he could see the old Hokage's intention to assist him.
Perhaps it was due to the different pressures they faced: the threat from Madara Uchiha, the spying of a mysterious organization, and the covetousness of extraterrestrials.
These were all things that the aging Hiruzen Sarutobi simply didn't have the energy to deal with.
In the face of this unprecedented upheaval, it would be better to let more energetic and courageous young people take charge, while the older generation can simply provide logistical support.
Conference room in the Hokage Building.
Unlike Hiruzen Sarutobi, who always held meetings in his office, Minato directly held his discussions in the conference room.
This is perhaps the disadvantage of being a junior; he can't very well sit while making Hiruzen Sarutobi, the former Hokage, stand during the meeting.
In this conference room, Minato is seated at the head of the table, with Hiruzen Sarutobi to his left, and further to his left, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
To the right of the water gate, Taiichi was sitting upright on a stool, looking like he was listening attentively.
"Taiyi, you are also aware of the village's secrets."
Minato didn't say it explicitly, but Taichi certainly knew what he meant.
He glanced at Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu on the other side, wondering how far they had gotten to.
At this moment, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged glances. They assumed that the new Hokage was referring to Uchiha Madara and the mysterious organization, and they knew nothing about the extraterrestrials.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained calm and collected, his eyes slightly closed, smoking his pipe to the side, seemingly unconcerned about anything.
Taiyi, seeing this, did not say much, but simply nodded to indicate that he understood.
"These crises are different from the Ninja World War; they are hidden in the shadows, and we cannot openly unite all forces to deal with them."
However, these crises force Konoha to mobilize all its resources to defend against them.
Everyone present nodded unconsciously. What he said was true. Even if it was just one problem with Uchiha Madara, it would be enough to give the entire Hidden Leaf Village a headache, let alone three of them, each more serious than the last.
"In the village today, the Uchiha clan is a special case. Due to some historical reasons, they have always been semi-independent from the core of Konoha."
During this special period, I want to completely change this situation. I wonder what your thoughts are.
Tai looked surprised, but before he could speak, someone else had already spoken up.
"No, Minato, the Uchiha clan is a big problem. We must not let our guard down."
Aside from Hiruzen Sarutobi, everyone's eyes were on Homura Mitokado, who had spoken. A hint of displeasure flashed in Tai's eyes; no one would be happy to have their words interrupted for no reason.
"Oh, Elder Yan, why don't you just tell us what the Uchiha did wrong that the village needs to be so wary of them? Aren't they members of Konoha?"
Minato remained calm and collected. He knew this matter couldn't be resolved quickly, and today was just a preliminary step, a test.
Mitokado Homura took a deep breath. The Hokage's words were not easy to answer, but he had no choice but to give this new Hokage an explanation.
"Among the Uchiha clan, not to mention Madara Uchiha, who betrayed Konoha but is still alive today, they even launched a coup during the Second Hokage's time. However, the Second Hokage was magnanimous and did not hold their entire clan accountable."
More importantly, the Uchiha are an inherently evil clan. While their Sharingan is powerful, each awakening and advancement can drastically change the personality of their clansmen. Even a good person can turn into a ruthless killer.
Moreover, even now, within the Uchiha clan, there is still a group of people who are constantly thinking about overthrowing Konoha's current rule through a coup.
Minato, the Uchiha clan, can't be trusted!
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