Outside the Hyūga compound
Akio gently rubbed Hinata's head.
"You're home. Go on inside… and remember what I told you, all right?"
"Yes, I remember…" Hinata nodded quickly. "Goodbye, Ancestor!"
She hurried through the gates. Almost immediately, members of the branch family approached her. One of them froze when he noticed Akio standing in the distance.
"Lady Hinata… why did Uzumaki Akio escort you home?"
Hinata lowered her voice, glancing back nervously.
"Ancestor asked Toneri to head back first. He said he would walk me home himself…"
From afar, Akio waved with an easy smile, offering her an encouraging look before turning and walking away.
As he left, he congratulated himself silently.
Well played.
Walking Hinata home myself makes the message crystal clear. No Naruto involved so Hiashi won't misread it. He'll understand exactly what I mean.
Kids' matters should be decided by kids. Every time I've played matchmaker except with Kushina, it's gone sideways. Romance never follows logic.
And after that classroom scene… I've got a bad feeling Toneri's heading straight for heartbreak.
As for Naruto? Training doubles.
…
The next day — Kushina's house
Akio learned the reason for the Academy's early dismissal from Obito.
Five elite instructors had jointly evaluated Obito's ninja fundamentals.
The verdict: Fail.
They'd then compiled a comprehensive list of everything he needed to learn, thick enough to qualify as a weapon.
Akio flipped through it. The dense list of titles reminded him of his own school days long ago. Chuckling, he handed it to Minato.
"These are all essential Hokage-level subjects," Minato said after a glance.
At the word Hokage, Obito broke into an uncontrollable grin.
His dream was finally within reach.
Then reality caught up.
"All of this… in one month? That's impossible!"
He turned to Minato desperately.
"Sensei, any shortcuts?"
Minato smiled brightly.
"I already know all of this. I can teach you."
Obito's hope wilted. He turned to Kushina.
"Kushina-sensei…?"
She gently rubbed her belly.
"Behave, little one."
Studying had never been her strength either.
Finally, Obito looked to Akio with pleading eyes.
"Master… do you have a solution?"
Akio nodded slowly.
"I do."
Obito lit up.
"When I was studying, don't look at me like that, I did study, you can use Shadow Clones to learn in parallel. But don't overdo it. Mental strain is real. I never dared go past three."
He fixed Obito with a stare.
"You get one clone. No more."
Obito brightened.
"That doubles efficiency! Genius as always, Master! But it's still not enough, any other ideas?"
Akio's eye twitched.
"Calling us 'sensei' like that is how you get punched. If you're going to misname anyone, Kushina hits harder."
Kushina laughed.
"Ancestor, don't tease him. I'm not supposed to be throwing punches right now."
Obito shrank back.
"Please, Master. I'm serious."
Akio considered for a moment.
"…All right. I've got another idea."
"Really?!"
…
Thirty minutes later — Obito's house
Obito and his Shadow Clone sat stiffly behind a wooden desk Akio had grown on the spot. Several thick textbooks were stacked in front of them.
Standing before the desk was a very beautiful girl.
Rin.
She held a wooden pointer, smiling sweetly, dimples showing.
"Obito, study hard. I'll be watching."
Obito and his clone looked at Rin.
Then at Akio, who was grinning shamelessly in the corner.
They opened a book labeled Advanced Shinobi Governance with dead eyes.
"…Yes. Studying."
…
Time passed—October arrived.
Kushina's belly had begun to show. Under Akio's monitoring, the baby was developing perfectly.
Under Teacher Nohara's relentless supervision, Obito endured the most painful month of studying in his life.
Meanwhile, the Fifth Hokage selection reached an unexpected pause.
Instead of naming a Hokage outright, four official candidates were announced:
Uchiha Obito
Hatake Kakashi
Sarutobi Shinnosuke
Hyūga Hiashi
No Senju candidate entered.
That alone stunned half the village.
For the next three months, Hiruzen would divide his duties among the four. After the New Year, the final vote would decide the Fifth Hokage.
Anyone with half a brain could see what was happening.
Hiruzen didn't fully trust Obito yet, so this was a trial period.
Political judgment. Administrative experience. Leadership under pressure.
And the assignments made it obvious.
Only Obito worked directly at Hiruzen's side, learning Hokage governance firsthand.
Kakashi and Shinnosuke were placed over ANBU operations, intelligence, and mission oversight.
With Sakumo nearing retirement and hampered by his old injury the two were clearly being groomed as ANBU leadership.
Hiashi was given responsibility over the Elders' Council.
With Koharu and Homura stepping down, and Kagami's health failing, the council was effectively empty.
Sakumo would fill one seat.
Hiashi another.
The last would go to Nawaki.
Hiruzen genuinely intended to retire.
Akio, however, doubted Obito would allow it.
…
At the gambling hall
"So," Akio asked lazily, "Slug Princess, Toad Prince neither of you wants to be Fifth Hokage?"
Tsunade waved it off.
"If Nawaki isn't running, I'm not competing with that kid."
Jiraiya sighed.
"And I have zero interest in being Hokage."
Akio nodded thoughtfully.
"Well then," he said,
"Obito's position is rock solid."