Namikaze...
It wasn't a common surname. In the entire village, there was only one family with that name.
And now, that family had only one child left.
Naruto—Namikaze Naruto.
Led by Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had compromised. In truth, part of the reason was to keep Kiyosuke in check.
"Kiyosuke, from now on, this child will be in your care," said Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"I know. I'll teach him well. Things like the Will of Fire should be instilled from a young age," Kiyosuke replied with a hint of mockery in his voice.
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu nodded. Homura spoke.
"Alright then. That concludes this meeting. Two days from now, we'll begin planning Konoha's reconstruction. Make sure to attend."
"Meeting's over, meeting's over," Kiyosuke muttered impatiently. He had already grown sick of being there. With a scoff at Danzō, he kicked open the door and walked out like he didn't owe anyone anything.
Danzō stared at the arrogant figure disappearing from view, fists clenched so tight they trembled.
He wanted nothing more than to tear Kiyosuke apart with his bare hands.
Today, his pride had been completely shattered.
Kiyosuke had exposed the side of him he least wanted anyone to see—laid bare before all the clan heads of Konoha. He had lost all face.
The seat of Hokage was now completely out of his reach.
After all, who would support a man always scheming in the shadows?
No... I'm protecting the village in my own way!
That belief burned within him as he shot one last venomous glare at the doorway. With a cold snort, he turned and left.
The power of the Nine-Tails must remain under the village's control...
Control the Tailed Beasts... the Mangekyō Sharingan... Uchiha Shisui...
A cold glint flashed in his eyes as his body melted into the darkness.
For the village, no sacrifice was too great...
...
The Nine-Tails rampage, the death of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, and the heavy casualties suffered by Konoha—none of it was kept secret. In fact, the news spread like wildfire across the ninja world.
A had only recently succeeded the title of Fourth Raikage. Losing a worthy rival so soon left him bitter. He was already preparing to launch an assault on Konoha. If his subordinates hadn't stopped him, saying there was now an Asakawa Kiyosuke strong enough to confront the Nine-Tails head-on, he might've already declared war. For now, he settled for small-scale skirmishes with Konoha.
Naturally, some did try to invade—but they were swiftly dealt with by Konoha's ninja.
At present, Konoha's visible combat strength consisted only of Sarutobi Hiruzen, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and the newly emerging Kiyosuke.
It could be said that Konoha was at its weakest. The loss of the Fourth Hokage had been a heavy blow.
Jiraiya, upon hearing the news of his disciple's death, had rushed back to the village in a panic. When he saw the peacefully sleeping Naruto, the old man couldn't stop the tears from welling up.
Kiyosuke, standing beside him, pulled out a scroll.
"Inside here are the bodies of Minato-san and Kushina-san. I didn't want the village to start researching them, so I sealed them in here. Now that you're back, Jiraiya-sama, I'm entrusting them to you. If possible, please bury them at Mount Myōboku."
"Thank you for going through the trouble," Jiraiya said, his eyes fixed on the scroll.
But in the end, he couldn't hold back the tears.
Of all his students, he had cared most for Minato—almost raising him like a son. Now both that son and his wife were dead. How could his heart not ache?
With trembling hands, he accepted the scroll and tucked it gently into his robes.
Wiping his eyes, he asked, "Who attacked the village that night?"
"It was Minato-san's student—Uchiha Obito. He was under the control of a genjutsu. That's what led him to do this," Kiyosuke said softly with a sigh.
"I know him. Minato mentioned him before... I didn't expect things to turn out this way." Jiraiya seemed to age several years in an instant.
"And the village... they're letting you raise Naruto?"
Naruto was the jinchūriki—a vital strategic asset. The higher-ups wouldn't give him up that easily.
"Of course, they weren't willing. But it was Minato-san's dying wish. Only Danzō objected."
"Danzō... I heard you punched him."
"Yeah. He was disrespecting the Third, after all." Kiyosuke grinned.
Jiraiya chuckled.
"I've always wanted to punch that guy. Just never found the right chance. You sure know how to pick your moments—and leave the old man with nothing to say."
"You really think it's safe to leave the kid with the Uchiha?"
Jiraiya asked.
They were currently in Uchiha Fugaku's home. Even the tea had been prepared by Mikoto.
The Uchiha had never been trusted by the village—especially now, after the Nine-Tails' rampage.
The image of the giant Sharingan in the Nine-Tails' eyes... Every ninja in the village had seen it. If they didn't suspect the Uchiha, who else could they blame?
Kiyosuke replied.
"What's unsafe about it? Leaving the jinchūriki with the Uchiha is a sign that the village trusts them."
"Exactly," Uchiha Fugaku said as he stepped into the room.
For once, his stern expression softened into a faint smile.
"At first, our clan felt abandoned by the village because of what happened that night. But once they heard that Naruto would be in our care for a time, all that resentment disappeared."
He bowed slightly to Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya-sama."
"Fugaku-san."
Jiraiya nodded. He was well aware of the tension between the village and the Uchiha. If this could ease some of that hostility, it was a good thing.
"See? That's how it should be. Not being trusted—it hurts. What the Uchiha need now is trust. Give them support. Meet their needs as best you can. And if any fools still try to stir up trouble, then they've got it coming."
Kiyosuke took a sip of tea.
For now, it was about stabilizing the Uchiha. Once most of their demands were met, the rest could be cleaned up properly.
Fugaku had no objections either. Sacrificing a few clan members to open up a new future for the Uchiha—it was a deal worth making.
"At the same time," Kiyosuke continued, "you'll need to rein in the clan. They can't go around harassing ordinary citizens. You know your reputation. Uchiha who awaken the Sharingan often develop arrogant personalities. People like that can't be allowed to take high-ranking positions."
The Uchiha, for the most part, were genetically predisposed to mental instability. The Sharingan was practically a symptom of that inherited madness. They tended to be obsessive, extreme, and prone to turning dark.
Putting people like that in power only created more problems.
"I think when you're selecting members for the police force, Fugaku-san, you shouldn't focus purely on strength. Character matters too. The best choice is someone who remains calm and humble even after awakening their Sharingan. Those obsessed with the clan's glory won't amount to much."
Kiyosuke waved his hand.
"The glory of the clan isn't everything. Right now, you're part of Konoha. You should put the village first."
Jiraiya and Uchiha Fugaku both looked thoughtful.
Fugaku nodded.
"I'll handle it. The village reconstruction planning is scheduled for tomorrow. Kiyosuke-sama, will you be attending?"
"The old man didn't notify me."
The Uchiha couldn't be moved just yet. If Danzō were left to his own devices, the Uchiha would rise in rebellion again. Kiyosuke had to keep the brother-obsessed one and the younger one tightly in hand.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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