Jin didn't keep them guessing. He spoke directly, "Taking advantage of this war, we've successfully seized full control over the Land of Waves! At the same time, Shisui should already be at the Daimyo's estate."
Minato and the others were visibly shocked at his words, but soon, excitement spread across their faces.
Minato struggled to contain the emotions surging in his heart. His voice trembled as he asked, "Does this mean... the revolution will begin earlier than planned?"
According to their original strategy, everything was to commence only after Minato became the Fourth Hokage of Konoha and took hold of the village's core authority. Only then would the wheels of change slowly begin to turn.
But now, it seemed Jin must have encountered something on the frontlines of the war against the Hidden Mist that forced him to change their carefully laid plans.
Jin nodded. "Plans can't keep up with changes. I met someone on the battlefield."
Minato asked curiously, "Who?"
He was puzzled—who could possibly make Uchiha Jin alter a plan they had spent so long crafting?
Jin gave the answer. "Gato."
Minato frowned. He searched his memory but found nothing. The name rang no bells.
Seeing this, Jin chuckled. "Don't bother thinking too hard. Gato's not a shinobi—he's a businessman. The president of the largest maritime transport company in the shinobi world."
Minato relaxed. His knowledge of non-shinobi affairs was limited, so it was understandable that he hadn't heard of this person.
And it wasn't just him. Most shinobi in this world likely wouldn't spare a thought for common people.
Jin shook his head and continued, "Gato is one of the wealthiest men in the world. His company essentially monopolizes global maritime trade—he's practically richer than nations."
"This time, he was trying to smuggle a shipment of weapons through the Land of Water and accidentally ran into us. Otherwise, we'd have had a hard time getting to him."
Minato's eyes lit up. "Jin, are you saying... you've already taken control of Gato and his assets?"
"Exactly," Jin nodded. "Controlling Gato means we now hold a source of endless funding."
"With enough financial support, many problems become easily solvable. And now, we finally have the confidence to begin the revolution."
Minato fell silent, deep in thought as he weighed the pros and cons of everything.
On the side, Akimichi Doto furrowed his brows and voiced his concern. "Jin, a shinobi taking action against a civilian... doesn't that go against our code?"
In the shinobi world, there was an unspoken rule: shinobi must not harm civilians without cause.
Of course, the term "civilian" here referred to those of high social standing—like daimyo, royalty, or nobles of the five great nations.
No one knew exactly when this rule had originated, but to this day, shinobi across the nations followed it with silent consensus.
"Code?" Jin smiled faintly at Doto's words. He turned to face him. "Big Brother Doto, rules are dead—people are alive. Don't forget what our true goal is."
Doto's expression grew serious. He replied instinctively, "To change this world, completely."
Since the birth of shinobi thousands of years ago, conflict among them had never ceased.
From the chaotic Warring States period between shinobi clans to the current era of large-scale wars between shinobi villages, the world had never truly known peace.
Years of endless war had led more and more people to despise it.
Even the ultimate villains of this world pursued peace in their own twisted ways. This alone proved just how deeply rooted the hatred for war was in this world.
And it was precisely this desire for peace that allowed Uchiha Jin to gather a group of like-minded individuals around him.
Jin looked at Doto and solemnly continued, "But to change the world, it's not enough to change shinobi alone."
"How many shinobi are there in the world, really?"
"At most? Not more than two hundred thousand. And the total population of this world? That number is in the billions."
"In other words, shinobi make up less than one ten-thousandth of the world's population."
Through his questions and answers, Jin revealed a side of the world that Doto and the others had never considered.
He continued, "At the beginning, shinobi simply accepted commissions and completed missions. But due to their superior combat strength, even hiring a single Genin was more cost-effective than hiring ten samurai."
"So shinobi gradually came to be seen as tools—mission machines."
"Over time, shinobi became the focal point of every conflict."
"Most of the wars between shinobi throughout history were really just extensions of the disputes between their employers."
"So if we want to stop the wars and truly change this world, it's useless to only target shinobi."
"If we don't address the root cause, war will never end."
Jin's expression grew solemn as he spoke in a steady tone. "I know the road ahead is bound to be full of thorns. Whether we can reach the end is still unknown."
"But in the past, now, and in the future, those who seek peace and change have never been few."
"One life for ten thousand lives."
"Rather than leave all our problems and burdens to future generations, I would rather our generation endure the pain of three, fight the wars of three, and blaze a trail for those who come after us!"
As Jin's voice fell, Doto and the others slowly shed their initial confusion and silence. Determination began to take hold in their eyes.
Minato, especially, had eyes that now burned like twin torches.
Originally, Minato had been heavily influenced by his teacher Jiraiya.
He believed in the philosophy of fate and karma, and when faced with difficult problems, he would subconsciously place his hopes in the future.
But now, under Jin's influence, he felt there was no such thing as an unsolvable problem in this world—no obstacle that could not be overcome.
Even if they ultimately failed, at least they would have proven which path led nowhere. That, too, was progress. That was the responsibility and duty of those who came before.
Doto spoke in a deep, rumbling voice. "Jin, you see farther than any of us."
Minato added sincerely, "Jin, honestly, you're more suited to be Hokage than me or even Lord Orochimaru."
Jin smiled and shook his head. "Whether someone is suited for a position isn't just about talent. Many factors need to be considered."
"Besides, being Hokage is just the beginning."
"Our journey does not end with Konoha. Our destination is the sea of stars."