As soon as Yako returned to Konoha, Purple Cat immediately delivered the latest intelligence summary.
Uchiha Obito had gone missing?
After reading through the ANBU investigation into Obito's sudden disappearance, Yako couldn't help but think:
Because of my existence, it really does seem like everything is happening earlier.
Uchiha Obito had most likely awakened Mangekyō Sharingan.
And not just one eye.
Most likely both.
In the original timeline, Kakashi had graduated from the Ninja Academy at age five, while Obito had remained one of the Academy's dead last.
And yet by the time he was fourteen or fifteen, Obito had already been strong enough to trigger the Nine-Tails Incident, standing nearly on equal footing with Namikaze Minato.
But now?
Kakashi, under the identity of "the son of a Konoha hero," was still stuck in the Academy.
Meanwhile, Obito had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan at the age of eight.
All because his grandmother had collapsed in the street…
and no one had helped her?
Obito had begged every single villager he had once helped—
and not a single one of them had lifted a hand?
To help or not to help.
A classic problem.
No matter the world, that question never really changed.
And who would've thought…
that one simple act of refusing to help someone could give birth to a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan?
Now Uchiha Madara had gained yet another useful subordinate.
The difference was—
Guruguru now had a pair of Mangekyō and was stronger than in the original story.
And Uchiha Obito, with dual Mangekyō and double Kamui, was also stronger than in canon.
Both of them now possessed the ability to come and go freely.
Which only made one thing even more important for Yako:
Flying Thunder God.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen was willing to hand it over, then all the better.
But if he refused…
Yako's eyes shifted slightly.
Then perhaps…
the plan to destroy Konoha didn't necessarily have to wait.
Behind Konoha's Memorial Stone…
Yako stood before a grave and stared silently at the names carved into it.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
Sarutobi Hōbi.
A shared grave.
Though calling it a grave was misleading.
It was really just a memorial mound.
Their actual bodies had long since been obliterated in the explosion of the Tailed Beast Ball.
I didn't make it to the wedding.
And look at that…
Didn't make it to the funeral either.
Yellow Dog…
Do you resent me that much?
I was your confidant.
Your brother in all but blood.
Yako tilted his head slightly.
A moment later, Sarutobi Hiruzen flickered into existence beside him with the Body Flicker Technique.
Beneath the Hokage hat, Hiruzen's gaze was complicated as he looked at Fox.
Fox, who had been born in Konoha's Year 23.
Fox, who should have been nothing more than a disposable chūnin.
And yet somehow, by the age of twenty, he now possessed enough terrifying power to obliterate a Tailed Beast head-on.
There was no longer any doubt.
Fox was now Konoha's strongest ninja.
While Fox had been away in the Land of Hot Water, the pressure he placed on Hiruzen had remained distant.
But now that Fox had returned to the village—
that pressure had become immediate.
Tangible.
Just standing beside him made Hiruzen feel deeply uncomfortable.
"Forgive me, Lord Hokage.
When Lord Shinnosuke died, I was away on assignment at the Fire Temple…"
Hiruzen's heart softened slightly when he heard that.
"This is not your fault," he said.
"Shinnosuke had no choice.
In order to eliminate the Fire Daimyō's alternative options, he had to send you away at that time.
His decision was not wrong.
The Fire Daimyō has already terminated his cooperation with the Fire Temple.
The warrior monks of the Fire Temple will not become Daimyō Guardian Ninja."
Then Hiruzen turned and said:
"Come with me, Fox.
This is not the right place to discuss what comes next."
Yako nodded.
"Yes.
Let Lord Shinnosuke rest in peace."
So then…
In this world, Konohamaru would never be born.
Hiruzen would instead pour all of his efforts into raising his second son—
Sarutobi Asuma.
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen gestured toward the sofa.
"Sit, Fox."
Once Fox had taken his seat, Hiruzen began.
"You performed well in the Land of Hot Water.
The only thing you should not have done…
was allow the former Daimyō of the Land of Hot Water to die at the hands of Cloud spies out of sheer spite."
Yako replied calmly,
"It wasn't exactly 'allowing' it.
I didn't know the Cloud spies would decide to lash out in desperation.
Besides, whether he lived or died made little difference.
He deserved to die."
Hiruzen gave a slow shake of his head.
"Fox, I am not blaming you.
You are an ANBU shinobi.
This has always been your style."
The moment he heard that, Yako understood Hiruzen's intended arrangement for him.
And it was exactly what he had expected.
Hiruzen believed that Fox was unfit to handle matters outside the sphere of ANBU.
Then Hiruzen said:
"Fox… now that Shinnosuke is gone, I intend to appoint you as the new ANBU Commander.
Do you have any interest in the position?"
There was no point pretending anymore.
With his current strength, continuing to act modest would only feel fake.
And Hiruzen would never believe it anyway.
The fact that Hiruzen had offered the position himself meant only one thing:
The pressure Yako's strength placed on him had already become too great.
Hiruzen no longer had the luxury of refusing.
Yako answered directly.
"Lord Hokage, I am very willing to become ANBU Commander.
And in Konoha's current weakened state…
I also have the ability to fulfill that role."
Hiruzen took a pull from his pipe, then laid out his terms.
"I want Black Ant to serve as the ANBU Vice Commander.
In the future, you will handle external threats.
Black Ant will handle internal matters and help me maintain control over the village."
"Fine. I agree."
Yako accepted immediately.
"Black Ant's abilities speak for themselves.
I can work with him."
Then Yako smoothly raised his own condition.
"Lord Hokage, the enemies outside the village are extremely dangerous.
Uchiha Madara and his subordinates are all troublesome.
I would like to review the Scroll of Seals and further strengthen my abilities."
Hiruzen frowned slightly.
But he didn't keep Fox waiting long.
"Fox, you may choose one forbidden technique.
I can authorize you to learn one of the village's forbidden jutsu.
You understand this already—
the Scroll of Seals is too important.
If Konoha is to endure for centuries, then the inheritance of what lies within it must remain orderly."
Yako inwardly clicked his tongue.
Still stingy as ever.
There were several forbidden techniques he urgently needed.
To maximize the advantages of Hidan's immortal body, he needed the Eight Gates.
To deal with Uchiha Obito's double Kamui, he needed the Flying Thunder God Technique.
And beyond that, techniques like the Spirit Transformation Technique, Impure World Reincarnation, and others could all become critical depending on circumstances.
Yako looked at Hiruzen and saw no sign of compromise.
So he changed tactics.
"Very well.
One forbidden technique is enough.
But if I am going to be operating outside the village year-round, then the spy network should fall under my control.
Having intelligence relayed to me through the village's messenger hawks is too inefficient."
Hiruzen considered that for a moment.
If he wasn't going to give Fox the Scroll of Seals itself, then granting him control over the intelligence network would at least serve as compensation.
"Fine," Hiruzen said.
"The spy network will be yours.
But Fox—
you must treat our field agents well.
They are the greatest heroes Konoha has in times of peace."
"I understand, Lord Hokage.
And I will report to you regularly as well.
All intelligence gathered by the spy network will still be passed back to the village."
"Good.
Then it's settled."
Hiruzen looked at him directly.
"So, Fox…
which forbidden technique do you want?"
The exchange was complete.
Each side had made concessions.
Each side had taken what it needed.
Overall, Hiruzen had done his best to satisfy the demands of Konoha's strongest shinobi—
while still preserving something for himself.
Yako had not gotten everything he wanted.
But under the current circumstances, there was no reason to flip the table.
So he answered simply:
"Lord Hokage…
I wish to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Hiruzen's expression tightened.
Flying Thunder God had been his teacher's core technique.
Fox had already mastered the Water Severing Wave of the Second Hokage.
He had already mastered the Wood Release of the First Hokage.
And if he now also mastered the Second Hokage's greatest forbidden technique…
Then if this continued—
Fox might one day become the combined embodiment of both the First and Second Hokage.
A monster.
A true monster.
And yet—
without Fox, Konoha would never survive the low point it was currently in.
The village couldn't even appoint a proper Foreign Affairs Advisor.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique is extremely difficult to learn," Hiruzen said gravely.
"In the past, members of the Senju Clan attempted to recreate it.
During training, some of them ended up separating their own heads from their bodies.
You must be extremely careful."
Then his tone softened into genuine concern.
"Fox…
you absolutely cannot afford to die.
If something happens to you…
there is a real possibility Konoha will collapse."
Yako answered evenly.
"I will be careful, Lord Hokage.
Very careful."
Hiruzen nodded.
That warning had been sincere.
"Wait here a few minutes.
I'll go make a copy of the Flying Thunder God Technique for you."
Then he turned and entered the hidden chamber to the side.
Through the narrow crack of the doorway, seal-light shimmered in flashes.
Hiruzen was undoing the sealing barrier surrounding the Scroll of Seals.
Five minutes later, he returned carrying a small scroll.
Yako stood and accepted the forbidden technique scroll across the Hokage's desk.
Hiruzen said:
"Fox, Konoha's forbidden techniques must be passed down in an orderly fashion.
If you ever intend to teach the Flying Thunder God Technique to someone else, I must be informed, and it must be officially recorded."
"Understood.
I know how important forbidden techniques are."
Then Yako added:
"Lord Hokage, since Black Ant will be handling ANBU's internal operations, let him work out of the basement beneath the Hokage Tower.
As for me…
I expect I'll be leaving Konoha frequently.
There's little point in occupying that office.
I'll continue working out of the ANBU base instead."
Hiruzen gave a nod.
"Very well.
At tomorrow's jōnin council meeting, we'll formally announce your and Black Ant's new appointments."
Yako returned directly to ANBU.
Then he opened the scroll containing the Flying Thunder God Technique—
and began to study it.