Chapter 48: The Key
In Minato's heart, Yuu had already become a strategic master, someone with outstanding judgment and battlefield vision.
What made it even rarer was Yuu's age. He was only eight or nine, with an absurd amount of room to grow. If he was already this sharp now, then once he matured, his ability would likely become even more frightening.
The more Minato thought about it, the more admiration rose in his chest.
But the truth was, Yuu was not nearly as impressive as Minato imagined.
Yuu could "see" these things only because he was drawing the target after shooting the arrow.
After all, he had already watched this story play out in his previous life.
If he were not worried about scaring Minato, he could have casually added that Kumogakure would suffer a disastrous loss this time, and that even the Third Raikage would die at the hands of Iwa ninja.
Of course, the current situation had already shifted compared to the original timeline.
Whether the Third Raikage would still die the same way was uncertain.
But one thing was certain. Kumogakure was going to pay a heavy price.
"What about the Hidden Mist?" Minato asked again.
Earlier, Yuu had already talked through three of the four major nations besides Konoha, leaving only Kirigakure untouched.
Since they had already gone this far, Minato was genuinely curious about Yuu's view of the Hidden Mist.
"The Hidden Mist is similar to the Sand Village, but far worse," Yuu said, shaking his head.
During the Third Shinobi World War, besides Minato's battle against the A and B brothers that made his name shake the world, another shocking event had occurred.
The famed Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had been defeated by Might Dai, a Konoha genin, who opened the Eight Gates during a mission. More than half of them were killed or crippled.
It was the first time the Eight Gates had truly revealed its power. Even that initial eruption had produced a result that stunned the entire ninja world.
"The atmosphere inside the Hidden Mist was already tense," Yuu continued softly. "I heard even the clans inside the village clash from time to time."
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, as Kirigakure's symbol, also represent different forces within the village."
"Now four of the seven are dead, leaving only three survivors."
"The internal balance of power in the Hidden Mist has been broken."
Among the Five Great Nations, the Hidden Mist was the most dangerous place to live.
Even though the so called Bloody Mist had not fully taken shape yet, the seeds had already been planted.
From the intelligence Yuu had, Kirigakure was already on edge. Different factions confronted each other, maintaining a fragile equilibrium by force of will.
When four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were kicked into the grave and the village also suffered heavy losses in the war, that equilibrium was guaranteed to crack.
Internal conflict was about to erupt.
"And the Three Tails incident from a while ago also had a huge impact," Yuu said quietly.
He did not elaborate, but Minato understood instantly, and his expression darkened.
He thought of things he did not want to remember.
Obito, Rin, and Kakashi were all his students.
Not long ago, Obito had died on the battlefield, and the location of his body was still unknown.
Rin had been captured by Kirigakure, had the Three Tails sealed inside her, and in the end was killed by Kakashi's own hand.
That tragedy was not only a devastating blow to Kakashi. It was a wound in Minato's heart as well.
But from another angle, it also drained Kirigakure's strength.
The Three Tails jinchuriki died, and the Three Tails sealed within her vanished along with her, preparing to be reborn.
Kirigakure's attention had been forced onto the lost Three Tails. They urgently wanted to recapture it.
On top of that, with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen suffering such a disastrous loss, the Hidden Mist truly did not have much energy left to spend elsewhere.
Perhaps that was exactly why the Fourth Mizukage had not appeared on the battlefield for so long. He might have been tied down by those internal crises.
Minato was silently astonished.
The boy in front of him looked ordinary, yet with a few simple sentences, he laid out the entire situation of the ninja world with unnerving clarity.
It was as if nothing could stump him.
That kind of ability was genuinely shocking.
Minato had seen many geniuses, Kakashi, Kurenai, and others, all outstanding shinobi.
He himself was a genius among geniuses, enough to overshadow the majority of his generation.
But a genius like Yuu was the first of its kind he had ever encountered.
Coming to check on Kakashi this time had turned into an unexpected harvest.
Then Minato asked, "You've talked about the other four great nations."
"What about Konoha?"
His voice was calm, but his gaze fixed firmly on Yuu.
"Regarding Konoha's internal situation, how do you see it, Yuu?"
"Inside Konoha?" Yuu met Minato's eyes and fell silent for a moment.
After a pause, he continued, "Before the war, the Third Hokage mentioned he wanted to hand the position of Hokage to a younger successor."
"And the timing would likely be after this war ends."
As he spoke, he looked straight at Minato.
"So for Konoha right now, the most important thing is both on the battlefield and not on the battlefield."
"Oh?" Minato's curiosity deepened. "What do you mean by that?"
"The Hokage selection is about to begin," Yuu said with a small smile. "The most important matter isn't on the battlefield, it's inside the village."
"But if you want to win that selection, the key isn't anywhere else."
"It's precisely on this battlefield."
For Konoha's shinobi at this moment, the war was still important, but compared to the coming Hokage selection, it almost felt like it carried a different weight.
And yet, the foundation to win the Hokage selection could only be built here, on the front lines.
Only those who performed brilliantly in war and became heroes would have the qualifications to take the Hokage seat afterward.
In the original story, why was Minato able to surpass Orochimaru and become the Fourth Hokage?
In terms of seniority, Orochimaru was the Third Hokage's personal disciple and had close ties to figures like Danzo, while Minato was only Jiraiya's student and had little political foundation inside the village.
In terms of reputation, Orochimaru was one of Konoha's legendary Sannin, while Minato was a rising star.
By every traditional measure, Minato was at a disadvantage.
Yet in the end, Minato still became the final winner.
The main reason, aside from the Third Hokage's decision and Orochimaru's own issues, was simple.
Minato was Konoha's greatest contributor and hero in the Third Shinobi World War, a man who all but carried Konoha to victory with his own hands.
That overwhelming record and prestige were things even the older generation led by the Third Hokage could not ignore.
With that achievement, that reputation, and the fact that he was Jiraiya's disciple, which at least counted as a Hokage lineage, Minato finally had the qualifications to become the Fourth Hokage.
.....
[Check Out My Patreon For Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]