Naruto: Sukuna's Jinchuriki, I am Uchiha

Chapter 80: The Daimyō of the Land of Fire

Uchiha Kagami felt a pang of irritation.

After years of warfare, he had only one simple wish: to take half a day off.

Yet, even after delegating most of the work to others, an endless stream of issues still came knocking at his door.

Rising to his feet, Kagami dusted off his knees and turned to Minato.

"Oh, by the way, when you have time, issue a bounty for Orochimaru. S-rank rogue ninja."

Minato blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

He couldn't fathom Kagami's reasoning.

Wasn't Orochimaru already dead?

And even if he wasn't, wasn't it a bit inappropriate to label a former Hokage, albeit an unregistered one, as a traitor?

"That guy doesn't die so easily," Kagami replied with a faint smile. "Don't underestimate him. Orochimaru will be a significant obstacle to our plans."

Minato frowned, letting out a sigh. "Now that I've taken this position, I realize just how many things there are to consider..."

He looked at Kagami, weariness in his gaze. "If I'm already overwhelmed, you must have even more to worry about."

Kagami shrugged, a slight smirk on his face.

"It's not so bad. I enjoy the struggle, actually."

"Whether I succeed or fail, I'll accept the outcome. At least I'm walking the path I've chosen."

Hearing this, Minato's tense expression softened, a rare moment of ease.

"You're right. Success or failure doesn't matter as long as we stay true to our original intentions."

Brushing the dust from his cloak, Kagami added, "Alright, I'm heading out. The village is in your hands."

"Wait..."

Minato hesitated before speaking again.

"How should I handle Sakumo-senpai?"

The question lingered awkwardly between them.

Hatake Sakumo's self-imposed exile was, at best, a long vacation, and at worst, an escape from past traumas.

Now that the Third Hokage's faction was no longer in power, he no longer had to see the people who had wronged him.

Sakumo genuinely cared for the village and had returned to help rebuild it.

But Minato struggled to find the right role for him.

By Konoha's traditional hierarchy, Sakumo's seniority surpassed Minato's.

Even among the Uchiha faction, Sakumo's credentials were unmatched.

In terms of strength, the two were evenly matched.

Frankly, if Sakumo had stepped forward earlier during the recent battles, Minato would've been the one nominating him for Hokage.

Kagami began walking away, leaving Minato to his musings.

"You're the Hokage. That's your problem to solve."

Pausing, Kagami's smirk deepened.

"If you can't figure it out, why not set up a co-leadership system?"

---

Descending the monument, Kagami suddenly paused, his senses sharpening.

His eyes, marked by Sharingan tomoe, locked onto a distant figure on a mountaintop.

Before he could discern more, the figure vanished.

His smirk returned, this time tinged with cold amusement.

Tobirama Senju.

How pathetic, peeking from a distance only to flee.

He laughed under his breath.

Senju... our war continues.

The cycle of destiny ends with me.

---

Unknown Underground Cavern

Orochimaru leaned casually against the wall, watching Tobirama return via teleportation.

"Well, Lord Tobirama? Have you confirmed it?"

Tobirama's expression was stormy, his frustration boiling over.

With a snarl, he slammed his fist into the cavern wall, sending bits of his Edo Tensei body crumbling to the ground.

"Just what were Saru and the others doing?!"

"They should have either fully integrated the Uchiha into the village or eradicated them entirely, regardless of the cost!"

"The war presented the perfect opportunity, but no—Saru wanted to play it safe, to avoid losses. What kind of fantasy is that?!"

He cursed, his voice trembling with fury.

For the first time, Tobirama found himself questioning whether Danzo might've made a better Hokage.

No matter how flawed, Danzo wouldn't have let things spiral into this disaster.

"The village my brother and I bled for is gone," Tobirama muttered.

"To call that place 'Konoha' is an insult to its name."

His gaze darkened as memories of his disciples flashed before him.

Danzo, who had suffered his entire life, even in death, deserved better.

Orochimaru spoke up, his tone calm.

"Things weren't as simple as you make them out to be, Lord Tobirama.

"At the time, if Sensei had acted against the Uchiha, Konoha's weakened state might have made it prey for other villages."

Tobirama sighed, reigning in his temper.

"What's done is done," he conceded. "Moving forward is all we can do now."

He turned to Orochimaru, his gaze sharp.

"You've made the right choice. That Uchiha brat is a monster. Your decision to retreat was wise."

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he continued.

"I acknowledge you as the Fourth Hokage. We will rebuild Konoha. We cannot allow that boy to tarnish its name!"

His expression darkened further.

"They even removed my face from the monument! And replaced it with Madara's?!"

"Unacceptable! If they wanted balance, they should've removed my brother's face too!"

Orochimaru, unimpressed, replied dryly, "The title of Hokage is dead to me. My only goal is to master all the world's jutsu."

"Just that?" Tobirama chuckled.

"That goal might be even harder than being Hokage."

"Perhaps," Orochimaru said with a faint smile. "But let's focus on the present. What adjustments can we make to the Edo Tensei?"

Tobirama frowned, deep in thought.

"I developed it almost by accident while working on another technique. I didn't put much effort into refining it back then.

"But with some work, we could perfect it.

"To defeat that Uchiha brat, we need my brother at full strength. However, that requires extensive human experimentation, as well as equipment and data. Can you acquire those?"

Orochimaru smirked.

"That's precisely why I summoned you first. Until my contingencies are in place, I won't reveal myself publicly."

Tobirama nodded.

"Is the current Daimyō still Enshi Munefusa?"

Orochimaru hesitated briefly, unfamiliar with the name spoken so casually by Tobirama.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"That boy is obedient enough," Tobirama mused. "He'll provide us with funding."

Just as he prepared to leave, Orochimaru raised a hand, his expression serious.

"Before you go, Lord Tobirama... you won't seek revenge against Kagami, will you?"

Tobirama's earlier outburst had left Orochimaru wary.

Chuckling darkly, Tobirama replied, "Do I look like a reckless fool to you?

"If that brat appears within my sensing range, I'll flee immediately."

He glanced at his spectral form, lips curling in a bitter smile.

"This frail body has one advantage—I can maintain my sensory abilities indefinitely."

His voice grew soft, almost wistful.

"Brother... you'd never have imagined, would you? The jutsu you forbade me from pursuing is now the key to saving Konoha."

End of Chapter

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