Outside Konoha.
"We're back in Konoha."
Namikaze Minato's face overflowed with joy.
Returning to the village meant reuniting with the person he longed to see...
Ryoho Kyohiko couldn't help but advise: "Minato, I suggest you refrain from celebrating too soon."
Minato laughed heartily. "Regarding Yuzuki, I must thank you. Although she still refuses to interact with Kushina, the fact that she can live safely and happily in Konoha already brings Kushina great joy."
He thought Kyohiko was referring to matters concerning the Uzumaki clan.
However.
Kyohiko clarified: "I'm not talking about Yuzuki. Do you remember what we heard while in the Land of Tea?"
Minato's expression stiffened immediately.
Naturally, he was referring to news about Danzo.
During their time in the Land of Tea, they had all been shocked to hear that Shimura Danzo had become the leader of the Guardian Ninja.
Though the Land of Tea had no hidden village...
Even there, traveling merchants had all heard rumors about Danzo becoming the Daimyo's protector.
If the Land of Tea was already aware...
What about the other nations?
Danzo was no ordinary individual—he had been Konoha's second-in-command, a man who had manipulated the shinobi world with ease. Now, he stood by the Daimyo's side.
Many watchful hidden villages might interpret this as provocation.
Minato frowned in concern but sighed softly. "Even as jonin, we're still too young to influence such matters..."
In two or three months, Kyohiko would turn nine years old.
Among jonin, this was still a record-breakingly young age. As for Minato himself, now approaching twenty, he had already begun displaying glimpses of the "Yellow Flash" after mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique.
However.
In terms of status, Minato had not risen significantly.
His reputation and influence would only truly soar during the Third Great Shinobi War.
Minato exhaled softly.
Turning to Hatake Kakashi and Might Gai, he forced a smile and said, "Let's stay positive. At the very least, our strength has grown significantly these past few months, right?"
"Yeah."
Kakashi nodded.
Over the past few months, each member of their team had indeed progressed rapidly—except for Kyohiko.
Ever since he mastered a certain sealing technique, he had been holding back in battles, barely exerting himself.
Kakashi couldn't help but worry.
"Don't worry," Kyohiko reassured with a smile. "I'm deliberately conserving chakra for training purposes. But if necessary, I can release much stronger combat power."
With Tsunade as his mentor and Minato's expertise in sealing techniques, Kyohiko had made substantial progress over the past two months.
This mission had finally brought success!
His system interface now displayed: *[Yin Seal - Beginner]*.
For now, he could only establish a single "reservoir" of stored chakra.
Unlike Haruno Sakura, who had developed two separate reserves—one for combat and another for storage—Kyohiko had no need to fill both to cultivate the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
He only required a backup supply for emergencies.
In life-threatening situations, he could use sealing techniques to lock his reservoir, or even release its chakra to surpass his peak combat strength.
Mastering the Yin Seal in under three months...
Not too fast, but certainly not slow.
Additionally, his mastery of the [Nirvana Illusion Technique] and shadow clones had also improved.
Having established his first chakra reservoir, Kyohiko had to reduce his chakra expenditure, leading him to devote more effort into refining his shadow clones. Recently, this had borne fruit.
At the Master level, shadow clones suffered reduced chakra wastage and could now incorporate elemental transformations, evolving into specialized clones—such as Lightning Release shadow clones.
As for the Nirvana Illusion Technique?
That had simply improved incidentally while studying the Yin Seal.
However.
With Danzo's actions spreading unrest and Tsunade pushing for reforms, war was undoubtedly approaching.
Kyohiko's current strength still didn't provide him full peace of mind.
Who could say what state Konoha was in now?
"Let's go."
...
After registering at the gates and entering the village, they immediately sensed something amiss.
When they had left on their mission last month, the atmosphere had been normal.
Now, after twenty-odd days, tension and oppression weighed heavily over Konoha.
Kyohiko enhanced his hearing with chakra.
Soon—
He picked up whispers from alleyways and homes:
"Ah, how could Lord Third, such a wise leader, have tolerated Danzo for so many years?"
"Wise? Doubtful!"
"I agree with Lady Tsunade's viewpoint—genin don't need excessive theory. What's crucial are practical skills like jutsu, weapon techniques, and teamwork..."
"But Lord Third keeps blocking the reforms!"
"Lord Hiruzen has been Hokage too long—he's forgotten what genin truly need."
The common theme?
Widespread dissatisfaction with Sarutobi Hiruzen.
This starkly differed from the original timeline, where the Third had resigned honorably after heavy war losses, not from losing public trust.
The blow that truly shattered his standing was Danzo's betrayal.
Though most villagers didn't understand Danzo's true nature, they knew he was once Konoha's second-in-command, a powerful figure now abandoning the village to serve the Daimyo.
Now.
Hiruzen's path to returning as Hokage had been almost completely undermined.
...
Konoha Administration Building, Hokage's Office.
"Hiruzen, you must publicly refute these accusations, or your position will only worsen!"
"Refute what?"
Mitokado Homura glanced at Utatane Koharu, hesitant to speak further.
To refute anything, there had to be misinformation.
But currently—
Everything being said was factual.
Danzo abandoning Konoha to serve the Daimyo was undeniable.
As for the proposed ninja education reforms?
Tsunade had raised the issue multiple times, debating its merits and flaws with fairness and sincerity over the past few months.
The fatal turning point?
The moment Tsunade stopped engaging in debates altogether.
Debates?
Meaningless!
She drafted her proposal and took it directly to the villagers, calling it—
"Public Opinion Research."
Nobody had ever attempted this before. To the three elders, Tsunade's methods were unthinkable.
Yet the villagers overwhelmingly supported her.
Advanced theory?
Survival came first—genin needed practical skills to stay alive on missions and battlefields!
Kyohiko's subtle guidance had undoubtedly played a role in shaping this shift.
"Hiruzen, you must rein in Tsunade. She's acting recklessly!"
Koharu pressed when Hiruzen remained silent.
Finally, Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.
"Rein her in?"
He studied his two long-time comrades.
Though he had long relied on them, Hiruzen was starting to realize—
Compared to these two, even he seemed progressive.
Hiruzen sighed softly and turned his gaze to Koharu.
"How, exactly?"
"This..."
"Tsunade has reputation, status, and achievements. Everything she advocates benefits the village and has gained widespread support from civilians and shinobi alike. By what justification should I suppress her?"
Hiruzen's expression hardened.
This was an inescapable checkmate.
Slowly straightening his robes, Hiruzen rose and gazed out at the village he had protected for over a decade before speaking calmly:
"Attend to your duties. I need time to consider our next steps."
"This—"
"Let's go."
Homura tugged on Koharu's sleeve.
Even he could see that Koharu's suggestions lacked substance—they were no match for Tsunade's tactics.
Alone at last, Hiruzen lit his pipe and turned to the family portrait on his desk.
"Your birthday is next month... Perhaps this time, I'll finally celebrate it with you properly."
...
Returning home, Kyohiko prepared to clean but found his house spotless—as if someone had maintained it daily.
Looking around—
Yes, there were clear signs of occupancy.
In his study, he even found a woman's hairband left on the chair.
Had Tsunade been here?
Kyohiko carefully scanned his surroundings.
Before long, faint rustling came from the topmost room—the sound of pages turning.
His brows rose slightly.
She's still here?
Moreover—
The chakra signature wasn't Tsunade's.
It felt more like Yuuhi Kurenai.
Kyohiko gently pushed open the door to the rooftop study.
Inside—
Kurenai sat cross-legged, surrounded by scattered books, her hands in the chakra-gathering seal.
Startled, she blinked before flushing deeply.
"You're back? I—I'm sorry! Lady Tsunade said your home had many sealing texts and Yin Seal scrolls, so she told me to study here..."
She lowered her head.
Then, her gaze snapped up in shock—fixated on Kyohiko's forehead.
There, a faint diamond-shaped mark had formed.
The visible symbol of the Yin Seal.
"You..."
"Consider it a success, though the Yin Seal has its flaws. Storing chakra takes time, yet releasing it is instantaneous. If a battle ends before depleting the reserves, resealing the excess demands tremendous effort—even causes severe backlash."
Having mastered the technique, Kyohiko now understood why Tsunade later developed the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
The Yin Seal alone was too inefficient!
"I noticed that too. Have you found a solution?"
"Still working on it."
Kyohiko smiled before gesturing to the room. "I won't disturb you further."
"I... I should leave now."
Kurenai's face burned.
While Kyohiko had been away, staying here to study and guard his collection had made sense.
But now that he'd returned, her continued presence would be improper.
Gathering her books hastily, Kurenai fled without looking back.
Kyohiko chuckled softly, swallowing a soldier pill to recover stamina before heading to bed—
When a faint rustling sounded.
His body reacted instantly.
*Body Flicker Technique!*
The moment he vanished from his original position, his chakra erupted like a storm, surging forward destructively.
*Boom!*
His unseen opponent raised his cane.
Infused with chakra, the walking stick speared through the energy wave like a blade—
Only to meet Kyohiko's fist mid-swing.
*Crack!*
The cane shattered.
Danzo stared at the broken weapon in his hand, silent for a long moment before finally speaking:
"I made one mistake."
"Oh?"
Kyohiko blurred backward, eyes alert.
Though Danzo showed no hostility, Kyohiko didn't lower his guard. The Yin Seal's final lock disengaged—
One thought, and it would unleash his full power.
Even then, victory against Danzo was unlikely, but he could buy time.
"My error was approaching you personally. You possessed value—but your growth outpaced my projections, causing me to misjudge."
Danzo's voice carried rare regret.
Kyohiko scowled. "What's the point of saying all this?"
"You differ from Hiruzen and Jiraiya. In truth, you resemble myself and Orochimaru more closely. I formally invite you to join the Guardian Ninja and collaborate toward our shared vision."
"Which is?"
"Unifying the shinobi world under Konoha's banner."
Danzo's visible eye burned with fervor.
"Only this can end war permanently. Hiruzen and Jiraiya's naive ideals will never succeed."
Kyohiko didn't respond.
He wasn't entirely shocked—Danzo had voiced similar ambitions during the Five Kage Summit in the original timeline.
What truly surprised him?
That Danzo actually believed he might agree to such an offer.
What a joke.
Kyohiko grinned coldly. "Whatever my ideals may be, why would I tie myself to you when better options exist?"
"...A pity."
Danzo's disappointment was palpable.
"I had hoped a mind like yours would recognize the truth."
"I heard you and the Hokage were both students of the Second?"
Danzo froze.
Kyohiko pressed on, smirking.
"Why do you think Lord Second chose Hiruzen over you?"
Danzo's grip tightened on his tanto's hilt.
"Enlighten me, child."
"Because you're utterly unfit to lead."
Kyohiko's words were merciless.
"Your strength can't back your ambitions. For years, you and your ilk treated sacrifice as inevitable—'war has casualties'—as if those in power shouldn't fight to prevent them!"
"Had the White Fang lived, how many more could he have saved? Yet you stoked the rumors that broke him!"
"Our education reforms would strengthen Konoha's future, yet you oppose them—simply because they contradict your outdated views!"
"Arrogant. Stagnant."
"Why would I ever follow you? Even if our goals aligned—what use is a blind man leading the way?"
Kyohiko didn't hold back.
Instantly, Danzo's chakra exploded outward, his drawn blade gleaming with razor-edged wind-natured chakra.
He lunged—
Only to slice through a substitute log.
A roar erupted from the courtyard.
Kyohiko flashed into view, hands weaving rapidly before thrusting forward—
*Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!*
A whirling serpent of compressed water hurtled forth with crushing force.
Danzo responded instantly, inhaling deeply before expelling—
*Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!*
A sphere of vacuum force met the water dragon head-on.
*BOOM!*
The techniques collided in a spiraling maelstrom—
From the dispersing mist, Kyohiko's duplicates emerged.
Three clones attacked in perfect synchronization.
Danzo exhaled sharply, coating his tanto with slicing winds—
*Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!*
As he swung, the clones suddenly scattered in mid-air, hands flashing through seals—
*Konoha Style: Willow!*
But this was no ordinary technique.
Illusionary duplicates multiplied exponentially—each one aiming for lethal points.
Genjutsu-enhanced cloned assault!
Danzo dispelled the visual trick with a pulse of chakra, raising his blade instinctively—
*CLANG!*
Kyohiko's kunai shattered on contact.
Yet the remaining clones' fists had already impacted the earth—
*CRASH!*
The ground splintered violently beneath Danzo's feet.
Before he could regain footing, Kyohiko spat a needle-thin water stream—
*Water Release: Water Cutting Wave?!*
Danzo's eye widened—
Then narrowed as he realized the diminished pressure.
A feint!
But threaded through the liquid—
*Lightning Release!*
The water net crackled to life, trapping Danzo in a web of lightning.
He barely escaped via a wind-propelled backflip, landing lightly on a tree branch.
"To reach this level at your age... remarkable."
Danzo admitted grudgingly.
"Perhaps you're right about my shortcomings. But even if you reject my leadership, consider the Daimyo's backing as an alternative."
His form began dissolving—
"Wait!"
Kyohiko pointed at the devastated courtyard.
"Aren't you going to compensate for this?"
Danzo actually chuckled.
"Hasn't Konoha already taxed me enough?"
With that, his silhouette faded into nothingness.
Kyohiko exhaled sharply.
That shadow clone couldn't have followed them in—it must've been hiding here for days.
The "tax" remark?
Perhaps not just about finances—Danzo might've been monitoring Konoha's unrest all along.
He wanted to accelerate Hiruzen's downfall.
"Kyohiko!"
Kurenai rushed in, panting.
Relief washed over her upon seeing him unharmed.
"What happened?"
"Just sparring with Danzo's shadow clone."
Kyohiko watched where the old hawk had vanished.
These veterans were still formidable—if only they weren't so stubbornly set in their ways.
"Danzo tried recruiting you?"
Kurenai's eyes widened.
This was the man currently making waves across the nations!
To sneak back into Konoha just for this...?
"Something like that."