Chapter 109: Return!

When Minato inherited the position of Fourth Hokage, Fujinaka Genma could only return as a Shadow Clone to attend the ceremony, just as he had for the wedding last time.

Minato, who had repeatedly earned battlefield merits and was born a commoner, won the approval of nearly all Jonin, and countless villagers of Konoha cheered as he ascended.

Standing below the stage, hearing the cheers around him, watching Minato in the Hokage’s ceremonial robe, and seeing Kushina Uzumaki dressed in a clean, practical ninja combat suit, Fujinaka Genma smiled faintly.

A new era had begun!

His form vanished from the crowd; Fujinaka Genma found Kakashi sitting on a roadside bench, lost in thought.

“Kakashi!”

Fujinaka Genma sat down beside him.

Kakashi jolted awake. “Genma, when did Itachi get back?”

“Just now—I came back temporarily to attend Minato-sensei’s succession ceremony.”

Fujinaka Genma said.

Kakashi merely nodded silently.

Fujinaka Genma, seeing Kakashi’s quiet, despondent state, cut straight to the point: “Kakashi, Minato-sensei hasn’t told Itachi yet, has he?”

“Hm?”

Kakashi looked up, puzzled, at Fujinaka Genma.

“About Obito and Rin’s deaths.”

Fujinaka Genma stated plainly: “I returned once before and examined Obito’s body—his Sharingan was likely removed.”

“What?”

Kakashi was stunned. “This… how is that possible?”

Fujinaka Genma continued: “Obito’s talent—or rather, his Sharingan’s potential—wasn’t weak. He had already awakened the three-tomoe before. Above that lies the Mangekyo Sharingan, a secret known only to a few in the Uchiha clan.”

“Given the circumstances, witnessing Rin’s suicide at your hands was enough to trigger another evolution of his Sharingan.”

“Itachi’ve seen the power of the three-tomoe Sharingan, but the Mangekyo Sharingan wouldn’t have been enough for Obito to die alongside the Mist ninja.”

Kakashi, sharp as ever, immediately said: “Genma, Itachi mean someone appeared after Obito eliminated the Mist ninja, attacked him, took his Sharingan, and faked the scene to make it look like they died together?”

“At least, that’s my judgment. The Third Hokage and Minato-sensei have preliminarily agreed.”

Fujinaka Genma nodded.

Kakashi immediately recalled the incident where Obito had been taken away by a mysterious figure: “Was it that mysterious person who tried to take him before?”

“This was targeted at Obito, right?”

Kakashi stood up abruptly: “Why hasn’t the Third Hokage or Minato-sensei investigated?”

Fujinaka Genma shook his head gently. “How can they investigate?”

“The current situation doesn’t allow the village to spare enough strength to track them down.”

“Think about the sequence of events—who could know such a critical Mist ninja mission, ambush Itachi, and still remain hidden? Do Itachi think it’s a simple person?”

Fixing his gaze on Kakashi, Fujinaka Genma spoke earnestly: “I told Itachi this behind Minato-sensei’s back not to send Itachi on a reckless investigation now, but to make Itachi understand.”

“What Itachi should do now…”

With that, Fujinaka Genma vanished.

Kakashi stood frozen in place.

Not long after, Might Guy approached.

“Hey, Kakashi, why didn’t Itachi go to Minato-sensei’s succession ceremony?”

Guy said as he drew near.

Kakashi snapped out of it, his dead fish eyes gone, and looked at Guy: “Guy, how about we train together?”

Guy blinked, then sized up Kakashi, and grinned, giving a thumbs-up: “Of course not a problem!”

He could see—Kakashi had changed!

Hokage’s Office.

Jiraiya looked at his student and smiled. “How does it feel to be Hokage?”

Minato couldn’t help but grimace.

At that moment, Kushina Uzumaki walked in carrying a stack of documents. “Jiraiya-sensei, do Itachi really need to ask?”

“Of course it’s immense pressure—but also immense honor.”

“By the way, didn’t Genma just come back?”

Kushina asked after setting down the documents.

Minato and Jiraiya exchanged glances. “Genma’s definitely a Shadow Clone—he just left. He probably went to see Kakashi.”

“Kakashi…”

Kushina immediately understood, smiling faintly: “Then it should be fine—Genma will definitely cheer him up.”

Minato and Jiraiya both grimaced—she trusted him too much.

Inner wounds aren’t that easy to heal.

Jiraiya changed the subject: “Minato, when do Itachi plan to recall Genma?”

Kushina immediately turned to Minato.

To her, leaving a child to guard a frontier was excessive.

Minato paused thoughtfully, then said: “The Mist should be quiet for now—just station a elite squad as a deterrent. Jiraiya-sensei, Itachi’ll head north immediately to replace Genma.”

Jiraiya froze—he was being sent away already?

That was heartless!

Seeing Jiraiya’s expression, Kushina burst out laughing.

“What about Orochimaru?”

Jiraiya asked helplessly.

“Orochimaru… stays on the front line for now.”

Minato decided.

Orochimaru had once served under Danzo.

Jiraiya nodded—he agreed with the decision—then asked again: “Has the old man made his decision yet?”

Minato nodded: “Konoha needs unity now.”

Though large-scale war had largely ended, the ninja world was far from peaceful.

If Konoha showed weakness or internal strife, it would be attacked by a pack of wolves.

At this moment, inheriting the position of Fourth Hokage—yes, the pressure was as Kushina had said: immense.

Cloud Country Frontline.

Fujinaka Genma waited only one day before Jiraiya appeared before him.

He wasn’t surprised.

There were few in Konoha who could replace him.

“Return to Konoha—don’t rush.”

Jiraiya patted Fujinaka Genma’s shoulder, warning him.

Fujinaka Genma knew Jiraiya meant Danzo.

As he had predicted, Hiruzen Sarutobi had agreed to remove Danzo—but didn’t want to kill him.

Jiraiya’s meaning was clear.

Danzo didn’t need to be killed immediately—without the Root, he was nothing.

“Don’t worry, Jiraiya-sensei—I’m not that foolish.”

Fujinaka Genma smiled.

But Jiraiya shook his head seriously, sighing: “Hatred blinds people.”

Fujinaka Genma met Jiraiya’s gaze directly: “Jiraiya-sensei, do I look like a man who’s lost himself?”

Jiraiya laughed, then shifted topics, asking seriously: “About the Rinnegan—Itachi’re certain?”

“Not certain—only what I learned from the Uchiha clan. But it shouldn’t be wrong; it’s something passed down through generations of the Uchiha.”

Fujinaka Genma spoke half-truths.

The stone tablet’s contents were partly true, partly false.

Jiraiya’s expression grew complex.

Fujinaka Genma’s mind stirred—he realized the Akatsuki in the Land of Rain must be in trouble.

Yahiko is dead, then.

Is Nagato crippled now?

Has the butterfly effect reached them?

And who will replace Obito Uchiha?

Many Uchiha died in this war.

Tracing them would be difficult.

And it seems pointless anyway.