[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha":3,"chapter-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-109":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting Off with Horse and Sword in Konoha",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2349160,4591,"Chapter 109: Return!","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-109",109,"\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new era had begun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His form vanished from the crowd; Fujinaka Genma found Kakashi sitting on a roadside bench, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kakashi!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma sat down beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kakashi jolted awake. “Genma, when did Itachi get back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just now—I came back temporarily to attend Minato-sensei’s succession ceremony.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kakashi merely nodded silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma, seeing Kakashi’s quiet, despondent state, cut straight to the point: “Kakashi, Minato-sensei hasn’t told Itachi yet, has he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kakashi looked up, puzzled, at Fujinaka Genma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About Obito and Rin’s deaths.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma stated plainly: “I returned once before and examined Obito’s body—his Sharingan was likely removed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kakashi was stunned. “This… how is that possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Given the circumstances, witnessing Rin’s suicide at your hands was enough to trigger another evolution of his Sharingan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least, that’s my judgment. The Third Hokage and Minato-sensei have preliminarily agreed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This was targeted at Obito, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kakashi stood up abruptly: “Why hasn’t the Third Hokage or Minato-sensei investigated?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma shook his head gently. “How can they investigate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The current situation doesn’t allow the village to spare enough strength to track them down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What Itachi should do now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Fujinaka Genma vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kakashi stood frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, Might Guy approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Kakashi, why didn’t Itachi go to Minato-sensei’s succession ceremony?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guy said as he drew near.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kakashi snapped out of it, his dead fish eyes gone, and looked at Guy: “Guy, how about we train together?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guy blinked, then sized up Kakashi, and grinned, giving a thumbs-up: “Of course not a problem!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could see—Kakashi had changed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hokage’s Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya looked at his student and smiled. “How does it feel to be Hokage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minato couldn’t help but grimace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Kushina Uzumaki walked in carrying a stack of documents. “Jiraiya-sensei, do Itachi really need to ask?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course it’s immense pressure—but also immense honor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, didn’t Genma just come back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kushina asked after setting down the documents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minato and Jiraiya exchanged glances. “Genma’s definitely a Shadow Clone—he just left. He probably went to see Kakashi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kakashi…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kushina immediately understood, smiling faintly: “Then it should be fine—Genma will definitely cheer him up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minato and Jiraiya both grimaced—she trusted him too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inner wounds aren’t that easy to heal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya changed the subject: “Minato, when do Itachi plan to recall Genma?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kushina immediately turned to Minato.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To her, leaving a child to guard a frontier was excessive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya froze—he was being sent away already?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was heartless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Jiraiya’s expression, Kushina burst out laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about Orochimaru?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya asked helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Orochimaru… stays on the front line for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minato decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orochimaru had once served under Danzo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya nodded—he agreed with the decision—then asked again: “Has the old man made his decision yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minato nodded: “Konoha needs unity now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though large-scale war had largely ended, the ninja world was far from peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Konoha showed weakness or internal strife, it would be attacked by a pack of wolves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, inheriting the position of Fourth Hokage—yes, the pressure was as Kushina had said: immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud Country Frontline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma waited only one day before Jiraiya appeared before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were few in Konoha who could replace him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Return to Konoha—don’t rush.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya patted Fujinaka Genma’s shoulder, warning him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma knew Jiraiya meant Danzo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he had predicted, Hiruzen Sarutobi had agreed to remove Danzo—but didn’t want to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya’s meaning was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danzo didn’t need to be killed immediately—without the Root, he was nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, Jiraiya-sensei—I’m not that foolish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiraiya shook his head seriously, sighing: “Hatred blinds people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma met Jiraiya’s gaze directly: “Jiraiya-sensei, do I look like a man who’s lost himself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya laughed, then shifted topics, asking seriously: “About the Rinnegan—Itachi’re certain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma spoke half-truths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone tablet’s contents were partly true, partly false.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiraiya’s expression grew complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fujinaka Genma’s mind stirred—he realized the Akatsuki in the Land of Rain must be in trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yahiko is dead, then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is Nagato crippled now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has the butterfly effect reached them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And who will replace Obito Uchiha?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many Uchiha died in this war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tracing them would be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it seems pointless anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>",1022,"2026-06-21T02:29:34.312Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0fd47ac18bc965793904e284e50a23179d5491df31e58c4a2bb36625adc87b4b","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-110","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-108",157,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-cover.jpg"]