บท 119: Striving to Reach the Pinnacle?

"Hiruko, huh..."

A hint of reminiscence flashed in Fuma's eyes. Since graduating from the ninja academy, it had been over ten years since he'd heard that name—almost like forgetting an elementary school friend.

Minato wore a serious expression as he detailed the situation:

"He's about 175 cm tall, with fair skin, and seems to possess a skin-hardening ability, though overall he's just a typical jōnin-level ninja."

"A month ago, he attempted to infiltrate the Uchiha district but was detected by the protective barrier."

"I went to investigate and was directly attacked by him. During our confrontation, I severed his left arm, but he was rescued by arriving Root ninjas."

"Afterward, Elder Setsuna went to negotiate with the Third Hokage, who officially designated him as a rogue ninja and issued a warrant for his arrest."

"At this point, who else would dare to target the Uchiha clan? It could only be the Third Hokage's side..."

Fuma pondered quietly and then slowly said, "It likely wasn't on the Third's orders. I just had a meeting with Uzumaki Mito, and we agreed that making Danzo the jinchūriki was favorable."

"Everyone was content, with no intention of using Kushina as a vessel."

Minato let out a long breath, his previously tense face relaxing back to his usual laid-back, handsome demeanor.

If the Third Hokage had indeed tried to make Kushina the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, he would have dragged Fuma to go and "settle" things...

He'd gotten a taste for it and didn't want the fox to be watching or even interfering during his training sessions with Kushina. That would be just too weird.

Most importantly, it could impact Kushina's lifespan. According to her, even Uzumaki Mito, who had mastered the Yin Seal, had lost vitality on her skin's surface.

This assumption meant that even if the Uzumaki clan could suppress the tailed beasts, the Nine-Tails would still have a negative effect on any jinchūriki.

In Minato's heart, anyone with ill intentions toward Kushina or Fuma was an enemy he would never forgive.

Noticing Minato's rapidly changing expressions, Fuma continued, "As for Hiruko, he was my classmate back in the academy. Based on the current situation, this doesn't seem related to either the Third or Uzumaki Mito."

"With Danzo aiding his escape, it looks like they're collaborating. I'll visit the Root tonight and ask our dear Hokage's advisor what he has in mind..."

Initially, Fuma had high hopes for Hiruko, even trying to befriend him back in their academy days. But Fuma quickly realized that Hiruko lacked talent and had an overly sensitive and fragile psyche.

He was like a hedgehog, responding to Fuma's goodwill with a prickly attitude—deeply insecure and unwilling to open up.

Fuma had later determined that Hiruko would only defect during the Third Great Ninja War and that the 'Chimera Technique' wouldn't be perfected until Naruto's time, so he had set aside any thoughts on him.

After graduating from the academy and joining the Anbu, Fuma was eager to establish himself in the ninja world, and he barely had time to meet even Tsunade, let alone keep up with a fringe figure like Hiruko.

Now, it appeared his assumptions were correct; Hiruko's abilities remained limited, as he was easily defeated by the sixteen-year-old Minato, losing an arm in one encounter.

But what surprised him was that Danzo seemed to be working with him and had somehow developed a skin-hardening ability, suggesting that Chimera Technique might already be taking shape.

"Given that, I feel at ease. But, speaking of which, can Danzo handle the Nine-Tails' power? Wouldn't he be at risk of backlash?"

Minato smirked upon hearing that Danzo might become the Nine-Tails jinchūriki.

For a man always wrapped in bandages and playing up his disability, Minato had held little regard since his youth.

"Mito is currently the most skilled in sealing techniques in the ninja world. With her handling it, the Nine-Tails wouldn't have room to resist."

"Besides, Shimura Danzo is still in his prime and possesses Kage-level strength. As a vessel, it shouldn't be an issue..."

"But how much of the Nine-Tails' power he can use is another matter entirely."

Fuma shook his head. With Mito's skill and support from the Third and others, sealing the Nine-Tails in Danzo would be relatively simple.

Yet, no matter how advanced Mito's sealing techniques, she couldn't make it possible for Danzo to draw out large amounts of the Nine-Tails' chakra. He'd be fortunate if he could even manage the tailed beast cloak.

Even with a hundred times more chakra, Danzo would still be like a lamb on the chopping block to Fuma, free for him to handle as he pleased.

"What about the situation in the Hidden Mist? Nawaki has been missing for half a year now—what's he doing with Orochimaru?"

Fuma asked, intrigued, recalling how Minato had explained the Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen to Konan and Obito in such depth.

"The Hidden Mist is even more corrupt than Konoha," Minato began. "If it weren't for its advantageous geographic isolation overseas, it might have fallen long ago."

"They have a chaotic structure. The Mizukage and an elder named Genji hold equal power and publicly clash. To secure his authority, the Mizukage has been escalating his so-called 'Blood Mist' purge. He's practically gone mad."

"Orochimaru has already recruited quite a few Mist ninjas, including bloodline-limit users like those with Ice Release and Dark Release."

"Before I returned, he was negotiating with the Kaguya clan, but these bone-wielding maniacs are hard to deal with..."

Minato handed Fuma a sealed message from Orochimaru, indicating their next steps.

Fuma nodded, accepting the letter, and then remarked, "In the Warring States period, the Kaguya clan had a reputation similar to our Uchiha—known for their reverence for power and love of combat, which didn't endear them to others."

"For clans like these, logic and benefits should come second. What's essential is to beat them down first. After that, they'll be much more agreeable."

"I'll reply to Orochimaru. I'll make time to visit the Mist and talk with the Kaguya clan's leader."

Fuma spoke with the ease of experience, his words tinged with the weight of his role as Uchiha clan head. He understood well the importance of physical persuasion.

Minato chuckled and added sarcastically, "Right, right...it seems the ultimate lesson in clan leadership is beating up everyone, including the previous head, maybe even twice over."

"If the Third Hokage could knock you down, maybe he could actually lead Konoha to become the strongest in the ninja world."

Fuma and Minato exchanged glances and burst into laughter, as if mocking a certain elderly man with a smoking pipe...

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