Returning to the courtyard, Reiki looked at Tsunade, who had a smile on her face.
Reiki recounted all the events that had happened outside.
"Hahaha..."
"I heard their conversation outside, and I can just picture the dark faces of Danzo and the Hokage," Tsunade said, laughing.
"Teacher, Danzo and the Hokage should be quite busy now," Reiki added with curiosity. "What happens next?"
Since Tsunade had made such a choice, she probably had some plans for what was coming. Besides, Minato was currently training Kakashi and the others, so it seemed they could remain in the village for a while.
"There's not much to plan next," Tsunade said plainly. "Orochimaru has been very active in the village lately. I think I'll go have a drink with him and bring Jiraiya along."
"Lord Orochimaru?" Reiki's interest was piqued. "I see."
Tsunade, in good spirits, left the courtyard with a bottle of sake.
"Reiki, Teacher's going to meet Lord Orochimaru to discuss when he'll become Hokage, right?" Nozuki said with a grin. This girl often spoke without much thought but seemed to understand Tsunade's intentions.
"First, we need to become stronger ourselves," Reiki reminded her. "By the way, Nozuki, how has Brother Minato been lately?"
"Brother? Oh, he's as passionate as ever about everything," Nozuki said. "At home, my sister-in-law calls the shots, so he doesn't dare slack off. But why did you suddenly ask about him?"
"We were just talking about Lord Orochimaru and the position of Hokage, and now..." Nozuki's confusion was evident.
"It's nothing, just curious. If Brother Minato has time tonight, could you invite him over?" Reiki requested, already forming a plan in his mind.
"Okay! I'll go call him. Should I tell Shisui too?" Nozuki replied before dashing away, full of energy. Watching her, Reiki couldn't help but smile. Youth and its boundless enthusiasm—truly refreshing.
Setting his emotions aside, Reiki walked back into the living room. Ahead lay challenges beyond just dealing with the root organization. They would be facing Konoha's entrenched top brass as well.
"Shizune, Kurenai, let's go shopping for groceries. We'll have a feast tonight," he said. The three left the courtyard together.
That evening, the courtyard was lively, with a barbecue grill set up and tables filled with delicious dishes.
"Reiki, did you make all this? It's amazing!" Uzumaki Kushina said cheerfully. At home, she was the one doing most of the cooking, so this was a delightful change.
"It's just some simple dishes," Reiki replied modestly. "Sister Kushina, you're too kind."
The party continued late into the night, and everyone stayed over to rest. In the small courtyard, Reiki and Minato were tidying up.
"Brother Minato, do you want to become Hokage?" Reiki asked as they sat on the steps after cleaning.
"Of course," Minato replied without hesitation. "My goal is to become Hokage and make the village better!"
"How about competing with Lord Orochimaru for the position of the Fourth Hokage?" Reiki suggested. Minato's fingers twitched slightly at that.
"Brother Minato, you have the strength to do it, and I know you'd put the village first. I support you," Reiki continued, seeing Minato's silence.
"But... Lord Orochimaru is the only candidate. He's the expected Fourth Hokage. Also, typically, the selection period for Hokage candidates is around two years. Given the current state of the Sandaime, we're almost at that two-year mark," Minato said, his understanding of Konoha's political climate clear. However, he was often too optimistic and had been shielded from the darker realities of village politics.
"The Sandaime might not choose Lord Orochimaru," Reiki said, handing Minato a scroll.
"Master Danzo?!" Minato's eyes widened as he read the document. The fact that an eight-year-old like Reiki could access such information was astonishing.
"Did Tsunade-sama ask you to give this to me?" Minato guessed.
Reiki nodded. "Yes, Teacher told me to."
Minato seemed to piece things together on his own. "And the Sandaime gave you the Flying Thunder God, right?" Reiki reminded him. "Considering his attitude towards you, doesn't it tell you something, Brother Minato?"
Minato fell silent. Sarutobi Hiruzen's reliance on him was indeed unique. Even when there were no missions available at the office, the Sandaime would seek him out personally. Recently, he had even entrusted Minato with important missions, including a major daimyo escort assignment. Paired with Tsunade's endorsement and Jiraiya being his mentor, it began to make sense.
"Brother Minato, the Sandaime hopes that a capable and devoted person will lead Konoha. Lord Orochimaru has different ambitions. The Sandaime might disapprove of Danzo's methods. So, Brother Minato..."
Reiki left the thought hanging, giving Minato time to reflect. In Konoha, there were many powerful figures, but only one could become Hokage. Hatake Sakumo, due to the incident with Sarutobi Shinnosuke, was out of the question. Jiraiya and Tsunade were not interested in the position. Orochimaru's association with Danzo made the Sandaime uncertain.
"I understand," Minato finally said, deep in thought.
"Good. I'll head in now. Brother Minato, get some rest too," Reiki said, walking inside.
Minato remained seated in the courtyard, holding the scroll and contemplating everything he'd just learned.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 470 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, as Minato stepped out of his room, he was met with an ominous atmosphere. Kushina was glaring at him with an intense expression, and her chakra was already flaring.
"Kushina, what's wrong?" Minato asked, perplexed. He turned to Reiki, who was emerging with breakfast, seeking help.
What could have happened overnight? Everything was fine last night, so why did Kushina now look like she was ready to knock him out?
"Reiki did all of this," Kushina snapped. "You're still just a child, and you're up early making breakfast for everyone. From now on, you're cooking with me."
Kushina's frustration was clear. After talking with Nozuki, Shizune, and the others the night before, she realized that Reiki often took on the cooking at the house, balancing it with training and tasks. He was busier than Minato and still managed to make meals that tasted amazing.
Minato let out a small sigh of relief. It was just about cooking.
"Brother Minato, come eat," Reiki called out. "Kushina-sama is going shopping with Shizune and the others soon. You stay here so I can check your condition."
Reiki's tone was cheerful, but Minato recognized his serious intentions. As a skilled medical ninja, Reiki could diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, even Minato's nagging health issues.
"Alright," Minato agreed, joining them at the table. He was still shaken by Kushina's earlier glare.
After breakfast, the women left for their outing, and Shisui returned to the Uchiha compound. Only Reiki and Minato remained in the courtyard.
"Brother Minato, does Sister Kushina's control over the Kyuubi ever falter?" Reiki asked bluntly.
"Not really," Minato admitted, a touch of worry in his voice. "But she hasn't mastered the power of the Kyuubi yet."
Though Kushina's Uzumaki heritage gave her a strong physique, exceptional chakra, and formidable sealing techniques to suppress the Nine-Tails, drawing on the Kyuubi's power was another matter entirely. Minato had seen how the malevolent beast's aura resisted recognition, even when Kushina tried to communicate with it.
"I see," Reiki said thoughtfully. "Let me check you first, and then, if the time is right, I'll check Sister Kushina too."
Reiki placed his hand on Minato's back, easily healing hidden training-related injuries and internal issues. Even Minato's chronic fatigue, including organ strain, was alleviated.
"Reiki, your talent as a medical ninja is remarkable," Minato said, astonished at the newfound energy coursing through him. "If you dedicated more time to training, I think you could surpass even Tsunade-sama."
"Brother Minato, I know what I'm doing. This is my path," Reiki replied confidently. "How about we find Kakashi and the others for some training?"
Minato laughed, shaking his head. "You never change, do you? Let's go."
At the training grounds, Minato watched with a frown as Reiki engaged Obito, Kakashi, and Rin. The scene before him left him questioning his teaching methods. While he was proud of his students—Kakashi with his impressive swordsmanship and ninjutsu, Obito with his Sharingan and solid taijutsu, and Rin's sharp tactical analysis—Reiki's overwhelming power surprised him.
Reiki, the same age as his students, was defeating them without breaking a sweat. The difference in strength was astonishing.
"Teacher, can we spar with Reiki again?" Kakashi, now healed, asked seriously.
"Yes," Minato said, nodding. "But did you learn anything from the last match?"
"We need better coordination," Kakashi admitted. "Reiki's speed and strength have improved again, and he's better at swordsmanship than I am. We can't take him on individually. We need to work as a team."
A gleam of determination shone in Kakashi's eyes. He realized that training with Reiki offered more growth than many missions could.
Minato's doubt vanished. Kakashi was indeed a promising talent.
The second round of battle started, but once more, Reiki emerged victorious, using the trio as training props. By evening, the exhausted Kakashi approached Reiki.
"I'm done," Kakashi said, defeated. "Can I just buy some potions from you instead?"
Reiki smiled. "Of course. I was going to give them to you anyway."
He laid out a series of potions: "This is a spirit-clearing potion for mental focus when practicing sword techniques. This one's a body-strengthening potion—your physique is too lean. And these are stamina and recovery potions. Don't just use them in battle; push yourself during training to unlock your full potential."
Even Minato, watching from the side, felt a hint of envy. These were rare items on the market, hard to acquire even with money.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 470 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
Also, leave a review FFS