Turn Up the Heat on Minato!

"Your idea is good, and it's highly feasible."

"Given the current ossified clan system in Konoha, there is no better method than yours, provided we avoid bloodshed and civil war."

Hearing Natsu Yuu's praise, Minato felt incredibly encouraged and happy.

There was nothing more exhilarating than having someone recognize one's own philosophy and plans.

But soon, Natsu Yuu began to pour cold water on his enthusiasm.

"However, you've overlooked two problems."

"Please enlighten me, Mister."

"First: you have a short lifespan. You were supposed to die last night. If that had happened, all the reforms and philosophies you lead would have collapsed along with you. A dozen years from now, Konoha's Ninja Academy would still not be teaching any advanced ninjutsu. All secret techniques and high-level ninjutsu would still be firmly controlled by the various ninja clans, passed down only to their own kin."

"This..."

Minato was stunned once again. These words were so blunt!

But he knew Natsu Yuu was right.

Without Natsu Yuu and Hashirama, he and Kushina would have already departed for the afterlife last night.

And the reforms he was spearheading would naturally have died with him.

But Minato quickly perked up again; since he was still alive, everything could still be changed! There was still a future!

"Once again, thank you for saving my life, Mister!"

"But since I am alive, then this path..."

Natsu Yuu continued:

"Second, even if you stay alive, you don't have the time or the ability to wait for the day Konoha is peacefully revitalized."

"Why?"

"Because Madara Uchiha is indeed still alive!"

Minato: !!! (shocked)

Kushina: (gasp)

"Ho, how is that possible? Didn't you say that the Masked Man was Obito, Mister?"

"Is there a contradiction between the Masked Man being Obito and Madara Uchiha still being alive?"

"This... didn't he die decades ago?"

"Can't you just fake your death to escape?"

"Uh..."

Minato shook his head, still unable to believe it.

"Why do you think Obito's strength increased so drastically? Why did his personality change so much? And how did he know the sensitive information about the Jinchuriki's childbirth? He even learned how to undo the Eight Trigrams Seal..."

"Could he have accomplished all of this on his own?"

"Unless..."

"Unless there is someone behind him guiding him, manipulating him, and using him!"

Minato suddenly realized, and everything started to make sense.

It was no wonder Obito had changed so much. If it were truly the legendary Madara Uchiha pulling the strings from the shadows, then it was entirely possible!

This was also the reason why Minato had initially mistaken Obito for Madara Uchiha.

"But even if Madara Uchiha is still alive, why would he hinder my reform plans?"

"Because he has always been attempting to collect all the Tailed Beasts, intending to destroy the entire ninja world!"

"Even Rin carrying the Tailed Beast to attack Konoha, and ultimately being forced to commit suicide at Kakashi's hands—that was also orchestrated by him."

Minato was shocked once again, feeling almost numb.

"Rin... was she also a victim of his schemes?"

"Furthermore, he has already obtained the Rinnegan and possesses power comparable to a god. With him single-mindedly pushing his agenda and plotting, how much peace do you think the ninja world and Konoha have left?"

"How much time do you have left to slowly reform and develop?"

Natsu Yuu dropped another bombshell, ruthlessly stimulating Minato.

Of course, Natsu Yuu did not tell Minato that the Madara of this world was already dead.

Otherwise, how could he create a sense of crisis for Minato and motivate him to strive harder?

But even if Madara was dead.

Obito, Nagato, Black Zetsu, and the Akatsuki—these dangers still remained.

In reality, Konoha didn't enjoy peace for much longer...

Moreover, to Minato, Black Zetsu was too distant; revealing it wouldn't provide a tangible sense of threat.

But by framing the villain as Madara Uchiha, the intensity and the sense of threat were instantly elevated.

He could no longer afford to take this lightly.

Natsu Yuu's prediction was spot on; after being bombarded by this series of bombshells, Minato was left reeling.

An unprecedented sense of oppression and crisis had indeed erupted within his heart.

He had witnessed the power of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, with his own eyes the previous night; the man had handled the Nine-Tails as easily as if it were a mere chick.

And Madara Uchiha, who was spoken of in the same breath, must be equally terrifying!

Perhaps even more so, now that he possessed the Rinnegan!

With such a terrifying threat looming, constantly plotting to destroy the world, what chance did Konohagakure have for a peaceful rise?

His original plans and ideals would be worthless in the face of such a threat!

"Mister, is everything you said true?"

"Do I have any reason to lie to you? Whether it's true or not, you can verify it yourself."

Hearing this, Minato was already eighty or ninety percent convinced.

For a moment, he felt immense pressure, his expression turning graver than ever before!

It was far heavier than when he had faced the Nine-Tails the previous night.

"Minato, don't worry. No matter what happens, Naruto and I will always be with you!"

Kushina sensed Minato's anxiety and worry. She cupped his face and comforted him gently.

"I feel the same. I will never leave you two!"

Minato closed his eyes and murmured, a certain resolve forming in his heart.

No matter what, he would not let the enemy harm his wife and child, nor would he let them harm the village!

If everything was truly as Immortal Natsu Yuu had said, and an almost invincible Madara Uchiha was lurking in the shadows, then he would have to overturn all his previous plans and reformulate his strategy.

This was his responsibility to his family, and his responsibility to the village as the Hokage!

"Mister, can I defeat Madara Uchiha?"

The best source of answers was right in front of him, so Minato naturally had to make use of it.

As for repaying Natsu Yuu, that can wait for later.

Anyway, I can never fully repay the debt of saving my life...

"Fourth Generation, do you think you can defeat Hashirama Senju?"

Minato remained silent.

He did not continue to dwell on this aspect.

If you can't beat them, you can't beat them! There is nothing shameful about that.

Then, he would continue to develop himself, research new ninjutsu, and strengthen his own power.

The future belongs to those who are good at creating.

"Then what should I do next?"

"I only offer suggestions, not guidance. How you choose and what you do is entirely up to you."

"Thank you, Mister."

"I suggest you pull those rotten guys like Danzo down as soon as possible and integrate the strength of the entire village."

"At the very least, if you encounter attacks from enemy villages or Tailed Beasts after that, tragedies like last night's won't happen again."

Minato nodded. If that could be achieved, it would naturally be for the best.

Why is Kumogakure the strongest in terms of comprehensive combat power?

The biggest reason is that they are united from top to bottom, and the Raikage can have the final say, easily implementing his will and policies.

If Konoha could also achieve this, there would be no room for the other major hidden villages.

"Mister, do you have a strategy for peace?"

"If possible, I really don't want to take action against those few..."

Minato frowned and pondered, completely unable to think of a way to seize power peacefully.

Given the personalities of guys like Danzo, taking their power is almost harder than taking their lives!

It is simply impossible to do it without bloodshed.

Minato could only turn to Natsu Yuu for help, wanting to consult him on whether he had a better plan.

"Toppling the Konoha F4 is actually not difficult. It just requires a bit of strategy, plus a few special tactics."

"Of course, it is impossible to have absolutely no sacrifices."

"However, we can minimize casualties as much as possible."

"It can mainly be broken down into three steps."

"Step one: Win some over, strike some down!"

You have to realize, over these past few decades in Konohagakure, not every noble ninja clan has been living comfortably.

Do you want to know if the Uchiha Clan wants to rise to power?

Does the Hyuga Clan want to rise to power?

They dream about it; they think about it even when they're taking a dump!

Especially the Uchiha—if they don't think about it, their entire clan's lives might not even be guaranteed!

Just these two great clans combined, plus Minato himself, are more than enough to overshadow the factional influence of Hiruzen and his three cohorts.

Moreover, there are plenty of other forces that can be won over.

Of course, winning over these great clans isn't for the purpose of directly starting a civil war.

It is so that after toppling the Konoha F4, we can transition power in the most peaceful way possible, ensuring that the losses and instability suffered by Konoha are kept to a minimum.