The End of the War

With that, Karot took a step forward and pressed a hand onto Uchiha Shisui's shoulder.

"Shisui, that's enough. Let's stop here."

Uchiha Shisui couldn't believe the change before his eyes. He had clearly trapped his opponent in his Genjutsu, so why had he suddenly appeared behind his back?

"I lost."

Shisui said with a hint of dejection. Having been called a genius of the Uchiha since he was a child, he inevitably harbored some pride. Now, that pride had been ruthlessly shattered by Karot; the Sharingan he relied on so heavily had been completely ineffective against him.

"Senior Karot, you truly live up to your reputation. Your strength is unfathomable."

"Oh? I didn't think someone with such thick brows and big eyes would be so good at flattery."

Karot looked at Shisui as if seeing him for the first time.

Shisui seemed to have made a major decision. He knelt on one knee and said, "Senior Karot, please help the Uchiha."

Uchiha Shisui's sudden kneeling left Karot deeply puzzled.

"Shisui, what is the meaning of this?"

"Senior, you must be aware of the predicament the Uchiha Clan is in."

Karot nodded. The Uchiha Clan was ostracized by every family in Konoha. The most critical factor was the village's Gang of Four, who constantly suppressed the Uchiha's interests. Danzo was particularly aggressive; believing himself to be the successor to the Second Hokage's ideology, he both feared and loathed the Uchiha, constantly looking for a chance to wipe them out.

Having grasped the crux of the situation, Karot spoke up.

"Then you shouldn't be choosing me. Your Clan Head has a close relationship with Minato, and Minato is a strong contender for the next Hokage."

"If I had to guess, Fugaku has likely placed his bets on Minato."

"Yes, our Clan Head has no other choice. He can only bet on Senior Minato."

"But Senior Minato's foundation is too shallow. His chances of success are not very high."

Shisui's analysis was not wrong. If Karot hadn't known the script, he would have reached the same conclusion. If not for Orochimaru dropping a bombshell, it would have been uncertain whether Minato could even become Hokage.

"Then what is your reason for choosing me?"

Karot asked. He had neither shown any desire for the position of Hokage nor did he hold any official post or power. He didn't understand why Shisui had chosen him.

"Senior Karot, your father was the White Fang of Konoha, and he has countless former students and subordinates with high prestige. You and your younger brother, Kakashi, are both geniuses of Konoha."

"The most critical factor is your strength. With your power, there is no need to worry about the Uchiha Clan rising up against you—just as Hashirama Senju never worried about the Uchiha Clan rebelling, because he could suppress them with a single hand."

Shisui spoke with conviction. This sudden pledge of loyalty caught Karot completely off guard.

The Uchiha Clan makes for the best subordinates; as long as you can beat them into submission, they will be loyal to you. The key, however, is that Karot has no desire to become Hokage. He is currently collaborating with Orochimaru simply to see what kind of changes Orochimaru would bring to the ninja world if he were to become Hokage. Following the original trajectory of the Naruto world without deviation no longer satisfies Karot.

"Are you representing the Uchiha or Shisui?"

There is a difference between having one subordinate and having a whole group of them. If he used the Uchiha to support Orochimaru's candidacy, the chances of success would increase significantly. Karot couldn't help but feel smug in his heart.

"This, this..."

Uchiha Shisui found it hard to speak. Could he tell Karot that this was a decision he had made on the spur of the moment? Wouldn't that give Karot the impression that he was unreliable?

Watching Shisui's reaction, Karot knew what he was thinking—that he had unleashed his domineering aura and people had flocked to him from all directions. In reality, he was only fooling a child.

"You know that I support Lord Orochimaru, right?" Karot asked.

"I know."

"Then you should know what this choice of yours implies, right?"

"Yes."

It meant that Shisui and the Uchiha Clan would have nothing to do with each other from now on; he was abandoning his clan.

"Very well. I, Hatake Karot, accept your allegiance."

Karot said solemnly. He wanted to try to change the fate of Uchiha Shisui, the fate of a character filled with such tragedy.

Just like that, Karot received his first subordinate.

On that very day, news exploded across the entire ninja world: the Third Raikage had died in battle. When Karot received this news, he knew the Third Shinobi World War was coming to an end. The Stone Village had paid a horrific price to drag the Third Raikage to his death and would surely withdraw from the battlefield to lick their wounds in some secluded corner. The Cloud Ninja had lost their strongest combatant and no longer had the strength to continue fighting. The Mist Village had lost the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and was now only thinking about how to ransom them back. In short, it was a total mess. However, none of this had anything to do with Karot. He spent his days playing around, leaving matters to his subordinates, and living a very comfortable life.

But Karot's good days were coming to an end. A decree from the Leaf Village ordered Karot to return. Since the ceasefire at the Mist border, such a large ninja force was too costly to maintain, so Karot was ordered to lead his troops back to the village.

When Karot announced the order to the troops, everyone erupted into loud cheers. They knew the war was over and that the Leaf had finally achieved victory. They no longer had to live in constant fear while stationed at the border; they could return home alive and reunite with their families.

When they arrived at the village gates, they were warmly welcomed by the villagers who had organized themselves spontaneously. As Karot led them into the village, the scene erupted in thunderous cheers, celebrating the return of heroes. This was the respect every Leaf ninja deserved. There were also villagers in the crowd searching for their children, husbands, and wives.

Karot saw his father immediately. He looked at Karot from afar, his eyes filled with gratification. A young eagle could finally soar freely in the sky.

"All units, dismiss. I am going to the Hokage Building to report the situation."

"Yes, Lord Hatake!"

"Lord Karot, let's have a drink once you're done! It's a pity we couldn't have a drink together on the battlefield. Now that we're back, you can't leave us disappointed!"

"That's right, that's right, Lord Karot!"

On the Mist border, Karot's strength had been recognized, and they respected him greatly. Plus, Karot was easy to get along with, so they had built good relationships. After all, they had fought in the trenches together—a bond forged in the heat of battle.

"Lord Hokage, I have returned."

Karot said, facing the Hokage.

"Well done, Karot. Capturing four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and retrieving the Seven Ninja Swords is a meritorious deed indeed. Truly, a tiger father breeds no dog son."

Hiruzen Sarutobi showered him with praise, and Karot found it a bit overwhelming. If he didn't know exactly what kind of person the Hokage before him was, Karot might have been deceived by his kindly facade.

"Thank you for the praise, Lord Hokage. This is only what I should do. I always keep your teachings in mind, learning the Will of Fire and protecting Konoha."

Who doesn't know how to act? Karot molded himself into the image of a passionate youth, ready to shed blood and sacrifice everything for Konoha. It left Hiruzen Sarutobi stunned.

"Not bad, Karot. The Will of Fire is our guiding principle; we must always keep it in our hearts."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

The two stared at each other, both wearing expressions of mutual agreement, while thinking to themselves:

Hiss. This person's skill is no less than mine.