"Have you heard? Ten days ago at the border, Lord Minato single-handedly dealt with more than a dozen Cloud invaders!"
"Really? Wasn't it said to be the Uchiha Guard Unit back then...?"
"Well, everyone deserves credit, everyone deserves credit. But Lord Minato is faster! The ' Yellow Flash ' isn't just a nickname!"
"Yes, and Lord Minato is so approachable. He even helped my mother-in-law carry her things yesterday!"
"What a promising young man! Strong and kind. I wish he could become Hokage someday..."
"..."
Such conversations began to appear frequently in Dumpling Shop, bathhouses, and markets.
As if overnight, Minato Namikaze's reputation soared from "a powerful Jonin " to " National Idol " and " Hokage Reserve ".
The various families quickly noticed this unusual shift in the political climate.
Hyuga Clan Hyuga Hiashi, son of Hyuga Sakon, the Main Family, quickly found his father, Hyuga Sakon, after hearing the news from his clansmen.
"Father, Minato Namikaze has recently gained considerable fame. It seems that the Third Hokage is beginning to pave the way for the next generation."
Minato Namikaze... is indeed an impeccable choice."
Upon hearing this, Hyuga Sakon smiled dismissively.
" The Third Hokage' schemes were clever, but in the end, they were all in vain!"
Thinking of the heroic figure of Chiyo Uchiha that he had seen on the battlefield.
Chiyo Uchiha, End of War...
"Don't get too close; remain on the sidelines and observe."
" Hiashi!"
"Father!"
"Once this ordeal with the Hokage is over, you will succeed as the Clan Leader leader!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Hyuga Hiashi's eyes.
"Father, about this matter..."
Hyuga Sakon waved his hand dismissively, leaving no room for refusal.
"It's settled then!"
"Yes!"
"From now on, no matter what, the Hyuga Clan must never fight with the Uchiha Clan!"
The major clans of Konoha all chose to remain silent at almost the same time.
Some smaller families, hearing the news, began to try to curry favor with Minato Namikaze through various channels, after receiving instructions from some families.
For a time, the threshold of the Minato family's house was almost worn down by the crowds, leaving him somewhat overwhelmed and even a little annoyed.
Although he had a sunny personality, he wasn't stupid. He could naturally sense that there was an invisible hand pushing things along, which made him feel a little uneasy.
But out of respect and trust for the Third Hokage, he could only train harder and handle missions, trying to respond to this expectation with strength and action.
However, when this trend reached the Uchiha Compound, it seemed to have hit an invisible wall.
The Uchiha clan members generally reacted coldly to this, even with a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm.
" Yellow Flash? Hmph, it was our Chiyo Clan Leader End of War!"
"Exactly! If Lord Chiyo hadn't captured the Raikage and Tsuchikage, would the war have ended so quickly? No matter how much hype is generated, can it change the facts?"
" The Third is scared, isn't he? He's in a hurry to put forward a representative to counterbalance the Uchiha."
"A clown."
"..."
This arrogant sentiment permeated the clan, but it was quickly stopped by Fugaku.
Fugaku served as Hokage Advisor for a long time.
A keen political sense is certainly present.
If the Uchiha Clan members become angry and arrogant at this time, they will naturally be caught off guard.
When the Uchiha members walked through the village, they couldn't express protest or disdain regarding the " Yellow Flash " that the villagers were discussing.
They often respond with silence or a meaningful glance.
The atmosphere in the village finally made Fugaku restless, and he came to the outside of Chiyo's house.
An urgent report was given.
At this moment, listening to Fugaku's anxious and dissatisfied narration, Chiyo simply nodded calmly.
"Just as I thought."
Chiyo gently blew on the hot tea in his hand, the rising steam blurring his eyes, which had become sharp and deep for a moment, but quickly returned to the depths of his gaze.
"Cousin, calm down."
He put down his teacup, his voice steady and strong, carrying a strange, comforting power.
"The methods employed by the Third Hokage are nothing more than the same old system of public opinion and checks and balances; it's been going on for decades and there's nothing new about it."
"But... he wants to make Minato Hokage Position! Are we just going to stand by and watch?"
Fugaku said eagerly, as a member of the Uchiha, he desperately wanted the Uchiha to produce a Hokage.
Chiyo smiled slightly, a smile that carried absolute confidence and a hint of indifference as if he controlled everything.
" The Hokage Position has never been secured by hype and publicity."
Reputation comes and goes like the tide. Moreover...
He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through the wall, and saw the blond youth striving to meet the expectations of everyone.
" Minato Namikaze, he is a good sword, a sword that is sharp enough and 'correct' enough."
"Whom are they trying to target by polishing him so meticulously and elevating him so highly Third Hokage?"
Fugaku was taken aback.
The higher his reputation is now, the harder he will fall if he does.
And the harder he and those behind him fall,
Chiyo's voice lowered, carrying a hint of coldness.
"Only then will the 'true strength' and 'new order' that we represent seem all the more natural and worthy of everyone's expectations."
"What we need to do now is not to rush out and fight them head-on, that would be a bad move and make us look impatient."
What we need is...
Chiyo tapped the table lightly with her fingers.
"Let's observe the situation and continue to build up our strength."
When the tide goes out, it will be clear who's been swimming naked.
When a decisive blow is needed...
A glint of light, incomprehensible to anyone, flashed in his eyes—a light that seemed to control destiny.
"We hold far more cards in our hands than they realize, and they are far more... lethal than they imagine."
Looking at his cousin, who seemed calm and collected, as if he had everything under control, Fugaku's anxiety only increased.
Why is my Clan Leader so calm and collected?
"I see."
Fugaku took a deep breath and nodded.
"I will keep the tribe calm and prevent them from taking any drastic actions."
"Very good."
Chiyo nodded approvingly.
"Let them continue their one-man show. We'll just watch and enjoy the spectacle."
After seeing off Fugaku, whose mind had calmed down a bit, Chiyo sat alone in the courtyard, a faint aura of chakra swirling around her fingertips.
"To create hype..."
He muttered to himself, a cold smile curving his lips.
"You can certainly elevate the piece you've chosen even higher."
"You'll soon find that the stage you built for him will ultimately become..."
"The most magnificent tomb to bury your past era."
Fugaku Uchiha hurriedly left Chiyo's residence.
His brows were furrowed, and the anxiety in his heart not only did not subside, but burned even more fiercely like wildfire.
He glanced back at the closed door, and Chiyo's nonchalant, indifferent demeanor made him feel powerless.
"He should understand that this is the Hokage Position! It's the long-cherished wish of the Uchiha!"
Fugaku clenched his fists unconsciously.
He couldn't understand Chiyo's composure, and wondered if his incredibly powerful cousin was simply too slow to grasp political acumen.
He didn't go home; instead, he limped.
They quickly disappeared into the depths of the clan's territory and used a specific code to knock on the doors of several elders.
Soon after, a secluded Japanese-style room was filled with smoke.
Several core members of the Uchiha Clan: Tekka Uchiha, Yashiro Uchiha, and Yakumi Uchiha, who was in charge of the clan's finances...
They gathered together.
With a grim face, Fugaku explained in detail that the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, was doing his utmost to promote Minato Namikaze.
"... That's the situation."
The Third Hokage was clearly afraid that Lord Chiyo's reputation was too high and would threaten his position and the inheritance of his lineage, so he couldn't wait to promote his grand-disciple Minato Namikaze!
The whole village is talking about ' Yellow Flash ' now, and all the major families are focused on him!
"If we don't do something, the Hokage Position will fall into the hands of that commoner kid with no connections!"
Fugaku's tone betrayed his barely concealed urgency and dissatisfaction.
Tekka Uchiha snorted heavily, slamming his teacup down on the table.
"Hmph! Hiruzen Sarutobi has a good plan!"
The war has just ended, and you already want to use a junior to suppress our Uchiha?
What wishful thinking! The one End of War is our Uchiha Clan Head, Lord Chiyo!
The Yashiro Uchiha was even more meticulous. He touched his sword and pondered.
" Minato Namikaze is indeed no ordinary man."
His strength, military achievements, and reputation are all top-notch. More importantly, he is a disciple of Jiraiya, with impeccable lineage and no family ties, making him easy to be manipulated by higher-ups.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's choice of him was indeed a wise move.
If we do nothing, public opinion will likely turn completely in their favor.
Yakumi Uchiha, who was in charge of finances, was more practical.
" Fugaku, what is the Chiyo Clan Leader's stance on this matter? His support is the most crucial factor."
Fugaku sighed, a look of helplessness on his face.
" Chiyo... he doesn't seem to care. I just came from him, and he just told me to calm down and not to worry about it."
"What?"
The group of people were all taken aback.
How could I not take this to heart?
Tekka Uchiha temper, suddenly raised his voice.
"This is the Hokage Position! Does the Clan Leader truly wish to remain merely a Clan Leader forever, marginalized from the core of power?"
"Haven't we Uchiha been suppressed long enough?!"
The Yashiro Uchiha frowned.
" Clan Leader Chiyo is far-sighted; perhaps he has other plans? But his silence does indeed make us clansmen feel uneasy and confused."
"We can't wait any longer!"
Fugaku suddenly stood up, his eyes sharp.
"We must take action! Since Chiyo is unwilling to express his opinion for the time being, let's create momentum for him first!"
"We must make it clear to everyone in the village who the true hero who saved Konoha is, and who deserves to be the next Hokage!"
"That's right!"
Great Elder Tekka immediately echoed.
"Use all resources! Let the young people of the clan talk about Lord Chiyo's Kamui on the battlefield, both at the mission meeting place and in the streets and alleys!"
Let our close family members speak out too!
We must let the cry of " Lord Chiyo is the best candidate for Hokage " drown out the so-called " Yellow Flash "!
"And public opinion too!"
Yashiro Uchiha added.
"It can be done by having someone subtly guide the discussion, comparing Lord Chiyo's achievement in ending the war with Minato's achievements, to highlight the former's decisive contribution to the village."
At the same time, it should be pointed out tactfully that the Hokage Position requires a person of high moral character and strength sufficient to intimidate all sides, not just a promising young person.
Yakumi Uchiha nodded.
"I will provide full support in terms of funding and resources. If there is a need to print leaflets or hold events to boost our reputation, the family treasury can provide the funds."
A countermeasure against Minato Namikaze's campaign was quickly finalized in this secret room.
The Uchiha machine, driven by the clan's honor and that supreme position, began to quietly accelerate its operation.
Meanwhile, at Chiyo's mansion.
After seeing off the anxious Fugaku, Chiyo remained leisurely seated under the veranda in the courtyard, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the table.
He fully understood Fugaku and the elders' anxiety, but he didn't care.
Prestige is like the tide; it can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.
In his view, the Third Hokage's efforts to build momentum were nothing but a futile struggle, or even clearing some obstacles for him in advance.
In the world of Hokage, it's a world where the strong prey on the weak.
Strong capabilities are the foundation of a person's confidence.
A Hokage candidate who was forcibly pushed to the forefront and regarded as a "tool to check and balance the Uchiha " was inherently fragile.
Moreover, what Chiyo now possesses is not merely the power of the Uchiha and Orochimaru's technology.
The existence of Kotoamatsukami gave him the ultimate means to overturn the situation.
Especially that one who was affected by Kotoamatsukami's Pot Kage.
That will also be helpful to me at that time.
Just as he was deep in thought, a series of light but hesitant footsteps came from outside the courtyard, along with the respectful greetings of his clansmen.
"Brother Chiyo, are you home?"