Discovering I Still Have No Choice

In the afternoon, Uchiha Takeyasu, looking refreshed, leisurely walked to the Hokage Building to clock in for work. As expected, he saw a new desk had been added to the Hokage's office.

A beautiful woman, dressed in a dark kimono, more lovely than flowers, with a side ponytail, was quietly and virtuously flipping through documents.

"Hokage-sama."

Upon seeing him, Minako Uzumaki immediately stood up to greet him. Mito Uzumaki, across the desk, glanced over and chuckled, "What brings the Hokage-sama to the Hokage Building?"

"Minako, don't just stand there. If you don't want to work overtime, finish your tasks quickly."

Konohagakure was extremely busy after the war. Just the subsidies and merits alone were enough to give someone a headache, not to mention the missions that poured in like snowflakes from all over the Land of Fire. If it weren't for the Uchiha Clan sweeping through the surrounding areas, Mito Uzumaki figured she would have to work overtime until late every night.

Compared to the idle, incredibly distinguished Hokage-sama, Mito Uzumaki's temper from her youth began to flare up.

"Then I'll be going?"

"Wait!"

Seeing Uchiha Takeyasu about to leave, Mito Uzumaki's eye twitched. Finally, she calmly took out a document, "Tomorrow is the Ninja Academy graduation day. This is the list of graduates for this term. Please take a look."

(There's been so much going on lately, I almost forgot about this.)

Uchiha Takeyasu, his interest piqued, took the document and began reading the list of names while listening to Mito Uzumaki's explanation.

"Next, the Hokage-sama needs to select the Jonin instructors for each class and make an appearance at the Ninja Academy that day to explain the Will of Fire to the students."

"I'll have Clan Head Shikata come over to discuss the arrangements for the Jonin instructors with Secretary Mito. You two are more familiar with the Jonin of the clan and the village, and who among them is suitable to be a Jonin instructor. I won't interfere unnecessarily."

"As for appearing at the Ninja Academy, I'll send a Shadow Clone. Minako, you can accompany it then."

Uchiha Takeyasu's reasonable approach made Mito Uzumaki nod. Minako Uzumaki, who had just sat down, stood up again and nodded in agreement, receiving another glare from Mito Uzumaki.

"Oh, and I'll take these four students."

Uchiha Takeyasu pointed to the names on the roster: the future biological scientist Orochimaru, the future Toad Sage Jiraiya, the future Bloodline Master Hiruko, and Dan Katō, who would later learn the Spirit Transformation Technique.

Without exception, they were all commoners, and all had the potential to reach the Strong Kage level in the future, becoming pillars of Konohagakure.

Mito Uzumaki, unaware of this, was somewhat surprised by Uchiha Takeyasu's choice. "Why not choose from the Ino-Shika-Cho or your own clan members? And taking four people, don't come crying later if your disciples don't meet your expectations and you decide to quit."

Mito Uzumaki guessed that Uchiha Takeyasu wanted to win over commoner ninja, but was afraid he would act on his Uchiha pride and damage the Hokage's reputation.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. But if there's competition, I'll be more motivated," Uchiha Takeyasu said with a smile. "Why doesn't Secretary Mito take a few disciples too, and we can compete to see who is better at guiding them?"

"Are these tasks for the Hokage-sama to do?"

Mito Uzumaki slapped the half-meter-high stack of documents on the desk beside her. With a bang, she shot Uchiha Takeyasu a look that immediately silenced him.

"Ninja teams are generally composed of four members, one instructor and three students, who can basically complete missions below S-rank through cooperation. This is also an experience gained over the years," Mito Uzumaki said slowly. "As Hokage, you must maintain the Hokage's position and cannot leave the village casually, especially to complete missions related to the country level. It will cause other countries to misjudge Konoha's stance."

Uchiha Takeyasu listened patiently.

He wasn't some hot-headed brat who argued with everyone, nor was he a protagonist burdened by a tragic past. There was no need to reject Mito Uzumaki's well-intentioned advice, which stemmed from her professional duties, but whether he would actually do it was another matter.

If some country or ninja village dared to provoke him, he would simply destroy them. Blood and bones were the quickest path for Uchiha Takeyasu to reach the pinnacle.

The premise was that they had to provoke him first, which was a principle Uchiha Takeyasu set for himself.

He couldn't just act like a beast.

"Among the Hokage-sama's four disciples, one could be chosen as a vice-captain to carry out missions that the Hokage-sama cannot conveniently handle."

"Thank you for the reminder, Secretary Mito."

Seeing that Mito Uzumaki had finished speaking, Uchiha Takeyasu turned his words.

"Also, if Secretary Mito doesn't mind, Tsunade could also become my student, just like the Second Hokage and Kagami Uchiha, and Tsunade Senju and the Third Hokage."

Facing Uchiha Takeyasu's sincere gaze, Mito Uzumaki pondered for a moment. She neither refused nor agreed, and said softly, "Hokage-sama, Tsunade is the heir of the Senju. No mistakes can be made."

"Secretary Mito, even someone as strong as Lord Hashirama has reached the end of his life. As long as Tsunade becomes a ninja, combat and slaughter, blood and blades will be the main themes of her life."

"And the example of Moriki-san is right before us."

"No mistakes can be made? Secretary Mito, can you guarantee that yourself?"

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office instantly became silent. Uchiha Takeyasu calmly met Mito Uzumaki's cooling gaze, unfazed.

"Don't look at me like that. If I'm unhappy, the Senju of the Forest will also be unhappy."

"Besides, Senju Moriki is, after all, the Clan Head of the Senju Clan. Is it a problem to pay attention to him?"

"Heh, the Hokage-sama's methods are indeed superb."

Only a few people knew about Senju Moriki's situation. After ruling out the possibility of an inside informant, Mito Uzumaki had to suspect that he had broken through the sealing barrier of the Senju of the Forest's clan territory and infiltrated silently.

Mito Uzumaki shuddered at the thought of these skills being used for assassination.

"That's why I'm the Hokage," Uchiha Takeyasu replied matter-of-factly. Then, he took out a kunai from his ninja tool pouch. The Flying Thunder God mark on it made Mito Uzumaki's eyes narrow.

"Secretary Mito, you should be more aware than I am of the function of this Flying Thunder God kunai. I'd like to ask Secretary Mito, who is proficient in sealing jutsu, to help me see if we can add a warning seal to the Flying Thunder God kunai."

Uchiha Takeyasu gave an example, "A warning seal that, as soon as someone touches it with chakra, the person on the other side will immediately detect it."

Mito Uzumaki's eyes lit up, and she instantly understood the benefits.

Having a powerful Hokage who could arrive at any moment standing behind her was more useful than any jutsu. Conversely, her own life was now entrusted to Uchiha Takeyasu's whim.

Mito Uzumaki pondered for a moment and realized she had no other choice.

After becoming a ninja, conflict was inevitable. Without the Flying Thunder God Technique, she couldn't always stay behind Tsunade. Only Uchiha Takeyasu could protect Tsunade at any moment.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I'll be counting on your guidance from now on, Tsunade."

Taking the Flying Thunder God Kunai, Mito Uzumaki bowed her head and expressed her gratitude. Beside her, Minako Uzumaki, who had been silent, bent deeply at the waist, revealing the graceful curve of her hips.

Uchiha Takeyasu's gaze flickered. He smiled and helped Mito Uzumaki up. The soft touch of her shoulder was like that of a young girl of sixteen.