The Hokage Mindset

In early June of the 46th year of Konoha, along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass, the hired bounty hunters suffered a devastating blow.

In less than ten days, every supply point had been destroyed, and the Konoha ninja slaughtered the enemy without mercy, once again demonstrating the absolute power of a Great Nation!

At 4:00 AM, a stronghold located deeper within the Land of Grass was silently wiped off the map.

In the dense forest, Hideichi Hyuga kept his Byakugan active, watching the white chakra blade extending from the enemy ninja's chest, and offered a sincere compliment:

"What swift swordsmanship!"

"No matter how many times I see it, the condensed chakra is always so astonishing!"

Having finished the pursuit, Shu Furukawa drew his short blade. There was not a single drop of blood on the edge; it was a gift from Tsunade for the New Year, a weapon made of chakra metal.

The black-market ninja lying on the ground wore a twisted expression; to have been chased down from so far away, only to be killed by a brat in the end...

"It's just sharper, that's all."

"This mission was a success thanks to your Byakugan, Hideichi. You will surely be given a position of importance once you return to the clan."

Ignoring the blood slowly seeping into the ground, Shu Furukawa, clad in gray armor, calmly sheathed his short blade on his back; killing had almost become an instinct.

As a member of the branch family, Hideichi Hyuga was not as sunny and harmless as he appeared. Hearing Shu Furukawa's words, he responded with self-deprecating irony:

"A position of importance is nothing more than a bird in a cage."

"Perhaps it is inappropriate to say so, but my final destination will still be to die on the battlefield. That will never change."

Not skilled at Talk no Jutsu, Shu Furukawa could not find words of comfort. He shook his head helplessly and changed the subject:

"We're almost at the rendezvous point. Don't be careless with the last few mission targets."

"Only by staying alive do we have a chance to change everything. I'll leave the tracking work to you."

His Byakugan returned to its normal state, no longer fierce. Hideichi Hyuga smiled, watched Shu Furukawa finish the "cremation" work, and whispered to himself:

"Stay alive, huh?"

The ninja within the stronghold had been "cleared out" by Shikaku Nara and Kakashi. The two sides nodded in greeting upon meeting, then accelerated toward their next target.

Today's slaughter had only just begun.

By evening, as the three squads arrived one after another, the team leader, Inoichi Yamanaka, frowned in thought. Beside him, Choza Akimichi spoke up to offer comfort:

"Jiraiya-sama and the others have likely just run into some minor trouble. There is still time."

Shikaku Nara, as usual, had leaned against a large tree early on. Having completely lost his motivation, he rubbed his chin and said in a low voice:

"The ninja tools, the rations, the supplies at the outposts—it all indicates that the opponent has already initiated war mobilization."

"Jiraiya-sama's goal this time is to uncover the situation regarding Iwagakure's 'weapon.' We still have to cross the Land of Grass; this is truly a troublesome mission."

When it came to the Iwagakure jinchuriki, though no one spoke of it, everyone felt quite tense.

The village's spy had lost all contact after sending back the message, and Inoichi Yamanaka had been anxious these past few days, fearing that Iwagakure would set a trap in advance.

"Captain Inoichi! Jiraiya-sama and the others are almost here!"

After finishing his hand seals and sensing them, Shu Furukawa gave a reminder. Inoichi Yamanaka nodded, finally setting his mind at ease, and a smile appeared on his face as he praised:

"Well done, Shu!"

Every time they teamed up, he made a point to offer guidance; Inoichi Yamanaka was very satisfied with Shu Furukawa's talent, as his sensory abilities were no less than those of the Yamanaka clan.

After confirming the direction, Hideichi Hyuga activated his Byakugan to observe. Once the second confirmation was complete, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whoosh..."

The four-man squad had just arrived when Minato Namikaze explained with an apologetic look:

"We suddenly ran into an Iwagakure squad and it took some time. Sorry to have kept everyone waiting!"

Jiraiya laughed heartily. Seeing that no one was injured, he immediately arranged the next steps:

"It seems everyone has completed their missions brilliantly. Next, we will split into two paths. Inoichi and Choza, I'll leave the intelligence gathering in Kusagakure to you."

"Shikaku, your squad is responsible for meeting up with the village's undercover agents."

"If any accidents occur, I will cover the retreat."

Shikaku Nara took the scroll and immediately acknowledged the order. After reading it carefully, he subconsciously scratched his head, feeling that this mission might not be able to achieve its goal.

The effeminate long-haired youth and the short-haired, dark-skinned fatty were Minato Namikaze's teammates. Once the mission arrangements were finished, both slumped onto the ground and complained:

"Iwagakure has gone mad, hiring so many black-market bounty hunters."

"The shame of the Five Great Nations, Kusagakure actually sided with them. And to think, during the Chunin Exams, they were protesting alongside us against Kumogakure's barbaric plundering."

Soon, everyone began to voice their opinions one after another. Being on the front lines, everyone knew that war was only a matter of time.

"The main reason lies in the commissions. We have indeed compressed the market, but if the village wants to develop rapidly, this is necessary."

Minato Namikaze spoke with a solemn expression when discussing the village. Seeing everyone looking at him, he continued:

"Hokage-sama's arrangement is correct. We cannot take the initiative to invade like Kumogakure."

"More and more merchant guilds are choosing Konoha precisely because we have the best business environment. Only peace can attract more people; that is our most precious wealth."

With commerce and a growing population come more tax revenues; only when the Land of Fire's income increases can it continue to bolster Konoha's strength.

Although Minato Namikaze was young, these words earned the approval of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, who were staunch supporters of the Third Hokage and held a deep aversion toward the "hardliners."

"Minato-kun is truly an outstanding ninja; many in the village recognize his talent."

On the outskirts of the campfire, Hideichi Hyuga whispered his praise with a hint of envy. Kakashi listened for a moment before losing interest, as he couldn't be bothered to ponder how to govern a village:

"Not everyone likes him. You've seen the current situation—first come the ninja tools and provisions, and war will surely follow."

"..."

It was rare for Kakashi to speak so much. In truth, he favored taking the initiative, but he had remained silent for the most part after being cautioned by Inoichi Yamanaka.

Jiraiya sauntered over, wearing the same gray armor and carrying none of the airs of the Sannin, and sat down beside the three of them with a smile:

"What do you think? Minato is a ninja born with the mindset of a Hokage!"

"He is indeed impressive! From my observations, most ninjas dislike thinking about these things."

Shu Furukawa smiled in praise, and a delighted Jiraiya laughed heartily, continuing to campaign for his student:

"Kakashi, I know what you're thinking. You should think independently like Shu. Remember, a ninja is one who can endure everything."

"To ignite a war simply because of the provocations of a rival nation will only bring about more suffering and hatred."

"A great nation should not play such a role. Once you infiltrate the target area this time, you will understand what I mean."

Jiraiya looked quite charismatic with his serious expression, but the Toad Sage quickly changed the subject:

"Kakashi, what did you think of my latest manuscript?"

Shu Furukawa looked at Jiraiya and noticed the man wearing a lecherous grin once again. Seeing the way Kakashi's eyes darted around, he could only grumble inwardly:

He wouldn't be showing "erotica" to a kid, would he...