Shiraishi, the Hokage asked me to keep an eye on you

The compromise and deal between Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi allowed the peace talks, which had been fraught with variables, to proceed smoothly.

Both sides dispatched envoys to sign a peace treaty at the border.

When the news of the treaty's signing reached Konoha, the entire village was plunged into joy.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the signing of this peace treaty would become the dawn of the end of the Third Shinobi World War.

With the Hidden Stone no longer a major threat, Konoha could withdraw a large number of ninjas stationed on the front lines and, after regrouping, reinforce the front against the Hidden Cloud.

With the Hidden Sand defeated and the Hidden Mist having suffered heavy losses and retreated to their home territory, Konoha was left with only the Hidden Cloud as an enemy.

The current Konoha might find it difficult to fight on multiple fronts, but facing only the Hidden Cloud—which had lost the Third Raikage—achieving victory would be, if not easy, at least relatively manageable.

Shiraishi walked along the bustling streets of Konoha, eating a snack in his hand while watching the smiling villagers around him; his mood was not affected by the peace talks.

On one hand, before the talks, Danzo had specifically explained things to Shiraishi; on the other hand, Shiraishi knew very well that in a world where the Land of Fire was surrounded by other nations and resources were unevenly distributed, war could never truly cease.

Shiraishi had sufficient patience and time to prepare for his own plans.

The extreme-natured Danzo was the war-starter he had chosen, while people like Minato and Itachi were those he viewed as candidates to manage the post-war landscape.

"Shiraishi."

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear; no sooner had Shiraishi thought of Minato than his voice rang out from behind.

A faint smile appeared on Shiraishi's face. He tossed the empty snack box into a nearby trash can with precision, turned around, and saw Minato, dressed in his jonin flak jacket, standing not far away.

Minato gave Shiraishi a look. Shiraishi nodded slightly, and Minato walked toward a nearby alley.

Shiraishi followed behind. The two of them, one after the other, passed through the alley, crossed a field, and arrived at a deserted, tree-lined path.

Minato stood still under a tree and looked at the approaching Shiraishi, his eyes filled with closeness and a gentle smile on his face.

"Shiraishi, how have you been lately?"

Shiraishi nodded and stopped in front of Minato.

Minato carefully scanned his surroundings, and after confirming no one was nearby, he spoke slowly: "You might have been exposed. Lord Hokage sent me to monitor you."

"Monitor me?" Shiraishi repeated calmly. Was Danzo trying to lay his cards on the table?

If he remembered correctly, before the reincarnation process, he had disclosed to Danzo that he had reached out to communicate with Minato.

Was Danzo arranging for Minato to monitor him now a sign that he underestimated the friendship between him and Minato, or was it a deliberate move to show his hand and use Minato to warn him?

Regardless, now that Danzo had become Hokage, he was getting a bit carried away; perhaps it was time for him to give Danzo a warning as well.

Seeing Shiraishi remain silent, Minato continued with concern: "Lord Hokage said your whereabouts have been unclear lately and that you might be plotting something detrimental to the village. He asked me to keep a close eye on you in secret and notify him immediately if I notice anything wrong."

"In a way, that's not wrong." Shiraishi admitted directly.

Shiraishi's directness caused Minato's expression to freeze. He stared blankly at Shiraishi, and it took a few seconds for him to react.

"Shiraishi, what have you been doing lately? The village's current situation is looking up; please, don't do anything rash."

The corners of Shiraishi's mouth curled up slightly. He looked at Minato and said slowly, "Much like you, Lord Danzo has asked me to secretly monitor the Third Hokage."

"What?" Now Minato was even more bewildered. "What is Elder Danzo trying to do?"

Shiraishi shook his head and said nothing, instead walking forward. A breeze swept through the woods, and a withered yellow leaf fell into his hand.

Shiraishi stopped, held up the withered leaf, and asked with profound meaning: "Minato, do you want to become Hokage?"

Minato stopped beside Shiraishi. Although he didn't know why Shiraishi would suddenly ask this, he answered truthfully: "My dream is to become Hokage."

Shiraishi turned sideways, held the leaf in front of Minato, and guided him: "Tell me, why do leaves fall?"

"Because autumn has arrived," Minato replied.

Shiraishi smiled and shook his head, explaining in simple, easy-to-understand terms: "When the environment becomes harsh, in order to survive the cold and drought, the great tree allows the leaves on its branches to wither and fall to reduce consumption."

"I see." Minato's gaze remained fixed on the leaf in Shiraishi's hand; he didn't understand why Shiraishi had shifted the conversation from the Hokage to leaves.

"If the village wants to remain evergreen like a great tree, it must also update and replace itself in a timely manner, weeding out the old leaves and pruning the excess branches to reduce energy consumption and prepare for the new growth of the coming year."

After finishing, Shiraishi released his fingers, and the withered leaf drifted slowly down, landing in the dust.

Minato's gaze followed the leaf's descent. Only after it hit the ground did he look back up at Shiraishi.

Even as a political novice, and even with Jiraiya as his teacher, Minato possessed basic political wisdom. From Shiraishi's metaphor, he understood what this village hero, whom he respected, was trying to imply in secret.

How bold! Can such things really be said aloud?

If it weren't for previous events that had made Minato recognize Shiraishi's loyalty to Konoha, he would have already spoken up to rebuke him.

"Where the leaves of Konoha dance, fire shall burn; that saying is quite good. But I have a question: is it better for the withered, dried leaves to burn, or the tender, new ones?" Shiraishi looked into Minato's eyes and asked "curiously."

"The withered ones, of course," Minato said firmly.

"Is that so?" Shiraishi asked with a smile, "Then why is it that the ninjas who die the most in the village are those young, new ones?"

Minato looked at Shiraishi, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he closed it powerlessly.

"Of course, people are different from leaves. The more experienced a ninja is, the lower the probability of casualties on missions or the battlefield, because they themselves have been tempered in mountains of corpses and seas of blood." Shiraishi explained for him.

Minato nodded in agreement.

"But if we use a great tree as a metaphor for the village, then after every cycle, for the sake of a new future, the existence of the old should gradually be phased out. The current Konoha has also reached the time for an update." Shiraishi changed the subject, his words direct and clear, carrying a hint of seduction that struck straight at Minato's heart.

"Enough, Shiraishi! Your way of thinking is too dangerous." For the sake of Shiraishi, and for the sake of the village, Minato warned him sternly.

"In the current village, the Third Hokage seeks stability through compromise, while Elder Danzo is extreme in nature. Because of their clashing ideologies, the two are constantly fighting, draining the village's already weakened strength."

"At a time like this, if everyone just sits by and does nothing, is there any hope left for the village's future?" Shiraishi asked Minato.

Minato looked at Shiraishi, and after a moment of hesitation in his heart, he chose to reveal a secret known to only a few people: "The Hokage is about to step down. Only a very small number of people know about this; do not spread it."

Faced with the secret Minato had revealed, Shiraishi laughed again. "And what if he doesn't?"

"That won't happen!" Minato said with certainty. This was what his teacher, Jiraiya, had told him personally when he returned from the front lines, and it was also what the Third Hokage had hinted to him in private after he returned to the village.

Shiraishi smiled and patted Minato on the arm, finally saying, "Then let us wait and see! I hope you won't be disappointed."