The Art of Persuasion

The people present were once again stunned after hearing Nawaki's astonishing declaration.

Jiraiya smoothed his furrowed brow, his gaze toward Nawaki now filled with approval and admiration.

Tsunade covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Nawaki with deep affection. "Is this why you've been spacing out every day? To become Hokage? What a magnificent ambition! Little brother! As your sister, I will certainly help you!"

Orochimaru, however, thought with a hint of disappointment: To become Hokage? That is my own ambition, little brat.

Mito was also moved by Nawaki's words. Gazing at his small figure, her vision blurred by tears, she felt as if she saw Hashirama's silhouette gradually overlapping with his. "Do you see this, Hashirama? The Will of Fire has found a new successor. You have a remarkable grandson!"

After delivering his grand declaration, Nawaki secretly observed everyone's reactions. Seeing their expressions, he knew he had basically achieved his goal for the time being. He thought to himself with secret pride: Having watched Naruto so many times, who wouldn't learn the ultimate technique of Talk no Jutsu?

He did indeed want to become Hokage, but his motives were far less noble than what he had claimed. He simply wanted to gain more prestige and Wish Power to exchange for greater strength, all to protect himself and his loved ones. As for Konoha, it was merely a tool to help him live a better life. If he had to choose between the two, he would definitely choose himself and his family, and would never sacrifice his life for Konoha like the successive Hokage.

However, this did not prevent him from declaring his desire to become Hokage in the name of the Will of Fire, because everyone in the original story who became Hokage had said similar things. The most classic examples were the father-son duo, Minato Namikaze and Naruto. Announcing his ambition in this way was the best form of camouflage! No one would suspect a one-year-old child of lying, and people naturally yearn for beauty; the more high-sounding the words, the easier they are to accept and identify with.

If he said such things often enough, his positive image would gradually be accepted by everyone, allowing him to compete for the position of Hokage openly and honestly in the future!

Do not underestimate this advantage. Why couldn't Orochimaru and Danzo become Hokage in the original story?

Because their images in the hearts of others were too dark.

Meanwhile, a ninja like Minato Namikaze, who left a positive impression on others, could easily become Hokage.

Therefore, personal image is very important. There is another classic example: the White Fang of Konoha. He was clearly a hero, but because his background in the Anbu made his public image vague, it took only a few rumors to drive him to his death.

Do not think his suicide was due to weakness; that is a naive thought held only by those who have never experienced the dark side of the world!

"Words are fearful" and "vicious words hurt people." These two idioms exist for a reason. Sometimes, mental torture causes more damage than physical trauma. Anyone who has been wronged, slandered, insulted, deceived, or betrayed should understand this well.

At that time, the White Fang was isolated by the entire village due to rumors and conspiracies. He was misunderstood and even insulted by the very villagers he had spent his life protecting, and even his closest son could not understand him. He must have been in a desperate, isolated situation with no warmth in his life. Humans are social animals after all; even the strongest person cannot live in such an environment for long. This kind of desperate situation, filled with malice and devoid of hope, is not as simple as one might imagine. Even Naruto, who had a similar situation, still had Hiruzen, Iruka, Hinata, and Teuchi. But the White Fang had nothing—it was total darkness and despair!

In such a situation, changing one's environment would be the best choice, but the White Fang was a hero who loved Konoha deeply and could never betray the village. Thus, he chose to endure it silently. Yet, he was human, not a god, and in the end, he could only choose suicide to end his suffering. From the fact that he would rather choose suicide than betray the village, and that he persisted for a long time in such an environment, it is clear that he was not weak but incredibly strong—a true hero.

I have said so much only to show that a positive image is truly important. It not only helps one gain prestige and status but also acts as a protective umbrella for one's life and family.

Today, Nawaki used this opportunity to perform his "Talk no Jutsu" in front of everyone, which was the first step in building his positive image. He believed that as long as he persisted, his image would surely take root in people's hearts.

He thought that after his speech, he must have gained everyone's approval. Sure enough, he soon received a notification from the Wish Power System:

Jiraiya has developed a strong sense of identification and appreciation for the host. 1000 points of Wish Power generated.

Tsunade has developed a strong sense of identification and affection for the host. 1000 points of Wish Power generated.

Orochimaru has developed a strong sense of interest and identification for the host. 1000 points of Wish Power generated.

Mito has developed a strong sense of identification and love for the host. 2000 points of Wish Power generated.

Hiruzen Sarutobi has developed a strong sense of identification and appreciation for the host. 1000 points of Wish Power generated.

Eh? Did I just discover something incredible? How did Hiruzen Sarutobi fall for my Talk no Jutsu too? Familiar with the plot, Nawaki immediately realized that the Third Hokage must have been peeping using the Telescope Technique.

Tsunade and the others had completed their mission with all their might to return to Konoha to celebrate Nawaki's birthday. This uncharacteristic behavior had caught the Third's attention, so he had used the Telescope Technique to track them.

After seeing one-year-old Nawaki moving freely under Orochimaru's killing intent, he became interested in his teacher's grandson and continued to observe until Nawaki said those words, which struck the Third's heart and made him feel identified with and appreciative of the boy. This was an unexpected surprise for Nawaki; gaining the Third's approval would be very beneficial for his future development.

Seeing that everyone was still immersed in their emotions and silent for a long time, Nawaki finally spoke up to break the silence. "Grandma! You still haven't agreed to my request. Can I learn the Chakra Extraction Technique?"

Everyone was startled back to reality. Mito regained her kind expression and smiled dotingly. "Since Nawaki wants to become Hokage and protect your grandfather's treasure, Grandma will certainly support you. Tsunade, you are responsible for teaching Nawaki the Chakra Extraction Technique tonight. You specialize in medical ninjutsu, so you must ensure Nawaki's safety."

"Yay! Grandma is the best! Nawaki will definitely become a powerful ninja!" Nawaki jumped up happily. How could he not be happy? Just by acting in a play and saying a few words, he had gained 6000 points of Wish Power—more than he had accumulated in an entire year.

"Tsunade, hurry up and take me to your room to teach me the Chakra Extraction Technique." Nawaki pulled Tsunade toward the door, unable to wait.

"You have to call me 'Sister'! Honestly, there's no helping you."