Konoha Prime Minister

Kakashi still wore his mask, and despite losing one eye, his gaze remained as calm as ever.

At this moment, his appearance bore a striking resemblance to that "King of Scapegoats" once known for his resilience—the same one-eyed look, yet carrying an even deeper sorrow.

Last night, Hyuga Hiashi and the others had sent him and Guy to Konoha Hospital.

He had expected simple medical treatment, but at daybreak, orders from the Anbu arrived.

All Jonin currently in Konoha were to assemble immediately.

Even though his body was still somewhat weak, Kakashi hurried over.

Yet, a question lingered in his mind:

Why had he awakened, while Guy remained unconscious?

Clearly, both of them had endured the same torture of genjutsu, yet Kakashi had only been briefly unconscious, while Guy remained submerged in silent darkness.

Anbu personnel had once intended to bring the unconscious Guy directly before Uchiha Yoru.

However, Uchiha Yoru merely frowned, his tone filled with impatience:

"Talking to someone without a brain is too much of a chore."

He eventually waved his hand, ordering Guy to be sent back to the hospital, as if even glancing at him were a waste of time.

"Without a brain?"

These words made Kakashi heave a long sigh of relief.

At the very least, this meant that Uchiha Yoru did not view Guy as a threat.

However, even so, no news could be more shocking than what he heard today.

Uchiha Obito was still alive.

Kakashi could not suppress the tremor in his heart; he finally couldn't help but speak, his voice laced with a hint of trembling and anticipation, as if hoping all of this were merely an absurd joke.

"Lord Hokage..."

Uchiha Yoru stood with his back to him, his black cloak fluttering in the wind, steady and oppressive.

"Is Obito... really still alive?"

The air froze for an instant.

Uchiha Yoru glanced sideways, his voice low and cold, carrying a hint of mockery and disdain:

"Not only is he alive."

He paused, the corners of his mouth curling upward to reveal a chilling smile.

"Back then, he even held the Fourth Hokage's child, you know."

BOOM!

This sentence exploded in Kakashi's mind like a thunderclap.

"What..."

His pupils contracted sharply as he stared at Uchiha Yoru in disbelief.

The Fourth Hokage's... child?

Kakashi's thoughts were pulled back to that terrifying night.

The Nine-Tails roared, flames filled the air, and the village struggled on the brink of destruction.

Minato-sensei and Kushina had given their all to seal the Nine-Tails, ultimately sacrificing their lives.

And that man wearing the orange swirl mask...

Kakashi's breathing grew rapid.

Impossible!

Obito—that once kind, optimistic boy who always shouted about becoming Hokage, how could he personally destroy everything they cherished?

Yet, Uchiha Yoru's words were like a blade, ruthlessly tearing through his self-deceiving fantasies.

The true culprit who killed the Fourth Hokage and his wife was actually Obito!

Kakashi's hands clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white.

Why?

He desperately searched his mind for an answer, but only found even deeper questions.

Obito, what on earth did you go through?

Yet, even with countless thoughts surging within him, Kakashi still keenly sensed—

Uchiha Yoru had no reason to lie.

His strength, his indifference, and the mockery in his eyes right now made Kakashi understand:

This was the truth.

"Obito..."

Kakashi murmured under his breath, the shock in his heart refusing to subside.

Uchiha Yoru, however, said nothing more.

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing toward the distant Konoha.

"Don't waste time."

Uchiha Yoru's voice rang out flatly, breaking the silence.

"Regardless of what Uchiha Obito has done in the past, he is now an S-rank missing-nin of Konoha!"

"Kakashi, you should know how to choose!"

As his words fell, Uchiha Yoru turned and walked away.

His pitch-black cloak swept across the ground, not stirring a single speck of dust.

Kakashi stood where he was, his gaze heavy.

The surging emotions within him gradually calmed, replaced by a crushing sense of helplessness.

Obito is still alive...

This fact was like a shackle, tightly binding his thoughts.

But Uchiha Yoru did not care about Kakashi's current state of mind.

To him, the bond between Kakashi and Uchiha Obito was nothing more than a meaningless relic of the past.

If he were to encounter the man again, Uchiha Yoru would not hesitate.

Killing him would be as simple as crushing a bug.

As time passed, under the direction of the Anbu, Konoha gradually returned to its former appearance.

Especially with the efforts of Yamato from the Anbu, the buildings destroyed during the battle had begun to be rebuilt.

On the streets of Konoha, one could still see many workers and ninjas busy at their tasks.

Despite their exhaustion, their faces held a sense of relief.

After hovering on the brink of destruction, the village had finally found a moment to breathe.

However, the frequent use of Wood Release had left Yamato's body increasingly weak, his face as pale as a sheet of paper.

Yet, even so, he insisted on remaining at the forefront of the reconstruction, his solitary efforts causing the recovery speed of Konoha to far exceed expectations.

As for the reason, the members of the Anbu were more sensible than Uchiha Yoru had imagined; they were very obedient.

The original Hokage Building had been reduced to ruins.

But now, a new building, seemingly simple yet distinctively styled with Wood Release, had already risen from the ground.

This was the temporary Hokage Building constructed by Yamato's own hands.

Simple as it was, it still exuded an air of solemnity.

In the office on the top floor of the Hokage Building.

Inside the spacious room, a massive wooden desk sat in the center, piled high with various documents and scrolls.

Looking through the window, the entire village of Konoha was in full view, the bustling crowds signaling the village's recovery.

Uchiha Yoru leaned back in his chair, flipping through an ancient, heavy scroll in his hands.

The Book of Sealing.

His fingers lightly traced the complex and profound runes, a hint of mockery and amusement flashing in his eyes.

"Senju Tobirama..."

As he murmured, the corners of Uchiha Yoru's mouth curled upward.

He truly was the bane of the Uchiha.

The Book of Sealing recorded countless ninjutsu in detail, many of which were secret techniques specifically targeting the Uchiha clan.

Flying Thunder God, Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, Water Release Enhancement System...

One forbidden technique after another leaped off the page.

Every word condensed Senju Tobirama's exquisite understanding of combat, and the sealing techniques specifically designed for the Sharingan and the Uchiha clan were truly astonishing.

"I have to admit, when it comes to researching how to kill an Uchiha, this guy was indeed a genius."

Uchiha Yoru chuckled softly, his eyes filled with derision.

However, these ninjutsu were all his now.

With Indra's innate talent and understanding of ninjutsu, Uchiha Yoru only needed to glance at them once to engrave those complex techniques into his mind.

Analyze, deconstruct, master.

Senju Tobirama's hard work had ultimately become a stepping stone for Uchiha Yoru's self-improvement.

Yet, even as the Hokage, Uchiha Yoru's days were not particularly busy.

He casually closed the Book of Sealing, leaned lazily against the back of his chair, and lifted his gaze toward the window.

As for why he could be so leisurely?

One only needed to look into the room next door to find the answer.

Nara Kashima.

A Konoha Hokage advisor, a member of the Nara Clan who worried far too much and wore a face of chronic exhaustion.

He was currently sitting before a mountain of official documents, brush in hand, his eyes revealing an endless sense of fatigue.

Ever since Uchiha Yoru had taken office, the vast majority of administrative affairs had been dumped onto him.

Nara Kashima's desk was densely packed with files; some concerned the reconstruction of the village, others involved diplomatic relations, and still more dealt with the resettlement of villagers and the distribution of supplies.

He was originally just a "Hokage Advisor," yet his current duties covered nearly the entirety of Konoha's administrative power.

"Advisor?"

Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but scoff.

That title was far less fitting than simply calling him the "Prime Minister of Konoha."

The existence of Nara Kashima saved Uchiha Yoru from countless trivialities.

As for himself, he only needed to wave his hand when necessary to make the final decision.

This was the "authority" of being the Hokage.

Uchiha Yoru's lips curled upward, and in high spirits, he opened the Book of Sealing once more.

Since that was the case, he might as well take advantage of this leisure to properly absorb the legacy of Tobirama.