Another Exchange with the Fourth Hokage

"The Second Hokage is really something..."

Looking at the scorched marks left on the surroundings, especially the areas in the distance still being consumed by Black Flame, Li Ke's eye twitched.

Although he had indeed asked the Second Hokage for help, he had only requested that the man transport him here.

"Lord Second, you always love giving me difficult problems."

Li Ke muttered to himself before turning his gaze toward Rin Nohara and Kakashi, who remained in a state of stunned disbelief.

"Kakashi, Rin, are you two alright?"

Kakashi finally snapped out of it. He looked at Li Ke with complex eyes, remaining silent for a moment before speaking.

"We're fine... Rin was under a genjutsu, which I've already dispelled. But, Qingtan, what exactly are you..."

He knew the reputation of Murata Qingtan—the youth known as Clear Mirror Still Water. He was considered remarkably mature in both thought and will, possessed exceptional emotional control, and was known for being gentle and friendly in his dealings with others.

He maintained good relationships with almost everyone; even someone as rebellious as Asuma got along well with Li Ke.

Yet, the boy had never been known for outstanding combat prowess.

While he trained diligently and could be considered a genius—at twelve years old, he was roughly equivalent to a Chunin from a smaller village, a ninja who could be entrusted with important tasks—no one had ever suggested he possessed such terrifying power.

Kakashi knew what a Tailed Beast was, which was precisely why he felt such shock.

"Ah, as for my situation, let's explain it together once Minato arrives. Besides, Kakashi, our old friend has arrived."

Li Ke's Byakugan saw that Minato was already speeding toward them. Within the range of his vision, a somewhat bewildered White Zetsu was rapidly carrying Obito away toward the distance, so Li Ke formed a sword-finger gesture.

From Kakashi's perspective, over a dozen Wood Golem figures suddenly erupted from Li Ke's body. The next moment, two of them transformed into the likenesses of himself and Rin Nohara.

Just as he was feeling confused, the remaining Wood Golem figures transformed into the appearance of the Mist Shinobi, and Li Ke looked up.

"Let's see if this trick works."

Li Ke stared at Obito, nearly ten kilometers away. Chakra surged out of his body like a flood, and the next instant, a black seal mark violently manifested on Obito's body.

It worked!

Li Ke didn't hesitate to activate the Flying Raijin Jutsu, and the Wood Golem clones he had created began their performance.

Obito Uchiha, who was being carried away by the White Zetsu, felt a sense of bewilderment as the surrounding environment suddenly shifted. The next moment, a scene appeared before his eyes that he couldn't believe.

Kakashi, clutching a Chidori, was charging toward Rin Nohara!

Rin Nohara's unremarkable chest was pierced in an instant, and the one forced to run her through was none other than Kakashi!

"NO!!!!"

In an instant, Obito Uchiha let out a shrill, unimaginable scream. A cold, extreme chakra suddenly manifested in his brain, attempting to alter his eyes and mind to force him to generate more ocular power.

Beside him, Kakashi also felt a sudden, intense wave of dizziness as the chakra within him—which was already vast compared to other ninja—was rapidly drained toward his eyes.

At this very moment, both of their Sharingan began to spin rapidly, forming the pattern of a windmill!

The next moment, Li Ke's voice appeared abruptly.

"Alright, Obito, look over here."

His body becoming ethereal, Obito—whose eyes were streaming with blood—looked over instinctively, only to find Rin Nohara looking at Kakashi with concern, not even glancing at him!

"Ahhh!! This is all fake! Fake! This world is fake too!"

Obito shrieked in madness, but Li Ke, glancing at the wood clone that had already turned back into wood, calmly retorted.

"Don't pretend you can't see the clone over there just to vent your pain over not being noticed by your crush."

Li Ke's precise words silenced the entire area instantly. Obito, in particular, saw his crazed expression freeze, and even the Mangekyo in his eyes... became even more vivid.

The next moment, he kicked out at Li Ke without hesitation.

"Murata Qingtan, you bastard! How dare you play me!"

Li Ke dodged Obito's attack with ease, only to find that his Byakugan could effortlessly track Obito's movements through space; he could even seem to peer into the Kamui Space where the other was located.

"What other abilities does these eyes have?"

Li Ke was somewhat puzzled, but that didn't stop him from using them. He easily evaded Obito Uchiha's attacks and tossed him aside.

"Didn't you just increase your power? Isn't that a good thing? Besides, stay quiet for a while."

Such rhetoric clearly couldn't convince Obito Uchiha, so the moment the boy made contact with him, Li Ke's fingers applied a Sage Art Seal onto Obito Uchiha's body!

For some reason, he found using Fuinjutsu incredibly easy now. Obito Uchiha was rendered completely immobile, forced to stare at Li Ke, unable to move a muscle.

However, Li Ke merely looked at the White Zetsu body enveloping Obito Uchiha and couldn't help but reveal a smile.

When Obito Uchiha was taken away and manipulated by Madara Uchiha, half of his body had been crushed. Thus, he was currently entwined with a creature known as a White Zetsu.

This creature was a byproduct of the Infinite Tsukuyomi—a biological weapon created when humans were pulled into the Infinite Tsukuyomi and captured and modified by the God Tree, the vessel of the technique.

This was exactly why Li Ke held such absolute opposition to Madara Uchiha's plan.

Because once pulled into the Infinite Tsukuyomi, forget about peace—humanity itself would cease to exist.

This does not mean that White Zetsu is useless.

Although the Ninja World is quite casual when it comes to organ transplants, injuries to the chakra meridians are not easily healed, let alone the fact that Obito Uchiha likely had part of his lungs crushed at the time. White Zetsu was able to save him from such injuries and even allowed Obito Uchiha to display considerable combat prowess.

Li Ke is genuinely curious about this thing.

Especially—

This thing can be traded for the favor of a certain scientist in the Ninja World.

For example, Orochimaru, Orochimaru, and more Orochimaru.

Being able to upgrade the Reanimation Jutsu—a technique purely for recruiting cannon fodder—into a jutsu that can properly restore a portion of the deceased's combat power from their lifetime, Orochimaru has made great contributions. He can serve as a future workhorse of the Ninja World... or rather, he means the Minister of his, Li Ke's, Science Department.

The Sage Art Seal wrapped tightly around the White Zetsu, leaving it as immobile as the Three-Tails, unable to take Obito away. Li Ke took out his own Flying Thunder God Kunai, sensing Minato Namikaze's chakra.

Explaining everything one by one is far too troublesome, so he just wants to finish the explanation in one go.

Therefore, the moment he sensed Minato Namikaze heading straight toward him, Li Ke activated his jutsu.

The next moment, a slightly astonished Minato Namikaze appeared before Li Ke, and the first thing he saw was the face of the Three-Tails!

"Wha—"

He instinctively went on guard, but Minato Namikaze, with his god-like reaction speed, quickly noticed the Sharingan in the Three-Tails' eyes, the Adamantine Sealing Chains on its body, the Sage Art Seal, and the Wood Release binding it firmly.

Having used his own chakra to do so many things, coupled with the previous consumption from Senju Tobirama, Li Ke felt a wave of exhaustion.

Although his chakra is vast, the four 'Heroic Spirits' occupy a significant amount, which is the main reason Li Ke made up his mind to repatriate the four of them.

"Qingtan, this is..."

Minato Namikaze looked at Obito Uchiha, who was bound by the sealing jutsu, Rin Nohara, who bore traces of sealing jutsu, and the exceptionally disheveled Kakashi, and couldn't help but ask.

He had rushed back after receiving word that the frontline medical team had been attacked, and he had even encountered an incredible attack on the way. His mind was full of questions, having no idea what had actually happened.

He knew Kakashi's capabilities, Rin Nohara was a pure medical ninja, and with Obito Uchiha lying on the ground, the only person who could explain things was Murata Qingtan.

"I hope you won't be too surprised by what follows, Lord Minato, and everyone else."

Li Ke took a deep breath, formed the seals to dispel the genjutsu on his eyes, and at the same time, clenched his fist.

The next moment, golden chains flew out from his back. Two eyes—one red, one white—stared at Minato Namikaze, causing him to instinctively take a step back, but the wooden tables and chairs rising from the ground left Minato Namikaze completely silent.

Watching this scene, Obito Uchiha hadn't yet reacted, and Rin Nohara didn't know much about bloodlines, so only Kakashi and Minato Namikaze wore expressions as if they had seen a ghost. Minato Namikaze even performed the seals to dispel genjutsu several times to ensure he wasn't hallucinating.

"This is truly... incredible... Qingtan, to think such a genius has appeared in this world..."

Minato Namikaze felt a bit of an existential crisis. What had he just seen?

Having both the Byakugan and the Sharingan in one person was one thing, but this person also possessed the Wood Release Bloodline Limit and the Adamantine Chains that only pure-blooded Uzumaki clan members could use...

Coupled with the Flying Raijin Jutsu that Li Ke had already mastered, Minato Namikaze felt a moment of bewilderment.

Bewilderment regarding his own future.

But at this moment, Li Ke closed his Sharingan again and looked at Minato Namikaze.

"Lord Minato, please keep this a secret for me. For now, I hope to reveal this secret in two years."

Minato Namikaze thought for a while. He looked at Li Ke and spoke, word for word.

"Qingtan, become the Hokage."

Minato Namikaze's attitude was very serious at this moment. Although Li Ke said he could wait two years, he thought of that golden light that had split the heavens.

If he remembered correctly, the Mangekyo Sharingan could master a technique called Susanoo, capable of unleashing terrifying power. The traces of Sage Art on Li Ke could not be faked, and they were almost identical to the chakra he had sensed in that golden light.

So, what was the true combat power of the boy in front of him?

Therefore, apart from Li Ke, no one else could be Hokage now. Even if he were to force himself into the Hokage Position, it would be meaningless in front of Li Ke and might even trigger internal strife.

But Li Ke shook his head.

"I will become Hokage, but not now. Lord Minato, I am only twelve years old. Furthermore, everyone in the village is currently extremely weary of war, many people in the village don't even know me yet, and some of my ideas haven't been verified, which could easily lead to unnecessary casualties."

Li Ke refused again, exhausted. He knew that when Minato Namikaze saw his bloodlines, his first reaction was to cede the Hokage Position to trade his own position for Kushina's combat power, thereby avoiding being sidelined and forced into internal conflict.

After all, before he burst onto the scene, youth was Minato's advantage, but after a genius even younger than him appeared, Minato's 'youth' suddenly became awkward.

Li Ke did not intend to let Minato's wishes go unfulfilled, nor did he intend to let the investments of those people go to waste. Moreover, he would need helpers for his future endeavors, and Minato's assistance and the transition period were very important.

"Lord Minato, unlike you, I currently have no experience in managing an organization. Besides, my age makes it difficult for everyone to trust me, so it is better not to force it for the time being."

Li Ke's attitude was quite sincere. While it is true that Li Ke has no experience in managing people—though the task is actually quite simple—it is still necessary to spend about a year observing the operation of power in Konoha.

Seeing that Minato Namikaze was still hesitant, Li Ke extended his fist toward him.

"Come on, since words cannot convince you, let's do this."

Minato Namikaze was taken aback for a moment, then extended his own fist.

The two fists collided, and their chakra and wills clashed at that moment. The next instant, Minato Namikaze understood everything.

"Is that so... I understand."

By linking with Li Ke's chakra, he felt Li Ke's sincerity and his intentions.

Li Ke wanted to try some things during the time he served as Hokage, and he only needed to assist Li Ke.

Before Li Ke's growth is complete, I will stand firmly by his side, helping him clear out some of the stubborn old forces within the village. Once Li Ke has achieved merits that make him undeniably qualified to be Hokage, my task will be considered complete.

Minato Namikaze felt a touch of helplessness. He truly wanted to accomplish things, but becoming the 'former Hokage' so quickly left him with complex emotions. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but sigh from the bottom of his heart.

"Qingtan, you are truly a flawless genius."

According to Li Ke's plan, he could remain Hokage for at least another five years, and he wouldn't step down without accomplishments. He would have plenty of honors, and Li Ke would gain a relatively clean environment for governance.

While a twelve-year-old Li Ke becoming Hokage might be rejected by most due to his youth, a sixteen-year-old Hokage wouldn't be so abrupt.

Although he was somewhat unwilling, given the Bloodline Limit and strength Li Ke had displayed, things would be very troublesome if he didn't become Hokage.

Conversely, if he became Hokage, many problems would be easily solved. He could accept making concessions for the sake of the village.

But Li Ke refused.

"No, it's more appropriate for me to become Hokage before I turn twenty-five. Before then, I want to be a team leader and understand the people's livelihood, economy, and various other aspects of this world. After all, practice is the mother of knowledge."

Li Ke offered a smile.

He actually had a most important objective he hadn't mentioned: if he wanted the Ninja World to truly be at peace and free from worry, then—

He had to be prepared to face the Otsutsuki!

This chapter might be rewritten as it's not cheerful enough.