You'll Regret It, I'm the Hokage

"Danzo! Do you have no respect for Lady Mito? Do you know what it would mean if she heard you say that!?"

"That woman already has one foot in the grave..."

"Danzo! Watch your mouth!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi hurried to shut Danzo up. If Mito Uzumaki heard him, all she had to do was complain to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. What would happen to their military funding then!?

War was about to break out. If their supplies were cut off now, Hiruzen would never let Danzo off!

"Hmph. Then hand Ryuuzaki Eiji over to me. He's just a Civilian Ninja. That Ninjutsu of his may look immature, but once I get my hands on him..."

Danzo mentioned only Ryuuzaki Eiji's Ninjutsu, saying nothing about his Kekkei Genkai. Root's intelligence had arrived barely later than the Third Hokage's live view through the Crystal Ball.

When Shimura Danzō heard that a Civilian Ninja at the Ninja Academy had awakened a Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai, greed flashed in his eyes.

Whatever the ability could do, he had to get that brat under his control!

"No! His potential is boundless. I won't let your darkness corrupt him!"

"Hiruzen, you're too set in your ways!"

Danzo was furious. Hiruzen wouldn't give him the Jinchūriki, and now he refused to let go of a Civilian Ninja who might possess an entirely new Kekkei Genkai. How was Danzo supposed to take control of Konoha!?

How was he supposed to fight for his Konoha!?

In Danzo's eyes, he and Konoha were one and the same!

So anything he did for himself was for Konoha!

He had worked himself to the bone for Konoha. How could Hiruzen Sarutobi say something so vicious to him!?

"Danzo, I'm the Hokage!"

Danzo tried to say more, but those words left him choking on his reply.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

Danzo stormed out of the Hokage's Office and slammed the door behind him with a bang!

Kushina's first day of studying and living in Konoha ended in utter chaos.

"Thanks so much for today! I don't know what I would've done without you!"

Kushina stuffed her textbooks into her little schoolbag and beamed at Eiji.

It wasn't that she couldn't handle the problem herself. If Eiji hadn't stepped in, Kushina had been ready to let them taste her fists. Still, doing it alone would have felt a little lonely.

"You're welcome. They were about to insult my parents, so I went after them."

Eiji spoke calmly. He hadn't stepped in to earn Kushina's gratitude; to him, that would have felt a little calculating.

"Oh, I see..."

Kushina lowered her head, a little disappointed. She had thought Eiji had stepped in specifically to help her.

But Kushina didn't stay discouraged. She clenched her little fists to pump herself up, then leaned in until she was face-to-face with Eiji.

"Well, anyway! You helped me out, so we're friends now, right?"

"I guess so, if you want to be friends with me."

Honestly, Eiji didn't dislike Kushina. His impression of her from his previous life had already made him think she was a very charming girl.

Now that he had spent time with her face-to-face, he found her even more charming.

Besides, he had awakened his cheat ability. The Six Eyes let him read an enemy's movements, scout from a distance, and draw on an unlimited supply of chakra.

With Limitless, he could stroll across a battlefield during a Shinobi World War without taking any damage.

And he still had Azure, Red, and Hollow Purple to unlock.

Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void was even harder to guard against, since its strength lay in catching opponents unaware.

Unless an Ōtsutsuki suddenly showed up, he felt he was already invincible in the Shinobi World.

Now that he no longer feared Konoha's dark side, he could get close to Kushina, the future Jinchūriki. So...

Sorry, Minato! I'll find you a beautiful wife to make it up to you!

"Oh, right. Since you're my friend, I've got another gift for you."

Eiji pulled a clear box full of sparkling candies from his backpack and handed it to Kushina.

"Wow, they're so pretty!"

"I made them with honey I got by risking my neck poking a beehive. I promise they taste good."

Eiji grinned and gave Kushina a thumbs-up.

Using all those Cursed Techniques in the future would make his brain work faster. Until he learned Reverse Cursed Technique, eating more sugar to keep his thoughts moving seemed wise. Daifuku was out, though.

Ninjas got plenty of exercise. Just look at Mitarashi Anko: while the Shinobi World was in turmoil, she had eaten Three-Color Dango like crazy and stayed slim. Once peace came, she turned into a giant sweet potato.

And Eiji would surely learn Reverse Cursed Technique long before peace came to the Shinobi World, so he wasn't worried about gaining weight.

"Thank you for the candy!"

Kushina was delighted with her gift, but then she realized she hadn't prepared anything for Eiji. She lowered her head and tugged awkwardly at the hem of her shirt.

"Sorry. I didn't bring you a gift."

Seeing how downcast Kushina looked, Eiji went on.

"Don't worry about a gift. This was a spur-of-the-moment thing for me, too. Real friends don't have to stand on ceremony."

Kushina relaxed at his words.

"Okay, I get it! But I'm still going to get you a gift. Tomorrow, I promise!"

"Eiji, um... what about our training today?"

A familiar voice beside him made Eiji turn. Minato was looking their way, his expression a little awkward.

Only then did Eiji remember the training session he had arranged with Minato. He wasn't without people to talk to at school. He was on friendly terms with Uchiha Fugaku, Hyuga Hiashi, and the future heads of the Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, and other Great Families.

Eiji figured that even if he became invincible in the Shinobi World someday, it would still pay to have good connections. Friends were what you relied on when you needed help.

The small fry from earlier didn't matter, but building ties with these prominent figures from the original story would help him unite the Shinobi World later.

He was closer to Minato, mainly because the two of them often trained in Taijutsu together.

Everyone knew ninjas had poor defenses—unless they were the Raikage.

That was why Eiji had sought out Might Duy, the eternal Genin, early on and learned how to train in the Eight Gates from him.

Minato also came from an ordinary family, and his parents had died when he was young. He had little access to Ninjutsu, so focusing on Taijutsu was more a necessity than a choice.

When Minato saw how systematic and well-designed Eiji's training was, he approached Eiji about working out together. Gradually, they grew closer.

Eiji was about to apologize, but Kushina suddenly stepped between him and Minato, glaring fiercely at Minato.

"D-did I do something wrong?"

Faced with Kushina's fierce glare, Minato took a timid half step back.

He was already afraid of Kushina, which was why he spoke so hesitantly around her. Now she looked ready to eat him alive, and his heart began to race.