Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Chōza Akimichi were sitting at a table eating grilled meat when they saw Gengetsu approach, and all three were deeply surprised.
They clearly hadn't expected to run into the newly appointed Fifth Hokage, Gengetsu Uchiha, here.
"Gengetsu! ...No! We should call you Lord Fifth now!"
Reacting quickly, the three hurriedly set down their chopsticks and sake cups, rose in unison, and bowed respectfully to Gengetsu.
Seeing how stiff they were, Gengetsu waved casually and said with a smile.
"What's this Lord Fifth business? It sounds so distant. Just call me by my name, like before!"
Hearing this, Chōza Akimichi cautiously asked, "Gengetsu, is that really all right? You're the Hokage now..."
Gengetsu smiled and nodded, saying nonchalantly, "Of course. Would becoming Hokage mean I stopped recognizing the comrades who once fought through life and death alongside me on the battlefield?"
"Haha! In that case, I won't stand on ceremony! ..."
"Gengetsu, come have some meat! This place's premium beef is the best!"
Seeing that Gengetsu's personality hadn't changed after becoming Hokage, Chōza Akimichi, who had been somewhat nervous, instantly grew enthusiastic.
Soon, the four were seated around the grill, eating meat and drinking sake as the atmosphere grew friendly.
After a few cups, Shikaku Nara set down his sake cup, looked at Gengetsu, and asked:
"Gengetsu, you came looking for us today for more than just a free meal and drinks, didn't you?"
Hearing Shikaku Nara get to the point, Gengetsu also put down his chopsticks. His smile faded, and his gaze swept across the three before him as he spoke in an extremely serious tone.
"I want your three clans to help me!"
Gengetsu's words fell.
Chōza Akimichi, who had been taking large bites of meat beside them, and Inoichi Yamanaka, who had been pouring sake, instantly froze. Both turned their eyes toward Shikaku Nara.
In Konoha, the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans had always stood together, advancing and retreating as one.
And among these three, Shikaku Nara was the most intelligent and saw things most clearly.
Thus, when it came to major matters concerning their clans' fate, Shikaku Nara generally made the final decision.
Hearing Gengetsu's offer, Shikaku Nara fell silent.
The atmosphere in the barbecue restaurant instantly grew somewhat quiet, with only the meat still sizzling on the iron griddle.
Shikaku Nara understood Konoha's current situation very well. On the surface, Gengetsu appeared to have things under control, but beneath it, undercurrents stirred.
This was a fierce confrontation between the Uchiha Clan, led by Gengetsu, and the old establishment, led by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had been stripped of real authority, he had managed Konoha for decades, and his accumulated resources ran unfathomably deep.
Until they could clearly see who would ultimately win, this was absolutely no time to choose sides lightly.
In a political struggle of this magnitude, the slightest misstep could deal a devastating blow to the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, or even plunge them into an abyss from which they would never recover.
Thus, faced with Gengetsu's invitation, Shikaku Nara knitted his brows tightly and chose to remain silent.
Gengetsu wasn't remotely surprised to see Shikaku Nara react this way.
He knew very well that someone of Shikaku Nara's intelligence would weigh the benefits and risks and would never casually stake his entire clan's fate on him over a meal and a few words about old ties.
At this thought, Gengetsu looked straight at Shikaku Nara and suddenly asked:
"You three, what do you need most to be Hokage?"
Hearing Gengetsu's unexpected question, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Chōza Akimichi all paused, their faces full of confusion.
They couldn't understand what Gengetsu meant by suddenly asking this question.
But all three still found themselves thinking it over.
What did someone need most to be Hokage?
Authority? A clan?! Prestige?
Seeing the three pondering, Gengetsu continued.
"What you need most to become Hokage is power!"
Power?!
Hearing that word, all three froze.
Clearly, none of them had expected Gengetsu to give such a simple, blunt answer.
Seeing their stunned expressions, Gengetsu spoke in a strong, ringing voice.
"That's right. Power!"
"Do you really think the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, ended that brutal age of warring states, founded Konoha, and became Hokage by relying on nothing but the so-called 'will of fire'?"
"Wrong! Completely wrong!"
"Without overwhelming power capable of subduing the entire shinobi world, in this world where the strong prey on the weak, no one would ever sit down and calmly listen to you talk about the will of fire!"
Hearing Gengetsu's words, the three nodded instinctively.
Clearly, as the heads of major clans, they knew very well that Gengetsu was right.
In that chaotic Warring States Period, the great shinobi clans slaughtered one another.
If Hashirama Senju hadn't possessed that terrifying, godlike power that could beat everyone who defied him into submission, who would have listened to his will of fire?
But they were also very curious. Why had Gengetsu suddenly brought this up now?
Meeting their puzzled gazes, Gengetsu slowly rose and looked down at them as he spoke.
"Because I now possess power that surpasses everyone else's!"
As his words fell, Gengetsu slowly closed his eyes.
When Gengetsu opened his eyes again, a suffocating surge of chakra suddenly erupted from his body!
His originally black eyes instantly turned scarlet!
Three black tomoe rapidly appeared in his pupils, but that wasn't the end!
Under the three men's shocked gazes, those three tomoe began spinning wildly and expanding, finally joining end to end and merging into a mysterious hexagonal pattern!
"Gengetsu, your eyes!"
"This... could it be..."
As though struck by electricity, the three stared at Gengetsu's eyes in shock, cold sweat involuntarily breaking out on their foreheads.
Although Gengetsu hadn't attacked, the aura emanating from his Mangekyō Sharingan alone put them under immense pressure.
Seeing their horrified expressions, Gengetsu spoke with great pride.
"That's right! This is the Uchiha Clan's ultimate power!"
"The Mangekyō Sharingan! The power Madara Uchiha once possessed!"
Boom!
At the name "Madara Uchiha," thunder seemed to explode in the three men's minds.
He was the legendary Asura who could contend with the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju!
Then Gengetsu closed and opened his eyes, deactivating his Mangekyō, and the terrifying pressure enveloping the barbecue restaurant instantly vanished without a trace.
"Hah... hah..."
The instant the pressure dissipated, Shikaku Nara and the other two couldn't help taking great gulps of air.
They couldn't help it. The pressure the Mangekyō Sharingan exerted on them was simply too great.
Gengetsu sat back down in his chair, looked at the three, and continued asking:
"Hashirama Senju once founded Konoha through his powerful Wood Release!"
"And now, I possess power like Hashirama Senju's!"
"Will you three join me in leading Konoha toward an even more glorious future?!"
Faced with Gengetsu's renewed offer-
"Shikaku!"
"We..."
Inoichi Yamanaka and Chōza Akimichi swallowed hard, both looking toward Shikaku Nara.
Clearly, the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan Gengetsu had just activated had truly shaken them to the core!
Shikaku Nara took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his shock.
He pondered for a moment, his mind racing.
With his Mangekyō Sharingan, Gengetsu Uchiha was already beyond what Hiruzen Sarutobi and the old establishment could contend with.
Konoha's order really was about to change!
Having thought it all through, Shikaku Nara stood up, his expression becoming more serious and respectful than ever. Looking at Gengetsu, he couldn't help saying:
"Gengetsu, I truly never expected you to obtain that legendary power!"
"You're right. With such tremendous power, you really can bring Konoha a glorious future!"
"Lord Fifth! I look forward to working under your guidance!"
Although Shikaku Nara hadn't stated it outright, his solemn address of "Lord Fifth" made his meaning abundantly clear.
On behalf of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, he had formally decided to side with Gengetsu!
"Haha! Excellent!"
Hearing Shikaku Nara's words, Gengetsu was delighted as well and couldn't help laughing aloud.
"Lord Fifth! Let's keep eating and drinking!"
"To Konoha's future!"
Seeing this, Inoichi Yamanaka and Chōza Akimichi finally felt the weight lift from their hearts. They raised their sake cups and laughed.
At the same time, a crisp mechanical voice that only Gengetsu could hear rang out in his mind.
[Ding! Won over the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans. Reward: five nature chakra!]
As the system's voice faded, Gengetsu instantly felt the chakra inside his body changing.
As a member of the Uchiha Clan, Gengetsu's chakra had possessed only two natures: fire and lightning.
But in that instant, Gengetsu's chakra changed, gaining earth, water, and wind natures.
This meant that from now on, he could freely use ninjutsu of any nature.
Just as Gengetsu was feeling excited about obtaining five nature chakra, Shikaku Nara, who had fully stepped into the role of strategist, spoke up:
"Lord Fifth! Although we have the situation under control now, there's still one matter you need to keep an eye on!"
"Oh?" Gengetsu asked curiously. "What is it?"
Shikaku Nara said gravely, "The daimyo's envoy!"
"Konoha has just suffered the Nine-Tails' Rampage. Whether it's rebuilding the buildings or providing compensation and recovery support for the dead and injured shinobi, everything requires enormous funding."
"Konoha can't come up with such a huge sum on its own. We need the Land of Fire's daimyo to allocate the funds."
"And that's what the daimyo's envoy is coming for."
At this point, Shikaku Nara paused, his tone growing somewhat worried.
"Although you've stripped the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi of real authority, he has always maintained close ties with the Land of Fire's daimyo."
"I'm worried he may well use the daimyo's envoy to obstruct us. If he holds up our funding, the village's reconstruction will grind to a complete halt."
Now that Shikaku Nara had decided to side with Gengetsu, he naturally had to begin advising him wholeheartedly.
After hearing Shikaku Nara's analysis, Gengetsu frowned and suddenly made a shocking remark.
"The daimyo, huh?!"
"Tell me, wouldn't the Land of Fire be better off without a daimyo?"
Boom!
Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Chōza Akimichi all stared at Gengetsu in horror.
Abolish the daimyo?!
That would overturn rules that had governed the entire shinobi world for a thousand years.
Seeing their dumbstruck expressions, Gengetsu smiled and said, "I'm only talking!"
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