Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

The Senju Clan.

That evening, Hiruzen Sarutobi personally visited alongside Jiraiya, Minato Namikaze, and Uzumaki Naiko.

"Lady Mito."

The three of them bowed respectfully, their faces filled with admiration.

When Uzumaki Mito saw them, she smiled and nodded, saying:

 "Not bad. It seems the village's younger generation is truly growing strong."

"You flatter us, Lady Mito."

The two sides exchanged polite courtesies in the living room. Tsunade sat quietly to the side, her composed demeanor catching Jiraiya's attention.

Tsunade now exuded a sense of nobility and pride that hadn't been there before. Her brow carried a distinct air of dominance, and even her once-casual clothing style had drastically changed. Jiraiya couldn't help but sigh inwardly—he knew Tsunade had changed.

The Tsunade of the past was pure and carefree; now, she was Senju Tsunade, a woman burdened by her clan's responsibilities and determined to become Hokage.

In the past, Tsunade had shown little interest in the position of Hokage.

"Who is this child?"

After Yamato respectfully served tea to everyone, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing his usual amiable smile, casually changed the subject. The atmosphere became harmonious.

At this moment, Hiruzen had no idea what this child represented.

The sole survivor of the Wood Release experiments was standing right before him, and yet he remained unaware.

"This child is Senju Yamato, a pitiful orphan," Uzumaki Mito sighed, her tone melancholy. Her words made it clear to everyone that the child had likely lost his parents and family.

Tsunade, sitting nearby, couldn't help but stifle a laugh when she heard her grandmother say this in front of the Third Hokage.

When these people eventually discovered that this child was a Wood Release user, they would surely regret their ignorance.

"This child has no parents. In a few days, I plan to send him to the Daimyo's residence," Uzumaki Mito said with a deep sigh, prompting Hiruzen Sarutobi to nod in agreement.

"The Daimyo's residence in the Land of Fire? That might be for the best. He can seek refuge with relatives. After all, the child is still so young."

As the two sides continued to chat, Yamato respectfully excused himself and left.

"By the way, I've heard that the shinobi world is becoming increasingly unstable lately. You should be more vigilant, Monkey. The Wood Release experiments had already caused quite a stir in the past," Uzumaki Mito said in a casual, conversational tone, though her words carried a subtle warning. Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded solemnly in response.

"Rest assured, Lady Mito. The Konoha fears no enemy."

Although their conversation appeared lighthearted, Jiraiya secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At least it seemed like a positive sign—the Senju Clan wasn't currently seeking to select a new Hokage.

After all, the Senju Clan's status was too significant. If they were to declare that the current Hokage was too old and a successor needed to be chosen, who would dare to object?

"Tsunade, you should learn more from Monkey about how to handle matters," Uzumaki Mito gently advised her granddaughter before turning to Hiruzen with a smile.

 "Hiruzen, I'll entrust Tsunade to your care in the future."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who should have felt relieved, instead felt a vague discomfort in his heart. Still, he forced a polite smile and nodded.

"You're too kind, Lady Mito. Tsunade is already quite capable on her own."

Minato Namikaze, observing from the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration as he listened to the conversation about the transition between the old and new generations.

In just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the future Hokage had essentially been decided.

The message was clear—the Senju Clan was willing to take a step back and let Hiruzen Sarutobi lead the village through this period of turmoil, allowing him to retire with the highest honors.

By then, Hiruzen would likely be around sixty years old, and Tsunade, still in her prime, could seamlessly step into the role.

The transition between old and new generations seemed entirely reasonable.

Although the shinobi world was currently unstable, they believed that any major conflict would take three to five years to erupt. None of them could have predicted how suddenly the Third Great Ninja War would arrive.

"The years are catching up to me. While I still have a bit of strength left, I'll have Naiko return to the Senju Clan in three days," Uzumaki Mito said, shaking her head tiredly. Her words signaled the end of the visit.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, having achieved his goals, stood and respectfully said, "Lady Mito, please rest well."

This marked the decision to transfer the remaining half of the Nine-Tails within Mito into a new vessel in three days.

Tsunade's eyes carried a deep sadness.

"Tsunade, please see Monkey and the others off."

"Yes, Grandma."

As Tsunade stood, the once-close relationship between teacher and student now seemed distant. Their interactions were filled with polite smiles rather than genuine warmth.

Jiraiya, observing this dynamic, felt deeply uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to leave as quickly as possible.

...

Outside the Gate

"Tsunade, as your teacher, I've watched you grow up. Once all of this is over, I'll leave you with a stable Konoha," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a wistful expression as if their relationship was as strong as ever.

Tsunade smiled faintly and nodded. "Teacher, I will do even better."

Seeing the distant look in Tsunade's eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a bitter laugh. Shaking his head, he sighed and left with Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Naiko.

As the group departed, Jiraiya lingered behind, scratching his head and muttering awkwardly, "Tsunade, the old man is still our teacher, after all."

However, Tsunade simply smiled coldly. "That's why I gave him my final respect. If it had been someone else, do you think the Konoha's leadership wouldn't have changed by tomorrow?"

Wow!

Such bold words left Jiraiya speechless. He knew this was an irresponsible statement, one that disrespected the village.

But coming from Senju Tsunade, he had no way to refute it.

"Jiraiya, you're still the same as ever—running away from everything and shirking responsibility," Tsunade said, shaking her head as she spoke her mind.

In the past, she didn't care about Jiraiya's personality because it had nothing to do with her. But now that she was part of the political game, seeing Jiraiya remain as aimless as ever only made her more frustrated.

"Was Nawaki's death just a coincidence? What about the events in the Land of Grass? And the Land of Rain? Incident after incident, Jiraiya, don't tell me you had no idea about any of it," Tsunade said with a laugh, leaving Jiraiya in stunned silence.

"Tsunade, the old man is carrying the entire village on his back. I hope you can try to understand that," Jiraiya finally said, attempting to shift the conversation by appealing to her emotions.

Hearing this, Tsunade burst into laughter, though her tone was filled with anger.

"Jiraiya, haven't I been understanding? Those old geezers are nearing fifty now, right? The shinobi world is in turmoil—fine, I won't fight for power. I'll give them time. But this time, it'll take at least seven or eight years, maybe even ten. By then, they'll all be sixty years old. Am I not understanding enough? And don't you dare tell me some nonsense about being even more understanding!"

Tsunade's sharp words left Jiraiya flustered. He waved his hands in protest. "Of course not! By then, the old man would be too old to keep at it!"

Now that things had been laid bare, Jiraiya had no objections. Scratching his head awkwardly, he silently breathed a sigh of relief—at least there had been no outright conflict.

Unfortunately, in Jiraiya's eyes, a sixty-year-old man is incapable of handling the task. But in reality, even at seventy, this group of old fogeys clings on and refuses to step down.

...

Under the streetlights, Minato Namikaze respectfully accompanied Hiruzen Sarutobi as they walked toward the Hokage Office.

"Minato, what do you think of my decision?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's kind smile made Minato Namikaze's heart swell with emotion as he nodded and said:

"Thank you, Third Lord. Naiko and I will protect Konoha."

Looking at Minato Namikaze and the grateful gazes of Uzumaki Naiko standing behind him, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded:

"I see that Naiko has inherited the Will of Fire. And as for you, Minato, even though I am not your teacher, over the years, I've taught you far more than your irresponsible master, Jiraiya.

I trust the two of you. That's why I've stood against all opposition regarding the rule that Jinchūriki cannot marry..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words were essentially telling Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Naiko: since you two are in love, then go ahead and love each other boldly.

He would handle all the opposition, which left Minato and Naiko deeply grateful.

After all, Minato Namikaze could be said to have been nurtured directly by Hiruzen Sarutobi, and he trusted Minato's character implicitly.

As for Uzumaki Naiko, the future Jinchūriki being with Minato was essentially no different from keeping her under his control, and it even strengthened their bonds.

"That's good. Minato, over the past few days, you must have noticed the issues within the village—the conflict between the noble clans and the commoners. You have to understand the position of a Hokage like me."

At this point, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sighed deeply with melancholy as he walked, instilling the Will of Fire into Minato Namikaze.

As a commoner himself, Minato Namikaze now fully understood the power of the noble clans and the reasoning behind the Third Hokage's efforts to weaken the great noble families.

It was all for the stability and balance of Konoha! Human nature has always been this way. People never see their flaws.

If a Hokage's strength were sufficient, why would they even care about the power of the noble clans? After all, a single great shadow could suppress countless great clans.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to the Hokage Office, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzo all revealed satisfied smiles.

The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, this ultimate weapon, was finally falling into their grasp.

...

The Senju Clan.

"Grandma."

Seeing the sadness in Tsunade's eyes, Uzumaki Mito teased with a smile:

 "Tsunade, what are you sad about? Grandma will leave a little bit of the Nine-Tails' chakra and won't die."

However, upon hearing this, Tsunade shook her head and said:

 "Grandma, stop lying to me. The transfer and sealing of the Nine-Tails has already been done once before with Kushina.

Your body can't handle it anymore. Even if part of the Nine-Tails' chakra is left behind, how much longer can you last?"

Looking at Tsunade, Uzumaki Mito smiled and shook her head:

 "Tsunade, even without transferring the Nine-Tails, this body of mine can only last until next year at most."

"What's the difference in that little bit of time? Right now, seeing you grow up, as well as Kushina and the others, I'm already very content."

...

The Uchiha Clan.

Moonlight streamed into the room. Under Mikoto's gentle smile, Shirou let out a deep breath and massaged his temples as he said:

 "Mikoto, has there been any activity from Sunagakure or Kumogakure lately?"

Hearing his question, Mikoto nodded slightly, stepped forward, and gently massaged his temples as she reported the latest intelligence:

"According to the information, these two villages haven't made any major moves recently. They're still expanding their military as usual, with Kumogakure being the most active..."

After finishing her report, Mikoto furrowed her brows slightly in confusion and said softly:

 "Shirou, we have significant resources within the clan, but we've only been cultivating a few young ones like Shisui. Isn't that making us a bit weak?"

Over the past two years, Shirou's lack of large-scale efforts to build up the clan's power puzzled her. She even felt a sense of unease deep in her heart.

"Shirou, there's something I don't want to say, but if someone harbors ill intentions toward us, we'll be at a disadvantage."

Hearing this, Shirou didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled lightly, opened his eyes, and looked at Mikoto with a relaxed expression. He shook his head and said:

"Mikoto, if my goal was just to become the Hokage, I would indeed do as you suggested and build up our forces. But in this ninja world, after all the fighting, true power is what speaks in the end!"

At this point, Shirou smiled and pulled Mikoto into his lap, gently caressing her eyes as he said with a voice full of allure:

 "Mikoto, your Mangekyō Sharingan is just the beginning, not the end. Don't let trivial matters cloud your vision. I believe you can become even stronger..."

With Shirou's captivating voice, Uchiha Mikoto's bewitching Mangekyō Sharingan slowly revealed itself in her infatuation.

In this twisted way of thinking, Mikoto was utterly convinced. Even though she was already strong, as long as Shirou said she wasn't strong enough, then she felt she hadn't worked hard enough.

Shirou smiled and shook his head. If the Mangekyō Sharingan was the end, then he would indeed do as Mikoto suggested and build up the clan's forces.

"Mikoto, we need to focus on the future of these young ones."

Resources and status are merely byproducts of power.

Previously, when he was weak, he needed all of that. But now that he had it all, the true essence of this ninja world was always power!

If he could pilot a Gundam, all of Konoha would bow to him.

"And Mikoto, as for the forces you mentioned, we need to broaden our horizons."

Through the window, his strong arm pointed toward most of Konoha's landscape. Under Mikoto's puzzled gaze, Shirou spoke with a calm yet domineering tone that echoed in her ears:

"One day, all of this will be ours. For now, we must not waste energy on these trivial matters. Focusing on training and improving our strength is the priority."

This casual yet domineering tone left Mikoto mesmerized. She immediately smiled.

"I believe Shirou can achieve it."

This is the Uchiha way—blind, fanatical trust.

And Shirou smiled lightly at this trust. Only in front of his three women could he relax.

Mikoto had only just awakened her Mangekyō Sharingan. How could such talent be wasted? He had to carefully nurture her. Even among Kage-level ninjas, there were distinctions in strength.

At his level, he would never immerse himself in the pursuit of mere influence. Even Danzo understood the pursuit of power, so how could he not?

If he were ignorant of the world-shattering power that lay ahead, it would be understandable. But since he knew, how could he not aspire to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the moon?

He was even monitoring Kumogakure and Sunagakure in secret, without hiding it from his women, including Tsunade.

With the Mangekyō Sharingan, Konoha would be his playground.

With the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Konoha would be his to command.

And with the Rinnegan, the entire ninja world would be his home.