Naruto: Uchiha Rejects Konoha

Hearing this, the Third Hokage frowned instinctively. Uchiha's refusal to take the Hokage position, instead requesting an advisory elder role to supervise funding—what could this mean?

"In that case, why not accept the position of Hokage? That way, you can both supervise the use of your Uchiha funds and..."

"No, no, no!" Yagami interrupted with a dismissive wave. "This is different. I want the position of an advisory elder not for power but to ensure Uchiha isn't bullied or deceived while overseeing our funds."

Tsunade, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. Unlike the Third Hokage and others, she harboured no prejudice against Uchiha and genuinely believed that having a Uchiha as Hokage could benefit Konoha.

Before she could finish her thought, however, Yagami cut her off with a sharp tone.

"What do you mean? Are you suggesting we would misuse the funds?"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, their faces darkening, immediately pressed the issue.

"Do you think Uchiha's funds are to be used for private gain?" Yagami shot back. "Our money doesn't come from nowhere. We have many in the clan who rely on it, so we can't allow it to be spent carelessly."

He turned his gaze to the room. "Besides, I don't believe the position of Hokage needs to change.

While Third Hokage-sama has indeed made mistakes, those were primarily due to Danzō's machinations. Danzō exploited the Third Hokage's trust.

In that sense, Hokage-sama is as much a victim as anyone. Putting those incidents aside, Third Hokage-sama's governance has been stable and harmonious. Therefore, I support him continuing in the role of Hokage."

Yagami's calm yet pointed defence left Koharu fuming silently. Her wrinkled face flushed with frustration, but she had no retort.

"The Hyūga clan also agrees that Third Hokage-sama should continue to serve," Hyūga Hiashi added, his gaze briefly meeting Yagami's. Though he wasn't certain why Uchiha was acting this way, he chose to align his statement with Yagami's. "The village is in a period of unrest. Replacing the Hokage now might create unnecessary instability."

The members of the Hokage's faction exchanged uncertain glances. They had originally been reluctant to see the Hokage position change, as their allegiance was firmly tied to Sarutobi Hiruzen. If someone new became Hokage, their influence and roles might be jeopardized. Now that the status quo could remain, they naturally leaned toward supporting it.

"If that's the case, we welcome Elder Yagami's support and oversight," the Third Hokage said finally, addressing the gathered room.

With Yagami's declaration and the backing of several prominent clans, the matter seemed settled. The Third Hokage would retain his position, and Uchiha would monitor Konoha's financial recovery through Minfeng's new role as an advisory elder.

Later, at Konoha Grill, Tsunade and Jiraiya dragged Yagami out for a meal following the meeting.

Tsunade, her sharp eyes fixed on Yagami, seemed to be studying him, trying to discern his true intentions.

"Jiraiya-sama, how has Naruto been doing recently? Are you two getting along well?" Yagami asked, breaking the silence.

Jiraiya grinned, happy to shift the topic. "That brat's got a lot of energy. I'll give him that. Training him has been... an adventure."

Yagami nodded, his thoughts briefly drifting. Meanwhile, Sasuke, under the guidance of his clan, had recently awakened the second tomoe of his Sharingan, further advancing his abilities.

"That guy from the Sage of Six Paths really shouldn't let the two children of destiny widen the gap too much," Yagami mused internally, observing Jiraiya's animated excitement.

"Hahaha! Do you really need to keep calling me 'sir'? It sounds awkward… But speaking of Naruto, he really is Minato's son," Jiraiya chuckled. "He's solved the interference problem with the Nine-Tails' chakra. His learning ability is incredible—he's already able to use the Rasengan with ease."

Jiraiya's happiness and pride were evident as he spoke of his student, his smile wide and uncontainable.

Tsk! Naruto's already mastered the Rasengan? Yagami thought to himself. In the original series, he went through so much suffering to learn it. Looking at Jiraiya's proud face, it seems like Naruto is doing well! Truly, the Sage of Six Paths has his back. The guy never hesitates when it comes to giving out blessings!

"Really? It seems it won't be long before he can become a qualified ninja," Yagami said aloud.

"Hmph! Don't forget, Uchiha Sasuke isn't bad either!" Jiraiya interjected. "With a two-tomoe Sharingan at such a young age, if they really fought, Naruto might not stand a chance!"

Listening to Yagami and Jiraiya's back-and-forth, Tsunade rolled her eyes dramatically.

"That's enough, you two! Both of you are single—why are you acting like proud fathers?"

Tsunade's sharp tone caused the two men to exchange sheepish glances. They hadn't realized how much they sounded like doting parents.

For Jiraiya, the sentiment made sense; at his age, he could easily be a grandfather. But Yagami felt a pang of awkwardness—he was far too young for such a role. The idea of acting like a father figure to Sasuke felt especially odd. Besides, he thought, Fugaku's not here, but Aunt Mikoto is…

"Yagami, why did you handle things the way you did today?"

Tsunade poured herself another cup of sake, her sharp gaze fixed on Yagami's eyes despite the risk of locking eyes with a Sharingan.

"Are you asking why I rejected the Hokage position?"

Yagami paused, glancing at Tsunade and Jiraiya before continuing.

"You refused too, didn't you? Of course, our reasons are different.

You turned it down for personal reasons, while Uchiha has no interest in cleaning up the village's mess.

We're doing well now, developing peacefully. We don't want anything disrupting our momentum.

The Hokage seat is a hot potato. Let the village deal with it themselves."

"A mess? Is that how you describe Konoha?" Tsunade frowned, clearly puzzled by Mingfeng's characterization of the village.

Though she acknowledged that Konoha faced challenges, calling it a "mess" seemed excessive to her. Especially with Uchiha thriving, it seemed that many of the village's problems could be resolved with their help.

"Tsunade," Yagami replied, his tone even, "you and Jiraiya have only been back in the village for a short time. You haven't had a chance to understand the current state of Konoha truly.

I can only tell you this: the situation in Konoha—especially among its leadership—is far worse than you think.

I won't go into detail, as I don't want to sound like I'm sowing discord. If you're interested, go investigate yourself."

Yagami's tone shifted, adopting a teasing lilt. "By the way, Tsunade, you're our chief medical consultant at Uchiha. You've been absent from work for quite some time. When are you planning to come back?"

Tsunade's serious expression immediately collapsed, her posture slackening at the reminder.

Jiraiya, observing the exchange, narrowed his eyes slightly. Yagami's comments had sparked something in him. It might be time to dig deeper into Konoha's current state, he thought. His past experience investigating Danzō had taught him to trust his instincts—and they were telling him there was more to uncover in the village.

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