Chapter 118: Conflict in the Hokage's Office

“Minato, have you encountered any difficulties recently in your training with the Flying Thunder God Technique?”

Sarutobi Hiruzen had summoned Minato Namikaze to ask about his progress. Recently, Minato had performed exceptionally well on his missions, but Hiruzen still had no idea how his training with the Flying Thunder God Technique was going.

If Minato could use it proficiently in actual combat, Konoha would once again display the glory of the fastest shinobi in the world.

Back then, if Lord Tobirama had wanted to escape, virtually no one could have killed him. A forbidden space-time technique like the Flying Thunder God was completely beyond the means of ordinary shinobi.

“I’ve run into some problems while training with the Flying Thunder God Technique, Lord Third Hokage. I feel that Lord Second Hokage’s Flying Thunder God formula isn’t quite suitable. After two consecutive transfers, the mark seems to begin fading. By the third or fourth transfer, interference starts to appear. So I’d like to improve the formula, but I lack the necessary insight to draw inspiration from other techniques…”

Minato scratched his head as he explained to Hiruzen. He had only discovered the problem recently, while carrying out missions. The Second Hokage’s Flying Thunder God marks were not suitable for him; after several transfers, they would gradually fade away.

If possible, Minato wanted the marks to remain for a long time. Otherwise, whenever he encountered a battle, he would have to keep taking out new Flying Thunder God kunai. That was far too troublesome, and against a powerful shinobi, it could become a serious weakness.

“As for the Flying Thunder God formula, it may involve a combination of sealing techniques and summoning techniques. You can consult the Sealing Corps. It’s a good thing that you’ve had this idea. In the entire village, you’re the only person who has successfully engraved a Flying Thunder God mark and used it to transfer.”

Hiruzen offered Minato a few words of encouragement. Then his eyes shifted as he suddenly thought of something.

“I’ll speak with Kushina Uzumaki. Her mastery of sealing techniques should be the greatest in Konoha. You two can have a proper discussion. You’re the same age, and the little misunderstanding between you should be resolvable.”

When Minato heard Kushina’s name, a glimmer of expectation appeared in his eyes. But when he remembered her attitude toward him, a trace of apprehension returned to his heart.

He was worried that even with an order from the Third Hokage, Kushina still would not agree…

Minato forced a smile and said to Hiruzen, “I’ll… do my best, Lord Hokage.”

* * *

“Hiruzen.”

Just as Hiruzen was sending the ANBU to summon Kushina, Danzo suddenly entered the office. Hiruzen had called him here as well, intending to resolve the issue of Root’s funding.

The Daimyo had slashed Konoha’s budget mercilessly, and Hiruzen had in turn cut Root’s allocation. With war approaching, reducing Root’s funds at a time like this was practically sending its members to their deaths on the battlefield.

Kunai, shuriken, protective gear, uniforms, explosive tags, military rations, medicine… The funds allocated by Koharu were nowhere near enough. Root would still have to purchase much of its equipment itself.

Hiruzen lowered his pipe and said to Danzo, “You’re here. Wait a moment. I’ll speak with you after I finish dealing with Minato’s matter.”

Danzo did not mind. His own affairs could not be settled in a moment anyway. Hearing Hiruzen’s words, he leaned on his cane and sat down on a nearby sofa.

* * *

Before long, Kushina was also summoned by the ANBU. When she entered the Hokage’s office, she immediately noticed two people she did not particularly like.

One was Minato Namikaze, who had tried to drive a wedge between her and Kahn. The other was the Hokage’s adviser, Homura, whom Tsunade had warned her to keep her distance from.

Being in the same room with both of them made Kushina feel distinctly uncomfortable.

“Lord Hokage.”

Kushina greeted Hiruzen, secretly hoping that he would explain the matter quickly so she could return to the Sealing Corps.

“Kushina, there’s something I need your help with. Minato has encountered some problems involving sealing techniques while training with the Flying Thunder God Technique, so I hope you can assist him for a while. You can consider it a mission—”

Before Hiruzen could finish, Kushina decisively shook her head.

“I don’t want to accept this mission, Lord Hokage. You should find someone else. Captain Sokura of the Sealing Corps is more skilled at sealing techniques than I am.”

Hiruzen’s expression darkened slightly, but he continued to persuade her gently.

“Kushina, apart from having more experience, Sokura is inferior to you in every other respect. Given some time, you’ll be fully qualified to become the next captain of the Sealing Corps. Minato is also a fellow shinobi of this village, and he needs your help.”

“Let him seek help from someone else. There are plenty of people in the Sealing Corps.”

No matter what Hiruzen said, Kushina refused to yield.

Minato’s expression became extremely awkward. Several times, he wanted to say that the Third Hokage should simply forget it, but he had no idea how to put it.

Danzo stepped forward and said coldly, “Kushina Uzumaki, you are now a shinobi of Konoha. The village has invested so much in raising you, and now you refuse every mission and make excuses. Do you still have any loyalty to Konoha?”

Kushina had a fiery temperament. She was gentle in front of Kahn, but that gentleness had been cultivated step by step. At first, he had treated her kindly, then given her gifts. Later, when Kumogakure attacked and the entire school treated her poorly, Kahn alone had regarded her as a true friend.

She had always responded to kindness, not coercion. Especially when she was unwilling to do something, Danzo’s forceful words immediately triggered her rebellious nature, which resonated with the chakra of the tailed beast within her.

“I said I don’t want to!”

Kushina suddenly lifted her head. Her eyes had already become those of a tailed beast, with narrow vertical pupils, while her long red hair floated faintly behind her. Even without opening the White Eyes, one could see the layer of tailed-beast chakra spilling from her body.

“What are you planning to do? ANBU!”

Danzo shouted. An ANBU squad instantly appeared inside the room, surrounding Kushina from four directions.

She paid them no attention, staring fixedly at Danzo, the loathsome old man.

If her reason had not restrained her, she would already have merged with the tailed-beast chakra and entered the second stage of the tailed-beast cloak.

Anger rose in Danzo’s heart. His eyes glinted coldly as he said, “Do you think the power of the tailed beast allows you to disregard Konoha’s orders? Today, I will—”

“That’s enough!”

Hiruzen shouted furiously, his expression ugly. He immediately ordered, “ANBU, stand down. Kushina, since you’re unwilling, then forget it. I’ll arrange for someone else to help Minato.”

* * *

Only after hearing Hiruzen’s words did Kushina slowly withdraw the tailed-beast chakra. Her eyes returned from vertical pupils to their normal form.

Without saying a word, she glared at Danzo and Minato before leaving the Hokage’s office.

The outburst of tailed-beast chakra had not been a loss of control. Strictly speaking, Kushina had been controlling it herself.

That was precisely what left Danzo and Hiruzen deeply troubled. It would have been one thing if the jinchuriki could not control the tailed beast. But now she was actually using its chakra against them.

Hiruzen turned aside and forced a smile at Minato.

“Minato, it seems unlikely that Kushina will help you. I’ll give you written authorization. Go to the Sealing Corps and find someone else.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you very much for your help, Lord Hokage.”

Minato hurriedly bowed. Once he had obtained the authorization, he quickly left.

As soon as Minato was gone, Danzo said sternly to Hiruzen, “Hiruzen, this is what happens when the Nine-Tails jinchuriki is not properly trained. She refuses even a mission. The next step may well be rebellion. While she still cannot fully control the Nine-Tails’ power, Root should train her into a jinchuriki who obeys orders without question. That is the best choice.”

Hiruzen still hesitated.

“Let me think about it. We’ll discuss it another day.”

“What is there to think about?” Danzo stepped forward and said coldly. “She already dares to refuse a mission and resist you with tailed-beast chakra. Once she masters the Nine-Tails’ power, do you think Kushina Uzumaki will defect from the village with it, or drag you down from the position of Hokage?”

Danzo’s voice sharpened.

“It was your indecisiveness that allowed the Nine-Tails jinchuriki to become what she is today. If you had sent her to Root for strict training when she first became the Nine-Tails’ vessel, Konoha would already possess a powerful jinchuriki weapon. Why would we still care about provocations from the other villages?”

Hiruzen found himself unable to make a decision.

He was furious with Kushina as well, and just now he had nearly agreed to Danzo’s proposal outright. But if Root obtained control of the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, its influence would expand too rapidly. That was something he absolutely did not want to see.

Moreover, he could not ignore Tsunade’s attitude. She and Kushina still lived together and were extremely close. Tsunade’s younger brother Nawaki and Nawaki’s teacher, Orochimaru, were also involved. If Tsunade insisted on opposing him, it would become a serious problem for him as Hokage.

Seeing that Hiruzen could not reach a decision in the immediate future, Danzo began speaking about Root’s funding. Before the great war, Root’s budget absolutely could not be reduced.

But Hiruzen had no choice. Root was not the only department whose funding had been cut. Apart from the ANBU, every branch had suffered reductions, with the Police Force hit the hardest.

The Uchiha clan head had already come to see him three times. However, Fugaku Uchiha had only taken office recently, and each time Hiruzen had managed to brush him off with one excuse or another.

Danzo did not obtain everything he wanted, but he compromised by asking Hiruzen for another batch of Ninja Academy graduates to replenish the ANBU. Since Root’s funding had been reduced so severely, he no longer had enough money to train personnel himself.

Graduates with a foundation in ninjutsu were the best recruits for Root. Danzo also obtained Hiruzen’s approval to recruit members from the various shinobi clans.

That matter likewise required Hiruzen’s authorization. When Root had first been established, Hiruzen had placed numerous restrictions on it.

Not long after Danzo left, another problem arrived at the Hokage’s office.

Tsunade suddenly kicked the door open and strode inside.

After leaving, Kushina had not returned directly to the Sealing Corps. Instead, she had gone to Konoha Hospital to complain to Tsunade. If Kahn had not left the village, she would certainly have gone to his home first to seek comfort. She felt deeply aggrieved.

The person who had trained her the most was Mito Uzumaki. Everything she had learned was drawn from the Uzumaki clan’s sealing arts. After mastering them, she had worked tirelessly to repay the village through sealing techniques, perfecting and reinforcing its barriers. Most of that work had been completed by her.

After hearing Kushina’s account, Tsunade rushed straight from Konoha Hospital to the Hokage’s office and engaged in a furious argument with Hiruzen in front of the other shinobi.

Because of Tsunade’s status, it did not matter whether Hiruzen won or lost the argument—he would be the one to lose face in the end. Thus, he quickly calmed her anger and finally brought the matter to a close.

But Hiruzen was ultimately the Hokage. He could tolerate Tsunade’s disrespect toward him, but he could not tolerate the existence of a power within the village that he could not control.

Marvel: Trading Begins in the Shinobi World

Don’t urge me to write. Thank you for the reminder. Remember to bookmark this work after reading; that way, it will be convenient to continue reading when I update next time. Look forward to more exciting chapters!

Chapter One Hundred Eighteen: Conflict in the Hokage’s Office