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  ....

  The Third Secret Scroll:

  "You may appoint Uchiha Fugaku as the ander of the forces invading the Grass Vilge, letting him bring some minor Uchiha shock to the ninja world."

  "Fugaku-kun..."

  Minato his was also an impeccable answer.

  Uchiha Fugaku, a veterae Jōnin of Konoha, had enough prestige to lead the strike force.

  Although he hadn't earned a title of his own in the ninja world, he was definitely not someone who could be easily defeated.

  He might be slightly inferior to Orochimaru, but not by much. Using him to elimihe resistance forces of the Grass Vilge and the statioroops of the Kumogakure was certainly suffit.

  "I chuckle at Kaigetsu-kun's exaggeration; if it's Fugaku, saying he'll bring shock might be a bit much."

  "But he does indeed qualify to be the leader of the strike force."

  "Moreover, since Kaigetsu-kun didn't mention otherwise, it seems that, at least for now, Fugaku-kun's loyalty to the vilge surpasses that of Orochimaru."

  Minato raised his hand, just about to call in Nara Shikaku, aiting outside.

  Uedly, before he could do so, his guards returo the office, holding a thick stack of sealed dots.

  "So soon?"

  Minato looked surprised.

  "Lord Hokage, this is..." Shiranui Genma seemed to be choosing his words carefully to expin this strauation. "We had just left the Hokage Building when we entered someone who cimed to be the captain of Gojo-sama's secret intelligenit."

  "He had been waiting for us for a long time, and then handed us this information."

  "We took a brief look..." A hint of apprehension appeared in Shiranui Genma's eyes. "Evidence of Orochimaru's forbidden as."

  Is this something a mere member of the Hokage Guard Ptoon should be toug?

  If the tents were exposed, it could cause an upheaval in Konoha Vilge!

  Even someone like him, not particurly sensitive to politics, could foresee that the influence of the Third Hokage and Danzo-dono might drop to freezing point because of this i...

  The vilge's power would beore tralized. The ninja s would take sides more thhly.

  But who could say whether the Third Hokage and Danzo would willingly let their already dwindling power be further weakened?

  Hard to say, dare not think, dare not ask.

  Shiranui Genma chose to stop thinking; such taboo matters were not something a small member of the Hokage Guard Ptoon should sider.

  "I see..."

  Although the news came suddenly, Minato calmly accepted the fact.

  His close friend, Gojo Kaigetsu, had really calcuted everything...

  Not only Nara-senpai's nomination list and his own subsequeions.

  Kaigetsu-kun had firmed from the beginning that "Orochimaru will definitely defect," but waited until Minatht it up himself before handing over the evidence.

  In that case... he wouldn't let down his friend's good iions; he would take a look.

  "Orochimaru-sensei..."

  Minato exhaled deeply and unsealed the dots.

  "Um, Lord Hokage, we'll take our leave then?"

  "Yes, go ahead."

  Minato didn't look up, his sharp eyes fixed on the words in the report: "Sixty people," "Children, civilians, Genin, in," "Deaths," "Locations..."

  These shog words entered Minato's sight oer another.

  Ead every one, unfivable!

  As a ninja who had reached Orochimaru's level, what couldn't he obtain? Why did he have to extend his dark hand towards his rades in the vilge? What was he pursuing that led him to such a heinous extent?

  inally, after Orochimaru's death, his name could have been inscribed at the forefront of Konoha's Memorial Stone. But now... Orochimaru had lost the right to have his name left on Konoha's Memorial Stoer death.

  After reading the st word described ielligence, Minato's eyes were full of disappoi and anger.

  Not only Orochimaru; acc to this ironcd report, it also subtly pointed out the involvement of Root, led by Danzo.

  Oer ahey were undermining Konoha!

  Konoha's ninjas hadn't died in the ninja wars but were instead betrayed from within.

  Clearly, Konoha was on the right path, thriving aier aer. Why did some people have to be the "ugliest retrogrades," destroying this harmony?!

  How could he govern this vilge well with these parasites around?!

  Minato was utterly furious.

  This was the first time since he became the Fourth Hokage that he felt such immense anger.

  This anger would iably burn onto the remnants of the old era.

  Elder Danzo, Orochimaru... eveubborn small ninja s that didn't follow orders-did they really think his Flying Thunder God Ssh couldn't cut them down?!

  Minato had always uood, but he used to be willing to believe in "goodness" aively ighe "calcutions."

  He was just an ordinary civilian ninja; in terms of achievements, he was not as distinguished as Orochimaru, who had peted with him. What made him gain the support of most ninja s and civilians?

  Perhaps because he was a civilian, an easily maniputed figure; perhaps because he was Kushina's lover and could act as a stabilizer for the ails Jinchūriki; or perhaps... after the Third Ninja War, Konoha needed a civilian to bee Hokage to unite people's hearts once again.

  If he were truly an ordinary civilian, he might have been maniputed like that.

  Creating a "shadow behind the throne" in Konoha.

  But Minato wasn't; he was a bona fide genius in ninja training. The slight deficies in political a were also pensated by his close friend.

  How could such a Hokage be tent to be a puppet?

  "I offered you dignity, but you didn't want it... so I'll ensure you have it." Minato's face darkened, murderous i rising.

  For Konoha, and to mold the ideal Konoha he and Kaigetsu-kun envisioo make Konoha great again without being dragged down by parasites...

  This time, he would take decisive a! Leave none behind, expel all enemies from Konoha!

  After the anger subsided, ess followed.

  Minato didn't let anger cloud his judgment; instead, he carefully sidered the pn given by Gojo Kaigetsu.

  As for Orochimaru, he must be killed as a rogue ninja; not killing him wouldn't appease the people's anger. As for Danzo, he must be punished; not punishing him wouldn't demonstrate authority and justice.

  But he couldn't propose it himself.

  Minato could deceive Orochimaru into the Hokage's office, arrange fifty executioners, and signal with a thrown military ration pill, letting Orochimaru meet his end in the Hokage Building.

  But his identity was too sensitive.

  Even though he had served as the Fourth Hokage for a long time, many stubborn fas in the vilge still yearned for Danzo.

  They had also supported Orochimaru in the Hokage ele.

  Although Minato ultimately won, those opposing voices couldn't be ignored. If Minato personally ordered Orochimaru's immediate execution, and the matter spread, it might turn into:

  "The Fourth Hokage is a dictator, eliminating dissidents!"

  "The bird is gohe bow is put away; the Fourth Hokage suppresses his petitors, wanting to turn Konoha into a one-man show!"

  "Today it's Orochimaru who dies; will it be Jiraiya's turn tomorrow? The Fourth Hokage wants to eliminate all the elders of the old era!"

  "Oppose the Fourth's tyranny! Freedom belongs to Konoha!"

  Even though his iion was for Konoha's good, even though he would make the factual evidence public, he couldn't withstand the plexity of people's hearts.

  People living in the ninja world always believe what they want to believe.

  spiracy theorists never audience.

  The more he tried to suppress such remarks, the more distorted the spiracy theories and unofficial histories would bee iure.

  "That's why you want the Third Hokage to personally deal with him... that's your idea, Kaigetsu-kun."

  "The Third Hokage..."

  Minato sighed again.

  Although the power struggles in Konoha were plex, those who could sit in the Hokage's position were all devoted to the vilge. It could be sidered a blessing that none who sat in the Hokage's position were evil ninjas driven by personal desires.

  The Third Hokage might have some personal desires aions, but overall, he was absolutely dedicated to Konoha.

  Their philosophies might differ, but their goals were the same.

  Orochimaru was the Third Hokage's disciple.

  And Minato was the Third Hokage's... grand-disciple?

  Having the Third Hokage personally deal with his own disciple was justified; no one could find fault. As for severely punishing Shimura Danzo and stripping him of his position as the head of Root, the Third Hokage could propose it, and the Fourth Hokage could execute it.

  Minato believed his teacher wouldn't have chosen the wrong disciple.

  If it were the Third Hokage, he could ha.

  Regarding this, Minato still believed the Third Hokage would make the right choice.

  The Last Secret Scroll:

  "In the pn to blitz the Grass Vilge, you cooperate with Iwagakure... as a gesture of goodwill, to prevent ōnoki from feeling anxious about the situation and triggering the Fourth Ninja War..."

  Minato's eyes flickered as he read every word of the st secret scroll left by Gojo Kaigetsu.

  "Nara, you may e in."

  "Yes."

  The two resumed their versation.

  "Lord Hokage, have you sidered appointing Orochimaru as the ander of the strike force?"

  "It's a good proposal," Minato said ambiguously, "but we still o further assess Orochimaru's attitude."

  "Apart from him, in my opinion, appointing Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the Police Force, to and this operation is also acceptable."

  As expected, the Fourth Hokage was still too close to the Uchiha .

  He didn't uand the principle of bang various forces, allowing one to bee too dominant; be careful of being uo trol them!

  Nara Shikaku reminded as tactfully as possible: "Lord Hokage, Uchiha Fugaku is responsible for the entire security and defense of Konoha. If he is appointed as the ander of the strike force, he might be stretched too thin."

  "Moreover, does Uchiha Fugaku have the ability to swiftly defeat the Grass Ninja and the Kumogakure's statioroops?"

  First, he delied responsibilities, theioned abilities. Nara Shikaku attacked on two fronts, trying to block Minato's choice.

  However, Minato replied:

  "The position of Police Force Chief temporarily be handed over to another ninja. As for abilities..."

  Minato stood up: "As a veterae Jōnin of Konoha, Uchiha Fugaku's capabilities are certainly suffit, and I've already prepared a prehensive pn for him to ehe mission's success."

  "A pn? What is it?" Nara Shikaku was curious.

  Minato pulled over a map of the ninja world, pointing to the location of the Grass Vilge:

  "I will write a letter in my own o the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, ōnoki, asking him to dispatinjas alongside us, f a pitack to destroy the defensive forces of the Grass Vilge in one fell swoop."

  "If the strength of one vilge isn't fast or fierough, then two vilges will bine forces. Because the operation requires speed like lightning, I will 'Operation White.'"

  Minato's words were like a sudden enlighte, making Nara Shikaku's mind clear.

  Yes, why hadn't he thought of that?

  Nara Shikaku's breathing became slightly rapid.

  Look at the location of the Grass Vilge!

  The upper part borders Iwagakure, and the lower part borders Konoha. If both vilges unch a blitz simultaneously, the Grass Vilge would be destroyed in an instant.

  In the game betwee vilges, small vilges are destio be sacrificial pawns. Even though they did nothing wrong, they had already bee spoils in the mouth of the Fourth Hokage on the map, to be divided by two super great vilges.

  The only question is whether ōnoki would agree to su unorthodox operation?

  The answer... most likely, he would!

  ...

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