Plus one since you guys did good job.
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Konoha, the Anbu Base.
Under layers of tight and intricate barriers, the Anbu and Root bases are considered the safest places in Konoha.
At this moment, in a secret chamber, Minato Namikaze stood with his wife, Naiko Uzumaki. Both wore worried expressions as they looked at their sleeping child, Naruto Uzumaki, lying on the bed.
"Shirou-sensei, is Sasuke okay?"
Also present was Itachi Uchiha, who had brought along his infant brother. The two babies—one with black hair and the other with blonde—were in a deep sleep under the effects of a genjutsu.
Itachi's face was full of concern; after all, this was his only remaining family.
"Still no abnormalities detected. Are you sure about what you said?"
Tsunade, having just finished examining the two children with a serious expression, was puzzled. She had found nothing unusual.
It was worth noting that, in the field of medical ninjutsu in the Shinobi World, Tsunade was second to none.
Faced with her confusion—and the worry of Minato, Naiko, and Itachi—Shirou nodded gravely.
"If not for these eyes of mine, I wouldn't have noticed anything that night."
Under the mysterious glow of his activated Mangekyō Sharingan, the others quietly acknowledged his power. None would doubt the strength of the Mangekyō.
"Both Naruto and Sasuke have traces of a faint, hidden chakra within them. This chakra fused into their bodies. I suspect that Naruto was injected with it shortly after his birth, while Sasuke seems to have developed it after becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki..."
Shirou's serious tone made everyone present gasp.
Itachi, still young, might not fully understand the implications, but Minato and Tsunade exchanged grave looks.
"Are you saying... the mysterious man?"
"Exactly. Based on my investigation of Danzo's mind, the one controlling the Nine-Tails was not from Root!"
Shirou's statement caused Minato's expression to change drastically. Currently, the only person who both controlled the Mangekyō and possessed Wood Release cells was Danzo.
But if it wasn't Danzo, that meant another enemy was lurking in the shadows!
Shirou spoke with a heavy tone, not lying in the slightest. Since Danzo had already been captured and the events of the Nine-Tails' attack on the village had nothing to do with him, falsely blaming him would only backfire.
Instead, Shirou decided to present the idea of a hidden enemy in the Shinobi World. This external threat would serve as a pressure point, potentially motivating Minato and Itachi to action.
Shirou glanced briefly at Itachi before subtly shifting his gaze to the two babies on the bed.
The reincarnations of Asura and Indra's chakra—such a delicacy, the perfect source of power.
"I now suspect that there is an unknown, hidden enemy in the Shinobi World. The deeply concealed chakra within Naruto and Sasuke's bodies may be a contingency plan. I only detected faint traces of it with my Mangekyō when they were born."
Shirou's grave tone made it clear to Minato and Itachi: the people most important to them had already become targets of this hidden foe.
"Minato!"
Naiko, visibly anxious, looked at her husband. Having already lost the Nine-Tails, her strength was now no greater than that of an elite jonin. Faced with a mysterious individual capable of controlling the Nine-Tails, her first instinct was to rely on others.
Minato, too, appeared deeply concerned. He frowned and said in a low voice:
"Lord Hokage, could it be possible that the mysterious man is secretly collaborating with Danzo? After all, many sealing techniques in the Shinobi World erase memories from the brain once a secret is exposed."
Shirou was momentarily stunned by Minato's quick deduction. Even Tsunade frowned and nodded in agreement.
"That's a possibility. While such sealing techniques would severely affect the brain, it's entirely plausible that Danzo would use them to protect his secrets if something went wrong."
Watching Minato and Tsunade so readily pin everything on Danzo, Shirou's eye twitched involuntarily.
Danzo truly lived up to his reputation as the ultimate scapegoat.
Shirou had even provided evidence clearing Danzo's name, yet Minato still didn't doubt that Danzo was involved.
It made sense, though. On the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, Danzo had conveniently stayed out of sight and ordered Root to block the Uchiha's Police Force under the guise of the Third Hokage's command. It was all too easy to link these actions to a larger conspiracy.
The blame fit Danzo so perfectly that not even Shirou's attempts to exonerate him could dispel suspicion.
Finally, after some thought, Shirou nodded and said, "That's possible, but we shouldn't make baseless accusations without evidence."
Hearing this, Minato couldn't help but look at Shirou with admiration, his eyes full of respect.
"Shirou! You truly are more suited to the position of Hokage than I am!"
Minato was deeply moved. Despite everything Danzo had done to the Uchiha, Shirou—now occupying the Hokage position—still managed to remain calm and composed. It was impossible not to admire such restraint and self-control.
Unaware of Minato's inner thoughts, Shirou instead focused on the two children on the bed.
"I have a forbidden technique, the Chimera Jutsu, which can extract and analyze the hidden chakra within Naruto and Sasuke."
Shirou stretched out his hands. After forming several seals, diamond-shaped markings appeared on the palms of both hands. Under the anxious gazes of Minato, Naiko, and Itachi, he placed his hands on Sasuke and Naruto's foreheads.
Forbidden Technique: Chimera Jutsu!
As the forbidden technique was activated, Shirou could sense the tremendous potential hidden within Sasuke and Naruto. His expression grew serious as he said:
"I can feel it. This mysterious chakra is deeply buried within their bodies, already fused with them. This chakra carries a strong will...
It's a type of secret technique I've never encountered before. It's somewhat similar to the yin-yang techniques recorded in the Uzumaki clan's archives. Particularly in Naruto's case, this will is incredibly strong. If left unchecked, it could affect his personality over time."
Shirou wasn't exaggerating; he was telling the truth. The reincarnated chakras of Indra and Asura came with hidden wills that influenced their hosts throughout their lives. This explained why Asura's reincarnations, like Hashirama and Naruto, were often hot-blooded and a bit reckless.
Indra's will, on the other hand, was simpler—focused solely on defeating Asura. As a result, Indra's reincarnations, such as Madara and Sasuke, displayed relatively normal personalities compared to their counterparts.
"Yin-yang chakra?"
Tsunade, who had extensive knowledge of chakra, immediately caught onto something and grew serious.
"I'm going to begin extracting the will from their chakras now!"
Activating Sage Mode and his Mangekyō Sharingan, Shirou began slowly absorbing the hidden chakra from the two children.
This chakra, while not particularly large in quantity, was of the highest quality in the Shinobi World, second only to Ōtsutsuki and Sage-level powers.
"Sasuke!"
Unaware of the truth, Itachi grew more determined than ever. Realizing that Sasuke was already a target of this hidden enemy, he vowed to protect him at all costs.
Under his unwavering resolve, the tomoe in Itachi's Sharingan began to spin. To Tsunade's astonishment, one tomoe slowly evolved into two.
"This child—at his age—has already awakened a double-tomoe Sharingan?!"
Tsunade was shocked, and Minato also looked increasingly serious.
Amid the barriers surrounding them, Shirou continued his work. As he extracted half of the hidden chakra's will, a satisfied smile crept across his face.
As expected!
Even if the Sage of Six Paths were still alive, he wouldn't constantly monitor his two sons.
After all, when Naruto from the Dragon Vein timeline came last time, he boldly attempted to devour him, merely to test things out.
However, to play it safe, Sasuke and Naruto will also become valuable assets in the future.
After devouring most of the deeply hidden chakra within the two of them—and nearly all of their will within it—Shirou finally stopped, drenched in sweat.
"Shirou!"
"Lord Hokage!"
Under the worried gazes of Tsunade and Minato Namikaze, Shirou wiped the sweat off his forehead, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"The quality of this special chakra is very powerful, but I've already devoured the will within it. The residual chakra in Naruto and Sasuke's bodies will not only pose no harm but will also become a great source of strength."
For safety reasons, he ultimately chose not to completely devour these two chakras.
Who knows? If the chakras of Indra and Asura were to completely vanish from the shinobi world, would the Sage of Six Paths sense it?
"Naruto!" Uzumaki Naiko hugged her child tightly, her excitement evident. At the same time, Uchiha Itachi looked on worriedly at his younger brother Sasuke.
"It's okay now. This chakra will grow with them and will no longer cause any problems."
The concept of will being embedded in chakra might seem absurd, but in reality, the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques already hinted at such a notion.
For instance, in the original series, when Minato sealed the Nine-Tails, he left a part of his chakra within Naruto—not as a soul, but as a will imbued within the chakra.
Similar to a shadow clone, it wasn't magical at all.
With the situation resolved perfectly, Shirou smiled with satisfaction. He had achieved what he wanted while simultaneously solving a huge problem.
As for this Uzumaki Naruto, who would grow up in the future—what kind of personality would he develop?
...
Hokage's Office.
"Thank you!"
It was already late at night, but Minato Namikaze expressed his heartfelt gratitude. Previously, his decision to defect was purely for the sake of the village.
Having witnessed the darkness and corruption within the Root faction, he was utterly disappointed. If he had continued to align himself with the Third Hokage's faction, it would have only escalated the conflict, causing unrest in Konoha.
Thus, everything he did was for Konoha.
Although Shirou had yet to officially assume the Hokage position, this time, Minato was fully convinced. He didn't think he could do better than Shirou.
In just a few short weeks, the changes in Konoha were already visible.
Shirou never deliberately belittled anyone to elevate himself. The reforms he implemented, especially in the ninja academy, impressed Minato greatly.
Furthermore, what he did tonight for Minato's child made him deeply grateful. If this had happened during the Third Hokage's administration, Minato could easily imagine the outcome.
To eliminate any potential threats, Naruto would either disappear or join the Root. Even if Minato were Hokage, at the very least, Naruto would have been monitored for his entire life.
"Minato, Naruto has great potential. In the future, let Naruto and Sasuke grow together."
Back in the Hokage's office, Shirou smiled casually. This one sentence left Minato momentarily stunned before he responded with gratitude:
"Thank you, Lord Hokage!"
Shirou, however, waved it off with a smile. "Minato, we may have disagreed on ideals before, but our goal has always been to protect Konoha. That is undeniable.
So, whether you think I'm taking Naruto as my disciple to win hearts or to put on a show for others, it doesn't matter. Naruto and Sasuke have already been targeted by those in the shadows, and they are bound to become important figures."
With Shirou's sincere smile, Minato, being a decisive man, nodded in gratitude and said, "Thank you for trusting me, Lord Hokage."
He understood that Shirou taking Naruto as his disciple was more about reassuring him, proving that Shirou was not the kind of person who would betray trust like Danzo or the Third Hokage.
After all, at this moment, no one could deny the future potential of Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.
"Minato, we don't yet know who the person in the shadows is, but with their mysterious space-time ninjutsu, Wood Release, and Mangekyo Sharingan—along with the incidents involving the Nine-Tails, Naruto, and Sasuke—it's clear they have a grand conspiracy.
We cannot let our guard down. Especially you, Minato. You and White Fang are both heroes, but I am not the Third Hokage!"
Shirou's final words were heartfelt, urging Minato not to hold back. The enemy lurking in the shadows was far too dangerous, and Minato needed to grow stronger to face them.
This blunt conversation left Minato scratching his head awkwardly. He realized that his attempts to keep a low profile recently had not gone unnoticed.
If he were alone, he might have continued, but after nearly losing his wife and child during the Nine-Tails' attack, he sought a quieter life, staying out of high-level conflicts to focus on his family.
However, Shirou exuded an aura of absolute dominance.
Ever since Shirou had taken the Hokage seat, every policy could be summarized in one phrase: The capable rise.
If you had the ability and loyalty, Shirou would grant you jutsu, resources, and status—regardless of whether you were from a noble clan or a commoner.
This confidence came from Shirou's absolute faith in his strength.
"I understand!"
Minato took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. Shirou smiled lightly and tossed him a scroll.
"Alright, it's late. You should head back. Consider this a gift for Naruto as his initiation present."
Catching the scroll, Minato's expression changed, and he quickly said, "Lord Hokage, this is too valuable. Naruto—"
"It's for Naruto. But since I'll be busy with many matters, I'll leave it to you, the Yellow Flash, to teach him."
As Shirou waved him off with a smile, Konan, who had become Shirou's capable assistant, stepped forward and intercepted Minato with a cold voice:
"Jonin Namikaze, Lord Hokage needs to rest."
Her cold tone left Minato no choice but to nod. After giving Shirou one last deep look, he left the Hokage building with his family.
...
Back at home, Uzumaki Naiko lovingly gazed at Naruto in her arms. Noticing Minato sitting silently in his chair, she couldn't help but look puzzled.
"Minato? What's wrong? What scroll did Lord Hokage give you that has you staring at it like this?"
Under his wife's curious gaze, Minato sighed helplessly and handed over the scroll.
"Naiko, see for yourself."
"This is... Rasengan!"
Naiko's eyes widened in shock. This was Uchiha Shirou's signature technique—an A-rank, self-created jutsu requiring no hand signs.
"This! Minato, why are you showing me this? Shouldn't—"
Seeing his wife's astonishment, Minato could only shake his head with a bitter smile.
"Perhaps he truly will become the greatest Hokage in Konoha's history. His magnanimity—at the very least, being willing to casually share a technique of this caliber—something I could never do."
Minato, who was once described by Jiraiya as the most perfect ninja, had never gone so far as to freely share his ultimate techniques.
Yet Uchiha Shirou had done so, even making his Rasengan and Chidori part of the village's reward system, openly available to those who contributed enough to Konoha.
As long as a Konoha ninja contributes enough to the village, they can learn.
"Before, everyone in the village said it was just a gimmick. I didn't expect that this person's ambition and magnanimity would be equally vast."
Namikaze Minato let out a long sigh with a bitter smile. At this moment, he seemed to realize that, in certain aspects, he simply couldn't measure up to Uchiha Shirou.
"Rasengan was lent to us so we could teach Naruto in the future, but in reality, it was also for the two of us to learn. After all, you, Naiko have the Uzumaki clan's naturally large chakra reserves, and then there's me!
Even the Hokage likely noticed this—when I fought against the mysterious man, what I truly lacked was a key ninjutsu."
Especially the annotations on the back of the Rasengan scroll, which mentioned integrating elemental chakra and several theories on reinforcing the Rasengan's defensive capabilities. It even stated that if a stronger version of the Rasengan was developed, it needed to be handed over to the Hokage's office.
In Minato's eyes, this was Shirou giving him a reason to learn it with peace of mind.
"Minato!"
Uzumaki Naiko looked down at Naruto, and when Minato saw this, the couple's tacit understanding told him exactly what she meant in an instant.
"Don't worry. For Naruto, and for us, I will protect you!"
Namikaze Minato's resolute voice echoed. With Shirou taking in students and even gifting the Rasengan technique, it indeed put his mind at ease.
After all, his identity was still marked by his connection to the Third Hokage. Even if he were to defect in the end, that label would be impossible to erase.
Although he was aware that this gesture had another layer of meaning—namely, it was done for all Konoha ninja to see—if someone could be magnanimous enough to teach their ultimate-level ninjutsu to others and even employ former Hokage associates so generously...
Then, that person is truly remarkable!
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