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In the Rain Shinobi Village, within the Akatsuki, Nagato convened a meeting to discuss their next actions.
"are you serious? You still want to fight Konoha?" Kakuzu asked incredulously.
"We did not lose to Konoha in the war. The reason for our loss of dominance was because the battlefield was in our Rain Shinobi Village. The battle caused great damage, and the Fourth Hokage could break into the Rain Shinobi Village and destroy it at will!" Nagato analyzed the reasons for their failure, suggesting that Akatsuki was not inherently inferior to Konoha but was disadvantaged by external factors.
"So, does the leader plan to invade Konoha and make it a battlefield?" Sasori asked hesitantly.
"Exactly. I want Konoha to feel pain," Nagato said with a cold expression.
"Too reckless! Konoha has the largest number of ninjas in the entire ninja world. It's insane to fight on their turf!" Konan objected.
"The overall combat strength of the two sides is too disparate," Orochimaru provided an objective assessment, indicating that Nagato wouldn't make such an impulsive decision unless...
"Relying solely on our Akatsuki organization, our combat strength is definitely not enough, unless we draw in other major powers," Hoshigaki Kisame echoed Orochimaru's sentiment.
"Right! I have sent people to lobby Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and the Cloud Shinobi Village to act against Konoha together!" Nagato revealed, his eyes shining with determination.
"Ah, involving all five major ninja villages in the war? Is this the prelude to the fourth ninja war?" someone pondered.
"When the large-scale battle begins, many will surely perish, right? The sacrifices will make Lord Jashin unprecedentedly powerful!" Hidan said excitedly, gripping his scythe.
"Well, war or whatever doesn't matter. As long as we can regain Teacher Yuki, eh~" Deidara commented nonchalantly.
In the Konoha Shinobi Village, the Fourth Hokage reclaimed Konoha's power from Uchiha Fugaku and announced the cancellation of the acting Hokage position. This decision stirred up considerable discussion within the village. Uchiha Fugaku had been acting as Hokage for six years and was nearly as popular and prestigious as the Fourth Hokage himself.
"One mountain cannot hide two tigers," as the saying goes, leaving the Konoha executives worried about a potential conflict between the two leaders. Nara Shikaku even devised several contingency plans. Surprisingly, the transition of power went smoothly, with Fugaku showing full cooperation, which alleviated everyone's fears of internal strife.
"My task is now complete," Uchiha Fugaku sighed. Being Hokage had been his dream since childhood, and the past six years had brought him closer to that dream than ever before. However, he had always honored his promise to the Fourth Hokage and never dared to overstep his boundaries.
The Fourth Hokage, moved by Fugaku's loyalty, looked at him with eyes full of sunshine and trust. "Senior Fugaku, thank you for helping me guard the village!" he expressed his gratitude.
Fugaku fell silent, his feelings mixed. Although he tried to hide it, there was always a part of him that felt reluctant to step down. In his heart, there lurked a shadowy side, contrasting with the Fourth Hokage's sunny disposition.
His light illuminates everything, causing the darkness in Uchiha Fugaku's heart to shy away, as if a specter, whispering doubts.
"Hey, Fourth Hokage, what would you do if I asked you to hand over the Hokage title to me?" Fugaku asked, surprising even himself with his boldness. Revealing his ambition so openly left no room for retreat.
Uchiha Fugaku fixed his gaze on him, awaiting a response.
The Fourth Hokage blinked, clearly caught off guard by such a question. Yet, after only a moment's contemplation, he replied solemnly, "I'm very sorry, Fugaku-senpai. Being Hokage is my lifelong dream and pursuit. I can't give it up." He bowed slightly in apology, acknowledging Fugaku's contributions but standing firm on his resolve.
"Hehe~" Fugaku managed an awkward smile. "No, I should be the one to apologize. My greed got the better of me."
"Well, who isn't greedy?" the Fourth Hokage responded with a warm smile, brushing off the question. He admitted, implicitly, that the desire for the Hokage title was universal among shinobi of their caliber.
"Huh~ It feels better to be honest, doesn't it?" Fugaku said with a wry smile, openly acknowledging his ambition, yet appreciating the Fourth Hokage's generous tolerance.
"Don't worry. I also have great respect for Fugaku-senpai's bravery," the Fourth Hokage replied, extending his fist in a gesture of camaraderie.
"With a Hokage like you, I'm content," Fugaku said, bumping fists with the Fourth Hokage, and then added jokingly, "I may have given up, but the competition for the next generation is just beginning."
"I really lost to you there. So, as for Naruto, I believe my son will continue to strive for victory," the Fourth Hokage declared confidently, his belief in his son's potential unwavering.
"My sons, Itachi and Sasuke, are not to be underestimated either," Fugaku countered with pride, confident in the abilities of his own children.
Indeed, much of their strength and potential could be attributed to Yuki's mentorship, who had imparted unique powers to them.