Chapter 76: An Elder at Home

"Ha, so you're in a hurry now?"

Minato squinted at Setsuna, spinning the Flying Thunder God kunai on his finger.

The two of them had initially been bantering playfully.

But when Minato suggested that the Flying Thunder God technique was no weaker than the Mangekyou Sharingan, Setsuna's face darkened, and he began showing signs of indignation.

[This blond brat, is he implying something about Izuna, the young clan leader? An evil user of the Flying Thunder God... Watch how I'll deal with you.]

Hanma coughed heavily, reached out his large hand to grab Minato, and covered Minato's mouth, forcibly ending the argument.

"Minato, does Kushina know about this?"

Hanma forcibly changed the subject.

Minato's actions and direct speech today showed his firm stance.

Though Hanma had anticipated Minato's support, he was still touched by Minato's thorough planning.

Hanma had met Minato when he was fifteen and Minato five. Now, ten years had passed.

When Hanma first made his debut in the ninja world, he underwent inhuman training and fought endlessly in the Anbu to quickly acquire skills and gain the power to protect himself.

This high-pressure environment made Hanma's mental state unstable, showing signs of darkening.

Meeting Minato, who was like a little sun, brought him a much-needed sense of ease and warmth, also giving him his first sense of belonging in the ninja world.

In Minato's eyes, Hanma was more like a brother or even a father figure. As an orphan, Minato had a particularly happy and fulfilling childhood under Hanma's care.

During Minato's growth, Hanma not only provided him with abundant material conditions and ninjutsu resources but also personally taught him, instilling his thoughts into Minato and causing significant changes in Minato's character.

Upon hearing Hanma's question, Minato snorted confidently and said:

"Brother Hanma, no matter what I do now, Kushina will unconditionally support me."

Setsuna glanced meaningfully at Minato and shook his head.

[This blond brat isn't just as verbally vicious as Tobirama Senju, but also has similar brainwashing skills. Impressive.]

Minato's words were loaded with information.

Though Kushina was his lover, during her early days in Konoha, she lived with Uzumaki Mito and had significant interactions with the Third Hokage, theoretically having deep feelings for Konoha.

Hanma thought this would be a major problem for Minato, similar to his own dilemma with Tsunade.

But surprisingly, Minato seemed to have easily resolved it.

"Did you tell Kushina about the Uzumaki clan and the truth behind the nine-tailed Jinchuriki?"

Hanma pondered for a moment and realized the crux of the matter.

Minato nodded, speaking with a hint of sarcasm:

"Uzumaki Mito, wife of the First Hokage, princess of the Uzumaki clan, the one with the nine tails sealed within... With such power and status, she couldn't protect her own country?"

"Brother Hanma, you always told me something that I remember: to evaluate a person, don't listen to what they say, watch what they do."

"Kushina is merely a vessel for the Nine-Tails' power for Konoha, or rather, that's how the Uzumaki clan has been positioned in Konoha."

"The tragedy of the Uzumaki clan's extermination has a truth that's hard to uncover. But one thing is clear: Uzumaki Mito and Konoha didn't do anything."

Hanma watched Minato with interest. After ten years of companionship, Hanma had only seen slight changes in Minato's thoughts and behavior.

But was Kushina truly influenced so much by Minato?

"Minato, are you sure Kushina isn't deceiving you? If she fails at a crucial moment, that's quite troublesome."

Minato shook his finger and said indifferently:

"Brother Hanma once said that a kunoichi's heart is as vast as the ocean and sky, yet it can easily be filled with Yang Release chakra."

Setsuna stared at Hanma with astonishment, his eyes full of curiosity. This was the first time he heard such a philosophical saying.

Hanma covered his face, talking helplessly:

"Minato, though I'm your mentor, I only taught you some ninjutsu. If your thoughts go astray, you can't blame me."

Hanma spoke weakly, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu.

[Does this mean I turned 'Uzumaki Naruto' into 'Namikaze Menma'?]

Hearing Minato's response, Setsuna burst out laughing and took over the conversation.

"Blond boy, you talk a lot but haven't hit the key point?"

Setsuna raised his eyebrows and looked at Minato with a grin, teasingly saying:

"With your small frame, can you beat an Uzumaki girl? Aren't you just all show and no substance?"

Not to be outdone, Minato looked at Setsuna disdainfully, exaggeratedly responding:

"My Yang Release chakra can rival the Nine-Tails'. Kushina-chan has long been completely subdued by my immense chakra!"

Hanma sighed; today's Minato seemed utterly carefree.

[But Minato's progress is much faster than mine. When I was fifteen, I was still punching iron stakes all day. This brat!]

Setsuna smiled, feeling a wave of relaxation. He enjoyed this noisy atmosphere.

The public opinion stirred up by Danzo in recent days had made Setsuna very anxious.

But now, there was a way to solve everything, a way for the Uchiha to be reborn!

Tapping the map on the wall, Setsuna solemnly said:

"Hanma, your capacity is enough to lead the Uchiha clan, please take over from this old bones soon."

"However, I still have one more addition to this plan."

Setsuna's eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence.

"Once Orochimaru assembles a team, he can pose as Mist ninja to harass the Fire Country's borders. The unit handling border affairs is Danzo's ROOT. This gives us a chance to eliminate these dirty things and cut Danzo's claws."

"When ROOT fails to complete the mission, the Third Hokage will naturally turn to us Uchiha, hoping we will step in."

"Then, our Uchiha can rightfully send troops, benefiting us in gradually relocating our people while aiding Orochimaru's development in the Mist."

"Moreover, we can break free from the constraints of the Police Department, negotiate with the Third Hokage, and gain more power in Konoha."

"We could even incite a ninja war, support Tsunade's rise, achieving a scenario where Konoha and Mist are both under Uchiha's control!"

Upon hearing those words, Hanma was shocked. This suggestion seemed very feasible.

He nodded slowly, inwardly sighing:

[An elder at home is a treasure indeed.]

(Chapter End)