Chapter 41: Shinobi World
Another boring day had come to an end.
Just then, Ren Asakura's chatbox vibrated.
Someone had pinged the group admin.
---
Inside the Chat Group
[Minato Namikaze]: "Group leader, are you there? I'm ready to make my move. Danzo must die."
[Lu Mingfei]: "Make sure to stream it! Half of the bad things in the Naruto world are because of that guy. Why did Konoha become so weak in the future? Every genius either dies or escapes—it's all thanks to him. If he had just died earlier, the ninja world wouldn't have half the problems it does now."
[Minato Namikaze]: "He definitely needs to die. Lately, I've been trying to bring the Uchiha clan closer to the village, but out of nowhere, public opinion started turning against them. If I hadn't suppressed it with my authority as Hokage, the tension between the Uchiha and the villagers would have escalated again.
I've investigated for a long time but couldn't find the source of these rumors. It's as if they appeared out of thin air.
The only one capable of orchestrating something like this… is Root, which operates outside the Hokage's jurisdiction. That bastard needs to go."
[Lu Mingfei]: "Fourth Hokage, you've only been in power for less than a year, and they're already trying to trip you up. They're clearly targeting you. Don't back down—go all in!"
[Yoriichi Tsugikuni]: "Enemies like this are the most troublesome. If he escapes, he will definitely cause endless problems in the future. He must die. It's best if the group leader joins you."
[Group Leader Ren Asakura]: "Your great and mighty group leader has arrived!"
[Group Leader Ren Asakura]: "Who's about to make a move?"
[Minato Namikaze]: "Group leader, I'm about to act. The rotten Root of Konoha needs to be cut off."
[Group Leader Ren Asakura]: "Took you long enough. Want me to handle it?"
[Minato Namikaze]: "No, no, no—I'll do it! No need to trouble you, group leader. Just make sure Danzo doesn't escape."
[Lu Mingfei]: "Yeah, if the group leader gets involved… the last time, he made three suns. If he fights this time, who knows what'll happen? Minato should definitely handle this himself."
[Saitama]: "Good luck! Guys like Danzo are worse than monsters."
[Group Leader Ren Asakura]: "I can't believe I don't get to take care of this myself… What a shame! I was planning to gift Danzo an all-expenses-paid trip to Pluto, followed by a solar core cremation service… And maybe even let him experience Diavolo's infinite death loop while I was at it."
[Lu Mingfei]: "Group leader, you're insane—I respect that! If anyone dares to mess with you, I'll be the first to stand up for you!"
[Group Leader Ren Asakura]: "Alright, enough with the flattery."
[Minato Namikaze]: "After dealing with Danzo, I still need to handle Root. Even though they're brainwashed assassins, they are still Konoha's ninja."
[Group Leader Ren Asakura]: "By the way, what exactly is the timeline over there? Naruto's birthday should be October 10th, which means the Nine-Tails incident is just around the corner…"
[Minato Namikaze]: "It's September 20th, Year 48 of Konoha."
[Group Leader Ren Asakura]: "20 days left, huh? That's not too bad… though it is a long time to skip class."
[Lu Mingfei]: "The final battle, huh? Make sure to stream it when the time comes!"
[Minato Namikaze]: "No problem!"
[Minato Namikaze has granted Group Leader Ren Asakura access to his world.]
---
In the Naruto world, each village has more than just its Genin, Chunin, Jonin, and Kage. There also exists an elite force of assassins, known as the Special Tactical Assassination Squad.
Their primary duty is to protect the Kage and guard against enemy infiltration—a force indispensable to every village.
However, in Konoha, the strongest of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, this force was divided into two factions: the ANBU and Root.
Root was far more secretive than the ANBU, operating in the shadows and carrying out missions that could never see the light of day.
It existed with the silent approval of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Under Danzo's leadership, Root became Konoha's deadliest sword, acting under the motto: "Better to kill the wrong person than to let a threat go free."
Root eliminated enemies both inside and outside the village, but its shinobi were more Danzo's personal soldiers than true Konoha ninja.
Danzo saw Root as his best weapon in his fight for the Hokage's seat.
Unfortunately, despite all his schemes, he never truly became Hokage.
He only served as an acting Hokage for a few days… before Sasuke killed him.
Thus, the world mockingly referred to him as the "5.5th Hokage."
---
Nightfall—Minato Namikaze's Private Residence
A dark portal suddenly opened in Minato's home.
From within, a figure dressed in sportswear stepped out.
It was Ren Asakura.
Minato greeted him with his usual warm, sun-like smile.
"Welcome to my world, Group Leader."
Ren Asakura looked around. The traditional architecture, the nostalgic design—everything was familiar.
He was standing in the Hidden Leaf Village.
"I'm here. When do we act?"
"Tonight."
A dark, moonless night—the perfect time for a kill.
Minato had endured long enough.
If he waited any longer, his plan to bring the Uchiha clan into the fold would fail.
A Hokage without a faction of his own was nothing more than a puppet.
Without trusted allies, he'd be forced to handle every crisis alone.
Just like in the original timeline.
This time, Minato Namikaze would not allow his wife to die.
This time, he would not let his son suffer a tragic childhood.
"This time, I will save everything."
Ren Asakura saw the determination in Minato Namikaze's eyes.
A true Hokage.
A true father.
In the original timeline, Minato failed to be a good father.
But this time, he had a choice.
"I understand," Ren said with a serious nod.
---
Root was deeply hidden.
The darkness of Konoha ran deep.
But Minato knew exactly where Root was.
This day had been planned for a long time.
Danzo was in Root's base tonight.
Minato's plan was simple:
Eliminate Danzo.
Absorb Root into his own forces.
At this point, Orochimaru was likely collaborating with Danzo. If possible, Minato planned to bring Orochimaru under his control as well.
Once Root was no longer an obstacle, Minato could win over the Uchiha Clan.
Then, he would find a way to ease the tensions between the Uchiha and the villagers.
After that, he would pull the Uchiha out of the shadows and reintegrate them into the village's power structure.
Then came the rest of Konoha's major clans:
The Hyuga. The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi.
And, of course, the ANBU under the Third Hokage's control.
If the Third Hokage willingly handed over control, then Minato would let him retire in peace.
But if he refused...
Minato would be forced to take more extreme measures.
The fact that the ANBU—the Hokage's own personal force—was not actually under his command was utterly ridiculous.
And then there were the so-called Elders.
A bunch of old relics who refused to let go of power.
They needed to retire.
---
Minato had not been idle in the past few months.
He had been analyzing Konoha's power structure and thinking deeply about its future.
If Konoha was to shine again, then it needed a complete purge.
All the corrupt, decaying elements had to be removed.
Through the chat group's marketplace, Minato had purchased numerous books on modern governance and society.
If everything went smoothly, Minato planned to turn the Uchiha into a true modernized police force.
A trusted, respected, and honorable police force.
One that protected the people.
Once the villagers trusted the Uchiha, and the Uchiha developed a sense of duty, honor, and belonging, they would become truly loyal to Konoha.
This was the future Minato envisioned.
°°°
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