CHAPTER 117

"Alright, Kai-kun. I'm listening."

Minato Namikaze's calm words were matched with a composed expression, but inside, he was watching Uchiha Kai carefully. The younger Uchiha's assurance gave him just enough reason to stay.

Regardless of what Kai or the rest of the Uchiha clan wanted, Minato had the chance to hear something valuable—and that alone made it worth the time. But part of him, perhaps naively, still held onto that deep-rooted hope… a hope to one day become Hokage. If that hope didn't exist, he might've already walked away.

It was that dream, quietly burning in his heart, that kept him rooted in place. Kai's confidence in him—whether misguided or not—gave him pause.

Minato allowed himself a small inward chuckle. The boy truly seemed convinced Minato would agree to whatever he was about to propose. And in a way, Minato had taken the bait—though he hadn't made any decisions yet.

With a quiet sigh, he realized something about himself: he couldn't let go of the Hokage dream, not even now. Even if he was told he'd get his chance ten or twenty years from now, that didn't stop him from wanting it today.

Uchiha Kai, perceptive as ever, caught the subtle change in Minato's demeanor.

"When you returned to the village, Captain Minato... did you catch wind of any interesting news?" Kai asked lightly.

"Interesting news?" Minato frowned, instinctively wary. He followed Kai's rhythm of conversation and replied cautiously: "You mean… Lord Orochimaru?"

Minato wasn't clueless. Though he hadn't been part of village politics directly, he'd paid attention. There had been murmurs around Orochimaru—whispers of forbidden experiments, disappearances, and unsettling rumors. Still, Minato had deliberately kept his distance. Whether out of caution or neutrality, he hadn't taken a side.

But Kai bringing this up… That was unexpected. Something was off.

A few months ago, Kai had been little more than a fringe member of the Uchiha clan. But now? A fully awakened three-tomoe Sharingan user, deputy head of the Konoha Police Force, and a known force on the battlefield—he'd even survived a direct encounter with Loess, the son of Kitsuchi.

Minato didn't underestimate people. Especially not anymore.

"Yeah," Kai confirmed with a nod. "I figured you might be familiar. The Orochimaru incident is… quite the opportunity, wouldn't you say?"

Opportunity?

Minato's expression remained still, but internally, a storm was brewing. He finally understood why Kai had asked him to stay.

The Uchiha were trying to push him toward the Hokage seat.

The realization left a strange taste in his mouth. And his first instinct?

Refuse. Flat-out.

Not because he didn't want to be Hokage. He did. But because accepting Uchiha support might mean turning his back on his teacher, Jiraiya. And worse, it meant getting entangled in the village's most controversial clan—a clan feared and misunderstood, thanks to policies set in place long ago.

A rare, bitter smile tugged at Minato's lips—something that didn't suit his usually warm demeanor. Kai caught it immediately and understood what it meant. The stigma of the Uchiha. The fear. The hate. Much of it started with Tobirama Senju's legacy and had only worsened over time.

"Kai-kun," Minato said after a pause, "I don't think we need to continue this conversation. As for the Hokage seat… my time may come. Even if it's far off."

"You don't want to turn against your teacher, right?" Kai's tone was understanding, not accusatory. "But… that's not what we're asking. You think we want to pit you against Jiraiya-sama? That would be suicide. What we want… is to make the Third Hokage choose you—willingly. Through the proper channels. Quietly. Without burning bridges."

Minato hesitated. That wasn't what he expected to hear.

"Why me?" he asked. "Why not someone else? And who exactly is 'we'?"

"You already know the answer." Kai's smile was calm. "You're Jiraiya-sama's student. You're already a prime candidate in the eyes of the village. You came from humble roots, like the First Hokage himself. And most importantly… you're the only one we believe might treat the Uchiha fairly."

Minato fell silent. He had thought of these things. He had seen the way the Third Hokage's inner circle operated—the same way Tobirama had trained them to. They distrusted the Uchiha. Marginalized them. Pushed them into roles that distanced them from power.

He had dreamed of changing that. But he also realized, through Kai's words, how naive he'd been.

Conflict wasn't some distant possibility. It was a storm already building beneath the surface. And if it erupted…

"And 'we'?" Minato asked again, finally breaking the silence.

"Two people," Kai replied simply. "The current head of the Konoha Police Force… and the deputy head."

"Fugaku… and you," Minato said, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

After a long pause, he let out a breath, steady and sure. His bright blue eyes met Kai's dark ones.

"Tell me your thoughts. Your methods. Your plan."

"Of course," Kai said, his smile widening just slightly. "After all, we're going to be partners, aren't we?"

The fish had bitten. And the hook was set deep.