Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 260 The Third Hokage's Scheme [Fourth Update, 7K words]

The sunlight in the Star Kingdom is always exceptionally generous, illuminating the newly established capital city, situated on the Youhe Plain, with brightness and warmth.

Within a highly guarded research base located on the outskirts of Star City, a cool temperature is maintained at a constant level suitable for the operation of the instruments.

Ten-year-old Tono Hosuke, dressed in a well-fitting white researcher's uniform and wearing slightly old-fashioned square-framed glasses, cautiously followed behind a figure.

His mentor was none other than Orochimaru, who had pale skin and golden snake eyes.

Although Orochimaru's reputation in the ninja world is so great that it could stop children from crying at night, here, he is seen by Tono Kakusuke as a knowledgeable, open-minded person who leads him into a completely new scientific world.

"Observe carefully the microscopic structural changes of the chakra conductor when it is overloaded with energy, and record the frequency and amplitude of each tremor..." Orochimaru instructed in a hoarse voice, his snake eyes flashing with enthusiasm for knowledge and experimental data.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!" Tono nods quickly, skillfully operating a sophisticated instrument in front of him that shimmers with pale blue chakra light, rapidly recording data.

He had been "invited" from Konoha for some time and was gradually adapting to the efficient and focused research atmosphere here.

Although he lost some of his freedom, he gained access to cutting-edge technology and theoretical knowledge far exceeding that of Konoha. For a science fanatic like him, this was like a mouse falling into a rice jar.

His life became extremely regular, commuting daily between his assigned comfortable dormitory and the mysterious laboratory.

Just then, the laboratory's automatic door slid open silently.

A figure walked in.

He wore a black robe with red trim, stood tall and straight, and looked unusually young. What was most striking about him were his eyes, which were as blue as a clear sky yet as deep as an abyss.

He had a lazy smile on his face, as if he had just casually strolled here.

"Orochimaru, it seems your new assistant is adapting well," the boy said, his voice clear and bright, carrying a unique charm.

Orochimaru turned around and saw the person who had come. A hint of respect flashed in his golden snake eyes. He nodded slightly and asked, "Lord Shura, what brings you here today?"

'Lord Shura?' Tono Fusuke was startled and immediately stopped what he was doing, standing up straight with a bit of a jolt.

Although he had never met this person, he had heard of this ruler of the Star Country. Moreover, someone whom even Lord Orochimaru addressed with such respect must be a very powerful figure!
He secretly sized up the other person.

Shura turned his gaze to Tono Kazusuke, his smile gentle: "Tono Kazusuke, right? Are you settling in well here?"

Tono Kazusa pushed up his glasses and answered somewhat nervously, "Yes...yes, sir. I've gotten used to it. Orochimaru-sama taught me a lot."

He was filled with doubt. Why would such an important person care about someone as insignificant as him?
Menma seemed to read his mind and continued, "I apologize for inviting you to the Land of Stars in such an impolite way. But as far as I know, as an orphan, you don't seem to have any relatives in Konoha, do you?"

Tono Kazusuke paused for a moment, then nodded.

His parents both died in the Nine-Tails attack, and he grew up alone. Later, with the help of the chakra and ninjutsu materials left by his parents, he learned the basic theory of chakra and successfully entered the Konoha Ninja Academy. He really had no ties to his parents.

While in Konoha, he was obsessed with researching all sorts of novel technologies, which made him stand out from his peers. He had few friends, but because he wasn't a loner, he would occasionally play video games with his classmates, and their relationships were fairly average.

Seeing the other party's calm attitude, Tono Kazusuke mustered his courage and asked the huge question that had been nagging at him: "Lord Shura... why... why are you paying attention to a child like me?"

He couldn't understand what was so special about him that made it worthwhile for the other party to send someone to "kidnap" him.

A hint of admiration flashed in Mianma's eyes.

'He's much more mature than his peers and dares to ask questions; that's good.'

He smiled and said in a tone that was half-joking and half-serious, "If I said that I have a bit of the ability to foresee the future and that I see extraordinary potential in you, would you believe me?"

"Predict the future?" Tono Kazusuke's eyes widened instantly behind his glasses, filled with childlike curiosity and disbelief: "Really? Then... then what will my future be like?"

Looking into his inquisitive eyes, Menma seemed to see the shadow of a future scientific giant.

He suppressed his smile, his tone becoming serious and certain: "You will become a truly great scientist, Tohno Kakusuke. Your name may change the way this world understands 'power.' So, stay here, follow Orochimaru, and study hard. The Land of Stars will provide you with all the resources you need."

To become a great scientist?
Change the world?

Tono Hosuke's heart pounded, and an unprecedented surge of heat coursed through his body.

Although it sounded incredible, the other person's confident tone and eyes made him feel a strong sense of belief and longing!

He nodded vigorously, his face slightly flushed with excitement: "Yes! I will definitely try my best! Thank you, Lord Shura!"

Mianma nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to the side.

He didn't raise his voice, but simply called out, "Newbie."

Before he could finish speaking, a figure appeared silently behind Menma like a ghost, kneeling on one knee.

The newcomer wore the standard mask of the Star Ninja Anbu, but was slightly thin and had an extremely well-concealed aura.

"My lord," the ANBU ninja, referred to as a "rookie," replied respectfully.

Beneath the mask was Ita-suke, who had achieved excellent results in the last ninja academy graduation exam and possessed outstanding swordsmanship talent.

Although he was young, he had experienced many hardships and had a calm personality. Menma saw his potential and specially arranged for him to train in the Dark Division.

"From now on, you will be responsible for Tono Hosuke's daily life and personal safety. Try your best to meet his reasonable needs and ensure that he is not disturbed in any way," Menma instructed.

"Yes, sir!" Itada Suke replied succinctly, without any further words, and his figure disappeared again as if he had never appeared. But Tono Fusuke knew that he would have an unseen guardian from now on.

This made him feel at ease and made him more aware of his own "value".

After dealing with Tono Kakusuke's matter, Menma turned to Orochimaru and casually asked, "What do you think of this kid?"

Orochimaru's golden snake eyes made no attempt to conceal his admiration and fondness for Tohno Kakusuke. He even licked his lips and let out a low laugh: "Hehehe... What a perfect rough gem, Lord Shura. His talent is far superior to any so-called researcher I've ever seen. Especially his intuitive understanding of the combination of chakra energy and electromechanical systems... He's a genius!"

“Sometimes, even his casual thoughts and questions can bring new inspiration and direction to my research.” He looked at Tono Hosuke as if he were admiring a priceless treasure.

Orochimaru pressed on with great interest: "It seems that his achievements in the 'future' you see are indeed extraordinary?"

Mianma nodded and said with certainty, "He will become an absolute authority in a certain field and lead a revolution."

Although he did not specify which field, this recognition was enough.

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with even greater excitement, as if he had found an extremely interesting and infinitely potential new toy.

At that moment, Orochimaru seemed to remember something and said to Masahiro, "By the way, I may need to leave the Land of Stars for a while."

Menma raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised: "Oh? Where would you like to go for a stroll?"

He did not show any intention to stop him.

Orochimaru explained, "Although the cooperation has been very pleasant, and the Land of Stars has provided an excellent research environment, my base and most of my subordinates are still in the Sound Village of the Land of Rice Fields, and I need to go back to handle some matters. Moreover..."

A glint of inquiry and greed flashed in his snake-like eyes: "I've always been interested in that kid in Amegakure who has the Rinnegan. I want to find an opportunity to 'test' him."

Hearing that Orochimaru was still obsessed with Nagato's Rinnegan, Menma shook his head helplessly: "Whatever. But don't blame me for not warning you, the water behind those eyes is much deeper than you think. Don't come back to me looking for help when you've suffered a loss."

Orochimaru let out a hoarse laugh: "Hehehe... Thank you for your concern, Lord Shura. I will act according to my ability."

But his eyes clearly said, "How will you know if you don't try?"

After exchanging a few more words about the progress of several current collaborative projects, Mianma left the heavily guarded research base.

Walking on the clean and wide streets of Star City, Menma pondered to herself.

Orochimaru went to cause trouble for Nagato… With his current strength, plus the information I've revealed about Pain, he can probably hold his own for a while, but there's absolutely no chance he'll seize the Rinnegan. However, it did remind me… it's time to make a trip to Amegakure. The White Zetsu stockpile is indeed running low; those miraculous biological cells are crucial materials for many experiments…

His thoughts drifted to the Land of Rain, a country perpetually shrouded in rain and controlled by the Akatsuki organization.

'Amado and Jigen are also very likely in Amegakure...'

……

Leaving the research area, Menma strolled to the Ninja Academy located in the core area of ​​the Star Capital.

As the principal of this ninja school, he would set aside time each week to personally teach the children a class, whether it was a moral education class, a history class, or a course on the advanced use of chakra.

The large lecture hall was packed to capacity today.

Hundreds of children of different ages sat upright, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Many new members can be seen, dressed in Uchiha or Hyuga clan attire, and even Hyuga Neji sits quietly among them, his white eyes filled with curiosity about knowledge.

In the hallway outside the classroom, Menma encountered the school's actual person in charge, a senior educator and medical ninja, Yakushi Nonou.

She still wore those round-framed glasses, exuding a gentle and intellectual air.

"My lord." Nono bowed slightly in greeting.

"Principal Nonou, thank you for your hard work." Menma nodded in response and asked, "How are the new students, especially the Uchiha and Hyuga students, integrating well? Have they encountered any difficulties?"

Nono pushed up her glasses, a relieved smile spreading across her face: "Please rest assured. The school's counselors have been providing one-on-one support to them. The children are very strong and cherish this new environment and learning opportunity; they've integrated even better than we expected."

She paused, then her tone became even more sincere: "I must thank you again, sir, for bringing Dou... back."

When she mentions Kabuto Yakushi, her eyes are filled with maternal radiance and gratitude.

Menma remembered the boy Kisame had fished out of the Leaf Village and asked, "How's Kabuto doing lately? Is he adjusting well?"

"That child seems to have developed a great interest in medical ninjutsu," Nono said with a smile. "After returning, he practically lived in the medical department's library and laboratory, studying very diligently with several medical jonin. He said... he wants to become a medical ninja who can help more people."

'Medical ninja...' Menma's heart stirred slightly; Kabuto Yakushi reminded him of other things.

'Oh right, magic and natural energy…'

His thoughts quickly began to wander.

Based on the information about Gamamaru and Hagoromo Otsutsuki from the anime he watched in his previous life, natural energy is the most fundamental energy that exists on this planet itself.

The core function of the sacred tree planted by the Otsutsuki clan is to frantically absorb the natural energy of the planet and transform it into chakra fruits.

The powerful native creatures, such as the toads, snakes, and slugs of the three sacred lands, possess and utilize "immortal arts" whose power source is natural energy itself, or rather, a purer form of energy known as "immortal power."

In theory, using Sage Mode doesn't necessarily require mixing natural energy with one's own chakra in a specific ratio, like a ninja does. Perhaps there is a way to directly control pure natural energy?

'Perhaps... it's precisely because I've only ever encountered, learned, and used the chakra system, whether in the 'Limited Tsukuyomi World' or this world, and have never systematically understood or learned the mysteries of Sage Chakra and natural energy, that my perception of natural energy is so weak, almost negligible?'

Mianma fell into deep thought.

'If I want to systematically learn and perceive natural energy, and even master more advanced sage techniques…' Among the three holy lands, the old toad on Mount Myōboku is likely to maintain some kind of connection with the Sage of Six Paths, which is quite risky; the old snake in Ryūchi Cave is treacherous and cunning, definitely not a good teacher, and going there would most likely result in a life-or-death struggle; in comparison, the slug sage in Shikkotsu Forest has the most gentle personality and seems to be the best choice.

'It seems I need to find clues to get to Shikkotsu Forest. The best starting point... is undoubtedly Tsunade.'

'If we can't find Tsunade, we might have to risk exploring Ryuchi Cave.'

"Hello principal!"

When he entered the classroom, the children's unified and energetic voices pulled him back to reality from his reverie.

Menma snapped out of his daze, a gentle smile spreading across his face, and walked to the center of the podium.

"Hello, students." His gaze swept over the young faces below the stage, filled with a thirst for knowledge. He saw the light beneath the lingering shadows in the eyes of the Uchiha children, the focus in Hyuga Neji's eyes, and the pure joy of the other children.

“Please sit down.” His voice was calm, yet it possessed a calming power: “Today, we’ll talk about the nature of ‘chakra,’ and its possibly more ancient ‘relative’…”

His courses were never just about teaching ninjutsu; they were about inspiring thinking and guiding these hopes of the future to contemplate the deeper mysteries of power.

Today, thoughts about natural energy have also been subtly incorporated into his lectures, opening a door to a wider world for these children.

The future of the Star Kingdom may well be found in these seemingly ordinary classrooms.

…………

Time flies, and three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

The summer sun was scorching hot, baking the training ground until it was slightly warm.

The air was thick with the smell of dust and sweat.

"Drink!"

Uchiha Sasuke let out a low growl, his kunai precisely deflecting the shuriken that was shooting at him. He then spun around, quickly forming hand seals.

"Art fire escape ho fireball!"

A blazing fireball shot out from his mouth. Although it was not nearly as impressive as his brother Itachi Uchiha's, it still carried a formidable force as it hurtled toward the training target.

However, just before the fireball was about to hit its target, the ground suddenly cracked open, and several tough wooden vines shot out as if they were alive, quickly intertwining to form a thick wooden shield!

boom!
The fireball slammed into the wooden shield with a dull thud, sending flames flying and smoke billowing, but it failed to break through the shield's defenses.

"Your chakra gathering speed and explosive power have improved, Sasuke," Yamato's voice rang out from the side, calmly commenting while maintaining his hand seals.

"But the attack intent is too obvious and easily predicted. In actual combat, the enemy will not stand still and become your target."

Sasuke was panting heavily, sweat soaking through his black training uniform, sliding down his youthful yet resolute face, leaving small wet puddle marks on the dusty ground.

His three-month internship as an ANBU trainee, coupled with Kakashi and Yamato taking turns "training" him, subjected him to a level of training far exceeding that of the Ninja Academy.

Although exhausted, the flame burning in his eyes never went out; on the contrary, it grew even stronger.

He wiped the sweat and dust from his face, staring unwillingly at the intact wooden shield.

"I understand, Yamato-senpai! Let's go again!" He adjusted his breathing and assumed an attacking stance once more.

At the edge of the training field, a large, leafy tree provided a rare shade.

Kakashi leaned against the tree trunk, sitting leisurely on a thick branch, as if he were in a different world from the two people training hard below.

He held his ever-present copy of "Make-Out Paradise" in his hands, his dead fish eyes seemingly completely absorbed in the "exciting" plot of the book. Only occasionally would his gaze subtly sweep over Sasuke in the room, flashing a complex emotion that was hard to detect.

'With Yamato around, things are so much easier...' Kakashi thought to himself.

Yamato's Wood Release is exceptional in both control and defense, making it ideal for this kind of sparring-style instruction. It can put enough pressure on Sasuke while ensuring his safety to the maximum extent.

However, the thought of slacking off had barely crossed his mind.

Yamato's figure appeared silently on the branch next to him, as if it had separated from the tree trunk.

"Kakashi-senpai," Yamato's voice carried a hint of helplessness, "you can't always dump the entire task of guiding Sasuke on me, can you? You clearly..."

He paused, glancing meaningfully at Kakashi's left eye, which was hidden by his headband: "...In some ways, he's better suited to be trained."

Kakashi naturally understood that Yamato was referring to the fact that he also possessed the Sharingan.

He closed the book "Make-Out Paradise" in his hand, gently tapped his shoulder with the spine of the book, and said in a lazy, perfunctory tone, "Well... Sasuke is still too weak right now, his foundation isn't solid yet. As for the Sharingan, let's wait two more years, until he's more mature."

It wasn't that he didn't want to teach, but he was well aware of the weight and darkness behind the Sharingan, and letting Sasuke come into contact with these things too early would bring unpredictable fortune and misfortune.

Moreover, his own use of the Sharingan relies more on copying and instinct, rather than the orthodox Uchiha lineage.

Yamato was about to say something when suddenly, both of them looked towards the entrance of the training ground.

A member of the Anbu wearing an animal mask appeared in an instant not far away, knelt on one knee, and respectfully said, "Captain-Commander, the Hokage summons you urgently."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, and his lazy demeanor vanished instantly.

He stuffed "Icha Icha Paradise" back into his ninja tool bag and called out to Sasuke, who was still practicing diligently under the tree, "Sasuke, keep training with Yamato, and don't slack off."

Then he nodded to Yamato: "I'll leave this to you."

Before he finished speaking, his figure had vanished from the spot in an instant, leaving only a few slightly swaying leaves behind.

……

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was heavy.

The windows were open, but the hot summer breeze seemed unable to dispel the stuffy smoke in the room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind a large desk, the light from his pipe flickering intermittently, his brow furrowed as he stared at a report on the table.

Nara Shikaku stood to the side, quietly reporting on the village's reconstruction progress and intelligence from various parties.

"...The aftermath of the Uchiha and Hyuga defection continues, and external public opinion is very unfavorable to us. However, the internal reconstruction work, especially the repair of damaged areas and the compensation for the families of the fallen ninjas, is basically coming to an end." Shikaku's voice was calm and clear.

Hiruzen slowly exhaled a smoke ring, nodded, and was about to say something when he suddenly looked up as if sensing something.

In the center of the office, Kakashi appeared silently, kneeling on one knee: "Hokage-sama, you wanted to see me."

"Get up, Kakashi." Hiruzen's voice carried a hint of weariness. He gestured for Shikaku to pause his report and turned his gaze to Kakashi: "I called you here because I have an important task for you."

Kakashi stood up and waited quietly for what was to come.

Hiruzen pointed with his pipe to the several scrolls scattered on the table and said in a deep voice, "The Land of Stars, and that 'Shura'... After these incidents, their existence is no longer a secret. The diplomatic envoys I sent to the major ninja villages have brought back some results of the intelligence exchange."

"It can be basically confirmed that the Star Country has become a rising power in the western part of the Ninja World by annexing surrounding small countries. Its territory and population are second only to our five great countries. Although the number of elite ninjas in the Star Village is unknown, it is estimated that its overall size is already considerable."

His tone grew increasingly somber: "The news that traitors from the Uchiha and Hyuga branch families have joined the Land of Stars has probably already spread throughout the ninja world. This will undoubtedly greatly enhance the strength and prestige of the Star Village. We cannot stand idly by and watch them continue to develop peacefully."

Kakashi felt a slight chill, as if he had a premonition of something.

As expected, Hiruzen's next words made his pupils shrink: "I request that you personally lead an elite ANBU squad, disguised as ninjas from the Star Village, to the border area where the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Star meet... to provoke a conflict. If necessary, you may use your Sharingan to leave behind 'conclusive' evidence."

"What?!" Kakashi almost thought he had misheard, his face beneath the mask filled with shock: "Hokage-sama! The Land of Earth is one thing, but the Land of Wind... is our ally with whom we have signed an alliance! To do this..."

Shifting the blame to allies?
This is no longer a simple tactical deception, but a complete betrayal of the alliance!
Moreover, the Sharingan...

Nowadays, the only Sharingan left in Konoha besides Sasuke's pair with one tomoe is his.

Wouldn't doing this be...?

Nara Shikaku, who was standing nearby, spoke up at the right moment, calmly analyzing, "Captain Kakashi, I understand your concerns. But precisely because the Land of Wind is our ally, some things need to be 'pushed forward' even more."

He walked to the map of the ninja world on the wall and pointed to the western part of the continent: "The Land of Stars slaughtered all the old nobles and daimyo and implemented a completely different system. It's like a malignant tumor, making the daimyo and nobles of all the surrounding countries feel fear and unease."

"As far as we know, as early as three years ago, the daimyo of the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind secretly contacted the daimyo of the Land of Fire, attempting to form a three-way alliance or even a joint army to completely eradicate the 'rebellious' threat that is the Land of Stars."

"However, due to inherent suspicions among countries, difficulties in coordinating the distribution of interests, and other reasons, this alliance has been slow to materialize." Shikaku's finger traced across the map.

"But the situation is different now. The addition of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans has greatly strengthened the military power of the Land of Stars, making the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind feel even more threatened. According to intelligence, both of those countries are also carrying out military expansion internally. More importantly..."

His finger pointed towards the heart of the Land of Stars: "We've confirmed through traveling merchants and spies that the Land of Stars is investing enormous manpower and resources to transform the vast western plains of the Dark River and several rivers, attempting to turn large tracts of barren land into fertile fields. Kakashi, you should understand what stable food production areas mean for countries like the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, where most of the land is desert and wasteland."

Kakashi was silent.

Of course he understands.

This signifies a strategic-level boost to resources and national strength!
This was enough to make both the Kazekage and Tsuchikage uneasy, while simultaneously making them covet those lands!

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, his voice low and full of political calculation: "This war in the west will break out sooner or later. Just like the three previous Shinobi World Wars, the root cause is nothing more than the struggle for resources and interests. Our Konoha is too far from the area where the Land of Stars is located, with several small countries in between as buffer zones. Sending a large-scale ninja force on an expedition would be a losing proposition."

“Therefore, we need to ‘help’ our allies, especially the Land of Wind, to make a decision.” Hiruzen’s gaze sharpened.

"Let them see the 'aggressiveness' of the 'Star Ninja' firsthand and feel the pain firsthand, then they will be more eager to need Konoha's support, whether it's military supplies or 'limited' ninja troops. We can then use this to consolidate our alliance, weaken potential opponents, and keep the war far away from the Land of Fire."

Kakashi felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to this ruthless strategic plan.

Is this what high-level politics is all about?

They treat allies as pawns as well.

He could almost see the war about to break out on the border, and the innocent lives that might be lost because of this conspiracy.

"But... Lord Hokage, if we deliberately provoke a conflict like this, what if it gets out of control and escalates into the Fourth Shinobi World War..." Kakashi expressed his biggest concern.

"No, that won't happen." Hiruzen's tone was quite certain, as if he had everything under control: "With the addition of the Hyuga and Uchiha, the main forces of Sunagakure and Iwagakure will be firmly tied up in the western battlefield by the Land of Stars."

"The Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water is still under a closed-off policy, and the Hidden Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning is reportedly in poor condition, with the Fourth Raikage, A, even losing an arm. If they were to intervene in this war in the western part of the Shinobi World, the logistical pressure and costs would be immense. Moreover, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water would not be able to acquire the land of the Land of Stars, making it a losing proposition."

"Our Konoha only needs to provide logistical support. This conflict will be manageable in scale."

Kakashi looked at the Third Hokage's seemingly calm yet unquestionable expression and knew that everything had already been decided.

As the head of the secret service, he had no room for questioning, only the mission to be carried out.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions in his heart, knelt on one knee, and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Lord Hokage! I will personally lead the team to complete the mission!"

(End of this chapter)