Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

Chapter 102 Naruto Uzumaki Moved House

After Hiruzen Sarutobi was sidelined, Natsumi became extremely bold.

He even moved Naruto's house.

The room in the civilian building where Naruto originally lived was used to deal with Hiruzen Sarutobi's surprise inspection.

Now, Naruto Uzumaki lives next door to the Uchiha Izumi family, and has become the new favorite of Aunt Miko and Uncle Heishiro.

Since Izumi Uchiha became the head of the Uchiha clan, she has been busy with all sorts of work and no longer tries to please her parents by acting cute.

This left the Miko couple feeling lost and lonely.

Naruto Uzumaki, on the other hand, is an energetic boy who longs for family affection.

Naruto moves into Izumi Uchiha's house and receives patient care from Mikoto and Heishiro, while the two elderly people find comfort in the lively Naruto.

Now, Miko's greatest joy is feeding Naruto with her husband, raising him to be plump and healthy.

With ample nutritional support, 10-year-old Naruto Uzumaki was 15 centimeters taller and more robust than he was at age 12 in the story.

The improvement in living conditions allowed Naruto Uzumaki's talent to be fully utilized. Even with the "mask," Naruto was no longer the bottom of the Ninja Academy, but an outstanding student who fiercely competed with Sasuke Uchiha for the top spot.

The Third Hokage didn't even notice such an obvious change in Naruto, which shows the extent to which he was being sidelined.

What Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't see, the ninja clans of Konoha Village certainly did.

Last year, even Nara Shikaku couldn't help but advise Natsume to launch a coup ahead of schedule and become the Fifth Hokage.

But Xia Zuo did not agree.

He wanted to use legal procedures to remove Hiruzen Sarutobi from power and make the Third Hokage "the most unsuccessful Hokage in history".

.

To completely ruin Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation, the support of the vast majority of Konoha ninja would be required. However, the commoner ninjas, who make up the majority of Konoha ninjas, still habitually support Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Changing the stance of ordinary ninjas requires a crisis that is brought to everyone's face.

Thinking of this, Xia Zuo couldn't help but smile and said, "The crisis of these 15 days has turned into heavy pressure, not only on Konoha Village, but also on the hearts of every Konoha ninja."

"Under such immense pressure, the complacent attitude of ordinary ninjas could no longer be maintained. They would see their true thoughts and change their stance."

"I can now assert that over 90% of the ninjas in Konoha want the Third Hokage to step down, and 70% of the Jonin in Konoha support us."

"Now I'm not just able to sideline Hiruzen Sarutobi, I'm absolutely confident I can drive him out of power."

Uchiha Izumi looked at Xia Zuo with admiration: "Brother, you always say that crisis is an opportunity, and I never believed it before, but now I do."

"The crisis created by the Fourth Raikage has indeed become the best opportunity for Konoha to change."

"Brother, you're amazing!"

Xia Zuo laughed triumphantly.

Historically, the ninjas of Konoha Village endured until Konoha 60 years later, when they joined forces with Orochimaru to send away the Third Hokage. In doing so, they also killed the Sand Village, greatly weakening the Sand Village ninjas, who could only obediently continue to be Konoha Village's subordinates.

This time, because Xia Zuo was in Konoha Village, no one contacted Orochimaru, and he had no chance to design a heroic ending for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Once Hiruzen Sarutobi is disgraced, Xia Zuo will thoroughly settle accounts with the Third Hokage for his mistakes and suppress the excessively expanding power of the Sarutobi clan, thus clearing the way for him to take control of Konoha.

Xia Zuo didn't want to become a Hokage like the Seventh Hokage; he wanted to be a Hokage with real power.

In the afternoon, Naruto Uzumaki went home after school.

Xia Zuo, Uchiha Izumi, Naruto, Miko, and Heishiro shared a warm and lively dinner together.

After the meal, Xia Zuo said to Uchiha Izumi, "I'll go to Shisui's house later and tell him the specific action plan. You go and inform everyone: we'll be taking action tomorrow."

Upon hearing Xia Zuo's words, Uchiha Izumi was overjoyed.

She jumped up, raised her hands, and cheered, "Great! Long live brother!"

"I'm telling everyone right now!"

Xia Zuo stood up, grabbed the girl, and added, "Also, tell everyone not to worry about the Cloud Village ninja army."

"Once the Third Hokage steps down, Shisui and I will deal with the invading ninja army from Kumogakure."

Xia Zuo and Izumi did not avoid talking to Naruto Uzumaki, because he had taken off his "mask" at this moment and was no longer the stupid Naruto who was affected by Ashura's chakra. Therefore, he had no opinion on the upcoming coup.

Naruto's only concern was: "Brother Natsume, after the Third Hokage steps down, will you become Hokage?"

Xia Zuo replied, "I will strive to become the Fifth Hokage, but there is another ninja in the village who can compete with me for the Hokage position."

Naruto asked curiously, "Who are the other ninjas who can compete with Brother Natsume?"

Xia Zuo said, "Tsunade, the granddaughter of the First Hokage, the most beautiful of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, and the strongest medical ninja."

Naruto Uzumaki scoffed dismissively, "Tch, so it's that irresponsible gambling old woman. How could she possibly compete with Brother Xia Zuo?"

Naruto raised his hands and declared, "Brother Xia Zuo is destined to become the Fifth Hokage."

Xia Zuo: ".

Naruto, do you realize that what you said is ambiguous?

The next day, the Third Hokage called a meeting with his classmates early in the morning.

The Fourth Raikage refused to meet with the Hokage's messenger for the 15th time, determined to have a face-to-face meeting with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But it's impossible for Hiruzen Sarutobi to personally meet the Fourth Raikage!

This is utterly unreasonable. Aside from his trip to the Fire Capital to meet the Daimyo, Hiruzen Sarutobi hasn't left Konoha Village for 30 years.

The Fourth Raikage is just a junior; how could he make such an excessive request?

Not only would Hiruzen Sarutobi absolutely disagree, but Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado would also disagree.

Tobirama Senju was ambushed while on a mission to the Land of Lightning. It was the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, who sacrificed his own life to save Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others.

The psychological trauma caused by this incident haunted the six of them for the rest of their lives.

Hiruzen Sarutobi became extremely conservative, never going to the front lines again, nor leaving the Land of Fire. Even when he left Konoha, he only went to the Fire Capital.

Danzo Shimura became incredibly radical and reckless, with unwavering self-confidence and a belief in the power of darkness and conspiracy.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado have become like guard dogs, losing all their self-confidence.

Akimichi Torifu's self-blame and guilt even made him unable to continue being a ninja, and he chose to retire after returning to the village.

Of the members of the Second Hokage's Shadow Guard, apart from Uchiha Kagami who died young, the other five were never able to escape the shadow of abandoning the Second Hokage throughout their lives.

The identity of being a "loser" followed them for the rest of their lives.

Having learned from the Second Hokage's example, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi possibly meet the Fourth Raikage in person?

But he couldn't see the Fourth Raikage, and the Fourth Raikage couldn't see his messenger, so the problem couldn't be solved.