Projection magicians starting from the Uchiha clan

"I had hoped to return to the front lines and participate in this mission, but the old man stopped me and told me to recover from my injuries before going back."

Asma's tone revealed a hint of resentment as he irritably flipped the beef on the grill.

The charcoal crackled softly in the grill on the table, filling the air with the aroma of roasted meat that whetted the appetite.

Iori's gaze was drawn to the beef on the grill. He picked up a perfectly grilled piece of beef, its golden-brown surface gleaming enticingly.

He dipped the beef in the Akimichi clan's secret sauce and put it in his mouth.

Immediately, a rich aroma of meat filled my mouth. The meat was tender and juicy, and the flavor of the seasonings perfectly complemented its deliciousness.

He couldn't help but nod and exclaim, "No wonder it's the barbecue that's so popular in the Land of Fire, it's really delicious."

Asuma's voice suddenly rose a few decibels, and he looked at Iori with some annoyance: "Are you even listening to me?"

Iori gave a perfunctory reply, but her mouth didn't stop; she kept picking up pieces of grilled meat with her chopsticks.

Hongdou chimed in, "Alright, everyone knows you don't want to rely on your parents, but this is a matter of course, and no one will say anything about it."

Asuma fell silent. As long as he was in Konoha, he would always be the son of the Third Hokage, not Sarutobi Asuma.

The more others thought that way, the more he wanted to leave Konoha.

Hong comforted him, "Asma, everyone has seen your efforts. You are you, and your father is your father."

Iori also said, "I estimate that the Fourth Hokage will be chosen soon. No matter what you think, wait until the Fourth Hokage takes office before making a decision."

Upon hearing this, the three of them looked at Iori together.

Asuma, most anxious, asked, "Iori, you've been getting very close to Lord Orochimaru and Lady Tsunade. Do you have some inside information?"

Kurenai and Anko looked at him expectantly, after all, it was the Hokage election, something most people only get to experience a few times in their lifetime.

No one could have imagined that the Hokage in the original work would be changed three times in just over ten years.

Iori said slowly and deliberately, "Jiraiya-senpai doesn't plan to become Hokage, Orochimaru-senpai was also removed from the list of candidates by the Third Hokage, and Tsunade still has a shadow over the position of Hokage."

"It seems that only Minato-senpai is qualified to be Hokage now. He has enough popularity and military achievements, the support of Jiraiya-sama, and a reason that cannot be left out."

After thinking about it, the group realized that it was true; as long as Tsunade and Orochimaru didn't fight, no one could defeat Minato.

Asuma sighed upon hearing this, "If Iori were a few years older, you should be able to compete for it too. Your contributions are no less than Minato's."

"If you were twenty years old, Minato-senpai might not be able to beat you."

Asuma was unaware that Iori was also involved in the Land of Earth's victory, but in terms of past achievements, Iori was no less capable than Minato.

Iori smiled without saying a word. According to the plan, he would become Hokage at the latest when he was 18 years old. He was just going to serve as Hokage's assistant for two years and get to know everyone.

Iori ordered more than a dozen plates of meat, and everyone stopped thinking about politics and began to enjoy the food.

After the meal, Iori took the initiative to pay the bill. Looking at the bill, he felt a pang of regret. If he were still a Chunin, he probably wouldn't be able to afford such a meal.

Seeing Asuma's slight embarrassment, Iori said cheerfully, "After all, I am the senior, how can I let my junior treat me?"

After agreeing to meet up again next time, everyone went their separate ways.

Chapter 123 Wood Release Modification and Uchiha Reforms

Three days later

Iori was immersed in his Wood Release modification, surrounded by various documents and records.

He had already made plans to popularize Hashirama's cells among the Senju and Uchiha clans.

However, while Hashirama's Wood Release is powerful, it is too advanced for ordinary people to master.

According to Iori's estimate, most people's skill level is probably at the level of Yamato, and many people are not even as good as Yamato. Mastering Hashirama's Wood Release is simply a pipe dream.

He planned to refer to the abilities of characters from other anime in his previous life to see if he could develop some corresponding ninjutsu.

Speaking of wood, the most famous and convenient thing in Iori's mind is still the Grass-type moves in Pokémon.

He first developed a C-rank ninjutsu, Parasitic Seed, based on the principle of Wood Dragon Technique's chakra absorption. Its effect is to replenish oneself by absorbing the chakra of others.

Parasitic seeds can be launched remotely, and when they attach to the body, they can also interfere with the enemy's movements.

Next, to make it easier for the Chunin to fight, he modified the Advent of the Tree World, greatly reducing its power and energy consumption, turning it into a single-target form.

C-rank ninjutsu, Vine Whip, also known in the ninja world as Wood Release: Thorn Whip. It creates a whip-like vine that can both attack and disrupt, and crucially, it consumes very little energy.

C-rank ninjutsu, Flying Leaf Blade, also known in the ninja world as Wood Release: Flying Leaf Blade.

It's equivalent to a miniature version of the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. Its power is average, but it can still kill fragile ninjas if it hits their vital points.

Then, a B-rank ninjutsu, Paralysis Powder/Hypnotic Powder, a ninja world name, Wood Release: Flower Opening Technique.

Iori was born from the Flower Tree Realm and can bloom on the trees she summons, secreting pollen with special effects.

In fact, if further development were carried out, even more pollen varieties could be invented, but Iori does not intend to develop them herself and will leave it to them.

The final A-rank ninjutsu, Sun Beam, also known in the ninja world as Wood Release: Scorching Light Technique. It creates a plant that can absorb sunlight, and after a period of charging, unleashes a powerful energy shot.

However, at night, the charging time is too long, making it basically unusable.

After being modified by Iori, these ninjutsu will basically be used as the basic ninjutsu for Wood Release ninjas. Iori is looking forward to the day when they will shine.

Just as he was about to head to the Senju mansion to hand over the newly developed ninjutsu to Tsunade, a series of urgent knocks broke the tranquility of the laboratory.

Iori waved her hand gently, and the barrier rippled like water. Shisui rushed in impatiently, his face full of eagerness and excitement.

"Iori-kun, the ninjas on the Land of Earth front have returned. The Third Hokage has organized the ninjas to go and greet them."

Shisui said somewhat excitedly that he knew clearly about the deal between Iori and Minato. After Minato took office, Iori would replace Danzo and become the new Hokage's assistant.

This was the first time since Madara left that someone from the Uchiha clan had been able to join the top echelons of Konoha. Under these circumstances, the Uchiha proposed that only by changing the security force could they hope to succeed.

The security force established by the Second Hokage is now a shackle on the Uchiha clan, restricting them from joining other departments in Konoha and causing the villagers' resentment towards those who violate the rules to be focused on the Uchiha.

Those who are shortsighted take pride in it and consider themselves superior because of it, while those with a long-term vision see the drawbacks, but all the changes come to nothing due to opposition from their clansmen and subtle obstruction from the upper echelons.

Iori plans to open up some positions in the security force in exchange for allowing the Uchiha to join other departments after he takes over.

They broke the political blockade imposed by the Second Hokage and united some ninja clans and civilian ninjas.

The previous clan leaders couldn't do this, partly because of resistance from higher-ups. They wouldn't allow you to go against the policies of the second generation, let alone provide compensation.

On the other hand, since Madara, the Uchiha clan has never had a leader who could command absolute authority and subdue all the clan members. Faced with the opposition of the clan members, the clan head could not act unilaterally.

But now, as one of the strongest members of the Uchiha clan in history, no one in the clan dares to oppose Iori's policies.

As the Hokage's assistant, he also has the authority to adjust Konoha's system.

Seeing his dream gradually coming true, Shisui was naturally overjoyed. Even though he was prepared to stand completely on the side of his people, a gentle evolution would be the best outcome.

"The dust hasn't settled yet, so don't open the champagne halfway through, understand?" Although Iori also felt that things were stable, she still reprimanded Shisui to prevent him from getting carried away.

"Yes, I understand." Although he didn't know what champagne was, Shisui understood what Iori meant and honestly admitted his mistake.

“Let’s go, let’s go see our allies.” Iori nodded and stepped out the door.

"Oh!" Shisui responded and quickly followed Iori away.

-----------------

Village gate

This welcoming ceremony was far superior to the previous one held in the Land of Wind.

Apart from Mitokado Homura, who was gradually losing his mind, and Danzo, who was under house arrest, almost all the other high-ranking officials were present.

They brought almost all the ninja clans to greet them; apart from the Senju and Uchiha clans, practically all of them were there.

Although many people came out of concern for the clan's ninjas, the Third Hokage cleverly used this opportunity to gain some prestige for Minato.

In his letter, Jiraiya detailed Iori's contributions, stating that both he and Minato were honest and trustworthy people who would not steal credit from others even without an agreement.

The Third Generation naturally understood that he couldn't mention his achievements in detail at this time, otherwise Iori would definitely steal the limelight.

He simply held Minato and Jiraiya's hands tightly, and in a trembling voice thanked them for their hard work on the front lines for Konoha.

Tears welled in the Third Hokage's eyes as he was moved by the sacrifices of the ninjas. A few tears silently slid down his cheeks, and those who had not found their loved ones upon returning to the ranks also shed tears.

As the ceremony came to a close, the ninjas gradually blended into the flow of people returning home, amidst the sounds of hugs and greetings from their loved ones.

The Third Hokage's gaze pierced through the scattered crowd, finally settling on Iori and Shisui standing in the distance.

He was about to speak when he saw Minato give him an apologetic smile, then turn and walk towards Iori.

Seeing Minato's expression, the Third Hokage suddenly felt a green light emanating from his head. Jiraiya, seeing this, quickly pulled his teacher up and headed towards the Hokage Building.

He wanted to question loudly, but considering the surrounding gazes and the current situation, he had to grit his teeth and lower his voice.

"What's going on here? Does Minato not want to be Hokage anymore?"

Jiraiya said with a smile, "Iori-kun intends to support Minato in becoming Hokage. We agree to his request and let him become Hokage's assistant, leading the Uchiha clan to integrate into Konoha."

"Are you serious?" The Third Hokage roared in anger, glaring fiercely at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya, not to be outdone, looked at the Third Hokage earnestly and said, "Teacher, the Uchiha are also our comrades. Past prejudices have driven us further and further apart, but now we can change all of that."

"I believe in Minato. He will reconcile everything and prevent the Uchiha from becoming a threat!"

Looking at Jiraiya, the Third Hokage felt an indescribable sense of loss welling up inside him.

He never expected that the man he intended to promote would choose a different path at the crucial moment.

He had no cards left to play and could only helplessly say to Jiraiya, "You'll all regret this."

Jiraiya simply smiled, his tone relaxed and relieved: "From now on, Minato will be the Hokage. I'm handing everything over to him."

Hearing Jiraiya's words, the Third Hokage felt they sounded familiar, and he finally began to understand Danzo's feelings.

Chapter 124 The Promise and Kushina Uzumaki (The rest will be updated later)

Minato walked straight up to Iori and Shisui, his expression very serious.

“Iori-kun,” Minato looked at Iori earnestly, his voice low and firm, “I wonder if our promise still stands?”

Iori answered him calmly and firmly: "Of course, it would be beneficial for both of us to cooperate. Besides, I don't think anyone can compete with me for the position of Fifth Hokage."

Minato laughed after hearing this, and he reached out his hand to Iori, who grasped it without hesitation.

Both sides trusted each other's character, and so they finalized the positions of the next Hokage and his assistant in just a few words.