Yes, the Hokage

"So apart from Orochimaru, only the Second Hokage knows this technique, and the Second Hokage's Impure World Reincarnation is quite inferior... Moreover, he wouldn't teach me. When I went to Cloud Thunder Gorge, I tentatively mentioned it, and he almost blew my butt with a multiplicative explosive tag."

Hearing this, Hiruko almost laughed, but he held back because of the threat from Kuroda.

"However, I also anticipated Orochimaru's move. After Shisui controlled him, he still managed to extract detailed information about the Impure World Reincarnation, but... no one can learn it."

"What?" Hiruko gave him a look that said, "Are you kidding me?" "You have so many talented people under your command, and you're telling me no one can learn it?"

“Although I have many subordinates, they all have their principles. None of them are willing to learn such evil and forbidden techniques, and I respect their choices,” Feng Lan said helplessly. “And my most loyal subordinates, who listen to everything I say, are from the Uchiha clan. Guess what would happen if I had them use the Impure World Reincarnation to summon their own ancestors?”

Hiruko fell silent. To a research fanatic like him, the Impure World Reincarnation was nothing, but to most people, it was a desecration of the dead. No matter how loyal they were, they would never agree to let the Uchiha desecrate their ancestors.

“Even if they reluctantly agree, there will still be a rift and division between us in the future. I will never do something like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.”

“Then I’ll learn it.” Hiruko volunteered. “Don’t you trust me? Do you think that my Edo Tensei Madara form will be detrimental to the village?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, but besides that, there are two other very troublesome things.” Feng Lan said helplessly, “First of all, there’s the issue of materials. Konoha and the Land of Fire can’t find any heinous death row inmates to serve as sacrifices for the Impure World Reincarnation, and to be honest… even if they did, Minato might not agree.”

"Hmph, you're suddenly being kind now." Hiruko sneered, but he knew that Fenglan had his bottom line, unlike people like Orochimaru and Black Zetsu, which was why he felt comfortable surrendering. "What about White Zetsu? You must have captured quite a few that night."

“Using White Zetsu as a sacrifice will greatly enhance the strength of the summoned dead, just like the First Hokage. Using them to summon the Prisoner would be extremely dangerous.”

"why?"

"This is what I wanted to say, the last and most troublesome thing. Madara can use the Impure World Reincarnation Release. Even if you can learn it in a hurry, your binding power is not as good as Orochimaru's. If we summon him, and he loses control and releases himself, then we'll be in trouble."

Feng Lan sighed: "If we release an unkillable guy with unlimited chakra who never gets tired, things will get really serious."

Hiruko hesitated for a moment, then said unwillingly, "So we're just going to wait here like this?"

"Of course not. I'm asking you to research Gundam to fight him. Besides, Madara isn't stupid. Even if he's resurrected by Edo Tensei, he won't just rush into Konoha."

As Feng Lan finished speaking, his expression suddenly turned sinister: "He will first target other forces to acquire more power and other tailed beasts, and only when he is strong enough will he declare war on Konoha."

"In this process, someone will definitely realize that only Konoha is feared by Madara. Under the pressure of the situation, they will have no choice but to join us. Then we will defeat Madara, and the ninja world will be unified."

"You..." Hiruko was stunned. "Is this your ultimate plan? To unify the ninja world?"

"It's not really my plan, it's more like the inevitable trend of the times," Feng Lan said calmly. "When the power of the Konoha clan is enough to overwhelm the entire ninja world, even if Minato is unwilling, the tide will push him to that point. At that time, there will be no need for the Five Kage, nor will there be any Daimyo. There will only be..."

He raised his head and looked up at the Hokage Rock high above: "Minato Namikaze."

"Gulp!" Hiruko involuntarily swallowed, suddenly finding the smiling guy in front of him somewhat terrifying.

"At that time, you will no longer be Konoha's chief scientific researcher, but..." Feng Lan naturally sensed Hiruko's inner turmoil and smiled slightly, "The greatest contributor to unifying the ninja world, the world's number one, a scientist celebrated for all eternity, Lord Hiruko~"

"Gurgle!"

Hiruko swallowed again. He admitted that Fenglan's expression was wicked, but he also had to admit that he was attracted by the scene he described. This was Hiruko's deepest desire, something he never dared to think about in his daily life. If the Infinite Tsukuyomi were activated, this would be the scene in his dream!

Feng Lan's idea was too arrogant, too vicious, and too rebellious. Unifying the ninja world and seizing power from the daimyo was something that these native Japanese ninjas wouldn't even dare to dream of. Therefore, even if what he was proposing was Hiruko's deepest dream, the latter still felt somewhat unrealistic.

"How sure are you?"

Hearing Hiruko say that, Fenglan knew he was about to lose his composure, and chuckled, "One hundred percent certain."

"You're that confident?" Hiruko felt his heart pounding, the whispers of angels and demons echoing in his mind, and he felt like he was about to explode.

"It's not that I'm confident, but if Konoha doesn't have the strength to sweep across the entire ninja world, I won't make a move at all. If it does have the strength to sweep across the ninja world, I won't need to do anything. The general trend will push Minato forward on its own. I won't actively force Minato. So whether you can get to that point depends mainly on you."

He tapped his fingers lightly twice in the air, then casually bought two skewers of meatballs from the old lady on the street and handed one to her.

Hiruko mechanically took the dumpling, noticing that her hand holding the bamboo skewer was trembling, and her voice was a little hoarse: "So, you're not planning to do anything?"

"Of course I have many things to do: develop the economy, upgrade the military, engage in diplomatic maneuvering... But no matter how much I do, it can only defend against Black Zetsu and fight against Madara. Whether we can subdue the enemy without fighting depends on the Gundam you develop."

Feng Lan smiled and uttered that classic line: "Science and technology are the primary productive forces. If we can achieve technological development that surpasses this era, whether in terms of industrial survival or ninja tool combat power, we can completely crush other forces and naturally dominate the ninja world without doing anything."

"Think about it, if we had a large number of Gundams, it would be equivalent to every member of the Konoha squad being Madara Uchiha. In that case, even the most stubborn Tsuchikage and the most irritable Raikage wouldn't dare to utter a single word against Konoha, right?"

"You make it sound so simple..."

While saying this, Hiruko breathed a sigh of relief. The thought that his dream was actually in his own hands filled him with excitement and a sense of security. At least based on Feng Lan's attitude, he wouldn't take the initiative to declare war on the entire ninja world. Even if his research results weren't that amazing, he wouldn't be the one to be crushed for being the first to stick his neck out. He would still be Konoha's chief scientist.

With the current stability and preferential treatment, coupled with a clear vision of his future dreams and a path to advancement, Hiruko finally settled down and was willing to completely entrust his fate to Konoha.

He was about to speak again when he heard a series of exclamations and curses coming from ahead. Feng Lan's expression turned serious, and he strode over.

"What happened?!"

"Advisor Fenglan!"

The Uchiha guard on patrol breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him coming and hurriedly came over to explain the situation.

The matter was actually quite simple. A few unruly villagers from Konoha discovered a circus troupe participating in the Samsara Festival and wanted to bully them. However, one of the circus members suddenly became enraged, shouting things like "inferior creatures," and swung his fishing rod, knocking the entire group down.

Logically speaking, in a situation like this, one should quickly act like a villainous nobody, leave behind a few harsh words, and run away. But we Konoha scoundrels are not like that. Although we might die if we continue to bully others, it would be a sign of a useless mindset to refrain from bullying others out of fear of death!

As a result, several troublemakers fell down, and hundreds of Konoha troublemakers surrounded them! Then... they were all knocked to the ground again.

Sometimes I really think these guys would be better off dead.

As Feng Lan was internally complaining, she glanced at the young man with the fishing rod from the circus and couldn't help but pause slightly in surprise.

A crimson fishing rod, a blood-red fishing hook... Although it only flashed by, this is not something an ordinary circus would have.

[Otsutsuki...Urashiki?]

The signboard reminded him of a major villain in Boruto. Although Kaguya hasn't awakened yet, theoretically the Otsutsuki shouldn't be in this time period. But Urashiki is an exception because he found and obtained the Otsutsuki clan's treasure, "Raku," which allows him to travel through time.

At this moment, Feng Lan only had one thought in her mind—oh my god, there was an unexpected bonus!

Originally, the circle was set up to guard against Madara's attack, but unexpectedly, they encountered an Otsutsuki.

Although thoughts raced through her mind, Feng Lan remained outwardly calm. When she glanced at him again, the red light had disappeared, and the circus boy carrying the fishing rod seemed to be just an ordinary person.

Feng Lan pretended not to see it, sternly reprimanded the troublemakers, then apologized to the circus ringmaster. Upon hearing that they were there to participate in the Reincarnation Festival performance, he promised double the fee and insisted that they go on stage.

This "cowardly" behavior undoubtedly displeased the scoundrels with their domineering will. However, the Uchiha lads of the security team were already in place. If they dared to disrespect Feng Lan, they would face six blows per second and a life behind bars. Going to jail for a festival like the Samsara Festival was a bit too much to bear, so they could only disperse in a huff.

After the circus performers and the troublemakers dispersed, Feng Lan's eyes turned cold, and she headed straight for the Hokage's office!

Chapter 206 Great Name

"Minato, things are not looking good. We need to make some preparations in advance."

"Huh?" Minato, who was behind the desk, was startled and immediately stood up. "A spy from another village has infiltrated?"

“The word ‘outer village’ is no longer enough to describe them…this is an alien spy.” Feng Lan shrugged.

"Aliens?" Minato looked completely bewildered. This was understandable, considering that for people of this era, the Warring States period was already considered part of history books, let alone the level of the Sage of Six Paths' mother.

"This has to start from the creation of the world... cough cough, I mean the Ten-Tailed Divine Tree stage." At this time, the Three Goddesses were also brought over by Hiruko, and Fenglan then raised the banner of the White Snake Sage and roughly recounted the story of the Shimotsutsuki.

"Is this really the world of ninjas? Even the Sage of Six Paths... is just a son of a goddess?" Minato's expression clearly showed that his worldview had been shattered. For these native Japanese ninjas, the Sage of Six Paths was already a legendary mythical figure. If it were someone in China who suddenly told you that Sun Wukong actually existed, wouldn't you be surprised?

Feng Lan's words were even more explosive than the claim that the Sage of Six Paths was real, because even someone as powerful as the Sage of Six Paths was merely the son of the goddess Kaguya, who was a low-ranking member of the Otsutsuki clan. According to the Boruto storyline, the Otsutsuki planted the Divine Tree in pairs, and the lower-ranking members were to be fed to the Divine Tree. Kaguya, unwilling to be eaten, betrayed Ichishiki and kept the fruit for herself, then endlessly built the White Zetsu army to resist the Otsutsuki who would come after her.

At this point in time, even Kage-level powerhouses are still quite formidable, yet Konoha suddenly has to face an Otsutsuki. Even Miyazaki Hidetaka's games aren't this ridiculous. It's not like we're facing a giant tree guarding us as soon as we step out the door; it's like we're facing Mitaen as soon as we step out the door!

Even the most die-hard Souls fans would be tempted to slam their controllers on the table and yell "I'm so angry!" when they encounter this kind of trash game!

"Well, well, you don't need to be so nervous. It's just a mere Otsutsuki; our village can easily take him down." Feng Lan was quite calm. If it were Momoshiki Ichishiki, he might be a little more nervous, but Urashiki…

To put it simply, members of the Otsutsuki clan are usually at the Six Paths level, but while Urashiki's mechanics and stats are standard Otsutsuki level, he is definitely not at the Six Paths level because his own qualities drag down his mechanics and stats.

In terms of combat experience, this guy is basically zero. He's at the level where he could be sealed by two genin, Boruto and Shinki. If he weren't strong enough to break free from the seal, he probably would have completely humiliated the Otsutsuki clan on the spot.

In terms of fighting spirit, Momoshiki dared to take on the five great nations alone, and Isshiki could easily defeat Naruto and Sasuke by himself. After Momoshiki died, Urashiki thought about it and didn't dare to attack Konoha directly. Instead, he acquired "Raku" and traveled through time to cause trouble for young Naruto. Then he was frightened by the Nine-Tails' leaked chakra.

In terms of combat intelligence, he is reckless when things are going well, but becomes extremely weak when things are going badly. He is helpless when people get close to him. The classic Uchiha slam and Otsutsuki elbow strike are famous scenes that originated from this character.

So although his stats and mechanics are standard Otsutsuki, his personal qualities lower his overall strength. In Feng Lan's eyes, he's only at the Super Kage level, and even then, he's relatively low-ranking among Super Kage. Konoha isn't afraid of him right now.

Moreover, although Urashiki's mechanics are insidious and can easily lead to a kill on first encounter, they are practically nonexistent in Fenglan's hands. Fenglan, who is familiar with the plot, has long memorized all of Urashiki's abilities and can even counter them in a targeted manner. In particular, his photo weapon, the red-light fishing rod, can penetrate all defenses, such as Gaara's sand, Sasuke's Amaterasu, and Naruto's Rasengan... but it is countered by iron sand.

Fenglan didn't know the specific principle, but in Boruto, this fishhook was countered by Shinki's iron sand. Unfortunately, Fenglan had a very powerful iron sand ninja tool, which would definitely kill him.

So, Fenglan's attitude toward Urashiki's arrival was: Good thing, it just so happens that we are short of materials for scientific ninja tools!

Of course, this was his reaction from God's perspective. Minato still seemed quite nervous, but his trust in Fenglan gave him more confidence, and he didn't hesitate to follow the other party's plan.

The expressions of the three goddesses were very subtle. Because they were trusted by the White Snake Sage, the three of them knew some things about the Otsutsuki clan. In their eyes, the Otsutsuki clan was an extremely evil extraterrestrial invader. Even the Great Toad Sage could only fight against them by turning the Sage of Six Paths, who was also of Otsutsuki blood. Wouldn't Feng Lan be too arrogant?

After exchanging messages in the voice chat for a while, the three of them decided to act according to the situation, at least in terms of cooperation with Konoha. Otherwise, wouldn't the cooperation agreement signed by the White Snake Sage be ruined by the few of them?

However, if things don't go well, we should return to Ryuchi Cave immediately. We can't let them really die for Konoha, can we?

Feng Lan was well aware of the three snakes' schemes, but to be honest, he didn't really need them to deal with Urashiki. What he really needed to rely on was the power of the Myoboku lineage, or more precisely, Jiraiya's power.

……

Soon, the arrangements for the water gate were laid out layer by layer, and the powerful figures that needed to be mobilized did not appear abruptly. Since they were going to perform on stage because of Feng Lan's wicked sense of humor, Urashiki, who already looked down on humans, did not notice anything unusual.

Aside from the people secretly arranged, everything else about the celebration proceeded as usual. Soon, Feng Lan followed the established etiquette and went to the VIP box where the celebration performance was to pay his respects to the daimyo of the Land of Fire.

The Daimyo is theoretically the supreme leader of the Land of Fire. However, although Konoha Village belongs to the Land of Fire, it is an independent entity that controls its own destiny. Yet, it cannot do without the financial and resource support provided by the Land of Fire. This abnormal relationship makes the "Kage," who holds military power, and the "Daimyo," who is the actual ruler, almost equal in status. However, on the surface, the Kage and other ninjas still respect the Daimyo. Even the selection of the next generation of Kage is decided jointly by the elders and the Daimyo.

For Feng Lan, the strengths and weaknesses of the Fire Country Daimyo can be summarized in one sentence: he is very self-aware.

Knowing he didn't understand ninja matters, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire was very easy to talk to. He would give Konoha whatever it wanted, never interfered in Konoha's affairs, respected the elders' wishes in appointing Kage, and was even afraid when Danzo became angry.

This is certainly an advantage for the Hokage, but it's also a minor drawback for Fenglan. The opponent is too cooperative, so cooperative that he can't find an excuse to take them down directly. So for the time being, he can only let the Kage and the Daimyo coexist like this.

"Daimyo-sama." Although he didn't really take the other person seriously, he at least performed the proper etiquette on the surface, bowing deeply and saying, "Maple, the chief advisor to the Hokage, greets you."

"Roar~ Roar~ Roar~"

The daimyo of the Land of Fire was a middle-aged man with a long, narrow face who looked somewhat listless. When he smiled while fanning himself with a small fan, he had a similar air to Coach Anzai from Slam Dunk. Overall, he gave off a kind and gentle impression.

"Advisor Fenglan, there's no need for such formalities. I've already heard from the Fourth Hokage that the village's development to where it is today is all thanks to you."

"Fourth Hokage, you flatter me. The village's current prosperity is inseparable from everyone's hard work, and of course... it's also thanks to your enlightenment and support." Feng Lan flattered without making a sound.

"Hehehe, how would I know about these things? All I can do is provide material and policy support." The daimyo covered his mouth with his fan and laughed. "Speaking of which, it's all thanks to the orphanage you opened, Advisor Fenglan. It has greatly improved the people of the Land of Fire's opinion of me as daimyo. If there is anything else that needs support, just tell me. I will do my best to provide any preferential treatment."

With the other party being so cooperative, Feng Lan couldn't play any tricks and went straight to the point, saying, "Indeed, there is something we need your help with. The village recently signed a cooperation agreement with Ryuchi Cave, one of the three holy lands. We need to provide some medicine, tobacco, and vegetation that snakes need. We would like to ask you to designate a few villages to cultivate these things separately. Of course, Konoha can guarantee that it will buy them at a high price and will definitely not let the people suffer losses."

His business has now expanded to the Land of Water and the Land of Wind. Even the daimyo in front of him might not be as wealthy as he is. Promising to acquire him at a high price is just a small matter.

"Of course, of course." Daming smiled kindly. "Since it involves the three holy lands, we should take extra care of them. I'll arrange for someone to handle it right away."

Although he claimed to know nothing about it, he was aware of what the three holy lands meant, which clearly showed that this daimyo was paying attention to the ninja world.

Feng Lan bowed slightly again: "Thank you, sir. There is one more thing... concerning the Third Hokage."

"Hiruzen..." the daimyo sighed with emotion, "He and I have known each other for a long time, I never expected... Sigh! Tell me, what can I do in this regard?"

"The Third Hokage's funeral is scheduled to be held after the Reincarnation Festival. If you can attend, I think it will be the greatest comfort to him."

“That’s only right.” The daimyo tapped his palm with his fan, his expression tinged with sadness. “Hiruzen has devoted himself to the village. When I first took office, I was very grateful for his help. I must attend this funeral no matter what.”

Upon hearing his words, a young man standing next to the daimyo showed gratitude; he was undoubtedly the young Sarutobi Asuma.

The bald man guarding the daimyo on the other side was someone Feng Lan recognized; he was none other than Jiriku, who would later become the abbot of the Fire Temple. In their youth, both of them served as guards directly under the daimyo, protecting the Twelve Ninja and forging a deep bond. Later in Shippuden, they both died at the hands of Kakuzu and Hidan.

However, at this time, the two were still quite young, only a year or two older than Kakashi. It was precisely because of his youthful impetuosity that Asuma had a conflict with his father, left the village to travel around, and eventually joined the daimyo's ranks. Little did he expect that the argument back then would become their last.

“Speaking of which, Asuma, haven’t you always wanted to have a private talk with Advisor Fenglan?” The Daimyo raised his hand. “There’s still some time before the performance starts, so why don’t you do me the honor of talking to this kid?”

"it is good."

Feng Lan had originally planned to persuade Asuma to return to Konoha. The two nodded to each other and left the daimyo's private room, going to another empty room next door. This room was originally prepared for Feng Lan and Minato, but Minato was still busy arranging for experts to arrive and had not yet arrived.

"Advisor Fenglan." Asma's somewhat cold voice rang out as soon as the door closed, "How exactly did my father die?"

"I think the Sarutobi clan's secret letter should have already told you about this." Feng Lan could hear the accusatory tone in the other party's words, but he wasn't angry. "The Third Hokage was killed by Orochimaru. Do you not trust your own clan's judgment, or do you think I must kill the Third Hokage to completely control the entire Hidden Leaf Village?"

“None of those.” Asma shook his head. “I just want to know what really happened that night!”

“If you want to know everything, you can’t just start from that night.” Feng Lan began calmly, starting from the first time he caught snakes, recounting his deal with the Third Hokage, and continuing until the end of the Ryuchi Cave incident and Orochimaru’s handover.

Asuma fell silent, slowly processing what he had to say. After a long while, he finally spoke: "Some people in the clan say that you deliberately handed Orochimaru over to my father at that time, knowing that he would suddenly turn on you and kill people."

“I did suspect that this guy was hiding some trump cards, but I also think that your father’s strength is enough to deal with him.” Feng Lan said calmly. “As for doing it on purpose? It’s probably because some resentful guys from the Mitomon and Utatane clans have won over some members of the Sarutobi clan. When you return and take control of the clan, you’d better be careful of these people.”

Asuma fell silent again. He was not one to easily believe slander. Based on the situation described by his friends in the Dark Division and Feng Lan's attitude, he could roughly guess that what killed his father was his deep affection for his disciple.

"Are you so sure I'll come back?" he asked again.

“The Sarutobi clan is leaderless. Only you are qualified to lead them. Coming back will be good for you and the clan.” Feng Lan shrugged. “Of course, I don’t care if you don’t come back. Anyway, right now, the Sarutobi, Mitomon, and Utatane clans combined can’t affect the Minato’s position in the slightest.”

"However, if you want to come back, you must abide by the rules of Konoha, train hard to become stronger, and not neglect your duties. I will not target you, but I will not give you special treatment either. If you feel that obeying your father's opponent is a humiliation, perhaps finding your own path under the Daimyo is a better choice."

Seeing that Fenglan didn't intend to interfere with his choice, Asuma pondered for a while before finally speaking slowly: "After this celebration, I will bid farewell to the Daimyo."