Yes, the Hokage

Chapter 3 Visiting the Uchiha

The selection of Fenglan as a bodyguard must be done carefully. Strength and a clean background are the minimum requirements. The most important thing is that he has aspirations and expectations for the future, but is also easy to be fooled. Uchiha Shisui obviously meets these requirements perfectly in all aspects.

“Since you already have someone in mind, of course I’ll support you.” Minato nodded. “Uchiha Shisui, right? I’ll write a warrant and have it sent over right away…”

"No need, I'll go myself." Feng Lan shook her head. "That will show more sincerity."

"Are you going to the Uchiha clan's headquarters...?" Minato frowned. He himself had no prejudice against the Uchiha, but the Third Hokage and the prevailing opinion in the village for many years did not think so. Although Feng Lan was smart, he had only been there for a short time and probably did not know the dangers involved.

“I know that the Uchiha clan is quite xenophobic.”

While it's true that some people are secretly manipulating the situation so that the Uchiha clan is ostracized by the entire village, those people are also somewhat involved themselves. At least, that's the conclusion Feng Lan reached after several encounters with the Uchiha.

"But I still have some connections over there." He smiled calmly. "Besides, I came here with good intentions. You can't hit someone who's smiling at you."

Holding Minato's command token, Feng Lan didn't rush straight to the Uchiha compound. Instead, he first bought some fruit before leisurely carrying the bag towards his destination.

Just as Minato had feared, Feng Lan was stopped by two guards as soon as he arrived at the entrance to the Uchiha territory: "Advisor, this is the Uchiha clan's gathering place. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."

Notice their choice of words. It's obvious they know Feng Lan's identity as the chief advisor, yet they immediately say "no unauthorized personnel allowed." It's as if they've never read anything about emotional intelligence. Do you think we'll tolerate these Konoha scoundrels who bully even the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, who could easily destroy the entire village if he goes berserk?

However, Feng Lan was prepared. She waved the fruit in her hand and said, "I'm not a nobody. I'm here to visit the lonely old Uchiha. What, are you two going to stop me from even doing this?"

"An elderly person living alone?" The two young Uchiha exchanged a suspicious look. "Advisor, who are you visiting?"

"Obito Uchiha's grandmother."

The two people opposite them immediately looked as if they had swallowed flies. Although they wanted to stop them, the things the other party had done during the Third Shinobi World War were still there. Feng Lan was someone who had genuinely saved the Uchiha's life, and under such circumstances, it was really unreasonable to stop him from visiting.

Even so, Feng Lan, who didn't have the Uchiha clan crest on him, still attracted a lot of disdainful looks as he walked down the street, making him think he was going to the Hyuga clan's side.

He didn't care about the hostile looks, but the problem was that asking for directions was a bit of a hassle in this situation.

But just then, a sweet voice rang out: "Mr. Fenglan!"

Feng Lan turned around and saw a cute girl with purple patterns on her face waving and running towards her. Ignoring the sharp stares around her, she ran straight to Feng Lan, bowed, and asked with a look of surprise and joy, "What are you doing here?"

“It’s Rin.” Feng Lan smiled. “I came to see Obito and his grandmother.”

The girl before me is none other than Rin Nohara, the heroine of Kamui, the catalyst for the Fourth Shinobi World War, and hailed by countless people as the number one goddess of Naruto.

“You’re so kind. I’ve never seen anyone else willing to visit Obito’s grandmother before.” Nohara Rin’s eyes lit up even more. “I’ll go with you.”

"Great! Obito will be so happy to see you." Feng Lan's lips curled up slightly. This was just like a pillow being delivered to someone who was about to fall asleep. Others might not know about Obito's family, but Rin certainly did.

Following the volunteer guide, the two soon arrived at the outside of a small courtyard. Rin called out with a smile, "Obito! Mr. Fenglan has come to see you!"

Then came a series of clattering sounds from inside, as if someone was tidying up urgently. About half a minute later, the door was flung open with a "bang," and a young man wearing sunglasses, but not the signature sports jacket, rushed out, arms outstretched, and excitedly hugged Feng Lan: "Mr. Feng Lan, what brings you here!?"

Feng Lan smiled and patted his little head: "One is to see how your injuries are recovering, and the other is to visit your grandmother. After all, you are a hero who was wounded on the battlefield. As the fourth generation's advisor, I have an obligation to visit and comfort her on his behalf."

That's right, our protagonist Uchiha Obito, whose kamikaze could not hide his tears, did not die in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge as is in the normal history!

Of course, that's not entirely accurate. He wasn't actually dead; he was saved by Madara. However, in Konoha, he was always considered dead, and a memorial stone was even erected for him.

However, how could Fenglan allow the instigator of the Fourth Shinobi World War, the true mastermind behind Akatsuki, and a key figure with such heaven-defying abilities as Kamui, to fall into the hands of outsiders?

Towards the end of the Third Shinobi World War, having already earned Minato's trust as a strategist, he deliberately kept a close eye on Kakashi's team's movements. Ultimately, during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, he arrived in time to rescue Obito Uchiha, who had been trapped under a rock.

Therefore, in his timeline, only the Iwagakure side died in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, and only Obito was born as a Sharingan hero. Although Kakashi had established a deep bond with Obito, he did not obtain the latter's eyes.

Obito Uchiha had half his body crushed by falling rocks, so even if he recovered, he would be a cripple. And since Konoha didn't have a White Zetsu with such useful "exoskeleton armor," those old guys were definitely unwilling to spend more time and resources on him.

In the end, it was Minato and Fenglan who ran around trying to bring back Tsunade, who was known as the Medical Saint, to treat Obito, which at least allowed him to stand up and move around again.

Of course, given his current physical condition, the only way for him to become a ninja again is with the help of advanced technologies like Orochimaru's White Zetsu. For now, he can only live as a commoner.

However, Obito was both grateful and trusting of Fenglan, who had saved his life and gone to great lengths to bring Tsunade to treat him, so he hugged her as soon as they met.

Then Obito's grandmother came out from behind the door. The old woman was so grateful to the person who saved her grandson that she almost knelt down.

Feng Lan quickly helped the other person up. He had clearly come for Shisui, but he wasn't in a hurry at all, as if he had really come to visit Obito and his grandmother. He carried the fruit into the house, and the other three started chatting.

He knew all too well what the old man wanted to hear. The conversation either praised Obito for his bravery in the war or subtly hinted that he was trying to find a way to heal him and bring the kid back to the ranks of ninjas.

Just then, there was another knock on the door: "This is Fugaku. Is Lord Fenglan still there?"

Obito and his grandmother were immediately shocked. From his memories, they could see that Obito was a very marginal member of the Uchiha clan. After all, he was the bottom of the class, so much so that his fond memories had nothing to do with the clan and were almost entirely about Rin.

Obito originally had two tomoe when he awakened his Sharingan, which already showed his considerable talent. However, he can no longer be a ninja, so he is still of no value. It is almost impossible for him to meet a clan leader as high and mighty as Fugaku.

Feng Lan chuckled inwardly: "They've finally arrived."

As a Hokage advisor, Fugaku, the clan head, was bound to be uneasy about visiting the families of war heroes from the Uchiha clan.

He immediately got up, opened the door, and welcomed Fugaku in: "Clan leader, you've come at the right time. I was just talking to Obito about sending him to Orochimaru for research and treatment to see if he has a chance to recover from his injuries and become a ninja again."

Fugaku's expression immediately turned extremely ugly!

Chapter 4: Inviting someone to a banquet for beheading, accepting someone as a dog

Even within the Uchiha clan, the Sharingan is extremely rare. The fact that Madara activated the Sharingan in anger, and Itachi Uchiha, a disciple of Itachi, activated the Sharingan in anger after his comrade was killed by Obito, made their fathers happy for a long time.

As for Sasuke wiping out his entire clan in a fit of rage and unleashing his One-Tomoe... cough cough, that's too hellish, so it's not included in the discussion.

Obito awakened his Sharingan with two tomoe immediately, a talent that is extremely rare. If his body hadn't been crippled and unable to fight, Fugaku would never have let him waste his time here.

Furthermore, the Sharingan itself is a strategic resource. Fugaku did not take any action on the surface, but in reality, he was always worried that someone was eyeing these eyes. Otherwise, how could he have come to his door so quickly?

Although Orochimaru has not yet been exposed, in the eyes of most Konoha people, he is still one of the legendary Sannin, with seniority and great contributions. The reason he was not elected as the Fourth Hokage is entirely because Minato's achievements were too outstanding.

As the head of the Uchiha clan, how could Fugaku not know who was coveting the Sharingan? Orochimaru and Danzo were practically drooling over it, not even bothering to pretend. If he weren't afraid of further ostracization, he would sometimes really want to fight those two and remind them to keep their claws to themselves.

The Uchiha clan's xenophobia, to the point that they don't even welcome outsiders in their own territory, is partly due to the unbridled behavior of these two.

Now, Fenglan is suggesting sending Obito, who is half-crippled and powerless to resist, to Orochimaru. This is like throwing good money after bad!

Seeing that Fugaku could barely control his expression, Fenglan knew that his goal of making a show of force had been achieved. The next step was simply to invite him to a banquet, behead him, and take him as a dog.

Next comes the "treating" part.

He then took out the Minato clan leader's document: "By the way, there's something else. As the chief advisor to the Hokage, I'm entitled to have a bodyguard. The Fourth Hokage specifically recommended Uchiha Shisui to me. I wonder if the clan leader would be willing?"

It was clearly Shisui he ordered himself, but Fenglan insisted that it was recommended by Minato. The shamelessness of this guy lies in the fact that when he deceives people, the other party has no way to verify it. Only someone with a brain problem would say, "Really? I'll go ask."

So in Fugaku's eyes, it was as if the Fourth Hokage had specifically requested the number one shrew of the new generation from the Uchiha clan. Did he want to recruit the Uchiha clan?

As one of the two founding clans of Konoha, the Uchiha clan fared relatively well during the time of the First Hokage, but began to be ostracized from the Second Hokage onwards. By the time of the Third Hokage, their hostility was practically written all over their faces. In Konoha, they were not exactly universally disliked, but they were certainly subjected to cold treatment.

If they could connect with the Fourth Hokage through Fenglan, their situation would be much better than it is now, if not better than returning to their peak.

As for whether Feng Lan is coveting the Sharingan... well, there's nothing we can do but let him be. There are plenty of people who want our Uchiha eyes, one more won't make a difference. Besides, Shisui is experienced and powerful, his eyes won't be so easy to take.

“Since the Fourth Hokage specifically requested Shisui to serve as his bodyguard, we should comply.” Fugaku readily agreed. “And regarding Obito, Advisor, shouldn’t we discuss this in detail?”

"Of course, after all, Lord Orochimaru is very busy, and he also needs to consult Obito's opinion." Feng Lan smiled calmly.

"I am willing!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Obito immediately stood up and excitedly declared that his dream was to become Hokage, but now he couldn't even be a ninja. Although he tried his best to appear enthusiastic and optimistic in front of Rin and Maple, as if he didn't care at all, how could he not be in pain and sorrow deep down?

If he can become a ninja again, he will be able to better protect Rin with the power of his Sharingan and take another step closer to becoming Hokage. This is the dream he and Rin promised each other!

Fugaku wanted to smash this kid's head when he heard this. You're still a human being now, but who knows what you'll become when you get to Orochimaru? Why are you trying to kill yourself?

"I know, Obito, please be patient. This matter is very complicated and cannot be resolved in a short time."

Feng Lan began to play the game of Tai Chi, while immediately giving the understanding Lin a look, asking her to comfort Obito, who was unaware that he had activated his Sharingan due to excessive emotional excitement.

"In any case, I need to have a good discussion with Chief Fugaku first. Wait for my good news."

"Yes, yes, thank you for your trouble, Mr. Fenglan!" Obito bowed deeply. He trusted Fenglan at least 90%, if not 100%.

……

After the two left Obito's house, Fugaku invited Fenglan to the police station building, where elite members of the Uchiha clan were on duty, and the air was filled with an innate arrogance and vigilance.

Fugaku first instructed someone to call Shisui over, then dismissed everyone else in his office, and carefully closed the door tightly, leaving only the two of them in the room.

His expression turned serious as he carefully chose his words: "Lord Fenglan, is Obito's condition... truly the only treatment available to Orochimaru?"

At this moment, Fugaku's feelings were somewhat conflicted. Emotionally, he naturally longed for Obito to become a ninja again and an asset to the clan, but rationally, he knew Orochimaru too well; if Obito went to him, he would definitely not return.

“I once invited Lady Tsunade back, but it was only enough to keep the child from becoming bedridden. With Konoha’s current medical level, it’s impossible to make Obito a ninja again. You should know that.”

Feng Lan said calmly, "The only thing that can restore his power is... the cells of Lord Senju Hashirama."

"That person's cells?!" Fugaku's eyelids twitched instantly. "Although many people have suggested researching them, weren't they strictly forbidden by Lord Tobirama? Besides, this is also against ethics and morality..."

Feng Lan chuckled as if recalling something amusing: "When Lord Tobirama was alive, he could certainly forbid others from desecrating his brother's body, but he's gone now. Besides, you don't really think that so-called ethics and morality can stop those ambitious people, do you..."

Fugaku's expression grew increasingly grim, but Fenglan continued, "Has the Uchiha clan never lost a child or a body?"

According to the storyline of Itachi Shinden, Danzo had a Sharingan installed under his bandages before attacking Shisui. He used that eye to unleash Izanagi, catching Shisui off guard and stealing his Mangekyou Sharingan.

This Sharingan couldn't have just grown out of thin air, like a fruit growing on a tree... It must also be connected to the life of an Uchiha clan member.

Upon hearing this, Fugaku, in a fit of excitement and anger, couldn't help but activate his Sharingan: "Who is it, Orochimaru?!"

"Orochimaru might be doing the research, but guess what's under Danzo's bandages?" Feng Lan casually reminded him. "I know you're wary of him, so you never dare to activate your Sharingan and look him in the eye when you meet him. But if you have the chance, you might be pleasantly surprised if you sneak a peek."

"You and I……"

While Fugaku was in a state of confusion, Fenglan dropped another bombshell: "Orochimaru is indeed coveting the Sharingan, but at the same time, he is researching the First Hokage's cells and is indeed capable of treating Obito. I... can act as a counterbalance, serving as the chief advisor to oversee, guarantee, supervise, and follow up on Obito's treatment, so that he will not dare to act rashly."

"Of course, I must state that this process is extremely dangerous. Even if Orochimaru had no ulterior motives, Obito's mortality rate would be very high. But if he survives... it won't be as simple as just becoming a ninja again."

A hint of arrogance appeared on Feng Lan's usually gentle face: "Mr. Fugaku, since the founding of Konoha, have you ever seen anyone who possesses the power of both the Uchiha and Senju clans?"

Fugaku's expression immediately turned ferocious. As expected of Sasuke's father, his expression at this moment was very similar to Sasuke's classic meme, "What is this guy talking about?"

But a moment later, he immediately realized the enormous potential it contained.

It possesses the power of both the Uchiha and Senju clans!

Even if Fugaku didn't know about Indra and Ashura, or that Hashirama's cells could greatly extend the lifespan of the Mangekyou Sharingan, just the fact that he possessed both the Sharingan and Wood Release in the literal sense was enough to make people's hearts flutter. He himself even coveted this power!

"Even if we fail and Obito dies, I can guarantee that these Sharingan will return to the Uchiha camp with him."

Feng Lan calmly laid out the bait, then suddenly made a hook: "Of course, I'm just an ordinary person. If Orochimaru uses genjutsu or something to deceive me, he can easily fool me. So I need Shisui, and the Sharingan's ability to see through genjutsu, to ensure he doesn't dare to act recklessly!"

"Moreover, I will be stationed in the Hokage's office from now on, taking charge of new policies, liaising with the higher-ups, and handling various affairs with Shisui. Being in the eye of the storm, I will inevitably have to shield the Uchiha from a lot of suspicion from the higher-ups and public opinion suppression."

Having said all that, if Fugaku still didn't understand, he wouldn't be able to sit in the position of clan leader: "Then what does Lord Fenglan need me... what does the Uchiha clan need to do for you?"

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Feng Lan's offer of a bunch of favorable conditions couldn't possibly be out of genuine desire to help the Uchiha; he must be planning to profit from it.

"Not for me, but for us."

Feng Lan smiled and corrected him: "Actually, the reason is quite simple. Shisui, living alone in the heart of the village and moving between higher-ups, inevitably becomes isolated and vulnerable to being targeted and schemed against. If he had several clansmen assisting him, they could support each other and avoid risks, and it would also make those with ill intentions hesitant to act. After all, no matter how powerful the Sharingan is, it can't see the hand attacking from behind, otherwise the entire ninja world wouldn't have the saying, 'One-on-one, you must escape; two-on-one, attack from behind' (this quote comes from Granny Chiyo in the Kazekage Retrieval Arc)."

"But if someone is watching your back...that's a different story."

His words seemed to be pointing out the weaknesses of the Sharingan, but in reality, he was reminding Fugaku that he was becoming bound to the Uchiha clan, becoming the eye behind them.

Fugaku's Sharingan pupils narrowed slightly, clearly indicating that he had seen through the essence of the matter.

Feng Lan's actions were indeed helping Obito and promoting Shisui, but at the same time... he was also trying to build a ninja team that only obeyed his orders, just like Danzo's Root.

If he agrees, he will truly be bound to him, becoming an ant in the same boat. Once Fenglan loses power, the Uchiha's situation will become even more difficult.

However, disagreeing would undoubtedly provoke hostility from the other side. Currently, the Uchiha clan is already a thorn in the side of the older generation of leaders. If they offend the new generation of leaders on the Fourth Hokage's side, their situation will become even more difficult.

Advancing is certain death, retreating is also certain death, so why not give it a shot?

He took a few minutes to sort out his situation and choices, then took a deep breath: "Alright, I will send three talented young men from the clan, excluding Zhishui, to serve you."

The three-person team is the standard lineup for Konoha Chunin, and it's also the limit of how well he can withstand the pressure from the Elders Council.

"Oh? So which people are you planning to give it to?" Feng Lan smiled and took a sip of tea.

This time, Fugaku didn't hesitate. Since he had decided to gamble, he was going all in: "Tekka and Inahi are both great young men, and..."

“And your eldest son, Uchiha Itachi.” Feng Lan slowly opened his narrowed eyes. “I’m quite interested in him.”

Chapter 5 Uchiha Shisui

Uchiha Itachi, one of the Four Laughing Heroes, is considered by some readers to be incredibly charming, while others see him as a born iron man. But in Feng Lan's eyes, he is a treasure.

Putting aside the fact that he has the mindset of a Hokage at such a young age, the fact that he can awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan and even control the extraordinary technique Izanami shows that he is absolutely one in a million in terms of talent.

"This..." Fugaku was slightly taken aback, "But Itachi is only six years old."

"But the talent he has shown far exceeds that of a six-year-old child. He even graduated from the Ninja Academy ahead of schedule and became a formal Genin, didn't he?"