Yes, the Hokage

“These people are all elites of their clans, and they will be able to stand alone in various fields when they grow up,” Feng Lan said calmly. “With these people assisting Minato in the future, his position as Hokage will be as stable as Mount Tai.”

"With your assistance, sir, the Fourth Hokage is already as secure as Mount Tai," Inuzuka Tetsu offered a timely compliment.

"Are you pretending not to understand or do you really not understand?" Feng Lan turned her head. "Did you understand what I said back then about the differences between my subordinates and Shui Men's subordinates?"

Inuzuka Tetsu naturally misunderstood, thinking that Fenglan wanted to create a new Konoha, so even if he understood, he didn't dare to say it: "Your subordinate is foolish and dares not speak presumptuously."

"Alright, I'll tell you then." Feng Lan sneered, "Minato can have many subordinates, and I am just one branch. Theoretically, I am on the same level as you. If you become my subordinate, then if one day the darkness of Konoha needs to be publicly eliminated, you will perish with me."

"But Minato's subordinates are different. Even if I die, they can still follow the Fourth Hokage and continue to protect Konoha. Do you understand?"

Inuzuka Tetsuya was speechless. He had initially thought that Fenglan was preparing to rebel like the Uchiha, but now it seemed that Fenglan was preparing to become Danzo, the kind of Danzo who truly absorbed all darkness and self-sacrifice. So, he left this group to himself, could it be that...?

"Do you know why you can be the captain while those chosen ones from various families can't?" Feng Lan said calmly, "Because you and I are the same kind of people, people who don't want to be pawns but only want to be players. This team is what I left for Shuimen, and the person who controls them is you."

"That way, if I die one day, Uchiha, Aburame, Hyuga... all those guys who are deeply tied to me will die, while you can lead these people to continue following Minato and take my place."

"He might not trust you as much as he trusts me, but at least you're guaranteed the position of chief advisor, understand?"

After hearing this, Inuzuka Tetsu first fell silent. He originally thought that the Minato faction was full of people from the Fuuran faction, but he did not expect that Fuuran was the largest Minato faction!

After the initial surprise came overwhelming joy! The ambition that had been extinguished by Feng Lan's suppression surged once more!

Of course, he would never say that on the surface: "My lord, I have never coveted your position, and Lord Minato would not allow you to sacrifice yourself like this!"

“Minato certainly won’t, but to take down those old guys, sacrifices will have to be made.” Feng Lan said calmly, “Especially that Koharu Utatane, she thought she had no flaws, but she didn’t expect… there are people in this world who can flip the table directly.”

He glanced at you and said, "Of course, if you want to succeed me, I have to give my approval first. So... perform well and gain my approval. Only then will I consider you as a backup plan for Minato. Otherwise, before I have to make my decision, I will definitely get rid of this unstable factor first!"

"Yes!"

Inuzuka Tetsuya was practically clinging to Fenglan's leg, shouting "I understand!"

"Go back." Seeing the wolf-like look reappear in the other person's eyes, Feng Lan sneered inwardly, waved her hand, and then left.

Shortly after he left, the tree branches trembled briefly before returning to stillness.

Clearly, everything that just happened was a staged performance. Feng Lan was the director, screenwriter, and lead actor, Inuzuka Tetsu was a supporting actor and an audience member, and the only audience member was naturally the ANBU member in the tree who was detected by the sensory ability.

Would Fenglan be capable of self-sacrifice? Of course not. Minato is his bottom line, but Minato is not the only one on his list. He would never sacrifice himself to make Konoha a better place.

Even if one day his past deeds are to be fully investigated, Feng Lan will at most run away to avoid making things difficult for Shui Men. Death? Impossible, he values ​​his life the most.

There are two main purposes behind staging this scene. First, to make Koharu Utatane think that Kaede is about to kill her, thus further intimidating the old man and preventing him from making any rash moves. Second, to make him focus all his attention on her, thus buying time for the Uchiha clan to launch a surprise attack on Takigakure.

Secondly, it's naturally Inuzuka Tetsu. He was so frightened before that he almost extinguished his ambition, which won't do.

Feng Lan felt that the young man's value lay in his intellect and ambition. Without ambition, he would become dull and lifeless, no longer the sharp blade that Feng Lan liked to use.

So he deliberately staged this "bitter drama" similar to entrusting an orphan to someone, to reignite Inuzuka Tetsuya's ambition and make the kid stop thinking about lying low and start rolling up his sleeves.

As for the position of chief consultant? Heh, it's like the bright future promised by capitalists to workers—always a carrot on a stick, something you can only dream of but never reach.

After settling everything, Feng Lan returned home calmly. He didn't need to personally lead the operation tonight. All he had to do was draw Koharu Utatane's attention here and let the Hyuga, Yamanaka, and Uchiha guys cause a huge commotion in the village!

……

That night, countless people couldn't sleep, but Fenglan slept very well.

In the mountains, the Hyuga evacuated at different times, and the Uchiha patrolled for almost a whole night, causing many people to feel uneasy, thinking that something big was about to happen.

So the next morning, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu stormed in, furious: "Fourth Hokage, we need an explanation!"

"Oh, you mean last night?" Feng Lan chuckled. "It was my rehearsal for when Kushina gave birth. She's both Minato's wife and the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki. This level of precaution is necessary, isn't it?"

"Fenglan..."

Upon hearing this, the golden-haired Minato was immediately moved to tears, completely disregarding any thought of holding him accountable. He even offered to take the blame himself: "My lords, Feng Lan's actions may have been somewhat rash, but they were all for my sake. Please don't hold him responsible, okay?"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance. They knew things couldn't be that simple, but the problem was... they couldn't find out exactly what had happened!

Yes, the two elder advisors who had been able to control the village for so many years suddenly lost their ability to have such a thorough understanding of the village!

This is naturally thanks to Feng Lan's excellent secrecy. The only thing the Anbu could monitor about him was this guy running around with Inuzuka Tetsuya with various clans. As for following them in to eavesdrop? Do you think you're a bug of the Aburame clan? The Yamanaka clan's perception and the Hyuga Uchiha's eyes don't exist?

Furthermore, when Fenglan chose to share information, he only told different people what they should know within their assigned roles, without saying anything extra. The only person who knew his specific plans was Uchiha Fugaku.

Fugaku arranged for his trusted confidant, Uchiha Yatsuho, to lead the team out of the village. Yatsuho was a ruthless man who led the team out of the village without telling them the specifics of the mission, only revealing the details when they arrived near Takigakure.

With such meticulous planning, and the fact that the third generation's secret service made things easy for them, it would be strange if the two old men were able to find out.

The only information they could find within the village was that a small Uchiha squad had gone missing. But being able to find out and actually finding out are two different things. Don't forget the Uchiha's xenophobia. Even when Feng Lan first became an advisor, he was stopped right at the gate of the camp.

Now you Anbu want to go in and check the numbers? Are you kidding me? You want to eat a Fireball Jutsu?

"What, do you two have any complaints about my actions?" Feng Lan, unusually, did not smile with his narrowed eyes, but stared intently at Tsurugi Koharu. "I am all ears."

Seeing him like this, Koharu naturally thought of the news she received last night, that Feng Lan was going to expose her. Although she knew that Feng Lan had the ability to sense things and that he must have said it to her on purpose, she still had to be on guard and had to be cautious!

If Feng Lan himself were in this situation, he would also back down. After all, this kind of calculating guy who likes to control everything is the last thing he dares to gamble on, like flipping the table or probability. That's why Killer Bee made him suffer.

This is exactly what is meant by "a scholar encountering a soldier".

Therefore, the two dared not directly confront him, and could only bite the bullet and say, "Advisor Fenglan, we understand that your starting point is good, but next time you want to rehearse, please give us advance notice. The villagers are terrified."

[What does it matter to me if those unruly people are scared to death?]

Feng Lan mentally complained, but her face returned to a smiling expression: "What you two say is true. It was indeed my oversight in this matter. I will definitely pay attention in the future."

[Oversight my foot! You've gone so far as to be so meticulous that neither of us could find out? You're practically defying the heavens!]

Despite their inner turmoil, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu could only reply, "Okay, this won't happen again."

Otherwise, what can they do to Fenglan? Minato, that blond-haired guy, is protecting her!

And did these two really not expect that Fenglan would send people to Takigakure? They probably did, but they were confident that they would not find any clues. They never expected that Fenglan was not there to investigate, but to rob!

You really can't blame the two old men for this, because information about Jinchuriki is the most important secret of a village, and they didn't even know that the Jinchuriki of Takigakure had been changed.

Feng Lan is familiar with the plot. Fu appeared in the Chunin Selection Exams chapter of the original story, and her age is similar to Neji and Gaara, so she must have been born by now. Most methods of sealing tailed beasts are done when the baby is just born, so Fu must already be a Jinchuriki.

This is the advantage of time travelers.

Chapter 145 I'm Not a Lolicon!

After dealing with Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's not-too-troublesome questioning, Feng Lan returned to his office. By then, the young elites from various clans had all arrived, and he casually snapped his fingers: "Iron!"

"Lord Fenglan!"

Inuzuka Tetsu walked in, looking radiant, a completely different person from just a few days ago.

"These children are now in your care."

"Yes, sir!"

Watching Inuzuka Tetsu leave as if he'd been shot, Feng Lan's lips curled into a slight smile, but Fugaku and his "secretary" quickly wiped the smile away.

Good news, the Uchiha girl we're bringing you isn't the landmine girl.

Bad news, this girl is really young.

Damn it, Fugaku brought Uchiha Izumi instead!

This girl is a character from Itachi's True Story. She harbors a one-sided affection for Itachi, and she's the one who introduced Itachi to the habit of eating three-colored dumplings. In the end, she is killed by Obito, who attacked the police force.

It is said that in the novel "Itachi Shinden", Itachi used Tsukuyomi to allow Izumi to spend a happy life with him before he died, which is why he overworked his body and died young.

From every perspective, Izumi is very unlike an Uchiha. She is gentle, kind, lively, and cheerful, completely different from the stereotypical Uchiha landmine girl in many people's eyes. Logically speaking, having such a girl as a secretary should have been a relief for Feng Lan.

The problem is, she's the same age as Itachi.

Feng Lan looked at Fu Yue with a bit of helplessness. "I thought you sent a girl to serve me, but it turns out you're treating this place like a kindergarten, aren't you?"

Seeing Fenglan's gaze, Fugaku knew perfectly well that there was a problem with the choice of girls, and hurriedly explained, "No! I actually carefully selected several suitable girls for you, but Itachi insisted on recommending Izumi and said that you would definitely like her, so I..."

"Are you sure the 'like' he's talking about is the same as the 'like' we adults understand?" Feng Lan wore a pained expression. If so, wouldn't Itachi have mistaken him for a lolicon?!

At this moment, he really wanted to grab that increasingly presumptuous Uchiha brat in front of him, give him the same oppressive look as Tobirama Senju, and unleash a Flying Thunder God Slash on him.

"I'll go back and get you a new one right away." Fugaku realized he had been tricked by his son and quickly tried to salvage the situation.

"Ugh~" Upon hearing this, Quan's big, beautiful eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Fine, let's keep it." Feng Lan sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. If word got out, it would make it seem like she was choosing concubines from among the Uchiha, changing them if she wasn't satisfied. That would really damage her reputation.

"Are you sure you don't need one? Actually, I heard that you, Lord Fenglan, are short of an assistant, and all the girls in the clan have volunteered to help."

"Never mind." Hearing Fugaku's description, Fenglan inexplicably thought of a young girl bullying an old man, but in the end, she felt that a little girl was more controllable.

At least she won't turn into a landmine girl and betray herself at any moment.

"That's wonderful!" Izumi, who had just been in tears, burst into excitement. "Now I can learn more about and record Lady Fenglan's life!"

As if by magic, she pulled out a notebook from behind her back, the very one Itachi usually used to record Feng Lan's words and actions.

"Izumi, how dare you be rude!" Fugaku frowned and scolded. "You are supposed to help Lord Fenglan organize documents and files, and even take care of his daily life!"

"Really, this isn't necessary." Feng Lan looked helpless. Expecting a six-year-old to take care of an adult like herself? Even in the Naruto world where children mature early, this isn't how it works.

Also, he's really not a lolicon.

"Anyway, you can go back now. That's enough about the assistant. We'll use this little girl instead." He waved his hand and went back to reviewing the documents.

"Alright, then I'll take my leave."

Seeing that Fenglan wasn't angry, Fugaku felt relieved. Of course, as he left, he was still regretting how he could have been so foolish as to believe Itachi's words and bring Fenglan a six-year-old girl. After all, that lord was currently single; if he could marry an Uchiha…

Yeah, I'm definitely going to give that little brat a good beating when I get home.

Seeing that Feng Lan had already fallen into serious work mode, Quan obediently stopped making a sound. First, she poured him a full cup of tea, and then she stared at him with her big eyes, occasionally glancing down to take notes.

"Looks like that brat Itachi couldn't come and observe me himself, so he asked you to continue observing and recording, right?" Feng Lan said with a smile while browsing the documents. "Didn't he also say that he would come to you every day to review the records?"

"How...how did you know?" Quan, who was staring at Feng Lan, was startled.

"That's my secret," Feng Lan said with a smile. "So you came to be Itachi's assistant because he entrusted you with this task?"

Fugaku, you're really setting your son up in the wrong way by pushing your future daughter-in-law towards me. What if she turns out to be a lolicon?

"Yes, there is a tiny bit of a connection," Quan chuckled. "But more importantly, I myself want to get closer to you and understand you!"

"What is there for me to know?" Feng Lan had already started writing quickly. "Just like his appearance, he's an ordinary person, isn't he?"

"Hmm, he's not as handsome as I imagined, but that doesn't matter. The most important thing about a person is their inner qualities, their inner qualities!" Izumi's big eyes sparkled. "You are the savior of the entire Uchiha clan. Since you appeared, the clan leader has been able to hold his head high every day. Itachi-kun also often praises you highly!"

"Oh? Do you often chat together?" Feng Lan seized on the key point in the girl's words.

"Well, no, not really," Izumi said awkwardly. "Aside from the few times I approached him with the three-colored dumplings, I could only watch from afar as he talked to Shisui about you. Itachi's expression at those times was so full of longing and admiration..."

But she quickly recovered: "That's why I especially admire you!"

“Longing is the emotion furthest from understanding.” Feng Lan quoted that classic line again. “So if you’re trying to understand me, don’t have longing feelings.”

"Wow! Even though I don't understand it, it sounds amazing!" Quan excitedly jotted down notes in her notebook. "Following Master Fenglan really does teach me a lot!"

Feng Lan: "..."

No, what have you learned? You're not planning to compile your notes into a book and actually publish a "Yes, Hokage" in Konoha, are you?

Given the limited understanding of the common people of Konoha, they probably wouldn't be able to outsell Icha Icha Paradise.

……

Meanwhile, as Feng Lan finally had some rare free time, waiting for the Uchiha team to return while instilling the DDF philosophy into the cute girl, the Kirigakure resistance was being pushed to the brink of life and death.

"Haa, haa..."

Ao was breathing heavily. Although Mei Terumi had given a warning in advance, this was, after all, the Land of Water, Yagura's home turf, and they ultimately could not escape the pursuit of the Mizukage.

"Cheer up!" he tried to encourage them. "The future of Kirigakure rests on our shoulders; we absolutely cannot give up like this!"

Although Qing had tried his best, the resistance fighters had been chased all the way here, and most of them were exhausted. Even the few who could still stand could no longer hold their kunai.

[Damn it... I have to find a way to cover a few people breaking through and preserve the last embers.] Qing's thoughts began to race, and he activated his Byakugan to observe desperately, only to find to his dismay that there were no weak points.

"The future of Kirigakure has never rested on you trash, but on me, on the Mizukage," Yagura said coldly, brandishing a staff-like weapon. "I will do it now, who dares disobey?"

"Hmph, that's so self-evident, Lord Mizukage."

However, at that moment, a shark-like monster suddenly emerged from the flowing river: "The future of Kirigakure lies in every ninja who loathes the Blood Mist Village, in the new system! You... are nothing but a puppet under the old laws, so what?"

"Kisame Hoshigaki?!" Ao was stunned. "How did you end up here? We should have escorted you out of the Land of Water's borders by now!"

“Naturally, we’re here to start a revolution,” Kisame said coldly. “It’s time for Kirigakure to change its ways.”

"A change of scenery?" Yagura's eyes grew even colder. "Then we'll see if my ninja sword is sharp enough."