When you’re the only one with something, you’re constantly on guard for thieves.
But if everyone owns it, then at least you’re not alone in worrying about getting robbed.
Still, while Kazuki made the argument, Minato Namikaze didn’t immediately agree. He said he’d think it over and bring it up in the Council of Elders.
After all, building a steam-powered railway would be an enormous investment. The Hokage could greenlight many things, but something this costly had to go through formal approval.
"Naruto’s grown up a lot, huh, Kushina-neesan?" Kazuki said with a cheerful grin as he ate dinner with the family.
"He has~! He was kind of weird-looking at first, but he’s really starting to look like Watergate now~" Uzumaki Kushina beamed with pride, her eyes shining with motherly affection at the mention of Naruto.
Kazuki chuckled softly.
When he used to watch Naruto back in his previous life, the scenes that hit him hardest weren’t the epic fights—they were the rare moments Naruto got to meet his parents. The kind of love born from regret always tugged at his heart.
Now that he’d crossed into this world, maybe some of that regret was finally being made whole.
After dinner, Minato pulled Kazuki aside.
"Kazuki, what are your thoughts on the Uchiha Clan?"
So the big deal earlier—was that about the Uchiha?
"They’re a bloodline clan. Strong." Kazuki replied casually, but Minato didn’t respond. He just looked at him.
"...Fine. One of the two dominant clans in Konoha. In charge of the Military Police—basically the scapegoat division. Some members inside are desperately trying to mend ties between the clan and the village." Kazuki sighed. Why was he, a mere chūnin, being asked about stuff ?
This was the Uchiha Clan.
The Senju had dissolved, blending into the village at large. The Hyūga had faded into the background, hidden behind the division of Main and Branch families via the Caged Bird Seal.
But the Uchiha? Still prominent. Still powerful. Still feared.
Kazuki actually admired the Hyūga’s strategy—Caged Bird wasn’t just a method to protect the Byakugan. It was also a way to reduce political pressure from above. Make the clan controllable, and people stop worrying.
Hell, some say that even the death of Hiashi’s brother was just a loyalty test staged by the Third Hokage himself.
A wild theory, sure. But who knows?
"I heard you’re on good terms with Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi?" Minato asked, watching him closely.
Kazuki frowned. He sensed it—something heavy was coming. A mess. A setup. Something reeking of political weight was about to land on his shoulders.
He knew Minato’s style well enough.
The guy seemed like a cheerful, warmhearted golden retriever, always smiling, never able to keep a secret. But ever since he became Hokage, he’d grown damn reliable. If he was bringing this up now, it meant things had already been set in motion.
"...If I say I don’t know them that well, will that help me avoid what’s coming?" Kazuki asked, deadpan.
Minato paused... then smiled and shook his head with regret.
"Nope. It’s already official. I’m just giving you the heads-up."
Kazuki groaned and rubbed his face.
"Alright. Lay it on me."
He knew it. Nothing good ever came with food in Konoha. And now even Minato, with his good-guy image, was pulling the same old tricks.
"Earlier today, the Council passed it. You’ll be leading a temporary Anbu squad for special operations. Shisui and Itachi will be your teammates."
Kazuki nearly dug wax out of his ear to check if he’d misheard.
He was... the captain?
And his subordinates were... two Uchihas?
Shisui of the Body Flicker, and baby genius Itachi? Just him, Nara Kazuki, herding those two? Was he the only non-Uchiha in this madness?
Sure, Itachi was still young and hadn’t become the prodigy he would be in the future—but in this village, where kids trained for a year and then got tossed onto the battlefield, that still meant he was lethal.
"Me and two Uchiha?" Kazuki said, flatly.
Minato chuckled. "Yes. But don’t worry—you’ll be free to choose your own missions. The village won’t assign anything by force. And when this tour ends, if your performance meets the standards, you can be promoted to jōnin."
Kazuki snorted. "I’m not really interested in titles. If you’re strong enough, even a genin can save the world. If you’re weak, even a Kage gets slapped around by some ancient mummy crawling out of a crypt."
"Then why you?" Kazuki muttered. "I barely know Shisui or Itachi."
"...Can’t say. It was part of the resolution," Minato coughed awkwardly.
Kazuki’s lips twitched.
"Although..." Minato added, "I heard that after your last mission, Elder Danzō was feeling... under the weather. Coughing a lot. Real shame."
Kazuki understood instantly.
So this whole thing was one of Danzō’s moves? That bastard. Looks like Kazuki would have to kill him long before Sasuke ever got the chance. Preferably in a very satisfying, public, politically irreversible way.
Screw the title of "Kage of the Shadows." Kazuki would make sure Danzō met the Second Hokage in the afterlife and knelt at his grave crying, "Sensei, I wanna be Hokage!"
Kazuki’s jaw tightened. If there was ever someone who embodied the concept of necessary evil, Danzō had made it into a lifestyle.
"Don’t worry. I’ll support you from the shadows," Minato said quietly, understanding Kazuki’s irritation.
Kazuki narrowed his eyes.
...Was that a Bob reference?
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I made a mistake, this one goes after the Chapter "Rasengan and Railways" it’s a shame NovelHub don’t have a way to move up and down Chapter, anyway, sorry everyone !