Malphegor
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IUTT: Ch. 127
🕑 Added 2025-06-08 18:50:46 +0000 UTCIt seemed that Hiruzen was afraid Shin would refuse, so he continued speaking, "In the past I misjudged people and failed to see how truly powerful you are. So if I were to treat you the same as before, not just me, everyone in Konoha would think I'm being petty and jealous of the capable. As they say, with great power comes great responsibility. It's time for you to take on some of the burden. Also, considering you're unfamiliar with the mission process, I'll assign three people to assist you. However, you'll still be in charge."
Seeing that Hiruzen still hadn't given up and was trying to stir things up, Shin found it amusing. Since underhanded tricks didn't work on him, Hiruzen was now trying the direct approach, openly using his authority to reassign two people, in hopes of making things easier for himself in Konoha.
Meeting Hiruzen's eager gaze, he smiled and explained, "You misunderstood. I was just thinking about how to complete the mission, so I spaced out for a moment."
He might have refused other missions, but this one, he accepted. After all, even without Hiruzen's act, he had already planned to visit Kiri. More importantly, he worried that if he went there secretly, Hiruzen, might be too scared to act, which would make the game no fun. And on the surface, both Tsunade and Shin were still Konoha ninjas. Even though both were registered as medical-nin, technically they were still expected to follow reasonable orders officially issued by the Hokage.
Especially since Tsunade had shown great leadership and medical skills in the Land of Whirlpools, and Shin had demonstrated terrifying strength in his battle against A. It was reasonable for the Hokage's office to assign them difficult, high-level tasks that others couldn't complete. Of course, this was just in theory, if they really refused, there was nothing Hiruzen could do.
Fortunately, both of them agreed.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, go prepare," he ordered, satisfied with the outcome.
After leaving the Hokage's office, Shin understood Hiruzen's real intentions.
---
Back home, as the two of them packed, Tsunade asked Shin, "What do you think Hiruzen's real plan is in suddenly transferring the two of us away?"
"He is transferring us because right now, we're too much in the spotlight for him to suppress us openly," Shin analyzed.
"Once the two of us are no longer in the village, he can start laying the groundwork to weaken your influence, while strengthening his own. He'll try everything to deal with the factions that have aligned with you, like the Uchiha clan, the Ino-Shika-Chō, and the former Senju faction. Even if he can't eliminate them, he'll do everything he can to suppress and undermine them. At the same time, he'll try to grow his own forces, like supporting Orochimaru, strengthening Root, expanding the ANBU, and inserting members of the Sarutobi, Shimura, and Yamanaka clans into key positions."
"Huh?" Hearing this, Tsunade immediately felt anxious.
These clans had clearly expressed their support for her. If they suffered heavy losses because of her, how could she be at ease?
"Do you have a plan?"
Shin simply replied, "Don't worry. I've already planned everything. Hiruzen won't be able to stir up any trouble."
In Shin's eyes, the so-called secret plotting of Hiruzen and Danzō was like a live broadcast, he was already well prepared. What's more, Hiruzen probably couldn't even imagine that the people closest to him were actually all under Shin's control. Not to mention that Shin had already made thorough preparations, even if he hadn't done anything and just left directly, with Orochimaru present, nothing would go wrong in the short term.
After nodding slightly, Tsunade continued to ask, "Then what kind of methods do you think he will use against me at the border?"
Shin thought for a moment and said, "The most likely approach is to secretly incite border tensions, trigger a conflict, and then pin the blame for starting the war on you."
"He really wants to start a war?" Tsunade asked in surprise.
Shin shook his head. "Not necessarily. He might not actually want a war, but whether war breaks out or not, either outcome benefits him and harms us."
"What do you mean?" Tsunade looked puzzled.
"If the people of Konoha believe that the war was instigated by you, then even if you pull off a miraculous turnaround during the war, they still won't be that grateful to you. Do you understand?"
"Yeah." Tsunade nodded, realizing the implication. She continued, "What if there's no war?"
"If his plan succeeds and tensions at the border escalate to the brink of war, then avoiding war would require compensating the other side to calm things down. At that point, he becomes the one who bears the burden for peace, and you become the scapegoat of Konoha. Even if no official charges are brought against you, your prestige will inevitably decline. And that old dog might even step in and pretend to defend you."
After hearing all this, Tsunade was immediately furious and snapped, "Again with these underhanded schemes that hurt Konoha just to strike down his opponents. Doesn't he have any better tricks? Do you have a counter-strategy?"
"Of course," Shin smiled. "Did you forget the methods I used in the Land of Whirlpools?"
"But…" Tsunade hesitated. "Wouldn't it be too exhausting if you're running between three places all the time? And if you're discovered, he will definitely use it against you. Acting without authorization from a mission is a serious offense, at worst, you could be labeled a missing-nin."
Shin laughed. "In the near future, my focus will be on the Kiri. So whether I return to the village or come to see you, it will all be done in secret. I won't appear publicly."
"Then…"
"Take Minato with you. What's the point of him playing ninja games in the Academy all day? It's time the kid sees what a real battlefield looks like."
"Huh?"
---
Outside the Ninja Academy, Kushina was pouting, visibly unhappy.
"Don't be upset. I'll be back soon." Minato quickly comforted her while saying goodbye. He hated seeing her sad, but now that he was heading to the battlefield, it would've been worse to leave without saying goodbye.
"Couldn't you just talk to Shin-niisan and ask him to let me come too?" Kushina huffed. "I'm strong too, okay?!"
"Uh…" Minato scratched his head. "He said… for certain reasons, you can't leave Konoha right now."
She got even more frustrated after hearing that, because she already knew the reason. She had been chosen as the next jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. To Konoha, she was a strategic-level asset. And while that made her important, it also meant she was under constant surveillance, even though she hadn't officially become the jinchūriki yet.
"But!" Minato suddenly changed the tone, "He said once you do become the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, the situation will likely change. So just hang in there a little longer."
"Really?" Kushina's eyes lit up.
After all, how could she not yearn for freedom? But the very next moment, her excitement faded, replaced by a solemn and worried expression. She wanted freedom, wanted to change her current state, but if she became the Nine-Tails jinchūriki… did that mean Mito…
"He told me to tell you…" Sensing what she was thinking, Minato added, "After I leave, if you really don't like staying at the Academy, just beat up all the kids you don't like, apply for early graduation, and go stay with Lady Mito."
"I got it!"
