The capital of the Land of Fire—within the grand residence of the daimyo.
As the seat of the Fire Nation's leader, this mansion was naturally magnificent, adorned with intricate decorations and exuding an air of authority.
At this moment, inside a palace hall within the daimyo's estate, more than a dozen individuals were seated around a long table.
Most of them were middle-aged or elderly, their eyes gleaming with intelligence and calculation. These were the ministers and key politicians responsible for governing the Fire Nation. To reach their current positions, they had to be exceptionally shrewd and capable.
But right now, their attention wasn't on political affairs or economic discussions. Instead, every pair of eyes was fixed on a blond-haired man seated on one side of the long table.
Minato Namikaze.
Even though these men were not shinobi, in a world where ninja ruled the battlefield and shaped history, they could not afford to ignore developments in the shinobi world. And when it came to Konoha's Yellow Flash, his reputation extended far beyond the shinobi circles—even ordinary citizens knew of him.
"I believe the most suitable candidate for the Fourth Hokage position is Minato Namikaze," a voice finally broke the silence.
The speaker was an obese, middle-aged man—Fujiwara Takuji, the newly appointed president of the Fire Nation Chamber of Commerce. He was one of the few people here that Minato was somewhat familiar with.
Now that Minato had officially taken the Hokage position, Fujiwara was more than happy to show his support.
The Hokage of Konoha, while not directly involved in the governance of the Fire Nation, still held an immense amount of influence. The Land of Fire was the wealthiest of the five great nations, but without Konoha's protection, it would be nothing more than a fat piece of meat in the eyes of enemy countries.
As soon as Fujiwara finished speaking, the other ministers nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute.
At the head of the long table, the daimyo of the Fire Nation turned his gaze towards Minato. His sharp eyes assessed the young shinobi for a brief moment before he spoke.
"In that case, Fourth Hokage, the future stability of the Land of Fire will be entrusted to you."
As daimyo, he was well aware of the impact the Third Shinobi War had on the nation. If it hadn't been for Minato, the war would have dragged on much longer, and the Fire Nation wouldn't have been able to secure reparations from the other great powers.
"Thank you for your trust."
Minato responded with a respectful nod. His words were polite, but this was merely a formality. In truth, Konoha's Hokage did not serve under the daimyo—they were equals, existing in a cooperative relationship rather than one of subjugation.
With the formalities concluded, Minato, along with the Third Hokage and the other Konoha representatives, did not linger. They promptly departed from the daimyo's estate and began their journey back to Konoha.
Thanks to Minato's mastery of space-time ninjutsu, the return trip was significantly shortened.
By the time Minato arrived home, the sky was painted in hues of orange and crimson—it was dusk, nearing evening.
Just as he pushed open the door—
Bang! Bang!
Two bursts of confetti and colorful ribbons rained down, landing on his hair and shoulders.
With Minato's reflexes, he could have easily dodged, but he made no attempt to avoid it.
"Minato, congratulations!"
"Oh wait, I should be calling you the Fourth Hokage now!"
The familiar voice belonged to Kushina.
Standing beside her were two other women—Mikoto Uchiha, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and Takenouchi Rin, a former classmate from their academy days.
Rin had become a Chunin over the years, though they had rarely interacted since then.
Minato was briefly taken aback before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "There's no need for such formalities. We're all old friends, after all."
Kushina grinned, stepping forward to brush the ribbons off his hair and shoulders before linking her arm with his. The four of them then made their way into the hall.
Inside, another familiar figure stood up with a wide grin.
"You're finally back."
Jiraiya's voice was filled with amusement.
"Everything went smoothly, I assume?"
"Yeah," Minato nodded, feeling a sense of warmth at the sight before him.
His living room wasn't small, yet tonight, it felt a little crowded.
Hatake Sakumo, Suzuka, and his old academy classmates—Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, and Inoichi Yamanaka—had all gathered.
Even a fellow shinobi who had once clashed with him, was here.
Many others who had fought alongside Minato in the Third Shinobi War, or had been close friends in their youth, had also come to celebrate his new title.
"How does it feel to be outdone by your junior?" A voice teased.
The speaker was Sarutobi Ao, his tone lighthearted as he glanced at Nawaki Senju.
In their academy days, Nawaki had always declared his dream of becoming Hokage. Yet now, it was Minato who wore the title.
Rather than resentment, Nawaki merely shrugged. "I won't lie, it stings a little. But Minato's way stronger than me. Even if I can't be Hokage, I can still do my part in protecting Konoha."
Hearing this, Tsunade, who stood nearby, allowed a small, proud smile to grace her lips.
Meanwhile, Kakashi and Shisui approached Minato.
"Minato-sensei, congratulations."
Kakashi's tone was respectful but carried a tinge of melancholy.
Understanding the reason behind it, Minato gently patted his shoulder in silent reassurance.
"Congratulations on becoming Hokage, Uncle Minato!"
The voice belonged to a young boy—Uchiha Itachi. Though small in stature, his movements were quick and precise as he stepped forward to stand between Kakashi and Shisui. His dark eyes gazed up at Minato with an earnest expression.
Minato smiled and crouched down, ruffling Itachi's soft black hair.
"Thank you, Itachi."
A sense of warmth filled Minato's chest.
He had lost his parents at a young age, yet here he stood, surrounded by his master, friends, predecessors, disciples, and the woman he loved.
This was what had allowed him to reach where he was today.
Becoming Hokage wasn't about holding a title—it was about being acknowledged by those around him.
News of Minato's succession quickly spread throughout Konoha.
The village, still recovering from the war, suddenly found itself bustling with renewed energy. Preparations for the Hokage succession ceremony were in full swing, with villagers and shinobi alike eager for the grand event.
A few days later, the long-awaited day finally arrived.
As Minato prepared himself, the door to his home burst open.
Kushina, slightly out of breath, hurried over to him, holding a neatly folded garment in her hands.
"There's still time!" she announced, placing the clothing in his arms.
Minato chuckled. "Thank you for the help."
Kushina puffed out her cheeks. "You should've let me handle it from the start!"
She unfolded the garment—a pristine white Hokage cloak embroidered with crimson flame patterns. Across its back, five bold words blazed like fire:
[Fourth Hokage]
Minato let out a quiet laugh, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders.
With practiced ease, Kushina draped the robe over him.
The moment he stood before her, clad in his Hokage attire, her expression softened.
For a brief moment, Kushina was speechless, her eyes gleaming with emotion.
Then, she finally exhaled in awe—
"Wow..."
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