Haruto couldn't help but think of the generally peaceful situation in his previous life, which had remained stable for many years.
What had caused such a relatively peaceful state? Was it nuclear weapons? That notion was laughable. Humans have always dared to use any weapon they could imagine if pushed far enough. The real reason was much simpler: improved productivity that allowed more people to be fed—and, surprisingly to some, contraceptives. Without those, the global population would have at least doubled, and in places like Asia, it might have multiplied several times over. If faced with an extra 100 billion mouths to feed, who would care about nuclear deterrence? They'd go to war just to survive. The peace would come—when there were hardly any left to fight.
Hearing Haruto's reasoning, the Third Hokage couldn't remain calm. For the first time, he had heard a logically sound path toward true peace. As someone who had lived through countless wars, the Third Hokage yearned for peace more than anyone. In a world soaked in endless bloodshed, most people silently hoped for peace. No one wanted to wake up one day only to find their loved ones gone.
The Third had already lost most of what he cherished: his parents, his wife, his child, and countless friends and subordinates. This was the true cruelty of war. Even as Hokage, he couldn't protect everything important to him. Genocide, clan extermination, and families destroyed—these tragedies occurred daily. Hatred and pain howled endlessly like a living hell. Everyone awaited change.
Wasn't the ultimate goal of late villains like Madara and Obito also to eliminate war, no matter how twisted their method?
"Haruto, your idea is excellent," the Third finally said, "but you must understand the dangers of the First Hokage's cells."
Haruto had been waiting for this moment. He calmly activated his Sharingan.
"This… this is…"
"Lord Third, this is the result of my secret research. I didn't transplant anyone else's eyes. Maybe it's because I was born with all seven chakra attributes—my body has almost no rejection to any bloodline. These Sharingan were awakened by me. That's why I'm confident I can handle Hashirama cells too."
It was the most reasonable explanation Haruto could come up with, and it would justify Wood Release if he awakened it in the future.
The Third Hokage was stunned. "Seven attributes… really…" He paused for a long time, unable to find the words, then muttered, "What a terrifying genius…"
"Lord Third," Haruto continued, "I hope to establish a department dedicated to this research and development."
The Third Hokage's eyes became distant, filled with hope. "No problem. Haruto… do it. I entrust the future of Konoha—and the ninja world—to you."
Haruto smiled lightly. "I'll do my best."
In the end, Haruto obtained official clearance to access Konoha's secret research base. Even he hadn't expected it to go so smoothly. The Third Hokage had not only agreed readily but also promised to assemble a team of qualified individuals to form a new department. Once Haruto became a jonin, that department would be formally handed over to him.
Even Haruto felt slightly overwhelmed—he had expected the Third to spend much more time investigating and hesitating.
After Haruto left, a figure silently appeared in the Hokage's office.
"Is this really okay, Sensei?" Jiraiya asked, stepping from the shadows. "Aren't you worried he'll turn into another Orochimaru?"
The Third gave a small chuckle. "It's not that I trust him blindly… I trust my own judgment. Maybe there were a few things in his speech that weren't entirely honest, but that's not important."
"I believe he won't harm Konoha. More importantly, I believe he truly wants to change the world. My strength may have declined with age, but my eyes—my ability to see a person's heart—have not. Besides… he is the only one who fits the conditions for the Child of Prophecy."
The Third Hokage's eyes grew distant, recalling a long-ago moment.
"Jiraiya… when the Nine-Tails attacked Konoha, I caught a glimpse of fate itself—parents sacrificing themselves, leaving behind a child, a seed of hope. He would inherit the will of the Fourth Hokage, and become your disciple. With the desire for peace, he would one day change the world."
"But something strange happened. That fate—the original thread—was twisted into chaos the night the Nine-Tails attacked. Since then, the future has been clouded. Whether it will return to the right path or not... only time will tell. That's your job now, Jiraiya."
Jiraiya nodded slowly, recalling Haruto's words from earlier. "His ideas really do open a whole new path. If even half of what he envisions becomes reality, it could truly lead to peace."
"According to the Great Toad Sage, the flow of destiny has been unstable in recent years. The future grows more unclear by the day. Originally, the prophecy seemed to point to Naruto as the Child of Prophecy. But now… it may be Haruto. I mean, let's be honest, could Naruto's brain really reshape the ninja world?"
It was hard to believe that in the original trajectory seen by the Toad Sage, the seemingly foolish Naruto had been destined to become the Child of Prophecy who would save the world. Yet now, that title seemed to shift—no wonder the Third Hokage was so willing to grant Haruto a green light.
"Have you found that 'variable' the Toad Sage mentioned?" the Third asked quietly.
"Not yet," Jiraiya replied. "But I have a lead. I believe the Akatsuki organization may be that very variable—the obstacle to peace. From what Itachi has reported, their leader is extremely mysterious and powerful, and the group is composed of dangerous, high-level rogue ninjas. Their ultimate goal appears to be collecting all of the tailed beasts. I suspect they may intend to use them in war."
"I even suspect they were involved in the Nine-Tails' attack years ago. Once the current situation settles, I'll head out to investigate further."
The Third nodded solemnly. "Good. It's essential to investigate. But don't forget—keep training Haruto."
Jiraiya smiled, nodding. "His parents died during the Nine-Tails attack, and he inherited the will and abilities of the Fourth. If he's meant to be my student, then I'll take full responsibility. I'll guide him with everything I have."
He paused, then let out a slightly bitter laugh.
"You know… I'm a bit jealous. I've trained for years and still can't use the Flying Thunder God Technique. I thought maybe Haruto would also struggle, but with his powerful Mental energy and Yin Release talent… he succeeded. Honestly, when I think about it, it feels unbelievable. Maybe his talent surpasses even Minato's."
The room fell silent for a beat.
"I think the key lies in his Sharingan," the Third mused. "Actually, there's a deep connection between the Flying Thunder God and the Uchiha clan."
Jiraiya frowned. "Wait, really? What's the connection?"
The Third nodded and recalled the past. "According to my teacher—the Second Hokage—he once fought Uchiha Izuna hundreds of times, and couldn't gain the upper hand. The Body Flicker Technique always left a momentary stiffness after activation, and in battle, even a split-second delay was dangerous. But Uchiha Izuna, using the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, was able to shorten that stiffness almost to zero. He moved with such speed and precision that not even Tobirama could keep up."
"So the Second developed the Flying Thunder God specifically to counter him. In the end, it was the only technique that could wound him—and ultimately defeat him. But that was just the beginning."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "The beginning of what?"
The Third took a slow breath. "Through continued research, the Second Hokage realized something deeper: the Flying Thunder God Technique is almost tailor-made for the Uchiha. Its core lies not in raw speed, but in Yin Release—the manipulation of Mental energy to affect reality. It's a technique that bends space through concentrated willpower and chakra. Only those with strong Yin affinity can even begin to learn it."
"In fact," the Third added, "the momentary stiffness after teleportation is even greater than with the Body Flicker. Anyone without a specialized eye technique like the Sharingan—or an extraordinary mind like Minato's—would be unable to use it effectively."