Back at Uzumaki Mito's residence, Minato bowed again. "Thank you, Mito-sama!"
"You're welcome," she replied kindly. "Send a Shadow Clone every day for sealing training."
Turning to Tianyi, she added in surprise, "You mastered the Flying Thunder God so quickly? Your spatial talent may even surpass Tobirama's. Though I doubt he'd be thrilled to know an Uchiha mastered his signature technique."
Tianyi chuckled. "Maybe one day he'll find out."
Uzumaki Mito squinted. "Don't tell me you plan to learn Reanimation Jutsu just to show off."
"I wouldn't call it stealing," Tianyi said with mock innocence. "When Tsunade-sensei becomes the Fourth Hokage, I'll just learn it openly."
"Fourth Hokage? Tsunade?" Mito blinked. "She's never mentioned that."
Tianyi nodded. "Exactly. That's my idea."
"But why not you?" she asked. "Wouldn't Uchiha prefer their own as Hokage?"
"I'm too young," Tianyi said seriously. "And the Third can't stay in power forever. Tsunade is the ideal transitional Fourth. I'll succeed her as Fifth Hokage."
Mito crossed her arms, contemplative. "Sarutobi's grip is strong. Tsunade lacks both the prestige and support right now."
"We'll change that," Tianyi replied. "Once the Second Ninja World War begins, we'll help her achieve military merit. The Third's inevitable blunders will erode his support. Meanwhile, I'll use industrial reform and economic planning to build a base of allies."
Mito raised an eyebrow. "Second Ninja World War? You sound so sure."
Tianyi explained, "Peace has lasted too long. Villages are bloated, daimyo uneasy. War will balance population and power. If the Great Villages won't start it, the daimyo will push for it. Plus, Hanzo of the Rain is expanding—he might start it himself."
Minato and Kushina listened silently, eyes wide.
"Three to five years, max," Tianyi concluded.
Mito exhaled slowly. "You've thought this through. Even things I hadn't considered. You're more than a genius—you're a strategist."
"Then we begin preparing now," she said at last.
—
That evening, back home, Tianyi shared another plan with his father.
"Dad, I realized something: weapons are insanely profitable. I want to build a mini blast furnace and develop forging techniques. If it works, we can lead a weapons company—steel production, sales, and everything in between."
Uchiha Nobuhiko raised his eyebrows. "All that from buying one dagger?"
Tianyi shrugged. "Just needs funding for equipment and materials. And while we'll involve the village to legitimize it, the shares will be public—Konoha's, not Sarutobi's."
Nobuhiko's lips thinned. "Even so, the Third will siphon funds for himself and his allies."
"Let him," Tianyi said. "We'll reclaim it all later—tenfold."
Nobuhiko chuckled darkly. "Fine. Let's do it. And you think Tsunade as Fourth and you as Fifth can really happen?"
"She agreed in principle. Uzumaki Mito is on board. Now it's just a matter of time."
"I love it," Nobuhiko said with fire in his eyes. "Uchiha, finally Hokage!"
"Also," Tianyi said, turning serious, "send scouts to the Land of Whirlpools. Quietly. I sense danger there."
Both Nobuhiko and his wife looked surprised.
"Why?"
"The war," Tianyi replied. "If enemies want to weaken Konoha's network, the Uzumaki will be a prime target. We need to be ready."
Nobuhiko nodded grimly. "Understood."
Konoha's future was uncertain—but Tianyi's plans were beginning to shape it.
Author's Note: Tianyi's ambitions are growing. The war is near—and so is revolution. Don't miss the next chapter!