Putting aside whether Minato, who possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique, had made further progress now, the formidable strength shown by Jiraiya on the battlefield back then was enough to make him wary over and over again.
Furthermore, in his heart, he was not entirely unaware of Shisui's feelings toward the village, though he believed that when the time truly came, the other party would certainly choose the Uchiha clan.
But now, he also needed to consider the other party's feelings; all these factors combined led him to make this choice.
He was willing to trust Minato once. Without the interference of the Third Hokage and Danzo, and given Minato's consistent attitude toward the Uchiha clan, added to that three-tomoe Sharingan belonging to Kakashi, he was willing to take a gamble!
Even if he lost the bet, their situation would only be worse, and they wouldn't necessarily lack the chance to flip the table!
Moreover, at that time, perhaps Shisui would be able to completely devote his heart without the slightest error!
Fugaku sighed internally. He cast his gaze out the window, as if piercing through the barriers of space to land on the Hyuga mansion at the other end of Konoha.
That family, which also possessed the Byakugan—one of the "Three Great Dojutsu"—and once stood as an equal to the Uchiha, had they not avoided paying such a price?
But how could the Hyuga clan's situation be compared to the Uchiha, who were mired in a whirlpool of suspicion?
The Hyuga faced no lingering worries when awakening the Byakugan, and unlike the Uchiha, their relationship with the village higher-ups was not at daggers drawn; their foundation was much deeper.
However... a sharp light flashed in Fugaku's eyes as he keenly captured a subtle recent change.
Under the steady posture of that thousand-year-old noble family, an unusual aura seemed to be quietly breeding within the Hyuga clan.
It wasn't that anyone was openly causing trouble, but in the atmosphere of the entire group, a long-lost—or rather, long-suppressed—feeling of "arrogance" was slowly rearing its head, like an iceberg emerging from the water.
The way they carried themselves when dealing with others, that unconscious sense of superiority between the clansmen's brows, actually showed a faint trend of retracing the Uchiha's old path of aloofness.
Watching this familiar trajectory, the corner of Fugaku's mouth couldn't help but curl upward into a meaningful arc.
He did not know that in the original work, the peak of the Hyuga clan's inflation was precisely during the peace talks with the Cloud Village, only to be instantly crushed by harsh reality.
Even the Clan Head almost became a sacrificial lamb for the negotiations, and in the end, it was the Clan Head's younger brother who acted as a substitute to settle the matter.
In this life, because the war situation had completely changed, that tragic event sufficient to shatter the Hyuga's pride did not occur.
The former alarm bell had vanished into thin air, and that pride, now devoid of restraint, grew silently day by day until it formed this current state of being "on cloud nine."
"Float on, float even higher..." Fugaku whispered in his heart.
When the Hyuga were intoxicated by hollow glory, if the Uchiha—mired in a swamp of crisis—could seize the opportunity to lie low and strive hard, they might not immediately surpass them, but they could certainly close the gap between the two clans significantly.
The price paid for this—actively ceding part of the clan's authority and accepting the village's scrutiny—though heart-wrenching, would be worth it as long as it succeeded!
the last trace of hesitation in his eyes was thoroughly dispelled, replaced by a rock-like decisiveness.
To seize this fleeting opportunity, for the true future rise of the Uchiha, he could afford this sacrifice of power!
After finishing his thoughts, Fugaku saw that Takuno had no intention of keeping him, so he took his leave and departed.
Takuno watched Fugaku's receding back; he knew that regarding the thorny affairs surrounding the Uchiha clan, a key first step had been taken, and the preliminary rollout phase had begun.
However, this was only the beginning.
The core of future developments lay in whether the Uchiha clan could truly coordinate and cooperate with the Anbu.
Takuno wasn't too pessimistic about this. Since Fugaku had already taken a side, with this Clan Head mediating internally and suppressing radical voices, the situation should be able to stabilize in the short term.
But this was ultimately "suppression," not a "solution."
To eradicate the current problems, relying solely on Fugaku's maintenance and the current measures was far from enough.
Thinking of this, a nearly imperceptible trace of relaxation crossed the corner of Takuno's mouth.
Those more fundamental and long-term issues—let the Fourth Hokage, Minato, worry about planning those.
His, Takuno's, task was considered completed for this stage; next, he only needed to proceed step-by-step according to the plan.
As a Commander-in-Chief with no combat power to speak of, he didn't need to rush to the front lines.
However, Takuno clenched his fist; the combat power displayed on this side could be given a bit of a boost now.
Previously, the combat power he displayed to everyone wasn't even at the Jōnin level, which was a bit too low; even for doing things on the surface, there were many inconveniences.
Besides, he now had a ready-made reason to become stronger.
Since he already possessed Tsunade's Monster Strength, the Strength of a Hundred Seal, and the Shinobi Art: Creation Rebirth, it shouldn't be excessive for him to now display the strength of an entry-level Kage-class ninja, right?
At most, it would only make Minato and Jiraiya even more certain that he was extremely suited for Tsunade's path.
Entry-level Kage-class—this strength was basically enough to get by.
After Takuno made his decision, he thought again about the Uchiha situation.
Given the current circumstances, as long as Fugaku didn't suddenly court disaster, it was absolutely impossible for the Uchiha clan to retrace the tragic path of clan extermination from the original work.
He moved his neck and shoulders, which were slightly stiff from sitting for a long time, and stood up.
He had only recently returned from the Hokage's office; it seemed he would have to make a return trip.
The matter of Uchiha Itachi joining the Anbu, and even taking on a major role, had to be finalized as soon as possible; time could not be delayed.
Just as he expected, Minato quickly expressed his agreement after hearing the proposal.
Since the decision had been made to bridge the rift between the village and the Uchiha, then core departments like the Anbu naturally could no longer continue the old precedent of excluding the Uchiha.
While they couldn't allow too many Uchiha clansmen to join, introducing one or two to match the Hyuga clan was feasible.
Having a key figure like Uchiha Itachi enter the Anbu was precisely an important signal to convey this shift.
However, the specific position Takuno proposed—directly appointing Uchiha Itachi as an Anbu Squad Leader—made Minato fall into brief contemplation.
Minato was certainly aware of Uchiha Itachi's extraordinary talent; at a young age, his strength already far surpassed his peers.
But the position of Anbu Squad Leader was definitely not something that could be held based on sheer strength alone.
It required leadership, judgment, wisdom in handling complex situations, and the trust of team members.
These invisible qualities were a huge question mark for a boy barely over ten years old.
An exceptional promotion was a worthy attempt to break convention, but if Itachi were unable to bear the responsibility, it would not only stall the work of monitoring the Uchiha but also shake the Anbu's prestige.
Regarding this concern of Minato's, Takuno also proposed a solution.
That was to arrange a specialized test for Uchiha Itachi.
The result of this test would serve as the yardstick to measure his ability.
If Itachi passed successfully, it would prove he possessed the qualifications to serve as a Squad Leader, and he could take office immediately with full authority to form a team and monitor the Uchiha clan;
If he failed to pass, he would take a step back and start as an ordinary Anbu member to accumulate experience in actual combat.
As for the matter of monitoring the Uchiha clan, it would be handed over to someone else first, and he would take over when the time was right.
Minato approved this plan. Although it bypassed the regular promotion process, the current situation was urgent, and handling a special case with special measures was beyond reproach.
Therefore, the strictness and dimensions of this upcoming test for Uchiha Itachi would far exceed the one he experienced when joining the Anbu in the original work.
In fact, the Anbu's regular entry test wasn't that harsh; the extraordinary ordeal Itachi went through in the original work was largely due to his special Uchiha identity and the power struggle among the high-ranking officials at the time.
The situation was different now.
During Minato's term, the Anbu had long been thoroughly integrated; it was no longer a two-headed carriage where the advisor group could also mobilize part of the forces, but a blade completely loyal to the Hokage.
As long as Minato gave his nod, there were no longer any institutional obstacles to Itachi joining the Anbu.
The current problem lay in confirming whether he was qualified to take on the responsibilities of a Squad Leader in one go.
Takuno felt little worry in his heart about Itachi passing the test.
In the original trajectory, Itachi joined the Anbu roughly a year later and spent another year being promoted to Squad Leader.
Now the timeline had been pushed forward by a full two years, so the challenge was admittedly greater.
But Takuno knew the boy's reputation as "Itachi-god"; even an earlier and harsher test could never block that genius's path.
...
A few days later, when Takuno learned that Uchiha Itachi had successfully passed the ordeal and was officially appointed as a Squad Leader of the Anbu Intelligence Department, his face showed little surprise.
To him, this was merely a natural stop on a genius's trajectory—the value of those truly bestowed with the name of "genius" lies in their ability to turn the seemingly impossible into reality with speed that defies common logic, does it not?
As for what kind of thorny trial Minato had set for the boy, Takuno had no heart to look into it deeply.
Anything the Fourth Hokage personally oversaw would definitely not be an easy game.
Just then, a few steady knocks on the door broke the silence of the office.
"Come in," Takuno's voice was calm and without ripples.
The door opened in response, and a boy with a still-slender build, his face hidden behind an Anbu standard-issue mask, stepped into the room.
His pace was steady, and his demeanor exuded a composure that did not match his age.
Uchiha Itachi stood before Takuno. In the eyes visible beneath the mask, respect for the Commander-in-Chief in front of him was clearly reflected.
"Lord Commander-in-Chief, hello. Uchiha Itachi reporting to you," Itachi's voice was clear and firm.
After a slight pause, he bowed his head slightly and added, "I have learned from my father that I was able to join the Anbu all thanks to your recommendation. Thank you for recommending me to the Lord Hokage to join the Anbu."
Takuno simply waved his hand casually, his tone indifferent: "There is no need for thanks. The gates of the Anbu only open to strength; your ability to enter is based on your own power."
However, Uchiha Itachi shook his head gently, his bright black eyes looking straight at Takuno.
"You are too modest, my Lord. Even without your recommendation, perhaps I would have entered the Anbu one day, but it would have been impossible to be entrusted with the heavy responsibility of a Squad Leader immediately upon joining."
"There is truth in that," Takuno's gaze swept sharply over the young Squad Leader before him, his tone carrying a trace of meaningful warning.
"But this position of Squad Leader may not necessarily be a good thing for you. Remember, having the 'right title' doesn't mean everything will 'go smoothly.' Everywhere, there are human relationships and social complexities.
You are young; not only did you enter the Anbu exceptionally, but you also leaped to become a Squad Leader. This is enough to make many people dissatisfied, even breed secret jealousy. It is hard to sit in this position, and even harder to sit firmly."
Itachi's expression turned solemn instantly. "I understand! I will use my actions and strength to win the recognition of my team members!"
"It is good to have that resolve." Takuno nodded slightly, then shifted the topic to the main point.
"However, I'm afraid there isn't ample time for you to slowly establish prestige and ease relationships.
The reason we arranged for you to join the Anbu so urgently, and even skipped the regular promotion path to promote you directly to Squad Leader, is because of a mission of vital importance that only you can do."
Itachi understood in his heart. After passing the rigorous test for the Anbu, his father, Fugaku, had already pulled him into a secret room for a highly impactful private talk.
The core of it was the request his father had made to the Fourth Hokage: inviting the Anbu to station themselves in the Uchiha clan compound to take on the responsibility of oversight.
Although these were just guesses at the time, it was highly likely that the Anbu Commander-in-Chief hoped for him to lead this delicate and sensitive mission.
Takuno's words now undoubtedly confirmed that their deductions were basically correct.
A deep doubt quietly grew in Itachi's heart.
He looked straight at Takuno and asked the question that had been circling for a long time: "My Lord, why... choose me? In this position, there are not a few candidates I can think of who are more experienced and senior than I am."
"Your identity, and your talent, dictate that you are the most suitable person at this moment," Takuno's answer was concise and direct.
"But..." Itachi's brow furrowed slightly, his words carrying obvious concern.
"I am also a member of the Uchiha clan. For me to be responsible for monitoring my own clansmen, will the conflict of interest in this make things... more complicated? And what will the clansmen think?"
Takuno's tone was categorical, carrying unquestionable trust: "Stance itself is not the problem. The key is that the Lord Hokage and I have both chosen to believe in you. That is enough."
However, beneath this firm exterior, his inner thoughts were not as steady as his words.
He was able to confirm through the original work that Itachi's depth of thought far surpassed his peers, and under Shisui's influence, his stance would inevitably lean toward maintaining the overall interests of the village.
As for Minato's trust, it was perhaps purer, stemming from recognition of and hope for the boy's character.