Uchiha Gate: From Konoha to One Piece

— — — — — — — — 

Early the next morning...

The large square in front of the Hokage's office was packed to the brim, with not even space for air to pass through.

Even the surrounding rooftops and streets were crowded with people. The sight of countless moving figures created a lively atmosphere.

Under these circumstances, Kaito, accompanied by Tsunade, the First Hokage, the Second Hokage, and others, ascended the high platform. Surveying the crowd, he amplified his voice with chakra and announced loudly:

"People of Konoha, from this day forward, I, Uchiha Kaito, am your Fourth Hokage!"

"I promise to do my utmost to bring Konoha wealth and prosperity, ensuring that everyone can build the life they dream of here."

"OHHHH!!!"

As the crowd erupted into deafening cheers, Kaito turned and walked off the platform.

Next, Nara Shikayama took the stage to speak on Kaito's behalf, presenting several plans for reforms and developments in Konoha.

The key points included reforms to the ninja academy and the village's urban planning.

This served as a heads-up to the villagers, giving them an idea of what to expect and preparing them to cooperate with the upcoming changes.

Afterward, the crowd gradually dispersed, buzzing with discussions.

"The Fourth Hokage truly lives up to his reputation as a genius of the Uchiha clan. Taking down nearly ten thousand enemy ninjas by himself, killing Hanzo and the Third Kazekage—what an incredible force!"

"Absolutely! He's even planning a major expansion of Konoha, complete with new urban designs. It looks like he's aiming to bring in more people to strengthen the village. That's a good thing!"

"Is it, though? With more people, won't there be more competition for the village's resources? Won't it make life harder and jobs scarcer for us?"

"Foolish and short-sighted! More people mean more work opportunities. And don't forget, the Uchiha clan is loaded."

"True. Just from selling pills and those miraculous shellfish, the Uchiha clan has been raking in wealth. Money isn't an issue for them. Now that Uchiha Kaito is Hokage, he won't let us suffer."

"Exactly! Kaito-sama seems like someone with big plans. If the villagers aren't well off, who'd want to join Konoha? Of course, there will be benefits for us too!"

"Come on, don't be so shallow! Forget about the village expansion or bringing in more people. Isn't the most important thing right now the reforms to the ninja academy and the establishment of ordinary schools?"

"Agreed! With the academy reforms, our kids have a better chance of becoming ninjas. Plus, the changes seem designed to help kids from civilian families like ours."

"Not to mention, the ordinary schools are crucial too. Kids without ninja talent can still get an education, learn skills, and find better jobs in the future, right?"

"Exactly! Honestly, I don't even want my kids going to the ninja academy. Being a ninja is too dangerous. Ordinary schools are a much better choice."

"Same here! Being a ninja is brutal. My neighbor's husband and son both died on missions—it's just too risky."

"But ninjas make more money! There's always a trade-off."

The villagers' discussions grew louder, with opinions varying widely.

While some supported the new policies, others voiced concerns. When personal interests were involved, it was impossible to have everyone agree.

Fortunately, most villagers had a positive attitude toward the reforms. Those who opposed them chose to wait and see for now.

Not that they had much choice.

After all, these were orders from the Hokage.

The opinions of ordinary people, while heard, didn't carry much weight.

Ultimately, everything depended on the Hokage's will.

In the world ranking, civilians and shinobi were not on the same level.

At least, that was the reality in ninja villages.

Compared to civilians, most ninjas—whether from clans or ordinary backgrounds—supported the reforms.

Because the changes were beneficial to them.

— — —

Meanwhile, Kaito wasted no time. He convened a meeting with all the jonin in Konoha.

At the meeting, he announced the first five-year plan for Konoha.

He also finalized adjustments to the village's power structure and confirmed key appointments.

With the majority's approval, everything passed swiftly.

Soon, the departments began working tirelessly to implement the changes.

"First Hokage, the upcoming expansion and renovation of Konoha will be quite the undertaking. We'll be relying on you!"

"If not for your Wood Release and Earth Release, the first phase alone would take who knows how much time and effort!"

"Please, we're counting on you!"

After the meeting, Kaito stayed behind with the senior leadership for a private discussion. With a serious expression, he grasped Hashirama's hand and earnestly made his request.

Hashirama: "…"

He knew it! He knew Kaito hadn't revived him out of pure goodwill.

"Rely on me? Don't think I didn't see the detailed expansion plans."

The scale of the project was overwhelming. Even with his unlimited chakra, working non-stop, it would take him several months to complete.

This was practically exploitation, using him like a workhorse!

Feeling a mix of resignation and frustration, Hashirama looked at Kaito and asked with a strained smile, "Can I refuse?"

"HAHAHA!"

Before Kaito could respond, Madara burst out laughing.

"Hashirama! You too?!"

"Serves you right for always messing with me. Now you're the one being exploited!"

"I knew it! That brat Kaito is as ruthless as ever."

"Even Tobirama got roped into working in the research division, stuck doing experiments day and night. Did you really think you'd escape?"

Ignoring Hashirama's pained expression, Madara gave Kaito a thumbs-up. "Kid, well done! That's the way to do it!"

"Madara!"

Hashirama couldn't hold back anymore. He roared at Madara and lunged toward him, ready to beat him up.

"Alright, alright! I'll stop! No need to get so worked up!"

Madara quickly held out his hands to block Hashirama, placating him. "This is all for Konoha's sake! Deep down, I think you're actually enjoying this."

Luckily, Hashirama didn't actually lose his temper. Otherwise, with Madara's power currently sealed down to a chunin's level, Hashirama would've wiped the floor with him in seconds.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Hashirama had an idea. His eyes lit up as he turned to Kaito.

"Hey, Kaito! Expanding and renovating Konoha shouldn't fall entirely on my shoulders. Madara can help too!"

"After all, he fused with my cells and gained Wood Release. Plus, his Earth Release skills are top-notch. He'd make a perfect assistant, don't you think?"

"What?!"

Madara was stunned. Glaring at Hashirama, he growled, "Hashirama, how could you?!"

But deep down, Madara began plotting.

"This might actually be my chance to escape."

"If they want me to fully unleash my Wood Release, they'd have to unseal some of my power."

"Besides, expanding Konoha might disrupt or even break the current barrier formations."

"And if I get assigned to construction outside the village, the opportunities to escape will multiply!"

Still, one glaring issue remained: How would he disable the countless seals placed on him?

If he couldn't block Kaito and the others from teleporting to him via the Flying Thunder God technique— and prevent them from bringing him back—it would all be for nothing.

Madara wasn't confident about breaking the complex seal groups inside him.

The first time he sensed and examined the seals within his body, his scalp tingled from sheer dread.

There were simply too many.

They crisscrossed and interconnected, forming an intricate whole.

Pulling one thread could unravel the entire system.

He didn't believe he could undo it.

Could he rely on Black Zetsu?

Madara wasn't sure if even that thousand-year-old schemer had the skills for this.

If Black Zetsu failed, and Madara was recaptured, the consequences would be grim.

And Uchiha Kaito wasn't the type to let things slide.

One misstep could even lead to a worse fate.

"Wait."

A sudden flash of inspiration crossed Madara's mind. "Infinite Tsukuyomi was a mistake—a trap. Why should I even bother trying to escape?"

"Why not just stay in Konoha and witness its growth alongside Hashirama? Watching Konoha and the Uchiha clan thrive together, bringing peace to the ninja world—wouldn't that be better?"

He began to think that his current life wasn't so bad.

At the very least, Kaito hadn't placed too many restrictions on his freedom.

He could roam around Konoha at will.

The only downside was that part of his strength had been sealed.

"In fact, I could even stand on Kaito's side, redeeming myself in exchange for better treatment."

"Maybe I could discuss using myself as bait to lure out Black Zetsu?"

As these thoughts raced through Madara's mind, Kaito considered Hashirama's suggestion and stroked his chin. "That's not a bad idea! What do you think, Madara?"

"Do you want to take this opportunity to try escaping? It could be a great chance!"

Madara sneered inwardly. "Ha! As if I'd believe you!"

The more relaxed Kaito seemed, the more confident he was in his own abilities.

Madara's chances of escape felt even slimmer.

So, he shook his head. "Forget about escaping!"

"After your previous advice and my own reflection these past days, I've decided to give up on the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan!"

"I know it's not feasible."

"Honestly, I'm quite content here in Konoha."

"I get to drink, play cards, and hang out with Hashirama every day."

"I get to watch Konoha evolve step by step and see the Uchiha clan grow stronger. It's enough for me!"

"I look forward to the day when you achieve true peace."

In short, he had given up.

"Oh?"

Kaito and the others were visibly surprised by Madara's sudden change of heart.

Could he really have come around so quickly?

Or was this an act?

"But…"

Madara continued, changing the subject. "If you're planning to listen to Hashirama and make me some kind of laborer, using my Wood Style and Earth Style for construction, forget it!"

"I refuse!"

It was too exhausting!

Besides, Kaito was being completely unreasonable.

They were supposed to be esteemed ancestors. Wasn't this going a bit too far?

This wasn't just about respecting one's predecessors—it was outright exploitation!

"Come on, Madara!"

Hashirama immediately grabbed Madara's arm and pleaded, "Aren't we close friends, practically brothers? This is something we should do together!"

"Besides, it's a continuation of our dream, isn't it?"

If he had to work hard, dragging Madara down with him was clearly the best option.

Madara twitched in irritation.

"Enough, Hashirama!"

At this point, Kaito spoke to Madara. "Madara, I don't care if you've genuinely changed your mind or are just pretending. It makes no difference to me!"

"I'm confident in my methods!"

"You're welcome to try escaping!"

"But I agree with Hashirama's suggestion. I'd almost forgotten you know Wood Style too."

"So, you'll join Hashirama in the construction projects!"

"I'll even restore all of your strength for this task."

"But at the same time, I'll add new seals to ensure you can't harm Konoha's villagers."

"And if you refuse, I can always control your body to use your jutsu for the construction anyway!"

"At this point, your opinion doesn't matter."

He chuckled darkly. "Thanks for the reminder, Hashirama!"

"You…"

Madara's face turned pale. He stared at Kaito, at a loss for words.

Because he knew Kaito could absolutely do it.

Thankfully, an idea came to him, and he quickly said, "If you promise not to make me work on these construction projects, I'll help you capture Black Zetsu."

"Aren't you all worried about him stirring up trouble behind the scenes? This is the perfect opportunity!"

"Trust me, he doesn't know that I've discovered his true identity. He'll definitely take the bait."

"No."

Kaito shook his head decisively.

"Wait, what?"

Madara was dumbfounded. "Why not?"

Kaito wasn't like this before!

"Because," Kaito smiled, "after some thought and discussions with my mother and other advisors, we've decided it's better to let Black Zetsu stir up trouble in the ninja world."

"In fact, if he captures the Tailed Beasts and revives Kaguya, it'll ultimately benefit Konoha's plans to unite the ninja world."

"On the other hand, capturing him now would eliminate a common enemy. The other four great ninja villages would then focus all their attention and resources on Konoha's growth."

"To stop Konoha from rising, they'd likely unite and attack us."

"While I'm not afraid and confident we could unify the ninja world even in such a scenario, I don't want a broken world, nor do I wish for unnecessary deaths."

"So for now, Black Zetsu stays."

"In fact, I'll even secretly help him succeed in some of his plans."

With his growth rate, Kaito was confident he'd soon be invincible—even against Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths.

There was no need to worry about things spiraling out of control.

"What? You…"

Madara's face twisted in shock. "You're seriously planning this? Even using Black Zetsu?!"

"You can scheme this much? Amazing!"

"I'm starting to believe you really can unite the ninja world and bring peace."

For the first time, Madara looked at Kaito with genuine admiration.

This kid's planning was meticulous and far-sighted.

If only they'd had this level of strategy back in the day, the ninja world might have been unified and peaceful long ago.

"Wait, Why didn't anyone tell me about that?"

Hashirama spoke up, confused.

"No one told you because you're too straightforward, big brother."

At that moment, Tobirama entered the room with a smirk. "You'd probably oppose the plan or mess it up."

"That's not true!"

Hashirama protested. "This sounds like a great plan! Why wouldn't I agree?"

"It achieves our goal of uniting the ninja world at the smallest cost. Why would I oppose it?"

He wasn't that foolish.

.

.

.