Namikaze Minato Wants to Leave Work on Time [1] & Synopsis

In Konoha, two of the Hokage are having a chat.

“Fourth Hokage, why did you choose to become Hokage?”

“So I can leave work on time.”

“Uh, I meant something more grandiose. Fulfilling dreams, protecting the village, keeping a promise to a friend—”

“So I can leave work on time.”

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The weather was clear and mild. Standing atop the Hokage Building, Namikaze Minato gazed at the Hokage Rock in the distance. His white haori fluttered in the breeze, the fiery red kanji on its back proudly spelling—Fourth Hokage.

Looking at his stone visage still under construction, a faint smile curved Minato’s calm, serene face. A years-long dream had finally come true.

Becoming Hokage meant finally living a nine-to-five life.

He had been an ordinary university student in China; in the blink of an eye, he transmigrated into Namikaze Minato as a child.

At first, he only wanted to coast quietly. Unfortunately, this body’s talent was too outstanding—plus the system he’d bonded with—and somehow he “accidentally” became a Jōnin.

In peacetime, a Jōnin was just a high-level wage slave. Basically, a full-stack engineer at a tiny startup—doing everything, buried in work.

During his Jōnin days, Minato was always on an A-rank mission or off to an S-rank one. He earned plenty, but never had time to spend it.

Worse, to finish a mission he sometimes had to replace meals with tasteless soldier pills. When nature called, he held it until the job was done.

After several S-rank missions in a row, Minato resolved to become Hokage and change this ninja-exploiting village.

Someone like Sarutobi Hiruzen becoming Hokage? No way. He wasn’t qualified at all.

The Third Ninja War was Minato’s chance to flip the table. He earned the title “Yellow Flash,” and with his face alone captured the hearts of countless men and women, finally drawing the elders’ attention.

Just like in canon, the Third Hokage, after repeated strategic mistakes and signing a lopsided treaty with Iwagakure, resigned and helped the village elect the Fourth.

The result was obvious. As in canon, Namikaze Minato became the youngest Hokage in Konoha’s history.

“Minato-kun, that outfit suits you.”

As Minato reminisced, a chilling male voice came from behind him.

Hearing that voice was like seeing the snake itself.

Minato turned slowly. “Orochimaru, I am the Hokage.”

Orochimaru, in a standard Konoha flak jacket, nodded, voice low. “I know.”

Noticing that Orochimaru had missed the joke entirely, Minato felt a twinge of disappointment.

Sensing the shift, and recalling what his teacher had been like upon taking office, Orochimaru continued, “Minato, you will regret this.”

“Orochimaru, I am the Hokage,” Minato repeated, firmer this time.

Satisfied, he nodded to himself, then said, “Orochimaru, you’re now the Hokage’s aide. Your authority is second only to mine. You must have plenty to do—so what brings you here?”

The road to Hokage hadn’t been smooth. Despite Minato’s record and overwhelming support among shinobi and civilians, he had only earned the right to compete. His rivals were Orochimaru before him and Jiraiya, who had already left the village to roam.

In this life, Minato wasn’t Jiraiya’s disciple and wasn’t tied to the Hokage lineage. Master and disciple had become rivals.

Both Orochimaru and Jiraiya were students of the Third and had fought in one more war than Minato. By record and reputation, they were even more qualified.

Luckily, neither truly wanted the seat. Jiraiya never desired it—force the hat on him and he’d pass it off. As for Orochimaru, he only wanted to use the position for unspeakable experiments.

Before the vote, Minato sought out Orochimaru and promised that, if he became Hokage, he’d make Orochimaru his aide. With that, the snake withdrew.

Everyone knew the power of the Hokage’s aide. With this role, Orochimaru could do many things he’d long wanted but never had the chance to pursue. At first he’d run because Danzō, the previous Hokage’s aide, supported him and was willing to take the blame. But now that Orochimaru held the post himself, Danzō’s help was unnecessary.

What was so frightening about being the “Darkness of Shinobi”? Anyone could claim it was all for Konoha. If Orochimaru’s human experiments were exposed, he could say the same—“All for Konoha”—just as Danzō had taught him.

“Heh… I came to discuss Danzō and Root,” Orochimaru rasped with a thin smile. “Danzō and Sensei are very close. If we plan to act against him, I thought I should speak with you first.”

Shimura Danzō—former Hokage’s aide, the Darkness of Shinobi, leader of Root, Konoha’s official scapegoat. Ninety-nine percent of the village’s misdeeds had his fingerprints on them. Even his own death would be something he eventually orchestrated.

Root was nominally the Anbu’s training unit, but in truth it was Danzō’s private army, loyal only to him, ignoring even the Hokage’s orders.

Worse, because of Danzō’s position, Root’s sins inevitably splashed onto the Hokage and Konoha alike.

Danzō preached that everything he did was for Konoha, yet in reality, much of it harmed the village.

Even if Orochimaru hadn’t brought it up, Minato would have moved against him sooner or later.

But the one to swing the hammer didn’t have to be Minato.

He turned back to the village below and said lightly, “You’re short on subjects for your experiments, aren’t you?”

Behind him, Orochimaru’s eyes flashed, startled—Minato-kun… Do you mean…?

Using Root members as experimental material wasn’t just targeting Danzō. It was disregarding him entirely.

Even if Orochimaru had become Hokage, he wouldn’t dare move directly against those close to the previous Hokage.

He could only think: I never expected you, Minato-kun, with that gentle, sunny face, to be this ruthless inside.

“You… are you sure?” Orochimaru hesitated for the first time in his life.

“It’s time to clear out the vermin in the village,” Minato said calmly.

“I understand.”

If even the Hokage called Root vermin, then as the Hokage’s aide, Orochimaru naturally had to become the exterminator.

Conveniently, he despised insects.

Just as Orochimaru prepared to leave with a Body Flicker, Minato stopped him. “Wait.”

“What is it, Minato-kun?” Orochimaru asked.

“What time is it?”

Orochimaru paused, then answered on instinct, “Six in the evening.”

“Then you’ll have to wait.” Minato slipped off the Hokage haori, revealing casual clothes beneath. “It’s officially time to clock out.”

“I start at nine tomorrow. Make your move at eight-thirty.”

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T/N: I AM THE HOKAGE!

This is a fan translation of 波风水门想要按时下班 by 破空蛇龙 rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!