I'd like to share a few thoughts—perhaps not too briefly—regarding how I've been handling the series.
First, as those who have reached this point will know, Miyu is now the Hokage. Her duties have shifted from killing reanimated ninjas and rescuing princesses to administrative—and, to an extent, corporate—work.
It's also worth noting that, while she may know the future plot, many things have changed. She is not omniscient, meaning there are situations within the village that she simply won't become aware of until some time later.
Previously, the story was told entirely from the protagonist's perspective. I felt this was too limiting, as there are events—such as the various conspiracies unfolding behind her back—that she wouldn't have known about at the time. For this reason, I shifted from Miyu's first-person perspective to a third-person narrative.
Why did I do this? To ensure that you, as the audience, are kept informed about what is happening in the village. Without this change, you would be left in the dark, and when the upcoming major events occur, you wouldn't fully grasp the underlying causes.
To illustrate what might have happened had I not shifted the perspective or shown the actions of other characters, here is the sequence of events in chronological order:
1. The Uchiha clan begins to voice complaints.
2. Fugaku dies; it is suspected that either Danzo or the Uchiha themselves might be responsible, though there is no evidence yet.
3. New recruits join the Root division.
4. The Uchiha clan becomes increasingly extremist, and their grievances intensify.
5. Danzo attempts to target Yami and Shisui during a mission by leaking information to the Hidden Mist (Kiri) and launching an attack with his own men.
6. He meets in secret with Itachi and Hiruzen and learns that Root ninjas are coming and going from the Uchiha residence; he suspects they are working together, but he cannot fathom why Danzo would collaborate with his worst enemy.
7. Daiki tells him that they found Yami at the village entrance, near death.
Points 5, 6, and 7 all take place on the same day—the same day as Shisui's death and the battle Yami fights against the Root ninjas and the Uchiha.
I could have easily written it that way, but many details would have been lost, and the significance of Yami's involvement would have vanished; a character without any development wouldn't have been taken seriously—he would have just been attacked.
Furthermore, I don't think that approach would have worked here. It would have invited major questions: How did this happen? How did Yami awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan? Why did Shisui die? What was Danzō doing all this time? What were the Uchiha up to? From Miyu's perspective, these questions would have remained unanswered.
Lastly, why do I place so much importance on Yami? Simple: I see him as a co-protagonist—at least for this second part of the fic. Why? Miyu is the Hokage, and she has to stay in the village unless there's a war. So, who's going to handle infiltration missions, S-rank assignments, and other critical tasks outside the village? Yami—there's really no other option.
That's why I've given him so much development and such a significant role in the recent chapters. I can't send Miyu on certain missions or into specific situations, as that would essentially mean abandoning her post as Hokage. While she *could* do that, it makes no sense when she has Yami to back her up—she can just send him instead, confident that the mission will likely be a success, or at the very least, that he won't end up dead.
Oh, and I almost forgot—Danzō. The reason I didn't write him out is that he serves as a perfect scapegoat. If Miyu ever messes up, he's the built-in excuse within the story. Furthermore, from Miyu's perspective, Danzo hasn't actually done anything yet—she only learned of his maneuvers in the instances mentioned in point 5 of the previous example. Moreover, Danzo is the one pulling the strings behind the current conflict. If Danzo were removed, the conflict would vanish, and any subsequent developments would feel forced—or, to an extent, hollow.
And finally, one last point. As I mentioned in earlier chapters, I made these adjustments because I hadn't originally planned for Miyu to become Hokage immediately following Minato's death; that was supposed to happen much later. Consequently, I had to alter several aspects of the story. However, there were certain elements I wanted to preserve—including the ending I've already mapped out for this fic—which is why I've made these changes. I also stated previously that if anyone had a better idea or a more effective way to handle this, they were free to do so, but no one stepped forward.
It's a bit of a bummer to have to write this, but it serves as a reminder that perhaps my writing isn't conveying what I intend for the story to communicate. It suggests that I'm doing something wrong, which means I need to keep working on improving my craft.
Thank you so much to everyone who has made it this far. Best wishes, and stay healthy.