[Chapter Size: 2200 Words.]
Third Person POV
Konoha, 43.
...
...
In the Hokage's office were Minato Namikaze, Sakumo Hatake, Mazu Uchiha, Shuran Nara, Masaki Uzumaki, being the current advisors/elders of the Village or alliance of Konohagakure and Uzushiogakure.
They were discussing, on that day, something quite concerning — not only for the Village, but also for the ninja world itself. Each of them had received a copy of Konoha's intelligence report, with Jiraiya himself and other teams investigating the activities outside the Land of Fire, entering and leaving the Village over the last four weeks.
'Sensei left again because of this...' Minato couldn't help but think, since it had been three days since Jiraiya had gone to his house to inform him that he would be leaving for the Land of Stone. After all, the movements of the ninja world were quite strange, as if everyone were reacting cautiously to Konoha's new power, keeping their movements in the shadows it seemed...
"So all the great nations decided to make a move...", Masaki said after reading the report.
"Well, that is to be expected. But the question is: what will result from this meeting? After all, not even the Four Great Nations would have the power to face us," Minato replied calmly.
"But we also cannot underestimate the ambition of those old men. We had those same old men in the Village claiming to be protectors, until we uncovered their crimes and ambitions," Mazu spoke.
"I don't know what they will discuss at this meeting, but clearly we need to keep an eye on them. I want to send an elite squad, a team to spy on this meeting in secret," Sakumo said, while everyone agreed for obvious reasons.
Even though the nations no longer represented a direct challenge to Konoha, it was still necessary to monitor their movements. That was how the ninja world worked and their enemies could surprise them.
"About that, I believe my wife Hanabi and I can carry out this mission," Minato said to everyone.
The two of them would certainly be perfect for a mission of this caliber, which might even be above S-rank, without any enemy realizing they were being spied on, and the problem wasn't even the elite ninjas of each village, but rather those beings that hide beneath the earth...
If anyone was capable of spying without alerting the White Zetsus, it was certainly those two.
"If you believe you can do it, then I see no reason to stop you," Sakumo said.
Minato and Hanabi had been trained by Jiraiya, during the Second Ninja War, in the art of infiltration and espionage. But it was their current abilities that would make the difference: Minato would use Haki, and Hanabi would use her special eyes, remaining in a safe position to know everything that happened, even with barriers and every type of protection that the nations might raise.
"Very well. They will gather in at least one week, already departing from their villages. You will have full authority over your mission," Sakumo declared. He had complete confidence that Minato would know how to act; he was already planning at that very moment, and there was no reason to interfere, leaving full autonomy to him.
Minato nodded.
Then, Mazu raised her hand. "The other thing I would like to announce to everyone... I want to announce my retirement," she said, as everyone turned their gaze toward her.
"So you're finally going to retire? And who will take your place? Will it be..." Shuran asked.
He certainly had doubts. After all, within the Uchiha clan, there was Fugaku training to become the next leader, but he was not the most powerful of his generation either. After all, there was...
Minato noticed the looks turning toward him and shook his head. Mikoto would not assume any authority outside the Namikaze clan that was not related to her ninja career. Even though many Uchiha elders had approached him and his wife to make all kinds of proposals since Mikoto took over the leadership of the clan after her father, Minato had refused all meetings and offers made directly to him.
Mikoto belonged by his side, as his wife and one of the matriarchs of the Namikaze clan. Her loyalty is with her family.
"It will be Fugaku, as many expect," Mazu said, pausing. "It's obvious that I will still continue as an advisor and become an elder of the clan. Fugaku will attend some meetings with me until he definitively assumes the Uchiha clan's seat among you."
The others nodded.
Minato saw Mazu's gaze directed at him, indicating that she wanted to talk. It was obvious that there were still remnants of the intrigues that Minato and Fugaku had created many years ago, due to the breaking of Mikoto's engagement, which ended with her becoming Minato's wife. And Mazu and all the elders wanted the Uchiha clan to remain on good terms with the Namikaze clan.
"So you're going to take on a team after graduation?" the Nara patriarch asked Minato, who nodded.
"Yes. Graduation will be tomorrow," Minato replied. "The final test will take place tomorrow, and right after that will be the graduation."
"I've heard a lot about what you've been doing with the class. I also had the opportunity to see the students' performance in some reports, I must admit that the children's performance has improved greatly since you took over... Perhaps we should change the curriculum a bit," Shuran said openly to everyone.
His son had also participated in the program in the elite class, together with Minato and the others. He could clearly see the difference between what had become the class that produced the most geniuses in Konoha's history and the others over the years. None came close to the level of those who had entered that program and made their names for themselves as those beyond the Namikaze family.
"Yes, obviously placing a jōnin to teach the children is quite beneficial. We should also review the curriculum. You know my opinion: the children don't even learn how to properly manipulate chakra, which is a flaw in the village's current education system. And the three basic jutsus are not enough to measure whether a child is truly fit to enter a battlefield and become a real ninja fighting against death..." Minato said.
"The Village must stop this system designed to limit the geniuses born among us. We are no longer the old elders. We should not be cautious with every powerful ninja who emerges. In fact, we should let the trees sprout as they are meant to, and not try to place ropes and watchers on every promising sapling," Minato added.
He hated the philosophy that the Third Hokage had created. They could have formed many more powerful ninjas, while Hiruzen spoke about sacrifice for the Village and carrying out missions without question. At the same time that Danzō stole talented children and placed them within the Root, forcing them to obey and serve him. Becoming killing machines that were meant to obey only his orders.
A disgusting system, which had been cut down before it could fully take root in the Village. Even so, many things still needed to change, and the Academy's curriculum was one of them.
"So you're going to take on your team? I heard that the women of the Namikaze clan will also be spread across different roles throughout the Village," the Uzumaki patriarch said.
"I was surprised when Mikoto said she would return to the ANBU, I even offered her the position of head of Konoha's police, which would have pleased the other elders, but she refused..." Mazu said.
"They want to have their own careers. Kushina will work in the Village's sealing and monitoring department, as she has already been doing. Tsuna will be with her mother in medical research and at Konoha's hospital, while also training Yamato and taking care of our daughter. As the Uchiha patriarch said, Mikoto came to speak with me some time ago. She was planning to take on a team as a tutor, but she reconsidered and showed interest in returning to the ANBU, training to lead her own squad. As for Hanabi and me, we will be teachers and team leaders for the next generation," Minato explained.
"I wonder for how long, Minato. You should take up the Village's hat," Sakumo said this time, giving a small smile.
No one there denied that fact. All the elders had already decided that Minato would be the next Hokage. However, he continued to declare that he would not assume it — at least, not now.
"There is still no new generation of exceptional ninjas ready to sustain Konoha's future, I want to train them. I also want to learn more about the Village's structure. I don't want to take the hat before understanding more about Konoha. My desire is to know everything personally, not only through an office and reports. No offense," Minato said to Sakumo, who currently held that position.
"Oh, that's cruel," Sakumo laughed.
Minato smiled slightly before continuing: "In any case, what I mean is that there are still things I need to do. And perhaps there is a war on the horizon. Even though we are at the peak of the Village — even surpassing Konoha's first generation, at the height of the Senju and Uchiha clans — we should still expect a storm forming and I will be more useful to the village outside the office."
Everyone nodded.
The meeting continued as they discussed other matters, deciding to begin sending ANBU teams directly to the borders. Even members of the Uzumaki clan would be dispatched to assist with monitoring.
In any case, Minato returned home after an entire day of meetings. The Academy had gone into recess so that the students about to graduate would have a day to rest or even train for the final exams.
"So, how was the meeting?" Minato appeared in the kitchen as Kushina gave him a smile while saying those words, washing the dishes and preparing to start dinner. Hanabi was also in the kitchen, reading a scroll while seated, pausing to greet her husband.
Upstairs, Mikoto and Tsuna were spending time with the children, playing with them on the upper floor of the house.
"Tiring, but necessary," Minato replied, sitting at the table beside Hanabi. His eyes then fell on what she was analyzing.
It was the records of three Uzumaki girls — the same ones Kushina had been training to awaken the Adamantine Chains. They had been selected to become Hanabi's students, as she had already been searching for suitable members to take on as a tutor. After some time evaluating candidates from the Village, she turned her attention to the Uzumaki clan and asked Minato for the records of several children who were also graduating from the clan's own internal academy, where all received training in fūinjutsu and combat.
Hanabi had finally found a promising trio of ten-year-old girls, quite talented as sensory-type ninjas. That was perfect for her, since besides being a combat ninja, she also possessed evident abilities for espionage and tracking.
When they received the proposal, the girls did not think twice before accepting. Hanabi had already demonstrated what she was capable of, both during the time of the island in the sky and in the recent event when she and Minato fought above the Land of Fire.
Mikoto also personally asked Kushina to evaluate the girls' abilities and shortcomings. As a direct-bloodline Uzumaki, Kushina was the most suitable to identify the strengths and weaknesses of her sister-in-law's future team. That was how the training began: Kushina took charge of the three Uzumaki, developing in them the Adamantine Chains, which would be perfect for combat and restraint.
Minato let his wives handle those matters on their own. He only helped when asked. All of them were fully capable of managing what they needed. He was satisfied. Each of them would also be contributing to the Village: one in the ANBU, another in the medical corps, another in the sealing sector. He and Hanabi would train the next generation and continue carrying out missions inside and outside the Land of Fire, just as Mikoto would act within the special ANBU force.
The night passed peacefully as Mikoto and Tsuna brought the children to the kitchen and began preparing dinner.
"You seem far too thoughtful," Tsuna said, not taking her eyes off her husband, who remained silent, with their daughter on his lap while the little one tugged at his clothes.
Minato seemed distant.
"Just thinking about the future..." he replied, offering her a faint smile.
In truth, his mind was on the Land of Waterfalls.
The question was: would he finally make a move?
The scenario of the ninja world had changed, and those manipulators behind the curtains could not possibly be pleased with the direction things were taking — especially with the power Konoha had accumulated, which represented a great danger to their plans.
The question was why Madara and Black Zetsu still had not done anything, remaining silent over the past month...
Something told him it was related to the meeting of the Kages.
And that was exactly why he would personally observe that meeting.
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