Once the thought clicked, Kazuyama's mind opened up completely. He was almost certain now—the Daimyō's assassination had to be Kazuma's doing.
"Minato, you're right," he said. "Knowing that guy, there's no doubt about it. The Daimyō's assassination was most likely his work."
"And if we don't take action, that bastard might just try it again."
Right now, the situation was clear—the Daimyō no longer trusted the Guardian Ninja. That meant the new Daimyō could very well be next on Kazuma's hit list. After all, that man was a hawk. If the Daimyō refused to support the Guardians, Kazuma would never stand for it.
Minato nodded slightly. As Hokage, it was his duty to keep Konoha moving forward. But no matter what, Konoha was still the Land of Fire's military arm. Gaining the Daimyō's support remained important. Even if they were now charting their own course, the village was still officially under the Land of Fire's domain.
So, any chance to improve the Daimyō's view of the village was worth taking. Having someone powerful backing you up always felt reassuring.
"Kazuyama, that's why I'm planning to open an investigation into Kazuma," Minato said. "Even if you don't want to, I still hope you'll take this mission."
"You're the most familiar with the Daimyō's office, and I can trust your strength completely."
And how could he not? Kazuyama's mastery of Sage Mode was already beyond what anyone else could manage—it was practically a passive ability now.
Even Minato, who had trained in Mount Myōboku's Sage Techniques himself, could sense it. The entire office was filled with natural energy, all flowing into Kazuyama's body like a living current. The sheer density of it was overwhelming.
This wasn't something Minato imagined—he could actually feel it. After all, as a Sage practitioner, his own perception of natural energy had grown sharp. Anyone who had trained in Senjutsu gained heightened sensory awareness, and Minato could feel how terrifying Kazuyama's control truly was.
Kazuyama gave a helpless chuckle at Minato's request and replied with something that caught the Hokage completely off guard.
"Minato, I get what you're saying, but this time—I'm sitting it out."
"Kazuma's just a clown. Now that you know what he's up to, all you need to do is keep an eye on him. Whether I go or not won't change a thing."
Minato blinked in disbelief. He'd just been… rejected?
That didn't make sense. Based on what he knew of Kazuyama, he thought he'd already said enough to convince him. How could he just turn him down like that?
Kazuyama caught the stunned look on his face and grinned—wide and mischievous.
"What, Minato? You thought I'd agree?"
"Ahahaha! Well, I'm not. What're you gonna do about it?"
"Trying to push me around, huh? Some best friend you are—always trying to use me!"
"I'm telling you now, I'm not going! Not going! You can choke on it! Ahahahaha!"
The string of taunts left Minato completely speechless.
How was he supposed to respond to that?!
"Damn it, Kazuyama! You bastard, I'm challenging you to a duel!"
"I'm not fighting you! Deal with it! Hahaha!"
The two of them went at it like a pair of overgrown kids. Minato could practically feel his blood pressure spike.
Kazuyama was doing this on purpose—he just knew it!
The two clashed right there in the Hokage's office, half-fighting, half-horsing around. Neither went all out, yet both still swung with force.
"Lord Hokage, what's—"
"Whoa, what the hell!"
Moments later, Shikaku and two ANBU stepped through the door, only to freeze at the sight before them.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his longtime comrade—the other half of Konoha's Twin Stars—Kazuyama Gekkō, were in the middle of a full-blown scuffle.
And from the looks of it… the Hokage was getting absolutely pummeled.
"Damn it! Kazuyama, what are you made of—iron?!"
"That's impossible! Even if you were made of steel, my punches should've left at least a mark!"
"Ow! You bastard, stop hitting so hard!"
Minato winced, aching all over, staring at Kazuyama in disbelief.
Sure, they were just sparring, but every blow landed solidly. The real problem, though, was that when he hit Kazuyama, it felt like swatting a rock—no reaction at all.
If it weren't for the fact that he could feel the flesh beneath his fists, he'd have thought Kazuyama was wearing armor.
"Ahahaha! Minato, you're faster than me, and your Flying Thunder God technique? Yeah, I can't beat that."
"But if we're talking raw strength? You don't stand a chance!"
"Admit it! You're beat!"
Kazuyama shoved Minato back and dusted off his clothes, looking completely refreshed—relaxed, even.
Honestly, fighting him hand-to-hand was like lighting a candle in a latrine—you were just asking for trouble.
He had too many passive skills stacked up. Regeneration, strength multipliers, complete mastery of close combat—the guy was built for brawls.
Poor Minato never stood a chance.
"Damn you! You've been strengthening your body with Sage energy too?"
"You know my taijutsu's among the best!"
Minato stood up again, but the difference between them was obvious. His face was swollen and bruised, his body sore all over.
"Shikaku, what's the situation?" he asked, ignoring the concerned stares.
"Lord Hokage… maybe you should visit the hospital first?" Shikaku suggested, unable to stop himself. His tone was cautious—it was hard not to comment on the Hokage's rather sorry state.
Minato waved it off, sitting back down and rubbing his aching face.
"I'm fine, just some bruises. Go ahead—report."
"What happened?"
Kazuyama slouched casually on the couch nearby, still in high spirits after his "victory."
Shikaku nodded. The ANBU behind him stepped forward and handed Minato a scroll.
As Minato read it, his brows slowly furrowed.
Kazuyama caught the shift in his expression.
"What's wrong, Minato? What happened?"
"There's been a sighting of the Five-Tails near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass," Minato said grimly. "It's already destroyed a nearby village."
"The Five-Tails?"
Kazuyama's eyes narrowed.
Wasn't that beast supposed to be in the mountains of the Land of Earth? What was it doing this far south?
What was going on?
The news piqued his curiosity—but the more he thought about it, the more he realized this might be an opportunity.
After all, the Five-Tails currently had no host.
If he handled this right… he might just be able to bring the beast over to his side.
...
NEW FIC> Parallel Ninja World: Which Naruto Will Leap Through Time Today?