As evening fell, Yako crouched behind a chimney and watched as Hatake Sakumo and his son left their home, heading toward the training grounds.
Kakashi, just three years old, was still small and barely steady on his feet.
The pair arrived and began basic training—mostly shuriken and kunai drills. Like most civilian-born shinobi, Sakumo placed great emphasis on fundamentals: taijutsu form and ninja tool accuracy.
Not long after, Namikaze Minato joined them, greeting the father and son with polite cheer. This was already their fifth encounter.
For the past week, they had been sharing the training field. After his own solo training session, Minato was invited over by Sakumo.
Sakumo pointed out Minato's stance—his legs were too loose, his footing unstable.
He patiently explained how to channel chakra into the soles and legs, reinforcing balance and footwork. Then he taught Minato some preliminary steps of Body Flicker Technique, showing how to amplify burst movement with chakra propulsion.
Minato's eyes lit up. After trying it out, his speed visibly improved.
Minato was an orphan—he had no legacy techniques or clan to rely on. At school, he earned praise by studying hard and showing initiative.
Now, to be guided personally by a "white-haired jōnin uncle?" He was elated.
When the session ended, the three walked home together.
As they passed a tree, Sakumo casually nodded toward it. He had spotted the flash of a fox mask in the branches.
He knew ANBU was watching.
For over a week, Yako had been shadowing Sakumo and Minato.
From what he could tell, the Hokage feared Sakumo might use Minato as a stepping stone to get close to the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. But that fear was misplaced—Sakumo wasn't after Kushina.
His target was Minato himself.
And Hiruzen didn't even realize his own golden boy was being poached.
According to school and ANBU reports, Namikaze Minato was a gifted youth.
But there were dozens of "gifted" kids at the academy every year. Only Yako knew the truth—
Minato wasn't just a genius. He was Konoha's future.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's greatest legacy over the next twenty years would be grooming Minato.
Take Minato out of the picture, and Hiruzen's two-decade reign would be… unimpressive, at best.
After over a week of surveillance, Yako was summoned to the Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō were both present.
"Fox," Hiruzen said, "report your findings."
Yako bowed.
"Lord Hokage, Lord Danzō—this past week, I've monitored Hatake Sakumo's daily routine.
With no active missions, he spends most of his time with his son, Kakashi, who's shown remarkable talent, especially in taijutsu.
Every afternoon, Sakumo takes Kakashi to the training grounds.
Usually, Sakumo arrives first, and Minato joins them after school.
During these sessions, Sakumo occasionally gives Minato pointers. The boy treasures the attention—he's eager to learn.
Two days ago, Sakumo brought chakra test paper for both children.
Kakashi has lightning affinity. Minato has wind.
Sakumo's teaching has been consistent—he's explaining chakra flow, movement fundamentals, and refining posture.
I can't confirm whether Sakumo is trying to use Minato to access the jinchūriki, but as of now, there's no direct evidence."
Hiruzen folded his hands.
Was Sakumo simply mentoring a prodigy out of admiration? After all, Hiruzen himself had once basked in the pride of training the Legendary Sannin—though they all eventually rebelled.
Perhaps Sakumo just enjoyed having a brilliant student who listened.
Then Danzō spoke.
"Hiruzen, if you don't take control of the jinchūriki, someone else will."
He gave Yako a look before continuing.
"My operatives in Kumogakure have uncovered something disturbing.
They've confirmed the existence of a project—Perfect Jinchūriki.
Kumo obtained Uzumaki sealing arts, and they're using them to cultivate perfect jinchūriki—hosts with total control over their tailed beasts.
We've already seen the results on the battlefield—no rampage, no retrieval efforts needed.
They wield bijū chakra like weapons.
Six of our spies died retrieving this intel.
We can't afford to be passive. We must begin developing our own jinchūriki.
The Senju claim the seal is stable—but we don't even understand the seal ourselves.
If another war breaks out and Kumo unleashes a perfect jinchūriki, what will we fight it with?"
Hiruzen frowned.
Sakumo and Tsunade were already conspiring—first in the Jōnin Council, now perhaps even in jinchūriki matters.
"Fine," he said at last. "We'll proceed with the evaluation.
Send Root agents to inspect the seal—but ANBU must escort them.
Fox's squad will accompany the mission."
Yako saluted, but Danzō didn't elaborate on how Root intended to evaluate Kushina.
Soon after, strange rumors began to ripple through the academy.
Bullying.
Uzumaki Kushina, the red-haired transfer student, was suddenly being targeted.
Her hair. Her accent. Her dream of becoming Hokage.
Four boys cornered her behind the academy, in a narrow alley near the wall.
"Tomato-head! You think you can be Hokage?"
"The village will never choose an outsider!"
"How do we know you won't betray Konoha for your dead clan?"
Kushina had once declared she wanted to become Hokage—just like Naruto would years later.
Now she was mocked for it.
Yako leaned against a second-story windowsill, watching from above.
A nearby teacher stood quietly.
"You're not stopping this?" Yako asked.
"Wasn't it your request?" the teacher replied. "A masked ANBU said to let it happen."
"That was Root. Not ANBU."
No bullying could happen without a teacher's silent approval. That was the truth.
Still, Kushina wasn't helpless.
She flattened all four bullies, then straddled one, raining fists down like a summer storm.
Just then, two more "students" jumped from the window—short, but their eyes were too cold, too sharp.
Not kids. Root agents.
One grabbed Kushina's hair and yanked her back with force.
Yako muttered under his breath:
"Goddamn it… Root works like a damn hammer."
(T/N: Like the saying: "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."