Chapter 176 - Minato Has Something to Say
Kazane had just turned the corner, on his way back to his quarters for some much-needed rest, when he heard someone calling his name.
"Big Bro!"
He paused mid-step and turned to see Kakashi jogging up to him, a peculiar look in his eyes. Before Kazane could respond, Kakashi shoved something into his hands and dashed away like the wind, vanishing around the corner without another word.
Kazane blinked and looked down at the object—then frowned.
"You've got to be kidding me..."
It was his book.
"Big Brother, here's your book back. I don't need it anymore. You should keep it and enjoy it yourself." That's what Kakashi had said, but Kazane knew better.
This was payback.
Earlier that morning, Kazane had mercilessly peeled back the layers of Kakashi's pride during their spar, exposing his weaknesses and pushing him to the brink. It had been necessary—but clearly, Kakashi hadn't forgotten.
"Hmph," Kazane muttered. "You embarrassed me, now I'm embarrassing you. That's how it is, huh?"
Off to the side, Jiriku—still carrying a massive stone on his back as part of his training—shivered. He had been walking nearby when the exchange occurred, and now an ominous sense of foreboding crept over him.
"I knew I should've gone to bed early," he muttered to himself, beads of sweat trickling down his temple.
Kazane sighed and glanced at the book in his hands. The thick cover gleamed faintly under the moonlight. Bold calligraphy danced across the surface, lit by the soft glow of the night.
Make-Out Paradise.
Perfect.
He reflexively looked toward Jiriku, wondering if the monk even recognized what this was.
Wait, Kazane paused. He's a monk. He shouldn't know.
But to his horror, Jiriku averted his gaze and suddenly began humming in a way that was way too suspicious.
Don't tell me…
Kazane stared blankly at the monk's retreating back.
How does he know what this book is?!
---
The Next Morning
After breakfast, Kazane made his way to the Anbu office, his footsteps light but focused. He had something important to discuss—Uchiha Makoto.
Although Kazane didn't take Makoto as a serious threat, there was one thing he couldn't afford to ignore:
Kushina Uzumaki.
The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—and currently, a pregnant one.
Kazane was confident that, with his presence in the village, the disaster from the original timeline wouldn't repeat itself. But he also understood the importance of preparation. One moment of carelessness could change everything.
Especially with someone like Makoto in the shadows.
When he arrived at the Anbu building, Kazane paused in front of the door.
The halls were silent.
He pushed the door open—and found the office eerily empty.
No Minato.
That was strange. Minato Namikaze was known for punctuality; he was usually the first to arrive each morning. It wasn't like him to be late.
Could it be that with Kushina's pregnancy entering the late stages, Minato had chosen to stay home and take care of her? That would be understandable… but also unlike the ever-dedicated Fourth Hokage.
As he stood wondering, a familiar voice called out.
"Captain Kazane?"
He turned to see Uchiha Shisui approaching from the corridor, wearing his usual warm smile.
"Shisui," Kazane greeted. "It's been a while. I was looking for Minato, but the office is empty."
Shisui chuckled, already guessing Kazane hadn't heard the latest.
"Ah, that explains it. Captain, Brother Minato's been reassigned."
Kazane raised an eyebrow. "Reassigned?"
Shisui nodded. "Yes. The Hokage transferred him to the Hokage's office personally. He's now handling Anbu affairs and village administration directly from there."
Kazane blinked, then sighed.
So that's what happened.
No wonder Minato wasn't around. Orochimaru had once again played his signature card: the great delegation technique.
And Minato, bless his workaholic soul, had obediently taken on all of it.
Kazane shook his head in disbelief.
He really is destined to be a beast of burden.
With that much work on his shoulders, it was a miracle the man got any sleep.
Still, Kazane figured once Orochimaru saw how reliable Minato was, he'd never want to replace him.
He offered Shisui a parting smile. "Thanks, Shisui. That clears things up."
And with that, he turned and headed toward the Hokage's office.
---
Hokage's Office
The first rays of sunlight crested the mountains behind the Hokage Rock, casting golden light over the Hidden Leaf Village.
Inside the office, Minato Namikaze was already hard at work.
His desk was buried beneath a chaotic sea of scrolls and documents. A pen danced in his hand, flipping through pages, signing forms, and jotting notes with tireless precision.
Kazane pushed the door open quietly and peered inside.
Seeing Minato so diligently buried in paperwork brought a small smile to his face.
Even with his wife pregnant, the man hadn't lost a shred of discipline. If anything, he was working harder than ever.
Typical Minato.
But the moment Minato heard the door creak open, his expression changed. Expecting a mission request, he looked up—
Then froze.
"...You."
Kazane didn't have time to react.
Flying Thunder God Technique!
In a golden flash, Minato vanished from behind the desk and reappeared right behind Kazane—arms locked around him like a lifeline.
Gone was the usual calm smile. Minato's face was pale and gaunt, his eyes bloodshot with exhaustion and despair.
"Captain," he said hoarsely, clinging to Kazane like a drowning man to driftwood. "You're finally back...!"
Kazane flinched, trying to twist free.
He wiggled once.
Minato adjusted his grip.
He squirmed again.
Minato tightened, now practically glued to him.
"Minato," Kazane said warily, blinking in confusion. "What's wrong with you?"
Minato's face twisted into a pitiful scowl, voice trembling with pent-up frustration.
"Captain, I want to resign from the Anbu!"
Kazane froze.
"What?"
Minato didn't hold back.
"After you and the Third Hokage vanished, Orochimaru dumped all his work on me! I haven't gone home in three days! My wife's pregnant!"
He took a shuddering breath.
"She gave me an ultimatum, Kazane. If I don't fix this, she's moving in with Tsunade-sama. Permanently. And I don't even know if she's joking or serious anymore!"
Kazane paled.
If Minato bailed now, the entire mountain of Anbu work would come crashing back onto his shoulders.
He couldn't let that happen.
"That's outrageous! Orochimaru-sensei went too far!"
Face filled with righteous anger, Kazane turned toward the door.
"Minato, wait here. I'll go confront him right now and make sure you're not being used like this!"
But as he tried to pull away—
Minato followed. Still clinging.
"Minato—let go! I'm trying to help you!"
"I already talked to Orochimaru," Minato said flatly. "You know what he said?"
Kazane didn't respond.
"'As long as Kazane agrees.'"
Minato's eyes were dark. Haunted. Determined.
"This is your problem now."
Kazane deflated, slumping in place.
Of course it was.
Curse you, Orochimaru-sensei...
He sighed deeply and looked at Minato with a tired frown.
"Minato... I can't believe the first thing you say to me after all this time is that. I entrusted the Anbu to you because I believe in you."
Minato's frustration didn't fade, but he hesitated as Kazane continued.
"And actually, the reason I came here wasn't for any of this. It's about Kushina's safety."
Minato blinked.
"Kushina's safety?" Minato repeated, his eyes narrowing. "What happened? Did you receive intel that someone is targeting her?"
He couldn't afford to take this lightly. Kushina was no ordinary shinobi—she was the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. And during pregnancy, when her chakra was divided between two lives, the seal restraining the beast weakened. If anyone with malicious intent struck now...
It could be catastrophic.
Kazane met Minato's gaze squarely. "You should still remember what happened to Obito not long ago."
Minato nodded slowly. Of course he did—Obito's encounter had left more questions than answers.
"I'll be direct," Kazane said. "Obito wasn't lying. He really did see Uchiha Makoto."
Minato stiffened.
"And Makoto's return to the village... it wasn't for nostalgia or revenge. It was for Kushina. No—more accurately, for the Nine-Tails sealed within her."
Minato's brows furrowed, his thoughts racing.
He didn't doubt Kazane's sincerity, nor did he think his captain would fabricate something this serious. But as a shinobi—Minato couldn't act based on emotion or hunches. He needed facts.
Obito's report had been troubling, yes. But it was still only one eyewitness account. Minato hadn't seen Makoto himself, nor had any other ANBU or Uchiha reported suspicious activity.
Besides, if Makoto was alive, and if he truly was as powerful as Obito claimed, then why hadn't he struck already? And more importantly...
Could anyone that powerful really exist without the village noticing?
Minato wasn't naïve. But Konoha's strength wasn't just for show. He doubted even someone of Makoto's caliber—assuming he'd grown stronger—could destabilize it so easily.
But as he silently weighed the possibilities, Kazane's sharp gaze didn't miss a thing.
"You don't believe me," Kazane said plainly.
Minato hesitated. "I believe you believe it. But I need more—"
Kazane cut him off.
"Makoto claimed to be Uchiha Madara. Obito saw through the lie. But the truth is even more terrifying—Madara is still alive."
Minato's breath caught.
"And the strength Makoto displayed... there's no other explanation. He was likely trained by Madara himself."
Minato's mouth opened, but no sound came out. He had prepared himself for something serious—but this?
Madara Uchiha. The Ghost of the Uchiha. A name that haunted shinobi history like a shadow no sun could burn away.
He had only ever heard of Madara through Lord Hiruzen—tales of an era filled with bloodshed, of a man whose mere presence could tip the scales of war.
Madara was not supposed to exist anymore.
And yet...
Kazane wouldn't say this lightly.
Seeing the horror and doubt on Minato's face, Kazane placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
"I wasn't planning to bring you into this," he said softly. "But things have gone too far. You deserve to know the truth."
With that, Kazane pulled him back into the office and closed the door behind them. His expression turned grave.
He flicked a glance toward the shadows in the room's corner. "Kakashi, out."
A silver-haired shinobi who'd been hiding silently in the rafters dropped down and nodded respectfully before slipping away. The door clicked shut behind him.
"This cannot leave this room, Minato," Kazane said. "Not to Kushina. Not to Jiraiya. No one. The more people who know, the greater the danger."
Minato nodded, fully alert now, eyes fixed on Kazane with unwavering attention.
Kazane took a breath and began.
"Madara didn't die at the Valley of the End. He survived."
Minato tensed.
"More than that, he awakened the Rinnegan—the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths himself."
Minato's eyes widened in disbelief. "Kazane... isn't the Sage of Six Paths just a legend?"
Kazane gave him a faint smile—one that didn't reach his eyes.
"Do you really think so?"
"If you're unsure, go ask Gamamaru."
Minato blinked. "The Great Toad Sage?"
"Mount Myōboku's elder," Kazane confirmed. "He personally knew the Sage. He saw the original path of ninshū—the birth of chakra. Jiraiya-sensei may not have told you everything, but even he defers to Gamamaru's word."
Minato couldn't argue with that.
The Great Toad Sage was said to sleep for centuries, awakening only when fate reached a turning point. Even Jiraiya had only spoken of him in hushed tones.
If Kazane could name him, and speak of him with such clarity, this had to be real.
Still, one question remained.
"How do you know all this?"
Kazane nodded, having expected it.
"These are things I learned from Orochimaru-sensei. You already know—he has the power to bring the dead back from beyond. With that kind of ability, it's only natural he would uncover truths buried in the darkest corners of history."
Minato hesitated—then gave a slow nod.
After all, he had witnessed Tobirama Senju walking and speaking before him. If Orochimaru had peeled back the veil of death itself, then knowledge long thought myth could be real.
But none of this, impressive though it was, explained how Kushina was involved.
"What does this have to do with Kushina?" Minato asked quietly.
Kazane's expression softened slightly.
"Patience, Minato. We're almost there."
He crossed his arms, gaze distant as he began the tale anew.
"A thousand years ago, the Sage of Six Paths had two sons: Indra and Asura."
"One inherited his father's powerful eyes—his talent, intelligence, and chakra control. The other inherited his father's body—his stamina, vitality, and unshakable will."
"But after the Sage's death, they disagreed on what path ninshū should follow. That disagreement... turned into hatred."
Minato's eyes narrowed. The pieces were beginning to fall into place.
"They fought," Kazane continued, "and their descendants continued that fight across generations."
He looked up, meeting Minato's gaze.
"You already know which clans I'm referring to, don't you?"
Minato nodded slowly. "The Uchiha... and the Senju."
Kazane smiled faintly.
"Correct. The Uchiha inherited Indra's eyes. The Senju, Asura's body. The hatred between them festered for generations—until Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha tried to end the cycle."
"You know the rest. They founded Konoha together, trying to create peace. But Madara defected. Hashirama pursued him. The two clashed at the Valley of the End."
"Madara was believed to have died, and Hashirama returned home—only to perish not long afterward."