[Chapter Size: 2100 Words.]
Third Person POV
Konoha, Year 41.
...
...
"Help! Help!" A voice cried out from outside as Minato finished putting on his Jonin vest. He wondered what all the commotion was about as he approached the door.
When he opened it, he saw Kushina staring oddly ahead, Tsuna standing with her hands on her hips and a serious scowl, while Mikoto held an old lady by the collar, who was pleading with her not to hit her.
Minato was stunned by the scene, especially since the old lady was his neighbor, someone who always gave him strange looks. Now, she was being restrained by Mikoto, begging to be released.
"Help me! Help me!" she screamed in despair as Mikoto kept her restrained. The old lady then noticed Minato and called out to him.
"Boy, dear Minato, help me!" she exclaimed as Minato stood there, unsure of what to say.
She seemed to forget all about Mikoto, giving Minato a toothless smile. "You look handsome, by the way. Soon you'll be a beautiful man!" the old lady said, prompting Mikoto to tighten her grip, appearing infuriated by those words.
"What is this, Minato?!" Tsuna immediately asked, pointing at him with a frown, clearly puzzled by the situation and the identity of this old woman who seemed overly familiar with Minato.
"I..." Minato was at a loss for words, something that rarely happened to him.
The old lady had always been a strange and obsessive figure, even when he was at the ninja academy. For Minato, she was the main reason he wanted to move away. He ignored her cries for help as Mikoto seemed to be losing her patience.
"How did this happen?" was the only thing he managed to ask.
"That old lady was trying to spy on you while we were outside waiting. When we saw someone opening your door, we found her acting very suspiciously!" Tsuna explained, glancing at Minato, her eyes demanding an explanation.
"Just remind me never to come back to this apartment..." Minato muttered, still paralyzed by the situation.
In the end, they left the old woman on the ground, dazed, and walked out of the building as the girls continued questioning him.
"Look, it's not my fault! That woman has always spied on me! This is why moving out was a good idea!" Minato justified himself, while the girls exchanged suspicious glances.
Eventually, they decided to head to a corner of the village, moving towards a training area like they used to do in the old days.
"We should've invited Hanabi," Kushina commented.
"I thought so too... Right, Minato?" Tsuna asked, looking at him. "Something wrong?" she asked, surprised to see him staring pensively into the distance.
"We're being watched," Minato replied without looking at her, keeping his eyes fixed in one direction. He then turned and stared toward a specific spot, where three ninjas quickly vanished into the trees, rustling the leaves as they disappeared.
"Who were they?" Mikoto asked with a suspicious look. The girls hadn't sensed their presence, even though Kushina and Tsuna were powerful sensory ninjas. Both looked confused. Minato was the only one who had noticed, using his Haki.
'They were skilled ninjas to escape Kushina and Tsuna's detection,' Minato thought, leaving the thought unfinished. He knew he was being observed, likely because of the influence he now wielded in the village. Powerful figures who were no longer fond of him might already see him as a threat.
Setting it aside, they proceeded to a spot near the riverbank. Minato wasn't in the mood to train and sat down with his fiancées, while Kushina pulled out some storage scrolls and offered them cakes she had made. Minato, however, remained watchful, noticing ninjas standing around, observing them.
This time, the ninjas appeared to be protecting Kushina—or so it seemed. Yet, Minato sensed infiltrators among them, picking up traces of their intentions. He couldn't tell if the Hokage was aware of their presence or if they had slipped by unnoticed.
'I won't be as free as I was before the war, which isn't surprising in the end. At least I trained enough, have a vast arsenal, and my chakra reserves are prepared for anything,' Minato thought again, resting his hands behind his head as he leaned against the riverbank. Feeling the sun and letting go of his worries, he wanted to savor the moment of being back in the village.
Kushina and Tsuna ate silently, while Mikoto also sat quietly, taking in the calm atmosphere of the place.
They stayed like that until late afternoon, when they began walking through the village. They saw more groups returning from the war, receiving grand welcomes similar to what they had experienced the day before.
It was the same scene they had witnessed upon their own return: a crowd gathered to greet them, cheering their names as they walked down the main street towards the Hokage's building. The Hokage always gave motivational speeches to the returning troops, boosting the morale of the village's shinobi after the war.
Later, they stopped to grab something to eat before nightfall. They didn't take too long, as Minato needed to meet with the Hokage, who was available at that moment. He bid farewell to the girls, as Kushina and Tsuna returned to the Senju clan compound, while Mikoto headed to Minato's apartment.
"We'll see each other tomorrow. Let's also take a look at the land I bought so we can start planning the construction of the place," Minato said, to which Kushina nodded cheerfully.
In the next instant, he disappeared, using teleportation to appear in front of the Hokage's building. As he entered, an ANBU appeared.
"Minato Namikaze, the Hokage is waiting for you in his office," the ANBU informed before vanishing.
Minato walked down the corridor toward the office, opening the door to find the Hokage standing with his back to him, gazing out the window. The village lights sparkled, and sounds of laughter and celebration echoed in the distance. The room was guarded by several hidden ANBU, ever vigilant.
"You're here..." The Hokage turned to face Minato, who was slowly approaching.
"Yes... You summoned me," Minato replied, maintaining his posture.
"Indeed. Your performance exceeded even our high expectations, though we already anticipated great things from you. The number one rookie of the elite class... A program that, as we can see, has been very successful," the Hokage said, moving toward his desk and taking a seat.
Minato merely nodded, feeling no need to say anything further.
"I've called you because we'll be holding a ceremony in two days. You'll be recognized as a war hero for the entire village," the Hokage continued.
Minato nodded at the words. He noticed the Hokage seemed genuinely enthusiastic about this, though Minato also knew his name was spreading quickly throughout the village, especially among those who didn't know him personally. He couldn't tell if the Hokage was yielding to public pressure or acting out of personal conviction. The old man was unpredictable, after all. Minato was also keenly aware of the scrutiny he was under, likely from the Hokage's ANBU and the elders. Minato trusted none of them, knowing that he now had to navigate the political game because of his growing influence.
"I'll be there," Minato responded firmly.
"Good. It will be an honor for the village and our shinobi. I'm sure Jiraiya would be proud of you if he were here," the Hokage remarked.
"I wish he were here too," Minato said with a more personal tone.
Jiraiya was still in the Land of Rain training Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko. Based on Minato's calculations, Jiraiya would likely remain there for another year or two before returning.
"Yes, but moving on, I'd like to discuss your role now while Jiraiya is away. Jiraiya mentioned that you did an excellent job in the ANBU. The reports highlighted your abilities, helping us understand your competence even before you became known as the hero who sacrificed himself for the village in Suna, especially during the alchemist rescue and other missions like saving the southern camp from disaster.
"As we've observed, there's been a noticeable decline in the Ghost Squad's performance since your departure." The Hokage paused, looking at Minato as he lit his pipe. After exhaling a puff of smoke, he continued:
"I would like to invite you to return to the ANBU under my command. There's no need for an immediate decision. I want you to think about it," the Hokage suggested.
"What is my other option?" Minato asked cautiously, avoiding giving a direct response.
"You can return to your normal mission routine with your team. We'll add a temporary member while Jiraiya is absent. However, personally, I believe it would be more beneficial for everyone if you joined the ANBU in the meantime," the Hokage explained.
"And my team? Will Hanabi and Mikoto be with me?" Minato asked, concerned. He didn't want to abandon his companions, even though he was intrigued by the ANBU proposal.
"Yes. On the northern border, where you served as leader, except for the reconnaissance mission investigating the disappearance of ninjas, you didn't fail a single mission and were efficient at every moment. You've demonstrated the ability to protect your team and lead effectively. I believe you're ready for this and capable of compensating for your teammates' lack of experience," the Hokage replied, observing Minato closely.
"I'll consider it, sir, but I would like a few days to think it over," Minato said cautiously.
"Of course. You can give me your answer after reflecting on it. This is not something that needs to be decided right now," the Hokage agreed.
He handed a scroll to Minato, and with a farewell gesture, left him to think. Minato took the scroll and disappeared, using his teleportation technique to leave like a ghost.
A sound came from one side of the office. The Hokage turned his gaze and gestured with his hand, signaling all the ninja guards in the room to vanish, leaving the two of them alone.
A man emerged from the shadows, holding a cane. His arm was bandaged, and one eye was covered, evidence of war wounds from the eastern front.
"You finally managed to position him where you wanted," Danzō commented, his tone heavy with intention. "That's good. We can keep a close eye on him. After all, my men report that he seems to notice their presence. It's a shame, though, that you didn't place him directly in the Root, where he belongs."
"Danzō, he hasn't given his answer yet... And I've already told you, I will have him work directly with me," the Hokage responded calmly, continuing to smoke his cigar.
"I hope you're right and that you act when necessary," Danzō retorted. "If that boy becomes a threat to us, he must be eliminated. You've seen how influential he has become and how strong he is at such a young age. We can't allow someone so powerful to grow unchecked in the village, to the point where no one can stop him. Remember, he was also a student of the Second Hokage, and he would never have allowed this," Danzō insisted darkly.
"You have the same fear you've always had. Minato fought for the village, but even so, for the sake of the Leaf..." The Hokage paused, deep in thought. "I will keep an eye on him to ensure he never becomes a threat," he affirmed, ending the conversation.
"It's not just him. You know there are others whose reputations could threaten your position as Hokage," Danzō said seriously.
The Hokage remained silent, thoughtful.
"Your students as well," Danzō added with a grim expression.
"Tsunade, Orochimaru, Jiraiya... They are not a threat to the village," Hiruzen cut him off.
There was no reply as Danzō disappeared back into the shadows.
Meanwhile, more than 500 meters in the air, a ninja hovered, watching everything. He looked down intently, listening to the entire conversation between the Hokage and Danzō.
"These old men..." the ninja murmured to himself. "The war has just ended, and they're already scheming. They want to eliminate the greatest names in the village—the same heroes they were forced to recognize, thanks to witnesses, rumors, and the general knowledge of the ninjas who fought."
He shook his head in disapproval.
'The way they act... It's unbelievable,' Minato thought, disappearing from the scene like a shadow vanishing into thin air.
-------------Nexts Chapters ----------------
Chapter 208 - Armament Haki vs The Six Gates 01.
Chapter 213 - The Uchiha Clan Challenge 01.
Chapter 223 - Kage Meeting 01.
Chapter 232 - The Dark Side of Konoha.
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