Hiruzen Sarutobi, the man known to the village as the Third Hokage, was methodically concluding his day. In his sixties, the ritual of tidying his desk—closing files, inserting bookmarks, and aligning folders for the morning—provided a sense of order and closure.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in," Hiruzen said without looking up, having already identified the visitor by the distinct, controlled chakra signature at his door.
Fugaku Uchiha entered, his posture rigid with formality. Hiruzen finally looked up, steepling his fingers and resting his chin upon them. "Speak, Fugaku. What brings you here at this hour?"
"I have uncovered new intelligence," Fugaku stated, his tone characteristically direct. "Coupled with significant reports incoming from Kumogakure. I believe it is prudent to involve Minato in this discussion."
Hiruzen rose from his chair with a soft groan, his joints protesting as he stretched his weary back. "Ah, Minato will be taking office next month. I am eagerly waiting," he mused, a hint of boyish excitement breaking through his aged demeanor. He moved around his desk and paused by the door.
"Shall we, then?"
Fugaku gave a curt nod and, with a gesture of respect, opened the door for his Hokage.
The walk to Minato's residence was a quiet one, filled with the comfortable silence of two men who had long since moved beyond the need for small talk. The evening air was cool, and the village was settling into a peaceful twilight.
It was Hiruzen who finally broke the stillness, his voice carrying the weary tone of a tired father anticipating his son's latest mishap. "So, Fugaku... what has Minato done this time?"
Fugaku's stern composure nearly cracked. He slid a hand along his jawline to suppress a smile, maintaining his calm demeanor. "Do not worry, Lord Third. This is not about Minato's... antics."
They soon arrived at Minato's home—a residence that was modest in appearance yet held an understated lavishness befitting an Elite Jōnin and the Hokage-in-waiting. Fugaku rang the bell.
The door was answered after a delay that was uncharacteristic for the man known as the Yellow Flash. Minato stood there, wearing a simple apron.
"Oh! Lord Third, Fugaku-san," he greeted with a warm smile, which quickly faded into a look of genuine concern. "But... I swear, I didn't do anything this time."
Fugaku couldn't contain himself any longer. A short, genuine laugh escaped him, lasting a full two seconds before he bottled it back up. Hiruzen, however, chuckled freely, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Don't worry, my boy," he reassured him, echoing Fugaku's earlier words. "It's not about your antics this time."
Minato's shoulders relaxed in visible relief. "Please, come in," he said, stepping aside to usher them inside.
The Hokage and the Uchiha clan head followed him into the warm, inviting light of the living room. The glow illuminated Kushina, who was busy at work in the adjoining kitchen. "Kushu, we have guests," Minato called out.
Kushina turned, her face immediately brightening at the sight of their visitors. Without hesitation, she insisted they all stay for dinner. Hiruzen, ever the village grandfather, accepted at once; not even the Hokage could refuse a direct order from Konoha's Red Habanero.
Fugaku, however, offered a formal refusal, citing the serious nature of their business.
Kushina pouted, her hands on her hips. "What kind of brother are you? You protected me for all those years and you haven't visited once since I got married." Their shared history was long; Fugaku had once been the captain of her guard detail when she was just a girl. He let out a soft sigh, a rare, conceding smile touching his lips. "You have me there. My apologies." With that, he too took a seat at the table.
The three men settled into their places: Hiruzen on the left, facing Fugaku on the right, with Minato in the center, facing the kitchen and the comforting sounds of Kushina's cooking.
"Fugaku, begin with the reports from Kumogakure," the old Hokage ordered, his voice a low rumble.
Fugaku gave a respectful nod. "A serious incident has occurred within Lightning Territory, one that has damaged Kumo's foundation. They have attempted to conceal it, but the wound is too severe to go unnoticed." He paused, gathering himself for the crucial revelation.
"According to my informant, roughly two months ago, three clan heads, three Elite Jōnin, six standard Jōnin, and eight high-level Chūnin... vanished. Officially, each was given a separate cause of death. But this many high-profile casualties in such a narrow timeframe is too suspicious to be a coincidence."
Hiruzen listened with his arms folded, his body deceptively relaxed; he had seen far worse in his long life. Minato, however, was rigid, his own arms crossed and shoulders tense, nodding along with each detail as he processed the tactical implications.
"Here is what concerns us directly," Fugaku continued, his voice lowering. "My informant suggests a single, discarded mission involved all the deceased—and the Raikage's sons,
A and Killer B, the Jinchuriki.
It is still rumor, but the people of Kumo are whispering that a Konoha rogue was responsible for eliminating twenty of their most precious assets."
Now Hiruzen's brow furrowed. "A Konoha rogue? Who?"
Fugaku took a steadying breath before uttering the name that would shatter the room's calm.
"Enji."
Minato shot to his feet.
"What?!"
The what was so loud that even Kushina stopped to look for a moment. She did not heard the words which triggered this though. She shook her head muttering Men and Politics and carried on with her cooking.
Hiruzen's mind, honed by decades of leadership, raced to process the implications. His arms unfolded and came to rest heavily on the table, a deliberate motion to hide the sudden unrest in his hands.
"According to the reports, only the Raikage's sons survived what they are now calling 'The Blood Mount Incident,'" Fugaku concluded, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.
Hiruzen sat with his hands clamped together, forehead resting on his thumbs as if in prayer.
Why God? he thought with a surge of weary exasperation. *Why must this happen before I can retire in peace?*
"What about Enji-senpai?" Minato demanded, his voice sharp with urgency.
"He's dead," Fugaku stated, his eyes devoid of emotion.
The news struck Minato like a physical blow. His energy deflated instantly, and he collapsed back into his chair.
Oh, my Buddha, ...why...? Hiruzen groaned, hiding his eyes behind his palms as he mourned the last living son of his old comrade.
Minato's mind, however, was already shifting from grief to a cold, tactical fury, running simulations of a vengeful confrontation with the Raikage's sons.
"As we speak," Fugaku continued, "Kumo is conducting a secret search operation for the son and wife of Enji."
"Fugaku," Hiruzen's voice suddenly changed, losing its weary edge and gaining a steely resolve. "You will draft a letter for me."
"As you wish, Lord Third. To whom?" Fugaku asked, his posture straightening.
"To the Raikage. Tell him Kaen is under our protection, and he can shove his sword up his ass." The calm, diplomatic Hokage was gone, replaced by the seasoned warlord, "The Professor," in full command.
A grim, approving nod from Fugaku. "Yes, Lord Third. Immediately. May I... add some of my own choice words to the message?" A mental list of exceptionally derogatory Uchiha phrases already began to form.
"So, that's it then," Minato said, a tired yet fiercely enthusiastic smile gracing his lips. "We're going to war."
"Yes, Minato. We may very well be going to war," Fugaku confirmed, his voice grave. "And not just with Kumo. Add Suna and Iwa to the list."
This time, Hiruzen was the one who shot upright.
"What?"
"Fugaku, we are allied with the Land of Wind. Why would Suna turn against us?" Hiruzen's voice was strained.
"I am afraid it has to do with Enji's wife," Fugaku stated, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Please, Fugaku," Hiruzen implored, a deep weariness in his eyes. "I am tired. Give it to me all at once."
"Very well. Kaen is permitted sanctuary under Konoha's 'Missing Nin Act'. Lord First's philosophy was clear: a child is not answerable for a parent's crime. But our allies do not share this view."
"But Fugaku-san," Minato interjected, "what claim do Suna and Iwa have on Enji-senpai's wife?"
"Do you recall the peace pact between Konoha and Suna, Minato?" Fugaku asked, his tone that of a instructor probing a student.
"According to the pact signed after the Second Shinobi War," Minato recited promptly, "our rogues are theirs, and theirs are ours."
"Precisely. Our rogues are theirs, and theirs are ours."
Fugaku took a measured breath. "Enji's wife... was a Suna rogue. And by extension, she was listed in Konoha's Bingo Book as well."
"Is that truly a reason for war?" Hiruzen pressed, his frustration mounting. "Surely they would not escalate over the son of a simple rogue?"
"Here is the issue, Lord Third," Fugaku said, his gaze intensifying. "She was no simple rogue."
"Who?"
Hiruzen demanded, his patience finally snapping.