The evening sunlight streamed through the window, covering Namikaze Minato's modest living room in a warm golden glow.
Having just seen off an overly enthusiastic Jonin from the Sarutobi Clan, the air still seemed to carry traces of polite conversation and excitement.
Minato still wore his signature warm smile as he escorted the guest to the door and politely said goodbye.
But when he turned around and faced the table covered with used teacups and empty snack plates, the smile faded slightly, and an almost imperceptible trace of exhaustion appeared in his blue eyes.
"More and more people have been coming lately."
Uzumaki Sango quietly muttered as she skillfully cleaned up the teacups, her fiery red ponytail gently swaying with her movements.
She picked up a teacup and casually glanced back, only to catch the brief frown on Minato's face.
Although the worry disappeared almost instantly and was replaced by his usual gentle smile.
"You've worked hard, Sango."
Minato stepped forward and took the tray from her hands. Their fingertips brushed together, sharing each other's warmth.
But unlike usual, Sango did not smile.
She stopped what she was doing, looked up at Minato, and her emerald green eyes were filled with unmistakable concern.
"Minato... are you alright? You seem so tired lately."
Minato was slightly startled before his smile widened as he tried to ease her worries with a relaxed tone.
"What could be wrong with me? It's just that I've had more missions lately and... well, a few other things."
He paused before gently rubbing Sango's hair.
"Don't worry. I'm the Yellow Flash."
Sango stared at him for several seconds before lowering her head.
"Mmm."
She quietly responded and continued cleaning, but the concern in her heart remained.
She understood Minato as well as she understood herself.
He was cheerful, strong, and always thought of others first. He was used to hiding all his burdens and worries behind a smile.
And because of that, she felt even more heartbroken.
The two silently finished cleaning the living room.
As the last rays of the setting sun faded away, the room gradually fell into a gentle darkness.
Neither of them turned on the lights.
Instead, they quietly sat across from each other at the small table as an unusual silence filled the room.
In the end, Sango spoke first, her voice carrying hesitation and caution.
"Minato... there seems to be more and more discussion in the village lately... about the position of Hokage."
She carefully chose her words while watching his reaction.
"I heard... people are comparing you with Lord Chiya and saying all kinds of strange things..."
Minato listened quietly.
His gentle smile remained, as though the noisy public discussions had nothing to do with him.
He did not answer immediately.
Instead, he picked up the kettle and poured each of them a cup of warm water.
"Public opinion has always been like this, Sango."
He gently pushed the cup toward her.
"People always want something to talk about. They also want someone to support. That's normal."
"But..."
Sango leaned forward anxiously.
"A lot of what they're saying isn't even true! And... and the Third Hokage..."
She stopped halfway through.
Some things, even if they both understood them, could not be said aloud.
They could both feel Hiruzen Sarutobi secretly pushing everything from behind the scenes.
Minato smiled faintly.
There was a trace of helplessness in that smile.
Of course he knew what Sango had wanted to say.
He simply shook his head without continuing the topic.
Seeing his reaction only made Sango even more worried.
If this continued, wouldn't Minato end up offending Lord Chiya?
She remained silent for a while.
Her hands unconsciously rubbed the warm cup before she finally gathered the courage to ask the question that had lingered in her heart for a long time.
"Minato."
Her voice was soft but unusually clear.
"What do you really think... about becoming Hokage?"
As soon as the question left her lips, silence filled the room.
Even the insects outside seemed louder than before.
The smile gradually disappeared from Minato's face.
He did not answer immediately.
Instead, he lowered his eyes and looked at his blurred reflection in the water.
The warm sunset light danced across his golden hair, but it could not brighten the deep look in his eyes.
After a long while, he slowly raised his head and looked honestly into Sango's eyes.
The blue eyes that were always filled with sunlight now carried complicated yet sincere emotions.
"Hokage..."
He spoke softly, his voice filled with pure longing.
"It has been my dream ever since I was little."
"I've always hoped to become a great ninja like the previous Hokage, protect the village, protect the people important to me, and make Konoha even stronger and more prosperous."
"That dream has never changed."
His voice was firm.
But soon, obvious disappointment and resistance appeared on his face.
"However..."
His tone changed as his brows furrowed again.
"What I want is to reach that position through my own efforts, my own strength, and my own beliefs, earning everyone's recognition step by step."
"Not... not like this."
He paused, clearly finding it difficult to continue, but he still forced himself to speak.
"Not through deliberately manufactured public opinion."
"Not through comparisons that deliberately push someone else down."
"And certainly not through methods that aren't honorable."
"That goes against my ninja way."
"It also tarnishes the honor that the title of Hokage should have."
Sango quietly listened, and her heart stirred.
She understood Minato's pride and principles.
Minato let out a gentle sigh before looking toward the darkening sky outside the window.
His tone became calmer, carrying even a trace of admiration.
"Besides, Sango, we have to admit something. Lord Uchiha Chiya... truly is outstanding."
"In many ways, he's far beyond me. He possesses the strength and determination to end a war."
"He has the calm mind needed to handle complicated situations. His prestige and achievements are real. No amount of public opinion can shake them."
"As the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan, he led the Uchiha out of the mud they were trapped in. He transformed the once proud Uchiha into a source of pride for the villagers."
"In that regard, his leadership has been a tremendous success."
"Compared to him, I still have many shortcomings. I still have far too much to learn and too much experience to gain."
There was no jealousy in his words.
Only calm judgment and sincere respect for someone stronger.
"The position of Hokage requires more than strength and prestige. It also requires the character, wisdom, and sense of responsibility worthy of that position."
"In those areas, Lord Chiya has shown far greater maturity than I have."
Hearing Minato honestly reveal his true thoughts, the tension Sango had been carrying finally eased.
Warmth and relief filled her heart, mixed with a little heartache.
She had not chosen the wrong person.
Her Minato was still the same upright, clear minded Namikaze Minato who always held firmly to his beliefs and pride.
"Mmm!"
Sango nodded firmly, her face finally showing a relieved smile.
"I knew it. That's exactly the kind of person you are."
She paused before speaking more gently.
"Actually... I also think Lord Chiya is amazing."
"Even though all those rumors are annoying... they really don't seem to affect him at all."
As she said that, her brows furrowed again.
"But the public opinion has become more and more excessive."
"Is it really alright?"
"I'm worried..."
She was worried not only about the rumors themselves, but also about the greater storm they might cause, and about Minato, who had been dragged into the center of it all.
Minato smiled helplessly.
How could he not be worried?
The entire situation had already moved beyond his wishes.
It had even moved beyond his control.
He had simply been pushed onto the stage, becoming nothing more than a symbol, a tool used to achieve someone else's political goals.
But what could he do?
Publicly oppose the Third Hokage?
Accuse the people who were "supporting" him?
That would only make everything even more chaotic.
In the end, all he could do was let out a quiet sigh.
It carried endless helplessness and a faint sense of powerlessness.
"There are some things neither you nor I can control."
He spoke softly, obvious fatigue hidden within his voice.
"All we can do is fulfill our own responsibilities."
"I believe... the village will eventually make the right choice."
His gaze drifted outside again.
The lights of Konoha gradually lit up one after another, making the village look peaceful and tranquil.
But beneath that peace, he knew exactly what dangerous currents were flowing.
He simply had no power to stop them.
Sango reached out and gently placed her hand over Minato's resting on the table, silently offering him her support and understanding.
The two quietly sat together in the darkening living room, leaning on one another as they waited for the uncertain tomorrow that seemed destined to bring an approaching storm.
...
Inside the Hokage's office, the air felt as solid as amber, so heavy that it was difficult to breathe.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat lifelessly behind his large desk.
His fingers unconsciously tapped against the desktop, producing a monotonous and restless rhythm.
The kindness that had once defined his face had now been replaced by deep wrinkles of worry.
Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and bloodshot veins filled his cloudy gaze.
His pipe rested nearby without even a trace of smoke, just like the strength that had completely drained from his heart.
Repeated failures.
Public opinion slipping beyond his control.
Old friends distancing themselves.
The younger generation refusing to understand him.
Each of those things weighed upon him like invisible mountains, making it almost impossible to breathe.
He felt as though he were standing on the edge of a cliff.
Below him was a bottomless abyss.
Meanwhile, the balance and traditions he desperately tried to hold onto were slipping through his fingers like sand.
"No... this can't continue."
He muttered to himself, his voice as rough as sandpaper.
"Konoha cannot fall into chaos."
"The Will of Fire cannot end in my hands..."
A desperate impulse drove him forward.
He had to do something.
He had to grab onto the last remaining lifeline.
At that moment, the only people he could think of were the two old partners who had governed alongside him for many years.
Homura Mitokado.
Koharu Utatane.
Although their last meeting had ended badly.
Although deep cracks had already formed between them.
A tiny glimmer of hope still remained in Hiruzen's heart.
Perhaps...
When the village was facing this "crisis," they would still stand by his side.
"Someone!"
He raised his voice, unable to completely hide the slight trembling within it.
An ANBU instantly appeared.
"Go invite Advisor Homura and Advisor Koharu."
"Tell them... I have something important to discuss."
He deliberately emphasized the words "something important," his voice almost pleading.
"Yes."
The ANBU immediately departed.
The wait felt unbearably long.
Hiruzen could not sit still. He repeatedly stood up and paced before forcing himself to sit back down again.
Again and again, he rehearsed what he would say, desperately searching for words that might convince his old friends to support him one last time.
Finally, someone knocked on the office door.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane entered one after another.
Both wore calm expressions.
Their attitudes remained professional and distant. The doubt and scrutiny that had been in their eyes when they last left still remained.
They gave slight nods in greeting before silently standing in front of the desk, waiting for the Third Hokage to speak first.
"Homura... Koharu..."
Hiruzen took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice.
"Please, sit."
The two quietly took their seats.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence alone made Hiruzen panic.
He rubbed his hands together before speaking with difficulty.
"You've both seen the current situation in the village."
Homura adjusted his glasses.
"Hiruzen, if you're referring to the direction of public opinion, then yes, we're aware of it. It's more than public opinion!"
Hiruzen suddenly became emotional.
"It's people's hearts! The Uchiha are expanding their influence beyond anyone's control!"
"They're practically carrying the entire village along with them!"
"And Sakumo. What exactly is he trying to do?"
"The ANBU under his command should be the Hokage's most loyal weapon, but now..."
Koharu interrupted him in her usual calm voice.
"Hiruzen, we believe your previous aggressive strategy was indeed inappropriate. Trying to forcefully oppose them will only produce the opposite result."
"Right now, stability should be our highest priority."
"Stability?"
Hiruzen reacted as though someone had stabbed him.
His voice suddenly rose.
"How are we supposed to maintain stability?"
"Wait until Uchiha Chiya's reputation completely overwhelms everything?"
"Wait until he peacefully takes the position of Hokage without shedding a single drop of blood?"
"When that happens, will Konoha still be Konoha?"
"Will it still be the Konoha we know?"
He leaned forward, staring at the two of them with bloodshot eyes filled with almost obsessive anxiety.
"Homura."
"Koharu."
"We have to act. We must act."
"I need your help. Help me think."
"What else can we do to stop the Uchiha?"
"What else can we do to support Minato?"
Homura and Koharu exchanged another silent glance.
They both saw the exact same conclusion in each other's eyes.
Just as Danzo had said.
Hiruzen's state of mind had already become unbalanced.
His fear and anxiety had overwhelmed even his reason.
"Hiruzen."
Homura slowly spoke, his dry voice unusually heavy.
"We believe the best solution right now is to suspend all action. Stop the excessive promotion of Minato."
"Also stop all targeted actions against the Uchiha. Allow time to calm everything."
"Uchiha Chiya has yet to make any clear declaration."
"There is no need for us to throw ourselves into chaos."
"That's right, Hiruzen."
Koharu gently agreed.
"Perhaps... you should also consider speaking openly with Uchiha Fugaku... and with Chiya himself."
"After all, he is also a member of Konoha."
"He is also the hero who ended the war."
"Talk? Talk to them?"
Hiruzen looked as though he had heard the greatest joke imaginable.
His face was filled with disbelief and bitterness.
"What would I talk about?"
"How to divide Konoha's power?"
"Or how to help the Uchiha rightfully ascend to the position of Hokage?"
"Have both of you forgotten Teacher Tobirama's teachings? The power of the Uchiha must be kept in check!"
Again.
Keeping the Uchiha in check.
Homura and Koharu's hearts sank at the same time.
Danzo's words echoed through their minds once more.
Looking at their stubborn old friend, who could no longer listen to any advice, the final trace of hope in their hearts disappeared.
They understood that saying anything more would be pointless.
"Since you've already made up your mind, then we have nothing else to suggest."
Homura slowly stood up, his tone becoming noticeably colder.
"If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave. There are still many matters waiting to be handled in the Advisory Department."
Koharu also stood.
Seeing the two preparing to leave again, Hiruzen's anxiety instantly reached its peak.
An overwhelming sense of isolation consumed him.
He couldn't let them leave.
He had to hold onto something.
"Wait!"
He suddenly shouted, his voice cracking.
The two stopped and turned back, confusion in their eyes.
Hiruzen breathed heavily as his mind raced.
A reckless and impulsive idea suddenly formed.
He had to prove his trust.
He had to bind them completely to his side.
He even needed the power they possessed.
He hurried behind his desk, opened a hidden compartment, and took out a scroll along with an unusually designed communication device.
His fingers trembled slightly as he placed both items onto the desk.
"Homura."
"Koharu."
His voice was lowered.
"I know my previous decisions may have caused both of you to have doubts."
"But everything I've done... was for Konoha."
He pointed toward the two items.
"This is part of Root's highest authority scroll."
"And this is the communication device used to directly contact the Root squad responsible for intelligence outside the village."
"Danzo... He can no longer be trusted."
"So I'll temporarily place this portion of Root's power under your care."
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane's pupils suddenly contracted.
They stared in disbelief at the items on the desk before slowly looking back at Hiruzen.
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