When the Hokage communicates with subordinates, it is only natural for ANBU guards to be present.
However, if the Hokage is speaking with a subordinate in a private capacity—for example, as a teacher, or as the teacher of his own disciple—
Under such a shift in identity, the ANBU members would normally withdraw, giving the Hokage sufficient privacy.
Natsuhiko once had a subordinate who served in the Hokage's office. Almost every time Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, or Mitokado Homura arrived, the ANBU would be required to leave.
Yet now, not only had the ANBU not withdrawn—they were guarding the office even more attentively.
On top of that, within the ANBU itself, it was rare to hear the voice of the Fourth Hokage issuing orders. Almost everything was decided unilaterally by the Third Hokage.
With circumstances this thought-provoking, Natsuhiko didn't believe that Namikaze Minato lacked his own ideas.
After all, Natsuhiko had subtly "fanned the flames" through Kakashi before.
Coupled with the friendly relationship he displayed with Kakashi, his five-year ANBU service record, and his current position as a squad captain—
All of it served as the necessary conditions to attract Minato's attention.
If Minato genuinely wanted to reclaim the Hokage's authority—if he truly wished to change Konoha through his position—then the conflict between him and the Third Hokage's faction could not possibly cease.
To say nothing else, the Uchiha clan alone was enough to create friction between him and the Third Hokage's group.
Minato, carrying on Jiraiya's will and ideals, hoped to reintegrate the Uchiha back into Konoha.
However, in the eyes of those who inherited the Second Hokage's ideology—especially people like Danzō—the Uchiha were a problem that must eventually be dealt with.
Old and new ideologies.
Reality and ideals colliding.
Natsuhiko found himself rather looking forward to it.
Though… it was somewhat unfortunate.
Natsuhiko sighed quietly as he stepped out of the Hokage Building.
It was a beautiful day. Sunlight poured down upon him, and he couldn't help but frown slightly.
Perhaps he had spent too long in the ANBU—whenever he wore his mask, he found it difficult to walk beneath Konoha's sunlight.
The strange, indescribable feeling made him smile wryly to himself.
The ANBU really wasn't a place fit for ordinary people.
"Still, this meeting can be considered a perfect one."
He touched the scroll in his pocket, quickly adjusted his mood, and soon concealed himself back into the shadows.
In truth, the scroll Minato had given him was merely an introductory text on sealing techniques. Natsuhiko already possessed similar materials.
After all, he was from the Senju clan.
Even though the clan had declined to the point that even its own members were unclear about their identity, they still retained some foundation.
Uzumaki Mito had once been the princess of the Uzumaki clan. While she had handed over part of her sealing techniques to Konoha, there were still many that had never been passed on.
Some of those remaining techniques had stayed within the Senju clan and were currently under the care of a certain elder.
As for the rest—their whereabouts were unknown. Many believed those sealing arts had vanished into history alongside the destruction of the Uzumaki clan.
But Natsuhiko didn't think so.
Although he had not yet had the opportunity to investigate the old Uzumaki residence on the outskirts of Konoha—now practically abandoned—he believed there were definitely many secrets hidden there.
The reason he hadn't gone to investigate was simple:
There was still a member of the Uzumaki clan living in Konoha.
Although Kushina Uzumaki had already married Namikaze Minato, Natsuhiko didn't believe she would never visit that place.
And precisely because she was still alive, Konoha likely hadn't laid a hand on it yet.
"Though it's truly unbelievable that when Konoha finally did act, the Shinigami Mask was still left there."
Of course, that was just a passing remark. Konoha didn't know the method to undo the Reaper Death Seal, so naturally they wouldn't understand the importance of the Shinigami Mask either.
The mask itself didn't concern Natsuhiko much. It was enough that he knew roughly where the other sealing techniques were located.
He had even already made up his mind—no matter what choices he made in the future, he would visit that place at certain key moments.
Especially now, when his need for sealing techniques was extremely high. Whether he mastered them fully or not, he had no intention of letting those sealing arts fall into someone else's hands.
With such a large "fortune" potentially available to him, Natsuhiko naturally had little interest in the "introductory material" Minato had given him.
At the same time, Natsuhiko was certain Minato knew that sealing techniques were best learned through hands-on guidance.
"If you could master sealing techniques just by reading a textbook, what would teachers even be for?"
Walking slowly forward, Natsuhiko kept himself concealed in the shadows as he thought carefully.
The scroll Minato had given him wasn't truly meant for study.
It was simply a method to smuggle something in under the guise of something ordinary.
Those who didn't practice sealing arts wouldn't notice anything unusual. And even for those who did, giving a beginner's text in advance wouldn't raise suspicion.
Minato's position as Hokage must have been quite suffocating—he had to use such indirect means just to arrange a genuine meeting with Natsuhiko.
But this approach also made one thing clear to Natsuhiko:
Minato likely had ideas regarding the ANBU.
The scroll itself was indeed ordinary. But the moment Natsuhiko received it, he had already used his sensory abilities to examine it carefully.
And he had naturally discovered the small secret hidden inside.
Within the scroll was a very special formula.
"If I'm not mistaken… that should be the Flying Thunder God mark."
That's right—Minato had left behind such a mark inside the scroll.
A Flying Thunder God mark.
If certain things couldn't be discussed properly in the office, then naturally they could only be discussed somewhere without others present—outside the ANBU's "protective perimeter."
Natsuhiko didn't know when Minato intended to come find him.
But he didn't particularly care.
After all, he had also seen the Flying Thunder God scroll before.
"Rather than waiting for him to take the initiative to find me, it's better if I activate the mark myself and contact him first."
If you want to gain someone's trust, you must first show enough sincerity yourself.
This time, Natsuhiko intended to be more candid.
He would clearly tell Minato that he knew about the Flying Thunder God.
He could even tell him that his name wasn't truly Fukami Natsuhiko.
It should be Senju Natsuhiko.
He believed Minato already knew this information anyway.
After all—
Even if he lacked real authority, he was still the Hokage.