The brief respite of peaceful life was always destined to be broken.
A week later, Kazuyama Gekkō was summoned to the small plaza atop the Hokage's Office Building, facing the Hokage Rock.
Minato Namikaze was already waiting for him, with Fugaku Uchiha by his side.
"Hey, Minato, what's the rush calling me over like this?"
"I'm swamped—teaching, training, and now I've got to train your squad too. Man, people really are workhorses."
Kazuyama Gekkō grumbled, and Fugaku Uchiha gave a heavy nod. His thoughts were exactly the same.
Busy! Busy to the point of spinning like a top every single day, no chance to stop.
"Hahaha, the capable take on more."
"Anyway, I called you both here because there's something I need to discuss."
Minato casually hooked an arm around each of them, pulling the three into a shoulder-to-shoulder stance.
The three had always been close friends. Even now, with each of them holding different positions, their bond hadn't faded at all.
"Alright, Lord Hokage, what's the order?"
"Yeah, hurry up and say it. I've got work waiting."
Kazuyama Gekkō and Fugaku Uchiha both put strength into their arms, lifting Minato up between them.
"There is something. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time."
"The enemy who appeared during the Nine-Tails Night, and the matter with Takigakure—both have weighed heavily on my mind."
"In the end, I decided I can't stay confused on my own. You two are my right-hand men, my closest friends and comrades. I'm counting on you."
Madara Uchiha and Takigakure?
Kazuyama Gekkō didn't react much, but Fugaku Uchiha's face immediately grew heavy.
Everyone in the village knew the Nine-Tails Incident—an Uchiha had attacked, causing the Nine-Tails' rampage. Though stopped in time, the destruction was great.
Hearing Minato's words, Fugaku Uchiha's expression shifted again and again.
Seeing this, Minato patted his shoulder.
"Relax, Fugaku. I know this wasn't the Uchiha's doing. The intruder may have been of your clan, but it had nothing to do with you."
"Kazuyama, you know who it was, don't you?"
"And that Rinnegan user."
Kazuyama Gekkō nodded. At this point, speculation had become fact—there was no need to hide it anymore.
The enemy had already surfaced. What was left to conceal?
"An Uchiha who left the village long ago, one who possessed eyes terrifying enough to control the Nine-Tails."
"Tch. Madara Uchiha. If it's him, then having someone with the Rinnegan at his side wouldn't be strange at all."
"Add his hatred toward Konoha, and everything makes sense."
Madara Uchiha...
A name silent for years, but even their generation of shinobi knew it well.
A man who could rival the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. A terrifying shinobi, and the forebear of the Uchiha clan.
"Madara Uchiha, huh..."
"Indeed. Those strange ocular powers... the Mangekyō Sharingan..."
"Kazuyama, Fugaku, our situation is far more dangerous than it looks."
"The enemies hidden in the dark are always the deadliest."
Minato spoke with grave seriousness. Hearing this, Kazuyama Gekkō felt a pang of unease.
He suspected this guy was just laying the groundwork for dumping trouble on them.
And clearly, he wasn't alone—Fugaku Uchiha beat him to it.
"Hmph. Minato, you weren't always this long-winded."
"Say it—how do you want us to help?"
"Do you want us to deal with Amegakure and Takigakure, or track down Madara Uchiha's whereabouts?"
Blunt as ever, Fugaku Uchiha gave Minato no room to circle around the issue.
Minato chuckled awkwardly.
"That was indeed my plan. At this stage, other villages aren't a threat, so we can spare the manpower to seek answers."
"But for now, we just need to figure out Takigakure's motives."
"Amegakure has already been handed to Root Division."
"As for Madara Uchiha, I've entrusted that matter temporarily to Jiraiya-sensei. Since he roams the shinobi world, he's well suited to gather intelligence."
As he spoke, Minato's eyes shifted to Kazuyama Gekkō.
The meaning behind that look couldn't have been clearer.
Seeing it, Kazuyama Gekkō immediately knew—this bastard was still planning to use him.
"Damn it, I knew it. You're making me run again."
"Why not send Fugaku? He runs better than me!"
Kazuyama Gekkō held his arm next to Fugaku Uchiha's, inviting a comparison.
Sure enough, Fugaku's arm was thicker.
His build was sturdier than both Minato's and Kazuyama's.
But the gesture only darkened Fugaku's face. Was this any way to compare? That bastard!
"Then who do you suggest goes?"
"You're one of Konoha's Twin Stars. Only you can represent the village's position."
The same tired excuse. But Kazuyama Gekkō wasn't about to fall for it.
"Yeah, right. I'm not going."
"If anyone should go to Takigakure, I say send Kakashi's team."
"During the last Chūnin Exams, they were clearly curious about Kakashi and his squad."
"So let the younger generation take this chance. Old men like me, who can barely move anymore, should just stay in the village and teach."
It was shameless to the extreme. How old was Kazuyama Gekkō, really????
Already calling himself an old man? One who couldn't even move?
Heaven help them—how could someone be so shameless?
But, truthfully, his words reminded Minato of something. During the Chūnin Exams, Takigakure had indeed shown unusual interest in Konoha's younger shinobi.
He didn't know the real reason—that it was because they were Kazuyama Gekkō's disciples.
Of course Takigakure would be curious. Especially Yugito.
Not to mention their squad leader had been Konan. It would have been strange if they weren't curious.
"Alright. But entrusting Amegakure to Root still worries me."
"You both know Danzō Shimura's nature. He'll never be content. I've been planning for a long time to marginalize Root, even slowly replace it."
"But that old man isn't easy to deal with. The title 'Shadow of the Ninja World' isn't just for show."
Oh? That caught Kazuyama Gekkō's interest.
Taking action against Danzō? He had to be the one leading that.
"You're planning to move against Root?"
"Yes. I've thought about it. The village needs unity. An unstable division like that shouldn't exist."
"Well then, now you've got me motivated!"