The Hokage's office was quiet, save for the faint scratching of ink on paper as Hiruzen Sarutobi reviewed a mission report. The Third Hokage had seen countless meetings, countless decisions, and countless young shinobi pass through these very walls, but today's meeting held a different feel to it.
When Minato entered, his posture was relaxed, hands tucked into his pockets, but there was a purposefulness in the way he walked.
Hiruzen looked up, already knowing what this conversation would be about.
"Minato," he greeted, setting down his brush. "I assume this visit is about Arashi."
Minato nodded, taking a seat across from the desk. "Yes, it is. I wanted to give you a progress report on how things have been going with him in the compound and an idea about what his future holds."
Hiruzen steepled his fingers, listening attentively. "Go on."
Minato leaned back slightly. "It's only been a few days, but Kushina's been training him in fuinjutsu, pretty intensely, I might add."
Hiruzen raised a brow, mildly surprised. "Already?" A smile graced his features, "Actually that doesn't surprise me considering it's Kushina."
Minato smirked. "Yeah, you know how she is. The moment she saw that he was an Uzumaki, she made it her personal mission to drill sealing techniques into his head."
Hiruzen chuckled. "That does indeed sound like her. I remember the first coupld of students I sent her way. They all wanted to quit within the first couple of days."
Minato let out a laugh and continued "But the thing is, he's actually picking it up fast. Faster than either of us expected."
This caught Hiruzen's full attention.
"Really?" The Hokage sat up slightly, stroking his beard. "How fast are we talking?"
Minato tilted his head slightly. "Well, let's just say Kushina tried to drown him in information on day one, and not only did he retain most of it, but he was able to repeat back core fuinjutsu principles within a matter of hours."
Hiruzen's eyebrows lifted in genuine interest. "So he has a natural affinity for it."
"He does,I'd say he's a prodigy by normal village standards but the Uzumaki are also naturally more inclined with sealing techniques so I can't fully say whether it's abnormal for an Uzumaki," Minato confirmed.
The Hokage leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. "That's quite unexpected." He tapped a finger against the desk. "If this keeps up, we could very well have another seal master in the village."
Minato nodded. "That's what I was thinking too. If that were the case then we'd have a total of three in the village at that point. Me, Kushina, and Arashi."
Hiruzen's gaze turned toward the window, looking out over the village. Another Uzumaki seal master… That was no small thing, let alone now when the Uzumaki clan had been all but wiped of the face of the planet completely.
The last time Konoha had a true Uzumaki seal master, before Kushina, it had been her mother. And during that same time, the legendary Mito Uzumaki, was still alive and able to create seals.
If Arashi had even a fraction of that potential…
"Good," Hiruzen finally said, his tone thoughtful. "It's reassuring to know that his integration into the village is progressing well. Has he formed any bonds yet? Outside of you and Kushina?"
Minato sighed, shaking his head. "Not yet. We haven't gotten him to leave the compound yet."
Hiruzen hummed in response, though he didn't seem surprised.
"I was hoping Kakashi would come around at some point so I could introduce them and try to encourage a bond to form but he hasn't yet."
Hiruzen nodded as if he expected that outcome. "I suppose that makes sense. Since Kakshi came back from the mission where he killed Rin he hasn't been the same."
Minato nodded "Which brings me to my next point, I'm going to put the two of them on a team together."
"So you've decided that that's the path forward, then?"
Minato shrugged. "Not officially. But the more I think about it, the more I think they'd be good training partners. They're both around the same age, ridiculously strong for how old they are, and I think putting them together would help push both of them to new levels."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. "That does make sense… but what makes you so sure that Arashi is on Kakashi's level?"
Minato smirked, leaning forward slightly. "The first time I saw Arashi fight was when he took down a high-jonin from Iwa."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly. "A high-jonin?"
Minato nodded. "When I first crossed paths with Arashi, I sensed an unusual chakra near the edge of the Land of Fire. Given the wartime conditions, I went to investigate. That's when I found Arashi sprinting alone through the forest. I chased him for a few minutes, and when he finally stopped, I confronted him about being on Fire Country soil."
Hiruzen listened in silence as Minato continued recounting their first encounter.
"Before he even spoke, small wooden knives began growing from his palms. That's how I realized he used Wood Style."
"Things escalated from there. A large part of the forest ended up catching fire—set ablaze by the Iwa shinobi. That's when Arashi's detached attitude disappeared. He got angry—furious, even—like he shared a deep bond with the forest itself. Then it was as if the woods came alive. Roots burst from the ground, branches wrapped around the Iwa ninja… and before I could stop it, the man was crushed. Dead. The trees killed him."
Hiruzen said nothing for a long moment. "That does line up with how the First Hokage described his kekkei genkai. He always said the trees were as close to him as his family and his village. It's why he built the village so deep in the forest in the first place."
Minato smiled slightly at hearing a story about the First Hokage. He had always been fascinated by the way both his personality and his powers were portrayed.
"And you're saying this boy, a fifteen-year-old, took out a high-jōnin-level enemy on his own?"
Minato held his gaze. "Yes."
Hiruzen drummed his fingers against the desk, weighing the implications. That level of power wasn't typical. Once a generation, a rare talent would emerge in the village. Kakashi had seemed like that one for this era, but now Minato was speaking just as highly of Arashi.
"…Very well," Hiruzen said after a pause. "Maybe you're right. A training partnership could be worth trying."
Minato offered a faint smile. "That's what I was thinking too."
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully. "Kakashi's been… drifting since Rin died. If he works with someone like Arashi, someone strong, but with a completely different mindset, it might give him the push he needs."
Minato exhaled. "That's my hope as well."
Hiruzen fell quiet again, clearly still weighing the idea. Then he gave a slow nod. "Alright, Minato. Go ahead with your plan. If you need anything, let me know, we'll try to make it happen."
Minato's face eased, like a weight had finally lifted. "Thank you, Lord Third."
Hiruzen sighed. "Let's hope you're right though. Danzo won't take this denial lightly, and if it backfires… I won't be able to stop him from taking the boy."
Minato's eyes darkened, just a touch.
"I understand."
Hiruzen studied him for a long beat, then gave a final nod. "Keep me updated. If this works, we might have a team worth watching."
Minato stood and smiled. "I'll make sure of it."
He turned and left.
Hiruzen watched him go, his thoughts still calculating the possibilities.
'If Arashi and Kakashi really were on the same level…'