"Kai-kun…"
Minato Namikaze frowned slightly, clearly unsettled by Uchiha Kai's attitude.
Did Kai really acquire the intelligence that forced the Iwa shinobi into submission?
Minato wasn't sure, but the idea of Kai holding back such valuable information only to leverage it now left him uneasy.
He could tell—Kai wasn't in a good mood. Anyone would be frustrated in his shoes: being forced to pull back right before eliminating a dangerous enemy, someone who had caused them great harm. But to threaten a tactical exchange over withheld intel? That didn't sit right with Minato.
"It's still early, Captain Minato."
Uchiha Kai smiled as he sat calmly on a severed tree stump. "I just wanted to talk. As for the intel—look around. Maybe you'll piece it together without me saying a word."
Minato inhaled quietly, trying to stay composed. "What is it you want to talk about, Kai-kun?"
He cast a glance toward the battlefield, but quickly turned his eyes back. There wasn't much to see—just scorched earth and shattered rock.
Kai's fighting style wasn't flashy. He didn't unleash grand-scale jutsu like some others. But his precision was ruthless. Still, the one they'd fought—Loess—had turned the area into a wasteland with his brute force and earth-style techniques. The bodies were buried, mangled, or disintegrated. There'd be no clues left here.
So Minato looked back at Kai, quietly waiting. There was something deeper going on here—something Kai clearly wanted to say.
"I wanted to ask you a question," Kai said after a moment. His tone had shifted—more serious, less guarded. "Do you dream of becoming Hokage?"
"…Hokage?"
Minato's pupils narrowed slightly, a flicker of emotion passing through them. But a moment later, he offered a warm smile.
"Hokage… Every kid born in Konoha dreams of becoming Hokage one day. I imagine you once did too, Kai-kun."
It was a deflection, and Kai saw through it immediately. The Uchiha's eyes didn't waver.
Minato might smile, but Kai had learned to read beyond masks. He could see the hesitation behind the warmth, the political awareness behind the words.
Minato was a genius, yes. A former student of Jiraiya. He was already recognized by the village's elite—respected by his peers and trusted with leadership roles. And his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, was the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. Kai knew that put Minato squarely inside Konoha's inner circle.
But Hokage wasn't just about strength or recognition. It was about timing, politics, and approval from the powerful clans and elders. Kai knew that well—perhaps better than most.
Tsunade only became Fifth Hokage because the elders had no better alternative after Jiraiya refused. And even then, power brokers like Danzo nearly manipulated their way into control. Kakashi, later on, only succeeded because the old generation had been decimated, and the new one rallied behind him.
Kai exhaled, the corner of his mouth curling into a bitter smile.
"No… I don't want to be Hokage. Not anymore." His voice was quiet. "And besides… the village would never let a Uchiha wear that hat."
Minato's smile faded. For a moment, his face went blank, like he wasn't sure how to respond.
"Kai-kun…" he began.
"You've apologized enough today, Captain Minato," Kai cut in with a faint tilt of his head. "That's not like you. And I think you know—I wasn't just asking about your dream. I was talking about generations."
Minato fell silent.
He looked at Kai carefully, eyes narrowing, as if trying to read between the lines. He wanted to walk away—there was something deeply unsettling about this whole conversation—but he couldn't. Kai had something valuable. Something crucial.
And more than that, Minato wanted to answer truthfully. I do want it. I've always wanted it… But he couldn't say it out loud. Not here. Not now.
For a long moment, the two of them sat in silence. Five minutes passed, unbroken by words—just that quiet intensity hanging between them.
Kai stared back, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Is this guy falling in love with me or something? The way Minato kept looking at him—with that blend of curiosity, caution, and burden—it was exhausting.
Finally, Minato exhaled deeply.
"…Alright, Kai-kun."
His tone was steady again. "Say what you came to say. But I have one condition."
"Go ahead." Kai's grin returned, though it was tempered with something more sincere now.
"After we talk—no matter what I decide—I want the information. No games."
Kai nodded. "Fair. Either way, I'll give it to you. Whether you agree or not."