Chapter 247 – Two Hokage
The inferno raged, devouring the forest with terrifying speed.
At first, it was villagers who noticed the strange glow in the night. Soon, all of Konoha felt the unease of this unnatural blaze.
In his home, the retired Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was shaken awake by his wife, Biwako.
At first, Hiruzen dismissed it as nothing unusual. But when he saw the flames spreading through that particular forest, his face darkened.
The fire was too fierce, too deliberate. There was no wind tonight; this was no accident.
More troubling—Hiruzen remembered exactly what lay in that forest. It was one of Danzō's research bases.
His expression turned grim, then twisted into a cold smile. Orochimaru had never spoken of it openly, but once Danzō discovered his involvement, he had revealed certain things.
Things about the Police Captain, that young Uchiha. And about Uchiha Fugaku standing behind him.
They had uncovered something—something Danzō's people had been working on.
The news had unsettled Hiruzen at first. He had even considered arranging a quiet "conversation" with the Yamanaka clan to clean up any loose ends. But, unexpectedly, the Uchiha had not pressed the issue.
That had eased his worries, and at the same time, lowered his regard for Fugaku.
Such indecisiveness. Such hesitation. Not worth a second glance.
The Police reforms had once made Hiruzen wary of him. But now, it seemed Fugaku was little more than a man who bluffed bigger than his bite.
"Most likely he hoped to use it for leverage… or negotiation."
Hiruzen's lip curled faintly, but his caution remained. He had immediately ordered Danzō to cover their tracks—relocating equipment, moving personnel, and burying the research files deeper.
Even though he was confident Root was secure, Hiruzen would not gamble. Danzō obeyed, sealing the records personally so that only he could access them.
Hiruzen had thought the matter buried. Yet here they were again, the Uchiha stirring up flames.
The blaze in the forest was clearly no accident—clearly ninjutsu. And since that forest held a research base, only the Uchiha would have reason to spark such a scene.
Hiruzen gave a cold snort but remained still, waiting. He wanted to see how far they intended to go.
"Lord Third."
A knock. A man in black entered, kneeling low. Hiruzen recognized him—once of Root, now folded into ANBU, utterly loyal to both him and Danzō.
"Well? Report."
"Yes, Lord Third," the ninja murmured.
"There is chakra in the flames. It's artificial. The fire is too strong; we cannot approach for now. Around the forest, the Police Force has gathered in force. It looks like a pre-arranged operation."
"As expected," Hiruzen muttered, a cruel smile on his lips. "What else? Speak."
"Yes. According to reports, the Uchiha obtained a search warrant several hours ago—signed by the Fourth Hokage. In addition, Lord Orochimaru was sighted within the forest tonight. It seems he and the Police have clashed."
"Orochimaru is inside?" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "Damn it. That base—it's been cleared, hasn't it?"
"Please rest assured. Everything has already been removed."
Hiruzen nodded, relief softening his frown.
Danzō, for all their disagreements, had not failed him. They had their quarrels—too many to count—but when it came to essentials, they were the strongest of partners.
Shared interests bound them. And beyond politics, they were still… friends.
They had long ago learned to draw the line between private bonds and political rivalry. On the stage of power, they could fight tooth and nail. Off it, they could still drink tea and feed the koi together. That, to them, was true friendship.
"And what does Danzō intend to do?" Hiruzen asked suddenly, a glint of steel in his eye.
"He awaits your orders, Lord Third," the ninja replied.
Hiruzen let out a booming laugh.
"Await my orders? Ha! I wager he's already itching to see this farce with his own eyes. Go. Tell him—we'll go together."
"Yes, Lord Third."
---
"Has it begun already?"
From the balcony of the Hokage Residence, Minato Namikaze gazed toward the distant glow of the burning forest, his eyes narrowing.
"What is it, Minato?" Kushina rubbed her sleepy eyes as she stepped out beside him. Her belly had grown large with child. "A fire? Really? Who sets half the forest ablaze in the middle of the night?"
"Go back to bed, Kushina," Minato said gently, smiling. "This isn't as simple as it looks. I'll go check—it won't take long."
"Not simple, huh? Ever since you met with Jiraiya-sensei, you've been all mysterious."
She yawned, then her expression grew stern.
"Whatever this is, be careful. I don't care what schemes are in play—you put your safety first. Understand?"
For all her fiery temper, Kushina's heart was sensitive, watchful. Perhaps it was because she'd grown up marked as a Jinchūriki, isolated and lonely, her red hair making her a constant target. She had learned to mask her vulnerability with bluster and ferocity.
Until she met the first person who truly accepted her—Minato Namikaze.
"Don't worry. It's nothing serious," Minato assured her, his smile warm. "Kei already spoke to me. There won't be a fight. I just need to… confirm a few things."
"Kei, huh? So he's after someone again?"
Kushina had always felt a certain fondness for Uchiha Kei. After all, he was the one who had dragged Kakashi back from hell.
"I'm not sure what he's after," Minato admitted, scratching his head with a sheepish smile. "Kei likes to keep things mysterious—especially now that he's the Police Head."
"Mm. Well, don't push yourself." Kushina smiled, though her words carried a hint of complaint. "Go quickly, come back quickly. Honestly, Kei picking the middle of the night to stir up trouble—so annoying."
Minato just gave a dry laugh, rubbing the back of his neck as Kushina turned and shuffled back toward their room. Only then did his smile fade into a quiet sigh.
He hated lying to her. But perhaps this wasn't a lie—if he convinced himself there wouldn't be any dangerous fighting, then it wasn't truly deception.
Still, his face grew grave. His instincts told him otherwise.
There would be a battle tonight.
Kei hadn't explained the details. He hadn't even come himself—he had sent a Police officer to deliver the message. At first, Minato hadn't thought much of it. But the more he reflected, the clearer it became. Nothing about this was simple.
Kei had openly requested a search warrant. Brazen. Deliberate. And the site he was targeting? One shielded by the Third Hokage himself. A place even Minato couldn't freely touch.
It was guaranteed to draw attention.
By Kei's design, Fugaku would surely appear. Perhaps even others of weight and influence. And once the noise grew loud enough, some men would no longer be able to sit idly in their dens.
Men like the Third Hokage. And his old allies.
Minato's eyes narrowed. He finally understood Kei's intent. And he had to admit—it was a brilliant move.
As long as the documents weren't destroyed, this was a rare, precious opportunity.
"Kei's pushed it this far. If I don't act now, I'd be letting him down."
Minato's expression hardened. To protect Kei, he had deliberately informed his own teacher of Kei's location—but not his true mission. With Jiraiya present, Kei's life would not be in danger.
So long as Kei didn't act recklessly, even if the Third came himself, it wouldn't spiral beyond control.
Yes, the whole affair would still devolve into a spectacle. The Police Force, and Kei himself, would be humiliated. But humiliation was better than death.
"It's time to move."
Minato leapt into the night, vanishing across the rooftops toward Root's hidden sector.
Midway, he split into four shadow clones. One sped toward the burning forest. The other three slipped into different directions—toward certain homes that needed to be checked.
It was risky, spreading his chakra so thin. And if exposed, it could cause chaos. But Minato knew he had to be thorough.
"Besides…" his eyes glinted coldly. "I still have Flying Thunder God."