[Read up to 69 Chapters in advance on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
.
.
.
.
'Did Kushina arrange for Minato's release?' he wondered, a flicker of doubt crossing his face.
He knew that Kushina had visited the Uchiha Compound on the very morning Minato was freed; his ANBU guards had reported as much.
Although Hiruzen had been displeased with them for allowing her to go, he couldn't really blame them. After all, Kushina had bound them with her Adamantine Chains before leaving, making resistance impossible. The responsibility lay with her, but even then, he couldn't bring himself to fault her too harshly. She likely hadn't gone there for any selfish reason.
Aside from wanting to secure Minato's release, he couldn't think of another motive for her visit. And considering that Minato had been released that same day, it seemed almost certain that Kushina had been the one to arrange it.
'And if that's the case… what could she have offered Uchiha Kanzou in return?' The thought made his chest tighten with unease.
Unlike Minato, Kushina had plenty she could have offered Kanzou in exchange for his release, such as the Uzumaki Clan's Fūinjutsu scrolls or other clan secrets, many of which even Hiruzen himself wasn't privy to. Any of those would only make Uchiha Kanzou even more dangerous and difficult to deal with.
And now, with the Uchiha Clan suddenly surrounding their compound in a barrier formation, Hiruzen's suspicions deepened.
'I'll have to find out exactly which Fūinjutsu scrolls she gave to Kanzou…' Hiruzen thought grimly, a headache forming.
While he was lost in these thoughts, Minato too wondered whether Kushina had arranged his release. 'I hope she recovers soon so I can talk to her,' he thought. He knew he owed her both an apology for the trouble he'd caused and gratitude for what she'd likely done on his behalf.
For now, Minato had to focus on getting Jiraiya out of the prison. He looked at the Hokage and asked earnestly, "Hokage-sama… how can we get Jiraiya-sensei and my squadmates released from the Uchiha prison?"
Hiruzen's expression grew thoughtful as he began to weigh the situation carefully.
To secure Jiraiya's release, Hiruzen would have to offer something to Uchiha Kanzou, especially since Jiraiya had been imprisoned with legitimate charges. But Hiruzen had no intention of negotiating with him. In his eyes, Kanzou was already an enemy of the village, and there was no reason to make concessions to an enemy.
Adding to that, there was the ever-present concern that the Uchiha Clan might be preparing for rebellion. Hiruzen desperately hoped that wasn't true, because in his current weakened state, he was in no position to confront Uchiha Kanzou directly. To make matters worse, the surrounding nations were watching the Land of Fire closely, waiting for the slightest opportunity to strike.
Even so, Hiruzen couldn't ignore the signs; Kanzou's actions suggested he might very well be trying to ignite the flames of war.
And if that were the case, leaving Jiraiya imprisoned was out of the question.
If the Uchiha truly intended to rebel, Konoha would need every ounce of strength it could muster, and Jiraiya was far too valuable a shinobi to leave imprisoned.
This put Hiruzen in a difficult position. He needed to free Jiraiya, yet he refused to negotiate with Uchiha Kanzou.
'There's only one option…' Hiruzen thought, his gaze shifting to Minato. "Minato," he asked slowly, "to what extent have you mastered the Flying Raijin?"
"Well…" Minato scratched his cheek, already understanding what Hiruzen was implying. "It's not completely perfected yet, but…" He hesitated. There were still times when the Flying Raijin failed to activate. The instances were becoming rarer, but the technique was far from flawless.
"Can you infiltrate the Police Force headquarters and break the sealing technique suppressing Jiraiya's chakra?" Hiruzen asked directly, his tone heavy with intent.
"I can try… no, I will get Jiraiya-sensei out," Minato said firmly, his expression resolute.
In truth, even without Hiruzen's direct order, Minato had already been considering rescuing Jiraiya and his squadmates from the Uchiha Police Station using the Flying Raijin. The only reason he hadn't acted earlier was that Jiraiya's imprisonment had been on legitimate grounds, and his squadmates had been detained under suspicion. According to Konoha's laws, the Uchiha Police Force did possess the authority to make arrests.
Yes, they were clearly abusing that authority and making life difficult for others, but the fact remained that their power came from two generations of Hokage. If Minato were to break Jiraiya and the others out by force, it would be tantamount to defying the Hokage's law. Such an act could easily brand him a traitor.
Someone like Uzumaki Naruto, who barely paid attention in the Academy, might not be aware of such things or might not have even cared about such things. But Minato did. He understood the implications, the subtle politics, and the potential consequences all too well. That was why, until now, he had restrained himself.
But with the Hokage's personal authorization, there was no longer any need to hold back. Minato was Given that he'd been assigned to infiltrate the Uchiha Police Station and rescue Jiraiya along with his squadmates, and seeing the heightened security around the Hokage's residence, Minato could sense that tensions with the Uchiha Clan were dangerously high. It almost felt as though a major conflict was on the verge of erupting.
Still, he knew it wasn't his place to dwell on such matters. His focus needed to remain clear: rescue Jiraiya, Dekai, and Naoki. Nothing else.
Hiruzen nodded approvingly. "In that case, I'm assigning this mission to you. Infiltrate the Uchiha Police Station without being detected and get Jiraiya, along with your squadmates, out safely."
"I understand, Hokage-sama," Minato replied, nodding once more. He rose to his feet and turned to leave, but before he could exit, Hiruzen's voice stopped him.
"Be very careful, Minato. Don't get caught. If you find yourself in danger, retreat immediately. And no matter what happens, if you encounter Uchiha Kanzou, don't look him in the eyes." Hiruzen's tone carried both authority and concern.
After all, infiltrating the Uchiha Police Station was no different from stepping directly into enemy territory. The risk was immense, even for someone like Minato with the Flying Raijin.
Minato, unaware of the deeper motives behind those words, felt genuinely touched by his mentor's care. He nodded with quiet determination. "I will, Hokage-sama."
With that, he left the room, while Hiruzen watched him go, silently hoping the boy wouldn't cross paths with Uchiha Kanzou.
Minato, with his mastery of the Flying Raijin, was far too valuable to risk losing again.
While Minato set out to carry out his mission, Hiruzen turned to the Deputy ANBU Commander and said, "Send a message to the ANBU assigned to guard Kushina. Tell them to bring her here."
The commander nodded. "Hai," he replied before turning to leave and deliver the message.
Just then, a knock came at the door. An ANBU reported that Fugaku had arrived as ordered.
"Let him in," Hiruzen said, straightening his posture as he watched Fugaku enter the room.
"Hokage-sama," Fugaku greeted curtly, his expression composed as he faced Hiruzen.
"Fugaku," Hiruzen began without preamble, "do you know what's happening within the Uchiha Clan?"
Fugaku shook his head. "I haven't confirmed anything yet." He was aware that the Uchiha Compound had surrounded itself with a barrier formation, but beyond that, he had no information about what was actually going on inside.
"I see…" Hiruzen murmured, then leaned forward slightly. "In that case, I need you to find out. Figure out what Uchiha Kanzou is planning, whether the clan intends to…" He paused, locking eyes with Fugaku before finishing, "…rebel against the village, or if something else is at play."
There was a simple reason Hiruzen entrusted this task to him. Despite being exiled from the clan, Fugaku still retained a few contacts within it, connections Hiruzen now wanted him to use.
Hearing those words, Fugaku's expression hardened. Knowing Kanzou's unstable and ruthless nature, he wouldn't be surprised if the man actually was planning something so reckless.
In fact, a part of him thought it might even be better if Kanzou did rebel, then the entire village would unite against him, destroying the tyrant and allowing Fugaku to reclaim his rightful position as clan head.
"I understand," he said at last, nodding. "I'll look into it."
"Good," Hiruzen replied, then added, "And if the Uchiha Clan truly is preparing to rebel, do your best to persuade as many clansmen as you can to withdraw from Kanzou's side. I doubt the entire clan shares his madness. If they're shown a better alternative, they might step away."
The better alternative, of course, was none other than Fugaku himself, the son of the former Patriarch of the Uchiha Clan.
"I see…" Fugaku said with a curt nod before turning to leave.
Without another word, he exited the room to carry out the mission entrusted to him.
After Fugaku left, Hiruzen pressed his forehead, already feeling pressure and heaviness and questioned the ANBU, "Any report on Tsunade's whereabouts?"
The ANBU shook his head. "No, not yet."
"Tch…" Hiruzen clicked his tongue in frustration. It was as if Tsunade were deliberately avoiding being found, perhaps because she truly didn't want to be found.
And if that was the case, it explained why tracking her down had become nearly impossible.
'This can't go on… Tsunade needs to be found soon… at this rate, I won't be able to hold out much longer,' he thought, clutching his head in weary frustration.
…
On top of a building overlooking the Uchiha Police Station—
'The security's really tight,' Minato thought, observing several officers patrolling the area below while keeping himself hidden.
Just then, one of the patrol officers paused mid-step, frowning as if sensing something unusual. He turned and began walking toward Minato's position.
'Did he notice me?' Minato tensed, then immediately activated the Flying Raijin Technique, vanishing in an instant and reappearing a short distance away on another rooftop. From there, he quietly observed.
The Uchiha officer who had come to investigate scanned the area, brows furrowed. His companion called out, "What's wrong?"
"I thought I sensed someone's gaze on me… but it seems they've managed to run away," the first man replied, the tomoe in his Sharingan spinning as he looked around. He didn't detect any chakra signatures in his gaze. If someone had been hiding using chakra to hide, his Sharingan would have picked it up instantly, so the absence of any trace meant he'd likely imagined it.
In fact, if the Sharingan possessed the same penetrating range and vision as the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan, the officer might have actually detected Minato's presence nearby. But the Sharingan didn't have those abilities. With Minato hiding behind a wall just a short distance away and expertly suppressing his chakra to conceal his presence, the Uchiha officer was unable to notice him.
"Maybe it was one of Sarutobi Hiruzen or Shimura Danzō's ANBU… they could have come to scout and pulled back after being noticed," his partner suggested, also activating his Sharingan to survey the surroundings. Finding nothing, he shrugged.
"Yeah, maybe…" the first officer muttered.
"Anyway, even if someone's scouting around the Police Station, it doesn't really matter," the second officer said casually. "The Patriarch said their existence is irrelevant. At most, we just have to catch them and throw them behind bars. If we can't, it's not that important either, so don't worry too much."
Despite his words, he didn't let his guard down. His eyes continued to scan the surroundings, ready to spot and capture anyone foolish enough to spy on them.
While the two officers continued searching for any sign of an intruder, they failed to notice an invisible figure slipping quietly into the Police Station through the small gap left in their patrol.
From a nearby rooftop, the Namikaze Minato, still concealed, watched the scene unfold. 'The original should've gotten inside by now,' he thought.
Indeed, the Minato standing outside was merely a Shadow Clone, created to serve as a distraction and create the opening the real him needed to sneak inside. The plan had worked perfectly.
…
Inside the Police Station, an invisible figure stood pressed against the wall, thinking to himself, Sneaking in was a success.
That figure was none other than Namikaze Minato, who had used the Transparency Jutsu to render himself invisible and infiltrate the station undetected.
The Transparency Jutsu was a technique originally created by Jiraiya in his youth, for the rather questionable purpose of peeping on women while they bathed without being caught.
As Jiraiya's disciple, Minato had naturally learned the technique from him. And now, he was putting it to far more practical use.
Of course, even with the Transparency Jutsu, any Uchiha using their Sharingan would still be able to see him, or at least detect the chakra surrounding his body. That meant he had to move carefully, avoiding detection at all costs.
Staying alert and extremely quiet, Minato made his way toward the prison cells.
Having been imprisoned there himself, he already knew the brief layout of the station and the exact locations of the prison cells, which allowed him to navigate swiftly yet cautiously through the corridors.
As he moved through the corridors, Minato carefully placed a few Flying Raijin seals at strategic corners, spots he deemed safe enough for a temporary retreat. Each mark served as a potential escape/save point should things go dicey going forward.
Whenever he sensed danger or noticed someone approaching who might detect his presence, he immediately activated the Flying Raijin and vanished, reappearing at one of the marked spots.
Normally, the Flying Raijin Technique produced a bright yellow flash upon activation, but thanks to the Transparency Jutsu, no light appeared this time. That made his movements silent and unseen, allowing him to advance and retreat without being detected.
Before long, he found himself standing in front of the prison cells and began searching for Jiraiya, Dekai, and Naoki.
"Not here… not here… not in this one either…" Minato muttered under his breath as he quietly checked each cell. "There are a lot of Hyuga clansmen here… not in this one either… nope… not him either…"
He searched through every visible cell, but none of the three were there. A faint frown creased his brow. "Could it be… There are more prison cells in another section?" he wondered.
Though he knew that continuing deeper into the Police Station would be dangerous, retreating without finding them wasn't an option.
With that thought, he pressed on, searching through the other sections of the Police Station. But no matter how far he went, he couldn't find a single trace of them. A knot of worry began to form in his chest.
"Jiraiya-sensei… Dekai… Naoki… where are you three?" he murmured anxiously under his breath.
He began to wonder if there was another facility besides the Police Station where prisoners were being held. That seemed to be the only logical explanation, otherwise, it made no sense that neither Jiraiya, Dekai, nor Naoki were anywhere to be found.
'But… if there really is another prison facility… where is it?' he thought, racking his brain for possibilities but coming up empty.
As he was lost in thought, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor of cells. 'Someone's coming…' Minato tensed immediately, slipping into a shadowed corner and aligning his body with the wall, ready to vanish at a moment's notice.
At the same time, another idea crossed his mind: perhaps he could capture whoever was coming and question them about the existence of another prison. 'There must be one,' he told himself firmly. 'Otherwise, it makes no sense that Jiraiya-sensei, Dekai, and Naoki are not in any of the cells here.'
He took a quiet breath, forcing himself not to think about the worst-case scenario.
Soon, the figure approaching came into view; it was a woman. 'Uchiha Tsubaki,' Minato recognized immediately, recalling her as one of the elite kunoichi from the same generation as Hatake Sakumo and among the top-ranking members of the Uchiha Clan.
'If it's her… she might know something,' he thought, tightening his grip on his kunai and preparing to capture her for questioning.
But before he could make a move, Tsubaki suddenly stopped mid-step, turned sharply, and flung several shuriken in his direction.
'!!!' Minato's eyes widened; she had sensed him. Reacting instantly, he swung his kunai, deflecting the incoming shuriken with a rapid clang, clang, clang!
"There really is someone here…" Tsubaki muttered, drawing her tantō as her Sharingan spun to life. Her gaze fixed precisely on the faint trace of chakra before her. "Some kind of invisibility jutsu? Hmph, useless against the Sharingan."
With that, she lunged straight at him, and a fierce clash erupted.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Still invisible, Minato countered swiftly with his kunai, dodging Tsubaki's strikes and doing his best to stay out of her direct line of sight. His goal wasn't to defeat her, but to capture her and force information out of her.
However, their movements inevitably made noise, the clash of metal, the scrape of footsteps, and before long, he heard more people rushing toward their location. 'This is bad…' he thought grimly.
Maintaining the Transparency Jutsu while fighting was proving a bit difficult. He could hold his own and wasn't being overwhelmed, but he couldn't suppress her either.
After all, this was still Minato, who is not even seventeen. It was only natural that he couldn't easily overpower one of the Uchiha Clan's elite jōnin, especially someone with decades of battle experience.
The situation was rapidly growing more dangerous.
'I need to teleport away with her…' Minato thought, planning to use the Flying Raijin to relocate the fight somewhere safer, where he could defeat her and get the answers he needed without being interrupted by others.
But before he could act, Tsubaki had already formed a rapid string of hand seals.
Instantly, lightning crackled around her arm, the air filling with the sound of a thousand birds crying at once.
"Chidori!" she shouted, surging forward in a blinding flash of speed.
'So fast!' Minato's eyes widened; he barely had time to react. Realizing he couldn't dodge or counter in time, he instinctively activated the Flying Raijin and vanished from sight.
"Huh? Vanished…?" Tsubaki muttered in disbelief, coming to a stop and scanning the area with her spinning Sharingan, but she couldn't sense him anywhere.
Moments later, several Uchiha police officers burst into the corridor, eyes glowing red, ready for combat. Seeing only Tsubaki standing there, they frowned.
"Tsubaki-sama, what happened?" one of them asked.
"There was someone here…" Tsubaki murmured, still on guard. "But… they vanished."
"Vanished?" another officer repeated in disbelief.
"Yeah… very strange," Tsubaki replied with a frown. Then, in a firm tone, she ordered, "Search the entire police station. I don't know what kind of jutsu they used to vanish like that, but whoever it was must still be nearby."
Several officers nodded and immediately began sweeping through the Police Station. As they moved through the corridors, one of them asked, "Tsubaki-sama, who do you think it was?"
"They were using some kind of invisibility jutsu," Tsubaki said, shaking her head. "I couldn't see their face… but their skill was impressive. Definitely at least jōnin level."
"Well, it doesn't matter," the officer replied. "We'll find out once we catch them."
Tsubaki nodded and continued her search, scanning every hallway carefully. After a moment, she asked, "By the way… where's Makoto-san?"
"Makoto-sama? He went out on patrol with Seiji-sama," the officer answered.
"I see…" Tsubaki murmured, shaking her head. With Makoto out, it was up to her to handle this intruder who had managed to infiltrate the Police Station.
'If I don't find this person… I don't even want to imagine what the Patriarch will do to me,' Tsubaki thought, a faint chill running down her spine.
The thought only made her more determined to track the intruder down.
And her fear proved to be necessary since Minato had already escaped the Police Station. When he'd instinctively used the Flying Raijin earlier, he had teleported straight to his designated safe point, his home.
…
At Minato's house…
"This… might be troublesome," Minato murmured, realizing that rescuing Jiraiya and his squadmates was going to be far more difficult than he'd anticipated.
The Uchiha Police would undoubtedly be on high alert now that they knew someone had infiltrated the station. Even though Minato was confident he hadn't revealed his identity—having remained invisible the entire time—they would still tighten security and increase patrols.
"I need to report this to Hokage-sama…" he muttered, deciding to return to the Hokage Residence immediately to brief Hiruzen on the situation.
…
At the Hokage Residence
Minato knelt before Hiruzen and explained everything that had happened at the Police Station.
"Jiraiya wasn't there at all?" Hiruzen asked, visibly stunned.
Minato nodded. "I searched nearly the entire Police Station and almost all the prison cells… But I couldn't find Jiraiya-sensei, Dekai, or Naoki anywhere. They may have been moved to another location."
"This…" Hiruzen murmured, rubbing his temple as a headache formed. He realized now that he had underestimated Uchiha Kanzou. He hadn't expected Kanzou to imprison Jiraiya somewhere other than the Police Station.
In fact, it hadn't even occurred to him that the Uchiha Police might have another facility for holding prisoners.
'Did he predict that I'd send someone to rescue Jiraiya?' Hiruzen thought grimly. That seemed to be the only explanation.
Of course, there was another, darker possibility, that Jiraiya was already dead, killed by Kanzou. Considering that the Uchiha Clan might be preparing to rebel, eliminating Jiraiya would have been a logical move on their part.
But even so, Hiruzen refused to believe it.
'No… this is Uchiha Kanzou we're talking about,' Hiruzen thought grimly. Kanzou was a madman, audacious enough to do anything, even attack the Hokage in front of countless witnesses. There was nothing he wouldn't dare. The thought forced Hiruzen to once again consider the possibility that Jiraiya might already be dead.
Of course, he still hoped he was wrong, that Jiraiya was alive, merely imprisoned somewhere else, but the uncertainty gnawed at him.
"As for where that other prison might be…" Minato began, his voice heavy with frustration. "I tried to get the information out of one of the high-ranking Uchiha… but I failed." He clenched his fists, guilt and anger at his own weakness burning inside him. 'If only I were stronger… I could've subdued her and gotten the answers I needed.'
His thoughts also turned to the jutsu Uchiha Tsubaki had used. 'That lightning style Jutsu… what was it? It had to be at least A-rank.' He was certain he'd never seen or heard of such a jutsu before.
Shaking the thought aside, Minato looked at Hiruzen and asked hopefully, "Hokage-sama… do you have any idea where Jiraiya-sensei might be imprisoned?"
Hiruzen pressed his fingers to his temple, then shook his head. He had no idea, the other facility could be anywhere, perhaps inside the Uchiha Compound or somewhere entirely different.
He briefly considered whether Fugaku might know, but dismissed the thought; 'Fugaku had been expelled long ago, and if Kanzou had established a second prison, he would've ensured exiles knew nothing about it.'
"Then what should we do? How do we rescue Jiraiya-sensei and my squadmates?" Minato asked, feeling a little frustrated.
Hiruzen sighed. "For now, try not to think about them. I'll see what I can do to secure their release." He fixed Minato with a steady look. "At present, I have another mission for you."
"Another mission?" Minato echoed, taken aback.
Hiruzen nodded firmly. "Yes. Find Tsunade and bring her back to the village as soon as possible."
"Find and bring back Tsunade-sama?" Minato repeated, surprised by the assignment.
Hiruzen exhaled heavily before explaining, "Before Jiraiya was imprisoned by the Uchiha Police, that was the mission he was preparing for, to locate Tsunade and convince her to return to the village. Unfortunately, Uchiha Kanzou intervened and had him arrested. I've already sent several ANBU squads in his place, but finding someone like Tsunade when she doesn't want to be found is extremely difficult. That's why I'm entrusting this task to you. Use your mastery of the Flying Raijin to search for her and bring her back. I'm granting you full access to the village's intelligence network and coordination with the ANBU already involved. This is a Rank-S mission. Remember, do not force her. That way, she'd definitely not return. Convince her to return willingly."
Hiruzen believed that, unlike the other ANBU units, Minato's mastery of the Flying Raijin would allow him to locate Tsunade much faster; this was precisely why he had chosen Minato for the mission.
"This…" Minato hesitated, scratching his cheek nervously. "Would Tsunade-sama even listen to me?"
If it had been Jiraiya, she might have agreed; after all, they were teammates, and he could speak to her as an equal. But Minato belonged to a younger generation. Even if he managed to find her, he doubted she would take his words seriously.
"I'm afraid she must return," Hiruzen said gravely. "Unless Tsunade comes back, I won't recover. And if I remain in this state, things could become very dangerous. The Uchiha Clan is already acting out of control, and with the other nations watching closely, I fear a war could erupt at any moment." He paused, his tone firm. "Only Tsunade has the power to heal me. She must be brought back."
In truth, Hiruzen was wrong to claim that only Tsunade could heal him.
At this very moment, another kunoichi in Konoha, an exceptionally skilled medical-nin, also possessed the abilities required to treat his injuries.
However, neither Hiruzen nor anyone else was aware of her true capabilities. In their eyes, she was merely a retired kunoichi working as the matron of an orphanage, nothing remarkable, nothing noteworthy.
But then again… Even if Hiruzen had known about her talent, he likely wouldn't have trusted her with his life. After all, she had once been part of the same squad as Uchiha Kanzou. For all he knew, she might seize the chance to kill him under the guise of treatment.
And so, in Hiruzen's mind, only Tsunade could truly be relied upon to heal him.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Minato nodded seriously. "I'll do my best to bring her back."
Satisfied with his resolve, Hiruzen handed him a scroll. "Take this and give it to her. It's a letter; once she reads it, I believe she may agree to return, though she might still need some convincing."
"I understand," Minato said, accepting the scroll and tucking it safely into his pocket.
"As for Jiraiya-sensei and my two squadmates… please, Hokage-sama," Minato pleaded earnestly.
"Yes… I'll do my best to get him out," Hiruzen replied with a nod. He knew it would likely require offering Uchiha Kanzou some form of compensation to secure Jiraiya's release.
Though he disliked the idea of giving anything to someone he now considered an enemy, he had little choice.
Jiraiya's presence was vital, both for dealing with the Uchiha Clan and for defending the Land of Fire against the other great nations watching them like hawks.
Hiruzen had to attempt, even if he knew it wouldn't be easy. After all, Kanzou wasn't the kind of man to let go of a hostage without getting something substantial in return.
Hearing Hiruzen's assurance, Minato finally felt a measure of relief. He bowed respectfully to the Hokage before taking his leave.
As he walked away, his thoughts turned to the preparation he needed to make.
The mission to find and persuade Tsunade would likely take several days; after all, she could be anywhere, and he would need to be ready to operate outside the village for that entire duration.
.
.
.
.
Drop Power Stonessssssssss!
[Read up to 69 Chapters in advance on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]