Rei Mikoto—a transmigrator had kept his head down for years and laid low, he didn't have any flashy dreams nor any delusions of grandeur.
He simply waited for the child of prophecy to be born and save the world.
Which happened! The Nine Tails attack was on the previous day, the village was still recovering while he casually strolled the rebuilding village.
Though keeping his head down didn't mean he wasn't strong, no it was quite the contrary. He was probably the strongest person in all five nations.
But again that might be wishful thinking.
Yet it was surprising that such an ordinary and overlooked person was called to the Hokage's office.
"..."
"Hokage-sama, I received your summons."
Rei appeared within a flash, his body arched forward as he prostrated himself in front of the old coot.
'What does this old bastard want?' Rei inwardly mumbled with vexation, he was enjoying his peaceful life of eating dangos and looking at the hot kunoichi who were working when suddenly an ANBU personnel appeared.
It was his first time in the Hokage's office though, and it looked luxurious, in a perfect world he would strive for that position but looking at the stacks of paper that the Third Hokage was buried in.
He would rather sooner smash his head against Madara's Susanno.
But it was strange that Hiruzen looked remorseful while looking at him.
Hiruzen—one of the Failure Five, walked next to his window which overlooked the entire village. He wrapped his arm behind back while slowly turning to him.
'Lazy old geezer, stop aurafarming and tell me the reason why you've called me here.' Rei complained in his mind, his long white unkept hair thankfully covered his darkening eyes.
"Ah, young Rei, you can be at ease." Hiruzen said with a wave of his arms, although his body had withered with age. Rei felt that he would still be able to put up quite a fight.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Rei said with a hearty smile that would warm up the hearts of even the coldest geezers.
"Ah no need for honorifics, we're families in a sense after all. You can call me Grandpa." Hiruzen's warm voice resounded in the room.
Normally Rei would've thought that it was a warm gesture but the slight stifling of his shoulders made it seem that Hiruzen was wary of him.
'I wonder what elicited such a response, I'm just a harmless Chunin.' Rei thought with narrowed eyes, his own shoulders melted with faux vulnerability.
"Thank you, Grandpa!" Rei called out with a loud and cheery voice. As Hiruzen smiled softly, "I called you for one thing, young Rei. You must've heard about the tragic passing of our Fourth Hokage as he gave his life to seal the Kyuubi."
'Yeah no, I definitely didn't see the 500 foot long fox rampaging in the middle of the night. I was safely sleeping in bed, what do you think Sherlock!'
Rei quipped in his mind, while outwardly his face shifted showing hesitation, sorrowness and also grief.
"I—I've heard about it. It's truly a shame about what happened to the Fourth Hokage." Rei uttered with regret while his eyes remained sharp at the expressions of the Failure Kage.
"Hmm, well you remember his wife—Kushina, your friend in the Academy." Hiruzen whispered softly as Rei nodded.
He had befriended the short tempered red hair, during his time at the Academy. But they slowly drifted apart after Minato saved her from the Cloud Shinobi.
She was too busy fangirling over him then to spend time with him, 'I guess I really am that one friend in that romance story. It seems the myths about the best friend being cucked are utterly true.'
Well the past was the past, he wouldn't save her given the chance again.
Saving her meant displaying his true abilities which would result in him ending up in a cold metal table.
He had no protection, and Mito?
She wasn't the woman she once was, she wasn't even able to save her own clan. Mito had full knowledge of Konoha abandoning the Uzumaki clan.
An Uzumaki representative had met with her a few days prior. How did Rei know?
Of course he trailed the guy to see if Mito was worthy of being his sugar mommy. He had also seen Hiruzen meeting her to inform him of his decision.
With a smile she told her fellow clanmate that Konoha would support them knowing damn well they were planning on abandoning them.
Unless Rei could prove that he had Wood Release and was the long lost son of the Senju bloodline there was no chance in hell that she would protect him.
There were actually better chances of hell freezing over.
In her later years, Mito was only informed of their decision, as a courtesy too. She lost her rights to opposing the Failure 5 as she aged.
"Yes, I remember Kushina fondly. We were best friends in the Academy, but we slowly drifted apart. It's a pity what happened to Minato."
Hiruzen nodded at his words, "Thankfully Kushina wasn't injured in the aftermath, only drained. Minato's last words for her to move on, preferably with you.
"When she awoke today, and read the letter left by Minato, she too agreed to his wishes. I hope you treat Kushina well….. before I forget, you're also being transferred to the ANBU."
Rei faltered for a moment as an awkward pause settled over the room. However, soon Rei's lips parted into a ridiculous expression, "What the fuck!"
____
A/N - Hello mates, hope y'all liked the first chapter. If there's any mistakes do point it out, I hope you enjoyed it.