"Indeed... he's worthy of being the great force who pacified the Warring States era."
Konoha, Hokage Office Building.
In the conference room, four figures sat opposite each other at a tea table.
Beside Sarutobi Hiruzen sat Shimura Danzo, the current Hokage's assistant. Facing them were two Hokage advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
Their gazes fell upon the crystal ball resting on the table, which projected the scene from the Third Training Ground.
As they watched Minato demonstrate his Wood Release, effortlessly altering the growth of trees, they couldn't help but recall the man known as the God of Shinobi.
"Carrying two powerful Bloodline Limits, it's no wonder Lady Mito favors him. Judging by the abilities he's shown, even if he develops at a steady pace, he'll become one of the village's top combatants before he turns twenty."
Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, his tone tinged with a mix of admiration and regret.
"I never expected him to become Tsunade's disciple. Even I was tempted to take such talent under my wing..."
"He's a fine young man—neither arrogant nor impetuous, steady in temperament, and courteous by nature..."
Mitokado Homura studied Minato's handsome face with evident admiration. "At his age, this child is far surpasses us in talent."
"And he's much more handsome than you old geezers too," Utatane Koharu added cheerfully, then hesitated and glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen. "But for him to become Tsunade's apprentice... It's not that I doubt her abilities, but that girl's fiery temperament—might it not be unsuitable?"
"This was Lady Mito's wish and Minato's own choice. I see nothing inappropriate about it," Hiruzen said, pushing the file containing Minato's records across the tea table. "I believe Tsunade is capable of nurturing him properly. One need only look at Nawaki's cheerful personality to see the results of her mentorship."
"I see. So his parents are already deceased?" Koharu picked up the file and glanced at it, her expression shifting to understanding. "In that case, having a motherly figure like Tsunade is indeed more suitable than a man. I have no objections."
"I do," Shimura Danzo interjected suddenly. "You all haven't forgotten the Uchiha Clan's rebellion, have you?"
Koharu frowned. "What does this have to do with Minato's situation?"
"Of course it's related," Danzo said, his narrowed eyes widening slightly, his gaze solemn. "There aren't many forces in this world capable of suppressing the Tailed Beasts. Apart from the Uzumaki Clan, who specialize in sealing techniques, only Wood Release and the Sharingan can effectively restrain them."
"The previous rebellion proved the Uchiha Clan's untrustworthiness. Lady Mito is also advanced in years. Though it's disrespectful to say so, if an emergency were to occur, Wood Release would be our only means of suppressing the Nine-Tailed Beast. Isn't it imperative that we accelerate this boy's growth?"
"You've all witnessed this child's strength. Though lacking combat experience, he already possesses power capable of threatening Tsunade and the others. With proper nurturing, he could become a formidable force. Such talent would be wasted in the academy. We should bring him into the Anbu for specialized training instead."
"This..."
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged glances. They couldn't deny that Danzo's argument held some truth. Though his reasoning wasn't entirely convincing, the potential danger he raised was undeniable.
"Danzo is correct... Wood Release is indeed the only method we currently have to suppress the Nine-Tailed Beast. But precisely because of that, this child must attend the academy."
Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled.
What young, unburdened warrior would risk their life to protect you if something went wrong? Because you're good-looking? Shameless? Or because your thoughts are dark and twisted?
The two advisors clearly understood this reasoning and nodded silently, offering no objection.
"Come to think of it, when this child awakened the Wood Release, he didn't boast about it or inform me, the Hokage. Instead, he chose to apprentice under Tsunade. He must have been worried about something like what Danzo mentioned happening, right?"
Hiruzen shot a meaningful glance at Danzo, then placed his pipe between his lips.
"It's clear this child has a strong will. Of course, it also shows that some people in the village view both of us as untrustworthy—just like the Uchiha you mentioned, Danzo. This isn't just my failure as Hokage, but yours as well, gentlemen."
"You're too naive, Hiruzen," Danzo retorted, glancing at him. "A ninja shouldn't possess a self in the first place."
"That's true in theory," Hiruzen countered, "but how can a person truly lack a self? Even beasts understand the instinct to seek fortune and avoid calamity."
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head with a wry smile. "Especially you, Danzo. Your self-awareness is the most pronounced among us all. Yet, in my eyes, you're still an exceptionally skilled ninja."
Danzo froze, his eyes wide with disbelief. He'd never imagined his childhood friend would speak such harsh words to him!
Though Hiruzen's words were veiled, their meaning was clear to all present.
Little did they know, Hiruzen felt equally torn. Emotionally, he never wanted to speak so harshly, especially to a friend he'd grown up with.
Both had once aimed for the Hokage position, growing together, fighting side by side, until Teacher Tobirama chose Hiruzen as his successor...
Hiruzen understood Danzo's resentment and jealousy, his burning desire for the Hokage position.
Out of trust, or perhaps guilt for taking away his friend's lifelong aspiration, or even a lack of confidence in his own abilities, Hiruzen had granted Danzo a portion of the Hokage's authority, even assigning some Anbu members to form his core team.
But as the saying goes: "What I give you is yours, but what I don't give you, you have no right to take!"
Minato was clearly this kind of existence.
For Konoha, what weighed more: Wood Release or Danzo?
To put it bluntly, even a hundred Danzos piled together wouldn't qualify to touch this porcelain.
Sarutobi Hiruzen naturally wouldn't believe Danzo's lies. Though he might be soft-hearted and indulgent at times, when it came to matters involving the core of power, he remained crystal clear.
"Furthermore, the period when a ninja's strength grows the fastest begins after the age of twelve. Even if we accelerated Minato's training, it would still take at least ten years for him to reach the peak of a ninja's capabilities. Without that, even with Wood Release, he couldn't possibly be capable of suppressing a Tailed Beast during this time."
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "I convened you all today to make one thing clear: for Konoha as it stands now, Minato's existence is invaluable. Anyone who dares to harm him in any way will be treated as a traitor to the village!"
Upon hearing this, the two Advisors exchanged a serious glance and nodded solemnly.
Danzo's face twitched faintly, his eyes turning icy. He suppressed his anger and nodded without another word.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the current Hokage, was not yet forty years old, at the peak of his power, and held great prestige within the village.
Meanwhile, Danzo's newly established Root organization was still in its infancy, with only a handful of subordinates. The title of Hokage Assistant might sound impressive, but at its core, it merely made him the Hokage's secretary, his authority entirely dependent on the Hokage's position.
In terms of both military power and political capital, Danzo lacked resources. If Hiruzen hadn't been his childhood friend, he wouldn't even have the right to question him.
The two advisors understood this clearly, but Danzo remained stubbornly oblivious.
The other three present could also see that Danzo failed to grasp the situation, yet none of them bothered to point it out.
As Hiruzen's former teammates, the two advisors had always been his staunch supporters. They were well aware of the twisted, love-hate relationship between the two old men that had persisted for years.
Whether Sarutobi Hiruzen was suitable to be Hokage, they weren't sure. But one thing they were certain of was that Shimura Danzo was absolutely unfit for the position.
However, given Hiruzen's indulgence of Danzo, they couldn't be bothered to interfere in their messy relationship. As long as Danzo didn't openly rebel, there was no need to go out of their way to provoke him. After all, even Hiruzen himself hadn't said a word.
As for Hiruzen's leniency toward Danzo, it wasn't entirely without personal reasons.
He knew he was too merciful, too sentimental about past ties, and too naive in his views. He genuinely needed someone to handle the unsavory aspects of leadership.
They accused him of hypocrisy and self-preservation, and he admitted it.
They accused him of indulging Danzo's evil deeds, and he accepted that as well.
Seeing Hiruzen's unyielding gaze, Danzo took a deep breath, knowing the matter was settled. Any further resistance would only anger the old man.
But...
Very well!
If you insist on shackling that child with chains of obligation, then I shall choose the shackles for him...
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