Konoha: The Man Who Became the Fourth Hokage

"Caused trouble?"

"What trouble did he cause?"

Kyūsei let out a cold laugh, glancing at Koharu without the slightest hesitation.

"Do you even realize he flattened Sunagakure?!"

"How are we supposed to answer to Akatsuki?!"

Koharu's voice rose sharply as she glared at the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki who seemed completely unconcerned.

"Answer to them?"

"Answer what?"

"Menma has always been a ninja of Konoha. Somehow, he was abducted by Sunagakure. Faced with life and death, he chose to escape."

"When Suna tried to drag him back, he had no choice but to send everyone blocking his path to meet the Sage of Six Paths."

"Is there a problem with that?"

Kyūsei spoke smoothly, without blinking once.

Then he continued, eyes cold.

"If anyone owes an explanation, it's Sunagakure—and Akatsuki."

"They should explain why one of our lawful and kind Konoha shinobi appeared in their village in the first place."

Koharu stared at him in disbelief.

He was twisting black into white right in front of her.

"But— but—"

She actually stumbled over her words.

Kyūsei ignored her and turned to Hiruzen.

"You know Akatsuki hasn't made a move yet."

"Do you think that's because they don't want to?"

At that moment, Homura adjusted his glasses and spoke in a measured tone.

"Kyūsei, don't be so agitated. Koharu is only thinking of Konoha."

"The war has just ended. There's no need to risk everything for an outsider—"

"Elder Homura."

Kyūsei cut him off calmly.

"I respect your lifelong service to Konoha. You've earned that title."

"But times have changed."

"The old way doesn't work anymore."

He took a step forward.

"Menma wiped out Sunagakure."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Now Suna is reduced to a handful of stragglers. That's one less enemy for us."

"Shouldn't Menma be considered a contributor?"

He paused.

"Backing down achieves nothing."

"Kind horses get ridden. Kind people get bullied."

Homura fell silent.

Kyūsei turned to Hiruzen—the only one who had yet to speak.

"The truth of the ninja world," Kyūsei said evenly, "exists only within the firing range of a Tailed Beast Bomb."

The room fell still.

Hiruzen looked at him—really looked at him.

For a brief moment, he thought of someone else.

Tobirama Senju.

His teacher.

Equally hardline. Equally protective.

Hiruzen stood and turned toward the window, gazing out at Konoha under the night sky.

"Kyūsei…"

"Yes."

The red-haired youth's voice was steady.

"Konoha's current prestige… at least half of it rests on your shoulders."

Koharu's eyes widened.

She hadn't expected Hiruzen's evaluation to be that high.

"I don't care about Akatsuki," Hiruzen continued quietly. "Or any other faction."

"I only want to ask you one thing."

"Can you control Uzumaki Menma?"

Kyūsei didn't hesitate.

"Yes."

"I've placed dual Four Symbols Seals on him, merged into an Eight Trigrams Seal, and reinforced it with a Five Elements Seal."

"There won't be any problems."

Hiruzen lit his pipe slowly.

He inhaled deeply.

Exhaled a thin stream of pale smoke.

The smoke lingered in the old office.

"…I understand."

"If you're confident, then we'll keep him for now."

"No matter what, handing him to Akatsuki was never an option."

"Enma!"

Koharu shot to her feet immediately.

Kyūsei didn't even look at her.

Instead, his face switched instantly from stern to shameless.

"Hehe, old man, thanks."

"What do you want to eat tomorrow? I'll cook and bring it over~"

Hiruzen almost laughed in spite of himself.

"Get lost. Biwako's cooking is still decent."

"Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about your personal situation."

Kyūsei blinked.

Then—

His face turned green.

Nao.

Oh no.

He was dead.

First, Hiruzen had dragged him into the war for two straight months.

Then, after the war ended, he spent three more months spreading word across the ninja world about rebuilding the Uzumaki Clan.

Nearly half a year.

Even though Nao had appeared in front of him "by coincidence" a few times during that period…

I'm finished.

Kyūsei left the Hokage's office in a daze.

He didn't even register Koharu anymore.

His mind was entirely occupied with one thought:

How do I explain this without dying painfully?

And as always—

The more you fear something—

The faster it appears.

"Oh? Where are you heading?"

A faintly resentful voice echoed from a corner in the hallway.

"Going home to sleep…"

Kyūsei answered automatically, still mentally spiraling.

"Hehe. Is that so?"

His brain snapped back into focus.

Very slowly—

Very stiffly—

He turned his head.

Standing in the shadow of the corridor was a beautiful girl.

Long black hair.

Delicate features.

Her Byakugan eyes, normally bright and elegant—

Were now filled with resentment.

She wore loose white casual clothing.

And although he knew it was disrespectful—

Kyūsei couldn't stop the intrusive thought.

She looked like a ghost.

A very beautiful ghost.

Like Nie Xiaoqian-level beautiful.

And it was the middle of the night.

"N- Nao… good evening~~"

He smiled stiffly.

"Hehe. Looks like someone doesn't welcome me."

"After all, you have a lovely wife at home. I'm five years older than you. Of course you wouldn't look at an older sister like me."

Hyūga Nao's smile was ice-cold.

Kyūsei felt every hair on his body stand up.

He was doomed.

Seven years together.

He knew this expression.

Every time Nao looked like this—

He was about to suffer.

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