"The Fourth Hokage, Tsunade... the villagers really admire her. Will her face be added over there one day too?"
Konan spoke softly, pointing toward the distant Hokage Rock.
"Of course..."
Kyoichi nodded.
Every officially recognized Hokage has their face carved onto the Hokage Rock. Well — with so exceptions for shaful cases.
Unlike Minato, Tsunade’s rise to the position was unquestioned.
Her identity, qualifications, ability, and standing —
in every aspect, she was overwhelming.
Among Konoha’s shinobi of this generation, no one could match her — not even Orochimaru or Jiraiya. And that’s not even counting her lineage as the First Hokage’s granddaughter. Just the dical ninja reforms and their implentation had already saved countless lives.
Many people were alive today thanks to Tsunade’s policies. Even more owed their survival to her personal dical skills.
So... Tsunade had always been the best candidate for Hokage —it just wasn’t always sothing the Third could decide.
To others, it was simple. Why wouldn’t she take the position?
But...for Tsunade, the question had always been: Why should I beco Hokage?
Both Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju beca Hokage, and both ended up dead. Even Hashirama -- though he died of natural causes — arguably could have lived much longer.
Nawaki and Dan had wanted to be Hokage. Now they were both dead too.
Tsunade couldn’t see the aning in becoming Hokage.
She didn’t like the position — even though it was easily within her grasp.
Until Kyoichi appeared.
Now she had returned to Konoha as Hokage for one reason: to ensure Kyoichi’s policies could be fully and effectively implented, to guide Konoha’s developnt in the direction Kyoichi envisioned.
Of course...
she herself also harbored so hopes for that future.
That was the real reason Tsunade had co back.
As for all this...
outsiders could hardly understand it.
Even Kyoichi himself only guessed that Tsunade had returned because of him. What she truly thought —
he didn’t fully know.
Tsunade had never said it aloud.
Kyoichi gazed upward, a flicker of nostalgia passing through his eyes.
The scene felt so familiar.
The only difference was... this ti, he was the one standing "inside the painting."
"You look like you’re feeling sentintal."
"Is it that obvious?"
Kyoichi touched his own face, half amused.
He thought he was pretty good at hiding his expressions —
at least, he wasn’t like Obito, whose face always gave away his thoughts.
Konan gave a faint smile. "Not too obvious, but my intuition’s usually pretty sharp."
"Haha, so you were baiting ...
It’s nothing — just feeling like Tsunade returning to the village still seems like it only happened yesterday.
Makes you reflect a little."
Kyoichi shook his head and turned, walking away from the ceremony site.
The Hokage inauguration was basically over;
all that remained were so formalities and speeches.
...
Konan followed behind.
At this mont, as an outsider from another village, she couldn’t just wander around freely —
to avoid misunderstandings.
Besides...
she still had so matters she wanted to discuss with Kyoichi in detail.
Kyoichi understood that well.
So he brought Konan back to his ho —
currently, the place in all of Konoha he knew best and felt safest in.
After all, the surrounding plants were now all his eyes and ears.
Anyone entering would imdiately be detected.
"I ntioned before — once the Hokage ceremony ended,
I’d more or less be heading to Agakure with you.
You’re wondering what exactly I’m going there for, aren’t you?"
"I’m very sorry, but as a shinobi of Agakure, I must know your intentions."
Konan bowed deeply.
Kyoichi waved it off. "No need to apologize — that’s perfectly reasonable. I’m not going to Agakure with any grand or special motive.
It’s mainly for matters within the village itself."
"...I see. That makes sense."
Konan was smart.
With Kyoichi’s answer, she could roughly guess what kind of matters these were.
Pressing further would likely touch on village secrets.
After thinking for a mont, she asked,
"So, when do we set out?"
"You’re not going to spend so ti studying with the lower grades?"
"Heh, co on — having ’study’ is really just you freeing up ti to handle other things, isn’t it? Though I did learn a lot, to be fair."
Konan gave a small shake of her head.
No — it wasn’t necessary.
She’d already absorbed the structure of the academy, how to improve its atmosphere, and its teaching thods.
Different villages had different situations,
so learning finer details here might not even apply.
It was better to head back, discuss, research, and start putting things into practice.
Real knowledge cos from doing!
"Then tomorrow."
"Alright..."
Konan had no objections.
They were setting out tomorrow because Minato wouldn’t return until then.
Otherwise, they might have left today.
Of course, sending him off on a mission right after he got back...
Mm.
It was a bit unkind.
Better to let him rest properly after this mission,
give him and Kushina so ti together.
The next day...
At ho, Kushina was cheerfully trying her hand at cooking,
determined to prepare a table full of signature dishes to welco Minato back.
But after making a few dishes...
There was a knock at the door.
A Konoha ANBU shinobi —
and judging by the mask, she vaguely rembered this one’s codena.
Owl.
Currently the squad leader Kyoichi trusted most.
"Kushina-hi."
"Huh? You’re Owl, right? Is sothing up with the village?"
Kushina wiped her hands.
Gekko Hayate, standing nearby, caught a whiff of the sll inside —
and his face subtly twitched.
This sll...
was truly terrifying!
He quietly felt relieved on Minato’s behalf.
Thank goodness Minato hadn’t made it ho yet.
After all, after the exhaustion of missions, if he ca back and ate this...
he’d probably end up in the hospital, right?
Hayate’s thoughts drifted.
Then he spoke:
"Minato-sama did return to the village,
but he was assigned a mission at the last minute and had to head out again. So, unfortunately, he won’t be coming ho just yet."
"Huh? What kind of joke is this?!
Minato’s been so busy this month, he hasn’t been ho even a single day! And I finally worked up the courage to try cooking!"
Kushina’s forehead twitched with anger, veins popping.
She looked on the verge of punching soone.
Hayate’s mouth twitched slightly behind his mask —
this temper...
yep, she definitely hadn’t changed one bit!
He gave a polite bow.
"I deeply apologize, but there was no other choice.
This mission can only be carried out by Minato-sama. I cannot disclose the details — thank you for your understanding."
"Argh!! I’m going to smash Kanda Kyoichi’s house to pieces!!"
Kushina roared in fury.
Good thing Hayate had his mask on.
Otherwise, judging by his shaky expression control,
he might’ve earned himself a spot on the "smash list" too.
"Uh, I’ve got so matters to handle, so I’ll be taking my leave!"
"Get out!"
Kushina slamd the door furiously,
stomping back inside in a huff.
She looked at the full table of food, falling into deep thought.
What to do with all this?
Eat it herself, she supposed.
She picked up her chopsticks and sampled two of the dishes —
but after just one bite of each, her expression turned... complicated.
Silently, she set the utensils down.
A mont later...
She returned to the kitchen and dumped the food out.
"...As I thought, eating ran alone suits better.
I’ll go have so Ichiraku Ran,
and afterward, I’m going to settle the score with that no-good Kanda Kyoichi!"
...
"Kushina’s probably furious right now..."
On the road to Agakure, Minato let out a quiet sigh.
He’d even made sure to send word ahead, yet in the end, he hadn’t even made it back inside the village.
Another mission.
"Minato, I saved you, you know!
Did you hear? Kushina was cooking!"
"Uh... actually, Kushina’s cooking isn’t that bad..."
Minato’s voice lacked conviction.
Truth be told...
Kushina’s cooking skills —
well, they weren’t hopeless, just... average at best.
The real issue was that Minato himself was too good at cooking.
At ho, he usually handled all the als,
so Kushina rarely even got the chance to touch the kitchen.
If she personally cooked...
hopefully she’d decide to eat out instead?
That would be best.
Otherwise...
Minato was feeling a bit worried.
"Don’t worry, she went out to eat. Probably to Ichiraku. Speaking of which, Tsunade’s cooking is awful too. Good thing Shizune’s there to help out at ho."
Kyoichi couldn’t help but sigh.
Minato shot him a helpless look, choosing not to comnt, instead asking about the mission details —
why was he the only one who could handle it?
After hearing the explanation,
he realized: oh, it really did have to be him!
The Flying Thunder God Technique...
at the mont, only Minato could use it.
"Minato, have you ever considered training a few others in Flying Thunder God?"
"It’s way too hard!"
Minato sighed.
As soone who had learned it himself,
he knew better than anyone how difficult the technique was.
There were just too many requirents.
Most people simply couldn’t master it.
Even those who could learn it faced enormous risks —
and might never wield it proficiently.
"Sure, one person alone can’t pull it off.
But what if it were used as a team —
three or four people working together?"
"A team? That sounds...
huh, maybe it’s worth a try."
Minato had been about to argue,
but on second thought —
if soone else in the village knew Flying Thunder God,
he wouldn’t have had to run off on this mission himself.
Looks like...
he’d have to experint when he got back,
see if anyone else could be trained.
"Why’s Kakashi part of this mission, by the way?"
"Oh right —
you helping out on this mission is only fair!
As for Kakashi, he wanted to join the ANBU.
I blocked him for now, and this outing is your chance to ntor the kid a bit."
"Huh?"
Minato blinked, surprised.
That part...
he really hadn’t known.
Lately, he’d been so busy,
he barely had ti to check in with Kakashi.
So the kid had co to this point already...
"What about my cover identity?"
"Can’t be exposed. I’ve already explained to Konan —
you’re just a A-nin assigned to assist. As far as the outside world knows, your secret mission hasn’t ended yet."
"...Alright then."
Minato sighed in resignation.
Kakashi, that troubleso kid...
Kyoichi’s shadow clone dispersed.
Not long after,
Kyoichi led the team, escorting Konan out of Konoha.
Once they were beyond the village borders...
Kakashi imdiately tensed,
his sharp gaze snapping toward a nearby thicket.
Soone’s there!
"No need to worry —
it’s the A-nin sent to assist us. They couldn’t enter Konoha, so they’ve been waiting out here."
"I’m Mizuwa, an Agakure chunin. Konan-hi, these are...?"
"They’re accompanying to Agakure for exchange and training."
"I see.
Thank you very much!"
***************************
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