Simply because soone could use the Flying Thunder God, the Konoha shinobi withdrew the mont they chose to—leaving Kumogakure to clean up the battlefield.
For Minato, capturing him without extensive prior preparation was fundantally impossible—unless he chose not to leave.
In fact, even with preparation, it rarely mattered. Most barrier and sealing techniques were ineffective against Flying Thunder God. When it was ti to go, he could always escape.
During that brief yet deadly clash, Hagoromo had also made his own attempt.
Unfortunately, he failed.
And the price of that failure was severe.
This was, without exaggeration, the most serious injury he had suffered across two lifetis.
According to the authoritative diagnosis of a certain dical expert surnad Yakushi, Hagoromo would need three months to fully recover. For at least one to two months, mobility would be severely restricted, and strenuous activity was strictly forbidden.
Hagoromo had originally planned to voluntarily resign from his position as Minato's bodyguard.
Now, that was no longer necessary.
After all, he couldn't exactly perform escort duties while lying flat on his back. That would be too dedicated.
…Although, in a sense, this still counted as him "resigning" of his own accord.
Frontline Field Hospital
Inside a private ward, Hagoromo lay half-reclined on his bed.
Taking into account his strength, connections, and various other factors, he fell squarely into the category of people who ought to be despised as privileged elites—hence his ability to occupy a room alone.
He stared out the window at the dull, unchanging scenery, clearly bored.
This semi-disabled state had already lasted a full week.
Given the frontline's limited dical facilities and the severity of his injuries, it was only a matter of ti before he was transferred back to Konoha.
It would be his first ti experiencing the "being escorted" treatnt—though he certainly wouldn't be the only injured shinobi returning.
While lost in idle thoughts, there ca a knock at the door.
Before Hagoromo could answer, it opened.
"Minato-senpai," Hagoromo said helplessly,
"Have you been unusually free these past few days? Also… do I have any right to privacy?"
His voice sounded strange—off compared to normal—due to his injuries.
But Minato had been visiting far too often lately.
Still, given his current near–non-self-sufficient state, privacy was probably a luxury he no longer qualified for.
"If we're talking about being free," Minato replied calmly,
"then yes, I've had more free ti recently. Many of my frontline duties have already been handed over to others."
That sounded unbelievable.
Soone like Minato being idle? Handing off work?
Surely he wasn't skipping duty just to visit Hagoromo.
Minato didn't explain further, instead continuing,
"I received a letter from Kushina earlier. I told her about your injuries, so… I was thoroughly scolded."
"That's not your fault," Hagoromo said quickly.
"I was careless. I'll explain it to Kushina-sensei myself when I get back."
Making Minato take the bla made him feel genuinely bad.
"…Though," he added after a pause,
"Kushina-sensei can be a bit overbearing sotis."
"That was you who said that," Minato said imdiately.
"I said nothing."
The speed with which he distanced himself was impressive.
Hagoromo instantly realized he'd said sothing dangerous.
Still—letters going back and forth in just a few days?
Was Kushina using express delivery?
"Anyway," Minato said, steering the conversation back,
"I ca to tell you that in a few days, I'll be returning to Konoha with you."
"With ?" Hagoromo reacted instantly.
"So you really are handing off the frontline?"
"Did sothing happen? At the front—or in Konoha?"
That was the only reason he could think of that would pull Minato off the battlefield.
"If you want to call it a change, then yes," Minato replied.
"We've confird so important intelligence. From now on, I'll likely be stationed in Konoha long-term."
"Staying in Konoha? But… the war?"
"Based on multiple confirmations, the jōnin we encountered recently—A of Kumogakure—has officially assud the position of Fourth Raikage."
"So when we fought him, that was probably his last routine patrol. After becoming an 'Kage,' he wouldn't be able to freely operate on the frontlines anymore."
"On top of that, his younger brother—the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki—was seriously injured. That significantly reduces the imdiate high-end threat Kumogakure poses to us."
"So the front doesn't need you anymore," Hagoromo concluded.
"That's essentially it. With Jiraiya-sensei here, the situation should remain stable. And judging from the Third Hokage's intentions…"
Minato paused briefly.
"…I still have much to learn. From now on, my main work will be in Konoha."
Was this the Third Hokage preparing to push Minato into position?
Hiruzen was only in his mid–fifties. That felt early.
Or perhaps it was precisely because Minato's prestige was at its peak—using that montum to suppress dissenting voices.
"Besides," Minato added,
"there's also the personal matter—Kushina and I will be getting married soon."
"Returning to Konoha is a good thing," Hagoromo said sincerely.
"For Kushina-sensei as well. 'Fourth Hokage' sounds much better than 'Yellow Flash.'"
The Yellow Flash was, at best, an S-rank elite—soloable in theory.
The Fourth Hokage, on the other hand, was a world-boss–level existence, complete with a base and endless minions. Anyone wanting to fight him would need a party.
"No, no," Minato said quickly.
"That position is still a long way off. How things turn out remains uncertain. Everything will have to wait until we return to Konoha."
Not that far, Hagoromo thought.
Based on what he knew, combined with the wedding tiline, Minato becoming Fourth Hokage felt inevitable—and soon.
"If we're returning together," Hagoromo joked weakly,
"then I won't need to worry about safety. Being escorted by the future Fourth Hokage is reassuring."
In truth, the Hokage title was less intimidating than Yellow Flash when it ca to scaring enemies.
And the route from the Land of Rice Fields back to the Land of Fire was firmly behind the lines. Given the current geopolitical situation, enemies were unlikely.
Unless soone specifically wanted Hagoromo dead.
Which… wasn't impossible.
In the shinobi world, he was notorious. It wouldn't be surprising if multiple villages had issued a bounty on him—probably a high one, too.
"Will Chōza-senpai and Shibi-senpai return as well?" Hagoromo asked.
"No," Minato shook his head.
"They'll remain at the front. Konoha itself is stable now, but frontline strength shouldn't be reduced further. Shinobi of their caliber are more valuable there."
"That's the Third Hokage's order?"
"Yes."
That confird it.
The internal power struggles Hagoromo hadn't fully understood had settled. The dark, murky undercurrents surrounding the Hokage succession had finally cald.
With Minato staying in Konoha, his safety was actually more assured this way.
And frankly, Minato didn't need bodyguards to survive.
"What about the escort assignnt?" Hagoromo asked.
What he really wanted to know was his own future.
"All three of my bodyguards—including you—will be replaced. New candidates are being selected from younger shinobi."
Originally, Hagoromo hadn't been on the replacent list—but given his extended downti, Hiruzen had no choice but to fill the vacancy.
"As for your assignnt," Minato continued,
"That will be decided after you recover."
"Then… when are we leaving?"
"Within the next few days."
A few days later, Hagoromo was gently transferred into a carriage by dical-nin.
Along with other injured shinobi, he began the journey back to Konoha.
Their escorts were rotating shinobi returning for rest and reassignnt.
Minato was among them.
Hagoromo received special care.
The carriage moved slowly and smoothly—necessary, given that his chest wound was large enough that one could theoretically screw in a lightbulb and call him Iron Man.
They departed at dawn.
They traveled through a sun-filled morning, continued until dusk approached.
Along the way, Hagoromo paid little attention to the scenery.
He was lost in thought.
This road was one every frontline shinobi had traveled countless tis.
He was no exception.
Yet the slow pace made it impossible not to think.
What he was thinking—
No one else knew.
What he would do next—
No one else knew.
Only this was certain:
Konoha lay just ahead.
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