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— Start of Crossroads Arc —
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[Year 52, Konoha Encampment]
The meeting tent was packed with the most formidable names in Konoha's ranks.
Minato stood quietly beside Mikoto as they both felt a sliver of pride and unease. To be included in a war council led by the Third Hokage himself was an honor, but in a room where figures like Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Sakumo Hatake were present, it was hard not to feel dwarfed by their presence.
Mikoto stood beside him with hands folded neatly behind her back. She remained quiet and respectful as they stood by the corner.
The center of the tent housed a large, hand-drawn map of the surrounding territories, covered in markers and lines detailing troop movements. Around it, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood, clad in his battle-worn armor that had a few scuff marks ridden around it.
Minato took this chance to study the Hokage. Though his face certainly bore the lines of age, his sharp eyes and steady voice left no doubt that he was still every inch the powerful ninja he had been in his youth.
Danzo Shimura stood to the Hokage's left, his bandaged eye and stern demeanor lending him an air of quiet menace. Orochimaru lounged near the edge of the table, his pale fingers tracing idle patterns on the wood, while Tsunade leaned forward with her arms crossed, exuding her typical no-nonsense demeanor. Sakumo Hatake stood off to the side, his face impassive, though his mere presence commanded respect.
Hiruzen began the meeting in his usual calm, authoritative tone. "First, let us review the current state of the war. Ame's forces remain fractured under Hanzo, allowing our efforts in the Land of Rain to stabilize. However, Iwa and Suna continue to pose significant threats on multiple fronts."
He gestured at the map, indicating the areas under Konoha's control. "Suna has fortified their positions along our shared border, resulting in a stalemate. However, they are pushing heavily on Iwa's forces in the Land of Stone. The Centipede was seen to be leading their forces and they are starting to push into the Land of Earth's territories. On the Iwa front, their forces are beginning to retreat from the Land of Rain, likely to reinforce their territories against Suna's advances."
Minato listened intently, his mind cataloging the information. The news of Iwa's retreat was heartening, but Suna's victory in the Land of Stone is concerning in itself. He glanced at Mikoto, who met his gaze briefly before returning her focus to the Hokage.
Hiruzen continued, "I have also received recent news from Jiraiya."
At the mention of his sensei's name, Minato's attention sharpened. He sat up straighter, perking up with interest. Jiraiya-sensei had sent a toad that told them that he would be absent for a couple of weeks, saying he had something to do deep within the Land of Rain.
"Souei Matsuri is alive," said Hiruzen.
A murmur spread through the room. Minato's eyes widened slightly, recognizing the name from the memories of the Chunin Exams two years prior. Souei had been his opponent in the final round along with Ay, a shinobi from Sunagakure whose skills and demeanor had left a lasting impression. Despite being on opposite sides, Souei had shown genuine care for his teammates and treated his opponents with respect.
Last they heard, Souei had died during the Battle for the Outpost, when Iwa ambushed both the Suna and Konoha forces from behind. Reports say that they saw Souei and Chiyo fight against Roshi and the Tsuchikage. Considering that the Jinchuuriki and the Fence Sitter showed up in another battlefield a few days later, people assumed that the Matsuri's had both perished.
Orochimaru had returned from that fight with only a quarter of his initial forces. Minato remembered seeing Hiashi and how heart-broken the other boy was for losing his twin brother. When he asked about it, Hiashi mentioned that Souei was the one who dealt the killing blow.
Hiruzen's voice broke through Minato's thoughts. "Jiraiya found him in Amegakure, gravely injured but alive. However, Chiyo's death is confirmed by the boy himself.."
Minato felt a pang of relief at the mention of Chiyo's death. While he had never fought her personally, her reputation as one of Suna's most formidable kunoichi had preceded her. The loss of someone of her caliber would be a massive blow to Suna's overall strength.
Danzo's scoff cut through the atmosphere like a blade. "Jiraiya's actions are reckless as always. Healing and helping an enemy shinobi in the midst of war? One with a lot of potential as well. Foolishness. That man's sentimental nature will be Konoha's undoing."
Minato's jaw tightened at the insult to his sensei, but he remained silent, knowing better than to speak out of turn.
Hiruzen, however, was unperturbed. "On the contrary, Souei's survival could be the key to fostering better relations with Sunagakure in the future. If the war de-escalates, acts of goodwill like Jiraiya's may pave the way for peace."
Danzo's scowl deepened, but he said nothing further. Minato couldn't help but admire the Third Hokage's composure in the face of such open dissent. It was a quality he hoped to emulate someday.
But he also wondered about his words. Would peace ever be achieved? Minato knew that Hiashi would be outraged at Souei's survival. Considering that Hiashi would be the next clan head of the Hyuga, his words carry weight and he holds a decent amount of influence. Would he ever sue for peace when the man who killed his brother walked away alive due to the actions of another Konoha shinobi?
Minato didn't know the answer to that.
The conversation shifted then to the status of other battlefields. Tsunade reported on the state of Konoha's medical units, emphasizing the strain they were under as casualties continued to mount. Orochimaru spoke of Ame's fractured forces.
Hiruzen then revealed a new piece of intelligence. "Suna is planning a retreat, pulling some of their forces back to their village. According to our spies, this is in response to attacks from an unknown party on their hidden village itself."
Minato noticed the fleeting glance Hiruzen cast toward Danzo as he spoke. While Danzo himself ignored it, everyone in the room understood the implications. Minato's gaze flickered to Danzo as well, noting the faintest twitch in the man's expression. Whatever was happening in Sunagakure, it seemed that the council elder had a hand in it.
The Hokage continued, "With the situation in the Land of Rain de-escalating, I plan to send some of our forces back to Konoha. This will allow our injured to receive better medical care and give our shinobi a chance to regroup. The medical forces here on the battlefield would also gain a much needed reprieve." Tsunade nodded at the last part.
The council spent the next hour discussing the logistics of troop movements and resource allocations. Minato listened quietly, occasionally exchanging brief comments with Mikoto. Having learned much of politics due to her clan heritage, Minato appreciated her insights.
When the meeting finally adjourned, Minato felt both relief and a renewed sense of determination. As the council members began to disperse, he found his thoughts returning to Souei.
'He's not dead after all.'
The memory of their battle in the Chunin Exams resurfaced. Souei had been a formidable opponent, his techniques using his Thread Release were both new and surprising.
Part of the reason that Minato struggled back then was due to the unknown nature of a newly re-awakened Kekkei Genkai. Numerous times in the academy were they taught the importance of knowledge and information. That was the first time that Minato had the lesson implemented. Minato had thought of numerous ways to counter his techniques now, after spending a while reviewing the fight in his head.
But what had struck Minato most was the way Souei had fought. Not with arrogance or malice, but with quiet confidence and a genuine respect for his opponent. Even in defeat, he had been gracious. Unlike the son of the Raikage, who attempted to publicly rip out his teammates' sharingan.
Now, hearing that Souei had survived encounters with Roshi, the Yonbi Jinchuuriki, and the Tsuchikage himself, Minato couldn't help but feel a twinge of inadequacy. He was proud of his own growth, Minato had even earned a High B-rank threat in the bingo books from Iwa.
But a quick look at the same book had told him that Souei had ranked a Mid A-rank level threat by the same village.
As he and Mikoto made their way back to their quarters, Minato's mind churned with plans. He couldn't allow himself to fall behind. Souei had suffered through many major victories and losses in the war. While Minato certainly had felt similar things after seeing former academy friends now no longer living.
Mikoto glanced at him, her dark eyes curious. "You're quiet. What's on your mind?"
Minato offered her a faint smile. "Just thinking. About the war. About everything. And... how much farther I have to go."
Her expression softened before she chuckled. "You're already the strongest shinobi in our generation, Minato. You've come a long way. We all have."
He nodded, appreciating her words but unable to shake the feeling that he needed to do more. His mind drifted to an idea he had been toying with for some time—a technique that would embody his desire for precision and efficiency, a jutsu that would allow him to channel raw chakra into devastating power.
The Rasengan.
It was an idea that he had thought of for a while but never managed to find time to put into practice due to time constraints in the war. But after the meeting, he and Mikoto were tasked as part of the retinue that will return back to the village.
He would have ample time to train there.
As they reached their quarters, Minato made a silent vow to himself. He would push himself harder, train longer, and refine his techniques until he reaches far beyond the strengths of a normal shinobi. The war was far from over, and Konoha would need its shinobi to be at their very best.
And Minato Namikaze had no intention of being left behind.
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AN: Happy new years everyone! I know I'm a week late but I just finished my vacation where I had little to no internet. Can't believe 2024 ended. A bunch of things happened that I'll be grateful for. Here's to hoping that 2025 would be better.
A surprise Minato POV. It's been a long time since we've seen anything from the other villages. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Subplots that were introduced during the war will have larger focus here during the next arc. Minato, Kumo, and Han being some examples (and no, I didn't forget about them)