The Fourth Hokage had a bright presence about him. He was more than Jason remembered but exactly the same. Even in the face of uncertainty, in the darkness of a land scarred by battle and stained by a forest of accursed, chakra-eating trees, Minato Namikaze managed to uphold a slight smile, a straight and broad posture that let everyone standing beside and especially behind him that all would be well.
The effect reached me as well. Minato stood in the full regalia of his office, a striking contrast to my battered form. My mesh armour, torn and clinging to my skin, had been punctured by Obito's root strikes, with the [Demon Cloak] scorching what remained. Nevertheless, it was good he made it. I was certain his summoning had a part in forcing Obito to flee with his tail between his legs, more so than the Uchiha's failures to trap me in Genjutsu or seize me in his Kamui dimension did. After all, he had already resorted to using Wood Release and had seen success suppressing Isobu within me.
Junichi…had my battle against Obito gone on any longer, my dear assistant might not have been the only loss I incurred this day; yet still, it pained me a great measure to lose him at all. I looked up past the blown grass hills, now sucking up water from the sea as the beach practically extended all the way here now. How do I get him back? Can I even? What actually happens to people Obito captures in his dimension?
All my questions led to a stern and absolute answer- Junichi is dead. He'd died protecting a Konoha-nin for that matter. Junko would loathe to hear such. I shook my head and took a deep breath as the crooked shade from the trees continued ahead of us. There was time to think of what to tell his family, what to write in the records and what to hope for. Now was the time to plan a counterattack.
"A rogue Uchiha claiming to be the founder of the clan that founded Konoha…has attempted to assassinate me and has successfully absconded with my subordinate, Hokage-dono. You can see how I would suspect this man is the culprit behind my predecessors…suspicious passing. His particular Space-Time Ninjutsu would explain much of how he managed to accomplish such a feat without being caught instantly, he is…almost as fast as you are with your jutsu, Hokage-dono."
I started by reiterating the obvious, we'd left Genma and Ao behind for this part of our discussions as they would and could include highly classified information neither of us were ready to share.
Minato's gaze swept over the unnatural forest, a trace of awe and calculation flickering in his eyes. He nodded, "You also claim he may be responsible for Hanzo the Salamander's passing, or is that the other way around?"
I hid a sneer, "Hokage-dono, you bore first hand to that Uchiha's madness. Heard him speak of ending the shinobi world, if that isn't a threat to take seriously then I'm not sure what Konoha considers worthwhile."
Minato ruffled his hair as he winced, "And Konoha is taking your concerns seriously, Mizukage-dono."
"My concerns? Should they truly be mine alone right now? There are the obvious questions to ask, who is this imposter? What does he want with me? How did he know of our meeting? And how can we stop him from achieving his madness?" I flicked my fingers up as I counted and waved the entire fist, "None of these have answers, Hokage-dono and you don't seem particularly perturbed by any of it at the moment."
While I was grateful for the bright, assuring presence Minato brought wherever he went, I was looking for a show of concern, more skin in the game than a smile and studious looks at craters and crooked trees.
The Fourth Hokage paced himself beside me until our leisurely stroll almost came to a halt, "You're sure this isn't Uchiha Madara? What makes you so certain?"
My throat caught at that but outwardly I kept my annoyed features still. The realisation hit me like a cold shock—I'd overlooked the fact that others might genuinely believe this masked lunatic's claim. My gaze flicked through the chaos I'd engaged in against him and I breathed, "Uchiha Madara is a legend and all legends are dead, Hokage-dono."
It was a fair reason to doubt and the only one I could conjure at the moment while I deliberated telling Minato the truth. He wasn't so much smiling now, the moonlight pierced through the canopy of leafless, cursed trees and lit up the stern focus on his face. The man before me encompassed more than the single, heroic facet my inherited memories made me believe.
He is Konoha's hero, not mine. Underneath those pearl blue eyes was the mind, focus and will of a shinobi born to be a Kage. The bright, cheery persona earlier might've just been a ruse, as much as I doubt it was, how could I know? What I did know was that Namikaze Minato, up until and even a while after I'd become Mizukage, had been regarded as an enemy of the state; my state.
Still, how would he react to learning the truth? Bright and heroic as he seemed, there was no doubt in my mind that the sins of Kirigakure againsts Konoha, against him, would weigh the scale in how believable my accusations would be. But in the first place, how could I point a finger at a student I'd never met, much less heard the name of. Uchiha Obito had no accolades to his name, even less than Rin Nohara did and she…well she was the true victim of Kirigakure's machinations during the Third Shinobi War.
Minato's smile returned, though lighter than ever, "That should be the case, shouldn't it…" He trailed off, his fingers bent and snipped off a stick from a crooked branch as he spoke, "And yet, this Uchiha not only showcases a mastery of Space-Time Ninjutsu but also the First Hokage's revered Wood Release which has not been seen in any Senju since his passing, not even Lady Tsunade."
I smiled down at me while my annoyance grew into painful certainty; I can't whisper a word of Obito's true identity to him. "And you believe there are few shinobi alive capable of such feats."
He flicked the stick away and nodded, "Quite so. But I am not dismissing your suspicions, Mizukage-dono, this person is clearly a skilled Uchiha according to what Genma and you have recounted, however, how they have come about the First Hokage's Wood Release is beyond me. Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju were historically rivals and friends, so if this person is truly Madara…"
I inhaled and went along with his train of thought, "Yes, if Uchiha Madara is so capable then it wouldn't be beyond him to glean the secrets of Hashirama Senju's Wood Release." I brought our sluggish stroll to a halt entirely and pinned the Hokage with an accusing glare, "But if the dead legends haven't risen from the grave to torment us, then all this evidence still points at you, Hokage-dono. Specifically your Uchiha clan but to begin with, I wouldn't put it past your village to secretly develop these kinds of…combinations."
Minato's soft-spoken features vanished, replaced by steel and a hardy gaze, "You're accusing us of…of arranging this incident? Of creating a shinobi, an Uchiha capable of wielding Wood Release?"
I knew the answer but I continued to play the part of a slighted, nearly assassinated Kage, "If the shoe fits, Hokage-dono."
The atmosphere between us became charged, both of us consciously holding our chakra in check. Minato's eyes were as sharp as kunai, and his tone cut just as deep.
"If we've reached that part of the conversation, then I have a few questions of my own," he said, stepping closer. The weight of his presence was undeniable, even without him releasing his chakra. "And no, I won't start with the fact that one of your subordinates flaunts a Kekkei Genkai that rightfully belongs to the Hyuga Clan—and, by extension, Konoha."
I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself. "Spoils of war, Hokage—"
"Let's talk about that war, then." His voice dropped to a cold edge. "Was it you? Or the Sandaime Mizukage you're so determined to avenge, who gave the order?" I felt the muscles in my jaw tighten, but before I could reply, he pressed on. "Tell me, who decided to turn a child into a weapon against her own people?"
The air shimmered as Minato's chakra flared, a blistering surge that he quickly tamped down. His control was impressive, but I knew what lay beneath his calm exterior. I could read him more clearly than he realized.
"Tell me, Mizukage-dono. Was it you, or your dead predecessor?"
"Hokage-dono, you're losing focus—"
"Answer."
I forced myself to meet his gaze, the storm in his eyes barely contained. "It was the Sandaime Mizukage. He gave the order."
Minato's eyes narrowed, his breath coming in measured paces. "And you became its vessel. Mastered it." He gestured at the fractured earth around us, remnants of my [Demon Cloak] attacks. "Was that your choice, or his?"
"Mine," I admitted, my voice low but steady. "Not that it matters. Shinobi aren't children, Hokage-dono. Who sent her to war? Was it you, or your Sandaime?"
The jab hit its mark. His jaw tightened, and for a moment, raw pain surfaced in his expression. The double standard stung, as it was meant to. He took a step back, then straightened.
He gritted his teeth and then asked, "One more thing then, Mizukage-dono. In your letter, you mentioned my wife and even dared to use her pregnancy as a timetable for our meeting. Do you deny having operatives in Konoha, spies watching and stalking our assets? Or will you claim that was the work of your predecessor as well?"
A pulse of chakra rippled out from me, unbidden, a reflex against the threat now palpable in the air. The mask of composure Minato had worn cracked, and the pressure of his chakra bore down, an invisible force suffocating and scorching all at once. The Yellow Flash wasn't holding back now, and I could taste the hint of a coming storm in the air between us. He was ready, if need be, to ignite a Fourth War on this soil.
I could have avoided the topic of Kushina. I shouldn't have mentioned her at all, let alone her pregnancy. But despite the suffocating anger pressing into me, I couldn't bring myself to regret it. It had been necessary to convey the urgency and it seemed like it worked.
"Yes," I admitted, my eyes locked on his. "But don't pretend Konoha hasn't had its operatives sniffing around Kirigakure, either." It was a half-truth; yes, there were operatives but they weren't spying on Kushina. I raised a hand before he could voice his angry rebuttal. "It doesn't matter now, Yondaime Hokage, what matters are the threats before us. If we get caught up in the past we'll never trust each other long enough to end this imposter. I delivered more knowledge of Amegakure than I did anything about your dear wife, I do hope you thanked her for those seeds, the orchard is growing beautifully."
Minato seethed for a moment and I felt the bright aura he carried wouldn't shine around me for some time, "I have competent shinobi investigating what you brought to our attention."
I nodded, eager to hear the results, "Yes, yes, I heard the Toad Sannin himself would be involved."
The Hokage sneered, his lips curled in disgust, "More whispers from your spies?"
I scoffed and held a daring smirk to his soft glare, "No, Genma might have mentioned, you have just confirmed. Now, what has he uncovered?"
He shook his head, "They haven't returned yet but…if we consider everything that's happened from your investigations into Amegakure to Uchiha Madara trying to kill you...I think there's enough to discuss a joint operation between our villages, how does that sound?"
"I'd rather not call that imposter Uchiha Madara but suit yourself. Otherwise, a joint operation does sound like the right step forward. Of course, there is more I'd like to discuss as our villages grow closer, trade in some manner or another."
Minato narrowed his eyes at me and I knew I was pushing the ask a tad too far, "Keep your expectations low, Mizukage-dono. Konoha is already extending its efforts for your sake."
I snorted and rolled my eyes, "Don't shrivel up now that I mention trade, Hokage-dono, the threat doesn't cease to affect you just because I wish to start talks, but I understand, we will build our friendship to that point."
He smiled but it wasn't the same as it was when we started, "I'm glad you understand. I will retrieve Genma and return to Konoha." He looked around the cratered, cursed forest and stuttered a bit before saying, "You can handle any queries officials might have, yes?"
I couldn't help it, I plopped by a tree and held my head in my hands as I cackled, "Hahahah, amusing Hokage, and yes, if any should be brave enough to approach, I will handle it."