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An ominous atmosphere spread.
Hiruzen sat on a chair with a sinister look on his face, eyes fixed on the uneasy girl before him, a wicked smile on his face.
"Third Hokage, your smile is so creepy," Kushina said with disgust, glaring at Hiruzen.
Hiruzen's smile froze.
"Why don't you turn on the lights at night? Aren't you afraid of going blind?"
Ignoring him, Kushina walked to the door and turned on all the lights in the office.
Who was he trying to scare in the dark? "Just as Granny Mito said, be wary of you, you perverted old man!"
Hiruzen could barely control his expression.
Per...perverted old man!? He touched his chin. He didn't think he looked old enough to be called that.
He was in his prime.
Even Biwako said he looked younger every day.
But what exactly had Mito told Kushina!?
His reputation was taking a serious hit.
He was known as a good Hokage.
"Ah-hem." Hiruzen cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment, putting on a kindly smile.
He did seem to have aged a bit.
"Kushina, can you control the Nine-Tails now?"
He had been at home, enjoying sukiyaki and singing, when he suddenly felt the strong presence of the Nine-Tails. He had rushed out without finishing his meal.
Not even getting to eat the sukiyaki Biwako had prepared with care.
Hopefully, Biwako wouldn't make him sleep on the couch tonight.
"You mean that smelly fox, it's really infuriating." Kushina's face was filled with anger.
This piqued Hiruzen's interest.
"How so?"
As soon as Kushina started talking about the Nine-Tails, she couldn't stop.
"It all started when I poked it with a Seal last time. Since then, it's been ignoring me, even being stingy with chakra."
"Hiss!" Hiruzen could vividly imagine the scene, feeling a localized pain and sucking in a breath.
That Nine-Tails had quite the temper.
Kushina continued her complaints.
"Today was even worse. I borrowed some chakra to shoot a Tailed Beast Ball, and it added a seal on its own. Now, I can't even reach it, and its chakra supply is pitifully small. That stingy fox."
It used to give out chakra generously, but now it refused.
Hiruzen smacked his lips. Wasn't a Jinchuriki supposed to borrow chakra from the beast? How did it turn into outright robbery?
He felt some sympathy for the Nine-Tails.
Even Mito hadn't subjected it to such treatment.
But he also realized that Kushina could indeed control the Nine-Tails.
It was quite surprising.
With Mito, the Nine-Tails barely cooperated, and due to her high status, he couldn't use her in battles.
But with Kushina, it was a different story. She could be a combat force on demand.
However, her own strength shouldn't be weak either.
He would discuss this with Jiraiya later.
The immediate concern was.
"Alright, Kushina."
Hiruzen interrupted her complaints, which were mostly about how innocent she was and how unreasonable the Nine-Tails was.
He saw it as a thief complaining about being robbed.
Hiruzen's face grew stern.
"From now on, no using Tailed Beast Balls in the village."
Today's blast had destroyed half the forest.
Fortunately, Jiraiya and the others acted quickly, or it could have been worse. If any escaped, it would have been a disaster.
Kushina being a Jinchuriki must not be revealed to other villages.
"Got it, got it." Kushina replied impatiently, not intending to use it again anyway.
She didn't need the old man to tell her.
"Naggy old man."
Hiruzen's face stiffened, feeling the urge to discipline her.
But he was magnanimous.
Hiruzen sighed deeply.
"Alright, you can take your teammates and leave."
Kushina muttered under her breath, "Perverted old man."
"Don't think I didn't hear that!!"
Hiruzen roared.
Kushina quickly ran out.
Outside the office, Gin leaned against the wall, staring at the ceiling, while Minato paced near the door.
Seeing Kushina come out, Minato sighed in relief and approached with concern.
"Kushina, are you alright?"
After all, a bunch of ninjas had suddenly taken them to the Hokage's office, which seemed suspicious.
"Nothing serious."
Kushina turned her head away, unsure if they had seen her use the Nine-Tails' power.
She mostly wanted to protect Minato's feelings. Though he was gentle, he was competitive and always tried to catch up to Gin.
Many times, she had seen Minato practicing hard alone.
She didn't want to discourage him by revealing her strength.
As for Gin... To hell with him!!
Gin suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, staring intently at Kushina.
"I feel like you're cursing me in your mind."
What do you think? "Humph!" Kushina snorted, lifting her head high.
If Minato weren't here, she would show Gin why flowers are red!! Their feud wasn't over.
Gin scratched his ear and said to Minato, "Minato, your strength is too weak."
Kushina's eyes widened at Gin. Did he not know why she was hiding it?
It was to protect Minato's feelings, and he just blurted it out.
Her eyes glowed red, hair starting to float.
Gin sneered disdainfully. Who was afraid of whom?
Eating dog food in front of him.
Didn't think he could retaliate?
Minato felt down, knowing it was true.
Mainly because his two teammates were too extraordinary.
"Come to the secret base tomorrow. I'll teach you something powerful."
Gin added.
Though Minato was a genius, he hadn't yet matured.
To prevent Hiruzen from causing more trouble, he needed to boost the team's strength.
Minato still had room to grow.
...
Hokage's Office.
As the noise outside faded away.
A puff of smoke appeared in the office.
Jiraiya appeared, kneeling before the Hokage's desk.
"Hokage-sama, these ninjas' brains were destroyed, making it impossible to extract any useful memories."
Facing serious matters, Jiraiya took on the role of a subordinate.
Jiraiya's report made Hiruzen frown.
Such brain destruction methods weren't typical of small ninja villages.
"It seems like the work of a major village. Iwa, Suna, Kumo, Kiri—Jiraiya, which do you think it is?"
Jiraiya had considered this.
"Without distinctive techniques, it's hard to confirm, but Kiri is unlikely."
Hiruzen nodded. Of the five major villages, Kirigakure was known for assassination and Water Release. They had few ninjas to spare and wouldn't sacrifice for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
It was a high-risk mission with a certain failure.
The remaining three villages were suspects.
Of course, Kiri could sacrifice to frame someone else, but it was unlikely.
"Prepare to head to the front lines, Jiraiya."
Hiruzen sighed.
Who did it no longer mattered; tensions were rising.
White Fang had already led several defensive battles against Suna.
Iwa's movements were increasing, needing someone to hold the fort.
Kiri was the Uchiha's concern, not his.
"Hmm? What about my students?"
Jiraiya wasn't afraid of the front lines, but he had just started training his students. He didn't want to take them to war so soon.
"Your students will go with you."
"Do they have to face war so early?"
Jiraiya hesitated.
He didn't want to take the three genin to the battlefield, where survival wasn't guaranteed, even for him.
Especially not for three genin, though their skills were decent.
Hiruzen saw Jiraiya's hesitation, understandable for his first genin team.
"They will face it sooner or later. But you don't need to rush. Go in the spring."
Winter is coming.
Even if other villages had plans, they wouldn't launch major attacks in winter.
Winter was a season of dormancy.
In these chaotic times, it was a rare period of peace.
"Use this time to help them grow. Tsunade should be free, and Orochimaru is training Gin. Pay attention to Minato."
Hiruzen advised kindly.
"Yes."
Jiraiya responded solemnly.
Jiraiya disappeared, leaving a puff of white smoke.
Hiruzen took a deep puff of his pipe, exhaling a cloud.
In the darkness, a figure emerged, a man covered in bandages.
He had been there all along.
"Hiruzen, give me the Nine-Tails. I'll make her the village's strongest weapon."
Danzo's voice was low and hoarse.
Hiruzen didn't look at him, walking to the window and gazing at the dimly lit village.
His voice came.
"You know that's impossible."
The Nine-Tails was the village's most important strategic weapon, to be controlled by him.
"You will regret it." Danzo said coldly.
An emotional Jinchuriki would be driven by feelings, unable to reach full potential.
Hiruzen glanced at him.
"I am the Hokage."
Danzo's expression didn't change, but his left hand clenched, veins bulging.
Because of a moment's hesitation, he had missed becoming Hokage.
He took a deep breath, calming himself.
"Then give me Gin. I'll make him a blade against the Uchiha."
Hiruzen hesitated.
He didn't want Gin to grow, but the boy's talent was evident.
Jiraiya wouldn't agree.
"If he agrees himself."
"I'll make him submit."
(End of Chapter)