Chapter 285 – A Good Card
"...These documents…"
Inside the Hokage's office, Minato Namikaze sat frozen,
staring at the stack of reports Kei Uchiha had just placed before him.
He hadn't expected this.
He hadn't expected something that could make even him—
the Fourth Hokage—feel a chill of fear.
A few months ago, right after the Nine-Tails incident,
Kei had told him about a strange move he'd made—
how he'd used a powerful genjutsu to control one of the attackers,
forcing that person to pass along false information.
Minato had remembered that detail clearly.
But with the chaos of Konoha's reconstruction,
the repairs, reforms, and the endless bureaucratic planning,
he had set it aside.
Now Kei had brought a file.
A report—supposedly sent back by that very same controlled operative.
And its contents… were about Kirigakure.
That alone was shocking enough.
How could such a thing even be possible?
How deep had these people infiltrated the Mist Village—
one of the Five Great Nations—
as if it were their own backyard?
---
"I can't say for certain if the contents are real," Kei said calmly,
"but they can be verified.
We still have ANBU stationed in the Land of Water, don't we?
According to this intelligence, things should be extremely tense there.
Cross-check the situation—you'll know soon enough."
Minato exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing.
"You're right. In fact, a few days ago,
I received a coded message from the ANBU outpost.
They reported unrest across the Land of Water.
The Third Mizukage's actions are… difficult to interpret."
He paused, his expression darkening.
"I didn't think their ambitions went this far.
And their methods…"
He trailed off.
Because there were no words for what he was reading.
---
The report detailed what Obito had set in motion.
Minato had no idea that his former student's actions
were what would soon be known as the "Bloody Mist Policy."
Though Obito had regained his conscience,
he still harbored hatred toward Kiri—
the village that had killed Rin.
He showed them no mercy.
At Kei's instruction, he had written a full operational outline—
disguised as a plan for Kirigakure's "restoration."
At first glance, it read like a recovery program:
a proposal to strengthen the Mist's shinobi forces,
to cultivate resilience, and to rebuild after the war.
But deeper inside, the plan was poison.
---
Each graduating student, it suggested,
should be required to defeat—
and potentially kill—one of their peers to earn promotion.
Under Madara's manipulation, this system had already begun.
Obito's version merely "stabilized" it—
and loosened the supervision.
That was all it would take.
With oversight gone, bloodshed would follow naturally.
Fear would spread.
The instinct to survive would eclipse all reason,
and the people of Kiri would destroy themselves from within.
It was genius.
And horrifying.
Obito had turned human nature against itself.
---
And that wasn't all.
The document also included strategies to persecute bloodline clans,
to purge "dangerous elements,"
and to seal off all borders of the Land of Water
"until full recovery."
In reality, those measures would isolate Kiri from the world
and rot it from the inside out.
Minato had already heard rumors of the blockade.
Now, seeing the full plan written out in detail,
he realized what it would mean.
If this succeeded—
Kirigakure would lose an entire generation.
---
He set the report down, silent for a long moment.
Obito Uchiha…
slow, reckless, naive at times—
but when it came to what he cared about,
his mind became sharper than any blade.
Minato exhaled again, torn.
On one hand, the humanitarian in him hated this.
It violated everything he believed in.
But the Hokage in him…
knew the truth.
If Kiri fell apart,
the Land of Fire would be safer for decades to come.
Konoha would have peace.
The thought made his stomach twist.
---
Then, as he looked back down at the pages,
his sharp eye caught something.
"These handwriting samples…" Minato murmured.
"Kei… can you explain?
They look awfully familiar."
Kei smiled faintly.
"Familiar because they belong to someone we both know.
Someone… believed to be dead."
Minato froze.
"Kei," he said quietly, "you mean—"
"Yes." Kei nodded.
"And I owe you an apology.
I lied before—partially.
The situation was too delicate. I had to."
He unsealed another scroll and handed it to Minato.
"Please. Read this carefully.
And say nothing."
---
Minato opened the scroll and began to read.
It was a Police Department appointment form.
Official, stamped, and signed.
But its mission description was unusual—
authorization for covert operations.
Only two men in Konoha had the authority
to issue such missions:
the Hokage himself,
and Hiruzen Sarutobi of the Foundation.
Minato's pulse quickened as he reached the final page.
His hand trembled.
There, in red ink, was a thumbprint.
And below it—
a name he could never forget.
Uchiha Obito.
---
Minato's breath caught in his throat.
Now it all made sense—Kei's caution, his secrecy, his hesitation.
Obito's survival changed everything.
It tied Kei to him, and him to Minato,
and one careless move could bring disaster upon all three.
Quietly, Minato rolled the documents back up,
sealing them again with a single touch.
Then, without a word,
he handed the scroll back to Kei.
Kei took it calmly,
as though nothing had happened.
---
"Kei," Minato said suddenly, forcing a smile,
"would you do me the honor of joining my family for dinner tonight?"
"Dinner?" Kei blinked.
"You've helped us more than anyone," Minato said gently.
"You've never even met Naruto.
It would be rude of us not to thank you properly."
Kei hesitated, then looked out the window.
The sun was sinking,
painting Konoha in orange and gold.
From here, he could see his officers leaving the new Police Headquarters—
the quiet rhythm of a village at peace.
"All right," he said finally, smiling.
"It would be my honor, Hokage-sama."
"Good," Minato said with a faint chuckle.
"But one rule: no alcohol tonight."
His smile was warm—but just a little strained.
"Oh, and Kei—should I invite Kakashi?"
---
Kei paused.
"Kakashi's your student," he said after a moment.
"You don't need my permission to invite him.
But if you want my advice—don't. Not yet."
Minato raised an eyebrow.
Kei sighed.
"He's still working through things.
And you know how… talkative he can be with ghosts."
Minato blinked, then realized what Kei meant—
the boy's habit of speaking at graves.
It was, after all, how the Nine-Tails incident had started.
Kei's tone softened.
"Besides, Kakashi's advancing fast in the ANBU ranks.
If people think he's climbing because of your favor,
it'll only weaken his position.
He needs distance—for his own sake."
Minato frowned, thinking.
Then, finally, he nodded.
"You're right. I understand."
He stood.
"Then I'll head home to prepare.
Finish your work, and come by when you can."
"Of course, Hokage-sama." Kei bowed lightly.
"I'll check on my officers, delegate a few reports,
and join you shortly."
As Kei left the office,
he glanced back once—
just long enough to see Minato vanish in a shimmer of light.
A faint smile curved his lips.
Obito wanted to slow down, he thought.
But I have no reason to wait.
After all, Uchiha Obito is one hell of a good card to play.
---
That Evening
"So this is the boy I've heard so much about."
In the Namikaze household, Kushina Uzumaki beamed brightly
as she welcomed Kei inside.
She already knew his name.
How could she not?
For the past year, Minato had spoken of him constantly—
the brilliant young Uchiha who'd changed everything.
Through her own channels, Kushina had learned even more:
that Kei was Kakashi's age,
that he'd gone to war as a child,
and that his gentle demeanor hid scars far deeper than most could imagine.
A tragic past.
A sharp mind.
And a heart both calm and dangerous.
"Thank you for coming, Kei," she said warmly.
"Truly. Our family owes you everything."
Her gratitude was genuine.
Without Kei,
the Nine-Tails might still have been rampaging through the village—
and she, as its host, might not have survived.
He had even convinced Fugaku to fight at her side.
And then he had stopped the masked man himself.
No wonder Minato trusted him so deeply.
"All right, Kushina," Minato said, laughing softly,
"you'll embarrass the poor boy."
"Oh, hush." She pouted, but smiled again.
"Fine—then you entertain him. I'll wash the dishes."
She disappeared into the kitchen, humming.
The sound of running water followed soon after.
Minato blinked.
She's… actually washing dishes?
He couldn't remember the last time that had happened.
He'd been the one doing it for years.
He chuckled under his breath.
"Come on," he said, standing.
"Let's check on Naruto."
---
They entered the nursery.
The baby was fast asleep—
tiny chest rising and falling softly.
Minato leaned over the crib,
his face warm with the quiet joy of a father.
He brushed a hand through his son's blond hair,
and Naruto stirred, murmuring in his sleep.
"You really look the part," Kei said, smiling faintly.
"By the way… what name did you two decide on?"
It was a casual question,
though part of him couldn't resist testing fate.
Would the boy still be Uzumaki Naruto in this world?
"His name's Naruto Namikaze," Minato said proudly.
Then, with a playful glance, he added in a whisper:
"Don't tell Kushina, but we drew lots for the surname.
I may have… rigged it a little."
Kei stared at him for a long second.
"You cheated your own wife for naming rights?"
Minato smiled guiltily.
"Well, it worked, didn't it?"
Kei sighed, shaking his head—
amused despite himself.
This Minato felt more human than ever.
Not a shining legend,
but a man.
He turned back toward the cradle.
"No Uzumaki Naruto then," he murmured.
"Just a boy named Naruto Namikaze—
loved, safe, and born into peace."
He smiled faintly.
"Good. I was starting to worry I'd woken up inside an Infinite Tsukuyomi."
---
Later, they sat together in the living room,
talking softly while Kushina fussed over the baby.
But as Naruto's cries began to echo through the house,
she shot Minato a look that said, your turn,
and hurried to calm their son.
Kei stood quietly by the window,
watching the small, warm light of the Namikaze household—
a rare peace in a village built on war.
And deep down, he knew.
He'd made the right move.
After dinner, she quickly sensed that the two men sitting in her living room weren't finished talking.
So, with a bright smile and a knowing look, she scooped little Naruto into her arms—
"You two go talk on the balcony," she said decisively.
"I'll take care of Naruto."
And before either of them could object, she was gone.
---
The night was calm.
A soft breeze brushed against the balcony railings.
The full moon hung high above, silver light spilling across the quiet rooftops of Konoha.
Kei leaned against the railing, his expression unreadable as he looked up at the moon.
"How are you holding up?" he asked at last.
"The Nine-Tails behaving?"
Minato placed a hand on his stomach, smiling faintly.
Through the fabric of his shirt, the sealing formula glowed faintly—
a smaller, refined version of the one that held the same beast inside his son.
"It's stable," he said.
"Kushina's sealing techniques are exceptional.
I haven't mastered all of them, but it's enough to keep the fox quiet."
Kei nodded slightly.
"When did you first realize who he was?"
Minato tilted his head.
"You mean the masked man?"
Kei's crimson eyes began to glow—
the three tomoe spinning slowly into a kaleidoscopic pattern.
"It'll be easier to show you," he said softly.
"If you want to stop, just disrupt your chakra flow.
That's the simplest way to break genjutsu."
Minato nodded, his voice calm.
"Understood."
---
The world shifted.
The moonlight faded, replaced by the red haze of a battlefield.
When Minato's vision cleared, he was standing amidst the carnage—
bodies scattered across the grass,
and in the center, a single figure knelt in the blood-soaked mud,
cradling a lifeless girl in his arms.
Minato's breath caught in his throat.
Rin… and…
He recognized the man instantly.
Obito Uchiha.
His student.
The scene rippled.
Battle followed—brief, violent, mercifully muted.
Kei had shielded the worst of it.
Then the field lay silent again.
Minato watched as Kei knelt beside Rin's body,
his expression calm but grim.
When Kei's hand brushed Rin's chest,
his movements froze.
Minato saw it too now—
the faint, black sealing marks etched near her heart.
A curse mark…
He watched Kei silently seal Rin's body away,
then incinerate the others—leaving no trace behind.
---
The vision continued.
He saw Kei bring Rin's body to Ayaka Hyūga,
saw them carefully extract the curse mark and analyze it.
He saw Kei's battle against Obito on the night of the Nine-Tails' attack,
saw the Mangekyō Sharingan flash,
saw Obito trapped within Kei's genjutsu—
and watched the hatred in him fracture,
giving way, if only for a moment,
to something human.
By the time the illusion faded,
Minato stood in silence,
the moonlight of the real world once again washing over him.
It felt like he had lived an entire lifetime in those few minutes.
---
"So that's how it happened…"
Minato's voice was soft, heavy.
"Obito… that boy…"
Kei exhaled slowly.
"He was consumed by hatred," he said quietly.
"He saw the world as hell—and wanted to drag it all down with him."
Then his tone softened.
"But somewhere inside, his conscience was still alive.
Barely, but alive.
I was just… lucky enough to find it before it disappeared completely."
He stopped there, letting the silence stretch between them.
Both men stared into the distance—
toward the far edge of the village,
where the forest met the cratered remains
of the Nine-Tails' rampage.
That place still glowed faintly under the moonlight,
a scar upon Konoha's heart.
---
Kei knew what was going through Minato's mind.
The Hokage was too kind to show it,
but the conflict in his eyes was plain.
He remembered how, in another life,
when Minato was resurrected during the Fourth Great War,
he had faced Obito again.
Back then, he had wept for his student's tragedy—
but when the time came to strike,
he hadn't hesitated for a second.
That was Minato Namikaze:
gentle in spirit,
but utterly unwavering in duty.
---
"He deserves redemption," Kei said at last,
his voice low, steady.
"Not forgiveness—
but the chance to atone.
To fight for the village again,
as a Konoha shinobi."
Minato was quiet for a long time.
Then he sighed.
"Let's… not decide what to do with him just yet," he said.
"According to the Hyūga brothers' reports,
there was another Uchiha involved in the attack, wasn't there?"
Kei nodded.
"Yes. But Obito doesn't know who he is.
Only that he existed—
and that he was the one who truly led the assault on Konoha."
Minato turned his gaze toward Kei, eyes sharp.
"That man… will need to be investigated carefully.
Until we know more,
no assumptions, no accusations.
You understand what I mean, Kei."
"Of course," Kei said softly.
"Leave it to me."
Minato nodded.
"Good. And for now—don't speak of this to anyone."
He looked back up at the moon.
"Let's talk about something else."
---
The two men stood in silence for a while longer,
the silver light washing over their faces,
both burdened by truths that could never be spoken aloud.
Below them, the village slept peacefully.
Above them, the same moon that had once shone over the battlefield
now glowed with quiet indifference.
And in that fragile moment between guilt and resolve,
both Hokage and Uchiha understood—
that redemption, like moonlight,
was never meant to burn.
Only to remind them that darkness could still be touched by light.