Some time later…
"Where could that idiot be," Tsunade muttered to herself, as she walked into the main room of their house. She was growing anxious and worried about where her husband was despite his strength, which was only natural as his wife. She assumed he had gone one to fight those responsible in Kiri by himself. "If he's gotten himself hurt I'm gonna'-"
As if summoning him, Katsuro appeared right in front of Tsunade, startling her.
"You id-?!" Tsunade started, until her eyes scanned his body. Her eyes widened in shock and horror seeing how much blood was on him and the tattered state of his robe. Despite him taking some time to heal before he came, Katsuro was still heavily injured. The hole in his upper right chest and shoulder had shrunk but was still clearly visible and his left arm was still frightening to even look at while he was bruised heavily in multiple places, especially his left midsection. And this was not even considering all of his internal injuries that didn't visibly show.
Seeing her eyes widen in worry and begin to tear up as she stuttered, Katsuro felt a sense of guilt very few could make him feel. "I know, I'm sorry, I just had to take care of a few things…"
Tears streamed down Tsunade's face, "Wha… what happened, what are you talking about, why are you so hurt?" she questioned in pain as she automatically began to start healing him, her hands brushing over his wounds as if trying to understand and transfer his pain. She knew how strong her husband was, and after the last battle against Iwa and Kumo, she thought he was invincible. So seeing him in this state spoke of the odds he must have faced.
Katsuro contemplated as he weighed his words before speaking. "Just a few enemies, hiding in the shadows, that's all." Seeing his hesitation, Tsunade understood enough and didn't press him for an answer. Her trust was unwavering, and he had said he'd handled it, and so she would believe him.
They continued to speak, avoiding the topic while talking about other things. Mainly they focussed on what happened to Rin and Kakashi which caused their anger to reignite. As much as Katsuro wanted to immediately set out to Minato, he stayed to be healed by Tsunade not only because she would kill him if he didn't, but also because seeing his state would bring up too many questions and bring down morale.
Unfortunately, the extent of his injuries meant that even with his healing factor and Tsunade's own healing, he would be forced away from the public eye for some time. The main issue was a wound he had inflicted on himself with the usage of his 'Dimensional Rend' which brought down a great storm upon his head by Tsunade once he had reached a healthy enough state.
Her analysis also revealed that over use of it would render his arms completely unusable due to the sheer extent of the damage he was constantly inflicting, thus forcing Katsuro to reconsider his use of the Jutsu, now being forced to shelve it as a last resort.
—
In the Hokage's office…
The decision to make Minato Hokage was immediately approved of by the Daimyo who had quickly come to the village to seal his position considering the recent revelation of a scheme and attack by Kirigakure. Konoha could not go without leadership in such a time, especially when its strongest pillar seemed to have disappeared in a recluse.
In that time, in the name of ensuring a smooth transition, Hiruzen was working his claws to ensure his influence didn't simply fade. With Katsuro gone, it was the perfect time to take advantage of Minato's innate good naturedness and respect for him as the Hokage which saw him in the office almost as much as Minato himself, serving as some sort of advisor.
An urgent meeting had been called to discuss the extra price and compensation Kirigakure would have to pay to the Leaf and the families of the children who were lost and affected due to the Mist's attack, while also considering the prospect of retaliation. However, Hiruzen had dismissed the incident as meaningless, and turned his mind to things higher up on his agenda.
Minato, you are my student but I will still make sure this village grows the right way. In order to do that, you have to follow my guidance and all will be smooth-sailing. That Katsuro brat isn't here to intervene, but I'm sure he'll be back soon. No matter, I've still become your informal "advisor" which is a step forward. While he was no longer Hokage, Hiruzen was still very much involved in the village's politics and welfare. In fact, he had taken it upon himself to "suggest" to Minato that being his advisor on the side would be a great idea, which of course Minato accepted without much hesitation, as any help from the former Hokage who was also his teacher would make his job much easier and make sure the transition between Hokage's wouldn't affect the village, especially during such an important time. But Hiruzen didn't just want to sway Minato's opinion, he still had his vision of cementing Konoha at the peak of the other Great Villages with him at its helm, and thereby making sure its future would be secured. Fortunately for him, Katsuro had been missing for the last day and a half, giving him time to partially self-appoint himself at Minato's side.
Minato had not voiced his own position on the matter, remaining neutral for now while he heard the opinions of those in the meeting. As such many clan leaders and officials took a similar position where they waited and saw how things unfolded. Hiruzen, on the other hand, took matters into his own hands, like he thought he was still in charge.
"Obviously, we cannot ignore the issue, that the Hidden Mist has committed foul actions," Hiruzen said, clearing his throat as he stood up, "however, I have attended to the matter already, Lord Fourth, by securing agreed compensation from the Mist!"
Minato looked slightly shocked while clearly trying to hide it from showing. It was true that Hiruzen was technically his advisor, but that didn't give him the authority to make such an important decision without even consulting the Hokage first. However what's done was done, and causing a rift between the Hokage and his remaining supporters and himself in front of everyone would cause cohesion in the village to crumble in a time when they must come together to face a common enemy.
"Thank you, Lord Sarutobi, but in future please ensure you consult me about this first," Minato smiled, half-heartedly, his position of Hiruzen changing. He had thought that the man had been fully 'defeated' by his teacher, and would whole heartedly serve the village, but it seemed he was playing games once more. The other clan leaders quickly noticed the tension in the air and also found it odd that Hiruzen had made the move on his own, but decided not to speak up.
Hiruzen smiled back and nodded quickly. Tsunade, who was acting as the temporary head for the Senju clan, looked at her former teacher, shaking her head, catching the eye of the others present who saw her disappointment with the former Hokage's actions.
"Excuse me," a voice said from behind the door, as Senju Kaito walked in, "I have a message from Lord Senju Katsuro."
The message quickly made the noise in the room rise. No one had known where Katsuro had gone, and Tsunade had decided not to tell anyone of his arrival or injuries. They had all assumed he was taking an extended hiatus or was busy, allowing Hiruzen to become more free with his words and actions, leaving some clan leaders on edge. However, with the announcement of his message which signalled his involvement, the mood instantly shifted.
People hadn't thought he'd died, such was the belief that people had in him, but his absence made people more nervous especially when he seemed to disappear when this turmoil with Kiri was happening.
"Right," Minato smiled, "very well then."
The former Hokage gritted his teeth at the news.
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