Hokage's Office
"Shizune?"
Sarutobi Asuma, who had been summoned by Kakashi, stared in surprise at the man sitting in the Hokage's chair.
"That's right. Shizune has been with Lady Tsunade for years now. It's time she came home. Besides, the Medical Department could really use a vice-director right about now."
Kakashi set down the ninjutsu scroll he'd been reading and looked up at Asuma.
"Vice-director…"
"But will Lady Tsunade even agree? Shizune's been with her all this time, after all."
Asuma hesitated. Everyone in Konoha knew Tsunade's temperament—she was stubborn as an ox. Taking someone away from her would be no small feat.
"That's exactly why I called you here."
"Make it happen."
Asuma's mouth twitched at Kakashi's words.
Make it happen?
How about you "make me happen" first?
He stole a glance at the man behind the desk. Lately he'd noticed the personnel shifts inside the village. Almost everyone who had supported Kakashi's decision to go to war had received promotions.
"Once this is done, I'll send you to the Capital."
"When you return to the Leaf five years from now, I'll have something good waiting for you."
Recently, Asuma and his father Hiruzen had some kind of falling-out. In a fit of anger, Asuma had submitted his resignation and requested to become one of the Guardian Ninja Twelve at the Fire Daimyō's court. Kakashi, however, had simply sat on the paperwork and never approved it, which was why Asuma was still stuck in the village.
"…Fine."
Asuma didn't particularly care what position Kakashi eventually gave him; he was just quietly impressed by the man's actions.
The arrogant brat from back then had become a Hokage that everyone acknowledged.
"You sure you can pull it off?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Asuma to agree so readily.
"I should be able to."
Asuma nodded.
"What reason are you planning to give Tsunade to let Shizune come back to the Leaf?"
Kakashi was genuinely curious. In the original story, not even Jiraiya could have dragged that stubborn mule Tsunade back if the Third Hokage hadn't died in battle.
"Just tell Lady Tsunade that the old man is on his deathbed and wants to see her one last time before he goes."
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Kakashi's temple.
As expected from the ultimate filial son.
"Go, go."
Kakashi waved him off.
He didn't care what kind of lie Asuma used to trick Shizune into returning—as long as she stepped foot in the village again, she wasn't leaving.
"Leave it to me."
"Just watch—she'll be back."
Asuma thumped his chest confidently and strode out of the Hokage's office.
Once Asuma was gone, Kakashi turned his attention back to the scroll in front of him.
Water Release: Water Severing Wave.
He had already mastered both the shape transformation and nature transformation of Water-style chakra; now he needed a technique that could be seamlessly combined with his blade work.
After scouring Konoha's ninjutsu archives, he had settled on this signature Water Release technique of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
Although Tobirama's Water Dragon Bite Explosion was also an option, it clearly didn't pair as well with the White Fang blade.
Now that everything was finally on track—the Council of Elders had begun their first day of work, the village was methodically rebuilding itself with Kumogakure's war reparations and the military funds approved by the Daimyō—Kakashi finally had time to focus on further improving his own strength.
These past three years, despite having to put up with the likes of Koharu Utatane and Danzō Shimura, had actually been the most leisurely years of his life.
With that thought, Kakashi picked up the Water Release scroll and leisurely left the Hokage's office, heading toward Training Ground Three.
"Itachi, grab it quick!"
"Don't let it get away!"
Deep in a forest, a standard four-man genin squad leaped swiftly between the trees.
Two frantic genin were chasing a large calico cat with a ribbon tied around its head. The cat, terrified out of its mind, fled in every direction. At the shout of one of his teammates, nine-year-old Uchiha Itachi cut off the cat's escape route and snatched it up by the scruff of its neck.
"Nice one!"
His teammates rushed over the moment the notorious runaway cat was caught.
"Mission complete!"
The only girl on the team, a Yamanaka clan member, happily stepped forward and poked the cat's forehead, earning herself an indignant yowl.
"Let's use the reward money to go eat barbecue later!"
"It's been forever since we had grilled meat."
Hearing his teammates' excitement, Itachi smiled softly and declined.
"I promised Shisui-nii we'd train later, so I'll have to pass."
The Yamanaka girl looked a little disappointed, but quickly brightened again.
"As expected of Itachi, the genius who graduated at eight."
"If you really push yourself, you might even make jōnin at twelve, just like Lord Hokage!"
Itachi blinked in surprise at the comment.
Lord… Hokage?
He remembered that brief encounter three years ago with the current Hokage.
Only… the man hadn't seemed to like him very much.
He also recalled what his father and Shisui had said about the current Hokage: ruthless, willing to do anything to achieve his goals.
Best to keep contact to a minimum.
At one point, Itachi himself had believed that.
After all, someone who assassinated foreign envoys and started wars on his own initiative couldn't possibly be a good person.
And yet…
Itachi's gaze drifted toward the distant Hokage Tower.
If that were really true, why had everyone chosen that man to be Hokage?
His father had even been appointed to the Council of Elders by Lord Hokage and now worked inside the Hokage Tower, handling matters that only previous Hokages had been qualified to deal with.
A Hokage who could put aside past grudges and appoint people based solely on talent—how could someone like that be ruthless and cruel?
Just like how a female praying mantis must devour the male to nourish her offspring, sometimes things were done out of necessity.
Was it possible that the clan had simply been too arrogant, and everyone had misunderstood Lord Hokage?
Feeling ashamed of his earlier assumptions, Itachi lowered his eyes.
"Itachi, what are you spacing out for?"
"Hurry up!"
His teammates' voices rang out from ahead.
"Oh—coming!"
Clutching the squirming calico cat, Uchiha Itachi hurried to catch up.
[Uchiha Itachi emotional fluctuation +1] [Chakra +1%] [Current chakra: 5001%]
???
Kakashi, who was in the middle of training, noticed the notification and frowned slightly.
What did I do recently?
Why is the kid suddenly thinking about me?
Still… since it's Itachi…
Kakashi recalled a certain idea he'd had earlier and decided it might be worth reaching out to the boy.
After all, a Uchiha who was firmly on the Hokage's side was a rare thing indeed.
————
Supporting me on Pa-treon to gain early access to advanced chapters and enjoy expedited updates. Your support is greatly appreciated.
pat-reon .c-om/Dragonhair
(Just remove the hyphen - and space, to access Pa-treon normally.)