Yamato slipped silently off the balcony. After a long moment, the Third Hokage rose from his seat and paced back and forth several times. Then, in a carefully measured tone, he said:
"Shikaku… what do you think about sending Kakashi to the Land of Waves?"
"Lord Hokage, I don't believe we need to rush into sending anyone to Wave just yet."
Nara Shikaku shook his head gravely. Setting the reports on the desk, he continued:
"I was about to say—based on my analysis, these two recent incidents may very well be a trap set by another faction specifically targeting Konoha."
"Oh?"
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. He returned to his seat, voice low.
"Explain."
"It's not a fully formed theory… more a sense that something is wrong."
Shikaku pointed to Kosuke's autopsy report.
"First, regarding Maruboshi Kosuke. Though he was officially a genin, his actual strength placed him among the strongest jōnin-class operatives. You've said it yourself—he survived years traveling alone across nations, retrieving vital intel. Few shinobi possess such survival ability."
"Yet he died right after transmitting info from the Land of Waves—dying not far from Konoha's border. And as the autopsy shows, aside from the fatal chest wound, his prosthetic limb displays distinct strangulation marks. Meaning Kosuke did fight. He wasn't taken by surprise, as the initial field report suggested."
Hiruzen nodded grimly.
Shikaku continued:
"Moreover, after his body was found, you ordered the Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyūga clans to coordinate with ANBU for a perimeter sweep. They found no signs of battle. If Kosuke had fought near the village, patrol units would have noticed. This strongly suggests he was killed elsewhere, then moved deliberately to the barrier's edge—ensuring Konoha would find him immediately."
"And the subsequent explosion at the Intelligence Division further proves this was a deliberate trap."
The Third Hokage's expression darkened.
"If the Mist jōnin's corpse hadn't been delivered by the Bounty Station, I would have ordered an immediate evacuation of Intelligence."
Shikaku nodded grimly, pointing to the second report.
"We cannot confirm the same group killed both Kosuke and the Mist jōnin Ao. The Bounty Station doesn't know when or where Ao was killed. But these two incidents very clearly connect Konoha, the Land of Waves, and Kirigakure."
"Because of Kosuke's report, we were already preparing to send someone to Wave. His final intel suggested that Kirigakure might be secretly manipulating Wave's political affairs. Whether that's accurate or not—if we send agents and they encounter Mist shinobi, Kirigakure will inevitably suspect Konoha of assassinating Ao."
"And even though Mist has been closed-off since the Third Shinobi War… recent intel indicates the village is beginning to change."
"Furthermore, Konoha and Kirigakure are still nominal allies. War treaties may be fragile, but an incident like this could easily create disastrous misunderstandings."
Hiruzen's gaze sharpened.
"So you're saying an enemy is engineering a conspiracy—one that began the moment Kosuke's body was discovered."
Shikaku nodded… then slowly shook his head.
"It's possible. But the plot feels… crude. Almost intentionally so. But what's certain is: someone in the shadows is guiding these events."
"And more importantly… I strongly suspect they want Konoha to send shinobi to the Land of Waves."
The Third Hokage drummed his fingers on the desk.
"I sensed that as well. But we can't ignore Wave entirely. What do you propose?"
Shikaku straightened.
"If Wave is merely a decoy, then we should investigate through different means."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
"What means?"
Shikaku spoke firmly:
"While handling administrative documents yesterday, I noticed that Wave has been purchasing large quantities of iron ore and grain from neighboring nations—due to the bridge construction connecting them to the Land of Hot Water. We can send a merchant caravan ahead of us. According to traders who recently returned, the area is still safe for civilians."
"For civilians…"
The Hokage frowned. Civilians weren't equipped to gather meaningful intel in a shinobi affair.
Shikaku bowed his head slightly.
"Lord Hokage, Kosuke's killer was extraordinarily skilled. If Ao was killed by the same hand, then this enemy is incredibly dangerous."
"Ao possessed the Byakugan—he was a top-tier sensory jōnin of Kirigakure. Yet both the autopsy and the Bounty Station report confirm he never even resisted. He was beheaded instantly."
Hiruzen exhaled heavily. Ao's special status was exactly why he summoned Shikaku for discussion.
A merchant team… perhaps that was indeed the safest start.
But when he recalled the sealing techniques used on Kosuke's body… something about it gnawed at him. Given Wave's location… could it be…
Knock knock knock.
Hiruzen's thoughts were interrupted.
"Lord Hokage!"
Kakashi opened the door, eyes deadened as always. He walked over and stood beside Shikaku.
"You needed me? I already had a shadow clone deliver the final list of students who failed my test."
The Third Hokage sighed inwardly.
"Shikaku—handle that matter. I need to speak with Kakashi alone."
Shikaku nodded and departed.
Hiruzen walked to the window.
"Kakashi… over the past years, you've rejected every potential genin team assigned to you."
"Mm."
Kakashi nodded dully.
"Anyone who doesn't value teamwork shouldn't be a shinobi. Unfortunately… they all failed."
"It's not they who failed."
Hiruzen turned back toward him.
"You still haven't let go of the past."
He opened a drawer, withdrew three files, and set them on the desk.
"These are the students you'll be assigned next year. I informed you long ago… and now the final team member has been confirmed."
Kakashi's visible eye shifted.
"Lord Hokage… I'm not suited to be their instructor."
Hiruzen frowned slightly.
"Kakashi… you know full well I wouldn't bypass the Academy's process unless the situation demanded it."
Kakashi picked up two files.
"Naruto—the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
Sasuke—of the Uchiha clan, likely to awaken the Sharingan."
Hiruzen nodded slowly.
"You understand, then. While Sasuke may not have awakened the Sharingan yet, you are the only shinobi in the village who possesses one."
"If circumstances weren't special, I would never entrust them to you. I want you to guide Sasuke, prevent another tragedy… and help him awaken a Sharingan capable of suppressing the Nine-Tails."
"And as Minato's disciple… entrusting Naruto to anyone else would leave me uneasy."
For a moment, Kakashi saw a bright, warm smile—a memory of Minato.
Naruto's photo overlapped with that smile.
But then he recalled his conversation with Naruto years ago outside the Academy gates.
"Even so," Kakashi said quietly, "I won't change my standards."
"Kakashi."
Hiruzen's tone hardened.
"Konoha must secure control over the Nine-Tails. The intervals between shinobi wars grow shorter. Peace will not last. Iwagakure nearly triggered a war just a few years ago."
He tapped Naruto's file.
"Naruto and Sasuke are top of their class. Naruto especially—he endured the Nine-Tails' chakra at age five without losing himself. Aside from a somewhat solitary personality… he is a remarkably stable jinchūriki."
"You enforce high standards—that's fine. But you've never believed in your students. You're not testing them… you're rejecting them."
"Kakashi… Minato knew you let your teammates pass the bell test that day. He saw through it immediately. Yet he still chose to accept you. Believe in you. Expect greatness from you."
"Minato trusted you. And I trust Minato's judgment."
Kakashi's heart jolted.
"Minato-sensei… he knew all along…
Yet he still believed I'd change…"
After a long breath, Kakashi bowed deeply.
"I understand."
Nightfall
Naruto lay in bed, eyes closed, consciousness drifting in the Mirror World alongside the three tailed beasts. Together, they reviewed the memories synced from his puppets.
When they saw Orochimaru infiltrating Sunagakure—plotting with Kabuto to manipulate the Kazekage into bringing Shukaku to Konoha for an attack—Kurama burst out laughing.
"Heh! So that stupid tanuki is going to Konoha to cause havoc after all."
Mū the Five-Tails snorted.
"Kurama… isn't Konoha your target? With how badly you two get along, wouldn't you be upset if Shukaku destroys the village before you do?"
Kurama's grin sharpened.
"Heh. Maybe."
Isobu flicked the view to Zabuza.
Kirigakure was investigating the six corpses killed at sea. Still no trace of Saiken or its jinchūriki.
So it shifted again—this time to the Hokage's office.
Kurama watched with mocking amusement… until Shikaku exited the room.
Then its expression hardened.
"Tch. So they want that Uchiha brat to control me with the Sharingan."
Kurama snarled.
"Naruto—I told you to give him that jutsu. You didn't forget, did you?"
"What jutsu?"
Isobu and Kokuō chorused at once.
Kurama bared its fangs.
"Shut it."
The two glanced at each other… quietly came to an agreement… and returned their attention to the floating frames.
Naruto smiled faintly.
"I already gave it to him when I returned from the Bounty Station."
Kurama's scowl eased.
It glanced toward Kakashi on the screen, then opened another view and burst into gloating laughter.
"Look, Naruto—Kakashi's been moved by your father's words."
Naruto watched Kakashi lift his hitai-ate, revealing his Sharingan.
With a flick of his hand, Naruto dismissed the image.
"It's natural. The Third Hokage wasn't lying. Truth is the fastest way to pierce the heart."
Kurama snorted.
"Shame Shikaku ruined the plan. Otherwise the Third would've sent Kakashi straight to Wave. Tell me, Naruto… if that mop-headed clone of your father had gone to Wave, would you have killed him?"
Naruto smiled calmly.
"He's the Copy Ninja—Sharingan Kakashi. Dying isn't that easy for him. And I don't kill without reason. He protected me and my mother for years. I wouldn't kill him myself."
Kurama's eyes gleamed red.
"Oh? I'm not so sure. Dying would be easy for him. But living?
Living hurts more. Isn't that what you really want?"
Naruto didn't answer.
He simply selected the Fourth Mizukage's portrait in the battle interface and vanished.
"Heh."
Kurama cackled, tapping its claw on Uchiha Itachi's portrait to start another battle simulation.
As soon as Kurama faded, Kokuō immediately nudged Isobu.
Isobu had already pulled up Sasuke's memory file.
The moment the two tailed beasts saw which forbidden technique Sasuke had received…
Both erupted into laughter.
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