The room was dark and gloomy.
A chilling aura spread through the air.
Sitting in a chair with a sinister expression, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the uneasy girl standing before him. A wicked grin twisted his face.
"Third Hokage, you look like such a creep when you smile like that," Kushina said with open disgust.
Hiruzen's smile froze instantly.
"You're sitting here in the dark without even turning the lights on. Aren't you afraid of going blind?" she added, walking straight to the door and flipping on all the lights.
Trying to scare someone with that pitch-black office? Seriously?
"Grandma Mito was right — you really are a dirty old man!" she huffed.
Hiruzen almost couldn't keep his composure.
Dirty… old man!?
He subconsciously touched the beard on his chin. Was he already old enough to be called that? He was still in his prime, wasn't he?
Biwako always said he looked younger every year.
Still… just what exactly had Mito Uzumaki told Kushina? His reputation was being absolutely destroyed!
He was supposed to be known as a good, trustworthy Hokage!
Hiruzen coughed twice to cover his embarrassment, forcing a gentle smile onto his face.
Maybe he had gotten a little older after all...
"Kushina, are you able to control the Nine-Tails now?" he asked.
Originally, he had been relaxing at home, eating sukiyaki and singing, when he suddenly sensed a strong Nine-Tails chakra. He'd panicked, abandoning his dinner and rushing out the door.
He hadn't even gotten to eat the sukiyaki Biwako had spent hours preparing.
He really hoped she wouldn't make him sleep on the couch tonight.
"That stupid fox?" Kushina scowled. "He's infuriating."
Hiruzen's interest piqued.
"What happened?" he asked.
And once she started talking about the Nine-Tails, Kushina couldn't stop.
"I mean, sure, I might have jabbed him with a Vajra Seal the other day... but he's been holding a grudge ever since! Stingy with his chakra too!"
Hiruzen winced, immediately picturing the scene. His body instinctively tensed up at the imagined pain.
Man, the Nine-Tails sure had a temper.
"And today?" Kushina continued venting. "I just borrowed a little chakra to fire a Tailed Beast Bomb, and he locked himself up with a seal! Now I can't even contact him — and the chakra flow's pathetic!"
Before, he used to flood her with chakra without a second thought. Now? He wouldn't give her a drop unless she begged.
Hiruzen smacked his lips in thought. Wasn't a Jinchūriki supposed to borrow chakra from the Tailed Beast, not rob it?
He almost felt a bit sorry for the fox.
Even when Kurama was sealed inside Mito Uzumaki, he hadn't suffered like this.
Still, Hiruzen realized something important — Kushina could indeed control the Nine-Tails to some extent now.
That was incredible news.
When Mito had been the host, the Nine-Tails had cooperated reluctantly, and Mito's status had been too high to risk using her in battle.
But Kushina?
She could become an actual, deployable weapon for the village.
Of course, she would still need to be personally strong as well. Maybe he could discuss that later with Jiraiya.
Right now, there was a more urgent matter.
"Alright, Kushina," Hiruzen said, interrupting her complaints. "Starting now, it's strictly forbidden to use Tailed Beast Bombs within the village."
That single attack today had wiped out half a forest.
If Jiraiya and the others hadn't reacted quickly, things could have gotten much worse.
The fact that Kushina was a Jinchūriki couldn't be allowed to leak to the other Hidden Villages.
"Yeah, yeah, got it," Kushina said with a wave, clearly annoyed. She hadn't planned on using it again anyway.
What a nag, she thought.
Hiruzen's face stiffened. This little brat seriously needed some discipline.
But, taking a deep breath, he reminded himself to be the bigger person.
"You're free to take your teammates and leave," he said with a long sigh.
Kushina muttered under her breath, "Old pervert!"
"I heard that!!" Hiruzen roared.
Kushina bolted from the office.
Outside the Hokage's office, she found Uchiha Gin leaning against a wall, staring up at the ceiling, while Minato Namikaze paced nervously by the door.
Seeing Kushina come out, Minato immediately hurried over, relief flooding his face.
"Kushina, are you okay?"
After all, a bunch of Anbu had suddenly grabbed them and dragged them here. It had definitely felt like something big had happened.
"It's no big deal," she replied, looking away.
She wasn't sure if they had seen her use the Nine-Tails' power earlier.
Mainly, she was worried about Minato. Even though he acted delicate sometimes, he had a strong competitive streak — he was always trying to catch up to Uchiha Gin.
She had seen Minato training desperately, over and over.
She didn't want to discourage him, so she chose to hide the truth.
As for Uchiha Gin?
Who cares about him!
At that moment, Gin turned his head, staring at Kushina suspiciously.
"Feels like you were just cursing me in your heart," he said bluntly.
You think?
"Hmph!" Kushina lifted her chin proudly, giving him a cold snort.
If Minato wasn't standing there, she would've shown Gin exactly why flowers were red!
Their grudge was far from over.
Gin scratched his ear lazily and turned to Minato.
"Minato, your strength is seriously way too weak."
Kushina's eyes widened. She had gone through so much trouble to protect Minato's feelings — and Gin just blurted it out!?
Her eyes glowed red with fury, and her hair began to lift, as if stirred by an invisible wind.
Gin just sneered in disdain.
Who cared?
He wasn't going to sit there and eat dog food while those two played nice. Payback was inevitable.
Minato's mood dropped immediately — after all, Gin wasn't wrong.
His two teammates were absolute monsters compared to him.
"Tomorrow," Gin added, "come to the secret base. I'll teach you something useful."
Minato still had room to grow.
Besides, Hiruzen Sarutobi was the kind of guy who might pull some political stunts — strengthening their squad was essential.
Back inside the Hokage's office...
When the noise outside finally faded into silence, a puff of smoke appeared in the room.
Jiraiya's figure emerged, kneeling on one knee before the Hokage's desk.
"Lord Hokage," he reported solemnly, "the enemy ninjas' brains were completely destroyed. No usable memories could be extracted."
When it came to serious business, Jiraiya set aside any casual attitude, speaking purely as a subordinate.
Hearing this, Hiruzen frowned.
This kind of precise brain destruction wasn't something a small Hidden Village could pull off.
"It must've been the work of a major Hidden Village — Rock, Sand, Cloud, or Mist. Which one do you suspect?" Hiruzen asked.
Jiraiya had clearly thought it through.
"No distinctive techniques were used. Can't confirm. But Mist Village is less likely."
Hiruzen nodded. Among the Five Great Nations, Mist specialized in assassinations and water-style jutsu. Their shinobi were too valuable to waste on a near-suicide mission like this.
It made more sense for Rock, Sand, or Cloud to be behind it.
Mist could have done it as a false flag, of course — but that possibility seemed slim.
"Jiraiya, prepare for deployment to the front lines," Hiruzen said with a sigh.
At this point, who was behind it didn't matter anymore. War was on the horizon.
White Fang had already fought multiple battles against the Sand Village.
And now, Rock Village was stirring as well — they needed more forces at the borders.
As for Mist Village? That was Uchiha business — no need to worry.
"My students?" Jiraiya asked. He wasn't afraid to go to the front lines — but he had barely started training his new team.
Sending them to war now would stunt their growth.
"They'll go with you," Hiruzen said.
"You're making them face war already?" Jiraiya hesitated.
He wasn't sure three fresh Genin would survive a real battlefield, even if they were talented.
Hiruzen understood his hesitation — it was Jiraiya's first time leading a Genin team, after all.
"They have to face it eventually. But don't rush — leave in the spring."
Winter was coming.
Even if the enemy had plans, large-scale offensives rarely happened during the freezing season.
Winter was a time of ice and stillness — a rare window of peace amidst the growing chaos.
"In the meantime, focus on their growth. Tsunade should be free, and Orochimaru is supposedly teaching Gin. Pay special attention to Minato."
"Yes, sir," Jiraiya said heavily.
He disappeared in a swirl of white mist.
Left alone, Hiruzen picked up his long smoking pipe and took a deep, slow drag.
From the shadows of the room, a figure slowly emerged — a man wrapped in bandages.
He had been there all along.
"Hiruzen, hand over the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki to me," said Danzo Shimura in a raspy voice. "I'll turn her into the village's ultimate weapon."
Hiruzen didn't even look at him. Instead, he walked to the window, gazing out at the sparsely lit village.
"You know that's impossible."
The Nine-Tails was the village's greatest strategic asset. It had to stay under his control.
"You'll regret it," Danzo said coldly.
An emotional Jinchūriki would always be driven by feelings — never by duty alone.
Hiruzen glanced at him.
"I'm the Hokage."
Danzo's face remained calm, but his left hand clenched into a tight fist, veins bulging.
All because of one moment of hesitation, he had lost his chance to be Hokage.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Danzo spoke again.
"Then give me Uchiha Gin. I'll turn him into the perfect weapon to use against the Uchiha Clan."
Hiruzen hesitated.
He didn't like the idea of Gin growing stronger — but Gin's talent was already undeniable.
Besides, Jiraiya would never agree.
"If Gin agrees to it himself," Hiruzen said cautiously.
"I'll make him submit," Danzo promised with a grim smile.