Unforeseen Threat
Danzo stormed angrily to the Hokage's office. An urgent message reached him, instructing him to withdraw his Anbu units and cease the guarding of the Fourth Hokage.
It puzzled him why Hiruzen would act so naively again. Barely had Kakashi Hatake appeared with the deceased Minato Namikaze, yet the Third Hokage wanted to let him roam the village undisturbed.
As if that wasn't enough, the Fourth Hokage was also near his son, the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. This situation was extremely volatile and could seriously harm the village.
Danzo would be ready to incarcerate Minato if he had the authority. He wouldn't simply let the son of the Fourth Hokage stay in the village either. After all, he would ensure Kakashi received just punishment for the irresponsible act of bringing Minato into the village.
But he didn't have the final say. He had to bow to the Third again and watch helplessly as the village was endangered. But this time, he wouldn't just stand idly by. Danzo deeply mistrusted the Fourth. It was simply inconceivable; Minato Namikaze was dead.
Danzo was determined to prevent, by any means necessary, Minato from being appointed as Hokage again in the worst-case scenario. He would do everything in his power to prevent it.
As Danzo reached the office, he didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately opened the door. Hiruzen sat behind his desk, raising his head as Danzo entered the room.
Danzo closed the door behind him and stepped further into the room until he stood before the desk. Their gazes met, and for a moment, there was palpable tension between them as they challengingly stared at each other.
Finally, it was Hiruzen who spoke up first. He set his pen aside, leaned back in his chair, and folded his hands, his gaze calmly resting on Danzo. "What can I do for you? It must be extraordinarily important if you're storming into my office like this."
Danzo snorted angrily. "You know exactly why I'm here!" His voice sounded accusatory as he spoke the words.
Hiruzen sighed softly and closed his eyes for a moment. "It's about Minato," he stated, then opened his eyes again.
"How dare you let him roam the village like this without knowing who he really is or how he returned?" he began angrily. "And then you also demand that I withdraw my ANBU."
Hiruzen looked at Danzo silently for a moment. "We can trust him. I believe he has provided enough evidence to show that he is genuine," he began to explain, keeping his voice calm. "Besides, I think we can trust Kakashi. He will ensure that it's really Minato."
"Don't forget that the brat has betrayed us before. We can't blindly trust everyone," Danzo retorted with a biting tone.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly. "Do you really want to talk about 'betrayal'? I think we should let that subject rest. Kakashi enjoys my full trust," he explained calmly.
Danzo knew it was unwise to continue talking about it now. "You're not considering reinstating Minato as Hokage, are you?"
"What's wrong with that?" asked Hiruzen. "He was an outstanding Hokage and could successfully lead this village again. It was never intended for me to return to the seat."
"It was also never intended for him to return here. You can't really be so naive as to blindly trust him, then even leave him with the Jinchuuriki," he accused Hiruzen, his voice full of reproach.
Hiruzen chuckled amusedly. "The Jinchuuriki happens to be his son. What am I supposed to do? Don't invent things!" he warned firmly. "I think we've discussed everything. My work awaits me."
Danzo looked at Hiruzen silently for another moment before turning away. Without a word, he left the office and walked angrily down the hallway.
Then he paused briefly and raised his hand before continuing on his way. Immediately, two ANBU appeared to his right and left. "What can we do for you, Master Danzo?" one of them asked dutifully.
"I want you to keep an eye on the Fourth, as well as Kakashi. Inform me regularly!" Danzo ordered with a cool gaze.
"But the Third has forbidden it," said the ANBU.
Danzo gave him a stern look. "Then make sure you don't get caught. I think you're well enough trained for that," Danzo said angrily, his gaze returning forward. "I don't care what the Third says. The village's security comes first. Dismissed!"
In the next moment, the two ANBU had disappeared, leaving Danzo alone, boiling with anger.
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Minato gently tucked Naruto into his bed. Thanks to Hiruzen's word, he now had an apartment, generously sized and lovingly furnished, with enough space for all of them.
Tenderly, Minato gazed at Naruto, letting his fingers glide gently through his soft hair. They had already spent hours together, and a connection had formed between them as if Naruto instinctively sensed who Minato truly was.
Minato recognized that Naruto's quick attachment likely stemmed from never having a stable caregiver and constantly having to adapt to new people. This thought filled Minato with sadness, while at the same time, his determination to do everything right for his son became even more deeply rooted within him. It was his second chance, one he had to seize with all his might.
After one last loving look at Naruto, Minato left the room and quietly entered the living room. There, he found Kakashi sitting on the couch, leaning back exhausted into the soft cushion.
Sitting down next to Kakashi, Minato turned to him. "How are you feeling?"
A weary look met Minato's gaze, and from the uncovered eye, Minato could tell Kakashi was smiling. "I'm feeling a bit tired, but overall, I'm okay," he said before his gaze drifted back into the room. "And how about you? I don't think I've asked since your return."
Minato smiled gently, letting his gaze wander to the ceiling. "Considering my return from the afterlife, I'm surprisingly well," he remarked. Then, he turned his gaze back to Kakashi. "Meeting Naruto and spending time with him makes me happy. But at the same time, I'm angry about how Naruto was treated. And sad that Kushina can't be here," Minato confessed.
Kakashi avoided Minato's gaze. "I'm sorry."
Minato's eyes widened for a moment before he straightened up slightly, directing his gaze to Kakashi. "There's no need to apologize. You're not to blame," he reassured him.
"Maybe I should have been more assertive and not given up so easily. Then, at least, I could have given Naruto a home," Kakashi pondered thoughtfully.
Minato lovingly shook his head. "Don't blame yourself," he said gently. After a brief pause, he continued. "You didn't have it easy either. Please be honest with me! Last time, you lied to me. You weren't doing well last year, were you?" Kakashi flinched slightly and avoided Minato's gaze. Minato sighed softly. "Hey, look at me."
Slowly, Kakashi lifted his gaze, meeting Minato's eyes. Minato could see the uncertainty in his gaze. He put on a reassuring smile. "The Third told me you worked for Danzo for a short time."
Kakashi looked at Minato for a moment, his eyes filled with concern. "You must be disappointed in me," he murmured softly.
Minato gently shook his head. "No, I'm not disappointed. You ultimately found the right path," he explained calmly. "Do you want to talk about it?" Minato was aware that he needed to proceed gently.
Kakashi quickly shook his head. "It's okay, I can handle it on my own," he said decisively.
"You don't have to handle it alone; I'm always here for you," Minato explained lovingly, placing a reassuring hand on Kakashi's shoulder.
Minato felt Kakashi hesitate for a moment, a flicker of anger flashing in his eyes before he looked away. Minato furrowed his brow. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
Kakashi remained silent for a moment before slowly turning his gaze back to Minato. "But you left me alone, just like Kushina... just like Dad! I missed you so much," Kakashi confessed, frustration evident in his voice. "I didn't know what to do. You all abandoned me! Why did you have to sacrifice yourself? Why did Kushina have to die?" Then he paused briefly before his voice softened. "You promised not to leave me alone after my father died."
Minato flinched slightly and looked at Kakashi, astonished by this outburst of emotion. "Kakashi," he said calmly and empathetically.
Without hesitation, Kakashi stood up and hurried towards the hallway. Minato immediately got up and followed him as Kakashi ran towards the apartment door. Before he could reach it, Minato stopped him. He gently placed his hands around Kakashi's upper arms and turned him towards him. "Hey, you can't just run away like that," he said sympathetically.
Tears welled up in Kakashi's eye, his gaze fixed firmly on Minato. With determination in his eyes, Minato looked at Kakashi. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you alone. Kushina didn't either. We wanted to stay with you and Naruto. I'm sorry we let you down," Minato said, trying to keep his voice steady.
A sob escaped Kakashi's lips as the first tears rolled down his cheeks. Minato didn't hesitate any longer and pulled Kakashi into a tight hug, allowing him to express his feelings. Comfortingly, he stroked circles on Kakashi's back, only able to imagine how much Kakashi must have suffered and how difficult the past year must have been for him.
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Minato sank exhausted onto the couch, rubbing his face with his hand. Kakashi had fallen asleep after calming down. Minato had put him in bed so he could rest.
Only now could he imagine how Kakashi must have felt, how lonely he must have been.
After tucking Kakashi into bed, Naruto also woke up. Apparently, he had had a nightmare and was abruptly awakened from his sleep. It took an hour for the little boy to fall asleep again.
Minato had to admit that he lacked the experience of taking care of a small child. But he was determined to learn.
But now he felt the fatigue creeping over him as well. Slowly, his eyes closed, and he drifted into a peaceful sleep.
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When Minato next opened his eyes, he suddenly found himself in the room he had first entered when he regained consciousness after his death. His gaze wandered around, but he recognized nothing but the dazzling brightness filling the room.
"Nice to see you again, Minato!" greeted him the gentle voice from before.
Minato couldn't localize where the voice was coming from. "I can only reciprocate. It's nice to hear your voice again."
"As I see, you've brought your son with you. A charming little boy," began the voice, radiating warmth and grandeur.
Minato nodded in agreement. "Yes, he is," he confirmed. Then he paused for a moment before continuing. "Have I been doing everything right so far?" he eventually asked.
A gentle laughter filled the room once again. "What do you think?" asked the voice.
"In my opinion, it's right. Naruto shouldn't be alone," Minato replied decisively, his voice filled with firm conviction.
"At the moment, I can't say much, as I don't know what your future holds, but you seem to be on the right track," explained the voice.
A smile spread across Minato's lips, feeling reassured that he had been on the right path so far. But then the voice spoke again. "But be warned, you still have a long way to go. There will be some challenges waiting for you," it said with a hint of seriousness, making the air around them heavier.
A determined expression appeared on Minato's face. "Don't worry, I'll do everything to stay with my boys," he said firmly. It was his goal not to let them down again, and he radiated that.
"I knew you were the right one. Continue to act so decisively, and I'm sure you'll do the right thing," explained the voice with a hint of pride.
"Do you decide if I'm doing everything right?" Minato asked curiously.
There was silence for a brief moment. "No, I can't tell you more. For now, I bid you farewell. Keep doing exactly as you are, Minato," said the voice with a hint of significance. Again, there was a short silence before it spoke again. "Before I go, I want to warn you. There is someone you should keep a close eye on and not underestimate. Watch over your family, they are in danger."
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Minato's eyes fluttered open, and he immediately sat up. It took him a moment to process the information, while his mind worked eagerly to grasp the meaning of the words.
Slowly, Minato's mind began to understand what had been told to him. His family was in danger! Kakashi and Naruto! A pang of worry shot through his heart.
Frustrated, Minato exhaled, his gaze turning to the wall opposite him. He would never allow anything to happen to them. Determination flared in his eyes as he firmly resolved to protect his family at all costs.