Chapter 307: The Hokage Gather
"Douhuan... you've already become the Fifth?"
Minato Namikaze slowly opened his eyes. The fine dust of the Impure World Reincarnation had not yet fully settled around him. His eyes immediately caught the divine robe embroidered with the words "Fifth Hokage" on Uchiha Douhuan. His handsome face was instantly filled with astonishment and disbelief.
In his memory, Uchiha Douhuan's strength, as far back as the Third Great Ninja War, had already reached the point where one person could suppress an entire major ninja village, completely sufficient to qualify for the position of Hokage. If it weren't for the fact that he was born into the Uchiha clan at that time, was far too young, and lacked seniority, when he, Minato Namikaze, competed for the position of Fourth Hokage, he probably would have had an extremely terrifying competitor.
"It was all thanks to the trust and support of everyone in the village," Uchiha Douhuan's response was flat and restrained, betraying little emotion, as if he were just stating a simple fact.
However, upon hearing this, Minato Namikaze sighed inwardly.
Although he had only been in the position of Hokage for less than a year, he was no longer the simple ninja who only knew how to train and run missions.
He had already deeply experienced the turbulent undercurrents of high-level politics, the game between the various great families and factions. Uchiha Douhuan said it lightly, but his surname "Uchiha" destined his path to the Hokage position to be anything but smooth. It must have been filled with bloodshed and turmoil that ordinary people could not imagine.
And the moment he thought of the cruelty of the power transition, his heart as a father immediately clenched. His son, Uzumaki Naruto, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, had a special and sensitive identity. He was undoubtedly one of the most vulnerable pawns in the high-level power struggles and would find it almost impossible to escape this great vortex.
Huge worry instantly overwhelmed him. But given his current status as a summon of the Impure World Reincarnation, and facing this unfathomable Fifth Hokage, he didn't know how to ask about his son's situation for a moment. The words reached his lips and were swallowed back down, a layer of unbreakable worry dyeing his brow.
Fortunately, just at this moment, the Yin Nine-Tails residing deep within his soul, after instantly receiving the memories from the distant Yang Nine-Tails, timely spoke in his mind: "Hey, Minato, no need to worry. That little brat is doing just fine right now, better perhaps... than when you were around."
"Is that true? Kurama?" Minato Namikaze's spirits were lifted, and he subconsciously asked in his mind. Having spent all these years face to face in the Shinigami's stomach, sharing an endless solitude, he and this half of the Nine-Tails had long since reached a reconciliation, and had even developed a rare tacit understanding and trust. He believed the Nine-Tails wouldn't lie to him about this kind of thing.
"Of course it's true," the Yin Nine-Tails snorted, continuing to transmit information. "In the memories I received, your foolish son is getting along... tch, quite happily with my other half. And, this Fifth Hokage in front of you is your son's teacher. It can be said that the reason that brat can truly live like a normal child in Konoha and is no longer ostracized by everyone is largely a change that happened after he met this fellow."
As for the more complicated and convoluted matter of Naruto later scratching his forehead protector and running off as a "rogue ninja," the Yin Nine-Tails pondered it, feeling that the amount of information was too large and he couldn't explain it clearly to Minato in a short time, and it might just add to his worries, so he temporarily kept it to himself.
Learning that his son was safe and sound and had been properly taken care of, the tight string in Minato Namikaze's heart finally relaxed. He let out a long sigh of relief. He raised his head, looked at Uchiha Douhuan, and a sincere gratitude, free of any shadows, appeared on his handsome face: "Douhuan, so that's how it is... All these years, that child Naruto has been under your care. Thank you so much!"
Uchiha Douhuan nodded slightly, his tone frank yet carrying an unquestionable firmness, "This is my duty as Hokage. If even the descendants of heroes who shed their blood and sacrificed themselves for the village cannot receive protection and good treatment, then in the future, who else would be willing to stand up for Konoha and dedicate everything?"
He changed the subject, his expression becoming serious, "Fourth, we can reminisce later. The situation is urgent now. Please return to Konoha Village with me immediately."
"Has the village encountered an unimaginable enemy?" Minato Namikaze immediately caught the urgency in his tone, and his expression also became grave. If it weren't for encountering great trouble, such a forbidden technique as the Impure World Reincarnation would absolutely not be used to summon the spirits of the past.
"Yes," Uchiha Douhuan affirmed with a nod, his voice low. "It is an invader from beyond the heavens, coveting the foundation of this world, as well as a revenger resurrected from the spirits of the past, with deep-seated obsession. In order to fight them and protect the future of the ninja world, I have no choice but to gather the power of the successive Hokage. Lord Fourth, your power is indispensable. The enemy's strength is far beyond the limit of what the current village can cope with. Otherwise, I would never perform this forbidden act and disturb the peace of the ancestors."
"I understand," Minato Namikaze nodded solemnly without any hesitation. Protecting Konoha was the mission engraved into his soul the moment he accepted the Hokage hat, regardless of life or death. "Let's go."
...
The two's speed was extremely fast, and they soon returned to Konoha silently. They did not alert anyone, just like two gusts of clear wind, they directly merged into the Hokage Tower.
Uchiha Douhuan took Minato Namikaze all the way down to a secret room deep underground in the Hokage Tower, which was extremely heavily guarded and covered with layers of sealing barriers.
Pushing open the heavy stone door, the scene inside the secret room came into view. In the center of the room was a long table, and by the table, three familiar and shocking figures were already waiting there.
Although he had already guessed from Uchiha Douhuan's words earlier, when he personally saw those three legendary figures, Minato Namikaze's face still couldn't help but show excitement and awe. Those were, after all, the First Hokage Senju Hashirama, who founded Konoha; the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, who established countless systems and was known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu"; and the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had taught him and entrusted him with the position of Hokage.
"Oh! You're the Fourth, right?" Senju Hashirama was the first to notice them. He immediately turned his head, his face showing his iconic hearty smile, and greeted him warmly, as if he were just seeing a junior he hadn't seen in a long time, not a resurrected spirit.
Senju Tobirama also turned his head, his stern face showing not much expression. He just nodded slightly at Minato Namikaze, which counted as a greeting. His gaze was sharp as ever, quickly sizing up this young successor who was also skilled in the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Finally, there was Sarutobi Hiruzen. The old man looked at the successor he had personally chosen but who had died young. His expression was the most complicated. His lips trembled a few times, as if he had a thousand words stuck in his chest. In the end, it just turned into a sigh filled with apology and emotion, and he squeezed out a few words: "Minato... it's been a long time."
Minato Namikaze suppressed the excitement in his heart and respectfully bowed to the three predecessors in turn, "Lord First, Lord Second, Lord Third."
Just as the Hokage were preparing to sit down and begin this emergency meeting that transcended life and death, a small communication device carried by Uchiha Douhuan vibrated slightly. He took it out and glanced at it. It was a message from Uchiha Inahi, who was in charge of security work—Hatake Kakashi was urgently looking for him in the Hokage's office.
Uchiha Douhuan thought for a moment, then replied, "Tell him my current location. Have him come over directly."
He intended to cultivate Kakashi as the future Sixth Hokage. There was nothing wrong with letting him participate in this highest-level meeting in advance. Moreover, this was also an opportunity for him to reunite with his teacher whom he hadn't seen in many years.
Not long after, a rhythmic knock came from outside the secret room. After receiving permission, Kakashi pushed open the door and entered, holding a document in his hand. He first habitually walked straight to Uchiha Douhuan and handed the document to him.
"This is the report on the handling of the last batch of stubborn old nobles who obstructed the establishment of the Fire Federation. The few pockets of resistance have been cleaned up. This is the list and the follow-up resettlement plan. I personally supervised most of it," Kakashi's voice carried a trace of imperceptible fatigue, but his report was still clear and logical.
Uchiha Douhuan took the document and glanced through it quickly. When he saw a few of the names and the disposal methods, he couldn't help but frown slightly. He put down the document and looked at Kakashi:
"Kakashi, how many times have I told you? These specific tasks, especially those involving purging, can be handed over to others in the Anbu or the elites of the Guard Unit to handle. Your focus should shift. I hope that in the future you can take over the position of Hokage and become the Sixth of the Fire Federation. What you need to do more now is to promote that old face of yours in the village, among the major clans, and in front of the common people, to accumulate prestige and popularity, not to continue to be immersed in these tasks."
Just as Kakashi was listening to this guidance, which he was already accustomed to but still didn't know how to respond to, a gentle and familiar voice, yet so distant that it seemed like a dream, sounded from the side, carrying a hint of a smile:
"Kakashi, it's been a long time."
Hearing this voice, Kakashi's entire body stiffened abruptly! His lazy figure instantly became ramrod straight. He almost mechanically turned his head, bit by bit, following the sound.
When he clearly saw the figure wearing the Fourth Hokage's divine robe, with bright golden hair and a warm smile, his only exposed black eye instantly widened, filled with extreme shock and disbelief!
"Mina... Minato-sensei!?" His voice was somewhat dry and hoarse due to excessive astonishment. He had thought that only the First to Third Hokage were here! Because he knew better than anyone else that Minato-sensei had used the Reaper Death Seal back then in order to seal the Nine-Tails, at the cost of his own soul being eternally imprisoned in the Shinigami's stomach! It was theoretically impossible to summon him back with the Impure World Reincarnation!
Uchiha Douhuan looked at Kakashi's shocked appearance and calmly explained, as if stating an insignificant little thing, "I researched and cracked the formula for the Reaper Death Seal."
This explanation was an understatement, yet it contained a power sufficient to shake the entire ninja world's sealing jutsu system. However, coming from Uchiha Douhuan's mouth, it seemed so convincing—after all, in the current ninja world, when it came to sealing jutsu proficiency, there was indeed no one who could surpass him.
Kakashi stared blankly at the smiling Minato, then at the calm Douhuan. For a moment, the huge shock made him freeze on the spot, a thousand thoughts rushing to his mind, not knowing how to react.
"Kakashi, in the blink of an eye, you've grown so big... You've changed so much, I almost didn't recognize you," Minato Namikaze smiled slightly, his gaze warm, as if staring through time at the boy who used to always hide behind a mask. "It seems... you've finally, slowly, walked out of those things from back then."
Kakashi, facing the gentle gaze of his former teacher, his lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but didn't know where to start. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke in a low voice, "After all... Sensei, you've been gone for so many years. People always change, don't they?"
"Yes," Minato Namikaze repeated softly, as if talking to himself, or perhaps lamenting fate. "People always change."
He paused for a moment, then turned to look at Kakashi, his tone still gentle, but with a trace of imperceptible expectation, "I heard that Naruto... has been under your care all these years, is that right?"
Kakashi's heart tightened upon hearing this.
[This is bad... if Sensei finds out that kid ran off to become a rogue ninja...]
Although Naruto was currently staying in the village, living in the top-floor suite of the Naka River Grand Hotel—nominally under surveillance, but in reality, under strict protection.
But no matter what the reason, no matter what the difficulties, the fact that he had scratched his forehead protector and defected from Konoha was an undeniable fact that could not be washed away. To this day, his name and bounty were still hanging on the bounty list at the exchange station.
"...Uh, yes," Kakashi barely maintained his expression and quickly decided to evade the important point. "Since Naruto was eight, he has been living in my home."
"I've really troubled you," Minato Namikaze shook his head with a smile, his tone filled with sincere apology and gratitude.
"No trouble, no trouble..." Kakashi subconsciously raised his hand and wiped the non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, hurriedly replying. "This is what I should do."
"Alright, Kakashi, you can sit down here too. As the future Sixth, you also have the right to participate in this meeting," Uchiha Douhuan spoke up at the right time, alleviating Kakashi's predicament.
"Isn't that bad? The matter of the Sixth hasn't even been written off yet. Won't you sound like you're playing favorites if you say that?" Kakashi also took the opportunity to change the subject.
"Since Douhuan has already said so, then just sit down," at this time, it was Senju Hashirama who spoke with a hearty laugh. "You are all good children who possess the Will of Fire. Since Douhuan has decided to let you succeed him as the village's Sixth, then he must have his reasons. We, the spirits who have already passed away, respect the decisions of the living."
(End of chapter)