Hiruzen's heart skipped a beat. This was bad.
He knew Kushina's personality too well. She never responded well to coercion, and she especially hated authoritative orders and being talked down to.
He had been hoping to appeal to the goodness in Kushina's heart, perhaps even her sense of responsibility toward preserving the Uzumaki clan's sealing arts. With Minato's sincere attitude, he thought a bit of gentle persuasion might work.
But now, thanks to Koharu, all of it had been ruined. She had gone straight for the hardline approach, slapping down authority and orders. That was like throwing a torch onto a barrel of gunpowder.
Did she not understand Kushina was basically a mini-Tsunade?
Sure enough...
"I said..." Kushina suddenly lifted her head. Her beautiful eyes now burned with a fierce red light, blazing with anger.
A crimson aura of chakra surged from her petite body without warning, boiling over like scalding water. It was violent, destructive, and terrifyingly intense.
The air inside the office seemed to vanish in an instant. The pressure was so heavy it even dimmed the lighting.
The red chakra whirled through her long red hair, making her look like a vengeful goddess from the depths of hell.
Her voice was no longer bright and clear. It now carried a low, chilling rasp as she growled each word. "I said I don't want to. Do you not understand what that means?"
The oppressive aura of the Nine-Tails' chakra was frighteningly real. The killing intent in her blood-red eyes locked onto Koharu like a hunter preparing to strike.
Koharu's face instantly turned pale as death. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest in sheer terror.
She could feel the razor-sharp killing intent cutting into her skin.
Her instincts screamed at her. Her voice went shrill with panic as she shouted, "U-Uzumaki Kushina! What are you doing?! You're releasing the Nine-Tails' chakra... Are you trying to rebel?! Stop immediately!"
She unconsciously took a step back. Her body trembled.
"Enough!" Hiruzen slammed his palm down on the desk and stood up with force, his tone sharp.
He suppressed both anger and a throbbing headache as he barked at Koharu, "Koharu, that's enough out of you!"
Then he turned to the erupting volcano that was Kushina. His voice softened instantly, soothing and conciliatory.
"Kushina, calm down. Calm down. It's alright. If you don't want to, that's perfectly fine. We were just asking, not giving an order. Since you don't have time, forget it. You're dismissed. Go home and rest."
He dared not provoke her any further. Not with a Nine-Tails jinchuriki on the verge of going berserk.
It wasn't the idea of a rampaging jinchuriki that scared him the most. It was the figure who stood behind her.
At this moment, all his carefully laid schemes and plans were tossed aside. The only thing on his mind was getting this ticking bomb out of the office immediately.
Kushina's chest rose and fell violently. The blood-red chakra swirled around her like living fire, pulsing with fury.
She glared at the ghost-white Koharu. Her eyes held nothing but fury and contempt, as if she could devour her whole.
Finally, she began to withdraw the overwhelming beast chakra. The pressure inside the office suddenly vanished.
She gave a cold snort, not bothering to say another word. She turned on her heel sharply, her red hair whipping through the air in an arc of rage. She stormed toward the door, each step echoing loudly across the floor like a war drum.
The door slammed shut behind her with a thunderous bang.
Silence fell over the office.
Only Koharu's ragged breathing remained.
Hiruzen slumped back into his chair, utterly drained. His temples throbbed. This was a hundred times more exhausting than dealing with Jiraiya earlier.
He rubbed his forehead, then glanced at Minato, who was still standing to the side, his face pale from both disappointment and the shock of witnessing the Nine-Tails' chakra up close.
Hiruzen tried to make his voice sound composed. "Minato, you should go back for now. Don't worry. I'll find someone else. I'll assign one of the most experienced Jōnin from the sealing division to assist you. The Flying Thunder God Technique is critical to the future strength of the village. You must master it."
It was a firm promise.
Minato finally snapped out of his daze, still shaken from Kushina's chakra outburst.
But hearing the Third Hokage not only refrain from blaming him, but still personally promise to arrange for sealing training, filled his heart with emotion.
Especially now, with Jiraiya absent, this kind of care and support felt particularly precious.
He looked up. His blue eyes lit up with gratitude and renewed determination. He bowed deeply.
"Yes. Thank you very much, Hokage-sama. I'll work even harder and won't let you down."
This expression of care gave him strength.
He bowed again and respectfully left the office, quietly closing the door behind him.
The heavy wooden door shut, cutting off the outside world.
Inside the large Hokage office, only Hiruzen, the still-shaken and furious Koharu, and the always-silent Homura remained.
The moment Minato was gone, Koharu erupted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her voice pierced the silence, sharp and hysterical from lingering fear.
"Hiruzen, did you see that?! Did you see that?! That's the Nine-Tails jinchuriki! That's Uzumaki Kushina! She's a walking time bomb! Her emotions are so unstable that she could explode in the Hokage's office and release tailed beast chakra without hesitation! Where is the authority of this office?! Where is your control?!"
Homura adjusted his glasses slowly. His tone was calmer than Koharu's, but his words cut even deeper.
"Indeed, the stability of a jinchuriki is vital to the village's safety. For her to lose control so easily is deeply concerning."
Then his tone shifted.
"And her attitude today was undoubtedly influenced by Kamiyama Ryo. That boy relies on his strength and constantly disregards the village's rules and your authority. Kushina dared to defy you and threaten Koharu. It's likely Ryo has been emboldening her. He might have even encouraged it."
He lowered his voice, an unsettling edge in his tone.
"These two are dangerous, Hiruzen. Their relationship is too close. When they both disregard the Hokage's commands, it's a clear threat to the village's order."
Homura's voice turned cold.
"This is not in Konoha's best interest. Their existence is a threat. We must find a way to suppress and divide them, or the consequences will be immeasurable."
Hiruzen sat in his wide chair, smoke drifting around him. His face was partially hidden in the haze.
He smoked in silence, offering neither agreement nor rebuttal.
He didn't scold them, nor did he express support. He simply stared at the pile of mission reports and documents stacked on the desk, as if immersed in deep study.
But Koharu and Homura had worked with him for decades. They knew him far too well.
This kind of silence, where he said nothing and appeared deep in thought, was exactly when their words had taken root in the most sensitive and guarded corners of his mind.
They didn't need Hiruzen to respond.
They only needed to deepen his doubts and fears toward Ryo and Kushina. That was enough.
Once the seed of suspicion was planted, Hiruzen's cautious and calculating nature would do the rest. Sooner or later, he would start planning how to "appropriately handle" the situation.
As for how and when, that would come later.
The two exchanged glances. In each other's eyes, they saw a faint, knowing satisfaction.
Their efforts to stir things up and escalate the issue came from a simple motive—power.
Their current influence, their titles as advisors, all stemmed from their alignment with Hiruzen's authority.
If Hiruzen was no longer Hokage, regardless of who succeeded him, especially if it was someone independent like Tsunade or a dangerous figure like Ryo, their unofficial privileges would almost certainly be revoked.
That was something they could not allow.
Defending Hiruzen's position as Hokage was the same as defending their own power.
Suppressing any potential threat to that balance, especially one as powerful and uncooperative as Ryo, was simply instinct.
"Enough," Hiruzen finally spoke, his voice flat and emotionless.
"I know what I'm doing. The jinchuriki's emotional control is indeed something to monitor. As for Ryo... he is strong and has contributed to the village. For now, he should not be touched. That's all for today. You've both worked hard. Go get some rest."
He waved his hand, issuing the dismissal.
Koharu wanted to say more, but Homura stopped her with a glance.
They both knew when to stop. They bowed slightly.
"Very well, Hiruzen. Then we'll take our leave."
The heavy door closed again, sealing off the room.
Inside the vast Hokage office, only one person remained.
The flickering glow of the pipe's ember lit the lines on his aged face.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, unmoving. His gaze remained fixed on a single point in the empty air.
He showed no expression. No anger. No anxiety. Only a deep and quiet stillness.
His fingers unconsciously tapped rhythmically on the desk, soft and steady.
No one knew what the man who had ruled Konoha for decades was thinking.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)