The next morning felt wrong because we just got back to the Village after Kushina was almost abducted, I totally killed a man, and not to mention, they did too. Yet, despite it all, I slept like someone who was whacked on the head, even having a nice dream, and then... I was wolfing down my breakfast before heading out to meet up with them. Mom and Dad asked how it was, meaning the outing and the visit to Kushina's homeland, but seeing that I had 'something to do,' they held back, only making me promise to tell them everything later.
Leaving my home, Konoha looked the same as always, the vendors shouting to draw in the passerbys, children running across the streets, sometimes on the rooftops as the other Shinobi came and went through the Village like nothing had happened. And to be honest? Nothing did. It wasn't news that would be spread around... Obviously... but... I knew it was a serious issue, probably being discussed in the Hokage's office right now. I was even surprised that Kushina wasn't dragged away the moment we returned...
Of course, before that could happen, we were meeting in private on the far edge of the Village, close to Minato's home, making sure that when we sat down on an old, dilapidated bench, every house nearby was unoccupied or abandoned. Hopefully, any Shinobi that was now tasked to trail Kushina was also far away enough to not hear us... Anyway, getting there, it was good to see that none of us looked injured. Minato's hand was already healed up, even though he wore a bandage under his sleeve, but, besides that, things looked as normal as they could.
"It wasn't bandits," I said, breaking our silence, being serious about it.
"No." Minato didn't even hesitate as he answered, nodding his head, "The jutsus they used were high level, at least jounin-level if I had to measure it. If not for Sensei's intervention, injuring them, we wouldn't have been able to beat them so easily."
"They weren't mercenaries either." Kushina added, "I don't think anyone who works for money would be willing to go as far as to die for a mission."
"No," Minato and I agreed with her. "These were indeed too disciplined and especially too coordinated to be anything but trained Shinobi."
"And they knew exactly who they wanted," I added, looking at Kushina while she exhaled through her nose, frustrated.
"Dattebane..." Kushina groaned, blowing the air out of her nostrils.
"It was the Hidden Cloud," I said suddenly as we all fell silent again, and they looked at me without blinking. At the same time, I watched how Minato's eyes narrowed at the mention, running everything past his mind's eye again, agreeing with my assessment.
"They used lightning-release infused into their chakra," he said slowly, nodding, "Their movement style… straight-line bursts with a high-impact taijustsu and with no wasted motion... Yes... That is very much their style, I agree."
"And the one I fought had a partial cloak." I added, shrugging, "Not at a high level, but... it was there, sparking like a cloud of lightning. It was pretty much as if he told me everything about who he is."
"The Cloud already tried to kidnap an Uzumaki once." Kushina said with a groan, "They have been afraid of our sealing techniques and the fact that we are allied with Konoha, while being close to their borders. Haaah..."
"They wanted you alive and," Minato said, with a much softer voice, "We all know why..."
"Of course we do, dattebane," Kushina said flatly. "Being chosen to be a Jinchūriki sucks..."
"And that's exactly why this wasn't random and done by them alone," I added, crossing my arms, once again, drawing their attention towards me.
"What do you mean?" They asked, all of them looking at me again.
"It is bigger than just the Hidden Cloud trying their luck," I said, squinting at the blue sky, "They knew our team's composition, that we would be escorted from where and when, our route... They knew we were with Jiraiya-sensei, which, I don't think, should be possible without inside information. Kushina is the Jinchūriki, or the future Jinchūriki... Like it or not, the Village will keep her location and trips under tight wraps!"
"I..." Kushina's eyes flicked between us, both embarrassed and annoyed, "Tsk... Dattebaneeeeeee..." She groaned, rubbing her face in anger.
"To plan for everything, for things like halting Sensei as long as they wanted, to get away with Kushina, it was well planned. Their only mistake was underestimating us three... And I will be honest," I shrugged, glancing at Kushina, "I think this is just the opening move... We are not done, and you won't be let out of the Village again."
"I feared that..." Kushina repeated, burrowing her face in her palm, "Damn it all... Why...?" She asked, not really to get an answer, but I had one ready.
"For war," I said without hesitation as they snapped their heads at me.
"For the Third Shinobi World War?" Minato asked really, really quietly, while Kushina's posture stiffened a lot.
"That's too dramatic!" She argued at once.
"Is it?" I asked gently, shrugging again, "The First War followed because of the instability after the Warring States period, cementing the appearance of the Shinobi Villages. Then, the Second came from unresolved tension and power shifts, and those tensions were never solved; they got swept under the rug. Now, after ample time to recuperate and rebuild their strength, the players are ready for round two... And we are just about to get pushed into the ring!"
"The great villages never stopped competing..." Minato muttered as he thought through my logic, finding it perfectly aligned with reality, "Haaah... Renji is right... If it doesn't start now, it will later."
"And the Cloud has always been aggressive," I added, but Kushina raised a hand at both of us.
"You're both jumping ahead! That is too big a leap of logic!"
"Is it?" I asked her, "I'm afraid not, and as I said, the Cloud's attack on us is not as simple as it seems... Didn't you notice? Jiraiya-sensei didn't trust the ANBU units that showed up last night."
"Didn't...?" Kushina blinked at me, trying to recall.
"Hmm... He refused their escort," Minato continued, tapping on his chin, thinking back, "Even when we were exhausted... Huh. It would have been safer... I thought it was because he was in a hurry..."
"I noticed something different," I said, lowering my voice while Kushina looked around by reflex, making sure nobody was there listening.
"You think the ANBU leaked the information?" Minato asked with a cold voice.
"Not the ANBU," I said, "Well, not the ANBU you think about, that is... I don't think that group of Shinobi came from the Hokage..."
"Then who were they?" Kushina pressed me, "They were wearing Konoha's ANBU gear, they couldn't have stolen that, or Sensei would have beaten them all down!"
"Look," I began slowly, choosing my words very carefully, revealing to them things I hoped would help them prepare more for the future, "What I am going to tell you all is from the Uchiha side of things. We are not the Police force just for show..."
"What are you on about?" Kushina asked, but I continued with an even lower voice.
"The clan doesn't trust Danzō... At all."
"Who?" Kushina asked again, and I quickly added.
"The Hokage's old teammate. He was in the running for the position, but he didn't get it. What I know is that he operates in the shadows, working with the Hokage, but... He has his own faction inside the Village. It's called ROOT, pretty much unofficial, and thanks to that, unaccountable. On the surface, they are part of the ANBU, but that old limping man has complete control over it."
"There is something like that... In our Village...?" Minato's expression darkened slightly as he asked it, shocked by the news.
"It is in every Village, and I believe that the ones who tried to kidnap Kushina are the Hidden Cloud's own black-ops team... Nothing connects them to Kumogakure, no matter how much we might look..."
"..." They fell silent, thinking about that, while I continued.
"Danzō believes in protecting the Village at any cost," I explained, looking at them. "Even if it means destabilizing it from within, to... get what he wants, as in, steer the Village towards its better, stronger future, even if there are sacrifices to be made. Manipulating events? No issue. Forcing conflict to strengthen Konoha? Do it daily. You name it... He will do it, without flinching. If he thinks igniting a war now, it is because he thinks we are stronger and could win now. Maybe he doesn't want the other Villages to prepare more and start the war early to tip it in our favor... Things like that."
"You're saying..." Kushina stared at me, gulping.
"I'm saying," I cut in quietly, "that if someone wanted the tensions to escalate… Danzō would not object; hell, he would make sure that it happens on his terms, ones that he can control and predict."
"That's a dangerous accusation," Minato added, inhaling deeply.
"I know, and I'm accusing him of this attack," I clarified cleanly, "I have no proof, only my beliefs."
"And the Uchiha think he's a threat?" Kushina folded her arms tighter, holding them close to her chest.
"Yes and no." I shrugged, "No proof, no actions, it's that simple. Why do you think very few Uchiha have been inducted into the ANBU? That alone is something to think about, why he keeps us at an arm's length, but... oh well."
"Sensei distrusts him, too, I guess." Minato's eyes drifted toward the Hokage Monument in the distance as he said that, putting things together, now remembering all the minute details while we were heading back. "That is enough for me."
"So what are you suggesting?" Kushina asked after a minute of silent thinking, letting her shoulders sag.
"We prepare, because we can't do anything else," I said, shaking my head, because that was the truth.
"For war?" Minato asked.
"For everything," I corrected him, raising a finger, starting to count, "For the Cloud or any other Village's interfering with Konoha's business. Then, we look for political instability amongst the lords. Then, for internal corruption linked to Danzō. And lastly... For whatever comes next."
"Then... Training it is?" Minato asked, finally smiling a little.
"That too," I laughed, but then turned serious again, "And, if we can... We have to find a way to get rid of Danzō."
"Pft... You say it as if that would be easy, dattebane!" Kushina snorted amongst two laughs, "If what you said is real, then he is like a second Hokage in the village, no?"
"I do have an idea how." I offered, making them look at each other, then back at me, raising their eyebrows.
"I know that..." I began, falling silent for a moment, thinking how to say it. I can't just blurt out that I know he is working with Orochimaru, kidnapping kids, injecting them with Hashirama's cells, killing them in rows. Or... will do that, eventually. I am a bit shaky about whether it is already happening or not. Haaah... the timeline may already be out of whack.
"Renji?" Minato asked, touching me, seeing that my mind went to a faraway place at that moment.
"Sorry." I cleared my throat, "Look, I know that the third Sannin, Orochimaru, is working with him."
"Um..." They looked at each other, "And?"
"He is not the most savory individual." I added, "Let's just say that. Anyway... We can't directly accuse Danzō or Orochimaru of anything, but if we can somehow gather evidence and make the Hokage act... That's a different thing."
"Hey," Kushina muttered, elbowing Minato, "I think Renji has gone mad, dattebane! He thinks we can spy on a Sannin or the Hokage's childhood friend."
"To do that, we need to rise in rank." Minato nodded, making Kushina grimace.
"You take him seriously?!" She yelped, looking back and forth between us, "Ugh... you two...! Utter madmen! Dattebane!"
"Ambitious." I corrected her with a grin, watching as she rolled her eyes, but said no more, "And yes, we have to raise our ranks so... Let's prepare."
"For what?" She asked, but then again, Minato already knew what I meant.
"For the chuunin exams." He said, showing a smile, while I leaned back.
"We have... about a year until the next one comes, no?" I nodded, once again, looking towards the blue sky, leaning my head back, "If we put everything into it... We may even break a few records."