The Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk with Tobirama Senju's forbidden jutsu notebook in his hands, reading it like it was the best thing he'd ever gotten his fingers on.
The more he read, the more he understood why he used to revere his teacher so deeply, and why every hidden village had feared him.
Tobirama really was a once-in-a-generation genius.
Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation. Flying Raijin. Tandem Paper Bombs. Soul Imprisonment Jutsu…
Every one of those techniques that touched on the soul or space was built with terrifying precision. Wild ideas, but structured like a machine that actually worked.
A true all-rounder. Master of sealing jutsu, all seven chakra natures, and on top of that, his standard combat methods were absurd. The way he played with Water Style's nature and shape transformation, he made it look effortless.
"What a waste," Hiruzen muttered to himself, channeling chakra as he tried to feel his way through the mechanics. "How can something this good just sit sealed away?"
He wasn't completely hopeless, either.
In the past, he'd mostly been the kind of Hokage who learned and copied rather than invented. He hadn't created many groundbreaking techniques of his own.
But starting now wasn't too late.
"The materials for Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation really are the biggest problem," he murmured. "Ethics, though… that part doesn't matter."
Soul and body were meant to fit together. If they didn't, something would go wrong sooner or later.
And the reanimated shell was barely even a body.
"The conversion rate is terrible. Still, this jutsu has to be perfected. It can be the village's last card."
Based on Tobirama's recorded tests, the current version had a brutal limitation.
If you used an average jonin as the "material," the reanimated body could only reach a chakra ceiling around a chunin level.
No wonder it had only been good for use as a living bomb, a fuse for Tandem Paper Bombs.
But there was clearly room to refine it. Tobirama had already laid out several lines of thought, he just hadn't gotten the chance to verify them…
"You really are a treasure, sensei," Hiruzen said softly.
He looked up at the Second Hokage's portrait on the wall and smiled. "I miss you more and more."
When he'd gone to collect this batch of forbidden notes, he'd also checked the village's records for forbidden technique applications.
One name showed up constantly.
Orochimaru.
Requests for anything that might connect, even indirectly, to Tobirama's work. Requests made through roundabout paths, trying to avoid tripping alarms.
Hiruzen had rejected plenty of them back then.
Now, after reading the books Orochimaru had requested, he'd filtered out the overlapping threads.
Souls.
Not a certainty, but the odds were high. Orochimaru had a deep interest in the concept of the soul.
"That brat's tuned to the same frequency as me," Hiruzen chuckled.
Once the "pill" project had an early result, Hokage-sama planned to give Orochimaru a bigger load to carry.
You wanted to be Hokage? Then you worked.
And in the meantime, Hiruzen could use this period to dig deeper into the jutsu himself.
Trusting Orochimaru was one thing.
Hiruzen believed he could build a relationship that was teacher, father, and friend all at once, but he couldn't be the kind of client who only threw money and demanded results.
He needed real understanding. If he acted like Danzo and did nothing but press for progress, any researcher would look down on him.
Sooner or later, Orochimaru would come looking for him.
There wasn't any wall between them now.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The door opened.
Sakumo Hatake and Minato Namikaze walked in.
"Hokage-sama. Third-sama."
"You're here?" Hiruzen put the notebook away and waved them in like they'd dropped by for tea. "Don't just stand there. Sit."
He tossed a couple apples across the desk. "Biwako insisted I bring these. Help me eliminate the enemy."
Sakumo caught one neatly and smiled. "Thank you, Third-sama. I actually haven't had breakfast yet."
Minato paused, caught off guard.
His composure was excellent, but this was the first time he'd ever had a private, small-group meeting with Hiruzen.
The Hokage… was this approachable?
"Sakumo," Hiruzen said, taking an apple for himself and eating along with them, "you getting used to the deputy commander position?"
"And what you used to bring up so often really was a problem. Keep watching it closely," he added, still smiling. "You report directly to me. I'm going to put more weight on your shoulders. Think you can handle it?"
Sakumo blinked.
Their eyes met, and in a heartbeat he understood what Hiruzen meant.
That thing he'd reported before, the way Root had been growing in the wrong direction…
Now Root had been cut down and folded into Anbu.
Danzo Shimura had become a deputy commander, on the same level as Sakumo.
"Hokage-sama," Sakumo said calmly, the words steady as a blade, "leave it to me."
Hiruzen nodded, satisfied.
Sakumo, a man with a samurai's backbone, was a loyal weapon you could trust.
And this also tied into how Danzo would be handled in the future.
If Danzo performed well enough in the Hidden Cloud matter, Hiruzen wouldn't mind letting him take the Anbu commander seat, but Danzo's personnel authority would be taken back.
Appointments for the deputy commander, squad captains, team leaders, team composition, all of it would need the Hokage's approval.
An assistant had to be an assistant, even if he held a real post.
Danzo's ability, aimed in the right direction, could still get things done.
He just couldn't be allowed to build an independent kingdom again.
"Sakumo," Hiruzen said, "I have an idea about the village's security and defense."
He slid a file across the desk. "Combine the Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyuga, then add the Uchiha Clan. Build a layered, mixed defense line."
Inuzuka noses. Aburame insects. Hyuga vision.
And the Uchiha's red eyes.
Put those together, and infiltration became a nightmare.
Sakumo considered it. "Hokage-sama, it's a good proposal. But can the village's finances support it?"
It wasn't a new idea. People had suggested versions of it before, and every time it died on the same wall.
Money.
A hidden village might be a military organization with its own authority, but without funds, no system survived.
Village income came from the Daimyo's allocation and the percentage cut from mission rewards.
Add dedicated security teams, and expenses jumped.
And the Uchiha Clan…
Every year, Konoha had to allocate a large amount to the Police Force.
Target them or not, you couldn't lock people inside the village and then let them starve.
If you did, even rebellion would feel justified.
"Don't worry about the money, Sakumo," Hiruzen said, smiling.
"I've decided to donate part of my personal assets to the village. A patrol team of just a dozen or so people, I can cover that for a few years without issue."
"And afterward, there will be dedicated funding. I'll find a way as Hokage."
He set his apple down.
"The urgent thing is making sure the villagers are safe. We can't keep dragging this out."
Sakumo's eyes widened, rare surprise breaking through his usual calm. "That… won't it affect your living situation?"
"Of course it affects me," Hiruzen said, like it was obvious. "But if security improves, I can handle village affairs with peace of mind."
He tilted his head. "Don't you think that's worth it?"
Minato had been listening quietly, still not sure why he'd been called in today.
But hearing that, he looked at Hiruzen with open respect.
"Stop worrying about me," Hiruzen said with a snort. "I'm Hokage. What do I need money for?"
"I'll keep enough for Asuma and Shinnosuke to get married someday. That's it."
For Hiruzen, money really didn't mean much.
What he needed was a better village.
Sakumo was obvious, someone to cultivate as a core confidant.
And Minato…
The young hero who'd rescued Kushina, the prodigy who could already defeat an elite Hidden Cloud squad at this age.
On top of that, he was Hiruzen's apprentice's apprentice.
Of course Hiruzen liked him.
If you wanted to win a genius's loyalty, the best way was to build the relationship while they were still growing.
"Kid," Hiruzen said, teasing, "you know what you're supposed to call me?"
"Third-sama," Minato answered reflexively, then caught the meaning and switched instantly. "Great-grandteacher."
"Ah," Hiruzen laughed. "Sweet mouth."
"You and Kushina, good work. Jiraiya can be… a bit much sometimes. If there are things in training or in life he can't handle, you come straight to your great-grandteacher."
Minato nodded obediently. "Thank you, great-grandteacher."
Beside him, Sakumo's eyebrow twitched.
This kid looked harmless, almost airheaded, but his brain was sharp.
Same type, maybe. That blond…
"Choose shinobi who excel at sensory techniques, and whose combat ability is relatively average," Hiruzen told Sakumo. "People who like stability."
"Security work shouldn't force multi-talented shinobi into it. Wasting talent isn't pretty."
He continued, steady and practical. "About twenty people. Keep it compatible with Anbu rotation. Judge everything by results."
Sakumo nodded with real weight behind it. "Hokage-sama, please rest assured."
The Hokage was paying out of his own pocket for the village's safety.
If Sakumo couldn't even arrange this properly…
He wouldn't forgive himself.
Sakumo was a simple man.
He loved the village because the Will of Fire carried a kind of light.
Shinobi weren't tools. Comrades weren't disposable.
As long as the Will of Fire didn't change color, Sakumo could do anything without regret.
"Minato," Hiruzen said, turning to him, "I have a task for you."
He spoke slowly, letting it settle. "Jiraiya told me you once made suggestions about Anbu security. Once Sakumo's side sets this up, you'll go check the village's security at random."
"If you find gaps, your great-grandteacher will give you special training."
Minato's eyes lit up immediately. "I understand!"
He turned to Sakumo, polite but clearly excited. "Sakumo-sama… sorry in advance."
Sakumo smiled faintly. "Kid, don't talk too soon."
Hiruzen watched the exchange, satisfied.
And that night…
Kakashi Hatake came home with a little scowl on his face, cheeks tight like he'd been chewing a lemon.
"Father."
"I want to graduate," he said, voice small but stubborn. "The academy's boring. I want to be a shinobi."
Ever since that day at the training field, when Jiraiya and Sakumo had tossed him around like a toy, Kakashi's pride had taken a real hit.
He was still tiny, but he was proud to the bone.
With a gap that big, if he kept wasting time at the academy, the distance would only grow.
That was unacceptable.
Sakumo glanced up at his son and laughed softly.
Stupid kid. You have no idea what kind of good life you're living.
School, safe and worry-free, and you're complaining?
In the Warring States era, or in war years, you couldn't find days like this even if you searched with a lantern.
Kids these days really didn't know how lucky they were.
"There are plenty of impressive kids at your academy, Kakashi," Sakumo said.
"The one from the Uchiha Clan, for example."
"And there are kids who aren't even enrolled yet who still have unusual potential."
He thought of Might Duy and his son.
The way that kid trained, the calluses on his hands, it had left an impression.
Kakashi's mouth pulled to the side.
Yeah, right.
Then Sakumo's eyes gleamed as a bad idea bloomed.
"Do you know Minato Namikaze?" he asked. "Blond shinobi."
"I know of him," Kakashi said, confused. "Why, Father? He's strong? I've heard teachers mention him…"
"If you can successfully sneak-attack him once," Sakumo said, face perfectly serious, "I'll let you graduate."
"How about it?"
Kakashi crossed his arms, instantly wearing his little cool-guy expression.
"Father, you said it. A promise is a promise."
Landing one hit wasn't the same as beating him. How hard could it be?
"Mm." Sakumo nodded. "A promise is a promise."
And in his mind, another thought slid in.
Maybe he should report something about the academy to the Third.
Time to raise the difficulty for these little brats.