At the Senju clan compound, inside the residence of Mito Uzumaki, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood with a troubled expression. He paced back and forth in front of the door, hesitant to take that final step inside.
"Lord Third, Lady Mito requests your presence."
Just as Hiruzen was wavering, a shinobi appeared. He wore no standard flak jacket or headband, but his poise and movement marked him as an elite. He spoke respectfully to the conflicted Hokage.
Hiruzen nodded and took a deep breath before stepping into the house. He walked into the guest parlor, but before he could even open his mouth, the seated Mito Uzumaki spoke.
"Pacing at the door like that... are you unsure how to tell me the news? Or do you think I'll throw a tantrum upon hearing it, Monkey?"
Looking at Mito—whose face was pale but whose eyes remained piercingly calm—Hiruzen lowered his head. "Lady Mito, it was my failure in oversight that allowed such a tragedy to befall the Uzumaki clan."
Mito shook her head slowly. "The Uzumaki were targeted, not stumbled upon. These things happen eventually. I know better than to blame Konoha. However," her voice hardened, "this cannot simply be brushed aside. A letter of condemnation? That is not enough."
"I understand, Lady Mito," Hiruzen replied firmly. "I will send Sakumo on a secret investigation. He will eliminate the officials from the four nations responsible for this as a deterrent. Meanwhile, I will dispatch personnel to recover and properly inter the remains of the Uzumaki."
Mito nodded. "You see? You handled that quite well. Why the face of a guilty child earlier?"
Hiruzen hesitated for a moment before answering. "This morning, Goppu Sarutobi reported to me that Kushina has applied for early graduation."
"Absolutely not," Mito refused instantly. "She needs at least two more years before she can even begin to master our clan's core sealing arts."
Hiruzen actually looked relieved at her refusal. "I agree. I've already instructed Goppu to find a way to reject her request. His idea was to use those two boys, Tatsuma and Minato, as the 'stumbling block' for her graduation exam. I was only worried it might crush her confidence."
"It doesn't matter. Go ahead and do it," Mito said, waving a hand dismissively. "By the way... tell Tsunade to come home. It's time I passed some things down to her. Hashirama was a fool of a grandfather who left her nothing; I won't make the same mistake."
Hiruzen's body stiffened. He looked up, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Lady Mito, your health..."
Mito traced the wrinkles that had deepened over the last two years, then pressed a hand against her stomach, where the seal resided. "Perhaps six or seven years remain. The village needs to start making preparations."
"I understand, Lady Mito. I'll take my leave now."
"Go on then, Monkey."
As Hiruzen hurried away, he immediately signaled the Anbu to inform Goppu that the plan was a go. He then returned to the Hokage Rock, quickly summoning his advisors to the office.
Back at the Academy, Goppu Sarutobi finished his briefing with the Anbu and hurried to his office. Tatsuma and Minato were already there, having waited for quite some time.
Seeing their teacher finally arrive, the two boys looked at him with curiosity. Goppu gestured for them to sit and got straight to the point.
"I'm sure you've heard the news regarding the Uzumaki clan over the last few days. Because of this, Kushina has applied for early graduation. However... the village does not want her to graduate so soon."
Tatsuma had already guessed where this was going, but he remained silent, letting Goppu continue.
"So, I need to ask a favor of you both."
"Please, tell us, Sensei," Minato said with a nod.
Goppu took a deep breath. "I want you two to also submit applications for early graduation. Your job is to 'eliminate' Kushina during the graduation assessment. Afterward, if you truly wish to graduate, you can take the official exam. If you'd prefer to stay in school, the village will simply announce that you failed the assessment as well, allowing you to return to class."
Minato was tempted to agree immediately. He didn't want Kushina to graduate yet either—especially not when she was fueled by grief over her fallen clan. Starting her life as a shinobi under such a burden would be a path of misery, not just motivation.
But before he could speak, Tatsuma asked a pointed question. "Goppu-sensei, are you so certain the two of us can stop her?"
"I have faith in you," Goppu said. Seeing that Tatsuma was still staring at him expectantly, he realized he needed to sweeten the deal. "If you complete this task successfully, I will petition the Hokage to grant you specific rewards. Furthermore, if you decide to become ninja through this opportunity, I will do my best to lobby for a powerful Jonin to lead your squad."
Tatsuma did a quick mental calculation. There wasn't much room for further negotiation; even without them, the village would find a way to fail Kushina. They might just use a powerful proctor, but that would leave Kushina feeling cheated or resentful. Using her peers was the most "organic" way to make her accept defeat.
They were a convenience, not a necessity. Still, any reward trickling down from Hiruzen Sarutobi's fingers was bound to be a windfall for them.
Tatsuma looked at Minato and gave a small nod. Minato understood and turned to Goppu. "Sensei, I'm willing to apply for early graduation."
"I am as well," Tatsuma added.
Goppu immediately pulled out two application forms and handed them over. "Do you need time to prepare? Update your ninja tools, or perhaps purchase some explosive tags? If so, I can delay the assessment for a few days to give you a head start."
Tatsuma shook his head. "That won't be necessary, Sensei. Even with more time, our budget doesn't exactly allow for new gear or tags."
Goppu blinked, then remembered the boys' financial situations. He nodded sympathetically. "In that case, if you complete the mission and choose to become full-fledged ninja, I will personally gift each of you a complete set of standard shinobi equipment."
"Understood."
Tatsuma didn't waste any more words. He and Minato filled out the forms and handed them back. Goppu checked the details and gave them a final nod.
"Then you're excused from classes starting today. Go home and prepare. The assessment could be as early as tomorrow, but it won't be later than a week from now."
"We understand, Sensei."