An eerie calm blanketed the village hidden in the leaves, as the sky became bleak and lifeless, reflecting the destruction below. Villagers slowly crept from crumbled homes and loved ones cradled, and mourned lost loved ones. Yet a feeling of awe swept over the people of the land of fire, for their hokage had defeated the demon nine-tails and saved the village, but such fresh hope would soon be crushed as the great Yondaime struggled to cling to life….
Clinging to the front of a summoned alter, Minato Namikaze peered down at the broken body of his wife, light, and love was already gone from this world, and he knew she was awaiting him, but Minato was not ready to let go just yet. Slowly, the savior of the hidden leaf swiveled his suddenly very heavy head to gaze at the sleeping form of his infant son. Reaching down, Minato gently brushed his son's whisker marked face, "I am sorry, my child that I will never see your first step, or be the one to teach one how to perform your first ninjutsu, I am sorry that I have burdened you so, but I can only hope that I have endowed you with the power to protect this world, and become hero of the leaf" whispered Minato, suddenly his body slumped forward, and the young hokage of the leaf stared at the sky with lifeless eyes…
Such was the scene as the Third Hokage came upon the Namikaze family, aghast the seasoned warrior could only stare as an anbu shinobi gently cradle the now crying infant son of the 4th hokage. The third was frozen as he stared at the yondaime, prized student of his disciple Jiraiya, and supposed savior of the ninja world, now dead. The scene seem surreal , as a man whom had lived through many a war, Hiruzen could not accept such a terrible loss. The high-pitched wails of the 4th son shook the old hokage from his stupor. Striding towards the anbu, sarutobi brashly grabbed the child from the cat-masked anbu, but then nestled the child within the crook of his arm. Looking up from the now soothed child, the once weary old man was replaced by the serene calm of a revered leader. The third hokage bit his thumb, slamming the ground below him, summoning Enma. Standing side by side the two nodded solemnly with one and other, after a moment sauratobi turned to his anbus, "I want squads throughout the village, make sure to aid the medic ninjas and search for survivors," commanded the Third before turning to the cat-faced anbu, "I want you to find Koharu and Homura, tell them to meet me at in my office stated the former hokage. Yet the anbu remained, with his head cocked to the side, after a few moments, the cat-faced ninja finally broke his puzzled silence.
"Third, you no longer have an office," quipped the anbu. Hiruzen stood with his arms cradling the newly burdened orphan, gazing at the village. The wind suddenly gusted creating a whirlwind of fallen leaves, and stealing away the words the old man had just whispered. Confused the anbu crouched, mirroring his cat-face mask. "Sir, I'm sorry but I couldn't hear your command, Sir?" questioned the loyal anbu. Once again Hiruzen remained austere, with his back to the anbu, but as if the previous wind had blown away any uncertainty, the former hokage turned abruptly, staring at the anbu. Afierce look of power emanated from the Third as his next words reached the anbu.
"But I do have an office, for I am resuming the role of Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village."
To be continued…