A Demon in the Shadows

by Kuro Tamashi

Minato seals the Kyubi's power inside his two sons, but something happens which makes him commit a great mistake. Naruto is abandoned, to be hated and despised by the villagers. Until one day Naruto gets a power that could help him to take revenge against those who caused him so much pain. [Dark/Naruto Harem]. Revision in progress. (Bio for the uncensored version) Translation

44. Chapter 41: Meeting Kyofu

Before starting, I must apologize for the delay. I've been too busy lately (I'm a teacher now) and I wasn't able to spend much time on this fic.

Now, I must say this: I was planning on doing another revision to this chapter (the sixth one) but I didn't because I would have never published this chapter in that case.

The chapter is not perfect, but I did my best in fixing all the errors that I could find. If you continue reading the story despite that, then you, as a native English speaking person, will spot errors more easily.

I'm not asking you to be my beta reader; I'm just hoping you can bear with it (if you decide to continue reading the story). But I won't mind if you point out the errors.

With that, here's the chapter.

PS: I deleted the story on adultfanfiction because my password was leaked (the website was hacked). I couldn't change my password, so I decided to delete it before someone decided to mess with the story on that site. Anyway, the uncensored version is still on archiveofourown.

PS2: Can you tell me if the title of the new chapter is okay? I wasn't sure if I should go with "Getting to know Kyofu" or "Knowing Kyofu" e.e

---

Human talking, "This has gotten out of control."

Human thinking, "It can't be."

Nonhuman talking, "You are dangerous."

Nonhuman thinking, "I was wrong."

Jutsus / unknown names. "Genshi (Atom)."

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, Masashi Kishimoto does.

---

Chapter 41

On the border of the Fire Country - Moments earlier

A group of five men -that wore black cloaks with red clouds- was walking silently towards Konoha. They were looking at their surroundings with caution because of sudden climatic changes. Besides, they could feel a sinister presence almost everywhere.

These people were active members of Akatsuki, and their specific names were Sasori, Deidara, Kakuzu, Hidan, and Kisame.

Four of them were on foot, while Deidara was up in the sky, flying with one of his 'artworks'.

His companions asked him if he could see anything, to which he replied that he didn't. Or so it was until he noticed a small bright spot in the distance, which made him gulp despite its size.

He made a quick calculation, between the distance and the size of that brightness and concluded: danger, but also beauty.

He looked down and heard Hidan's nervous shouts demanding an answer.

The rest tried not to show it, but the sweat that ran down from their foreheads accurately indicated their true feelings.

The blond man finally cleared his throat, finding the right words to describe what he had seen. "Someone... Someone has used a beautiful piece of art in Konoha."

Knowing him, that could only mean one thing: someone had used an explosive attack in Konoha and a big one at that.

"It seems that something serious is going on in that place," Kakuzu guessed.

"It doesn't matter," the serious voice of Hiruko, the puppet, answered, "Our leader has assigned us this mission, and we can't fail."

Kisame huffed, "Do we really need to recruit that brat? He's a Jinchūriki, and we are supposed to hunt them down. What is he thinking?"

"As I said, it doesn't matter," Hiruko replied.

They continued walking silently for the rest of their trip to Konoha.

Nami No Kuni - Former Mansion of Gatō

In the mansion's living room, Inari, Tazuna, Haku, Kin, Karin, Sai, and Kitsune were thinking in silence on the terrible sensations that they had felt until recently.

Almost no one knew what was happening; Sai and Kitsune were the only ones who had an idea. They said nothing about it because they didn't want to upset the redhead girl, who now was calmer but her eyes were still swollen from having been crying.

Haku knew she wouldn't be capable of thinking anything, instead, she looked at Karin and asked, "Are you sure you don't want to rest?"

Sai had told everyone about the events in Konoha and Nami's hospital; therefore, the Yuki thought that Karin might need to rest a little after going through such a terrible experience.

The redhead looked at her and opened her mouth to answer, but before she could speak, a red flash appeared in the middle of the room.

Almost everyone stood up because they recognized who it was. They watched the red flash moving in zigzag until it collided with a bookshelf, bringing down the books which all fell above the person who just appeared.

"Naruto-kun!" the three minor females shouted joyously.

"Naruto-sama," Sai and Kitsune merely said.

"Oto-san!" Inari exclaimed vehemently after they had revealed his identity.

Tazuna merely said, "Naruto."

Simultaneously, Naruto pushed the books aside, and when he got up, the Uzumaki noticed that everyone was looking at him with questioning expressions.

Naruto, who appeared without his Kyōfu-sama's suit, ignored them and created a shadow clone before saying. "I'm in a hurry and can't talk to you. Ask my clone whatever you want. Sai and Kitsune, follow me."

"Hai," both answered and followed Naruto, who ran frantically towards the hospital of Nami no Kuni.

The girls, Inari and Tazuna looked at each other before looking at the clone, who smiled and waved. "Good evening, ladies, Inari, old man."

"Oto-san!" the boy shouted, not giving them the chance to return the greeting.

The Jinchūriki rolled his eyes and just said, "Hey, Inari, whatever you say." He subsequently tried to push him away, and while he attempted it, Haku and Kin came closer with concern in their eyes.

"What's wrong, girls?" Naruto asked.

"What happened in Konoha, Naruto-kun?" Kin questioned.

"What do you mean?" he replied, truly intrigued. He didn't think they would know about the events in Konoha, because they had left prematurely and because they were far from that place.

Both dark-haired girls looked involuntarily at Karin, who didn't dare to come close because she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.

The clone didn't notice her reaction because Kin and Haku captured his attention.

The Jinchūriki finally got Inari off him, so he took the opportunity to sit on the couch behind him. Kin and Haku sat beside him while Inari tried to sit on his lap, but Naruto swiftly put his elbows on his lap and his chin above his hands.

With a smile of victory, the Uzumaki observed the pout on the face of his 'son', who had no other choice but to sit next to his grandfather, waiting for the girls to finish speaking.

The Jinchūriki then turned his head to Haku, putting the smile off his face when he noticed the worry and fear on her face, which gave him an idea of what they meant.

"Did you guys also perceive it?" he asked, sighing when everyone nodded.

Naruto leaned his head on the couch and looked at the ceiling as he replied, "I'm unsure. I merely know the boss lost his mind, that he destroyed Konoha and that he almost killed everyone in his way. He was absolutely enraged, but I don't know why. The good news is he calmed down." Then he lowered his head and looked at the girls at his side with a reassuring smile.

His statement relieved almost everyone, except for the young redheaded girl, who hid her face even more.

Naruto finally noticed her reaction and the negative feelings that afflicted her.

"What's wrong, Karin-chan?" He asked in a worried tone, standing up and moving toward her.

"N-Nothing," she answered, raising her head while trying to put on a smile not to make the clone suspicious, but his intense gaze made her fail miserably.

"Karin, tell me... If someone hurt you, I...," Naruto continued, clenching his fists at that thought.

"No! It's not like that," she replied hastily, standing up and moving her hands in denial.

"Then, why were you crying? What happened?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and tilting his head slightly.

Karin hid her face, touching her hands with anxiety as she searched for an adequate and convincing answer. Although she tried hard, nothing that could convince someone as perceptive as Naruto came to her mind.

Overly worried because of her silence, Naruto activated his Rinnegan and brought his hand to her head to find out what was bothering her.

However, he couldn't make contact, because Karin swiftly jerked her head away since she remembered he had done something similar to discover her experiences in Kusagakure.

"Karin-chan, I won't hurt you," Naruto assured her, pausing his hand not to disturb her.

The Uzumaki girl shook her head and replied, "I know that, Naruto-kun. I just don't want to talk about this with a clone; I want to do it with the real you." Her voice sounded a bit broken at the end, as she thought her words could offend the clone.

She didn't stay to confirm it since she turned around and ran to one of the mansion's rooms.

Naruto called her name and tried to follow her, but Tazuna's voice paralyzed him. "Boy, sometimes, you should give women their space."

Naruto sighed and sat down beside Kin and Haku, who could just smile encouragingly.

"I know that, old man. I just don't like seeing them sad," he said the latter while looking at each of the black-haired girls at his side before looking back at the new Daimyō of the Land of Waves.

The old man narrowed his eyes. "Apart from Karin-san, are these two young ladies also your girlfriends? Well, I knew about Haku-san already."

Kin blushed slightly, while Naruto scratched his head and laughed ashamed. "A bit too much, huh?"

Tazuna meditated with closed eyes and crossed arms, opening them moments later to notice everyone looked at him with attention. However, he directed his attention to the women on Naruto 's side. "And do you heartily agree with this?"

The question made the Jinchūriki feel uncomfortable and annoyed, but also curious. He had asked himself the same question at certain moments of his wandering life, but he hadn't thought much about it. Or so it was until Haku had asked him about his true intentions.

At that time, he gave his most sincere answer, and from that day on he had tried not to succumb to 'temptation'. However, he was a person who had trouble with leaving certain 'addictions.'

He had been disappointed in himself because he had failed in his commitment, but he felt fortunate for having the opportunity to meet Kurotsuchi, Yugao, and Hanabi more closely.

His thoughts were disturbed when he overheard Haku 's voice. "I can't represent the others, but the doubts that I once had disappeared a long time ago." She turned her head towards the Uzumaki (who was looking at her with considerable attention) and remembered the day when she gave herself to Naruto. Then she looked at the old man and added, "I have nothing more to say about that."

Her response was vague and not very convincing, but Haku had no desire to share the details of her conversation with Naruto. After all, it was very personal.

Tazuna nodded, understanding that she didn't want to talk about it, but this didn't stop him from looking at Kin and politely asking, "And you?"

The Tsuchi sighed with considerable annoyance, which made the interrogator smile with some nervousness after seeing the annoyed expression on the young girl's face.

"Look, old man. That's none of your business. But just so that you don't bother me another day, I'll just tell you that I owe my life to Naruto-kun and that I'll follow him wherever he goes, regardless of the adversities." She looked into the eyes of the Jinchūriki, who performed a slight movement of gratitude with his head.

The Shinobis looked at Tazuna, who sighed and rubbed his neck. "I didn't mean bothering you, but if that was the case, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, Tazuna-san," Haku replied gently.

Kin said nothing else, while Naruto stood up and said, "Hey, Inari. Do you know any place where we can eat?"

The little boy stood up and replied, "Yes, I do! Our village now has a ton of restaurants."

"Oh, really?" asked Naruto, pretending ignorance; after all, he was already aware.

The boy nodded enthusiastically, and this time, Naruto looked at the women at his side. "Will you come with us?"

Both gave affirmative answers and stood next to Naruto, who heard Tazuna say, "I can ask my chef to prepare something for you. You don't need to go out."

"Do you seriously have a personal chef? Wow, you've definitely achieved quite the progress." The Uzumaki chuckled.

Tazuna felt a little ashamed. "Well, it wasn't my decision; the mysterious man who truly manages this village decided it." He was talking about the ruthless leader of the Yakuza, Kyōfu. Although he had never seen him in person, he had already heard about him. Tazuna didn't know Naruto was said person.

"By the way, what happened to your hair and the color of your eyes? The last time you were here, they were totally red," continued the bridge builder with a pondering finger on his chin.

Haku glanced at the Jinchūriki, while Kin wondered what he meant as she visualized Naruto with these features. Inari also looked curious, but he hadn't paid much attention to that since the presence of his 'father' was the only thing that mattered to him.

"Some unusual things happened after I had visited Tsunami-chan a few months ago; let's say the changes were a consequence."

Tazuna shrugged, downplaying the issue. "Well, as long as your nature stays the same, then I think there won't be any problem."

Inari spoke anxiously, "Then let's go, I'll show you where's the best food in the village at. Will you come, Grandpa?"

"No, Inari. Go and have fun with your 'father'," the old man replied, stroking his grandson's hair and smiling when seeing the puzzled expression on his godson's face. The idea of Inari calling him father still didn't suit him well.

The kid smiled and took one his "father's" hand to pull him to the exit.

Naruto didn't put resistance and followed Inari through his pulling, while both girls chuckled as they followed "father and son".

At Nami's hospital, doctors, patients, workers, and visitors carried out their ordinary activities in relative silence until the front door opened, giving way to a small group of men who walked hastily to the reception.

Those present immediately looked at the man with the smiling mask, surprised since he looked a lot like the man that was in the portraits around the hospital.

Some of them tried to greet him, but the man and his companions kept on moving forward to get to the reception.

There, two nervous receptionists (a man and a woman) greeted their boss respectfully. Meanwhile, the masked man put his hand into his right pocket and pulled out the paper where Konoha's doctors had written the items they needed for his brother.

Kyōfu then stated the reason for his visit. "I need everything on this list, immediately."

The woman received the paper and the man took the microphone to request the depot managers the items he would pronounce next.

While the receptionist talked, Kyōfu turned to his companions and ordered, "Go to the depot and help them prepare what I need. I can't make more Shadow Clones."

"Hai, Kyōfu-sama." Both of them received some sealing scrolls and disappeared in Shunshins.

The masked man finally found a moment to rest, approaching one of the benches to release the fatigue that his body had accumulated after the intense battle that took place in Konoha. The visitors made room for him to sit down, hearing him sigh as he rubbed his strained and sore muscles.

People looked at him with interest, others with admiration, some with caution and children with amusement because of his smiling mask.

A little boy, who had been buying some goodies from a nearby vending machine, was the only one to approach him. The boy was curious because he looked like the man in the pictures around the hospital.

The boy stared at him with a finger on his bottom lip as he approached his free hand to his coat. The boy's father tried to stop him, but the boy had already grabbed Kyōfu's coat and pulled it gently.

Naruto looked down and saw a child being picked up by someone, who apologized for the "mischief" of his son.

"Don't worry," the masked man replied, making a gesture of dismissal with his hands, which relieved the child's father.

Since they were already leaving and that the boy was still looking at him with curiosity, Kyōfu asked, "What do you need, boy?"

The father turned around and put his son down on the floor so that he could talk to the influential businessman.

The child asked, "Hi, sir, are you the owner of this hospital?"

"That's right, do you need something?" Kyōfu asked as he got up since he saw Sai and Kitsune running down the hall.

The kid smiled and shook his head. "No, I just wanted to thank you, because now my mother can get well. That's what my dad says." The boy turned his head towards his father, who looked at him with a tender smile, just like the adults waiting in the hall.

The kid looked back at Kyōfu, and he knelt and put a hand on his shoulder. "Kid, don't forget this. Don't ever take credit for something you haven't done. Only those who can't get their own achievements do that. In other words, only losers do it," he spoke seriously, but also with a friendly tone not to frighten him.

The boy said he didn't understand; even the adults or his employees couldn't comprehend why he was saying that.

The masked man answered as he stood up and pointed to the walls. "This is a just building, a place where ill people come to seek treatment. However, they are not seeking my help, but the doctors' who have spent a lot of time studying medicine. So, I can't take credit. If you have to thank someone, thank those who are treating your mother. Understood?"

"Hai!" the child replied while nodding.

Kyōfu added, "Don't forget it: get your own achievements, regardless of the means you use to achieve them. However, may they always be your own so that you can feel satisfied."

This time, not only the boy had nodded, but also the people in the hallway. They would take his words to heart.

The masked man bowed slightly before turning to his companions, who held out the sealing scrolls to him.

Naruto put them in his pockets and spoke telepathically, "I may return in a few days. But I'm not sure about the original. Tell the girls not to worry about him. I'm leaving." After that, he disappeared into a Shunshin of leaves.

Sai and Kitsune looked at each other. Both decided not to ask him what had happened in Konoha because they thought they could ask the clone at Tsunami's new home. Then they headed to Gatō's old mansion.

Konohagakure no Sato – Present

In one of the rooms of the hospital that Tenzō created with his Mokuton, there were two unconscious bodies in two beds.

Both of them were blondes, but one of them had traces of red hair on the tips.

The shorter one was surrounded by several doctors who were doing everything they could to soothe his pain, while the other one was closely monitored by the Wood Element user to avoid another disaster.

Meanwhile, their father looked at his watch from time to time, seeing the shiny hands of Konoha's doctors passing around his youngest son's body. He also looked at his eldest son, but he wasn't that concerned about him because he knew he was out of danger. Although Minato knew he would have to do something about him before he woke up. The Yondaime would wait for Kyōfu's arrival before making a decision.

The minutes went by and the doctors managed to stabilize Menma, but they informed the Hokage that it was only temporary and that he needed the instruments that Kyōfu would supply, or else the youngest Jinchūriki would die at night.

As for Naruto, the doctors didn't even look at him. Minato didn't mind their behavior because he didn't want to increase the hostility. He allowed them to retire and waited in a chair until the masked man appeared.

After twenty minutes, the doctors returned with medical equipment, and the man in the black suit accompanied them.

The Hokage stood up, observing the doctors placing the instruments that would control his son's vital signs as they injected some drugs that would alleviate his pain.

While the doctors worked, the Yondaime approached Kyōfu. "You came back sooner than I thought. Thank you for this."

The masked man saw the Hokage bowing a little. "Do not worry about it, Hokage-dono. It is just business, and believe me, I am eager to pass the bill."

The blond man raised his head and sighed. "Anyway, I appreciate your help."

Kyōfu only nodded and observed the doctors' work. When they finished, the chief surgeon approached the Hokage to say. "That ought to keep him alive for at least a week. The staff will take turns periodically to prevent the insects in Menma-sama's body from spreading around and causing irreparable damage."

"Can't he just have surgery right now? You said you only needed these instruments, and Kyōfu-dono has already delivered them. What's the matter?" asked Yondaime in a worried tone.

"Surgery is certainly feasible," the doctor replied before sighing. "However, one of the invading bodies is lodged in his spine. A forcible removal would leave Menma-sama crippled for the rest of his life, or even worse. Under normal circumstances, we could perform the operation without setbacks, but the invader is an unknown body and we fear that we can do something that can affect Menma-sama's life negatively."

Kyōfu was surprised, and the Yondaime was devastated. However, he didn't give in to his emotions and asked as calmly as possible. "What do you recommend? "

"The staff concluded that Tsunade-sama should perform this delicate procedure. We believe that she is the only person who will not cause any side effects," the doctor replied.

Minato looked at Kyōfu subtly before turning to the doctor. "I understand. But just to be sure, how long will Menma resist without Tsunade's help?"

"Around a week, Hokage- sama. As I said, it would be best to resort to Tsunade-sama skills." That being said, the doctors decided to give the Yondaime some privacy, but the blond man spoke before they left.

"What about him? "asked the Hokage, looking in the direction of his eldest son's unconscious body.

The doctors stopped, turned around, looked at the other bed and all of them shared the same facial expression. The chief surgeon replied, "He seems okay." His voice conveyed contempt, hate, bitterness, and many other negative feelings.

The chief said one last thing. "That's my final diagnosis. If you want a detailed diagnosis, look for another doctor; I won't bear the burden of your... son's sins." The last word cost him a lot to say it. Although he was angry, he was not stupid. He would not dare to disrespect the son of the Hokage, at least not in front of him.

Minato understood the reason for his words; he did not push the issue and thanked them for their help. Finally, the doctors retired, but not before thanking Kyōfu for his aid.

"Tenzō," the Hokage spoke.

"Hai, Hokage-sama?"

"I need you to create a wooden prison for Naruto and be there to block his Chakra. I've done it already, but I prefer another precautionary measure. Can you do it?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Then I'll leave him to you." Then the blond man turned to Kyōfu, who just smiled behind his mask when he heard of his useless attempts to block his Chakra.

"Kyōfu-dono, I'd like to talk to you later. I hope you stay in the village until then." The Yondaime's voice and eyes conveyed seriousness.

"Time is money, Hokage-dono. However, I have to stay because we still have to discuss our pending business."

Minato said nothing about it and made a shadow clone before approaching the bed to pick Naruto up in his arms. Then he told Tenzō to do what he requested.

The Mokuton user nodded and left the room with the Hokage, while the shadow clone stayed in the room to take care of Menma.

Kyōfu left in silence and walked to the exit of the temporary hospital to look for Saito. As he walked out, the masked man noticed the looks of admiration and gratitude on the faces of the villagers. He didn't pay much attention to them; he simply returned the greetings by making slight movements with his hands.

Tired of the villagers' behavior, he hastened his way to the exit. Once there, he breathed deeply to calm his nerves. As he breathed out, he thought, "Very well, where you are, Mr. General?" He closed his eyes and looked for his Chakra.

When he got his location, he walked in that direction. As he wandered, he noticed the looks of admiration not only from the villagers but also from the Shinobis.

Some of them approached him and talked to him, some even asked for his autograph, but the masked man apologized and said he was busy.

They left him alone, so Kyōfu continued walking through the ruins of Konoha, seeing that the Shinobis were setting up tents for the wounded. Perhaps Anko and the others were inside one of those tents, as the current hospital wasn't that big; he would have to visit them later without anyone noticing him.

He arrived at the place he was heading for, a familiar place where he spent much of the last four years of his life: The Ninja Academy. Like the rest of the village, the place had been completely razed; there wasn't even rubble in sight.

There he found the General of his army, looking at the horizon as he smoked one of his cigarettes.

Before Kyōfu could speak, the tall man said, "So, this is the place where you have been wasting your time for the last four years."

The masked man chuckled. "So, you already found out. How?"

Saito looked at the tents where the civilians were settling. "I heard it over there."

The Wood Clone laughed again. "I see. I assume they said something like 'the place where the damn demon was trained'." He didn't need confirmation because that was the usual saying.

He put that aside and asked, "Anyway, what do you want to tell me?"

"What makes you think I have something to say?" asked the black-haired man.

Naruto snorted and replied, "If you had nothing to say, you would have been long gone."

Saito pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, threw it to the ground, stepped on it and approached the masked man, looking at him before saying. "You're right; I've got something to say."

"Go on, I am all ears."

Saito looked at him more intensely. "Be more careful. Whatever you've become, it can't happen again."

The clone also became serious. "I still don't know what happened, but don't think I won't take the necessary measures to prevent what happened today."

"You better," Saito added, taking out another cigarette and giving it a drag. "Otherwise, I'll kill you before you can transform." With that said, he walked forward.

The masked man turned around and spoke seriously, "I count on you."

With a raised eyebrow, the Yakuza General turned around and heard his boss continue. "Are you surprised? Well, you shouldn't. You said it yourself; I've changed. Like you, I've met people I want to protect, and I'm not willing to put them at risk. If I lose control as I did today, kill me without hesitation; you won't get a second chance." It wasn't a threat; it was more of a warning. Both of them had already seen how quickly Naruto adapted to attacks in that transformation.

Saito understood it, so he didn't see the need to add anything else. He turned around and walked away in silence, heading for the Land of Waves, to meet the troops that were probably already there.

The wood clone, meanwhile, thought of a way to meet up with Anko and the others because he wanted to make sure they were alright.

Meanwhile, a few meters away from the temporary wooden hospital, Minato, with Naruto in his arms, saw Tenzō kneeling and putting his palms on the ground to create a wooden prison.

A one-story building with firm wooden walls quickly emerged.

The Yondaime nodded and went inside. The interior was like a small police station, with an even smaller cell at the end of the room.

Minato walked in that direction, only to stop abruptly at the sound of a voice. "I think I should stop acting."

Surprised but also relieved, the Yondaime looked down and saw his son looking at him with an annoyed expression.

"Hokage-sama?" the Mokuton user spoke cautiously, watching his leader putting his son down on the hardwood flooring.

Naruto looked at the hospital gown he was wearing and muttered, "I need new clothes."

"I'll try to get them, son." His father managed to hear him.

The Jinchūriki shrugged before looking at the Mokuton user. "Do you want me to enter there?" he asked, pointing with his thumb to the cell that was behind him.

Tenzō didn't respond, but the expression on his face made it clear that he wanted just that.

Naruto didn't have the energy to joke around, so he just entered the cell and sat on the wooden bed inside. "Could you bring something to me to read? It'll be boring to be here without doing anything."

Minato and Tenzō looked at each other with surprise because that had been too easy. Perhaps he wanted to make up for all the damage he caused. No, it couldn't be that; it had to be something else. Was he just too tired?

The Hokage felt the need to ask, "Do you not oppose my decision?"

The Uzumaki shrugged. "It's not like I could do anything in my current condition. I'm tired, and you've blocked my Chakra. What else can I do?"

He looked into his father's eyes and saw that he put on an ashamed expression, which made the Uzumaki sigh and roll his eyes.

"Do you need anything else? Or could you leave me alone and bring what I asked?"

The Hokage raised his hand intending to add something else, but he gave up on his idea and said, "Okay, son. I'll come back soon."

Naruto paid no attention to him and leaned back in the bed to ponder on the events that not only affected him but also his precious people.

The Yondaime sighed and turned to Tenzō to whisper, "I'm going to talk to the council, and then I'll return. Take care of him."

The Mokuton user nodded, and when the blond man was about to leave, he heard his son say, "What happened to Sandaime-sama?"

The Shinobis of the Leaf looked at him, and he sat on the bed to look at them with a severe expression.

Neither of them knew what to answer, so the Yondaime spoke honestly, "I don't know, son. Maybe he's in the hospital. I'll let you know when I have news."

"I would appreciate that," the Uzumaki answered sincerely, leaning on the bed in absolute silence. His mind, however, was chaos.

He felt mortified; he couldn't stop thinking about the Sandaime. The last thing he remembered was seeing him fight Orochimaru and the former Hokages.

Did he lose and die? Even worse, did he kill him when he lost his mind and destroyed the village? Naruto could not stop thinking about this last scenario, especially because he couldn't feel the Sandaime's Chakra.

Kurama tried to reassure him by telling him he couldn't feel his Chakra because he was exhausted, which was true. Yet the doubts in his mind did nothing but torment him, especially because of Karin's current state. Naruto couldn't know how she was because his clones, which had been in contact with her, didn't dissipate ye

The Bijū didn't say anything else, although he was worried that these thoughts could trigger another crisis.

The Hokage then left the prison and looked for Shikaku to see if he had assembled the council as he had requested him moments before entering the hospital.

While he was looking for the Nara, the Yondaime saw Kyōfu saying goodbye to Saito, who walked away very slowly.

The blond man shortened the distance with the masked man, while the latter turned around when he felt the ever-powerful presence of the Yondaime Hokage.

"Where is he going?" asked Minato, looking at the tall man walking away.

Kyōfu looked in the same direction. "He is a busy man..." the masked man replied before looking at the Yondaime. "Do you need anything else from me, Hokage-dono? Or are you ready to talk about business?"

The blond man shook his head. "That will have to wait. I don't need anything, but I'd like you to be around to talk to you after I meet the council."

"Oh, politics. Interesting. I would like to be there if it is not too much trouble."

Minato slightly narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Kyōfu chuckled before answering, "Because of your son, Hokage-dono. I would like to hear about the decision you are going to make. As you know, that young man has kept me up to date with the events in Konoha."

The Yondaime narrowed his eyes and spoke in a slightly threatening tone. "How did you two meet?"

The masked man ignored that question and motioned for him to walk forward.

Minato followed him since the businessman began to walk forward without waiting for him.

Trotting to catch up to him, the blond man stood beside him, and that was when he heard the answer. "Your son is a very peculiar individual. Just look at his titles in the bingo book."

"That doesn't explain how you two met."

The masked man laughed slightly. "Your son is an ambitious person, Hokage-dono. As such, loyalty is not relevant to him when it comes to achieving his goals."

"What do you mean?" asked the Hokage, with a vague idea of the meaning of those words.

Kyōfu then stopped and looked at Minato directly. "Naruto is a mercenary, Hokage-dono. He works for the highest bidder."

Minato did not react in any way, either physically nor mentally. Perhaps it was because his son had committed greater tragedies, and such actions had already engulfed the Hokage's conscience; the only thing he said was. "Why him?"

The masked man looked at him with a raised eyebrow, expecting another kind of reaction, but he only saw curiosity.

Kyōfu shrugged and replied, "I did not know it was him at first. I was just interested in his 'résumé.' So I decided to contact him. It was not hard because of his unusual ways of working. So I sent my agents to offer him some work."

He paused and looked at Minato. "The rest is history for another time, Hokage-dono. I am sure that you must arrive at your meeting as soon as possible. We may continue this conversation later. So, shall we?"

Kyōfu was right, that meeting was his top priority, as the issues to be addressed there concerned the future of his eldest son.

"Alright, but this conversation doesn't end here."

Minato would allow him to participate in the meeting because he helped a lot in the previous battle, and also because they wouldn't talk about anything that he didn't already know.

The masked man nodded and motioned for him to move forward. When Minato passed him, Kyōfu used a Henge.

Seconds later, both reached the main road that once led to the Hokage Tower, now surrounded by tents.

The pedestrians turned around and looked at the Hokage, and this one noticed looks of suspicion, fear, and a few of respect and admiration. His companion went unnoticed because of the Henge.

Such looks worried and dispirited the Yondaime, but he just kept walking in silence. However, after remembering the person who walked behind him, he stopped. He thought his presence would cause some fuss, but the civilians completely ignored the person behind him. Did Kyōfu leave without him noticing it?

He decided to look back. "Kakashi?" he asked confusedly after seeing his student standing behind him.

Kakashi spoke with a facial expression and a voice that didn't resemble him at all. "Let us continue, Hokage-dono."

He instantly identified him, and as 'Kakashi' had requested, Minato continued walking until he spotted Shikaku, who was wandering the streets in his search.

After seeing him, the Nara trotted up to him and bowed slightly. "Hokage-sama, the council is ready. Please, follow me."

Both Minato and 'Kakashi' followed Shikaku in silence, and after a minute of walking, the trio arrived at a hundred square meter tent.

They entered in silence and heard some of the people gathered inside murmuring. People stopped whispering when they saw Minato, Shikaku and 'Kakashi.'

There were no chairs or tables inside; everyone was standing.

"Let's begin," Minato spoke, approaching the group and stopping next to his teacher, who had arrived minutes before.

Before the Yondaime could explain the reason for this meeting, the Sannin looked at his student and whispered, "How's Menma?"

Minato whispered, "Stable. I'll tell you the details later. I have to start this meeting."

Jiraiya nodded, and the Hokage looked at Shikaku and continued, "Before starting, what's the number of casualties?"

The Nara shook his head and answered, "We don't know yet, but Inoichi has made an estimate."

"Go ahead," replied Minato, preparing himself to hear the worst.

The Yamanaka continued, "Counting only those that the particles attacked and those who died during the explosion: around five thousand Shinobis and fourteen thousand civilians. Around eight hundred more people died in the stadium and its surroundings."

Inoichi sounded so annoyed, although his expression remained calm. He had always distrusted Naruto, but he never thought he would expose his daughter to such danger. He would never forgive him, and when he had the chance, he would give him the scolding of his life.

The members of the Shinobi Council kept stoic expressions, while the Civilian Council almost cried, with certain exceptions such as Kohta, but in general, both sectors felt shocked.

Minato felt a painful twinge in his heart that made him release a sigh of sadness. So much pain, so much suffering, so much death, all because of his bad judgment.

He couldn't do anything to mend what happened; he could only accept it and move on.

He shook his head and looked at the Nara. "I will declare three days of mourning to pay homage to those who gave their lives in protecting our village and those who sadly were caught in the middle. If there's anyone who needs some time alone, you have my permission to leave."

He turned his head to both sides, waiting for someone to say something. After a few seconds, no one had spoken a word. The only thing Minato could see was solemn expressions, while a few looked sad or suspicious.

The Hokage continued, "We already know what happened today." With a brief pause, he looked at his Sensei, who could see the nervousness in his student's eyes.

How couldn't he be nervous? He had to tell everyone that his son was somewhat responsible for what happened, even worse, that he wouldn't make the decision that most of them were hoping for.

With a serious expression and a slight movement of his head, Jiraiya signaled him to continue.

Minato returned the gesture before looking straight ahead. "My son, Naruto, was responsible for such events."

The Hokage closed his eyes because he heard the Civilian Council whispering in annoyance.

Although the Yondaime and some of the Shinobis knew that something else besides the Kyūbi had controlled Naruto, such an explanation wouldn't make any difference; it could even make things worse (although there was no excuse for what happened at the stadium).

Since he didn't want things to heat up before he revealed his decision, Minato asked them to be quiet.

The blond man continued, "I can't justify his actions, and I know that most of you won't be able to see him alive any longer. Even so, the decision I made isn't the one you're waiting for."

Minato sighed and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he did his best to find an answer that would please everyone.

However, he knew that such a solution was impossible. It was his or everyone else's happiness, and although it was selfish and even despicable, Minato would choose the first option.

He opened his eyes and continued, "I have decided to seal up his Chakra so that he can't commit actions of such nature ever again. I will also grant him house arrest at my home."

When the Hokage closed his mouth, almost the entire Civilian Council started complaining.

The Shinobi sector said nothing, but the look on their faces made their disapproval evident.

"That sounds interesting, but will it work?" 'Kakashi' thought with a smile.

"It doesn't matter," Kurama interrupted him with a stern look. "Don't let your guard down, even if you have some immunity to seals."

The Wooden Clone dismissed his concern. "Don't worry, Kurama. I'm sure the boss will leave this damn place when he has enough strength, long before my 'daddy' can do whatever he has in mind. Besides…"

An enraged member of the Civilian Council interrupted him midsentence. "That's unacceptable! The goddamn demon must be executed! He has to pay for his crimes!"

Everyone looked at that man, except Minato, who sighed and looked up at the ceiling as another person shouted, "He's right, Hokage-sama! We can't take any more risks, or else the demon will commit another disaster!"

"At least you could follow Kyōfu-sama's suggestion and make the demon rot in a prison cell!" suggested another person.

More people joined in the protest, shouting their disagreement and disappointment; some of them even said that the Hokage was too soft and that he had to think of the common good.

Kyōfu watched with an amused smile that hid behind Kakashi's mask. "I wish I had some popcorn. What will you do, 'daddy'?"

Jiraiya frowned and was about to tell them to be quiet, but someone exclaimed, "Silence!"

The Sannin looked to his side and observed the expression of annoyance on his student's face.

The Hokage had to say it just once because he had released a bit of his Killing Intent, which was more than enough to intimidate the civilians.

Minato continued, "It seems you're overlooking something." He paused and looked at the eyes of each of those present. "I am the Hokage, the highest authority in the village. As such, my WORD is the LAW!"

"Oh, wow...," the Wood Clone thought with a smile.

The Hokage continued, "I have endured your tantrums for a long time, even when most of you have never done anything to help the people that you represent. I'll admit it, it's my fault because I spoiled you for so long..." He paused to sigh and shake his head.

"Hokage-sama, what does that...?" a member of the Civilian Council tried to ask.

Minato's voice cut him off before he could finish speaking. "Therefore, I will implement some reforms. First, the Civilian Council will be reduced to a single member."

"What?!" The Civilian Council erupted in unison.

Before Minato could continue, an old woman's voice said, "Excuse me, Hokage-sama."

The council became silent when they recognized the voice of Koharu Utatane, who was looking at the Yondaime with narrow eyes.

The Hokage looked at her, and the retired Kunoichi continued, "I believe that's a hasty decision, Hokage-sama. The Civil Council plays a significant role in this group."

"What would that be?" Minato interrupted her abruptly.

Homura Mitokado took the floor. "They give the civilians hope."

"Hope? What kind of 'hope'?" Minato asked.

Homura explained himself, "That they have the same opportunities as a Shinobi to occupy important positions in the village despite being unable to use Chakra."

Minato's eyes twitched with suspicion. Did he think he would swallow such a shallow explanation?

It took him a few years, but Minato managed to understand why the original members of the council insisted on the idea of creating a Civilian Council.

Homura, Koharu, and Danzō did it to reduce his powers and influence. Minato accepted because he had been young and naive.

Back to the present, Minato had enough. "Save your breath; I have already made my decision. And don't push my hand; otherwise, I'll get rid of you, too." He stared at both elders with a murderous expression.

Homura and Koharu stood frozen in their places, with sweat falling from their foreheads. They stared at the Hokage in disbelief, but his expression left no room for doubt.

The silence was absolute, so the blond man continued, "Now, I must confess that I am concerned about the possibility of someone leaking what we just discussed here. Once more, it's my fault for not having taken the proper measures in due time. Therefore..." With a snap of his fingers, a group of ANBU appeared behind the Yondaime, each of them kneeling before their leader.

Yugao was among them, standing out due to the unusual pigmentation of her hair.

The Wood Clone fixed his gaze on her, wondering if she was okay after seeing the abominable creature that the original had become. He also wanted to know what happened to Anko, but that would have to wait.

'Kakashi' then looked at the Civilian Council, seeing that many a step back since the presence of the masked Shinobis frightened them.

The blond man continued, "They will monitor each one of you." He looked into the eyes of the members of the Civilian Council and the council elders, who sweated and gulped because of the growing nervousness.

"If they discover or suspect that you are trying to leak any of the topics that we discussed at this meeting, they will execute you on the spot."

The Civilian Council gasped, while the Shinobi watched in silence, but with expressions of surprise. If they were honest, the Shinobis never liked the idea of a Civilian Council, but they never said anything about it because the Hokage made the decision.

"I'm not doing this because it pleases me. I should have done this a long time ago to avoid certain issues..." Minato couldn't help but think about Naruto while saying that.

If he had paid attention to the Sandaime warnings and forbidden them to reveal the identity of the Kyūbi's container, much of this could have been avoided. However, he had been stubborn, and now he was paying the price.

The blond man closed his eyes tightly because of the bitter past, cursing himself because of his bad judgment.

Then he opened his eyes and continued, "After paying tribute to the deceased, I'll summon another meeting, but only your spokesperson shall be present. That's all..."

"That spokesperson has already been selected, Hokage-sama," said somebody in the Civilian Council, which caused everyone to turn to the voice.

Before they could move from their places, Kohta said, "There's something else I'd like to address, and I'd like my comrades to be here. Their input could come in handy."

Everyone turned to him, and Kohta, who masterfully hid a dark smile, continued, "I would like to talk about the masked man whose role was of vital importance in the survival of the village. Kyōfu-sama, I won't let your efforts go to waste. It's time for me to be useful."

Minato's eyebrows twitched and he unconsciously looked at "Kakashi", who was giving one of his eye smiles. He found nothing suspicious in that reaction, but the blond man could not deny that it bothered him slightly.

The Namikaze looked back at the front, listening to the members and former members of the council talk to each other about Kohta's last words.

The former members seemed more cheerful than the Shinobis, but some of them were also excited. One of them was Hiashi, who hoped to find an opportunity to talk to that man.

Minato looked at Kohta and asked, "What do you want to talk about?"

The new civilian spokesman hid another crooked smile. "We cannot deny that one of the main reasons why we are all gathered here is because of that man's help."

Several people nodded, while others remained motionless.

"What do you have in mind?" the Hokage inquired with a curious but also suspicious look.

"We should recognize his help publicly. The villagers will be happy, even more so because I heard that the man promised to rebuild the village. They'll want your permission to thank him, even though they won't be able to see him. It seems that he is an extremely busy man."

Minato frowned and almost clicked his tongue, as he considered the consequences of his possible decision. Kyōfu smiled with satisfaction and thought of the same results.

If he accepted the proposal, then the people that Kyōfu would send to rebuild the village would be able to spread his 'word' with total freedom and impunity. If he refused, that would make the villagers resent the Hokage even more.

His decision wouldn't matter, in any case, Kyōfu would end up winning.

"Good job, Kohta. I'll have to give you a generous reward," the masked man said to himself.

His father looked at him intensely, which made him stop smiling. Did he suspect something, or did his smiles bother him?

Well, Naruto didn't care; things couldn't get any better for him.

Minato sighed because he knew what could happen if he refused. He didn't think of the positive outcomes because he didn't know much about Kyōfu and his intentions. But he still didn't want to give him the pleasure.

"I will decide later. For now, the answer is no. I'd like to talk to that man before I take a definitive stance."

"Hehehe. Clever. But you and I know what decision you're going to make, and frankly, I prefer that one. I think I'm going to help you a little when we talk," Naruto's clone thought.

Kohta bowed slightly. "I understand, Hokage-sama. You can take all the time you need, and as you have previously requested, this will remain a secret. I don't anything else to say to my former colleagues."

The former members nodded, bowed to the Hokage and left the tent to return to their homes, followed closely by the ANBUs that were assigned to each of them.

Almost the entire former Civilian Council was upset because they were excluded, but they were also eager to know the Yondaime's decision. As civilians who survived thanks to Kyōfu, they wanted to express their gratitude more than anyone else.

Since a large number of people left, the circumference of the group became smaller.

As soon as they finished regrouping, Jiraiya turned his head to Kakashi and said, "How long will you continue with the façade?"

Minato and 'Kakashi' were the only ones to understand his words, so the rest looked at the Sannin questioningly.

"What do you mean, Jiraiya-sama?" Inoichi asked.

Before the Sage could respond, Kakashi took a step forward. "You've discovered me, Jiraiya-dono." With that said, a puff of smoke surrounded Kakashi's body, revealing a person in a black suit and a smiling mask.

"You are..." Shikaku spoke.

"What brought you here?" Hiashi added, smiling because he wanted to talk with him.

The most excited person was Kohta; he was so thrilled that he had a silly expression on his face. He couldn't help it since it had been a while since he saw him with that suit.

Nobody noticed his reaction because everyone was looking at the masked man.

Kyōfu replied, "I'm just watching; Hokage-dono invited me. I decided to use the Copy-nin's appearance to avoid turmoil. However, Jiraiya-dono discovered my façade. My most sincere apologies." He put his hand on his chest and bowed slightly.

Jiraiya continued, "It's good to have you here; I have many questions to ask you. I think Minato has them as well. Are you ready to answer them?"

Kyōfu stood between Koharu and Homura, who looked at him with suspicion, but also with some respect, but they said nothing.

"It depends on the questions, Jiraiya-dono. But I will try to answer as many as I can."

"Very well," Jiraiya said with a nod of his head. "To begin with..."

"Let me stop you there, Sensei, "Minato interrupted, signaling him to stop. "There's something else I'd like to address first."

With a serious expression, Minato looked at the council elders, who felt an uncomfortable pressure that made them sweat and swallow. After his previous threat, feeling intimidated was inevitable.

Minato asked, "Have you heard anything about Danzō?"

Confused, the elders looked at each other. They noticed his absence when the meeting began, but they assumed that he was injured due to the explosion that destroyed the village.

"Why do you ask, Hokage-sama?" Koharu inquired with a calmer expression.

"Don't you find his absence strange?"

Homura brought his fingers to his chin. "It's strange, indeed. He has never been absent from any of our previous meetings. However, he's probably injured and couldn't attend for that reason."

"You're right; it's a possibility. However, we're all aware of Danzō's stubbornness, so I think he's alive, somewhere outside Konoha," the Hokage stated.

"What do you mean, Hokage-sama?" Koharu asked with her always impassive and narrowed gaze.

Minato sighed and rubbed his temple, wondering if it would be wise to reveal the following: "There's something I've been hiding for quite a while, about Naruto's whereabouts when he 'left the village.'"

Kyōfu and Jiraiya were surprised. Did he intend to reveal one of the best-kept secrets in the village?

After a brief pause, the Hokage finally continued, "Naruto... He... He was an ANBU of Root."

Many were speechless, some of them because they didn't know that the Root was still active, others because that explained Naruto's strength, and others for both reasons.

Even the council elders were not aware of this information. How and when did Danzō get his hands on him? And why did Minato allow it?

There were too many questions, but the Hokage continued speaking. "The way he got there doesn't matter. The only thing I can tell you is that Danzō couldn't put his cursed seal on Naruto, which means that he can reveal information about Root whenever he wants."

"So, are you saying that Naruto threatened Danzō and he fled for that reason?" Shikaku spoke.

"I'm not sure. The only thing I can say is that Naruto would never lose his mind without a good reason, and since Danzō isn't here, I can assume he was responsible and then fled to avoid the consequences of his actions."

The Root leader could have died during the explosion, but if he was alive, then Minato couldn't think of anything else but his recent deduction.

The wood clone thought the same thing, even more so because he felt the Chakra of the original Naruto in the former Root base.

After that, Minato said that Danzō could be dead, but he had to make sure in any case. Therefore, he summoned his personal ANBU, which immediately appeared kneeling before him.

"Inu, head to ANBU's barracks and tell them to comb this area." With that said, the Hokage wrote on a paper the approximate location of the former Root base, just outside Konoha.

The ANBU took the note and put it in his ninja bag, waiting for further instructions.

"Once they find the place, they'll look for any indication of Danzō's current condition. If he's dead, I want to know it immediately. If he's alive, I want the rest of the ANBU forces to search and capture him at once. They'll have permission to use lethal force if he doesn't cooperate."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the ANBU replied, grabbing the scroll where Minato had written the instructions and his signature to certify it.

Before the ANBU could leave, the Hokage motioned for him to come closer.

Minato whispered to his ear. "Form another team and look for the Sandaime near the stadium area. I want to keep their findings a secret. Understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Inu replied in a whisper.

The only one who managed to hear the conversation was Kyōfu, causing him some uneasy thoughts. He didn't know what happened at the stadium or the Root base. After all, the original had created him before these events occurred.

Furthermore, the fact that Danzō could have fled made him nervous. If that were the case, Danzō would never give up, which would trigger a battle against the ANBU and several of them would end up dying. Yugao was an ANBU, and although she was monitoring the former council members, her father could easily change her current mission and order her to track Danzō.

Naruto would have to find him before his father changed Yugao's mission.

The Hokage then ordered Inu to leave, and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Sensei, you can proceed," Minato said, and Kyōfu shook his head to pay attention.

Jiraiya nodded and looked at Kyōfu, "For starters, who are you?"

All attention was given to the masked man, leaving aside the initial surprise caused by the previous words of Hokage.

"People call me Kyōfu, the Yakuza leader, businessman," he replied as he bowed slightly. A brief introduction that described him perfectly.

Minato spoke, "I doubt that 'Kyōfu' is your real name and that you want to share it with us…"

Kyōfu nodded his head, implying that he didn't want to. Therefore, Minato asked something else, "What are the Yakuza and how did you keep them under our radars?"

The entrepreneur brought his fingers to the chin of his mask. "How can I say it? We are a for-profit corporation focused on exporting goods. Regarding your second question, I would rather not answer it."

The Yakuza organization operated through third parties, and Naruto did not want to reveal that information, because his father could open an investigation to find these companies in Konoha. It wasn't as if it mattered now, because they were all wiped out along with the rest of the village. However, that didn't mean that he wouldn't bring his business back to Konoha.

Minato looked at the tycoon suspiciously, but he said nothing since Inoichi took the floor. "What kind of goods do you export?"

"Everything that our customers need. Food, entertainment, transportation, clothing and tools of all kinds. If we can make it, we produce it and deliver it at the agreed time, according to the laws and regulations of each region. We also expect our commitment and punctuality to be reciprocal."

That didn't sound so bad, but most of them shared the same question, and Shikaku was the one to ask.

"What would happen if a customer does not comply with an agreement?"

There was a silence of at least ten seconds, which made them think it was something serious.

The masked answered in a grave voice, "Let's put it like this, we always get paid for our services, in one way or another."

If they could see behind his mask, they would have seen a dark expression.

He, who never had anything in his life, valued fervently the things he had obtained through his hard work. Naruto Uzumaki hated treachery more than anything else, and he considered the breach of an agreement a betrayal. He was much more tolerant of thefts (depending on the circumstances), but failing to fulfill a promise was something he could not tolerate. For this reason, he ensured that those in charge of his organization held these agreements in high regard.

Everyone understood the meaning of those words. Minato did so more than anyone else because he had heard him say repeatedly that he only cared about money and that he didn't mind reaching extremes to get it.

Before the Yondaime could add his opinion, his master stepped forward and said, "And what would you do if we can't pay you? As you can see, we have our problems, so monetary compensation is out of the question."

Kyōfu shrugged. "I'm not going to lie to you. I already told Hokage-dono. I would impose sanctions that would make Konoha's economic recovery impossible. In a nutshell, I would starve this village to death."

Kohta hid a sinister smile when he heard his statement, while many of the Shinobis clenched their fists tightly.

Before everyone could lose it, Kyōfu continued, "But I do not plan to do that immediately. I am going to give you time. Besides..., money is not the only payment method."

The Konohanians narrowed their eyes, and Jiraiya asked everyone's question. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Kyōfu looked at him. "I think you misunderstood me. Allow me to clarify myself. My organization is vast, and my men cannot take care of everything. We usually employ Shinobis to perform certain tasks. I thought Konoha could give us a discount in such cases."

"Heh, such a great liar," a voice inside him stated.

Naruto smiled but said nothing and waited for the interrogation to continue.

Despite hearing his answer, they still distrust him. What if he wanted them to do something immoral? They were sure he wouldn't accept a no for an answer, but if they still refused, what would he do?

They saw Kyōfu's power in the battle against Nikushimi. Moreover, they had to include his army and the resentment of the other villages towards Konoha. If Kyōfu decided to make an alliance with them and attack their village, could they pull through?

The Shinobis knew that their Hokage was immensely powerful as well, but since Kyōfu already knew about his abilities, it wouldn't be surprising if he considered them before attacking.

When Jiraiya noticed the nervousness of the Shinobis, he added, "How do you expect us to trust someone who hides his face behind a mask? If you want us to trust you, then show us your face!" He demanded, pointing to his mask.

"That would be impossible," Kyōfu answered bluntly, looking at the defiant eyes of the Sannin.

"Why?" Minato's quiet voice interrupted the staring contest.

The masked man turned to him. "Because I say so."

Well, Minato didn't care; he only wanted to know if Kyōfu was an Uzumaki. He would leave that question for another time because he didn't want to cause another uproar by insinuating that he might be a survivor of that extinct clan.

He stopped thinking about it when Kyōfu said, "I don't want you to trust me. In fact, you shouldn't. The only thing I need from you is your commitment."

There was no point in trying to trick them with sweet words since they were a minority, and he didn't intend to waste his time in putting them on his side. The ones who mattered and would be easy to manipulate were the Shinobis of lower rank and the civilians.

What did Naruto want to achieve? A phrase explained it clearly: Divide and Conquer.

He had already planted the seed of discord in the hearts of Konoha's inhabitants, and one day it would grow to a point where they would consider an uprising, and when that day came, Kyōfu would give a final push.

Watching the people of Konoha murdering each other would be fun and exciting. It would take some time, but Naruto had to wait because he wasn't ready to destroy Konoha; he had to become much stronger.

Minato then said, "I'm grateful for your help. You've even saved my children's lives, and I'm eternally grateful for that. However, we'd never do anything that goes against our principles. It doesn't matter if you go ahead with your threats, we won't bow down."

The shinobis nodded, while Kyōfu shrugged. "I understand that, Hokage-dono. Now, do you have any more questions? It's getting late."

"Yes, I do," Minato replied as he stepped forward. "Where's Tsunade?"

"I don't know," he replied bluntly, in a voice that sounded annoyed and angry.

The Shinobi could feel those feelings in his words, and several wondered what bothered him.

"You don't?! One of your men in Onsen said she has your protection. Don't screw with me! My son's life hangs by a thread, and he needs Tsunade's help!"

The precarious state of Menma and the fact that the only person who could help them find Tsunade wasn't helping made Minato lose his temper.

"So, Daisuke said that... He's right; Tsunade-sama has my protection."

"Sama?" All of them thought in unison since he didn't use that honorific even with Minato or Jiraiya. Why was Tsunade different? Was there a relationship between the two? And why was he giving her protection?

"Forget about her, Hokage-dono. If you need her for your son's recovery, then I give you my condolences. I won't tell you where she is." Kyōfu sounded as annoyed as before.

Minato clenched his fists tightly and ducked his head before whispering, "What do you want for that information? How much are we talking about?!" He exclaimed as he raised his head.

Kyōfu instantly opened his coat and took one of his knives, throwing it at the Hokage with such speed that neither he nor anyone else could react in time.

When the knife reached its destination, some ANBU and the rest of the Shinobi Council surrounded the masked man, pointing their Kunais to his face.

Kyōfu ignored the 'annoyances' that surrounded him and focused on his target, who looked at the object he had thrown.

The Hokage bent down and picked up the knife that had embedded within inches of his feet.

When he looked up again, he saw Kyōfu's index finger pointing to the knife. "If you want Tsunade-sama to return, perform Seppuku right now."

"What?!" Jiraiya shouted. "Have you lost your mind? Why would he have to do that?"

Kyōfu turned to him and spoke as calmly as he could. "Please, mind your own business, Jiraiya-dono. Hokage-dono knows why I'm asking him this. If he loves his son, then he will be able to see the reason for my request." He paused and looked at the Yondaime. "So, Hokage-dono, what are you going to do?"

Minato clenched on the weapon and asked nervously, "Does Tsunade know?"

With a sharp expression that seemed capable of cutting his mask, Kyōfu answered firmly, "She does."

Nobody, except Jiraiya, understood what the conversation was about. It all dated back to the day when those men tortured Naruto and Minato abandoned him. If Tsunade knew that, it explained why she didn't want to return to the village anymore.

The Sannin looked at his student with a sad expression, but he changed it to a surprised one when Minato placed the tip of the weapon in front of his stomach.

"W-Will you bring her here if I do this?" His hands trembled uncontrollably, but he would do it for his son.

"I will."

His response had been the trigger. Minato gritted his teeth, closed his eyes tightly and raised his hands before yelling, "So be it!"

"Minato, wait!" Jiraiya yelled to his student, moving forward just when he saw him lowering his hands.

More tried to stop him, but they knew they wouldn't arrive in time.

When everyone believed that the Hokage would end his life, a voice behind them whispered, "Banshō Ten'in."

The knife in the hands of the Hokage got pulled to the voice with extraordinary force, and the Yondaime, unable to handle such force, released the weapon. It returned to the hands of Kyōfu, who twirled it in his right hand before putting it in the holster under his tunic.

"That's enough," Kyōfu spoke, lowering his tunic to hide his knives.

"E-Eh?" the Hokage gasped as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Just then, everyone sighed, while Kyōfu replied, "It was a test. Let's say that you passed. I will tell you where you could find Tsunade; nevertheless..." He approached the Hokage under the watchful eyes of the Shinobis, and once close, he continued, "She will not come back, even if I ask her. She will probably end up running away."

The Wood Clone did not want to reveal her location because he wanted to protect her after she encouraged him on that tragic night. But he didn't want his brother to die either, not because he cared for him, but because he didn't know what would happen if the Kurama inside his brother died; Naruto didn't want to take any risks.

He didn't want to force Tsunade to return to Konoha either because he could lose her trust. Besides, that would also put her in a painful position in which she would be forced to choose between going back and recall bad experiences or escaping, knowing that she would let an innocent person die.

The clone said, "You should know who can convince her. It'll depend on that person whether she decides to help your son. I can't do anything else."

The image of Naruto crossed Minato's mind, as he recalled the night of the torture and his outrageous words towards his moribund son.

Minato didn't know how Tsunade discovered it. He doubted that Naruto had told her since they had never met before, so the only one left was Hiruzen.

If that were the case, Minato would be grateful because he probably asked Tsunade to save his son's life back then.

Meanwhile, Kyōfu put his right hand into his pocket and pulled out a sealing scroll as he thought, "This came with the suit. I hope what's inside still works."

He unsealed the scroll and revealed a small black device with buttons hidden under a lid attached to the device. "I wonder if it still works. It's been over four years since I last used it. Besides, Konoha didn't have coverage back then. Let's see..." Naruto flipped the lid and held down the power button. After a few seconds, the rest of the buttons emitted a dim light and the small screen displayed an image.

Those present saw the masked man pressing a few buttons before closing the lid and approaching the Hokage to say. "Take this. When you have an answer, press and hold down the number one button."

Minato received the device and looked at it strangely. "What's this?"

"It's a cellphone. It allows long-distance communication."

That did not surprise anyone since the radios operated in the same way but at much shorter distances.

"After pressing the button, the device will make a call, and someone will answer. Tell them what happened and your answer. They'll inform me later. Then, I'll give you an answer as soon as I can."

Since Konoha already had coverage (it had been four years after all), Kyōfu handed over the cellphone. Then he turned around and headed for the exit. "That would be all. We'll be in contact."

Before he could step out, Jiraiya's voice stopped him. "Wait, I still have a question."

Kyōfu sighed and turned around. "What?"

"The man who was accompanying you, was he carrying the Katanagatari? Specifically, the Zantō Namakura."

Naruto looked at the Sannin with interest. "Do you know 'the Sword Story'?"

Jiraiya smiled proudly. "Of course. They don't call me a sage for nothing."

"Sword Story?" Minato asked confusedly as he looked at the two.

Interested in the story, everyone looked at the Sannin, who replied, "I thought it was a myth of the Iron Country. I didn't think a weapon like that could exist."

"And what kind of weapon is that?" the Yondaime questioned.

Jiraiya glanced at Kyōfu, who understood the meaning of that look. He was telling him that there was no point in hiding it since he was aware of the sword's characteristics.

The masked man sighed and answered, "You could say that it is the Seven Legendary Swords of Kirigakure in a single Katana. A sword that can change its shape according to the wishes of its bearer. "

"That sounds... unbelievable," the Hokage stated in both senses of the word.

Jiraiya continued, "As I suspected."

Kyōfu looked at the Sannin and asked, "Of all its variations, how did you know it was the Namakura?"

"Because of the monster's reaction when your comrade pierced its head. The legend says the Zantō Namakura can cut through anything in existence. So, at best, it was able to cut its soul. I have no way to prove it, but I think that's what happened."

"Honestly, I never saw him using such an attack. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here with you. You can't protect your soul so easily, after all," Kyōfu said as he recalled his battles against Saito.

"These guys... are dangerous," Minato concluded.

An opponent who probably was an Uzumaki and had the Rinnegan, and another one who held a weapon capable of cutting souls. What else could they be if not that?

"Do you need anything else, Jiraiya-dono?" Kyōfu's voice took Minato out of his thoughts.

"That will be enough for now."

"Very well, with that I..."

"Please, wait a moment," a third person interrupted Kyōfu.

Naruto could see Hiashi approaching before saying, "Before you leave, I have a proposal for you, Kyōfu-dono."

The Wood Clone squinted since he had an idea of what he wanted to request.

"Go ahead, Hiashi-dono."

"You are aware of my existence. To say that I feel honored would be an understatement." The Hyūga bowed slightly.

Holding his anger back, Naruto asked him to continue.

"I will be direct, Kyōfu-dono. It would be my honor if you were to marry my daughter. What do you think about it?"

The wood clone bit his lower lip so strongly that blood came out of it, while his eyes reflected a homicidal glow.

Before he gave his opinion, Minato expressed his. "Are you serious, Hiashi? What about Menma?" He sounded angry.

The Hyūga leader looked at him. "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. I wasn't talking about Hinata, but Hanabi. Excuse me for the misunderstanding."

Did it matter who it was? Minato thought that. Their children were dating, and they had shared moments together. Did Hiashi care so little about that?

However, he couldn't blame him. After all, Naruto had become a well-known criminal. It wasn't surprising that Hiashi wanted to break that relationship to find a better suitor for his daughter.

Nevertheless, Minato expected Kyōfu to refuse because he didn't look like a person who would accept such proposals without getting something good in return.

Although the Hyūga clan was one of the most prominent in the Shinobi world, what could Kyōfu gain from such a relationship? He seemed to care only about money, so it wasn't likely that it would bring him any financial benefit.

The Yondaime looked at the masked man, who received a photograph of the young woman in question. He examined it for fifteen seconds before returning it to Hiashi, who waited for his reply.

Meanwhile, Naruto was boiling with rage, but he also took Hiashi's proposal very seriously.

Why? Because people would begin to say that one of his daughters had been dating the "damn demon." Therefore, Hiashi would hand Hanabi over to any rotten nobleman to preserve his and his clan reputation.

"How old is she?" The masked man inquired.

"She's about to turn twelve," Hiashi replied very quietly.

The clone almost clenched his fists. 'Kyōfu' was supposed to be an old man, and the idea of Hiashi offering his young daughter to such old men sickened him.

For Hanabi's sake, he had to avoid that at all costs. "She is still a little young. But I accept your proposal, Hiashi-dono."

The Shinobis whispered incredulously since he accepted the proposal too easily.

"Wait, hold up, Hiashi," Minato interrupted.

Everyone looked at the Yondaime, and he continued, "I didn't think I would have to say this, but as the Hokage, I won't accept this union. She is a citizen of this village and possesses a Kekkei Genkai. Therefore, I can't allow her to live out of the village."

Hiashi disagreed politely, telling him about the economic benefits that such a union would bring to the village.

While he explained that, Kyōfu closed his eyes and focused on the Yondaime's Chakra. "Hokage-dono, please listen to me."

Minato looked at him, and the voice in his head continued, "I am doing this for your son Naruto. I am aware of his relationship with Hiashi-dono's daughter."

"How?" the Hokage asked seriously, ignoring the explanations of the Hyūga leader.

"Remember that he is my little spy. I have some knowledge of his personal life."

It was true; he had forgotten that because of all the turmoil in the council.

"Do you understand now, Hokage-dono? I'm not interested in this young lady; I want to stop her father from doing something that could upset your child. Remember how dangerous he can become, and it's something we must avoid at all costs."

He was right; the events of this day couldn't happen again. They wouldn't be so fortunate next time.

However, Minato still had his doubts. "What are you planning? Will you take her out of the village?"

"That won't be necessary, although I will have to visit the village to formalize this false engagement and make an announcement to please Hiashi-dono."

"And do you think Naruto will accept this and won't get angry?"

There was a brief silence before the Yondaime could hear the answer in his head. "I'm not sure. However, I intend to explain it to him to avoid a misunderstanding."

Due to their current conversation, Minato could guess how he was planning on telling him. However, he still had a doubt left. "Do you think Naruto will try to escape when he's out looking for Tsunade?"

Minato looked at Kyōfu, but Hiashi didn't notice it because he was still immersed in his explanations.

"Please, Hokage-dono. I already said why I am doing this. If Naruto decides to escape, it will be his choice. I do not intend to help him in any way."

"But if he does, what would you do?" Minato asked.

"Do not worry, Hokage-dono. I lost interest in your son when he turned into that beast. Believe me, having someone as unstable as him in my ranks would not be in my best interests. But of course, you do not have to believe my words. If you hate the idea of him working for me, I recommend you to keep him locked up."

When the conversation ended, the Hokage looked at Hiashi and made a stop sign with his right hand. "I understand, Hiashi. I still don't like the idea, but I'll be watching closely. If there's something I don't like, I'll use my power as the Hokage to stop this engagement. Understood?"

The Hyūga leader bowed and spoke excitedly, "I understand, Hokage-sama. This union will bring great benefits to the village."

The clone wanted to click his tongue, but he only stared with contempt at his "fiancée's" father.

Most of the Shinobi looked at the Hokage with surprise, but they wouldn't dare to oppose his decision.

Jiraiya put a hand on his student's shoulder and whispered, "Are you sure of this, Minato?"

"I'll explain it to you later," the Hokage answered.

The Sannin barely heard him but decided not to ask any more questions and returned to his place.

Hiashi approached the masked man and said, "I'd like you to meet my daughter as soon as you can. I know you're a busy man, so I won't hurry you. I only wish to know when you'd be able to visit us. Although the village was destroyed, I'll have something decent for you when the time comes."

"How about now?" Kyōfu replied.

The reply took the Hyūga leader aback, the reason why he looked slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Kyōfu-dono, but I currently have no lodgings, much less one worthy of you. So I'd ask you to wait a few more days until I have everything ready."

The people inside the tent looked at the interaction with boredom. Their lips, however, remained sealed, since the village leader observed the exchange in silence.

Kyōfu dismissed his words with his hands. "It does not matter. All I want is to meet this young lady; I want to introduce myself and explain the situation to avoid misunderstandings."

"Don't worry, Kyōfu-dono. I assure you that she won't object."

Naruto wanted to hit him in the face right then and there, but he held back by saying, "I see, then I will wait until the end of this meeting and then you will lead the way."

"Of course," Hiashi replied, bowing before returning to his place and apologizing to the Hokage for interrupting the meeting.

Minato told him not to worry before saying, "If nobody has anything else to say, this meeting is over."

Almost everyone nodded, but before the Hokage ordered them to leave, Shikaku raised his hand. "What are we going to do with the results of the Chunin exams?"

Minato had forgotten about that, so he made a quick decision. "You can send Kumogakure a report on the performance of their Shinobis. They will decide if they want to promote them. None of our Shinobi stood out, so we won't promote anyone this year."

Killer Bee could make the report by himself, but the usual procedure was for the host village to send the reports.

No one opposed the Hokage's decision.

Minato looked around the room, waiting for someone to say anything else, and the most unexpected person had left a corner to say, "Hokage-sama, I have a request." Ibiki Morino was the one who spoke.

"Go ahead, Ibiki."

"I would like to interrogate everyone who was in close contact with Naruto."

Inoichi couldn't help asking, "Why?" He wanted to know the answer because his daughter was one of those people, and knowing Ibiki, he just wanted to be cautious.

"Hokage-sama?" Ibiki asked.

"Go ahead," Minato permitted him to answer. Honestly, he also wanted to know it.

The remarkable interrogator nodded and continued, "Naruto is a master manipulator, the days after his coma prove it. Therefore, I want to make sure he didn't influence anyone to betray the village."

He paused and looked at Inoichi. "I know your daughter is one of those people. That's why I will need your help. But first, I'll need Hokage-sama's permission."

Inoichi wanted to say something, but he knew Ibiki was right. So, he just sighed and shrugged before looking at the Hokage, who said, "Permission granted. Don't do anything drastic. Is that clear?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Ibiki replied, leaning slightly and bringing his hand to his chest.

"The meeting is over. I'll call you back when the days of mourning are over. You are dismissed."

The council members bowed and withdrew in silence, looking at Kyōfu, who was waiting for Hiashi at the exit.

"Thank you for waiting, Kyōfu-dono," said the Hyūga leader when he stood in front of the masked man. "I'll show you where you can meet my daughter." He walked forward to show him the way, but when he looked back, Hiashi noticed that Kyōfu stood still.

"Is something wrong, Kyōfu-dono?" Hiashi questioned as he approached him.

The masked man looked at the Hokage instead of answering him. "I sense a group of people with large amounts of Chakra approaching the village. I don't know who they are, so I wondered if you know people with that level of Chakra."

"No, I don't know anyone like that," replied Minato with a serious expression. If what Kyofu said was true, they could be new enemies.

Kyōfu brought his fingers to the chin of his mask and pondered, "I don't think they're coming here to help. I would recommend you to get ready for a new confrontation, but it would be better to intercept them and ask them about their intentions."

The council members returned to the tent when they heard the conversation.

Shikaku, the strategist and smartest man in the village, approached Minato and Kyōfu to tell them about a plan he came up with.

However, the masked man continued while looking at the Yondaime, "You and I will go. We don't need any more people; otherwise, we could start an unnecessary battle."

Jiraiya pointed out, "They could be looters. In that case, you won't persuade them to go away with words. More people should go."

Given Konoha's current condition, it wouldn't be surprising if some people tried to take advantage of the situation.

Kyōfu turned to the Sannin and told him, "In that case, I'm going to make them an offer they can't refuse."

Minato and Jiraiya heard that phrase when Kyōfu told them that he could destroy Konoha economically. So, they had an idea of what kind of offer he would make.

The blond man asked, "I doubt your help is going to be free. What do you want this time?"

Kyōfu was unable to hold a giggle. "You are a bright man... You are correct. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't do this without expecting something in return. But…"

"But...?" the Hokage mused.

The masked man turned to the exit and answered, "I have a fiancée now. I have to protect her. What kind of example would I give if I didn't?"

He did it not only for Hanabi, but also for the rest of his girls, and even for Neji. While his friends were in Konoha, Naruto would swallow his hatred to protect the place where they lived.

He could take them away from Konoha, but most of them weren't ready to leave yet, and Naruto didn't want to force them.

Waving his cape, Kyōfu crossed the exit and waited for Minato to join him.

The Yondaime accepted his explanation in silence, and before they could leave, Minato turned to Shikaku and said, "I leave the rest to you. If something happens, I hope you have everything ready."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Minato nodded and met Kyōfu outside, hearing him ask, "Are you ready?"

"Let's go," replied Minato, following Kyōfu in the direction the members of Akatsuki were approaching.

---

Notes

Okay.

Again, sorry for the delay, but we caught up with the Spanish version. I have three more chapters ready (in Spanish), but I haven't published them yet because of this.

Oh, I decided not to use Beta Readers anymore. As you may remember, it was because it took too much time. Besides, most of the people who voted on the poll didn't mind if I did the revisions by myself.

I did just that in this chapter, so I hope it was okay.

Now, some explanations.

I wrote that Kyōfu's word would spread freely throughout the village; remember that Kyōfu's followers see him as some kind of god. Naruto didn't start this, and he doesn't like it either, but he's willing to take advantage of their beliefs.

Minato got rid of the Civilian Council. It was something that I thought he should do if he wanted to start over. It may be sudden, but Minato could finally understand how corrupt the Civilian Council was.

Regarding the revelation of Naruto's whereabouts (the Root), Minato said it because he wanted to explain why he didn't trust Danzō.

I thought that Hiashi's offer to Kyōfu was something he would do if he had the chance, and he had it. Kyōfu accepted because he didn't want to see Hanabi with an old bastard (or anyone else but him).

Oh, when Minato demanded Tsunade's location, he obviously wasn't going to use violence. Although Kyōfu and Minato are tired, Minato wouldn't risk a confrontation with someone who has the Rinnegan, so he was thinking of offering him money. Oh, and I don't think it's too far-fetched for Minato to try to take his own life so that Tsunade can return to heal Menma.

You must be wondering why Naruto stopped him. Well, he wouldn't feel satisfied if his father killed himself.

Orochimaru and the villages involved in the invasion weren't discussed at the meeting because Minato wanted to explain why the village was destroyed. That doesn't mean that Minato won't deal with this issue, I think it will be at the next meeting after the days of mourning.

Now they are going to meet the members of Akatsuki.

What's going to happen? Is there going to be a battle? Or will they be unable to refuse Kyōfu's offer?

That would be all.

Until the next time!