"It was a pleasure talking to you, Third Hokage, until next time."
With a cordial smile, Hiruzen bid farewell to the two of them: "Likewise, I wish you both a good night."
After the farewell, Hiruzen resumed his way back home. Coincidentally, the two women left the baths at the same moment as him. For a brief moment, he considered the invitation to dine together, but he soon remembered that they had left their children at home under the care of clones and young Itachi. Understanding the importance of this time for them and the natural concern for the safety of their children, he chose not to prolong the farewell. Recent circumstances in the village, including infiltrations and attacks at moments of vulnerability, certainly increased parental vigilance over their children.
Hiruzen was aware of the villagers' insecurities and fears, even if they tried to maintain an appearance of normality. However, he considered this state of alert a positive thing, as it encouraged the community to be more vigilant towards suspicious behaviors. Proof of this was the increase in reports of suspicious activities by the residents, which resulted in the identification of five spies from other villages.
As they walked away, Kushina pondered: 'Did he change again? Does this have to do with his Kekkei Genkai?' After a brief moment of reflection, she decided to set aside these questions for now.
Next to her, Mikoto maintained her serene and friendly expression, though she was internally confused. She couldn't fully understand why she felt an inexplicable attraction towards Hiruzen, similar to what she felt for her husband. With a slight shake of her head, Mikoto decided to push aside these turbulent thoughts, choosing not to delve deeper into these sensations.
Almost home, Hiruzen looked up at the sky.
It was a full moon night. The stars were inexplicably bright that night.
After looking for a few seconds, he stopped as he arrived at the entrance of the Sarutobi Clan.
A maid who had not yet finished her shift, saw him arrive. Bowing respectfully, she said: "Welcome back, Hokage-sama."
"Mm, I'm back." Hiruzen greeted, calmly.
After Hiruzen entered the house and closed the door, the maid placed one of her hands on her chest and sighed.
It was hard to believe that someone like the Hokage, who before had the appearance of an uncle, was now so handsome that it made her heart race uncontrollably.
In the Hidden Cloud Village, in the Kazekage's office, at 09:11 in the morning, the Kazekage slammed a folder full of documents on the table and leaned back in his chair, massaging the area between his eyebrows.
"So many things have happened in the Leaf Village... The change of the Hokage is what surprised me the most, but it's not what worries me the most," he sighed deeply.
"Kazekage-sama, if I may," his secretary caught his attention.
"Proceed," he said, opening his eyes to look at her.
She maintained a serious expression and a professional posture, stating: "The matter of these artificial beings... I believe it to be true. Even if it may seem like a strategy to divert attention from the spies and spread disinformation, in order to keep us on alert and, consequently, divert our attention to uncovering the origin of these beings, I think it's not that simple, especially coming directly from the Third Hokage."
"You present a strong argument," agreed the Kazekage, interlocking his fingers and resting his chin on his hands. "If we're in the dark not knowing what it's about, we're vulnerable. But, if we're aware that there is something out there, we can look for clues. I'm not naïve enough to ignore that, although it seems like a device to confuse us, there might indeed be a hidden threat desiring our tailed beasts. However..."
"However, to be certain, we need to investigate further," the secretary interrupted calmly. "If it's true, we must strengthen the protection of our Jinchurikis and identify the source and purpose of these actions."
"Exactly," confirmed the Kazekage. "So, let's begin the investigations to determine if this is just a maneuver by the Third Hokage or a concrete reality. If it's true, we need to prepare adequately. Otherwise, we will adapt our strategy as necessary."
"Yes," she nodded, leaving the office already aware of the next steps to be taken.
Alone, the Kazekage pondered: 'Honestly, I hope this is just a maneuver by the Third Hokage to divert our attention after the death of the Fourth Hokage. However, we cannot ignore that the circumstances surrounding the death of the Fourth Hokage and the Kyubi's attack are highly suspicious... Perhaps this organization, or whoever it is, didn't just want to unleash a disaster on Konoha by releasing the Kyubi but to take possession of it. And now that the Kyubi has been sealed within the Third Hokage, they've missed their chance this time...'
In the major villages, like the Cloud Village, similar conversations were being exchanged. In the end, all agreed to investigate deeper to discover if there really was someone, or even an organization, wanting to capture the tailed beasts for some hidden purpose, not to mention the artificial beings that seemed powerful enough to kill someone like Danzo.
Konoha Meeting Room.
In the afternoon, Hiruzen was already aware of the outcome from the leaders of the other villages. As expected, even if they were skeptical, they could not completely ignore the existence of a hidden force capable of controlling, even if partially, the Kyubi, considered the most powerful tailed beast among all nine.
With a subtle chuckle, Hiruzen commented: "As predicted, they can't completely ignore this, even if they don't take it entirely seriously, they will still have a nagging doubt."
"Exactly, Hokage-sama," agreed his secretary, with a look of admiration. "Everything is as you planned. It's advantageous for us if they lessen their focus on our actions, allowing for future developments."
"Mm, now we need to step up our training regime more than ever and prioritize the safety of the children," declared Hiruzen. "Come to think of it, this is the opportunity the First Hokage so dearly wished for, to no longer send children to war. We should prioritize their development, instead of sending them on risky missions and losing future pillars of the village."
"Yes!" The response came firmly from many.
Hiruzen's recent actions showed that he had changed, awakening the desire in many to follow his ideals. With the absence of Danzo, who always opposed him, opposition was now minimal. Even those who did not fully agree with the idea that children should develop in the ninja academy until ready, didn't have enough strength to make their case.
There was fear among some, fear that if they opposed Hiruzen, they might disappear in a manner similar to Danzo. This foreboding made many shudder.
Hiruzen, with eyes hidden under a calm and gentle expression, observed everything. However, he chose to pretend he did not see, maintaining his friendly demeanor.