On Konoha's bustling streets—
Kushina carefully wiped the corner of Minato's mouth with a handkerchief.
"Kushina, you don't have to…" Minato said shyly.
"You got sauce all over your face just from eating dango. Seriously," Kushina muttered.
Behind them, Arin and Nawaki exchanged glances.
Both saw the same thing in each other's eyes—
The sorrow of single men.
"So why is this happening?!" Arin looked up at the sky in exasperation.
How did one "hero saves the beauty" moment completely win Kushina over?
Just before this, the two of them were still fighting over Hokage dreams and Nawaki's "little brother" position.
Nawaki grinned brightly. "Big bro, it's fine—you still have my sister."
"Go die!!" Arin punched a lump onto Nawaki's head.
Was he trying to get him killed by Tsunade?!
Nawaki clutched his head, looking wronged. "But it's true…"
Arin clicked his tongue and glanced at a withered tree beginning to sprout.
Spring had come again.
The season when animals searched for mates.
Just like that—
It was already Year 42.
"Nawaki, you passed your jonin exam, right?" Arin asked.
"Of course!" Nawaki beamed. "I'm a jonin of Konoha now."
Arin looked unimpressed.
What was there to be proud of?
He had been a jonin for years.
He casually pulled out a card and tossed it to Nawaki.
"What's this?" Nawaki looked confused. The card had an angel depicted on it.
"Breath of the Archangel," Arin said calmly. "No matter how severe your injuries, it restores you to peak condition. To activate it, just say 'GAIN.'"
Nawaki's eyes lit up.
That basically meant—
An extra life.
"A jonin gift," Arin said, looking away.
Just in case this idiot got himself killed again.
After all—
He had a history.
"Thanks, big bro!" Nawaki grinned.
Between this and the gauntlet from before, this was his second gift.
At that moment—
"Isn't that Lord White Fang?" Minato and Kushina looked toward the street.
Arin and Nawaki followed their gaze.
"Hatake Sakumo…" Arin smiled faintly.
Sakumo, rarely smiling, was walking down the street holding a young boy's hand.
With identical silver hair—
Their father-son relationship was obvious.
"The next Hokage will definitely be Lord White Fang," Kushina said casually, her eyes suddenly blazing. "Since he'll be the Fourth Hokage, I'll become the Fifth Hokage's wife, believe it!!"
"Kushina…" Minato's eyes ignited as well. "The Hokage position—I won't lose it to anyone!"
At that moment—
"You two," Nawaki stepped forward, wrapping an arm around each of them with a bright grin, "don't forget about me. The Hokage position will definitely be mine."
An invisible tension spread between the three.
The earlier harmony vanished instantly.
Arin glanced at the Hokage Building in the distance.
"I really don't get it. What's so great about being Hokage?"
Working like a dog every day.
Hiruzen at least still held some authority—
But after him, the Hokage's power would only weaken.
After all—
Two fools would constantly fight over that authority behind the scenes.
In the original timeline, rather than Naruto becoming Hokage—
It was more like those two fools succeeded in stripping power away from the Hokage.
And now—
Danzo was still lurking in the shadows.
"That guy… won't hesitate to use any means."
Arin looked at the upcoming "victim."
There was a hint of pity in his gaze toward Sakumo.
A man who would be forced into suicide.
Becoming Hokage?
Impossible.
Perhaps sensing Arin's gaze—
Sakumo suddenly turned his head.
Their eyes met.
Sakumo's smile faded.
Arin, on the other hand, smiled brightly.
"Father, who is that?" Kakashi asked curiously.
Sakumo said in a low voice,
"Kakashi, remember that man. He is the most dangerous person in all of Konoha. It's best not to get involved with him."
Kakashi looked confused.
A Hyuga—
With a harmless smile.
How could he be dangerous?
His young mind couldn't understand.
"Kakashi, let's go."
"Oh—okay."
Kakashi hurried after his father.
…
Hokage Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe, exhaling thick smoke.
Danzo stood by the window, looking out at the lively streets—
At Hatake Sakumo among the crowd.
"Hiruzen, everyone in Konoha already acknowledges Sakumo as the next Hokage."
Danzo turned back.
"Are you really going to give up the position?"
Hiruzen said nothing.
He simply adjusted his Hokage hat.
Danzo slammed his hands onto the desk, glaring.
"Hiruzen! Are you really going to abandon everything you've built?!"
Konoha's current prosperity—
Was largely Hiruzen's achievement.
Though the number of ninja had decreased—
Many had died in Hashirama cell experiments—
The village itself was thriving.
Compared to the eras of Hashirama and Tobirama—
This was Konoha's most prosperous age.
Though in terms of peak power, it was slightly lacking.
Back then—
Konoha still retained the strength of the Warring States era.
Now—
Everything had been built up under Hiruzen.
Even the Sannin were his disciples.
Hiruzen could truly say—
He had no regrets toward Konoha.
Which made him even less willing to hand over the Hokage position.
His silence—
Was agreement.
He could choose to give it up—
But no one could take it from him.
Even though—
Sakumo had never tried to seize it.
He had shown no interest at all.
It was simply the people—
And the ninja—
Who believed he should be Hokage.
Hiruzen took a deep breath.
"The Second Hokage once said… only those acknowledged by the people can become Hokage."
That statement—
Had originally been meant to prevent Uchiha Madara from becoming Hokage.
"Then we'll make sure the people no longer acknowledge him."
A cold glint flashed in Danzo's eyes.
"That way, he won't be able to take your position."
And—
That would give him a chance.
At that moment—
Hiruzen said nothing.
He simply continued smoking.
White smoke filled the office—
Gradually obscuring his face.
Making it impossible to read his expression.
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