Kyusei looked at the ANBU standing outside his door, a hint of surprise crossing his face.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had issued an urgent summons, ordering him to report immediately to the Hokage Tower's conference room.
His plan to spend a little more time with kaoru was instantly ruined.
Still, judging by how hurried the ANBU looked—as if he still had more houses to visit—Kyusei didn't say much.
"Let's go."
kaoru, dressed in a jōnin flak jacket with a blue underlayer, reached out and took Kyusei's hand.
Kyusei wore the same jōnin vest, black ninja attire beneath it, and the Uzumaki clan's spiral crest emblazoned on his upper arm.
Seeing kaoru—clearly still uncomfortable—insisting on going anyway, Kyusei pouted.
"How about you don't go? I'll just tell the old man myself."
kaoru shook her head firmly.
"That wouldn't do. It's the Hokage-sama's order."
"And Kyusei—show a bit more respect to the Hokage."
Faced with her stubbornness, Kyusei had no choice but to give in.
"Don't worry so much~ I've got this."
kaoru pulled a Flying Thunder God kunai from her ninja pouch and smiled brightly.
Kyusei's teeth hurt instantly.
The last time she had used that technique to beat him senseless, he had truly learned just how terrifying it was.
You couldn't even run…
"When did you place a Flying Thunder God marker in the Hokage Tower?" Kyusei asked with a conflicted expression.
"The Hokage approved it," kaoru replied sweetly.
"He said it makes reporting missions faster."
She looked at Kyusei with clear ill intent.
"Be honest—did you leave a marker on me?"
Kyusei felt a chill run down his spine.
"Uhh… why don't you guess~?"
kaoru held his hand.
A flash of golden light.
They appeared instantly inside the Hokage's office.
…So the marker was placed directly inside the old man's office.
Kyusei's jaw ached.
From this alone, it was obvious how much trust Sarutobi Hiruzen placed in kaoru.
Allowing her to mark the Hokage's office meant she could enter and exit freely—no clearance, no reporting.
Hiruzen truly intended to raise her as the Fourth Hokage.
"Huh?"
"The old man isn't here?"
Kyusei looked at the empty office in surprise.
"The ANBU already told you," kaoru tapped his head.
"He's in the conference room."
"Yes, yes, yes~"
The conference room was only a short walk away.
When Kyusei and kaoru arrived hand in hand, they found that many people were already seated.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat at the head of the table, with the Konoha F4 all present.
The Three Sannin were all there as well.
Even Kyusei's teacher, Hatake Sakumo, was seated quietly to the side.
What was going on?
Kyusei was puzzled, but didn't ask. He simply led kaoru to sit beside Sakumo.
Jiraiya had been smiling at the sight of his beloved disciple—until he noticed kaoru clinging closely to Kyusei's arm like a small bird.
His face immediately fell.
Tsunade, as the top medical ninja, needed only one glance at kaoru's slightly awkward gait and glowing complexion to understand exactly what had happened.
…The Uzumaki clan has successors now.
Well done, you little brat!
Tsunade discreetly gave Kyusei a thumbs-up.
Kyusei returned a smug of course gesture.
Despite not understanding how such a gesture was even possible, Tsunade somehow understood it instantly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face was grim. He chose to ignore their silent exchange.
Or perhaps he was simply used to their nonsense by now.
"Old man," Jiraiya finally spoke up,
"Why did you call all of us here?"
"We're waiting for one more person," Hiruzen replied.
His voice was hoarse and heavy, startling everyone present—including Danzō beside him.
As Hiruzen's closest comrade, Danzō knew nearly everything.
Yet with Konoha's top combat power gathered here… they were still waiting for someone?
Who could that be?
The door opened.
A small figure—almost childlike in stature—walked in.
All eyes turned toward him.
Even Kyusei's.
The Fourth Mizukage—Yagura Karatachi.
The man who had played Konoha like a fiddle.
The moment Yagura saw the lineup before him, his instinct screamed at him to turn around and run.
Facing this group, even the Third Raikage—who once fought ten thousand Iwa shinobi alone—would have died here.
The only unfamiliar face was the woman seated beside Uzumaki Kyusei—Namikaze kaoru.
But anyone present in this room was never ordinary.
Is this old fox planning to burn the bridge after crossing it…?
Still, Yagura had no choice but to steel himself.
"Hokage-sama," he said carefully,
"we've only been apart a day. Why summon me back so urgently?"
Hiruzen pointed to the seat across from him.
"Sit, Mizukage-dono."
Aside from the Konoha F4, only Kyusei knew Yagura's true identity.
The Three Sannin and Hatake Sakumo did not.
When they realized this childlike figure was the Fourth Mizukage who had stirred the shinobi world, their gazes turned dangerous.
This man had used Konoha as a shield.
Four Kage-level killing intents pressed down on him.
Yagura broke out in a cold sweat.
Especially with the very person who had ruined Kirigakure sitting right beside him—
The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
Uzumaki Kyusei.
"Calm yourselves," Hiruzen said, tapping the table.
"I called you here because something extremely important happened last night."
All eyes turned toward him.
Hiruzen's once-clouded gaze sharpened as he looked directly at Yagura.
"Mizukage-dono—last night, Rain Country's envoys, who were on their way to form an alliance with Konoha, were murdered."
"Do you know anything about this?"
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