Hiruzen Sarutobi sat alone in his room, eyes closed as he rested in silence. He hadn't even bothered lying down—he knew full well that sleep would not come tonight.
Too much had happened in a single day.
So much, in fact, that even he had acted in ways that no longer resembled his usual self.
"Perhaps… I was simply too angry."
The thought surfaced quietly in his mind. Even now, he couldn't fully let go of what had transpired earlier.
Under normal circumstances, he was someone who prioritized the bigger picture above all else. Acting impulsively was never his way.
But today… he had truly lost control.
First, there was Danzo Shimura—the man he had protected at great cost, even going so far as to sacrifice the interests of the ANBU and offer concessions to the Uchiha clan.
And in return?
A betrayal.
A knife in the back.
Then came the discovery that Danzo had actually sent out a Wood Release experimental subject… to assassinate him.
If it had been any other time, perhaps Hiruzen could have tolerated it.
But the problem was—
Natsuhiko had been right there beside him.
It was as if someone had handed a blade directly to that young man—someone already terrifying in both strength and cunning—and said: Here. Another piece of leverage. Tighten the leash.
And Natsuhiko, naturally, had not disappointed.
He had seized the opportunity without hesitation, pressing the advantage further, fanning the flames without the slightest restraint.
Faced with that, how could Hiruzen remain calm?
Still, his actions hadn't been entirely driven by anger.
There had been another reason.
He needed to make his stance clear.
If he didn't show firmness now, that invisible leash would only tighten further around his neck. He had to make Natsuhiko understand—yes, they had weaknesses that could be exploited, but that didn't mean he could take whatever he pleased.
And beyond that…
There was the need to test him.
To see just how far this young man had truly gone.
That was why he had chosen to act.
Even now, looking back, it might have been impulsive—but he did not regret it.
"…Though his strength is truly beyond expectation."
Hiruzen let out a quiet sigh.
He had always known Natsuhiko would be strong. Without special preparation, facing him head-on was never going to be easy.
And reality had proven that much true.
But what he hadn't expected… was how utterly one-sided it would be.
He hadn't even realized when the Flying Thunder God mark had been placed on him.
Even without relying on that technique, Natsuhiko had rendered most of his ninjutsu ineffective.
The power of Wood Release, in Natsuhiko's hands, had been displayed to its fullest extent. Even when Hiruzen combined all five elemental transformations, he still couldn't break through that defense.
Of course, Hiruzen understood why.
Natsuhiko had, in a sense, fused the strengths of both the First and Second Hokage.
If he had only mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, Hiruzen could have countered it with shadow clones—overwhelming him through numbers and coordination, eventually forcing an opening.
But Natsuhiko also wielded Wood Release.
If Hiruzen gathered his clones in one place, it would only create the perfect opportunity for something like the Advent of a World of Flowering Trees—and at that point, the outcome would be even worse.
On the other hand, if Natsuhiko had relied solely on Wood Release, Hiruzen could have engaged him in a battle of ninjutsu and sought a chance to strike directly.
But that, too, was nothing more than wishful thinking.
The boy had no obvious weaknesses.
"Compared to my teacher… and the First Hokage, he's still far from their level."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly.
"But combining their traits like this… makes him unimaginably troublesome."
And troublesome opponents, no matter who they were, were always a headache.
Still, a headache was just that.
Hiruzen had already made up his mind.
Once he returned, he would gather the necessary people—
and begin researching how to deal with Natsuhiko.
Natsuhiko was not Tobirama Senju, and even less so Hashirama Senju.
That fact alone gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a measure of confidence.
As long as he could thoroughly study Natsuhiko's combat patterns, habits, and develop sealing techniques capable of countering the Flying Thunder God—as well as methods to suppress his Wood Release—then dealing with Natsuhiko would no longer be impossible.
As Hokage, he commanded vast resources.
There was no need for him to face Natsuhiko alone.
Since the founding of the villages, shinobi had gradually shifted toward teamwork, coordination, and tactical depth. Perhaps it was because the current era no longer produced individuals with overwhelming, absolute power like the Senju brothers or Madara Uchiha.
But Hiruzen didn't see that as a flaw.
On the contrary, it was progress.
Shinobi, like everything else, had to evolve with the times.
Just look at the samurai—clinging stubbornly to honor, yet now standing on the brink of obsolescence. That alone spoke volumes about the difference.
"This must be done as soon as we return," Hiruzen thought, his resolve firming. "I can't afford to delay… or I really will end up leashed by that Senju brat."
With that decision made, his mood eased slightly. He opened his eyes and stood, stretching his stiff limbs after sitting for so long.
Now that he had sorted out the matter of Natsuhiko, it was time to consider the upcoming meeting with the Daimyō.
It wasn't particularly difficult—or even especially important—but appearances had to be maintained. After all, the Daimyō was still, nominally, the supreme ruler of the Land of Fire.
More importantly, Hiruzen needed to figure out how to secure enough funding—enough to satisfy both himself and that troublesome boy, Natsuhiko.
"…What a headache."
He rubbed his brow.
Originally, he had intended to approach this matter more conservatively. A moderate stance would mean fewer resources granted—but that had been acceptable. His plan had been to give Natsuhiko just enough to meet the minimum expectations, nothing more.
But now…
That was no longer an option.
Whether or not Natsuhiko would raise his demands was uncertain—but Hiruzen knew one thing for sure:
He had to give enough.
Enough to ensure Natsuhiko walked away satisfied.
"…Hmm?"
At that moment, Hiruzen suddenly sensed a disturbance in the chakra around him. His expression sharpened instantly as he turned—
Thud.
Something hit the floor.
His gaze snapped toward the source, only to find Natsuhiko standing there—having arrived via the Flying Thunder God Technique.
The sight made Hiruzen's mood sour instantly.
That damned mark was still on him.
He had already located one of them… but now it seemed obvious that Natsuhiko had left more than just a single seal behind.
Shaking his head, Hiruzen chose not to dwell on it further. Instead, his attention shifted from Natsuhiko to the figure lying on the ground.
The man looked utterly miserable.
His limbs had been completely disabled, and his body bore numerous wounds—clear evidence that he had fought Natsuhiko and lost, thoroughly and decisively.
But who was he?
Even with access to Konoha's vast intelligence network, Hiruzen couldn't possibly remember every insignificant figure—especially not one who had been beaten to the point of being barely recognizable.
"Commander Natsuhiko… what is this?" Hiruzen frowned slightly, his voice low. "Who is this man?"
"Him?" Natsuhiko smiled faintly. "He's one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja serving the Daimyō."
"His name is Kazuma."
"A Daimyō's ninja…" Hiruzen nodded slowly, his expression indifferent. He had never held much regard for such individuals. "Was he here to spy on us?"
"No," Natsuhiko replied as he casually took a seat, his smile deepening slightly. "Something far more troublesome than that."
He paused, his eyes glinting faintly.
"But… he's also given us an opportunity."
"…What do you mean?"
"What if I told you, Hokage-sama… that he's been collecting the Nine-Tails' chakra?"
...
Privately gathering the chakra of the Nine-Tails was, on the surface, a very serious matter.
And yet… in a strange way, it wasn't.
It was serious because everyone understood just how terrifying the power of a tailed beast truly was. If someone with ill intent managed to make use of that chakra, the consequences could be nothing short of catastrophic.
But at the same time, it wasn't entirely out of bounds.
After all, Konoha itself had long been researching the Nine-Tails' chakra—this wasn't unprecedented.
The village maintained entire research divisions dedicated to studying kekkei genkai, advanced ninjutsu, and even unique forms of chakra. And Konoha wasn't alone in this; every major shinobi village operated in much the same way.
Hypocrisy, mutual restraint… and a silent understanding.
In that regard, the Five Great Villages almost reminded Natsuhiko of something from his previous life—a group of powerful nations maintaining balance while quietly competing beneath the surface.
Unfortunately, in this world, the so-called "nuclear weapons"—the tailed beasts—had not proven decisive enough to prevent conflict. Otherwise, things wouldn't have devolved into their current state.
Still, from Natsuhiko's perspective, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
On the contrary, such an environment made it far easier for him to pursue his own goals.
"…The Nine-Tails' chakra?" Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, clearly taken aback, before narrowing his eyes at Natsuhiko. "You're planning to use this as leverage… to squeeze the Daimyō, aren't you?"
"…Squeeze?" Natsuhiko blinked in mild surprise. "Do you not believe me, Hokage-sama?"
"I believe you," Hiruzen replied without hesitation, shaking his head slightly. "Because I believe you're perfectly capable of fabricating a convincing chain of evidence. After all… you carry traces of the Nine-Tails' chakra yourself. Constructing such proof wouldn't be difficult for you."
"…."
Natsuhiko couldn't help but purse his lips at that.
So it wasn't a secret after all.
All this time, he had thought he'd concealed it well—carrying the little fox around without anyone noticing or questioning it.
But now it was clear.
It wasn't that no one had noticed.
It was that no one had chosen to say anything.
As expected, the matter of collecting the Nine-Tails' chakra existed in a gray area—serious, yet not quite serious.
For ordinary people, it would be a grave offense.
For someone like Natsuhiko—a high-ranking shinobi of Konoha—it barely counted as one.
Of course, if he were just another nameless ninja, things might have turned out very differently.
"That's not the case," Natsuhiko said at last, shaking his head lightly.
"The reason I obtained the Nine-Tails' chakra was simply for research—to study how Wood Release suppresses tailed beast chakra. The results so far have been promising… but controlling that power is another matter entirely. At least for now."
"Oh?" Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully. "Being able to suppress it is already impressive. It seems your research is progressing well."
He accepted the explanation without much resistance.
After all, for someone of the Senju lineage—especially one who had awakened Wood Release—it would be far stranger not to take an interest in the Nine-Tails' chakra, or to attempt to control it.
He didn't bother asking where Natsuhiko had obtained it.
Nor did he demand to see the results.
Because he already knew—
That was impossible.
And more importantly, he had no intention of using this matter as leverage against Natsuhiko.
Natsuhiko, as the head of the ANBU, would certainly be aware of the village's own research practices. Pressing the issue would only invite trouble for himself.
Hiruzen had chosen not to speak of it when he first discovered it.
And even now, hearing Natsuhiko admit it openly, he had no intention of bringing it up again.
Still…
A subtle reminder—
or perhaps a necessary warning—
was in order.
"But, Commander Natsuhiko, some things are better left alone. Don't play with fire and risk getting burned yourself."
"Thank you for the warning, Hokage-sama. I understand," Natsuhiko replied with a nod.
He then produced a scroll and tossed it across to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Let's set aside pleasantries and get to the point. This scroll… it was collected by him personally. When I arrived, I sensed the Nine-Tails' chakra here. At first, I thought I'd made a mistake, but following that chakra led me straight to this."
Natsuhiko paused for a moment, his calm expression betraying nothing.
"What surprised me even more," he continued, "was that he appeared behind me almost immediately and attacked."
Hiruzen's eyes flickered with interest, and even without further explanation, the implications were clear.
The Daimyō wanted to regain control, Hiruzen knew this instinctively. Yet the chances of success were slim.
He was aware of the "Twelve Guardian" ninja organization the Daimyō had created, and he had even considered ways to infiltrate it—placing trusted people inside to learn its inner workings, and perhaps seize control from within.
His own son, who had grown somewhat distant lately, was a prime candidate for such a role.
Asuma was in the rebellious phase of youth. Hiruzen could see that the boy still held deep respect for him, but he wasn't always fond of Hiruzen's ways of doing things. The boy had begun to act according to his own preferences, though it wasn't yet serious. Hiruzen could allow this—they could maintain this dynamic, and he trusted Asuma to eventually understand the "Will of Fire."
With that in mind, Hiruzen could maneuver certain plans, even letting Asuma join the Twelve Guardian if needed.
But the situation had shifted. This ninja, Kazuma, one of the Daimyō's Twelve Guardian, had gone and personally collected the Nine-Tails' chakra. That was extremely serious.
It disrupted some of Hiruzen's carefully considered plans, but nothing had yet solidified—they existed only in his mind. Now was the moment to adjust his strategies based on the current circumstances. That was the priority.
"This scroll… it really belongs to him? Collected by his own hand?" Hiruzen asked, scrutinizing the scroll once more. "Commander Natsuhiko, you do understand how important this is."
"Of course it's his," Natsuhiko said with a faint smile, then grew more serious. "I might play a few harmless tricks now and then, but I don't tamper with things I shouldn't."
Hiruzen nodded, his expression tightening. "Good. It seems the Daimyō is surrounded by people with questionable intentions."
"Yes… who would have thought it would come to this?" Natsuhiko replied, raising an eyebrow.
He reached for a teacup from the table, placing it gently in front of himself and another for Hiruzen. The Hokage took the teapot, placed it over the stove, and with a slight concentration of chakra, the fire blazed to life. Steam soon began to rise, but Hiruzen didn't pour the tea immediately. Instead, he lightly tapped the table.
"We cannot allow the Daimyō to be misled by these petty schemers," Hiruzen said, his tone carrying the weight of both concern and solemnity.
"The Nine-Tails' chakra is extremely dangerous," he continued with a deep sigh. "Even a small mistake could bring serious trouble to the Daimyō."
"Yes… the Nine-Tails' chakra must be strictly controlled," Natsuhiko said with a faint smile, though there was a hint of wryness in his tone.
"Who knows whether this will bring fortune or disaster? And yet, the Daimyō's own guard has been stealing for personal gain. I think these so-called Twelve Guardian should be disbanded. Hokage-sama, what do you think?"
"I was thinking the same," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He poured tea into both their cups, the steam curling gently upward.
"The tea isn't anything special, but it will do for now. Once the Twelve Guardian are disbanded, Commander Natsuhiko, do you have any suggestions?"
Suggestions? Natsuhiko suppressed a chuckle to himself. So now it had come to the part about dividing the spoils, had it?
In truth, the main reason he had come tonight was precisely to discuss the distribution of benefits with Hiruzen. The Hokage's straightforwardness didn't surprise him. Despite their differing positions within Konoha—even to the point where they could draw their blades against each other—outside the village, or when it came to Konoha's interests, cooperation was possible.
Hiruzen had demonstrated this perfectly during the Nine-Tails incident; he had set aside past grudges with Minato Namikaze for the sake of the village. And now, once again, the village's welfare took precedence, though it also aligned with their own interests. It was finally time to talk seriously and allocate responsibilities.
"What about the ANBU?" Natsuhiko asked, lifting his cup and taking a small sip before smiling lightly. "I think the ANBU can fully protect the Daimyō, ensuring he faces no threats."
"Good idea, but…" Hiruzen took a sip as well, then continued, "the ANBU are still expanding, and you, Commander Natsuhiko, haven't completed your work yet. I doubt there are enough personnel at the moment."
"Then we overcome the difficulties, Hokage-sama," Natsuhiko replied casually, shaking his head. "After all, I am an ANBU. ANBU have never feared hardship."
"But assigning the ANBU might give the Daimyō a bad impression—that he is being controlled, or even spied upon," Hiruzen said gently, placing his cup back on the table. "We must consider the optics. Remember, he is the Daimyō."
Natsuhiko almost laughed at that. Who really cared that the man was the Daimyō? If he weren't useful—had the money or behaved reasonably—he could be replaced without a second thought. Any member of the bloodline would suffice; the rest were irrelevant.
Still, Natsuhiko knew he couldn't take full control alone. If one person were solely responsible for guarding the Daimyō, no one could be certain who would ultimately control the man's purse strings. That was a situation to avoid at all costs.
After a moment of consideration, Natsuhiko spoke, his voice calm but firm. "In that case, we will share responsibility for protecting the Daimyō. I am grateful, Hokage-sama, for relieving part of this burden."
"An excellent decision. The ANBU still need to focus much of their energy on the village itself," Hiruzen said, nodding with a smile. "Anything else on your mind, Commander Natsuhiko?"
"Yes, there are a few more considerations," Natsuhiko replied. He poured more tea for both of them, then paused thoughtfully before continuing.
"As the ANBU expand, their budget must increase accordingly, which means I will need more funding. Currently, the ANBU can only maintain three squads. Expanding that to three full units seems reasonable, does it not? And of course, the budgets for logistics, reserves, intelligence, and administrative operations will need to rise proportionally."
Cough, cough, cough!
Hiruzen choked on his tea mid-sip, coughing violently as he struggled to recover. It took him a long moment before he could even look up again, staring at Natsuhiko in disbelief.
"What did you just say?"
"You call that reasonable? Konoha doesn't have that kind of money—don't get ahead of yourself."
"I know Konoha doesn't have that kind of money," Natsuhiko replied, calm and composed, spinning the tea cup between his fingers with a faint smile. "Otherwise, why would we even be here?"
He leaned back slightly, his tone casual but deliberate. "So, if we're going to protect the Daimyō, shouldn't the Daimyō pay a proper fee for that protection? And as for his personal ninja secretly collecting the Nine-Tails' chakra… shouldn't there be compensation for the resources we have to expend to deal with that?"
He gestured subtly, as if stirring invisible points in the air. "Sealing that chakra requires the deployment of the sealing team, which wastes Konoha's public resources, doesn't it?"
When it came to extracting money, Natsuhiko might not consider himself exceptional—but he was far from incompetent. In the end, it was simply a matter of crafting a reasonable justification, then pressing the advantage. And standing on the stronger side of the table, there was little reason to worry about the Daimyō refusing.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flickered as he listened, his fingers lightly tracing the rim of his teacup as he sank into thought.
But not for long.
Soon, he lifted his head again, his gaze settling back on Natsuhiko.
"Konoha has just emerged from the Third Great Ninja War," he began slowly, his tone carrying a hint of probing intent. "We fought against four other villages at once… and prevailed."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Given the scale of those losses, perhaps the Daimyō would be willing to shoulder part of the burden?"
"I think that's entirely reasonable, Hokage-sama," Natsuhiko replied at once, nodding with firm conviction.
"Konoha has sacrificed greatly for the Land of Fire, and we've proven—through that war—that we are fully capable of protecting it, of safeguarding the Daimyō himself."
His voice grew just slightly more deliberate.
"It wouldn't be right for us to bear those losses alone. I believe any Daimyō would understand that."
He placed subtle emphasis on the word any, and Hiruzen responded with an equally firm nod.
"Indeed," Hiruzen said, his expression sharpening. "And while we have proven our strength, the extent of our losses also shows that our ability to cultivate shinobi is still… insufficient."
"Which means we require more funding," Natsuhiko picked up seamlessly, as though they had rehearsed the exchange. "More resources to train more shinobi. Therefore, the Daimyō's financial support to Konoha should be increased by fifty—"
"Sixty percent."
Hiruzen cut him off before he could finish, his voice steady and decisive.
"Sixty percent. That is the figure we have calculated. Only with that level of support can we better protect the interests of the Land of Fire."
"That's right—sixty percent," Natsuhiko said, his smile widening. "After all, the Daimyō's money is ultimately meant to protect the Land of Fire. Giving it to us serves the same purpose, so we are willing to take on the added responsibility."
"Exactly. We are willing to bear greater responsibility."
Hiruzen nodded, his own smile returning as he lifted his teacup into the air.
"For the Land of Fire?"
"Of course, Hokage-sama," Natsuhiko replied, raising his cup to meet Hiruzen's with a matching smile.
"For the Land of Fire," they said in unison, the cups clinking together with a crisp, clear sound.
—
"You two hypocrites… that almost made me sick."
Back in his room, the voice of the little Nine-Tails echoed inside Natsuhiko's mind, filled with undisguised disgust. Clearly, their earlier exchange had left quite an impression—and not a pleasant one.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't understand how two people who were practically enemies could, in that moment, act with such perfect coordination—like brothers long in sync.
And worst of all, that seamless cooperation had been used to scheme against someone else.
It made his head spin.
"That's not hypocrisy," Natsuhiko said, dropping onto the edge of his bed with a casual shrug. "That's having aligned interests."
His tone was relaxed, almost indifferent.
"We may be enemies in terms of position, but when it comes to mutual benefit—when there's something to gain—it's perfectly possible to cooperate."
"After the cooperation ends… are you going to fight each other to the death?" the little Nine-Tails asked, poking its head out from Natsuhiko's shoulder.
Perhaps because Natsuhiko had never sealed it away, the small creature enjoyed a surprising degree of freedom. It often slipped out in the form of chakra, wandering about as it pleased. Even so, it understood its limits well enough—never revealing itself in front of others—and that alone made it manageable.
"More or less," Natsuhiko replied, stretching lazily as though the matter were of little consequence. "Conflicts of position aren't so easily resolved. For now, we simply share a common front against external matters—that's nothing unusual."
"I'll never understand you humans. Too complicated," the little Nine-Tails muttered, shaking its head before quickly shifting topics. "Forget it. What about that big lump of chakra—did you secure it properly?"
"Of course," Natsuhiko said with a faint smile, reaching into his ninja pouch and pulling out a scroll. "That thing is key to your growth."
This scroll was the real one—the chakra collected by Kazuma. Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't been wrong in principle, but the scroll he had seen earlier had been a fabrication crafted by Natsuhiko.
What it contained was simply the little Nine-Tails' chakra, indistinguishable from that of the true Nine-Tails.
After all, they shared the same origin.
One had been created by the Sage of Six Paths, while the other was brought into existence through Natsuhiko's own chakra, aided by the system. Though born by different means, their chakra was fundamentally alike.
And yet, there was one crucial difference.
The little Nine-Tails could not grow using its own chakra.
To truly develop, it required the chakra of its larger counterpart.
Natsuhiko's thoughts drifted briefly as the familiar interface surfaced in his mind:
..
Name: Senju Natsuhiko
Gender: Male
Birthday: Konoha Calendar, Year 34, March 24
Rank: Elite Jonin (System evaluation without using abilities; Chakra reserves at Kage level)
Bloodline Development: Intermediate (Senju Secret Arts, Basic Yang Release)
Jinchuriki: Nine-Tails (Basic; capable of consuming large amounts of special chakra for growth; planting Intermediate Nine-Tails fruit to aid development)
Seeds: Basic Fire Release Seed (90%), Intermediate Sealing Seed (40%) (unplanted or unplantable seeds not displayed)
Fruits: None
Mission: Become the true BOSS of the Ninja World (Unique) (Progress 18%)
...
His purpose in collecting the Nine-Tails' chakra had always been clear: to nurture the little creature's growth.
The method, however, left room for uncertainty.
He understood the concept of planting it through "fruits," but the system's mention of "special chakra" was far less clear. What exactly qualified as special?
Would feeding it his own senjutsu chakra count?
The thought crossed his mind, though he didn't dwell on it for long. If the answer wasn't obvious, then he would simply proceed with the most straightforward approach—the one he knew best.
After all, that was how he had come this far.
"The chakra from that big guy…" The little Nine-Tails swayed its head, its tone tinged with anticipation before turning curious. "How long do you think it'll take to process it? You know—refine it into something I can actually use?"
"No idea," Natsuhiko admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But it shouldn't take too long. Besides, now that it's in our hands… what's there to worry about?"
The little Nine-Tails settled quietly against his shoulder, offering no reply.
There was truth in his words—there was nothing to fear now.
And yet, deep down, it couldn't help but wish to grow stronger, faster… to stand beside Natsuhiko, not as a burden, but as a force capable of fighting at his side.