Ichiraku Ramen.
Naruto and Nagi were eating when an elderly voice sounded beside them.
"Mind if I sit here, boys?"
They looked up.
It was the Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Naruto immediately brightened.
"Old Man Hokage! You're here for ramen too?"
"Yes indeed. The ramen here is unforgettable."
Hiruzen sat beside Naruto.
Teuchi scratched his head shyly. "Third Hokage-sama, you flatter me."
"Teuchi, the usual."
"Right away!"
Hiruzen chatted casually with Naruto about Academy life, occasionally glancing at Nagi.
The boy sat there smiling faintly, showing no sign of nervousness despite being in the Hokage's presence.
Naruto suddenly complained,
"The teacher must've messed up! There's no way Nagi deserved a zero!"
Hiruzen: "..."
After the meal, Hiruzen stood.
"Nagi, was it?"
"Yes, Third Hokage-sama."
"Haha, no need to be so formal. Walk with this old man to the Hokage Tower. A short stroll after eating is good for digestion."
"…Understood."
"Naruto, head home."
"Aww… okay."
Naruto had wanted to chat longer, but reluctantly left.
Hokage Tower
Inside the Hokage's office—
"Have a seat," Hiruzen said gently. "Let me fetch something."
Instead of searching, he directly handed Nagi a file from his desk.
"Take a look."
Inside was a copy of Nagi's exam paper.
Hiruzen spoke slowly.
"Child, do you perhaps misunderstand the Will of Fire… or me?"
Nagi lowered his head, studying the paper.
He did not respond.
Hiruzen frowned slightly—
Then Nagi suddenly looked up.
A flash of blue light flickered in his eyes.
Hiruzen stiffened—but decades of battle experience allowed him to remain composed.
Before he could react—
The office vanished.
He now stood in a vast, mysterious blue space.
"…What is this?"
A familiar voice sounded behind him.
"Monkey."
Hiruzen froze.
He turned—
And his eyes widened.
"L–Lord Second?!"
Assuming it was genjutsu, Hiruzen immediately disrupted his chakra flow.
Tobirama snorted.
"Stop. I brought you here deliberately."
"…Is this truly you, Sensei?"
"What? Do you think your teacher is an impostor?"
Tobirama stood with arms crossed, eyes narrowed sharply.
The posture.
The tone.
Hiruzen's heart pounded.
It was unmistakably him.
Without hesitation, Tobirama began recounting Hiruzen's childhood embarrassments—
Drunken ramblings.
Peeking at Koharu.
Pulling Danzō's pants down in a scuffle.
"Enough, Sensei, I believe you!"
Hiruzen hurriedly stopped him, fearing the humiliation might escalate.
He swallowed.
"…Sensei… you didn't die?"
Tobirama gave a faint, dangerous smile.
"If I hadn't died, would you have sat in the Hokage's seat for so long?"
Cold sweat poured down Hiruzen's back.
"T–That's not what I meant!"
Tobirama's gaze hardened.
"You asked whether I misunderstand the Will of Fire. Very well. Explain it to me."
He looked ready to throw the exam paper in Hiruzen's face.
He, Tobirama Senju, had scored zero in front of his new disciple.
Unacceptable.
Hiruzen blinked.
"That exam… was yours?!"
"Oh? You called it impractical and hollow, did you not? Enlighten me—where was it hollow?"
Hiruzen's robes were damp with sweat.
To nitpick his own teacher—
Did he have a death wish?
"S–Sensei, it is my ignorance—"
"Enough. We'll discuss this outside. I want to see what Konoha has become under your leadership."
The world shifted.
Back in the Hokage's office—
Hiruzen found himself seated behind his desk.
Before him stood Nagi—
But the presence was unmistakably Tobirama's.
Hiruzen moved quickly.
He went to the window and dismissed the ANBU.
He locked the door and ordered that no one enter, no matter what happened.
Then—
With utmost respect, he invited Nagi to sit in the Hokage's chair.
He himself stood to the side like a student awaiting punishment.
Tobirama opened a drawer and removed several sealed record scrolls.
After breaking the seals, he began reading.
The more he read—
The darker his expression became.
The room's temperature seemed to drop.
Hiruzen barely dared to breathe.
Finally—
Tobirama looked up, smiling faintly.
"Well done, Monkey."
Hiruzen trembled like a squirrel in winter.
"Explain to me—why did Sakumo Hatake take his own life?"
Hiruzen stiffened.
"S–Sensei… after his mission failure, rumors spread… Danzō allowed criticism to grow…"
"And you did nothing? Are you Hokage—or is Danzō?!"
The pressure in the room intensified.
"Sensei, I—"
"Did you fear he threatened your position? Did you consider suppressing him? And when it went too far, he killed himself?"
"I—!"
"And what of Naruto Uzumaki? If the villagers' hatred drives him to despair? If he takes his own life? What then? What happens when the Nine-Tails runs rampant again?!"
"I…"
"Silence."
Hiruzen obeyed instantly.
Whatever justifications he once had—
In this moment, he was simply the student.
Tobirama frowned again.
"And during the Nine-Tails' Attack—why did the Fourth Hokage use the Reaper Death Seal? Why not reseal the Nine-Tails back into his wife?"
Hiruzen blinked.
"…That was possible?"
The livestream chat erupted.
[Minato Namikaze: It could have been resealed? Wouldn't a jinchūriki die once the tailed beast is extracted?]
[Kushina Uzumaki: I felt my life fading rapidly at the time…]
[Tobirama Senju: Of course it was possible. Your ignorance regarding tailed beasts is astonishing.]
He continued coldly:
"The Uzumaki clan possesses extraordinary vitality. Kushina had not died immediately. If the Nine-Tails had been resealed promptly, she could have survived."
Silence.
Minato and Kushina exchanged complicated looks.
So—
They had not needed to die after all.