Chapter 7 (Patreon)

The other mourners assumed Kushina wished to remain behind and spend a little more time beside Minato’s grave, so no one questioned her decision.

“Roy?”

“Wait here for a moment, Kushina. This won’t take long.”

After saying that, Roy began drawing in the spiritual energy lingering throughout the cemetery.

As the scattered energy flowed into him, he could clearly feel his wounds beginning to heal. Even his spiritual pressure grew slightly stronger.

Within a few minutes, he had absorbed everything remaining in the area.

His injuries had recovered by at least thirty percent.

“We can leave now.”

On the way home, Roy hesitated before deciding to tell Kushina the truth about what he had done.

He could have kept it from her.

However, there might come a time when he needed Kushina to take him somewhere filled with spiritual energy. If she later discovered that he had deceived her from the beginning, she might never trust him again.

It was better to be honest now.

Roy understood that most people would find the act of absorbing spiritual energy disturbing.

If he were still alive and learned that the spiritual energy left behind by someone he loved had become nourishment for another being, he would be furious as well.

Kushina’s circumstances, however, were somewhat different.

The two people who truly mattered to her were Minato and Naruto. She had barely known most of the shinobi buried during the funeral.

Because of that, Roy did not believe she would react too strongly.

Just as he expected, Kushina paused briefly after hearing his explanation, then continued walking home without saying anything more.

“Lady Kushina.”

“Nonō, has Naruto been crying?”

Yakushi Nonō stood waiting for them when they returned.

To make sure Kushina had enough time to rest, Roy had suggested hiring someone to help care for Naruto.

The person he recommended was Nonō Yakushi.

At first, Kushina had been unwilling to leave Naruto in another person’s care.

After everything that had happened during the Nine-Tails’ attack, her trust in Konoha had fallen considerably.

Roy eventually managed to persuade her.

There were two reasons he had chosen Nonō.

First, she was the caretaker of Konoha’s orphanage and had years of experience looking after children.

Second, Roy knew enough about her life to understand what mattered most to her.

As long as Kushina ensured that the orphanage continued receiving food, medicine and funding, Nonō would have no reason to betray her.

According to the future Roy knew, Danzo would eventually threaten the orphanage’s funding and use it to force Nonō back into service as a spy.

No matter how dangerous the missions became or how much they went against her wishes, she would be unable to refuse because the children depended on her.

That alone showed how important the orphanage was to her.

And a promise from the Fourth Hokage’s widow carried far more weight than any guarantee Danzo might offer.

Of course, helping Kushina care for Naruto was only part of Roy’s reason for bringing Nonō into the household.

His real goal was Danzo.

Nonō was the only former Root operative known to have retired from Danzo’s service without being silenced.

She had once been known as the Wandering Miko and was among the finest spies Root had ever produced.

There was no doubt that she knew many of Root’s secrets.

Danzo naturally feared that his operatives might reveal information about the organisation.

Because of that, every member of Root was branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.

Neither interrogation through genjutsu nor secret techniques that searched a person’s memories could force someone bearing the seal to reveal information about Danzo.

But in the end, it was still a fūinjutsu.

And fūinjutsu was Kushina’s greatest strength.

Compared to an Uzumaki of Kushina’s ability, Danzo’s skill with sealing techniques was nothing remarkable.

Removing his seal should not be particularly difficult for her.

In the past, Kushina would never have considered acting against someone from her own village.

But that was before the Nine-Tails’ attack.

Not long after they returned, an ANBU appeared inside the house.

“Lady Kushina, the Third Hokage requests your presence at the Hokage Building. There is an important matter to discuss.”

Kushina glanced at the mirror hanging on the wall.

Through its reflection, she looked toward Roy.

It seemed he might have been right once again.

“I understand. I’ll go immediately.”

After dismissing the ANBU, Kushina handed Naruto to Nonō.

When she reached the council chamber inside the Hokage Building, she found that nearly every important figure in Konoha had already gathered.

Hiruzen sat at the front of the room. Danzo stood nearby, accompanied by Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.

The heads of Konoha’s large and small shinobi clans were also present.

Hiruzen greeted Kushina with a slight nod before addressing the room.

“The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, gave his life protecting the village.”

His voice was solemn.

“Konoha will never forget his sacrifice. However, the village cannot remain without a Hokage. I called everyone here today so that we may discuss the selection of the Fifth Hokage.”

None of the clan heads appeared surprised.

Most of them had already guessed why they had been summoned.

The problem was that Minato had only recently become the Fourth Hokage. Konoha had not yet prepared another candidate capable of succeeding him.

“Sarutobi, summon Jiraiya back to the village.”

Homura Mitokado was the first to speak when no one else offered a suggestion.

“Among the younger generation, few can match his strength or reputation. He possesses everything needed to become Hokage.”

Several clan heads nodded in agreement.

Homura found it strange, however, that Danzo was glaring at him from across the room.

Even in his wildest imagination, Homura had never considered that Danzo himself might be seeking the position.

Before Danzo could think of a reason to oppose Jiraiya’s nomination, Hiruzen spoke.

“I have already sent Jiraiya a letter.”

Danzo’s expression changed.

He had not expected Hiruzen to contact a possible successor without first discussing it with him.

“Unfortunately, Jiraiya refused.”

Danzo silently relaxed, although the displeasure in his eyes remained.

“What about Lady Tsunade?” Hyūga Hizashi asked from among the branch family’s representatives. “Could she be asked to return and serve as the Fifth Hokage?”

The moment he spoke, several gazes turned toward him.

Danzo looked over sharply.

So did several of the smaller clan heads.

Hyūga Hiashi glared at his younger twin brother, silently warning him not to speak without considering the consequences.

“Tsunade would certainly be qualified,” Hiruzen replied with a sigh. “However, the ANBU have still been unable to locate her.”

Hiruzen had trained three disciples: Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru.

All three possessed the strength and reputation necessary to become Hokage.

Under normal circumstances, any of them should have been a suitable choice.

Unfortunately, none of them could take the position.

Before Minato became the Fourth Hokage, Orochimaru’s forbidden human experiments had been uncovered, forcing him to abandon Konoha.

Jiraiya spent most of his time travelling throughout the shinobi world in search of the Child of Prophecy.

Even if the position of Hokage were offered to him directly, he would rather continue wandering than remain behind a desk in Konoha.

Then there was Tsunade.

She was the granddaughter of the First Hokage and a student of the Third. By all rights, she should have held a deeper love for Konoha than almost anyone.

However, after everything she had lost during and after the Second Shinobi World War, Tsunade had become bitter toward the village and wanted nothing to do with its affairs.

With Orochimaru gone and neither Jiraiya nor Tsunade willing to return, the entire village could not immediately produce another suitable candidate.

“Ahem.”

Seeing that the room had fallen silent, Danzo straightened his robes and prepared to speak.

“If neither Jiraiya nor Tsunade is willing to return, then perhaps I—”

“I have decided to resume my duties as Hokage until a suitable Fifth Hokage can be chosen,” Hiruzen announced in a deep voice.

Danzo froze.

For a moment, he nearly pointed his cane at Hiruzen and cursed him in front of the entire council.

His hand tightened around the handle until his knuckles turned pale.

The end of his cane pressed so hard against the floor that it nearly punched straight through it.