[guyssssss! we did it. the fic is number 1 on all time power ranking and bi-annual power ranking]
"Lord Hokage."
As soon as Hikaru stepped into the ward, he greeted Minato with a gentle smile and a small nod—then turned to Kushina and offered the same polite, friendly acknowledgement. For him, that was more than enough.
Truthfully, he hadn't expected his timing to be this perfect.
When Minato would wake up was never something Hikaru could guarantee. The life force he had infused into Minato hadn't been excessive—everything after that depended on Minato's own recovery.
What Hikaru had done was already borderline unfair.
Compared to medicine or healing jutsu, the most important part of recovery was still the body's own ability to heal. Techniques and treatment were, at best, support.
Hikaru's approach—directly pouring in life force—was essentially forcing the body's "repairs" forward.
Of course, that was just his own understanding. He wasn't a medic-nin, and he had never studied medical ninjutsu deeply.
"You're being too formal, Hikaru-kun," Minato said, shaking his head with a soft smile. "I don't think we need to speak like that."
Then his expression turned a little more serious.
"But you came at the right time. I want to know how the village is doing."
Even now—when his condition could hardly be called good—Minato's heart was still on Konoha.
As Hokage, that was his responsibility. And now that Hikaru was here, Minato couldn't forgive himself if he didn't ask.
Kushina frowned, then sighed helplessly. She knew exactly what kind of man her husband was.
She worried about Minato's body, of course—but there was pride there too. In a way, Minato had helped her fulfill the dream she'd once carried into this village.
"Hikaru-kun, say whatever you need," Kushina said, bracing herself as she pushed up slightly on the bed. "If I should step out—"
"There's nothing about the village that needs to be hidden," Hikaru said with a smile, cutting her off gently. "So Kushina-san doesn't need to avoid this. And I don't think Lord Hokage wants you to."
Minato nodded once. He didn't add anything—because Hikaru had already said exactly what he was thinking.
Minato had no intention of sending Kushina away.
Especially because there were questions he needed to ask Hikaru next—questions he wanted his wife to hear, to face together, and to confirm together.
"Lord Hokage," Hikaru said, his tone calm and even, "the casualty figures aren't fully counted yet. But we can already tell they'll be heavy—especially among civilians."
He described the damage the Nine-Tails had inflicted on Konoha in the same steady voice, while Minato fought to keep the anger from rising in his chest.
Hikaru didn't actually know the final death toll. But Konoha's response alone told him enough.
If he hadn't forced the ANBU reserve units to evacuate civilians early, then in a first-time catastrophe like this—most people wouldn't even know what to do.
In the original course of events, the hatred the villagers later directed at Naruto hadn't come from nowhere. The Nine-Tails' rampage must have carved an unforgettable scar into everyone's mind.
And on top of that, Konoha's leaders had always been good at redirecting anger.
Better for the public to focus on: "The Nine-Tails destroyed our home—this hatred can never fade."
Than to focus on: "Why were our defenses and evacuations so incompetent?"
The first narrative bought them time to clean up problems. The second would have turned the village inward.
To be fair, the Nine-Tails incident did push Konoha to improve its emergency systems—so later, during the Chūnin Exam invasion, civilians could evacuate quickly and in an organized way.
"As for shinobi," Hikaru continued, "the currently confirmed dead are over eighty genin, over forty chūnin, and more than ten jōnin."
That number wasn't small—especially because those were only the confirmed deaths. Downstairs, the wards were still filled with injured shinobi.
Whether they would survive was one question.
Whether they could still live as shinobi afterward was another.
Minato exhaled slowly.
To ordinary eyes, the shinobi losses might not look catastrophic. But after over a year as Hokage, Minato understood the deeper wound:
This was a blow to Konoha's credibility.
Other villages had dealt with tailed-beast incidents before—but it happening inside Konoha was rare. And Konoha was the "number one" village, watched more closely than any other.
That made the political fallout far worse.
And this world wasn't a place where other villages patiently waited for you to recover.
"There's one more thing I need to report to you," Hikaru said, lifting his eyes.
He looked directly at Minato, his expression steady.
"The ANBU commander, Murashima Takuya, is dead. I killed him."
"What?!"
Kushina blurted it out before Minato could even react.
ANBU's commander—killed by Hikaru?
And he was saying it to Minato's face, so plainly?
What was this boy trying to do?
Minato's brows knit tighter, but he didn't interrupt. He stared at Hikaru, because he knew there had to be more behind this—and because he could already feel their conversation moving into the exact territory he'd been trying to confirm.
"Kushina-san, please don't get worked up," Hikaru said warmly, like he was soothing an anxious patient.
Then he turned back to Minato.
"The reason is simple. The Third Hokage ordered Captain Owl and me to deliver the mobilization order to the ANBU commander.
"Captain Owl had bad luck. He was struck by the Nine-Tails and died on the way. The written order was destroyed with him.
"I delivered the message alone, but Murashima refused to deploy ANBU without the physical document.
"At that moment, the situation was critical. So I removed him—and forced ANBU to mobilize."
Hikaru's smile brightened as he spoke, almost dazzling. His eyes never left Minato's face.
"I think that if you were in my position, Lord Hokage… you would've made the same choice."
Kushina froze, still stunned.
Because she truly couldn't understand how an ANBU commander could be that rigid—to the point of absurdity.
Refusing to move without paperwork, even while the Nine-Tails was tearing the village apart… it was beyond her imagination.
But Minato's expression changed—because he understood immediately.
Hikaru had already warned him what kind of man Murashima was.
A machine.
And Captain Owl was the key link between that machine and Hiruzen.
With an obedient ANBU commander controlling the organization—and with many captains and squad leaders already influenced or directly answering to Hiruzen—it made perfect sense why Minato had never truly held ANBU.
To break ANBU's structure, Minato would've needed to tear it down openly—declare war on the old system, and forcibly replace the commander.
But Minato had never chosen that path.
And now, Hikaru had done it himself.
In the middle of the worst crisis imaginable.
With a reason no one could easily refute.
It sent a chill down Minato's spine.
One wrong step… one accident…
Wouldn't that have worsened the Nine-Tails disaster?
If Minato were the one standing there, he wasn't sure he would've dared.
After a moment, Minato finally spoke. His voice was weak—but unwavering.
"Hikaru-kun… we won't argue right or wrong for now. But weren't you afraid? Afraid that even a small mistake would make everything worse?"
His gaze sharpened.
"If something went wrong, wouldn't the village have suffered even more?"
"I considered every move carefully," Hikaru replied with a gentle smile, as if he were simply stating a fact. "And you saw my strength."
That part was half-truth and half-lie. He hadn't expected an opportunity this perfect.
But one thing was true: he had thought carefully about the Nine-Tails situation before stepping in.
"As for right and wrong…" Hikaru sighed softly, and his smile deepened.
"Lord Hokage, I think there's something you still haven't fully accepted.
"This may sound cold—many people would call it wrong.
"But when you stand high enough… especially wheninterests is involved, there often isn't 'right' or 'wrong.' There is only being in the game, or out of it.
"And a bottom line—flexible, but with a hard minimum."
As he spoke, Hikaru rose to his feet.
His expression remained mild, almost courteous—but it made the air feel colder.
"My bottom line is that Konoha survives.
"Within that bottom line, I will do anything that benefits me.
"Owl. Murashima Takuya. Even—"
"You mean me too, don't you?"
Minato cut him off.
His eyes locked onto Hikaru.
"You saved me because you didn't want me to die—because my death would harm your interests. Is that it?"
"Yes."
Hikaru hesitated for the briefest moment… then nodded honestly.
"That interpretation is correct.
"If you died, Lord Hokage, the Third Hokage would lose all restraint.
"That wouldn't benefit me—especially when I still need time to grow.
"So you are the best counterweight against him."
Hikaru wasn't lying.
There was no reason to lie anymore.
Strength was leverage.
And with what he had shown—Wood Release included—he had leverage now.
Not enough to challenge the future monsters of the era…
But right now?
Madara was dead. Nagato hadn't fully mastered the Rinnegan. The Kage didn't know Hikaru—and Hikaru knew their weaknesses.
It was a crushing mismatch.
Minato had Sage Mode. He had the Nine-Tails sealed through the Reaper's method. But in this state, he could barely speak without effort, much less fight.
For the first time, Hikaru realized something clearly:
At this moment, there truly wasn't much he had to fear.
Of course—he wasn't stupid enough to make the whole world his enemy.
Shinobi died to knives in the dark, not to heroic duels.
Pakura, saved only to be betrayed. Madara, stabbed through the heart. Those lessons were carved into history.
So Hikaru would only show ambition within a controlled range.
And right now—he needed to be forceful.
Minato stared at him silently.
Kushina, meanwhile, looked like she'd been struck mute.
She wasn't foolish. If anything, she was sharp—especially when it came to people.
And she'd heard everything:
Murashima's death wasn't an "accident." It was targeted removal.
Minato was alive because this boy needed him alive—to stand between Hikaru and Hiruzen.
And Hikaru was a Senju.
A Wood Release user.
Kushina had lived among the Senju as a child, back when Uzumaki Mito was still alive.
She knew the Senju's hunger for the Hokage's seat.
Even if the clan had faded into silence—she didn't believe their dream had ever died.
Her gaze shifted anxiously to Minato.
This situation was dangerous.
Complicated.
And Minato… was weak.
"I understand, Hikaru-kun."
After a long pause, Minato finally exhaled. He looked older, more worn.
"I understand… maybe I really am not suited to be Hokage."
"Minato—" Kushina started, but Minato raised a hand gently.
"Kushina, don't rush. Let me finish."
He spoke slowly, but his voice carried weight.
"After one year as Hokage, I've learned many things.
"Sometimes, you can't judge matters by right and wrong. It's too narrow.
"You're not wrong, Hikaru-kun. In the face ofinterests, there's often only a bottom line.
"And as Hokage… I've already been forced into choices like that.
"Choices I believed were wrong.
"But I had to protect the village's bottom line.
"If the village stays stable, sometimes even a 'right' thing must be treated as wrong.
"And sometimes a 'wrong' thing must be tolerated—because the consequences of crushing it would hurt the village more."
He smiled faintly.
Bright, as always.
And yet… the loneliness in it was heavier than ever.
"It's exhausting. Truly exhausting.
"I used to think the Third Hokage chose me because I was outstanding.
"Later, I realized it wasn't that simple. It was my teacher, Kushina, and the way the war shaped people's expectations of me.
"Hikaru-kun… how ironic.
"I once told you that you might think I wasn't a good Hokage, but I had a bottom line I couldn't abandon.
"Now I realize… I really might not be a good Hokage.
"Maybe… because I cling too tightly to my personal bottom line."
Hikaru watched him in silence.
For reasons he couldn't quite explain, something inside him tightened.
Minato was a good man—brilliant, charismatic, and fiercely loyal.
But being a great shinobi and being a great ruler were not the same thing.
And Hikaru had to admit it:
Minato's wavering confidence was partly his doing.
"Hokage-sama… you are outstanding," Hikaru said after a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Growth takes time. I was raised differently, so—"
"Hikaru-kun."
Minato cut him off again, shifting the topic with a bluntness that felt almost deliberate.
"How long can my body hold out?"
"…You'll need a few years of rest," Hikaru answered honestly. "Undoing the Reaper Seal isn't simple. I checked your body. There's no problem with lifespan—but you'll need years of recovery."
Minato nodded once, solemn.
"I see."
His eyes sharpened.
"Then for these next few years, the Third Hokage will have to control Konoha again.
"And ANBU has an empty commander seat."
Hikaru lifted his head, gaze turning strange for a heartbeat.
He knew what was coming.
This was the decision he had waited for.
That earlier "confession" wasn't only truth—it was also a wager.
Hikaru had held back the Nine-Tails. He had saved Minato. He had kept the family together.
That was emotion.
That was proof.
And then he showed Minato his methods and his bottom line.
That was politics.
He had placed both cards on the table.
Now he was waiting for Minato's final choice.
Minato—the Fourth Hokage—wasn't Danzō. He wouldn't let Hikaru cross the line without formal authority.
But Minato also understood the reality:
ANBU could not remain a leash held by the old regime.
"…Then, as the Fourth Hokage, I make this official appointment."
Minato looked straight at him, calm and firm.
"Senju Hikaru—You are the new ANBU Commander."
"…Thank you for your trust, Hokage-sama."
For a split second, Hikaru's body stiffened.
Then it relaxed.
His tone remained respectful. Controlled.
"I won't disappoint you."
ANBU Commander.
ANBU Commander.
This was the result Hikaru had waited for—years of positioning, years of patience.
Even if he had only been a captain for a few months.
Even if he was only fourteen.
In this moment, he truly held ANBU.
The youngest commander Konoha had ever seen.
The youngest real power-holder.
Joy surged through him—violent, intoxicating.
But none of it touched his face.
Because until the paperwork was signed, nothing was real.
Still, Hikaru trusted Minato's character.
If Minato said it, Minato would do it.
Minato was the kind of man whose words could be trusted.
"I'll write the formal document later," Minato said, then his expression hardened.
"But Hikaru-kun…
"Your strength and yourmethods… I can't deny them.
"I believe you may become a good Hokage someday.
"Not someone like me—who chased the title with nothing but heat and ideals.
"But that's not enough.
"Not even close."
His voice sharpened like steel.
"I will watch you.
"I will keep watching you.
"I'll watch what you do—and what changes you bring.
"If you aren't good enough… if you become worse…
"Then even if I have to die, I will not let you go.
"Do you understand, Senju Hikaru?"
…
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked down the hospital corridor with a heavy heart.
He hadn't truly rested all night.
Minato was in the hospital. Konoha had suffered a devastating blow.
As the Third Hokage, he had to keep the village from collapsing.
And the work—crushing, endless—was also the only thing keeping him from drowning in grief.
Because this night hadn't only wounded Konoha.
It had torn him apart as well.
His wife—who had stood beside him through decades of storms—was gone.
Biwa… was gone.
He was human. He had feelings.
And the pain was unbearable.
He forced himself to breathe and shut it away.
Now wasn't the time.
"Lord Hokage," the Head of the Medical Department greeted him at the office door with a hurried bow.
"No need for ceremony," Hiruzen said, shaking his head. "This is a critical moment. How is the situation? And how is the Fourth?"
"We have many injured civilians and shinobi," the medical head sighed. "Severely wounded… around two to three hundred. As for how many will fully recover… I can't promise that—unless…"
He didn't finish.
He didn't need to.
Unless Tsunade returned.
Unless the heavens decided to spare Konoha.
But would the heavens?
Hiruzen didn't dare believe in that.
If the heavens truly protected Konoha, there wouldn't have been a Third Great Ninja War, Jiraiya and Tsunade wouldn't have left, and the Nine-Tails wouldn't have carved the village open.
As for Tsunade…
Once, Hiruzen might have hoped.
But now, he didn't even want to think of it.
One Senju Hikaru already felt like a mountain pressing down on him.
Tsunade's departure—on the surface—was fear of blood and self-exile.
But deeper reasons existed too: Nawaki's death. The Senju's decline. The slow fading of their legacy.
Her leaving had pulled Jiraiya away as well.
Strictly speaking, it was close to desertion.
And yet Hiruzen had never condemned them.
Perhaps out of guilt.
"Let's not talk about that," Hiruzen said quietly. "The Fourth Hokage—what is his condition?"
"The Fourth… is…" The medical head hesitated, glancing around before lowering his voice.
"His condition is extremely complex.
"The most minor injury is broken ribs—those are easy.
"But internally, his organs are… abnormal. His whole body is terribly weakened.
"When we first saw him, I thought he was dead.
"But what's strange is—despite how weak he is, the tests show no issue with his lifespan.
"And there is a force inside him… full of vitality. It's protecting him, supporting recovery.
"It will just take time.
"Our preliminary estimate… is that it may take years to fully recover without lasting aftereffects."
Years.
Hiruzen fell silent for a moment—then nodded, signaling the medical head to leave.
Then he walked toward Minato's ward.
Minato being alive was unexpected… but ultimately a blessing.
Even if Hikaru had openly taken Minato's side—and even if the silent struggle between Hiruzen and Minato would continue—this was still better than losing the Hokage entirely.
But along the way, he received another report:
Hikaru had already visited Minato.
And Minato had dismissed all ANBU to speak to Hikaru alone.
That news tightened Hiruzen's chest.
He had a terrible feeling.
Why would Hikaru go to Minato now?
Then a thought struck him.
His steps quickened.
"Minato."
Hiruzen pushed open the door.
His pupils contracted the moment he saw what Minato was writing.
"Third Hokage-sama," Minato looked up and offered a warm, polite smile. "Thank you for coming to see me."
"You've only just awakened. You don't need to—" Hiruzen began, stepping closer.
Then his eyes fell on the paper.
And his face changed.
Because Minato was drafting an ANBU Commander appointment.
And the name written there was—
Senju Hikaru.
Hiruzen's expression darkened sharply.
So it really was happening.
And it was happening in the worst possible direction.
"Isn't this… too soon?" Hiruzen asked carefully. "Murashima Takuya has only just died—and he died by Senju Hikaru's hand. At a time like this—"
"Third Hokage-sama," Minato interrupted him, firm. "Hikaru's strength is something everyone witnessed."
"This time, what he did for Konoha… I don't think many people could compare."
"But Murashima's death—"
"I know," Minato cut in again. "I heard about it.
"It was rash.
"But it was done for Konoha."
His gaze remained steady.
"And now that ANBU's seat is empty… I believe he should be given the chance.
"Or perhaps," Minato's voice softened—but carried weight, "do you have a better reward in mind that matches what Commander Hikaru did in the Nine-Tails incident?"
◇ I'll drop one bonus chapter for every 10 reviews (leave a review/comment!)
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon: patreon.com/KageNaruto
thanks alot for your support everybody im deeply grateful! thanks for helping me reach the top, lets try our best to stay at the top.