Konoha Cemetery.
The simple funeral for the fallen ANBU, including Sarutobi Takeo and Aburame Kenshira, had already come to an end. Most of the shinobi who had gathered in the cemetery had dispersed, leaving only the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, his wife Sarutobi Biwako, and their youngest son Sarutobi Asuma standing before the Memorial Stone, unwilling to leave.
All three of them had their eyes fixed on a newly carved name.
"Father," Asuma suddenly spoke up, "I heard that Big Brother was killed by the Uchiha clan. Is that true?"
Hiruzen, who had been immersed in grief, immediately frowned at his youngest son's words and rebuked him.
"Asuma, where did you hear such nonsense?"
"Don't worry about where I heard it," Asuma insisted, staring stubbornly at his father. "Just tell me, was Big Brother killed by the Uchiha clan or not?"
"Asuma!"
Hiruzen's brow knitted even tighter. His voice dropped, heavy and restrained. "The one who killed Takeo was indeed an Uchiha, but whether it truly has anything to do with the Uchiha clan as a whole still requires further investigation…"
"I understand."
Asuma clearly had no patience to hear the rest. He looked at the fresh name on the Memorial Stone.
"Big Brother, rest assured. I'll avenge you."
He pressed his palms together, bowed deeply toward the stone, then turned and walked away.
"Asuma, you little bastard! Who do you think you're going to take revenge on? Get back here at once!"
Hiruzen cursed angrily.
Unfortunately, his authority as Hokage held little weight in front of his youngest son. Asuma ignored the order entirely and strode straight out of the cemetery.
Had it been any other shinobi in the village who dared to disregard the Hokage's command like this, the ANBU hidden in the shadows would have already swarmed in, subdued the insolent offender, and awaited the Hokage's judgment.
But this insolent offender bore the surname Sarutobi.
Without explicit orders from the Hokage, the ANBU dared not lay a hand on the Hokage's youngest son.
"Hiruzen, let Asuma be alone for a while," Biwako said softly from the side, her eyes carrying a hint of pleading as she looked at him. "When Takeo was alive, he doted on Asuma the most. Now that Takeo is gone, Asuma won't be able to accept it so easily…"
Hiruzen looked at his haggard wife. All the scolding he had been about to say lodged in his throat and refused to come out. After a moment of silence, Asuma's figure had already vanished from sight. Hiruzen could only let out a helpless sigh.
Then he issued an order toward the empty air beside him.
"Send a few people. Watch Asuma in secret. Don't let him do anything reckless."
"Yes."
A faint reply drifted through the cold wind.
Hiruzen withdrew his gaze and was about to speak with his wife about Asuma's upbringing when he sensed movement from the ANBU nearby. His brow, which had only just relaxed, furrowed again. The next instant, an ANBU appeared and knelt on one knee before him.
"Hokage-sama, Koeda Kyoichi of the Kirigakure envoy claims he has an appointment to spar with Uchiha Obito. He left the embassy with Momochi Zabuza and Ringo Ameyuri and went to Konoha Hospital, where they encountered the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki."
The ANBU delivered the report in one breath.
Hiruzen's brows twisted into a knot. "If he wants to spar with Uchiha Obito, why go to Konoha Hospital?"
If he was looking for an Uchiha, shouldn't he go to the Konoha Police Force instead?
"Koeda Kyoichi found Nohara Rin and asked her to contact Uchiha Obito on his behalf," the ANBU replied.
"Nohara Rin, Minato's student…" Hiruzen's expression eased slightly. He remembered that Minato's disciple was an excellent medical-nin currently working at Konoha Hospital. Using Rin to contact Obito did make sense.
Moreover, the Uchiha clan was standing at the center of controversy right now. Compared to going directly to the Police Force, using Konoha Hospital as an intermediary was undoubtedly a safer approach. If it were him, he would likely have made the same choice. Thinking this far, Hiruzen's brow relaxed a little more.
"Send additional personnel to keep an eye on Koeda Kyoichi and the others," Hiruzen ordered.
He was suspicious by nature, but not to the point of seeing danger in every shadow. He did not believe that Koeda Kyoichi's encounter with the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki carried any hidden scheme. The negotiations were already nearing their end. Konoha and Kirigakure were about to form a joint offensive and defensive alliance against Kumogakure. At this point, Kirigakure had no reason whatsoever to harbor ill intentions toward the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
Besides,
did anyone really think the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki was some soft persimmon anyone could squeeze?
Even Kumogakure, notorious for its bandit-like ways, only dared to target an underage Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. They would never dream of making a move against a fully grown one.
So,
Koeda Kyoichi and his group encountering Uzumaki Kushina at Konoha Hospital was, in all likelihood, pure coincidence.
That said, one could never be too careful. Better safe than sorry. Sending more eyes to watch them from the shadows was the prudent choice.
The ANBU acknowledged the order and departed.
The cemetery returned to silence. When Hiruzen turned around, he found that his wife had already left him with a back filled with resentment and dissatisfaction, walking toward the cemetery exit.
"…Sigh."
Watching her receding figure, Hiruzen let out a heavy sigh.
For decades as Hokage, he had devoted all his energy to the village and the clan, neglecting his family far too much. Takeo, as the eldest son, had at least received a fair share of his attention.
But Asuma, his youngest, he truly had not cared for enough. More often than not, it had been Takeo, the older brother, who looked after Asuma. Now…
Asuma's lack of closeness toward him as a father could hardly be blamed on the boy.
He had failed first as a father.
"Asuma…"
Hiruzen murmured his youngest son's name.
His mind churned with the chain of recent events. Kumogakure's refusal to admit to stealing Uchiha bloodlines, the unidentified Uchiha who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and still had not been traced. It all tangled together like an unsolvable knot, leaving him with a sense of growing powerlessness.
Perhaps,
it truly was time to step down and make way for someone more capable.
But then again,
for the Fourth Hokage… should it be Orochimaru, or Minato?
Hiruzen followed the path his wife had taken, his thoughts heavy as he pondered to whom he should entrust the village's future.
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