Hiruzen took a deep inhale from his pipe, blowing out the smoke from between his teeth. The 40-years-old man was only a bit behind his prime, but his eyes retained the spirit he had even after years of being Hokage.
His eyes scan the report he just received from his Shadow Guard regarding the person Tsunade once mentioned to plan to take a disciple as when they had their rare moments to have dinner together along with Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
As Hokage, it would be prudent for him to investigate promising talents and to consider their eventual assignment to the correct mentors and positions once they graduate. Especially with the ongoing conflicts and high possibility of another war incoming.
The other nations were growing restless. Dispute over borders, prices, export taxes, shinobi being assigned more missions to guard and scout the borders. Caravans crossing borders were frequently robbed and plundered by shinobi, scouts and spies from other Hidden Villages appearing more frequently.
Land of Fire responded by restricting more of the exports; choking the other countries more as a show of retaliation and power. And this escalated to more violence and robberies. When conflict between nations happened, shinobi were the ones caught in the middle.
As Konoha's current leader, he can only give advice to the Daimyo and give his own suggestions, to concede some of their resources, to control the merchants, instead of putting more pressure on the surrounding nations. But his advice was; an advice.
Shinobi benefitted from missions requested and assigned to them; giving them wealth, status, and also use for their inheritances. When shinobi of other countries were used to invading the land, their own homeland employed them to defend against them.
The cycle of bloodshed continued endlessly.
Hiruzen clenched his fists in frustration at the current reality of their world. Since the establishment of Konoha, Shodaime and Nindaime had only wanted peace. But the establishment of Konoha triggered the formation of other hidden villages in surrounding countries. And the moment shinobi of other countries were used to invade this land; Konoha too was stained in their blood.
Tailed beasts that used to roam freely were captured by other shinobi villages. The first jinchuriki hailed from Kumogakure became the trigger to world wide hunt for the source of power and changed the scale of conflict.
Hashirama himself never expected such an event. Deaths and losses on the battlefield had broken his heart. Madara was the first one to suggest they subdue the 9 tails, the one they know the location of. But Hashirama refused in the beginning.
The conflicts between nations grew like wildfire. Madara eventually grew disillusioned with the village seeing that Konoha no longer stood for what it was meant for. He had asked his own clansmen to simply leave Konoha and to detach themselves from the ongoing conflict.
And yet his own clansmen viewed him as a traitor.
In the end, the fight happened between the First Hokage and the Ghost of Uchiha - sowing to the future where the Uchiha clan were not trusted due to their power.
The 9 tails were sealed. Hashirama knew at the rate of ongoing conflict, war may happen. And tailed beasts were being hunted for their power. Thus, Hashirama decided to capture remaining tailed beasts roaming the world with his own power. The revelation of his power terrified the other hidden villages and threatened the nations.
The first Kage Summit was held - where he promised a truce between other hidden villages and the nations; splitting tailed beasts between them. That decision that was meant to become a deterrent to war - fueled it. That was how the 1st Shinobi War happened.
Hashirama passed away eventually. Both from his own body giving out after countless battles; and his own heart wearing down.
Hiruzen closed his eyes for a few seconds, recalling his late teachers, their dreams, and regrets.
"...War." he muttered the ugly word with bitterness.
He stood from his seat and looked out the window to the village. He saw the people busy with business, people chattering and loitering between stalls and buildings. Shinobi rushing back and forth from rooftops to rooftops; conflicts fueled their purpose, even if that was not how it was meant to be.
Even knowing this, Hiruzen could only do what he needed to do to protect his own village. His mediations with the other hidden villages failed to achieve any result. He can only prepare his own people and the next generations to face what was coming.
He turned back to his desk and picked up the report. He frowned, realising it was unusually thick for a simple report. There was also a report on Minato Namikaze, her brother, attached to her. And the word classified was written in red for both of them.
"Clear the room." Hiruzen spoke for his shadow guards to leave him alone.
He picked up the documents to peruse them. "Nagisa… Minato… Haruto's children." Hiruzen could remember the Jonin a little. A smart fellow. Though he had little interaction with him other than seeing him in Jonin Council and meetings.
When he turned to the second page, his pupils contracted slightly. He sat down on his seat, his body leaned forward with focus at the details that were almost bizarre.
"She was hiding her true talent…?"
His expression turned tense as he read the reports. His expression remained tense reading Minato's, too.
Both of them hid themselves?
Hiruzen couldn't fully believe the report. They were, to his knowledge, still 7 and 8 years old respectively this year. How much can they hide, and what would the two know and even think to even come up with the ridiculous need to hide their strengths? Of course, he was wary.
Did Haruto or Ayase tell them something in their childhood? Or was it… Danzo's doing?
Hiruzen couldn't figure it out. He had a feeling Danzo might have something to do with it. Could it be he had found their talent and planned to take them under Root eventually? He can only blame Danzo as he always had.
Nagisa, being 7 years old, would never expect the Hokage himself would care enough to investigate a 7 year old child just because she was mentioned by Tsunade.
***
In the evening, in one of the training areas in the forest Nagisa assigned herself; she and Minato had their usual training routine. Nagisa felt something was off lately. As if there were eyes on her and Minato. She cleared their training ground more meticulously, but that feeling intensified more.
Especially today.
"Stop." She grasped Minato's incoming fist casually, her senses focused on the surroundings.
"Why are-"
"Quiet." she said coldly. Minato gulped. He noticed how tense Nagisa was now. He figured quickly that she was listening and searching. He too spread his chakra to sense anyone around.
Hiruzen, who was hiding nearby, was shocked at what he had observed within just a few seconds of seeing them in training. Their skills were at least Chunin level from the few exchanges he saw. And even then, it was not Nagisa's limit. That was Minato's limit. He thought he could watch further, but caught onto Nagisa's movement and caution and immediately hide his chakra signature deeper.
A second later, he felt a wave of chakra moving and sweeping past him. If it was not due to his own skill, and that Nagisa herself was not that proficient with crude chakra sensing methods yet, he would have been found out.
Nagisa frowned. She felt a gaze on them but couldn't find the source. Was it her imagination? Were their secrets leaked? It was very normal for anyone to train anywhere in the forest so to spy specifically on her and Minato was too improbable. And yet that feeling of being watched remained.
"Nii-san. Let's end today."
"Alright." Minato did not refuse, feeling something was not quite right with Nagisa.
They cleaned up the surrounding field, picked up the fragments of shattered targets and moved quickly. After they left, Hiruzen waited for minutes before showing himself to investigate the area.
He touched a broken tree, feeling the residual chakra left on them. He didn't expect Konoha to have hidden two little monsters in the village. His expression darkened slightly.
Danzo. You wanted to hide them from me, did you?
***
Danzo entered Hiruzen's office with the usual demeanor he had, cold and aloof. He looked at the man with a frown, impatient, and expecting to hear another reprimand that never really went into his head.
"What are you looking for me for now, Hiruzen?"
"Danzo. You know why." Hiruzen slammed two documents on the table. On the left, a picture of 7 years old Nagisa. On the right, the picture of 8 year old Minato.
Danzo looked at the two children on the papers, then looked back at Hiruzen. He was genuinely blank this time.
"What are you talking about? Since when did you play words with me?" Danzo's expression soured considerably.
Hiruzen's expression tensed before letting go with a sigh.
"I trusted you with your own power because Konoha needed someone to do what most couldn't do…"
"I know how you took in people to join your Root. But hiding things from me… I might misunderstand and think you have a different intention. I am still the Hokage. Remember that, Danzo." Hiruzen took out the pipe from his mouth, his eyes looking at Danzo directly in the eyes.
Danzo snorted. "You are blaming the wrong person, Hiruzen. What are these two?"
Hiruzen leaned forward, his eyes turned sharp. "Those two will not join your Root. One of them will be Tsunade's disciple. As for the other, I already have an arrangement."
Danzo felt heat rising in his chest. He had zero idea what Hiruzen was talking about. But instead of arguing further, he just snorted once more.
"Do as you wish." Danzo turned around and left the office. As soon as he got back to his own office in Root Headquarters, he called out to his subordinates.
"Investigate Nagisa Namikaze and Minato Namikaze. Observe over a few days."
"Yes, Danzo-sama." The words echoed in the shadow.
Hiruzen didn't know what kind of upheaval he was causing by his own misunderstanding.
***