Hokage's Office
At the moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen was dealing with a pounding headache. There was simply too much on his plate, and he had to sort things out one by one.
The intel brought back by the four shinobi before him was no less important than what they'd gathered during the Second Great Ninja War.
"Ahem... Let's handle this one step at a time."
First, there were the children that Uchiha Kagami had temporarily placed in a local inn. That part was simple enough—just transfer them to the Konoha Orphanage. After all, trying to locate their parents would take too much time and effort, and it likely wouldn't be worth it.
Not to mention, their parents might not even be alive. Chances were they'd already been dealt with in secret by the followers of that heretical cult.
The kindest thing they could do now was to post some notices in the Hidden Hot Water Village, letting people know that they could come to Konoha to reclaim their children—if they were still alive to do so.
Otherwise, leaving these children to fend for themselves and wander across the ninja world would leave them with almost no chance of survival.
"Next... the matter of the Jashin, huh?"
"That cult actually worships something real?"
Hiruzen wasn't quick to dismiss legends about monsters in the ninja world. After all, the Shinigami was real—Konoha's own Scroll of Seals recorded the method to summon it.
So the idea of a Jashin appearing didn't seem completely out of the question.
"If there weren't something like a Jashin, how else could those cultists have gained so-called immortality?"
Hiruzen rubbed his forehead in frustration. Matters involving strange, otherworldly forces always gave him a migraine.
"The Uzumaki Clan worshiped the Shinigami for generations... so maybe this Jashin can also be summoned by some special means."
"Unfortunately... the Uzumaki were wiped out."
His expression dimmed as he mentioned it. Only one—Kushina—had been rescued at the time. He still blamed himself for the rest.
"If the Uzumaki Clan were still around, they might've known something about divine beings. But now, they've scattered across the world."
"As for this Jashin business, I'll notify the Intelligence Division and authorize full access to the archives for you. If you can uncover any records on this entity, all the better."
The Death Controlling Possessed Blood technique had unsettled even Hiruzen. A technique that inflicted equal damage on both the caster and the target, using a single drop of blood? Against someone with an immortal body, the result was obvious.
He had no hesitation about adding the technique to the Scroll of Seals. Strengthening Konoha's hidden arsenal was always a good thing—so long as they handled the Jashin angle properly.
Perhaps, due to the destruction of their clan, the scattered Uzumaki no longer trusted Konoha. None had returned to seek refuge. That, too, was a sore point for Hiruzen.
And then... there was another pressing issue.
Uzumaki Mito's time was almost up. Two years, maybe three. Either way, Konoha would soon need to select a new jinchuriki.
Until the new host matured, their identity would need to remain top secret. Which brought him to a separate matter: the Eight-Tails' jinchuriki—and their potential successor.
Blue B, the current jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails, was a formidable shinobi. His presence alone gave Kumogakure immense deterrence against the other great villages.
During the Second Great Ninja War, all five great nations had silently agreed not to deploy their jinchuriki. All of them were in their prime—if things had escalated, the cost could have been several lost jinchuriki.
And raising a new jinchuriki from scratch? Too risky. Far too expensive.
The other villages had also feared that Mito might unleash the Nine-Tails for Konoha before she passed, which made the war much more restrained than it otherwise might've been.
"B's mental state is deteriorating. He's at risk of going berserk at any moment. As for his potential replacement—it's Killer B from Kumogakure's A-B Duo. He's a bit younger than I am."
Kaien delivered this intel with confidence. He'd spent half a year gathering it, pouring time and effort into every detail.
"Is that accurate, Kaien?"
Hiruzen smiled kindly. He always had a soft spot for children—especially those who were well-behaved and thoughtful.
"Absolutely!"
"Oh, right! Hokage-sama, can I be promoted to Jonin now?"
Kaien looked downright thrilled. For someone his age, becoming a Jonin was an incredible honor. It was the highest rank in Konoha beneath the Hokage.
"Jonin, huh? It's not just about strength, you know. You need solid intel-gathering and analytical skills, leadership, and mission experience..." Hiruzen paused briefly, then added with meaning, "And loyalty."
Jonin were appointed directly by the Hokage—unlike the Chunin, who had to pass formal exams.
Kaien's loyalty was unquestioned. The idea that the Hokage's own grand-disciple could be disloyal to Konoha? That would've been the real joke.
"Tell me, Kaien... how many missions have you completed so far?"
Hiruzen asked the question with a grin—though to Kaien, it felt more like a death sentence.
While Kaien's missions were all high-ranking, his total mission count hadn't even reached a hundred. That kind of record might qualify for Chunin, but for Jonin? It was a stretch.
...
"Not fair, Hokage-sama! I brought back S-rank intel!"
Kaien pouted in protest, clearly unhappy.
Of course, the real reason he wanted to become a Jonin was to show his loyalty. Building up a pro-Konoha image was the best way to survive here.
And besides, being a Jonin was every shinobi's dream. Some even aspired to become Hokage.
"I've also got intel on the Two-Tails. If you don't make me a Jonin, I'm not telling you!"
That childish outburst made Hiruzen burst into hearty laughter. This was the future of Konoha—a bright, spirited boy with a strong Will of Fire. This was exactly the kind of person the village needed.
"Alright, alright. You're a Jonin now."
Hiruzen relented with a fond smile in his voice.
Kaien had the Mangekyō Sharingan—power on par with a Kage. So even if he was lacking in other areas, it didn't really matter.
He'd only been outlining the responsibilities of a Jonin to Kaien so he could better assign him duties within the village later.
After all, being a Jonin didn't require leading a squad.
Children should spend time making friends and enjoying their youth—that was what Hiruzen truly believed.
"Hmph! Minato! You'd better start calling me Kaien-sama! You're just a lowly Chunin now."
"Yes, yes, Kaien-sama."
Namikaze Minato offered a wry smile. He figured Kaien just wanted the rank so he could gloat a little.
"Well then, here it is—the intel on the Two-Tails..."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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