Three-Person Squad, Maruboshi Kosuke

Little Shisui revealed an innocent smile.

"I don't know."

"I only know that no matter what decision you make, Brother, I'll stand by your side!"

Heh...

"Still as lacking in opinions as ever."

"Hehe, thinking is too tiring. Grandma told me long ago that I just need to listen to you, Brother!"

"Keep practicing water-walking. If you can't walk proficiently on it within three days, don't even think about leaving the house afterward."

"Aww~"

Shisui wore a miserable expression as he reluctantly headed toward the pond, looking back with every step.

He thought to himself.

Itachi is so cute. I want to go play with him...

Hokage Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi held a pipe between his lips. Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki stood before him.

He lowered his gaze to the report, then looked up again.

"You want... to leave the village with Minato to take missions?"

Minato Namikaze looked embarrassed and scratched the back of his head.

Kushina forced herself to sound confident, raising her head and puffing out her chest. "What! Is that not allowed?!"

"Listen here, old man, I can control the Nine-Tails very well now!"

"...Don't say it so loudly, Kushina."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply and said with a bitter smile, "How about this... I'll allow you to move freely within the village?"

"No!"

She cast a pleading look at Minato Namikaze.

Under normal circumstances, Minato Namikaze would not defy the Hokage's orders.

But...

An angry Kushina was still scarier.

Pretending not to understand the meaning in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, Minato Namikaze patted his chest and said, "Hokage, I've worked hard at seal techniques. I can guarantee Kushina's safety!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh.

He looked at the two of them seriously.

"Have you considered that Kushina is the village's final safeguard? It is precisely because of her that the other villages don't dare attack Konoha directly."

"We may choose not to use the Nine-Tails' power, but the village cannot be without the Nine-Tails."

The two fell silent for a while, then Kushina suddenly had an idea.

"That's not right!"

"The other villages clearly don't dare invade Konoha because they fear you, old man!"

Hearing that, Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly failed to suppress the corners of his mouth.

"Cough, cough... What you said does have some truth to it, but..."

"No buts! You're old, old man, so just stay in the village and hold down the fort. I'm going out to take missions!"

"I'm going to make a cool name for myself too!"

"I'm going to become this village's first female Hokage!"

Huff...

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and looked deeply at Kushina.

He recalled the girl who had just arrived in Konoha and loudly declared her dream in the classroom.

What he hoped for was for everyone in the village to strive to become Hokage and unite together.

Even...

Even if Kagami Uchiha had taken action to become Hokage and win people over, he could have accepted it.

But Kagami's attitude toward the villagers made it clear that he despised the vast majority of people outside the Uchiha Clan.

We're the ones discriminating against the Uchiha Clan. How could the Uchiha Clan discriminate against us?!

In truth, Hiruzen Sarutobi's way of handling the Uchiha issue was somewhat similar to Fugaku's.

Whichever side the general trend favored, they would lean toward that side.

In the original timeline, when Minato Namikaze took office and relations with the Uchiha eased, he was happy to see it.

After the Fourth Hokage died, when Danzo secretly moved against the Uchiha, he went with the flow as well.

These past few days, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been pondering a question.

If Kagami Uchiha grew up and wanted not merely the position of Hokage, but for the Uchiha Clan to stand above Konoha, what then?

Even now, he already made Hiruzen Sarutobi feel incredibly troubled, unable to act against him.

Once he truly matured, who could restrain him?

Perhaps...

He looked at the two before him.

I hope you can form bonds with Kagami...

Hiruzen Sarutobi made a decision that Shimura Danzō and the others would never have agreed to if they had been present.

He took a deep breath.

"Once Kagami recovers from his injuries, the three of you will form a squad to respond to emergencies across the various battlefields."

"I'll also arrange for an old friend to accompany you. This is my bottom line."

This was the final test for Kushina, for Kagami...

I truly hope... you won't disappoint me.

"Yahoo! Old man! It's settled, then!"

Kushina raised an arm in a cheer and dragged Minato outside. "Come on! Let's go make sure that brat Kagami recovers quickly. Don't let him do anything weird to extend his leave."

"Hokage, we'll take our leave first." Minato smiled awkwardly in apology as he was dragged away like an accessory.

Night fell.

After finishing his work, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at a secluded part of Konoha Forest.

At a mountain spring, Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to the babbling water and waited quietly.

Before long, a tall, thin, unremarkable-looking shinobi emerged from the forest and knelt on one knee.

"Third Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the man with some regret. After a long silence, he finally spoke.

"I have a mission for you. I imagine you are the only one who can accomplish it."

"No matter how dangerous the mission is, I will not refuse!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly. "Don't treat your life so lightly, Kosuke."

"Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, and Kagami Uchiha. I agreed to let them form a three-person squad."

"Minato and Kagami are Jiraiya's disciples. Kushina is the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki."

The identity of the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki had always been top secret in Konoha, yet the Third Hokage told this man as casually as if they were chatting about everyday matters.

Maruboshi Kosuke was a man acknowledged by both the Second and Third Hokage, possessing a powerful Will of Fire that would give everything for Konoha.

When Kosuke was young, he had been too eager for success during a mission. He rashly gave orders, resulting in the deaths of two companions.

For that, he swore before Tobirama Senju that he would forever remain a genin.

Despite possessing strength far beyond that of an ordinary jonin, he was still an unknown genin today.

"I hope you can join this squad and guide them well... especially that child named Kagami Uchiha."

Kosuke listened attentively. When Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, he said, "He's Senior Kagami's grandson, isn't he? I've heard some rumors about him lately."

"He's quite an extraordinary child."

"Yes... he truly is extraordinary." Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed into the distance at Konoha's countless lights.

"Kosuke, that child has a rift with the village. I hope you can serve as a bridge between him and the village."

"If he can become like Kagami... then after I die, I'll be able to meet the First and Second Hokage with peace of mind."

"I'll do my best, Third Hokage."