We Meet Again

"Kabuto, don't eat so fast. You'll choke if you—"

Before he could finish, Kabuto was already clutching his throat at a seat in Ichiraku Ramen, one hand pounding his chest.

"Whap!"

Sora smacked Kabuto on the back, finally helping him swallow the noodles in his mouth.

"Phew..."

After catching his breath, Kabuto looked gratefully at Uzumaki Sora. "Big Brother's treating me to ramen for once. Of course I have to eat as much as I can."

Sora smiled. "I brought plenty of money. When we're done, we can get twenty servings packed up for your friends and the matron to try."

Kabuto's eyes lit up. "Really? The matron hasn't had a proper meal in a long time. I overheard her yesterday...the Orphanage's funding..."

Yun glanced over his shoulder as someone arrived outside Ichiraku Ramen's curtain. "If I'm not mistaken, the Orphanage's funding problem should be solved now. Don't worry. You and your matron won't have to become spies."

The curtain lifted. Kakashi's Headband, which had been covering his Sharingan, was raised, revealing the Three Tomoe slowly turning as they fixed on Sora.

"Don't be so tense, Kakashi. Your Kamui can't hold me. If you want to talk, I can treat you to a bowl of ramen." Sora smiled.

"Even the Flying Thunder God Jutsu doesn't seem to be affected by Konoha's barrier... Uzumaki Sora, facing someone like you, I can't afford to let my guard down for even a moment."

Kakashi glanced at Kabuto, puzzled. "You're a powerful shinobi. Why would you be friends with a child?"

Sora smiled and shot back, "You're not that old yourself. Is that really something you should say? Besides, this child's talent is no worse than yours."

"Swish!"

Minato appeared beside Kakashi, wearing the Fourth Hokage's cloak.

He patted Kakashi on the shoulder. "Close your Sharingan. If my guess is right, he can use the Flying Thunder God to leave just before Kamui activates."

Kakashi asked in confusion, "Even with the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, not everyone can move as fast as you, Sensei, can they?"

Minato glanced at Sora and let out a breath. "That's exactly what worries me most..."

At the cryptic reply, Kakashi obeyed and lowered his Headband, covering the Sharingan that was on the verge of becoming a Mangekyou.

"Teuchi, one large bowl of your original broth ramen."

Teuchi, busy in the kitchen, quickly called back when he heard the order. It wasn't until he brought the ramen out that he realized the customer was the Fourth Hokage himself.

"Isn't the Fourth Hokage busy today? This bowl's on the house."

Teuchi pretended to be generous, but glanced at Sora beside him, clearly not intending to let him eat for free too. He'd just heard them talk about packing up twenty servings—that was no small expense.

Minato smiled and waved his hand. "No need, Teuchi. Just charge me like usual. Go on back to work."

Once Teuchi had returned to the kitchen, Minato looked at Sora and smiled. "We meet again."

Sora didn't deny it. He smiled and nodded. "We meet again, Fourth Hokage. The fact that I could see you again after the information I gave you last time means you handled things well."

Minato probed, "Was it the arm from last time that gave you the First Hokage's Wood Release?"

Yun held out a hand, a sheet of Chakra Paper pinched between his fingers. Flames flared up on it; it crumbled, split, and became damp.

"Four chakra nature transformations. It's been a little short on time. Otherwise, you wouldn't have seen Danzo yesterday."

Minato stared at the Chakra Paper on the table, his expression grave. Fire, wind, earth, and water—had Sora already reached this level?

After thinking it over, he asked, "Why did you kill Danzo?"

As he spoke, Minato glanced at Kabuto. "Your goal can't be just him, can it? He's a talented child."

Sora smiled. "You and Kakashi are underestimating this child. If everything follows its destined course, his power could even determine the fate of the entire world."

For the first time, Minato looked seriously at Kabuto, who sat beside them with a bewildered expression.

White hair and a pair of glasses that clearly didn't suit him. Hatake?

"He isn't Kakashi's relative, just a civilian child. But in certain areas, his talent truly stands at the pinnacle of this world."

Sora looked at Kabuto. "I'll be leaving soon, and you have two choices."

Kabuto nodded, dazed.

Sora continued, "First: follow the Fourth Hokage. I'll recommend that you join the Scientific Research Department and the Medical Department. Second: return to the Orphanage and keep helping Matron Nonō look after the children."

When Sora finished, Kabuto fell into thought.

He remembered what had happened the day before: the man wrapped in bandages, and the other man with snake-like pupils. Root Division, the matron...

"You seem to understand."

Sora sighed. "I wanted you to stay quietly at the Orphanage and protect this little sanctuary. But it seems you understand too: without power, everything you want to protect will vanish like a bubble."

"Go with the Fourth. Make full use of everything you have to offer. Your bond with the Orphanage is the reason you need to prove yourself indispensable to the Fourth. Only then will the Orphanage be safer."

Kabuto looked up slightly and smiled at Sora. "Okay. I trust you, Big Brother!"

Sora was taken aback, then ruffled Kabuto's hair. "I've changed your fate too... You were an orphan yourself. You shouldn't have to descend into darkness for someone else's ambitions."

"Ahem!"

Minato looked a little lost. After clearing his throat, he said, "It seems like neither of you asked what I thought. You've already made this Hokage's decision for me?"

Kakashi poked Minato and whispered, "Sensei, aren't they enemies? Is it really okay to let them plant a spy here so openly?"

Minato looked at Kakashi and sighed. There were some things he couldn't tell his student.

Enemies? Perhaps not.

"Swish!"

A Kunai flashed, leaving a cut on Kabuto's arm. Blood slowly trickled out.

"Kabuto, show the Fourth the Medical Ninjutsu the matron taught you."

Kabuto, who hadn't resisted at all, nodded, understanding what Sora was getting at.

Green Chakra covered his hands. The shallow wound quickly stopped bleeding, and its healing visibly sped up.

"His Chakra control is very precise. This child does have the talent to join the Medical Department," Minato assessed.

"Medical Ninjutsu is nothing compared to his other talents."

Sora shook his head, then tapped his own head. "Talent and bloodlines aren't the same thing. Intelligence differs in kind, too. This child's true strength lies right here."

"He falls a little short of the Second, but compared to you, the man who developed the Rasengan, an unsealed jutsu, he shouldn't be far behind."

Minato's eyes lit up at this. Konoha had plenty of talented shinobi, but they were only talented as shinobi.

In all these years, the Scientific Research Department and the Medical Department had only produced Orochimaru and Tsunade—and neither of them was on his side.

"I agree."

"By the way, Sora, when you say he isn't far behind, do you mean he falls a little short of me, or that I fall a little short of him?"

"You fall a little short of him."

???