When Minato received the summons, he was at Training Ground 3.
The newly appointed Fourth Hokage, Sawada Hiroki, wanted to see him at Orochimaru's laboratory.
The news surprised Minato somewhat. Hiroki had only just finished the meeting concerning the Hokage, and Minato had assumed he would have more important matters to handle.
Besides... to be honest, Minato's feelings were rather complicated.
After all, he had personally watched Hiroki rise, step by step, until he became Hokage.
It was fast—far too fast.
They were the same age, yet Hiroki had already become the Fourth Hokage. Minato felt that even becoming Hokage at eighteen or twenty-four would have been an incredible achievement for himself.
Though Minato was lost in thought, he did not delay for long. With a flash, he arrived at the destination.
Sawada Hiroki was already there. He was not wearing the ceremonial robe that symbolized the Hokage's status, only a simple black ninja outfit. He looked like an ordinary boy next door—if one ignored his overly calm eyes.
"Minato." Seeing him, Hiroki offered a faint, friendly smile and greeted him first.
"Yes, Lord Fourth." Minato was slightly restrained. Although he was a member of the Shadow Guard Squad, he knew that his strength still fell short of some veteran elite jonin.
At the very least, he needed to master the Flying Thunder God more skillfully and precisely, then learn more about the five elemental release transformations. Only after ensuring he understood the vast majority of common ninjutsu could he truly be considered worthy of the Shadow Guard Squad's level.
And now, facing Hiroki, he could not help feeling a little inferior.
After all, Hiroki was simply too powerful, too dazzling. Even though Minato could sense that Hiroki seemed to be deliberately trying to close the distance between them. "Sit."