Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi's compromise deal allowed the increasingly unpredictable peace talks to proceed smoothly.
Both sides sent envoys to sign a peace treaty at the border.
When news of the treaty reached Konoha, the entire village rejoiced.
Anyone with a keen eye could see that the treaty's signing heralded the end of the Third Shinobi World War.
With Iwagakure, its greatest enemy, no longer a threat, Konoha could withdraw many of the ninja stationed on the front lines. After they had rested, they could reinforce the front against Hidden Cloud.
With Hidden Sand defeated and Hidden Mist having suffered heavy losses and retreated to its homeland, Hidden Cloud was the only enemy Konoha had left.
Konoha might struggle against several enemies at once, but facing only Hidden Cloud, now without the Third Raikage, victory would be relatively easy—not quite effortless, but close.
Shiraishi strolled along Konoha's bustling streets, eating a snack and watching the smiling villagers around him. The peace talks had done nothing to change his mood.
For one thing, before the talks, Danzo had taken the time to explain the situation to him. For another, Shiraishi knew very well that in the world of Naruto, a land of many nations and unequal resource distribution, war could never truly end.
Shiraishi had plenty of time and patience to prepare for his plans.
Danzo, with his extreme temperament, was the candidate Shiraishi had chosen to start a war. People like Minato and Itachi, meanwhile, were candidates he considered for managing the postwar order.
"Shiraishi."
Speak of the devil, and he appears. Shiraishi had only just thought of Minato when Minato's voice came from behind him.
A faint smile appeared on Shiraishi's face. He tossed the empty snack box into a trash can nearby with pinpoint accuracy, then turned around. Minato, wearing a jōnin vest, stood a short distance away.
Minato gave Shiraishi a look. Shiraishi nodded slightly, and Minato headed toward a nearby alley.
Shiraishi followed. One after the other, they walked through the alley, crossed a field, and came to an empty, tree-lined path.
Minato stopped beneath a tree and looked at Shiraishi as he approached. His eyes were warm with familiarity, and a gentle smile spread across his face.
"Shiraishi, have you been well lately?"
Shiraishi nodded and stopped in front of Minato.
Minato carefully surveyed the area. After confirming no one was nearby, he spoke in a low voice. "You may have been exposed. Lord Hokage sent me to keep an eye on you."
"Keep an eye on me?" Shiraishi murmured, keeping his expression neutral. Was Danzo planning to lay his cards on the table?
If he remembered correctly, before the reincarnation, he had told Danzo that he'd found Minato and spoken with him.
Had Danzo underestimated how close he and Minato were, or was he deliberately laying his cards on the table to warn Shiraishi through Minato?
Either way, Danzo had gotten a little full of himself since becoming Hokage. Perhaps Shiraishi should give him a warning of his own.
When Minato saw that Shiraishi remained silent, he continued, concerned. "Lord Hokage said you've been acting suspiciously lately and might be plotting something against the village. He told me to watch you closely and inform him immediately if anything seemed off."
"That's not entirely wrong," Shiraishi admitted.
Shiraishi's blunt answer left Minato stunned. He stared at him blankly, taking several seconds to recover.
"Shiraishi, what have you been doing lately? Things are going well for the village. Don't do anything rash."
The corners of Shiraishi's mouth lifted slightly as he looked at Minato. "About the same as you. Lord Danzo asked me to secretly monitor the Third Hokage."
"What?" Minato was even more bewildered. "What is Elder Danzo planning?"
Shiraishi shook his head without answering and walked forward. A breeze swept through the trees, and a withered yellow leaf fell into his hand.
He stopped, raised the leaf, and asked meaningfully, "Minato, do you want to become Hokage?"
Minato stopped beside Shiraishi. He didn't know why Shiraishi had suddenly asked, but answered honestly anyway. "My dream is to become Hokage."
Shiraishi turned sideways and held the leaf up before Minato, guiding him with another question. "Why do you think leaves fall?"
"Because autumn has come," Minato replied.
Shiraishi smiled and shook his head, explaining in simple terms. "When conditions grow harsh, a tree lets its leaves wither and fall so it can survive the cold and drought. That way, it uses less energy."
"I see." Minato kept his eyes on the leaf in Shiraishi's hand. He didn't understand why Shiraishi had gone from talking about the Hokage to talking about leaves.
"If the village is to stay evergreen like a tree, it must also renew itself in time, discard its old leaves, and prune its excess branches. It needs to conserve energy and prepare for new growth next year."
When Shiraishi finished speaking, he released the withered leaf. It drifted slowly down and settled in the dust.
Minato followed it with his eyes. Only after it landed did he look back at Shiraishi.
Even if Minato was politically naive, even if his teacher was Jiraiya, he still had some basic political sense. From Shiraishi's metaphor, he understood what the village hero he trusted was trying to say in private.
How daring! Could he really say something like that?
If what had happened before hadn't convinced Minato of Shiraishi's loyalty to Konoha, he would have rebuked him on the spot.
"Wherever the leaves of Konoha dance, the fire will continue to burn." That saying was right. But I have a question: which leaves burn better—the withered, fallen ones, or the tender new growth?" Shiraishi asked, looking into Minato's eyes with feigned curiosity.
"Of course the withered ones," Minato said firmly.
"Is that so?" Shiraishi asked with a smile. "Then why are the ninja who die most often in the village the young, newly graduated ones?"
Minato stared at Shiraishi, his lips opening and closing as he tried to say something. In the end, he closed his mouth helplessly.
"Of course, people are different from leaves. The more experienced a ninja is, the less likely they are to die on missions or the battlefield, because they've already been tempered by mountains of corpses and seas of blood," Shiraishi explained for him.
Minato nodded in agreement.
"But if the village is like a tree, then with each cycle, the old must gradually be replaced to make way for a new future. Konoha has reached the time for renewal." Shiraishi abruptly changed tack. His words were direct and clear, carrying a faintly persuasive edge that struck straight at Minato's heart.
"That's enough, Shiraishi! Your ideas are too dangerous." Minato warned him sternly, concerned both for Shiraishi and for the village.
"Right now, the Third Hokage is cautious and willing to compromise, while Elder Danzo is extreme by nature. Their conflicting beliefs keep them locked in constant struggle, draining the village's already weakened strength.
"If everyone just stands by and does nothing, will the village still have a future?" Shiraishi asked.
Minato looked at Shiraishi. After a moment's hesitation, he chose to share a secret known to only a handful of people. "Lord Hokage is about to step down. Very few people know about this, so don't tell anyone."
Shiraishi smiled again at the secret Minato had revealed. "What if he doesn't?"
"He will!" Minato said with certainty. Jiraiya had told him so himself when he returned from the front lines, and the Third Hokage had hinted at it privately after Minato returned to the village.
Shiraishi smiled and patted Minato's arm. Then he said, "Let's wait and see. I hope you won't be disappointed."
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