Minato Namikaze was walking home, Jiraiya's words echoing in his mind.
The village had begun peace talks with Iwagakure, and the Third Hokage was going to step down voluntarily to ease the villagers' resentment.
As for the next Hokage, Jiraiya had recommended him, and Lord Hokage thought highly of him as well.
Hokage! It had always been Minato's dream—and Kushina's, too.
Kushina would be overjoyed if she heard the news!
At the thought, a smile unconsciously spread across Minato's bright, handsome face.
"Minato Namikaze." A somewhat cool voice pulled Minato's thoughts back to reality.
Minato stopped and looked to the side. A stranger dressed as an Anbu, wearing a mask, stood a few steps away at the mouth of an alley, most of his body hidden in shadow.
An Anbu ninja? No... That wasn't right! This was a Root ninja!
After looking carefully, Minato grew wary. He knew that the leader of Root, Elder Danzo, belonged to the village's hard-line faction and disagreed with the Third Hokage on policy.
The Root ninja standing at the alley entrance was none other than Shiraishi. He looked at Minato and beckoned him over.
Minato hesitated for a moment, then walked over to Shiraishi.
"Lord Minato, would you have a moment to talk?" Shiraishi said, studying him.
"Who are you?" Minato's expression turned serious.
"The village is facing a problem. There are things that only you, Lord Minato, can resolve." Shiraishi answered.
"If you've discovered a problem, why not report it to Lord Hokage?" Minato demanded.
"What if the Third Hokage is part of the problem?" Shiraishi countered.
Minato's gaze instantly sharpened, like a blade hidden in its sheath, ready to strike.
"Don't look at me like that. You're terrifying, Lord Minato," Shiraishi teased in a mock-frightened tone, then continued, "Meeting you like this is a huge risk for me."
"Who are you, really?" Minato demanded, his voice hardening.
"I'm Lord Danzo's guard." This time, Shiraishi answered.
Hearing this, Minato thought, So he really is one of Danzo's men! What is he up to?
"Come with me. This meeting has nothing to do with Lord Danzo. I have important information to share with you personally."
Without waiting for Minato's reply, Shiraishi turned and walked deeper into the alley.
Minato stood there, frowning as he watched Shiraishi's back. In the end, he chose to follow.
They walked one behind the other into the shadowy depths of the alley, stopping in front of a moss-covered stone wall at the far end.
"Tonight at ten, Lord Danzo plans to meet the Third Hokage in a hidden passage inside Kage Rock." Shiraishi turned to Minato and spoke.
"What does Elder Danzo intend to do?" Though Minato was only in his early twenties and his teacher was still Jiraiya, he had a keen sense for politics.
"Iwagakure's terms in the peace talks are simply outrageous. Lord Danzo is furious! He refuses to accept the agreement." Shiraishi laid the groundwork.
"But the village has suffered heavy losses in this war. We can't keep fighting." Minato sincerely hoped the war would end; too many people had already died.
"Konoha has suffered heavy losses, but do you think the other villages came through unscathed?" Shiraishi asked in return.
"But..." Minato started to argue.
"Enough. I didn't meet you to debate this. What I'm about to tell you is of the utmost importance. You must promise not to tell anyone—not even reveal that I exist." Shiraishi warned him sternly.
"I promise," Minato said solemnly.
"Lord Danzo is deeply dissatisfied with the Third Hokage's decision. He's already prepared to die at tonight's meeting. If he can't persuade the Third Hokage, he'll challenge him to a fight to the death. Only one of them will leave that passage alive."
Shiraishi's words left Minato stunned, then visibly anxious. He didn't doubt what Shiraishi had said; the Elder Danzo he knew was exactly the kind of person to go to such extremes.
"No! We have to stop Elder Danzo," Minato said anxiously.
"I can only entrust this to you," Shiraishi said.
"Why don't we go tell the Third Hokage now?" Minato asked, confused.
Shiraishi explained, "If word gets out, Lord Danzo will never back down. He'll lead Root in a desperate fight against the Third Hokage and ignite a civil war in the village.
"By then, the damage will be even greater. The village can't afford any more losses."
Minato fell into thought. A few seconds later, he nodded in agreement.
"I understand. You want me to step in and stop Elder Danzo and Lord Hokage from fighting." Minato looked at Shiraishi.
"Yes. You're the only ninja in the village who can do it." Shiraishi admitted.
Minato looked at Shiraishi, feeling as if a burden weighing a thousand pounds had settled on his shoulders. Konoha could no longer afford to suffer any losses.
"I'll do it," Minato promised with a solemn expression.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Lord Minato! The village's hopes rest on your shoulders." Shiraishi spoke earnestly.
Minato took a deep breath. His eyes were bright as he looked straight at Shiraishi and nodded solemnly.
"Can you tell me your name?" In Minato's eyes, this Root ninja was a true shinobi who carried the Will of Fire in his heart.
"Shiraishi. My name is Shiraishi," he said quietly.
"Shiraishi. I'll remember that." Minato etched the name deep in his heart.
"Tonight at ten, I'll wait for you at the entrance to the hidden passage in Kage Rock," Shiraishi said at last.
"I won't tell anyone," Minato promised again.
With that, Shiraishi vanished with the Body Flicker Technique, leaving Minato alone, anxious and burdened with a heavy responsibility.
At the Root Base, Danzo was already waiting when Shiraishi returned.
"Why did you tell Minato Namikaze about tonight?" Danzo looked at Shiraishi, displeasure in his voice.
Shiraishi removed his mask and calmly replied, "After the Reincarnation Technique is performed, your body will become a living corpse without a soul. The body of the Third Hokage that you reincarnate into will remain unconscious for three days. With both the Hokage and an elder of Konoha incapacitated, aren't you worried that it could cause a huge commotion?"
Danzo looked thoughtful, his mind filling with sinister ideas. "You mean we blame Minato Namikaze when the time comes, and tell everyone he attacked the Hokage and me?"
As he spoke, Danzo grew more and more convinced it was a good plan.
That bastard Hiruzen Sarutobi had already revealed at a high-level meeting that he intended to step down as Hokage and pass the position to Minato Namikaze.
If Danzo's attitude suddenly changed after he reincarnated, it might arouse suspicion.
By dragging Minato Namikaze into tonight's events, Danzo could claim after completing the reincarnation that Minato had attacked him, brand him a Hokage-assailant, and eliminate the threat he posed once and for all.
"Next time you do something like this, you must discuss it with me first. Don't act on your own." Danzo was very pleased with Shiraishi's plan, but still displeased with his actions.
Shiraishi looked at Danzo, utterly speechless, his eyes as if he were staring at a pile of dog shit.
How had this guy managed to come up with a plan to frame Minato Namikaze and brand him a rogue ninja?
If Minato Namikaze were falsely accused of being a rogue ninja, Konoha would lose more than its strongest new-generation shinobi. It would also lose Kushina, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Minato's teacher, Jiraiya.
Could Danzo really do a good job as Hokage?
Shiraishi regretted praising Danzo that afternoon. He must have been blind!
Before you continue