"Yeah, I feel that kid must have something to do with this, but I can't say for sure yet."
"After all, with Orochimaru, you can never guess what he'll do next."
Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a bitter smile.
"But we need to prepare first."
He looked up at the two of them.
"You should head back. I'll go talk to Minato."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance. They didn't press him further, only nodded before turning and pushing open Hiruzen Sarutobi's front door.
A gust of wind swept through the corridor. Standing on the steps, Mitokado Homura lowered his voice.
"Tell me, if they really intend to declare war on the village..."
"Tsunade and Jiraiya wouldn't do that." Utatane Koharu cut him off, her brows furrowing. "But if they really did..."
She left the rest unsaid. The two fell silent and disappeared into the night.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't hurry. He stood where he was, calmly digesting the news he'd received lately.
"First, a kid who can control the Nine-Tails. Now Orochimaru?"
He took a puff from his pipe, its ember glowing and fading.
"Konoha... what a turbulent time."
He put out his pipe, stepped over the threshold, and beckoned an Anbu agent over.
"Go tell Minato I'm on my way to see him."
Then he went inside to change into a practical combat outfit. After taking two deep breaths, he strode toward the Hokage Office.
Sunlight slanted into the Hokage Office, falling across the desk piled high with documents.
Minato Namikaze sat at the desk with a pen clenched in his hand, staring blankly at the casualty list. The door opened, and Hiruzen Sarutobi walked in wearing his combat outfit.
Minato looked up and smiled. "Third, I just got the news. What's going on?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi closed the door behind him and walked over to the desk. "I just got word that Tsunade... is already on her way back to the village."
The pen in Minato's hand clacked against the desk. He sprang to his feet.
"Really?"
"Really. Jiraiya sent word. They're already on their way."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, his gaze settling on Minato's face. His voice softened.
"Kushina can be saved."
Minato breathed a sigh of relief, his shoulders beginning to relax. But Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression remained tense.
Minato paused, then asked, "Third, is there something else?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, his voice growing heavy.
"Orochimaru is traveling with them."
Minato's pupils contracted. "Orochimaru?"
"Who else could it be?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.
"Danzo's people saw him with their own eyes, walking arm in arm with Jiraiya, while Tsunade walked beside them. No one knows what they've been up to, but they're currently bringing a Cloud Village prisoner back to the village."
Minato said nothing. He walked around the desk to the window and lightly tapped the frame twice with his fingers. Outside, Konoha was still being rebuilt, the clanging and hammering rising and falling without pause.
"Something's not right." With his back to Hiruzen, he spoke softly. "Orochimaru wouldn't just team up with Jiraiya for no reason, unless..."
"Unless what?"
Minato turned around, his bright blue eyes gleaming in the sunlight.
"Unless he isn't the Orochimaru we know!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.
"So you do know something."
"I can't explain it yet."
Minato picked up the Hokage Haori draped over the back of his chair and put it on.
"But if we let the three of them stroll into the village, someone will pin the charge of treason on the Sannin by tomorrow. Then everyone will start shouting at each other in the meeting room. Unfortunately, Kushina can't wait—and neither can the village."
He tightened the sash and glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"We'll meet them outside the village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi froze for half a second, then understood.
"You want to meet them beyond the village gates?"
"It's not what I want. It's what we have to do."
Minato pushed the door open, and sunlight and noise flooded in.
"Even if they suddenly turn on us, the battlefield can't be right in front of the villagers. We need to leave them... and ourselves... some room to maneuver."
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Minato's back, then suddenly smiled and followed him.
"All right. We'll do it your way, Fourth Hokage."
The two stepped into the midday sun and hurried toward the village outskirts. The sunlight cast their shadows short upon the ground.
Meanwhile, elsewhere around the forests of Konoha...
Jiraiya carried the unconscious Cloud Village kunoichi in one hand, as though she were a bag of rotten garbage, while desperately rubbing his lower back with the other.
"I'm exhausted! Why does this damn road go on forever?"
Shizune followed behind, holding Tonton and muttering under her breath.
"You're the one who insisted on stopping to look at that roadside stall..."
"That was research!" Jiraiya's eyes widened, his nose tilting toward the sky. "Research! Do you know what that is? Art comes from life!"
Tsunade walked beside Lin Zi, rolling her wrists.
"I haven't fought in a long time. My hands are still a little numb."
"Jiraiya, if you dawdle again, I'll carry you and the prisoner together."
"Hey, hey, violent woman..."
Lin Zi didn't say anything. He suddenly stopped, his forked tongue darting out and quivering in the air like a snake reading the scents around it.
"What is it?" Tsunade asked.
"There are two Kage Level chakra signatures up ahead."
Lin Zi frowned, his golden slit pupils fixed on the distant outline of the forest.
"We're still a fair distance from the village, but I'd guess they're coming for us."
Jiraiya paused, then caught on.
"The old man and Minato?"
"Who else could it be?"
Lin Zi folded his arms, looking impatient.
"Think of something. I don't want to fight again. I just finished beating up the Raikage and his brother. I'm exhausted, and I have no interest in fighting our own people."
Jiraiya glanced at Tsunade, then at Lin Zi, and scratched his head awkwardly.
"Then I'll go ahead and talk to them? Tell them not to get nervous?"
Lin Zi stared ahead, his snake-like pupils narrowing slightly. He was silent for two seconds.
"Forget it." He sighed. "Let's go together. Sneaking around would only make things more troublesome. It'd make us look guilty."
Tsunade's mouth curled into a smile, and her fists cracked as she clenched them.
"Good. Let Minato see what sort of people he's invited back."
Shizune shrank back and hugged Tonton tighter.
"Lady Tsunade... please don't start another fight..."
"Don't actually hit them," Jiraiya said, sidling up to the two of them with a wounded look. "Minato is my student, after all. At least show me a little consideration."
"Relax."
Lin Zi set off, his black ponytail swaying in the breeze. His voice was light.
"I won't do anything too extreme. But having to deal with this kind of treatment while wearing my own face is really exhausting."
Tsunade burst out laughing and slapped Lin Zi on the back, not too hard and not too softly.
"Well, well, Orochimaru knows how to complain? I thought you only knew how to scare people by sticking out your tongue!"
"Exactly!"
Jiraiya perked up at once and sidled over to Lin Zi's other side, jabbing him with an elbow.
"See? Even Tsunade complimented you. When you meet Minato, remember to smile. Don't keep that deadpan look on your face."
Lin Zi sighed helplessly and continued walking.
"Hurry up. If we keep the two Hokage waiting too long, we'll have a hard time explaining ourselves."
Before you continue