For Konoha

Left alone in the council chamber, Hatake Kakashi felt restless.

If Masaki Uchiha tells me to hide the matter regarding the Daimyo from my teacher, what should I do? Just as Kakashi was struggling to make sense of it all, Masaki Uchiha walked in with Uchiha Naoya. The two sat down with Hatake Kakashi sandwiched between them, staring at him in silence.

After a while, unable to bear it any longer, Kakashi bit the bullet and said, "Masaki-san, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave." As he spoke, he prepared to stand up and depart.

"Sit down."

Masaki Uchiha said these two words with nonchalant ease.

However, as the one facing Masaki Uchiha directly, Kakashi suddenly felt a terrifying pressure wash over him, causing his bones to creak faintly under the strain.

Seeing that Kakashi looked like he was at his breaking point, Masaki Uchiha withdrew his aura and suddenly burst into laughter. "I'm just joking with you, don't be so tense."

What could Kakashi do? He had no choice but to helplessly reply, "Whatever you say, Masaki-san. It is just me being too nervous."

"You should know why I kept you behind today, right?"

"I know. I will selectively report today's intelligence to my teacher." Kakashi's ability to lie through his teeth was truly superb.

But that was not what Masaki Uchiha meant. "You must report today's events to the Fourth Hokage in full detail."

"Huh?" Kakashi was completely bewildered.

What was going on?

Could this kind of thing really be told directly to the Hokage?

What Hokage could tolerate a ninja clan flirting with the Daimyo?

Was he afraid the Hokage wouldn't dare mobilize a massive force to besiege Konoha?

As if reading Kakashi's thoughts, Masaki Uchiha said calmly, "The Fourth Hokage is not a man like Sarutobi Hiruzen. I am doing this for the sake of the village."

"Go ahead and report it with confidence. If the Fourth Hokage wishes to have a word with me..."

"I shall await his arrival in the Uchiha compound."

Hearing that Masaki Uchiha was willing to communicate, Kakashi finally set his anxious heart at ease. "You should have said so earlier. Why scare me like that?" There was a hint of grievance in his tone.

Masaki Uchiha looked at him with a sense of disappointment, poking Kakashi's head with his finger. "Look at yourself, acting so lifeless every day. If I don't put some pressure on you, how will you find any motivation?"

"If it weren't for the sake of your father, I wouldn't bother with you at all."

When Masaki Uchiha was practicing his swordsmanship, he had once visited Hatake Sakumo. He studied under him for a time, and it was then that he met the young Hatake Kakashi.

Hatake Sakumo had taught him the White Fang Sword Technique without reservation, simply because Masaki Uchiha was a renowned genius in Konoha at the time.

It was precisely because of this bond that, during the Third Shinobi World War, whenever he and Kakashi were on the same battlefield, he would provide extra protection.

The Sharingan that Obito Uchiha had gifted was also something Masaki Uchiha had taken the lead in approving, allowing it to remain with Kakashi.

At the mention of his father, Hatake Kakashi's voice turned low. "Alright, I will go and report it."

"Wait, take this back and study it." Masaki Uchiha tossed over a copy of Lightning Release Training Notes.

"Thank you, Masaki-san." Kakashi caught the notes and bowed in gratitude.

Masaki Uchiha said nothing more, simply lowering his head to sip his tea and waving a hand to dismiss him.

"So, this is everything from today's meeting?"

"Yes."

Having received his student's reply, Minato Namikaze rested one hand on the desk, his index finger tapping rhythmically—a sign that he was deep in thought.

Kakashi stood to the side, also remaining silent.

After a long while, he heard his teacher say, "Then let us arrange a meeting with Masaki-kun for tomorrow noon."

"Understood." Having received his orders, Kakashi turned and left.

Watching Kakashi's lonely back, Minato Namikaze couldn't help but think of his other two fallen students, and he let out a sigh.

With that thought, he looked at the documents on his desk and muttered to himself, I must finish these quickly, or Kushina Uzumaki will scold me if I return late today.

He then buried his head back into his work.

The next day at noon.

Uchiha compound.

After receiving word yesterday that the Hokage would be visiting, Masaki Uchiha had already made preparations for the reception.

"Clan Leader, the Hokage is arriving soon," the Hokage Guard Platoon reported after scouting the situation.

"Good. Tell everyone to keep their spirits up; don't lose face," Masaki Uchiha instructed.

Upon receiving the order, the guards began to straighten their attire.

Before long, Minato Namikaze appeared, accompanied by his wife—the heavily pregnant Kushina Uzumaki—and his Hokage Guard Platoon.

"Welcome, Fourth Hokage. Please forgive me for not meeting you sooner," Masaki Uchiha said with a polite, smiling greeting.

Hearing Masaki Uchiha's polite words, Minato Namikaze's smile widened. "You are too kind, Masaki-kun. It is I who am intruding today."

"Oh, right. Kushina Uzumaki hasn't seen Lady Mikoto in a long time, so I brought her along today. You don't mind, do you?"

You've already brought her here; am I supposed to say I mind?

He really is a social butterfly.

Masaki Uchiha was speechless internally, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, "Of course not. Please, make yourselves at home."

Minato Namikaze then turned to Kushina Uzumaki and said, "Why don't you go find Lady Mikoto? The Hokage Guard Platoon will accompany you. I'll come find you once I'm done with my talk."

From the very beginning, Kushina Uzumaki had been staring at Masaki Uchiha as if trying to find a flower blooming on his face.

So this is the Masaki Uchiha I've always heard about from Minato.

He just looks a bit better-looking than average; everything else seems quite ordinary.

Hearing Minato speak to her, Kushina Uzumaki snapped out of it and offered an embarrassed smile; after all, staring at someone for so long was rather impolite.

However, after hearing Minato's words, she pouted and said, "Fine, I'll go find Big Sister Mikoto to learn about raising a baby."

Masaki Uchiha had been feeling stiff under Kushina Uzumaki's curious gaze, but upon hearing the word 'baby,' he suddenly remembered.

Kushina Uzumaki's due date was not far off.

That being the case, the pace of that plan needed to be accelerated.

Masaki Uchiha pushed those stray thoughts aside and said to Minato Namikaze with a beaming smile, "Congratulations to the Fourth Hokage; you are about to become a father yourself."

Minato Namikaze caught the word 'yourself' in the sentence and wore a look of sudden realization. "Is Masaki-kun going to be a father as well?"

"Yes."

"In that case, I'll have to come by and have a celebratory drink when the time comes."

"No problem, you are always welcome. Please, come inside," Masaki Uchiha said, gesturing for him to enter.