The Third Hokage Makes His Move

Fortunately, Chentian had merely been overthinking things. Neither Kushina nor Minato asked any questions, and Chentian let out a huge sigh of relief.

If those two had really pressed him for answers, he honestly would not have known how to respond.

Nothing he had done could stand up to scrutiny. Anyone who was not an idiot could tell something was off.

Kakashi and Nohara Rin were curious as well, but they did not know the full story and did not think too much about it.

More importantly, seeing that his teacher and teacher's wife had not asked anything, Kakashi simply went along with it and played dumb.

However, Chentian still did not escape Kushina's clutches. She had never forgotten about him running away from home.

After some roughhousing, everyone had rested enough and got up to continue their journey.

It was not really appropriate for Minato and Kushina to be away from Konoha, so the sooner they returned, the better.

On the way back, Chentian discovered that something had gone wrong with his system.

He saw a white card drop from Kakashi, but no matter what he did, he could not pick it up.

After trying all sorts of methods, he could only give up on the card.

Yet this cast a shadow over Chentian's heart, leaving him completely distracted.

Whoosh! Minato used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Chentian and caught him before he could fall. "Xiaotian, what's wrong? Why are you so out of it?"

He had truly never seen a ninja nearly trip while traveling.

Chentian had been fine earlier, so he clearly was not injured. Still, his current state deeply worried Minato and Kushina.

Their concerned gazes kept sweeping over Chentian, trying to find out what was wrong with him, but to no avail.

Seeing their expressions, Chentian felt warmth in his heart. "I'm fine. Don't worry. I was just distracted for a moment. Let's head back first."

After saying that, he did not care whether they believed him and took the lead toward Konoha.

There was simply no way he could explain this, so he could only muddle through it with a few casual words.

As Chentian's group drew closer and closer to Konoha, Uchiha Madara was not having such an easy time on the other side.

His already decrepit body could no longer endure. Even with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, he would not be able to hold on much longer.

"Black Zetsu, I do not have much time left. It will probably be too late for that little girl. Konoha will definitely conceal news of her to keep the Three-Tails from being exposed."

"Arrange for White Zetsu to disguise itself as that little girl and Hatake Kakashi, so Obito can awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan. I will use my remaining time to visit the Hidden Mist Village and make them keep the little girl and the Three-Tails a secret!"

Black Zetsu froze for a moment at those words, then gave Uchiha Madara a deep look. His wariness of Madara rose considerably.

However, he did not show it on the surface and merely replied respectfully, "I will see to it at once, Madara-sama."

Afterward, Black Zetsu slowly sank into the ground and disappeared from the cave.

"I do not have much time left. I can only use this desperate measure. Damn it! Once I revive, once I revive, I'll come find you..."

A low voice filled with rage drifted through the cave.

After traveling for an entire day, Minato brought the group back to Konoha. The moment they returned, they were stopped by the Anbu at the gates.

At the gates, the Anbu wearing a fox mask said, "Lord Hokage, Lady Kushina, the Third Hokage has ordered all of you to report to the Hokage's office!"

After speaking, the fox-masked Anbu stood there motionlessly, watching Chentian and the others.

"You...!"

Kushina was about to lose her temper when Minato stopped her. He then said to the fox-masked Anbu, "All right, we understand."

Having received a satisfactory response, the fox-masked Anbu led them toward the Hokage Building.

"Minato, you're the Hokage. What gives an Anbu the right to speak like that? That old man, the Third Hokage, stepped down long ago!"

Kushina complained as they walked, making no attempt to lower her voice. She was clearly saying it for the fox-masked Anbu to hear.

Unfortunately, the other party acted as though he had heard nothing, without the slightest change in expression.

Instead, Minato gently tugged on Kushina's hand and whispered, "This time, I really was at fault for leaving Konoha without authorization."

Chentian temporarily put aside his frustration over being unable to pick up cards and thought to himself, Has the Telescope Technique already been developed? But what can you do about it?

While they spoke, they had already arrived at the Hokage's office. When they opened the door, Hiruzen Sarutobi was seated in the Hokage's chair.

"You're back." He took a drag from his pipe. Amid the swirling smoke, his expression was impossible to read.

"Yes, Third Hokage-sama." After respectfully answering Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato began to explain, "The reason I left Konoha without authorization this time was because..."

"You needn't explain!" Before Minato could finish, Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off and continued on his own. "It seems you have not yet fully grasped the responsibilities of a Hokage. This old man will assist you for a few more years."

Heh. Chentian sneered inwardly. Have you finally shown your true colors? Too bad you don't have the ability!

With that thought, Chentian was about to speak, intending to vent all the frustration he had been holding in over the system's inability to pick up cards on Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But before he could say anything, Kakashi beat him to it. "Minato-sensei left Konoha to save me. Whatever punishment there is, I'll bear it myself!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and shook his head, saying gently, "Kakashi, this is not a punishment."

"This...!"

Still too young. Chentian inwardly shook his head as he watched Kakashi get choked up by a single sentence from Hiruzen Sarutobi.

With such a legitimate opportunity to suppress Minato, would Hiruzen Sarutobi, a man so obsessed with power, give it up so easily?

Just look at Danzo. Hiruzen Sarutobi was exactly the same type.

The only difference was that Danzo was truly evil, while Hiruzen Sarutobi was merely sufficiently hypocritical.

Boom!

"Old man, what exactly do you mean?"

The hot-tempered Kushina exploded. She smashed the desk in front of her with one punch and angrily shouted at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

She might have been innocent, but she was not truly stupid, not some naïve fool who understood nothing.

Besides, she had never liked Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Before, she had not known and had no way of finding out. But after Minato became Hokage, why the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed was no longer a secret to her.

If not for the bonds she had formed in Konoha, she would have turned against him long ago.

And now Hiruzen Sarutobi was actually pushing his luck? How could Kushina possibly endure that?