Minato Namikaze

Kato Xu had not expected to see the Third Hokage more times in one day than he had in the previous ten years combined.

The Third Hokage's office was still brightly lit. Hiruzen Sarutobi reclined on the sofa, silently smoking his pipe, reminding Kato Xu of those half-hours he used to spend in his car after work.

"Kato boy, go on. You should have something to explain to me..."

"Reporting to Lord Hokage, there was a slight mishap during the cultivation of my family's secret technique..."

"The Spirit Transformation Technique... How nostalgic..."

The Third Hokage's gaze was shrouded in haze, and Kato Xu could not sense the slightest emotional fluctuation from him.

"Without guidance from one's elders, practicing such a difficult ninjutsu alone is still far too dangerous..."

"It seemed Orochimaru saw that as well, which was why he had you study some basics under Minato..."

The Third Hokage's eyes suddenly shifted. A faint smile curled at his lips as he looked toward the door.

"Minato, come in..."

Kato Xu followed Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze. As expected, the Jonin who entered through the door was the golden-haired man he had seen before.

"Greetings, Lord Hokage!"

"Minato, you came at just the right time. I had planned to notify you tomorrow, but this little fellow did not seem very willing and caused such a huge commotion..."

The Third Hokage glanced at Minato and made a smiling little joke.

Minato Namikaze smiled softly, his gaze falling upon Kato Xu.

"You're Kato Xu, right? Please take care of me from now on..."

Looking at the gentle smile on the man before him, Kato Xu suddenly thought of a woman for some reason.

A woman codenamed D-Five.

"Your subordinate greets Jonin Minato!"

Though he did not know what Danzo was plotting, this was his first direct encounter with the target. Kato Xu gathered all his focus and respectfully bowed to Minato Namikaze.

"Kato-kun is a very polite person..."

Minato Namikaze's smiling face brought to Kato Xu's mind a term that had barely appeared in the Shinobi World for years—an honest man.

Perhaps the Third Hokage appreciated honest men, but Kato Xu knew Danzo would never do anything meaningless. This man was definitely not as simple as he appeared.

"Minato, I'm entrusting Kato Xu to you. By all accounts, you two are fellow disciples as well..."

Listening to the Third Hokage, Kato Xu's heart stirred slightly. The Third Hokage seemed to place great importance on lineage, and he was subtly proud of having raised the Three Ninja, or else he would not have mentioned it so many times.

"Junior Brother Xu, huh? It feels like I suddenly have a younger brother..."

"Lord Jiraiya is my teacher. Lord Orochimaru and Lord Jiraiya came from the same school and are as close as brothers, so you can call me Senior Brother Minato from now on..."

Minato seemed somewhat airheaded as he scratched his hair, though the smile on his face could not be concealed.

"Yes, Senior Brother Minato..."

Children did not need minds of their own. Before they grew up, they were like dolls and toys, at others' mercy. Obeying every adult they could not defy was the secret to being a good child.

"Alright, it's getting late. If Minato doesn't go back soon, I'm afraid Kushina will come tug on my beard again..."

The Third Hokage's smiling demeanor seemed a little more kind and amiable, and a little less gloomy.

If the Third Hokage of more than a decade ago had been worthy of the title Ninja Hero, then Hiruzen Sarutobi, now gradually entering his twilight years, most enjoyed scenes like this—elder brothers humble, younger brothers respectful, disciples filling the hall.

"Lord Hokage, then Minato will take his leave..."

"Go on. You fellow disciples should have a good talk..."

"Yes, Lord Hokage..."

Konoha's main urban district was a circular area enclosed by enormous walls. Dozens of broad Ao-stone roads extended in every direction from the Hokage Building, along with dozens of concentric avenues, dividing Konoha into countless fan-shaped sections.

At that moment, Kato Xu and Minato Namikaze were walking slowly along the main avenue running north to south.

One streetlamp after another gave off a faint warm-yellow glow, making even the night seem hazy.

Kato Xu was still pondering the mission Danzo had given him as he studied the man before him. There did not seem to be anything particularly unusual about him.

"Junior Brother Xu, you seem very curious about me..."

Minato Namikaze turned around, seemingly wanting to gently pat Kato Xu's head. But then he suddenly felt they were not familiar enough, slowly withdrew his hand, and merely smiled as he patted Kato Xu on the shoulder.

It was the first time he had truly met Kato Xu's gaze. His azure eyes held a trace of curiosity as they watched him, while the lamplight and starlight seemed to have all settled within Kato Xu's eyes.

For some reason, seeing Kato Xu's clear eyes made Minato lower his guard slightly.

The Third Hokage had also spoken to him about Kato Xu, telling him that Kato Xu had spent six years in Root and was absolutely not an ordinary child.

But when he thought about how a child barely ten years old had been caught up in such complicated matters, he found it hard to bear. He could not look upon this innocent child with any hostile gaze.

"Senior Brother Minato, I think I saw you at Konoha Cemetery about a year ago..."

"Oh?" Minato frowned slightly. He had no memory of Kato Xu.

"At the time, I used ninjutsu to alter my appearance... You were with Sister Kushina, a boy named Obito who looked rather foolish, and a girl named Rin..."

"Is that so? So that child was you, Junior Brother Xu..."

Only then did Minato remember. He looked at Kato Xu with a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

"At the time, I learned of Uncle Yuan's death while in Root. With Teacher Orochimaru's help, I secretly slipped out, though only for a short while..."

Kato Xu thought of that red-haired woman. He knew he could not keep his altered appearance a secret, so it was better to bring it up himself rather than leave trouble for the future.

"So that was it... Root, huh... It truly is strict..."

Though Minato generally knew about Root, he avoided the subject. Even as Jiraiya's disciple and the Third Hokage's grand-disciple, discussing another elder of the village was still far too inappropriate.

Seeing Kato Xu's somewhat lonely expression, Minato thought of Kato Xu's background. His eyes brightened, and a smile touched his lips.

"Junior Brother Xu, it's getting late today, so go back and get some proper rest. Remember to register your ninja number tomorrow morning, then gather at the Third Training Ground at noon..."

"Don't be late..."

"Yes, Senior Brother Minato!"

Minato had a very good impression of Kato Xu. He had not sensed any of the coldness or ruthlessness of a Root ninja from him.

"Perhaps it's because he's still a child..."

Watching Kato Xu pull up his hood and his small figure slowly disappear into the streets and alleys, Minato looked toward the distant Hokage Rock. He smiled softly before vanishing as well.