"Whoooosh!"
Fierce winds swept across the skies above Konoha.
Fires burned everywhere. Anxious shouts and grief-stricken sobs rang out ceaselessly, and the entire village was steeped in sorrow and anger.
A flurry of footsteps sounded as Uchiha Fugaku arrived. When he saw the scene before him, he fell silent.
Not far ahead, a young blond man gently laid two people on the ground beside a baby whose cries were piercing.
"The Fourth Hokage is gone!"
Someone spoke softly, disbelief filling their voice.
Konoha's Yellow Flash, the Fourth Hokage who had taken office only a year ago, had left this world just like that. It was almost impossible to believe.
"Teacher!!" Sobs followed.
"Lord Hokage!"
Kakashi and Kabuto broke down in tears, their sobs mingling with those around them.
As a Konoha Commoner Ninja, Minato Namikaze had risen to the position of Hokage, fully realizing his life's ambition. Minato Namikaze represented the hopes of most commoners: their hope that they could strive hard and fight their way upward.
But at this moment, he had fallen.
Among the ninja, none grieved more than the many Commoner Ninja who admired and revered Minato.
For a time, sobs and sorrow filled the area, and even the wind overhead grew stronger.
"My condolences, Sui."
With a heavy heart, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi approached River from behind and spoke softly, patting his shoulder.
"Mm."
River nodded.
Then he looked down at Naruto, who was crying on the ground, and slowly gathered him into his arms.
Strangely, the moment River held him, Naruto's frantic sobbing inexplicably stopped.
"You're quite a perceptive little fellow."
A faint smile appeared on River's face.
"I'll leave Minato and Kushina in your care. I need to get this little fellow settled first."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Rest assured."
Then River left. Guy, Kabuto,