Konoha, an abandoned warehouse at a secluded training ground. Thick clouds hid the moonlight, and only a few pale streaks filtered through the gaps in the warehouse, barely outlining two figures.
Danzo leaned on his cane, his figure like a dead tree stump in the gloom.
Opposite him, Minato Namikaze stood at the edge of the shadows. Even his golden hair looked somewhat dull in the faint light, and his blue eyes, always clear and gentle, now resembled a frozen lake as he stared fixedly at Danzo.
The air felt so thick it seemed water could be squeezed from it. Only an occasional moan drifted in from the distance, whether from the wind or something else.
"Danzo." Minato spoke evenly, but the anger and coldness beneath his voice seemed to lower the warehouse's temperature by several degrees.
"Yamato woke up. He told me everything he could. The parallel world, Rōran, the Dragon Vein. I also learned about the child your 'Root' took away."
He paused, each word seeming to squeeze through his clenched teeth:
"Naruto Uzumaki. He's... my future... son."
Those last words carried an indescribably complicated mix of emotions: heartache, absurdity, and, above all, towering fury.
Danzo's lone eye shifted slightly beneath his bandages. His voice was hoarse, yet surprisingly calm. "Oh? So that's it. No wonder his chakra felt somewhat familiar. What an... unexpected connection."
"Connection?!" Minato took a step forward, his presence suddenly turning fierce. Even the air seemed to sharpen.
"You captured him, controlled him with a Cursed Seal and Sealing Jutsu, and treated him like a weapon, a bargaining chip! That's what you call a 'connection'?! Danzo! What right do you have to lay a hand on him?! What right do you have to say you're doing this 'for Konoha'?!"
Faced with Minato's almost tangible