Kōki, who had returned home by then, still had no idea Minato had already sold him out.
Lying in bed, he turned to look out the window, thinking about how to proceed with his future. Although he wanted to become someone like the Sage of Six Paths, Kōki still needed some idea of how to take that first step.
Besides, setting his sights on the Sage of Six Paths was thinking too far ahead. Given his current circumstances, he first had to make sure he could survive the battlefield before doing anything else.
To survive on the battlefield, he needed formidable strength. With his current Jonin-level strength in his normal state, he had some chance of surviving, but it was far more likely that Sunagakure would relentlessly hunt him down and surround him.
After all, the Sunagakure ninja were no fools. They knew perfectly well what it meant for an eight- or nine-year-old child to possess the strength of a Jonin. If they encountered him on the battlefield, they would definitely make killing him a priority.
Then what if the news that I possess Wood Release gets out?
Although using Wood Release would take his strength to another level, it would only make Sunagakure act even more frantically. An eight-year-old Jonin with Wood Release was terrifying just to think about. It meant that Konoha might produce another God of the Shinobi World.
Not only would Sunagakure refuse to accept that, but the other ninja villages might immediately join the battlefield once they heard the news.
None of them would want a ninja who surpassed the limits of ninja to exist in the shinobi world, much less one who belonged to Konoha, the greatest ninja village in the shinobi world.
Does that mean I can only hide the fact that I have Wood Release?
The thought filled Kōki with frustration. He did not want to fight with his hands tied. When a single Wood Release technique could finish an enemy off, he would have to put in extra effort instead. Fighting like that would be far too stifling.
Besides, in the shinobi world, people without any fearsome reputation were always looked down on and easily targeted. Having such a reputation would frighten enemies and instead make them afraid to act.
No, wait. Kōki suddenly remembered that he would not need to take part in battles on the front lines during the early stages of the Shinobi World War. Having joined the Anbu, he would be responsible for covert operations such as assassinations, disrupting supplies, and gathering intelligence.
That would greatly reduce his risk of exposure. He only needed to wipe out every enemy he encountered and leave no traces.
As for the front lines later on, Kōki believed that by then, even if Sunagakure ninja wanted to kill him on the battlefield, it would be very difficult. He would be fully capable of surviving through his own strength.
As for the other ninja villages entering the war to attack Konoha, Kōki felt that would suit Konoha's strategy better.
After all, rather than having to guard against other ninja villages sitting back and watching the tigers fight, waiting to reap the benefits of both sides' struggle, it would be better for Konoha to bring them into the war quickly.
Anyone with foresight could surely see how long the other ninja villages had been eyeing Konoha. They would not pass up this opportunity to attack. The only question was when they would launch their attacks.
For Konoha, a blade out in the open was nothing to fear. Poisoned arrows from the shadows were far harder to guard against.
Kōki thought that perhaps he should discuss this with Hiruzen Sarutobi and try to persuade him. Otherwise, having his hands tied like this would feel awful, and without anything to compare himself against, it would be easy to lose track of exactly where his strength stood.
Being the Sword God of Ten-Mile Slope was all well and good, but he still preferred the feeling of fighting monsters and leveling up.
Far away in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi had yet to finish work. He was still reviewing documents nonstop.
"Knock, knock, knock." Someone suddenly knocked on the office door. Hiruzen Sarutobi's rapidly writing hand stopped. He had not expected anyone to come looking for him so late.
"Come in." After speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his head to see who had come to find him at this hour.
But to his surprise, the person who entered was Minato Namikaze. He froze for a moment, then asked in some confusion, "Minato, is something the matter?"
Faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi's question, Minato Namikaze hesitated, unsure where to begin.
Before leaving, he had promised not to reveal the news about Wood Release, only to tell Kushina everything about Kōki as soon as he got home. Although he had done it because he did not want Kushina to be upset, the fact remained that he had disobeyed the Hokage's orders.
Seeing the struggle and guilt on Minato's face, Hiruzen Sarutobi assumed he had made some mistake and reassured him directly. "Minato, whatever it is, just tell me. I won't blame you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's words lifted a great weight from Minato's heart. Relieved, he said to Hiruzen Sarutobi, "Lord Hokage, I told Kushina that Kōki awakened Wood Release."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart lurched at Minato's words, and then he heard Minato continue.
"Lord Hokage, you know that Kushina rarely leaves the village because of the fear that the Nine-Tails inside her might go berserk. But she has never stopped wanting to go out and see what's beyond the village."
"And now, the emergence of Wood Release has given her hope of being able to leave the village. I want Kushina to be free too, so I hope you will agree to let her be a normal ninja, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's head began to ache. He had never expected Minato to bring him news like this.
Honestly, he had not expected Minato to reveal the existence of Wood Release outright. Of course, there was no harm in telling Kushina. Both of them were people he, Hiruzen Sarutobi, trusted absolutely.
The problem was that this news had stirred up Kushina's previously settled heart again.
That gave Hiruzen Sarutobi something of a headache. One reason he had originally restricted Kushina's movements was the fear that no one would be able to stop the Nine-Tails inside her if he went out of control. Another was the fear of Kushina's identity being exposed.
A member of the Uzumaki Clan was still very valuable in the shinobi world. He had restricted Kushina's personal freedom to protect him, too.
There was also the fact that, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and Konoha's strategic weapon, it was not very appropriate for her to run around everywhere.
But the current circumstances told him he needed a different reason. Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head, thinking of an excuse to turn Minato down. "Hmm... Minato, it would still be best for Kushina not to leave the village. Look at how chaotic things are on the battlefield right now. It's very dangerous, and there might even be..."
Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could finish, the office door was violently smashed into wooden fragments.
The crash of the door shattering made Hiruzen Sarutobi look toward the doorway. A pair of eyes filled with red light appeared in the darkness. Before he could say anything, Minato, who stood before him, looked toward the doorway and hurriedly said, "Kushina, calm down."
The person in the darkness was none other than Kushina Uzumaki. After her failed attempt at cooking at home, she had gone out to eat with Minato.
But throughout the meal, she had been unable to calm down. After years of having her freedom restricted, the day when she could finally be free had arrived. She simply could not contain herself.
So after they finished eating, she urged Minato to go discuss it with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
She had been listening outside the door while Minato and Hiruzen Sarutobi talked. When she heard Hiruzen Sarutobi's hesitant tone, which seemed to suggest he would not agree, she could no longer hold herself back.
With one heavy blow, she smashed through the door, intending to have a proper talk with Old Man Sarutobi.
The first light of hope after all these years was right before her eyes. She would not give up.