Inside one of the Hokage Building's secure council chambers, five figures sat in tense silence around a long table.
Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, stood at one end, still in his green flak vest, a weary but alert look in his blue eyes. Beside him sat Hiruzen Sarutobi, the retired Third Hokage, hunched forward with hands clasped and eyes shadowed.
Opposite them were Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, the two longtime advisors and elder policymakers of the village.
At the far end, wrapped in his signature dark cloak and bandage body, sat Danzo Shimura—the elusive leader of Root, Konoha's black-ops network.
Together, they represented the core of Konohagakure's power.
Every other department—ANBU, Medical Corps, Barrier Team, and the dozens of specialized divisions—eventually reported to this table. And today, they were gathered in the wake of a near-catastrophic event.
The Night of the Nine-Tails.
And trust was wearing thin.
Danzo's voice cut through the silence first.
"We cannot delay this discussion any longer. The village demands answers. Our people demand accountability."
Koharu nodded solemnly. "The daimyo's office has already requested a preliminary report. We need clarity on the scale of damage, and on how this attack was even possible."
Minato didn't flinch. He had already anticipated the pressure.
"The preliminary figures have been compiled," he said calmly. "As of now—638 ninja casualties. Civilian casualties have reached 2,845. The number of injured is still rising."
A cold silence followed.
Homura exhaled slowly. "That's worse than the Third Shinobi War."
"Which just ended," Koharu added, voice low. "We haven't even finished rebuilding, and now we've been struck again. The other villages will sense blood in the water."
Minato nodded. "Which is why I've already dispatched long-range recon teams to all borders. Our detection barriers are active at full strength. If any hostile force tries to exploit our weakness, we'll see them coming—and we'll strike first."
His voice didn't rise. But there was no hesitation.
The other four council members exchanged glances. For all their doubts about his age or political strength, none questioned his battlefield ability. The Yellow Flash remained the most feared shinobi alive for a reason.
But the concerns went deeper than tactics.
Koharu leaned forward. "Let's address the question everyone's avoiding. How did the masked man—whoever he was—know the exact time and location of Kushina's childbirth? The Jinchūriki's delivery was a top-level secret, buried under multiple layers of clearance."
Danzo's eyes narrowed. "And somehow, he knew. Not only that—it seems he was able to bypass the highest-grade barriers the village had. That requires inside knowledge and access."
He paused. "I smell the scent of a rat."
All eyes turned to Minato and Hiruzen.
"Only a handful of individuals knew Kushina's status and the timing of the delivery," Danzo continued. "The two Hokage. The attending med-nin. Biwako Sarutobi. Taji. A few senior ANBU. That's it."
Hiruzen didn't look up. His face was stone.
Minato answered carefully. "The attacker used an advanced form of space-time ninjutsu. That's how he slipped past the barriers. As for how he knew… I have no definitive answer. Only a few people had that information. I trusted every one of them."
Danzo's tone sharpened.
"Trust doesn't stop sabotage. Someone still ratted."
He turned his attention directly to Hiruzen. "Your wife, Biwako, and the kunoichi Taji were both overseeing the delivery. They're both dead now. Their role in this must be investigated."
Hiruzen didn't move. His voice came out hoarse.
"Biwako was my wife, Danzo. She died protecting the Jinchūriki."
Danzo's tone didn't soften. "Which makes it even more important we find out how the enemy knew where to strike."
Koharu intervened, trying to break the tension. "Regardless of who leaked the intel, we still don't know who the attacker really was. Do we have any clue to his identity?"
Minato paused.
He did have a clue. A devastating one.
He had seen the man's Sharingan. Felt his chakra. Watched his movements. Everything pointed to a single impossible conclusion.
Obito Uchiha.
But how could he say that aloud?
The boy had died during the war—or so everyone believed. And the consequences of naming an Uchiha, especially now, could destabilize the entire village.
So Minato remained silent.
Danzo, seeing the hesitation, pressed harder.
"If you can't name the traitor, then you must own the consequences. You, Minato, were responsible for protecting the Jinchūriki. Instead, you let the Nine-Tails loose. And now the village bleeds."
Homura nodded reluctantly. "He's right. Responsibility needs to be established. If not for the sealing, we might've lost the entire village."
Koharu added, "You did reseal the Nine-Tails… but only after hundreds had died."
Minato's jaw tightened.
The very people who'd once supported his rise were now turning on him. He wasn't surprised—politics was just another battlefield. And this time, Danzo was clearly making a move.
"If I must be held accountable," Minato said, "then I accept that. But right now, our focus should be on protecting the village. There will be time for blame later."
Danzo scoffed. "Blame is not what I'm interested in. Leadership is."
A chilling silence followed.
Koharu and Homura said nothing, but their expressions shifted slightly.
Danzo had made his intentions clear.
Sarutobi finally lifted his head.
"Danzo," he said, voice tired but steady, "if you're so concerned about responsibility… tell us. Where were you and Root during the attack?"
Danzo narrowed his eye. "Root was executing a parallel mission."
"Then why didn't you redeploy when the Nine-Tails appeared in the village center? We needed everyone."
Danzo said nothing.
Sarutobi leaned forward. "You want accountability? So do I. Let's all account for our actions last night."
Danzo bristled, but he didn't answer.
Minato, watching the exchange, remained still.
He hadn't forgotten Danzo's long history of secrets and backdoor deals. If Root had known about the Nine-Tails attack in advance and done nothing…
He shook the thought away. Now wasn't the time.
A knock came at the chamber door.
An ANBU operative stepped in, leaned down, and whispered into Minato's ear.
Minato's eyes widened.
Without another word, he stood. "Excuse me. I have urgent business."
"Is this more important than protecting the village?" Danzo asked, clearly irritated.
Minato gave him a flat look.
"If you make any final decisions without me, make sure to notify my office."
Then he vanished in a flash of golden light—Flying Thunder God.
Only one thing could make him leave that meeting now.
Kai had returned.
Back at the Namikaze residence, Kai sat with Kushina and the infant Naruto, having just finished breakfast.
Outside the house, hidden ANBU reported his presence the moment he appeared. Within minutes, word had reached the Hokage.
Now, as Kai sat calmly sipping tea, his senses tingled.
A flash of golden light—
Minato appeared.
"Kai," he said breathlessly. "You're back."
Kai nodded once. "We need to talk."
Minato gave a short nod.
The fallout from last night wasn't over.
But with Kai here, the next move would shake more than just Konoha.
It might shake the entire shinobi world.