AN: Sup. Here's an update.

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Disclaimer : Bad Bunny ft. Daddy Yankee - La Santa

"You look so dumb in that hat."

Minato's sapphire eyes traveled towards Kushina who was sitting on the window sill of his new office. A small smile formed on his face as he fished out one of his Hiraishin Kunais.

"I don't know, Kushi-chan..." He replied as he gazed at his reflection from his weapon. "I think it fits me pretty well."

An obnoxious snort from the red haired woman the response he was given.

Minato just smiled though as he gazed at his wife who was now staring out into the village, admiring how the sun bounced off her and how beautiful she looked.

"The hell are you staring at?!"

Minato blinked at Kushina's rather aggressive question before his smile grew larger.

"You..." He replied quietly. "You're so beautiful."

Satisfaction blossomed in Minato's chest at the way Kushina began to handle his compliment. Her eyes immediately averted from his and a small hue of crimson formed on her face.

"S-Shut up... Idiot!"

Minato slowly rose from his seat as he made his way towards his wife. Upon reaching her, he placed his left hand on her cheek before slowly guiding her gaze towards himself.

Violet met sapphire as both husband and wife stared into one another's eyes.

"I love you, Kushina." Minato expressed sincerely.

Though embarrassment channeled deep within her core Kushina replied, albeit rather quietly.

"I love you too... Minato-kun."

The 4th Hokage's eyes crinkled from the smile now adorning his face as he leaned in to kiss her. Their lips met in a rather delicate manner as Kushina's hands grasped her lover's Haori.

The crimson haired woman pulled away first and a large grin formed on her face.

"Let's have some babies~!"

Before Minato could truly comprehend his wife's statement he was pounced on by said woman who didn't bother waiting for a response.

Minato slowly opened his eyes and was greeted to the familiar ceiling of his master bedroom.

A... dream.

The blond man did not move, choosing to stay put in his bed. It was quiet in the room, somber even. Minato didn't really care either way so long as it remained silent.

He welcomed the silence.

He embraced it.

The only sound that could be heard was from the old grandfather clock that belonged to...

Minato squashed that thought before it could truly even finish.

Tik.

Tik.

Tik.

Tik.

Seconds turned to minutes.

And minutes turned to hours.

Minato continued to remain motionless in his bed.

His once vibrant eyes now carried a dull tone to them as he continued to stare at the ceiling of his room in silence.

Tik.

Tik.

Tik.

Tik.

Three days...

It had been three days since that fateful night. Three days since Minato had gotten more than two hours of sleep. Three days since he had truly eaten.

His bed was his solace.

It was a safe haven... Even if it did remind him of Kushina.

Dull orbs slowly traveled to the right side of the king-sized bed where someone was supposed to be. In the spot though, there was nothing.

No stray streaks of crimson covering him and the entire front half of the bed.

No armada of hoarded pillows that either did or didn't belong to him.

No shortage of blankets and coverings.

There was space for him on his side of the bed, an unusual amount of it.

...

No violent woman there to greet him.

No "Good morning you flakey bastard."

There was... Nothing.

Minato closed his eyes as images of Kushina popped into his mind. The way her beautiful hair swayed to and fro...

Her beautiful amethyst orbs...

Her violent temper and stand-offish personality...

He... missed her...

So, so much...

A single pitiful sob escaped Minato as his face scrunched up. Tears threatened to spill out from his clenched eyes but he willed them away.

Kushina's beautiful face appeared in his mind once more. Her eyes were shut as she dawned her infamous grin. Her cheeks scrunching up and her teeth on full display.

The blond haired man clenched the soft fabric of his blanket tightly as another pitiful sound tore through his throat, though he still refused to break.

An obnoxious and loud laugh emitted from Kushina as she doubled over. Her crimson tresses swayed in the wind as her laughter grew in volume.

Minato would not break.

Not again...

"I love you Minato-kun."

And break he did.

"Tsunade-sama..." A young, feminine voice spoke quietly.

"I'm aware, Shizune." The blond haired Senju replied to her companion.

Tsunade glanced down at the half finished sake bottle that sat at their shared booth and slowly reached for it. Upon picking the glass bottle up, she began to slowly spin it while staring into the glass, searching for the individual that was currently stalking them.

It took several seconds longer than she would have liked but Tsunade was eventually successful in her endeavor.

And what or better yet who, she saw in the reflection of the bottle made her blood run cold.

Tsunade's honey brown eyes dilated, if only slightly, as she took in the form of one of the most notorious Shinobi to ever grace the Elemental Nations.

A Shinobi who would go down in history as one of the most prolific killers the Elemental Nations has ever seen.

An army killer... One that had ended an entire war by himself.

The threat that he posed to the entire Elemental Nations was so profound that he was the only individual to have a "Flee on sight" order.

Minato Namikaze.

The 4th Hokage of Konoha.

Known by his famous or rather infamous nickname, The Yellow Flash.

"Tsunade-sama, are you ok?"

The busty woman was snapped out of her trance by Shizune's question. Her eyes traveled back towards the sake bottle in her hand and noticed that Minato was no longer in the reflection.

Adrenaline surged through Tsunade's body as she dropped the glass bottle while whipping her head towards the space Minato had previously occupied.

Silence.

Silence?

But she had dropped the glass bottle...

It should... have...

"Careful there, Tsunade-sama. You almost dropped your Sake."

Tsunade's heart stopped for a single second as the voice of Jiraiya's only student entered her ear. Her eyes slowly trailed towards Minato who dawned a small smile on his handsome face.

Upon further inspection, there seemed to be something... off about him but she couldn't pin it.

Or perhaps it was the fear that was currently nestling in her breast at the sight of this monster that was throwing off her equilibrium.

There would only be, logically, two reasons as to why the Fourth Hokage himself would be here looking for her.

A: To kill her.

B: To take her back to Konoha.

If she was being honest... Both were awful but one of them atleast had her staying alive... This was still a lose/lose situation and she knew it.

Minato's attention shifted to the younger woman who sat at the booth and offered her a small smile. "Hello Shizune." He placed the bottle of alcohol back on the table before continuing. "I'd like to speak with your Aunt. Do you mind giving us some... privacy?"

The 16 year old youth could do nothing but openly stare at the man who was feared by all Nations due to his actions in the Third Shinobi War.

Licking her lips nervously, Shizune glanced towards Tsunade before speaking in a subdued tone. "I... I uh..."

She was prevented from continuing as the blond army killer placed his right hand on her shoulder, deliberately staring into the eyes of Tsunade as he did so.

"Go on now, little one." Minato did not relinquish his gaze on Tsunade as he spoke. "Five minutes is all I need, okay?"

Shizune swallowed the bile that wanted to spew out of her throat before slowly standing to her feet. She nodded her head silently before bowing low to her Uncle's lover and the 4th Hokage.

Minato offered the girl a gentle smile, one that was not returned as Shizune practically fled from the restaurant. He watched her the entire time before eventually returning his gaze to Tsunade once she was out of sight.

The gentle smile that was previously adorned on Minato's immediately disappeared. The Yondaime's visage was like stone as his sapphire orbs pierced directly through Tsunade.

And he stared.

And stared..

And stared...

"How are you Tsunade?" Minato questioned quietly, still retaining that terrifyingly blank expression on his face. He slid into the booth smoothly, continuing to speak. "Enjoying your extended vacation?"

Her hands... They were shaking.

The busty woman glanced at her hand for a brief moment before returning her gaze to the man in front of her.

The second her gaze strayed to her hand was all the time he needed.

"Why did you look away?" Minato questioned quietly, his index finger now resting on the seal that sat on Tsunade's forehead. "When a threat faces you, you do not blink."

Tsunade released a shaky breath as she met Minato's gaze. She inhaled deeply through her nose before forcing herself to calm down. He already had Shizune's life in his hands...

A simple touch was all he needed.

And now he was touching her.

Getting her heart beat under control, Tsunade spoke in a quiet tone. "Where is she?"

There was silence for several moments before Minato eventually responded. "Making her way to the hotel... To gather your belongings I'm sure."

He did not relinquish his finger from her forehead.

Had Minato been literally anyone else then she would stomped their body into the earth while shattering every bone in their body.

But this wasn't just anyone... Her pride needed to be squashed. Minato carried the entire deck of cards in his hand... And he certainly knew it.

"If you were here to kill me, then I'd already be dead." She responded quietly. "And you are certainly not giving me a choice in the matter."

The blond Kage tilted his head for a moment before replying. "You should have never left to begin with and Hiruzen should have never condoned it. His leniency towards you three never ceases to astound me."

Tsunade wanted to snarl at his reply but she stomped that knee jerk reaction in its entirety.

"I came back to Konoha during the Third War and aided my home." Her eyes turned sharp as she bit out her next response. "I sure as fuck didn't start it."

Tsunade didn't even see Minato move. His fist just seemed to... appear through the mahogany table they were seated at.

The restaurant table exploded in a rather beautiful display of destruction as hundreds of sharp and jagged pieces of wood spread throughout the establishment. The entire restaurant grew eerily silent as every single individual turned towards the duo's position.

Minato ignored every single look he was recieving as his angry blue eyes bore directly into Tsunade's honey brown ones.

"You don't get to stop being a Shinobi because of tragedy!" He practically screamed into her face. "You don't get to stop protecting your home because you lost a loved one!"

The blond man stood up from his seated position before getting directly into Tsunade's face, their noses brushing against one another.

He spoke in a tone that only she could hear.

"Konoha just lost 8,000 of its citizens and Shinobi combined during a span of only two hours. I had to sit by and watch as my wife sacrificed her very life to protect her village." Minato's tone grew darker as he questioned her. "You think your suffering is greater than mine?"

Tsunade's visage contorted angrily as her eyes lit with fury. She stood to her feet, forcing Minato half a step back but not enough for him to pull his face away from hers. "My entire bloodline was essentially hunted down to the very last child because of a petty dick measuring contest around money!"

Tsunade's forehead clashed against Minato's harshly, cracking against his skull and causing a small amount of blood to run down both of their faces.

"I didn't leave Konoha because Dan and Nawaki fucking died! I left Konoha because I'm fucking TIRED!" Tsunade's fists clenched tightly as her eyes began to water. "Tired of seeing everyone I love suffer and throw themselves into a pit of despair and depression because they're unable to cope with their past traumas... Tired of seeing the hopes and dreams of twelve year old children being squashed while being forced to endure a life of hardship... I'm... fucking... tired... Minato."

The woman's rage filled eyes began to slowly dissipate as tears streamed down her face. "I don't want to endure anymore... I don't want to fight any longer..." Defeated and exhausted brown eyes stared into an ocean of blue. "All I've ever wanted was to help... To heal... And look where it got me."

The blonde woman released a bitter laugh as she unclenched her fists while throwing them up in a defeated manner. "I'm a bitter drunk who's incapable of facing her own grievances while blaming others for my problems... But my suffering isn't valid, right?" She questioned rhetorically.

The previous ire and anger that flowed within Minato seemed to just dissipate as he stared at the last remaining Senju in the world.

The man's blue eyes gazed into the woman's defeated brown ones and he felt a genuine tug at his chest.

Minato closed his eyes with a soft sigh before bowing his head, jostling his spikey locks of hair. He was silent for several long seconds as he contemplated his next words.

He wasn't thinking straight... Of course Tsunade hadn't left because of a single event. Dozens of events had led up to her eventual departure and while he didn't agree with how she chose to handle it, that didn't invalidate her pain.

He was allowing his emotions to dictate his actions. Anger and grief circulated through his heart due to the loss of his wife. The added stress of having to provide aid for the entire village while looking after his newborn son was clearly weighing down on him heavily.

The blond Kage raised his right hand towards his face before wiping off the blood from the wound Tsunade had caused. Shaking his hand free of the copper substance, Minato opened his eyes before speaking in a more calm and rational tone than previously.

"It was not my intention to invalidate the pain you have endured in your life." Straying his gaze away from the woman's slightly surprised expression, Minato continued. "I have yet to properly mourn for Kushina..."

Before Tsunade could reply to the man's statement, his hand came to rest on her shoulder. Her vertigo flipped upside down for a mere second as her feet made purchase on solid ground. She wobbled but for a moment before blinking and gazing around at the area Minato had teleported them to.

Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the Capitol of Fire Country from one of the many mountain ranges surrounding it. She could see every single home, establishment, and general building from the vantage point she shared with Minato.

After admiring the view for several seconds, her attention was drawn to the blond man as he began to walk towards the edge of the mountain with his hands in his pockets. His stride was slow and measured and upon reaching the edge, he stopped and just stared.

A gentle breeze swept through the area, jostling Tsunade's braided hair and ruffling Minato's haori cloak. Minato's earlier words replayed in the woman's head as she stared at the kanji on his white haori cloak.

"I had to sit by and watch as my wife sacrificed her very life to protect her village."

"I have yet to properly mourn for Kushina."

The busty woman's gaze strayed towards the soil as images of Dan appeared in her head.

His gentle smile... Loving gaze...

Tsunade released a sad sigh as her eyes closed. She knew exactly what Minato was going through and while she didn't truly know Minato, she did know how losing a significant other affected an individuals psyche.

Minato had stated that he hadn't even began to properly mourn her death... He likely hadn't accepted she was gone yet, possibly still clinging on to the hope of this all just being a terrible nightmare.

But... It wasn't. And the longer it took for him to accept this, the more it was going to hurt.

"What happened?" She questioned quietly, trying to get her emotions settled. She watched his shoulders square up for a moment before eventually drooping downward, displaying an almost defeated stance.

"What didn't happen would be far easier to answer..." Minato replied tiredly. He resisted the urge to rub his eyes as he answered the Slug Sannin. "The Kyuubi was released from Kushina due to the intervention of an unknown attacker." Before Tsunade could even question how that was even possible, he answered. "This man had the ability to teleport and become intangible at will. Though, the speed at which he could do so was limited."

The Yondaime sighed quietly as he shook his head. "What followed was destruction and chaos. The Kyuubi ran amok in the village while I was forced to fight the unknown attacker. I managed to force the man to retreat and in this brief period of time I was able to aid Kushina while teleporting the Kyuubi away from Konoha."

"I eventually killed the man while Kushina was dealing with the Kyuubi. Afterwards..." He trailed off quietly as his eyes closed. Biting back the emotion that wished to surface, Minato continued. "We had to reseal the Bijuu... Kushina sacrificed her life using the Shiki Fujin, splitting the Kyuubi's Chakra in half and sealing one half of it into... our son."

The blond Senju blinked a single time before shaking her head. "Your... son? Wait... Since when did-"

Before she could finish asking her question, Minato answered her. "That was how the Kyuubi was released. Somehow, the man that attacked us knew where and when Kushina would be giving birth despite only three individuals in the entire village knowing how I would proceed with Kushina's pregnancy... And those three individuals died that night."

Tsunade could practically feel the man's frustration. It was understandable... Minato was incredibly perceptive and planned things step by step with several contingencies should his plans go awry. She had seen this with her own eyes during the Third War.

He'd certainly never get his answer either if everyone involved in the Kyuubi's rampage was dead. It must be like an itch that couldn't be properly scratched.

"And Jiraiya and Orochimaru?" She questioned as she approached his position.

"Jiraiya is conducting counterintelligence. I don't want this event reaching the ears of the other Kages." Minato tilted his head as his eyes narrowed slightly. "We've just come off a World War and I'd rather not be in another one so soon..."

The busty woman glanced at Minato out the corner of her eye as she contemplated that statement.

What a terrifying man... Speaking so casually about going to war. There wasn't an ounce of doubt or fear or trepidation in his tone.

Minato would absolutely stand on the front lines and anyone brave, or dumb enough, to stand in his way deserved the gate he gave them.

While she hadn't personally bore witness to the destruction and chaos that Minato reigned down upon Iwagakure at Kannabi Bridge, she had the stories from the several dozen Konoha Shinobi that Minato fought along side. And each story was the same.

They saw nothing but red and yellow.

"Orochimaru on the other hand..." The man seemed almost hesitant to speak about her former teammate and after several seconds of silence, he finally spoke. "What you hear stays between us..." His head tilted towards her as his blue eyes stared into her very soul. "I don't need to warn you about what will happen should this knowledge become public, yes?"

No... No he did not need to warn her. She understood completely. And so, she nodded her head with furrowed brows and waited for what was no doubt something heinous that Orochimaru had conducted in one fashion or another.

Minato nodded his head before turning his gaze away and staring at the Fire Capital once more. "Orochimaru is a... unique case." He started off slowly. "Considering how close you all three used to be I'm sure that you are aware of his more twisted and sadistic side."

Tsunade nodded once but did not speak, well aware of Orochimaru's more darker tendencies.

"You are unaware of this but after your departure from the village, Hiruzen had Orochimaru put in the ANBU, namely Root, under Danzo's command." Minato paused for a moment before shifting his feet. "I shouldn't have to explain myself in regards to Danzo and his ploys."

Tsunade rose a single eyebrow as she replied with an annoyed scoff. "I'm surprised that old fuck is still alive around you. He jeopardizes Konoha."

The Yondaime nodded his head before replying. "While it would certainly be easier to out right kill him and be done with it, he has his uses." At Tsunade's disbelieving scoff he replied with a small smirk. "He is a scapegoat... He just does not see it yet."

The blond man shook his head and continued speaking. "But never mind that nuisance, we are getting off track. I have been around Orochimaru for enough time to come to an understanding about him and have formulated ways of dealing with his more darker aspects."

"Like...?" She questioned rather unsurely. Orochimaru was unstable... She didn't really see a way to change that.

"Orochimaru is intelligent. He knows that in open combat he could not deal with me... In my opinion, he would not be able to deal with me no matter the circumstance but I digress." Shaking his head, Minato continued. "Orochimaru seeks purpose in life... His dream of 'finding life's mysteries' is clearly illogical. A man of his intellect knows this."

Minato pulled out his unique kunai before presenting it to Tsunade. "The best mysteries are the ones that you cannot solve." He flipped the weapon before grabbing it by the blade and showing the Kanji that was inscribed into it.

"Unlike Tobirama's creation, you cannot replicate my Hiraishin."

Tsunade's eyes were fixated on the weapon and its seals for several minutes as she contemplated the words Minato was saying.

Unlike her great Uncle's creation... It could not be replicated?

Tsunade began to chew on one her fingers as she continued to stare at the weapon.

How was that possible?

Minato's Hiraishin worked off the same formula that Uncle Tobirama's Hiraishingiri did... Right?

"No. It does not." Minato answered her unasked question as he flipped the weapon once more. "I took Tobirama's creation and made my own... formula, you could call it. The interesting thing though is that without the understanding of Tobirama's initial creation, then my Hiraishin is useless." Minato inspected his unique seal with a tilted head before twirling the kunai several times. "Interesting, no?"

Tsunade's face scrunched up in confusion for several seconds before she spoke. "I'm not a master of Fuinjutsu but I know a thing or two." She gestured to the seal on her forehead for a moment before continuing. "How would that even be possible?"

The blond man chuckled quietly before pocketing the weapon and replying. "Fuinjutsu is limited only by the mind. If I wish for my formula to be incapable of being replicated, then I can do so. I travel through a pocket dimension when using the Hiraishin... This is child's play."

Tsunade didn't believe that for one second... How?! That didn't even make sense!

"Stop bullshitting me!" Her eye twitched as the man turned towards her with a slightly perplexed expression. "You're just fucking with me..."

Minato blinked a single time before shaking his head. "Your seal allows you 100% access to Chakra that has been stored up for years without regulated use... On top of having little to no harmful effects, unless you push past your stored limit of course. Is it really so unbelievable to have a formula that's incapable of being copied?"

Tsunade wanted to pull on her braids! That... That just didn't make sense! She didn't care if he was providing a rather decent point!

It was bullshit and he knew it!

"The disbelief circulating through you is slightly surprising." Minato spoke offhandedly. "If you are incapable of innovation in the Shinobi world then you stagnate. And when you stagnate, you die. You know this more than anyone, Tsunade."

The man turned his head towards her before staring into her eyes. "You paved the way for all things medical related in the Shinobi world. The ability to heal using Chakra is still a foreign concept considering Chakra has only been used as a weapon."

Tsunade was silent as the man praised her craft. It was... kind of uncomfortable, if she was being honest. Even Hiruzen, her own Sensei, had been disbelieving in her initial ideas regarding the practice or Iryo-Ninjutsu.

While yes, he eventually did see how useful the art was, it was still insulting and demeaning.

"So... Changing the subject." She spoke quietly. "How does this relate to Orochimaru? You're telling me you're just going to give him the formula to your Hiraishin?"

There was absolutely no way that Minato was that stupid.

"That is precisely what I'm going to do."

THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT MINATO WAS THAT STUPID!

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched several times at his rather confident tone before she closed her eyes while rubbing the bridge of her nose.

Stay... Calm...

"Minato Namikaze..." Tsunade began slowly, speaking in a quiet tone. "Are you out of your damn mind?"

The 4th Hokage shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly before replying calmly. "If we're being honest then possibly..." He answered rather truthfully. "But I am absolutely confident that this will solve Orochimaru's existential crisis."

"And if it doesn't?" She questioned back sharply. "That technique ended an entire war in a matter of seconds... Hundreds of men and women perished in an instant due to that damn ability! Why the fuck are you being so nonchalant about this?!"

A small smile formed on Minato's face, one that had his eyes close. A serene expression painting his visage and a response that caused an uncomfortable feeling to form in her chest.

Why did he look so much like... Dan?

"Just believe in me."

Minato and Tsunade appeared directly behind a frazzled Shizune who was placing items into a rather large scroll, mumbling to herself as she did so.

"... We're dead... So, so dead! Tsunade-sama is going to anger him and we'll cease to exist..." An exaggerated gasp left her as she stood completely still. "I'll die a virgin! Oh Kami! This is truly the worst timeline!"

An amused smile morphed onto Minato's face as he glanced towards a very annoyed Tsunade, evident by her aggressive eyebrow twitching.

Before Tsunade could enact the violence that so desperately wished to surface, Minato coughed quietly attracting the ebony haired teen's attention.

Shizune released a short yelp of surprise before spinning on her heel and launching several dozen senbon towards the source. As soon as the weapons were released from her hand did Shizune realize who had snuck up on her.

NOOOOO!

The Yondaime Hokage tilted his head before catching each senbon in between his fingers. The blond man glanced towards the weapons before shifting his attention to the now trembling teen in front of him.

A gentle smile formed on Minato's face as he spoke, calming the girl slightly. "Reflexes are good though you should be more aware of your surroundings."

Shizune grimaced at both the man's tone and Tsunade's aggravated visage. She swallowed her saliva before bowing low and speaking. "Forgive me, Tsunade-sama!"

The blond woman stared at her adoptive daughter for several seconds before sighing quietly. Her aggravated visage melted away as a soft look formed in her eyes.

Walking towards the teen, Tsunade pulled the girl into a hug before rubbing her back. "Calm down, Shizune. It's fine."

Just to be petty though, she did hold the girl's face directly into her bust. If she wasn't going to be violent and use her fists then she was absolutely going to suffocate the girl.

Only a bit though... She still did love Shizune afterall.

The ebony haired girl thrashed several times in the woman's hold before eventually garnering enough strength to pull her face out of the woman's impressive bust.

The teen gulped in a large amount of oxygen before huffing. "Let! Me! Goooooooo!"

The girl's pleading was ignored though as the older woman just continued to mush the girl closer to her chest, depriving her of oxygen and torturing her in a way that any man in the Elemental Nations would love to experience.

Minato just stared at the scene awkwardly as he didn't truly know what to do...

Women... are strange.

You'd think after almost an entire decade of being with Kushina that he'd grow used to situations like this but... No. He hadn't.

It was still incredibly awkward.

The three Shinobi appeared directly atop the Hokage Monument with the two females wobbling slightly from the discomfort of traveling via Hiraishin. After they got their bearings, their eyes widened exponentially upon seeing the ruined village.

While most of the debris had been moved out of the more heavily populated areas there was still signs that devastation and destruction had wreaked havoc upon the Major Village.

Giant, empty craters surrounded the outer gates of the village with hundreds of empty plots nearing the epicenter of the village.

"The Shinobi force have been working non-stop to clear all the left over debris from the Kyuubi's rampage." Minato spoke aloud from his position. He placed his hands into his pockets as his haori cloak swayed in the wind. "It has been an incredibly grueling time. We need medical aid Tsunade..."

A soft sigh escaped the man as he shook his head. "We lack an abundance of Medic Nin... While I respect Hiruzen as both a teacher and a former Hokage, he was incredibly foolish to not instill your proposal during the Second Shinobi War. He certainly made up for it during the Third War but it wasn't a permanent fixture in our teachings. I have done what I can but..." Turning towards the woman so she could his face, he continued.

"I need you, Tsunade. Konoha needs you. Please..." He closed his eyes before bowing his head slightly, showing an unexpected amount of respect towards the woman.

Again, that uncomfortable feeling formed in Tsunade's chest as she stared at Minato, listening to him speak so earnestly regarding her.

She didn't deserve it... Why was he showing such respect?

He had every right to force her back to Konoha and demand she aid its people... No, her people. But...

Looking anywhere but Minato, Tsunade responded with just a hint of awkwardness. "I... I will need supplies and a workplace..." Swallowing the saliva that had built in her mouth, she continued. "Reports, practice, procedures... I need everything."

The blond man raised his head with a small smile as he spoke. "Anything that you require, I will get for you. You need not worry."

Before the man could continue, a doppelganger of the man appeared directly beside him. Minato did not seem surprised in the slightest.

"Fugaku and Orochimaru are awaiting your presence." The Shadow Clone glanced towards the women for a moment before returning to its master. "You were cutting it close."

Minato just ignored the off-hand comment from his clone before speaking to both women. "Would you like to join me, Tsunade? Perhaps seeing a few familiar faces will put you at ease."

The busty Senju contemplated the man's offer for several moments before ultimately sighing and shaking her head. "I appreciate the offer Minato but I'd like to get straight to work... Like you said, Konoha needs me."

The 4th Hokage nodded his head before gesturing to his clone and replying. "I will have my Shadow Clone accompany you. Good luck Tsunade." He made to leave before halting and speaking one last time.

"Thank you... Tsunade."

And then he disappeared.

Minato's feet touched down upon the carpeted floors of his office. His eyes settled on the two men his clone had called on before slowly walking towards his seat and sitting down.

The Snake Sannin and Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan remained silent as Minato began to rummage through one of his drawers. The man proceeded to pull out a rather thick Manila folder before tapping it once and spinning it towards Fugaku.

"This folder might be of interest to you, Fugaku." The blond Kage tapped it once more before picking it up and handing it directly to Fugaku. "Do not open it until you are home. You are dismissed, Fugaku."

The Uchiha Clan Head rose a single eyebrow before bowing his head and making his way out of the office to read the contents of the folder.

It was a little surprising that Minato would request him to come in person just to hand him a folder. Which meant the content inside the folder was for his eyes only and no one else's.

The door to Minato's office closed with a quiet click as both Shinobi proceeded to stare into each other's eyes. The silence went on for several minutes before Orochimaru's inevitable curiosity got the better of him.

"What is it that you need from me, Minato-sama?" His yellow slitted eyes bore into Minato's sapphire orbs.

Minato slowly leaned towards his desk, propping his elbows on the aged mahogany wood and interlacing his fingers together. His hands covered the bottom portion of his face and his entire demeanor shifted, pinching at Orochimaru's sixth sense for danger.

"I know what you have been doing, Orochimaru."

It was a simple sentence.

A simple sentence that carried weight.

A kind of weight that Orochimaru did not wish to endure.

Before Orochimaru could speak Minato did so. "Hiruzen was far too lenient... Either that or he enabled you instead of aiding you." Minato closed his eyes as he continued. "Danzo's ploys from the shadows are beginning to become too radical for my liking."

Orochimaru shifted his weight with a narrowed gaze but did not speak, listening to exactly what Minato was saying.

If Minato wanted him dead... Then he'd already be dead.

You cannot stop someone like Minato.

"He is only around because Root has its uses and I'd be a hypocrite to judge the actions of a man who does what he believes is best for his Village." Minato paused for a moment as one of his fingers tapped against his nose. "But I draw the line at human experimentation. It stops today... Or I will end you both." Minato's eyes opened as twin glaciers bore into Orochimaru's very soul.

"Do I make myself clear?"

Orochimaru's pulse sped up in response to the danger wafting off of Minato. Stomping the urge to move, Orochimaru replied with a narrowed smile.

"Kukuku~! Of course, Hokage-sama." The serpentine man tilted his head before meeting Minato's harsh stare. "Though, if I may?"

When Minato said nothing Orochimaru proceeded with his question.

"How did you know?"

The Yondaime Hokage closed his eyes before replying. "Nothing in this village escapes me. I know what is happening at all times. Every day, every hour, every minute..."

Well, that wasn't fair. He hadn't actually explained how he knew.

Orochimaru believed that was rude.

"Every high priority target in Konoha is marked by me." Minato explained simply.

Orochimaru's snake-like smile returned full force as he chuckled quietly. "Kukuku... I'm glad you think so highly of me, Minato-sama."

Minato ignored the statement before unclasping his hands and replying. "As of today, you will be removed from ANBU, effective immediately. Any lingering projects will be terminated at once and should I catch wind of any more experiments..." He let the statement drop entirely, knowing that Orochimaru would understand it.

Seeing the understanding gaze, Minato leaned back in his chair. "I'm appointing you to the Head of the Research and Development Department of Konoha. You will take orders directly from me and any projects you wish to work on will be approved by myself."

Spotting the intrigued twinkle in Orochimaru's serpentine eyes, Minato went in for the kill. He reached into his cloak before pulling out one of his Hiraishin Kunais and tossing the weapon to the Snake Sannin.

Upon catching the weapon, Minato spoke in a simple tone.

"Solve it."

The expression plastered on Orochimaru's face would forever be cemented in Minato's mind. The sheer confusion on the man's face was actually incredibly refreshing.

A small smirk formed on the Yondaime's face as he gestured lazily. "You heard correctly. I wish for you to solve the Hiraishin. If you manage to do so, then you can have it." The blond man had to bite back the laugh that wished to escape him at Orochimaru's baffled expression.

After several seconds of staring at Minato the Snake Sannin spoke quietly. "Who are you and what have you done with Minato?"

That comment though did make Minato laugh. After a brief bout of laughter, the blond man spoke. "I can assure you that this is no joke. I wish to direct your attention to matters that would aid the village instead of your own self-imposed ambitions. You seek some form of validation and what better way than creating new and innovative concepts for the Shinobi world." Minato gestured towards the weapon before finishing. "Solving the Hiraishin is one of those Jutsus that only a handful of individuals can grasp... Do you believe you can do so?"

The pale skinned man stared into Minato's eyes for several seconds before directing his attention to the seal engraved on the kunai. He stared at the seal for several seconds before returning his gaze to Minato.

A smile tugged at the man's features as he spoke. "You are a dangerous man, Minato Namikaze."

The blond man shrugged his shoulders before replying. "Being respected is a skill but being feared is a talent. I like to believe that I have mastered both."

After his statement, Minato gestured with his hand. "You are free to go Orochimaru. Remember what I said... I'm not Hiruzen."

That serpentine smile manifested in the pale man's face as he pocketed the kunai. "Of course, Hokage-sama." Bowing his head, Orochimaru made to leave the office. Before he could exit through the door though, Minato spoke up.

"Before you go, answer me this question." When Orochimaru turned around with a curious expression, Minato continued to speak. "How strong was Hanzo the Salamander?"

Orochimaru's head tilted as his eyebrows furrowed.

What a... peculiar question...

The pale skinned man pondered his answer for a scant few seconds before answering. "His only equal would have been Hiruzen..." Orochimaru noticed how Minato's eyes sharpened at the answer, but the man did not speak.

Another mystery... Minato was filled with them, hmm?

"You are free to go."

Orochimaru nodded his head before exiting through the door, leaving Minato to his thoughts.

After Orochimaru's exit, Minato began to drum his fingers against his desk. The rhythmic tapping continued for several hours as Minato remained seated in his chair, pondering the answer Orochimaru had given him.

This was... a problem.

Jiraiya had provided intelligence about Hanzo's supposed passing in Amegakure. It had been nothing but rumors and conspiracy theories but Jiraiya believed differently.

Amegakure was a dead zone.

Nothing got in or out. If information such as this was seeping out then it was something that was certainly worth investigating.

After the fifth hour of thinking over it, Minato made his decision. He ran through several handseals before placing his right palm on his desk and summoning Fukasaku.

The elder toad appeared on the table in a plume of spoke with a curious expression. "Do you need something, Minato-boy?"

"Send a message to Jiraiya... I'm going to Amegakure to investigate a lead he had." Minato replied with an intense gaze.

The old toad's demeanor shifted immediately as it stared into Minato's eyes. "I would advise against this, Minato." He warned seriously.

The blond Kage shook his head before slowly standing to his feet and turning towards his office window.

"A threat that can so casually deal with Hanzo the Salamander is something that needs to be addressed immediately. I'm the only individual that can get in and get out with relative ease."

The old Toad shook his head as he replied. "I cannot, within good conscience, allow you to do something so illogical. You need to think, Minato." Fukasaku banged his cane on the desk before glaring at Minato. "You have yet to even mourn Kushina and now you wish to face some unknown threat capable of defeating one of the strongest Shinobi to exist?! You need tostop and think, Minato-boy. You have a son to think about now... You cannot continue to do the-."

The elder toad was cut off from speaking as Minato dispelled him back to Mount Myoboku.

Silence reigned in the office for several minutes as Minato bowed his head with his eyes closed. He rose one of his hands to his face before wiping away the tears of frustration that formed in his eyes.

Fukasaku was absolutely in the right about what he was saying.

He did have a son that he needed to think about.

He hadn't mourned Kushina.

And he wasn't thinking logically.

But...

Before those thoughts could continue, the sound of the office door opened followed by the sounds of a baby crying.

The ear piercing noise penetrated Minato's hearing as he turned towards the source. He spotted his only remaining student who seemed to be clearly struggling with his newborn son.

The young teen had an apologetic expression on his masked face as he stared at his Sensei. "Sensei... He's been crying all day... I don't know what to do... I'm sorry for just barging in but I need help."

The blond Kage stared at Kakashi for a moment before directing his gaze to Naruto. His eyes began to slowly soften as he strode towards his student and son.

"Have you fed him?" Minato asked as he took his son out of the arms of Kakashi and began to gently rock him.

"Three times! And I changed him as well! I don't know what he wants." Kakashi exclaimed in a minor bout of childish frustration. It was completely out of character for someone as reserved and sheltered as Kakashi.

Minato just chuckled quietly as he gently rocked his son, shushing and cooing into the child's ears as he did so. After several minutes did the child finally begin to settle down. The blond man stopped his actions upon noticing that Naruto had drifted off to sleep.

Kakashi huffed in slight exasperation before whispering in an annoyed tone. "How did you even do that?!"

The blond man just blinked at the question before tilting his head with furrowed eyebrows. He stared at his sleeping son for several long seconds before turning towards Kakashi and speaking in a confused tone.

"Uhh... I honestly have no idea."

AN: End. Idiots.

So, originally I was going to have Minato travel to Amegakure and meet Nagato, speaking face to face but I decided against it and will do so in the next chapter.

ANYWAY! Do that Review thing, ya mongrels! See ya in the next update.