The ANBU operative who had just burst through the door was, by any normal asure, a composed professional. Seeing one in this state told Minato everything he needed to know before a word was spoken.
Sothing significant had happened.
Konoha was still in the middle of reconstruction. The timing was the worst possible.
"Fire Shadow-sama! Sothing has happened! Sarutobi-sama led ANBU to investigate Orochimaru of the Three Sannin and discovered he had been conducting human experintation in a secret underground laboratory. The two of them fought!"
"Orochimaru was severely injured but escaped using an unknown technique. He has disappeared — even Sarutobi-sama's Telescope Technique cannot locate him. He has almost certainly left the village."
Minato's expression shifted.
Orochimaru had fought Hiruzen.
Had been severely injured.
Had escaped.
Human experintation.
He processed each piece separately for a mont.
Minato understood imdiately that there were large portions of this situation he hadn't been inford of. He was the Fourth Hokage, and he was apparently learning about events in his own village at the sa ti as this report was being filed. That said sothing about how certain people viewed his authority — or had decided to manage it.
He looked at the ANBU operative steadily.
"Explain the details. What is the connection between Orochimaru and the human experintation, how did Sarutobi-sama co to know about it, and why was I not inford? I need a complete account."
The operative relayed everything he knew.
The answer to the final question — why the Fourth Hokage hadn't been told — was above the operative's clearance level. He genuinely didn't know, and said so.
When the account was finished, Minato sat quietly for a mont.
Then, as though the two ANBU in the room were temporarily absent, he said softly to himself: "Sarutobi-sensei wouldn't keep sothing like this from by choice. Sothing — or soone — pressured him into treating as an outsider here. And sensei allowed himself to be persuaded." A pause. "Is it my lack of seniority? So other reason? Or is soone running an agenda? Soone who would move in the shadows during a period like this — there's only one person that description fits."
"Shimura Danzō."
Silence.
"And now Orochimaru has defected. Human experintation — yes, that's a line that cannot be tolerated. But Orochimaru is one of the Three Sannin. One of the primary combat forces supporting this village. His loss is not a small one." Another pause. "Add to that the timing, while reconstruction is ongoing — this could easily cause panic. The information needs to be locked down. Upper jōnin clearance only. At minimum until reconstruction is complete."
He looked at the two ANBU operatives.
"You heard what I just said. Seal this information. Upper jōnin only, and those who know must maintain strict silence. Konoha cannot afford another wave of panic before the village is back on its feet."
"Yes sir!"
"Yes sir!"
He watched them leave. Then he let himself sink back into the chair, looking at the ceiling with an expression that was difficult to read.
He wasn't entirely sure what use he was as Hokage.
The village's senior figures didn't appear to fully trust him. Or perhaps they considered him too inexperienced. Either way, the result was that decisions were being made around him rather than through him.
If Hiruzen had brought him into this — if he'd been there last night — the probability of Orochimaru escaping would have been approximately twenty percent. His Flying Raijin was the fastest technique in existence. Against that, Orochimaru's options would have been severely limited.
Everyone keeps going around and doing things their own way.
He said this out loud to no one. The room was empty.
Sothing in his eyes shifted briefly — sothing that hadn't been there before — and then settled back into its usual calm.
The following morning, Konoha's leadership convened an ergency eting regarding Orochimaru's defection.
The atmosphere was uncomfortable. Several people in that room had been party to the decision not to inform Minato. They were aware of their role in the outco.
They also knew his capabilities. They knew that with the Flying Raijin in play, Orochimaru's arrest would have been effectively guaranteed.
Minato said nothing about this. He moved past the subject as if it hadn't occurred to him.
Which made everyone in the room significantly more uncomfortable than if he'd raised it directly.
The one person genuinely unbothered was Danzō.
He had been the one to propose keeping Minato uninford to begin with. He preferred it that way. Minato knowing as little as possible, authority quietly hollowed out over ti — this was the preferred trajectory.
None of this was visible from a few kilotres away, where Ryū slept through the morning, woke up, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and opened the Chat Group.
Konoha's internal politics were not his concern. He hadn't made them his concern. As the Admin of the Dinsional Chat Group, getting caught up in village power struggles would be a significant misalignnt of priorities.
Not interested.
RawrSoFierce: Your charming Admin surfaces bright and early!
RawrSoFierce: Why is it so quiet today? There's usually always soone chatting. The last ssage was twenty minutes ago??
Eternally Seventeen: Most people are in the Arena.
Eternally Seventeen: Apparently Whitebeard is holding a lecture on One Piece-world martial arts techniques. So all the mbers training in that system went to attend. Whitebeard's Classroom is open for enrolnt — what do you do when your child's fighting skills are poor? Half the ti you just beat them until they improve.
Little Sakura of the Tohsaka: …Beat… beaten? That sounds scary. Trembling.
RawrSoFierce: Sakura isn't in the class?
Little Sakura of the Tohsaka: No no, I'm studying Yukari-nee's cultivation system, so Whitebeard-ojii-sama's class isn't relevant for . That's what Yukari-nee said.
Street-Corner Illustrator: I'm not there either — I'm Yukari-senpai's student number one!
My True Form Is Cola: Isn't Sakura-chan student number one?
RawrSoFierce: …Are you two also learning the Gensokyo system?
RawrSoFierce: Wait. Yukari, you've basically recruited every female mber in this group.
Eternally Seventeen: How is that "recruiting"? The Gensokyo system is strong — and the visual effects are considerably more stylish. They recognised quality. That's all.
"…"
Yukari was not going to acknowledge having done any recruiting. The Gensokyo system was genuinely excellent and offered considerable variety in application. If Umaru and Eriri had chosen it, that was their good taste showing — nothing to do with any persuasion on her part.
She hadn't managed to bring Kaguya, Tatsumaki, or Tohru into it, but those three had already established their own paths. Redirecting them now would have been counterproductive. You couldn't serve people's growth by pulling them off a road they were already walking.
This was Yukari's position, and she was holding it.
☆☆☆
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