Chapter 82 – A Duel with Minato
"Guess it's about time I check on Kakashi."
It had been a month since the incident with Danzō. But unsurprisingly, not a single whisper about it circulated around Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi had deliberately buried the matter—after all, it was a major disgrace to the village.
Hatake Yusuke made his way toward the Hokage's office.
"What brings you here?" Hiruzen asked, his tone filled with curiosity.
"Nothing important. I'm heading to the battlefield to check on Kakashi. Just thought I'd report it to you," Yusuke replied flatly.
Hiruzen gave a wry smile. Since when did he ever report things like this?
"Very well. Go ahead," Hiruzen nodded.
"Oh, by the way, Hokage-sama... how's the situation on the Sunagakure front?" Yusuke asked casually.
"No major movement from Suna so far. But Tsunade is still stationed there," Hiruzen answered.
Yusuke stared at him for a moment before speaking again. "Haa… So you're really not planning to take the field yourself in this war?"
"There's no need. I've already dispatched Danzō," Hiruzen replied plainly.
"I see…"
Yusuke exhaled lightly. "It seems you haven't realized something important."
"What do you mean?" Hiruzen's brow furrowed.
"Look around. The other Great Nations—their Kage are all out there, fighting on the frontlines. But you? You're just sitting here. And you, more than anyone, should understand what that means. Even Tobirama-sensei personally led troops into battle. But you, the great and respected Hokage... what exactly are you doing?"
Hiruzen fell silent. He knew very well—if he were to die in battle, there would be only one clear successor. Danzō. And in times of war, the position of Hokage always leaned toward those who were ruthless, not peaceful.
Yusuke continued, "This village... it only survives because of the talent it still possesses. Without it, Konoha would've crumbled long ago. All you do is view the Uchiha as a threat—yet you never actually trusted them. Have you forgotten what Konoha was meant to represent? A symbol of unity between Senju and Uchiha. But now, look at the reality. Who's truly scheming behind the scenes? Isn't the answer obvious?"
"…I really have grown old," Hiruzen muttered. "Who do you think is worthy to be the next Hokage?"
"Don't ask me. You already know the answer—deep inside your heart," Yusuke said coldly. No matter whom he named, nothing would change. History always favored those linked to Hashirama Senju.
"I'm leaving. Think about it carefully, Hokage-sama." With that, Yusuke vanished through an Air Door.
Hiruzen stared blankly at the closing door. A single tear slid down his cheek.
"…I truly failed as Hokage. Sensei… I've let you down."
Everything Yusuke said was true. Those with potential were hunted down and silenced by Danzō. And he… had turned a blind eye to it, again and again.
"I should be close now…" Yusuke extended his Observation Haki across the land.
"Oh? White Zetsu, huh?" His lips curled into a thin smirk. In the blink of an eye, his body turned into light and vanished.
"Well done, Kakashi. This mission was executed flawlessly."
Minato's smile was gentle as he praised his student.
"Sensei, I worked really hard too!" Obito chimed in, clearly dissatisfied.
"Hahaha, of course. I saw that. You've improved a lot, Obito." Minato chuckled, patting his head.
"Hehehe…" Obito scratched his cheek bashfully.
"Come out. No point hiding anymore," Minato suddenly said aloud.
"No wonder they call you 'The Genius of Konoha.' I made sure to suppress my presence, but you still sensed me."
From the shadows, Yusuke stepped out with a smirk on his face.
"It's been four years since we last met, Yusuke," Minato said, his tone turning serious. If not for the familiar chakra and silver hair, he wouldn't have recognized his old friend. Yusuke had grown—both in body and presence. The boy was gone. What stood before him was a man carved by battle.
"Yeah, it's been a while, Minato-nii. I've heard plenty about you lately," Yusuke replied with a faint smile.
"Hahaha, don't exaggerate. Compared to you, I've still got a long way to go," Minato responded warmly.
"How about a little sparring session?" Yusuke offered casually.
"I was thinking the same." Minato nodded.
Kakashi, Rin, and Obito all sharpened their gazes. They didn't want to miss the rare chance to witness a duel between the two "Twin Lights of Konoha."
Minato's expression grew serious. With a flick of his wrist, he scattered dozens of Flying Thunder God Kunai in all directions.
Yusuke, meanwhile, vanished—his body blurring with light as he launched a high-speed kick. Minato disappeared just as fast, reappearing next to one of his marked kunai, a Rasengan spinning in his hand. But Yusuke had already moved again, making the attack hit nothing but air.
Their movements were too fast for the eye to follow. Even Kakashi and the others could only see flickers—two streaks of light clashing again and again.
"Light-Speed Kick!" Yusuke shouted.
"Rasengan!" Minato countered.
The impact of their blows tore through the earth, forming a wide crater in the battlefield.
Silence followed.
Minato stared at Yusuke and smiled bitterly. "You win."
"Don't sell yourself short. Your speed made it hard for me to land a clean hit. Let's just call it a draw."
"But I still couldn't touch you… Your speed has become even scarier than before." Minato sighed. Despite his training, he still couldn't catch up. Without his Flying Thunder God Technique, he would've been crushed in seconds.
"Alright, enough flattery. Let's head back to your tent. You wouldn't mind offering me a drink, right?"
"Hahaha, sure. But I'll pass on the sake," Minato chuckled.
— — —
As they walked through the camp, Konoha shinobi greeted them with reverence.
"Minato-sama!"
"Minato-sama!"
Everywhere they passed, heads bowed in respect.
At the tent, they sat and began to talk. But soon after, someone entered. His spiky hair, tied up like a pineapple, made him instantly recognizable.
"Minato, you're back," said Shikaku Nara, his tone calm.
"Shikaku! Good to see you," Minato greeted him warmly.
"Shikaku-sama."
"Shikaku-sama," Rin and Obito echoed respectfully. Kakashi, already a Jōnin, simply nodded.
Shikaku's eyes shifted toward Yusuke. "So you're the infamous White Shura."
Yusuke replied coolly, "You're giving me too much credit, Shikaku-nii."
"Hahaha, I don't think so. You singlehandedly stopped Sunagakure's main forces and even defeated Chiyo and Ebizō. That's no small feat."
"It's nothing. I'm just carrying the weight of a previous generation… a relic left behind by a forgotten era," Yusuke said softly.
"A relic, huh? Only you would call yourself something like that. No wonder you're Sakumo Hatake's son," Shikaku muttered.
"Even so… my father is no longer the White Fang," Yusuke added quietly.
The room fell silent.
Even Shikaku found himself at a loss for words. He had only meant to test Yusuke's disposition, but that answer said it all.
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