"Is that so…"
Inside a small office on the second floor of the Hokage Building, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat quietly, reading the report in his hand. Yamanaka Inoichi knelt on one knee a short distance away, head lowered.
This report contained everything Inoichi had extracted from Hikaru with the Mind Reading Technique—neatly organized into written materials, then delivered into Hiruzen's hands.
And it was interesting.
For example: inside the Senju clan, there were still plenty of people filled with resentment and anger—people who wanted to drag the Senju back toward the "glory" of the Warring States era. That didn't surprise Hiruzen at all. In fact, it was exactly what he considered normal.
If the Sarutobi clan had suffered something close to annihilation, Hiruzen knew perfectly well he wouldn't be calm either.
People didn't love without reason, and they didn't hate without reason.
In plain terms: benefit.
Hiruzen had personally pushed both the Senju and Uzumaki into the abyss. He didn't care how much they hated him.
What he did find amusing was that Hikaru—so young—had already stepped out of the clan's emotional cage. The boy was thinking from a higher vantage point, from the perspective of the village as a whole.
And the "solution" Hikaru arrived at was… to become Hokage.
Hiruzen found it childish—yet oddly pleasing.
Childish, because becoming Hokage wasn't as simple as being strong.
It wasn't "strength decides the hat."
It was recognition—not recognition from "everyone," but recognition from the village's interest blocs.
Look at the Uchiha: they wanted the Hokage seat so badly it bordered on obsession, yet they'd never once succeeded. Part of that was Madara's shadow… but more of it was the Second Hokage's policies, which deepened the village's split with the Uchiha until isolation became structural. Hiruzen had only strengthened that isolation.
In other words: the Uchiha's Hokage dream was dead by design.
Hikaru's thinking was naïve—limited by age and perspective—but the boy was also clearly "shaped" well. At least in this one regard, the Will of Fire had taken root in him.
As for the rest, Hiruzen skimmed it lightly.
Once he confirmed that the ANBU captain had died from poison, he didn't bother lingering on it. He never truly believed Hikaru had assassinated the man—and more importantly, he trusted the Yamanaka clan's techniques. They had "never failed."
This time would be no exception.
But that still left another question.
Who was the puppet master?
A puppet user strong enough to tear through ROOT and ANBU, likely involved in the Third Kazekage's death… there were very few candidates in the world.
The first name that entered Hiruzen's mind was Chiyo. In his eyes, only she could accomplish something like that.
But it didn't feel like her.
If it wasn't Chiyo… then who?
Hiruzen remembered she had a grandson—Sasori—who had been missing for a long time. Could it be that boy?
He shook his head. Not worth dwelling on right now.
Still, the matter wouldn't be allowed to fade away.
So many of Konoha's people had died. Someone had to pay a price.
And if the enemy was using the Third Kazekage's corpse as a puppet against Konoha…
Then let Sunagakure bleed for it.
"I understand." Hiruzen set the report down and spoke evenly. "You may rise, Inoichi."
"Yes, Third Hokage-sama." Inoichi stood—still keeping his head lowered.
"I have something I want you to do." Hiruzen walked to the bookshelf behind him, searching as he spoke. "After this, go find Shikaku. Have him send a message to Suna. Make the phrasing… firm. And leak just enough information—puppet user, Third Kazekage. As for Konoha's losses… inflate them. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I understand." Inoichi nodded immediately.
He understood perfectly.
This wasn't about compensation—Suna was too poor to squeeze much from anyway. This was about pushing forward without drawing blood, forcing internal instability, and letting Suna tear itself apart while Konoha watched and profited.
"All right. Don't look like you're attending a funeral." Hiruzen turned back, holding an envelope, and handed it to Inoichi. "I know you have concerns, and I know you dislike that I ordered you into something dangerous without warning."
Inoichi didn't respond. He simply accepted the envelope.
Then he opened it.
And his heart moved.
Inside was a fresh mission report form—blank, pristine.
But at the bottom were signatures already written:
Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Shimura Danzō.
And even… Namikaze Minato.
A white-list document.
If Inoichi filled it with whatever he wanted, it would pass without review—sealed away without anyone daring to question it.
He didn't know how Hiruzen had obtained Minato's signature.
But he knew exactly what this meant.
Hiruzen watched his expression and nodded faintly, almost satisfied. He returned to the desk, then placed the original report atop the candle stand.
The flame caught quickly.
Paper curled.
Ink blackened.
Ash fell.
Hiruzen stared at the burning report, smiling softly.
"How you fill it out," he said slowly, "I trust you understand."
Then, as the final lines turned to灰, he added:
"This is our secret. Isn't that right, Inoichi?"
"I…"
Inoichi hesitated.
Then he sighed, raised his head, and his face turned solemn.
"I understand… Third Hokage-sama."
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