Kazuki now held two official positions.
No—
Three.
Director of the Administration Department.
Deputy Commander of Anbu.
And still Vice Principal at the Ninja Academy… plus Jonin instructor of Team Seven.
Kazuki stared at the ceiling.
"I don't want to go to work."
Kushina burst out laughing and poked him with her finger.
"You slacker."
Kazuki pulled her into his arms.
"I'm not lazy. I just won't have time to be with you."
"Administration. Anbu. Academy."
"Do I look like I have three heads and six arms?"
"I'm not staying up all night every day."
Kushina blushed in his embrace.
"If only you could split into copies…"
Kazuki blinked.
"…Copies."
Then his eyes lit up.
"Shadow clones."
"Kushina, you're a genius!"
He grabbed her and kissed her deeply.
"Mmm—!"
She melted against him.
After a while she pushed him away, red-faced.
"What are you doing?! Grandma Mito might see!"
Kazuki grinned.
"Then we'll go outside."
"You still have to report in this morning," she reminded him. "Lord Hokage said so."
Kazuki smiled.
"Of course I'm going."
He formed a seal.
Poof!
Two shadow clones appeared behind him.
They looked at each other.
"…One short."
Poof!
A third clone appeared.
Three total.
"Kushina, you saved me."
For most people, maintaining clones long-term was draining.
For Kazuki?
It was nothing.
Shadow Clones were physical copies—fully independent in thought and action.
Perfect.
He pointed at them one by one.
"You—Administration."
"You—Anbu."
"You—Academy."
The clones looked at the original.
"…And you?"
Kazuki wrapped an arm around Kushina.
"I'm taking her shopping."
Kushina rolled her eyes.
But her smile gave her away.
Academy – Clone #1
Kazuki's first clone arrived at the Academy.
Minato Namikaze approached him with a warm smile.
"Kazuki-kun, congratulations on your promotion."
"Director of Administration and Deputy Anbu Commander."
"As a fellow Deputy Commander, I heard immediately."
Kazuki nodded.
"Jiraiya-sensei suggested that if you're too busy, I could temporarily lead Team Seven."
Kazuki glanced at him.
"No. You're unlucky."
Minato blinked.
"…Unlucky?"
Kazuki almost laughed.
Kakashi.
Obito.
Rin.
One tragedy after another.
Minato himself—
Dead during the Nine-Tails attack.
Meanwhile Naruto grew up without him and still became Hokage.
Luck was mysterious.
"No need," Kazuki said calmly. "I'll handle Team Seven."
Just then—
"Teacher!"
"Teacher Kazuki!"
Obito, Kakashi, and Rin ran over.
Kazuki opened the teacher's handbook.
Ah. Mission review.
Good suggestion from Hiruzen.
He closed the book.
"Let's review the last mission."
"From first contact with the enemy to your final performance—you improved a lot."
"Especially you, Obito."
"I still remember when you froze up after your first kill."
"Teacher!" Obito's face turned red.
"That's black history!"
Kakashi and Rin laughed.
"Please don't bring that up again!" Obito grumbled.
Kazuki smirked.
Anbu Headquarters – Clone #2
Sakumo Hatake patted Kazuki's shoulder.
"I'm heading out on a mission."
"Good thing you're here. In half an hour I'll be gone."
He handed over a token.
"This represents high-level Anbu authority."
"Inside Konoha, no one can obstruct you."
Kazuki accepted it.
Sakumo smiled.
"Head back quickly. If your clone dispels, don't drop the token."
Kazuki looked surprised.
"You can tell this is a clone?"
Sakumo laughed.
"If I couldn't, I wouldn't be Anbu Commander."
"You underestimate me."
He turned to leave.
Kazuki watched him.
Konoha's White Fang.
A legendary name.
And yet—
This man would one day commit suicide?
Was it related to this mission?
"White Fang-senpai!"
Sakumo paused.
"…Yes?"
Kazuki hesitated.
Then said simply,
"Be safe."
"If anything happens—come find me."
Sakumo waved.
"Understood."
And left.
Administration Department – Clone #3
The first floor was nearly empty.
Two staff members hurried to stand.
"Director Kazuki!"
"Where is everyone?"
"…We'll escort you to your office first."
He nodded.
They seemed relieved he wasn't terrifying.
Second floor.
Still empty.
Kazuki frowned.
"Where is everyone?"
He barely sat down—
When a document was placed before him.
"Director Kazuki, this is from the Hidden Mist."
Kazuki scanned it.
His expression shifted slightly.
Because of the Third Mizukage's death—
Kirigakure had sent an embassy.
Of course.
He killed their leader.
The report outlined their proposal:
They wanted the Mizukage's body returned.
They wanted their noble descendant, Terumi Mei, back.
And they proposed a joint Chunin Exam.
A "friendly exchange."
In reality—
A gamble.
If Kirigakure won—
They retrieved the body and their noble heir without extra cost.
If they lost—
They still retrieved both—
But would pay a heavy price.
That was their plan.
Konoha, of course, had its own terms.
The two sides hadn't agreed yet.
Which was why the Mist envoy was coming.
Right now—
The initiative belonged to Konoha.
Kazuki had killed the Third Mizukage.
Kirigakure was leaderless.
And that—
Was leverage.