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Especially from Han's perspective—multiple attacks had hit his body over and over, breaking his bones one after another. His own power… the power of his Bijū… felt like a mere droplet compared to the vast ocean that was that kid's strength.
Lord Ōnoki simply shook his head.
It seemed he was going to have quite a restless night.
Maybe… just maybe… he could contact that organization—Akatsuki—to take care of this threat. After all, this wasn't just a kid. Perhaps they would be willing to eliminate him… for the right price. Ōnoki nodded slightly to himself, considering it.
Meanwhile,
back in Konoha—deep in the shadows—Danzō Shimura sat in his private chamber, holding a file labeled Namikaze Naruto. He flipped through its contents with sharp, calculating eyes.
"Interesting," he muttered. "It seems the son of the Hokage has quite the talent…"
What a pity.
He was too close to the Uchiha.
That could complicate things. Danzō scowled. "I wasn't expecting Minato to give his own son to Uchiha Itachi as an apprentice."
Now, the Uchiha clan would think they were being trusted with the Hokage's child—Itachi, specifically. That would calm their nerves… at least for now.
"Damn it," Danzō hissed under his breath, eyes narrowing.
He glanced again at the report.
Demonic Flash, they had called it. A terrifying, overwhelming energy. It seemed ALBA had already made their move.
What a pity… he should have noticed Naruto's potential earlier. But he'd been too preoccupied with shielding and controlling the Jinchūriki.
Still… perhaps it wasn't too late.
"Maybe," Danzō whispered, "he can still be recruited into Root."
[Next Day – Time Skip]
The next morning, Minato Namikaze arrived at his office, ready to begin a new day. Just as he was about to start his paperwork, an Anbu appeared and kneeled before him.
"Lord Hokage," the Anbu said, "you are being summoned to a council meeting."
Minato raised an eyebrow. The council? This wasn't the scheduled day for any meeting.
"Why have they summoned one now?" he asked, but the Anbu simply bowed and said nothing more.
Minato sighed. "All right."
In a flash, he vanished and reappeared in front of the council chambers. Entering the large hall, he found all the members present—the Civilian Council, the Elder Council, and the Shinobi Council. Everyone was already seated, awaiting him.
He took his seat calmly and looked around. "Well then," he said, "let's begin. What is this meeting about?"
Hamura, one of the elder councilors, was the first to respond. "Good morning to you too, Lord Hokage. We've convened today to discuss a very… pressing matter."
Minato's eyes narrowed slightly. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.
"What pressing matter would that be?" he asked.
Koharu Utatane spoke next. "Lord Hokage, it appears that you've been keeping certain… secrets from the council. We were unaware that you were secretly training your son."
Minato frowned. What in the world are they talking about?
"What exactly are you trying to say?" he asked sharply.
"We are referring," Koharu continued, "to the first one listed in the new Bingo Book entry."
"We've seen his potential ourselves during the Chūnin Exam preliminary matches," Koharu added. "But we never expected him to be this powerful. And now we hear he graduated the academy after just a single day?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"That's simply not possible unless… you've been training him from a very early age—perhaps even before Mito and Menma. And I must admit, if that was your strategy, it was quite brilliant. Other villages would assume you were focusing your efforts on training Menma and Mito to control the Bijū chakra… while secretly nurturing Naruto's potential—personally preparing him to become a powerhouse."
Another elder set a large scroll on the table and opened it, revealing detailed chakra assessments.
"This," he said, "confirms what the rumors and our sensory teams have been reporting. His chakra is not only vast—but legendary in nature. His control is exceptional. And according to a report from Uchiha Itachi, he's recreated several complex techniques—ones only someone like Tsunade-sama could teach. Either he was trained by her, or… he figured them out himself."
There was a beat of silence.
"In addition," the elder continued, "he's developed several original jutsu and seems to possess knowledge of certain truths… possibly classified ones. With Itachi's help, he decimated enemy forces and even defeated a Jinchūriki. Quite impressive, Lord Hokage. If this was part of your plan, it was a masterstroke."
Minato felt like a stone had landed in his stomach.
He had two options: admit the truth—that he had never trained Naruto at all—and lose face in front of his entire council… or go along with the narrative and claim it was part of his design.
But in his heart, he knew the truth. He had never trained Naruto. Not once.
He had always favored Menma and Mito. Jiraiya-sensei had spoken often of prophecies and destinies, and Minato had placed his hopes on them. He had told himself he was protecting the village's future.
Now, it seemed the future had already arrived—just not the way he expected.
Minato said nothing.
He simply gave a curt nod as the room filled with low murmurs and shifting gazes.
Then, Shikaku Nara leaned forward, voice calm but thoughtful.
"Well then, Lord Hokage… perhaps we should assign him additional training. From what we've seen and gathered, the boy's already an A-rank shinobi in skill—and he's only eight."
He paused. "And it seems Iwa has been suppressing information, not even acknowledging their Jinchūriki's defeat."
Minato nodded slowly. "If what you're saying is true… then what do you suggest?"
Before anyone else could speak, Danzō Shimura interjected.
"There are multiple options before us, Lord Hokage," he said smoothly. "He could remain among the regular forces. But considering he's already at least A-rank… we simply cannot—"