Lotus Blooming! Book 2

Chapter 58 -- The Old Kage

"Lord First," Minato hummed. "It appears we've been recalled into the world of the living."

Grandfather just hummed in confusion. "Who are you?" He asked.

"Grandfather, that's the Fourth Hokage." I explain.

"Oh!" Grandfather hummed. "The Fourth, I see! So does that make you the fifth?" He asks. "Then the village has remained stable!"

"I'm sorry, I'm not the fifth." I chuckle. "Incidentally, the fourth had died way before the third." I explained.

"Then who's the fifth?" He questions.

"Tsunade is." I grin.

He hunches forward, despair written all over his face. "Tsuna, huh?" He groans. "Is the village okay?"

"Is there something you're worried about?" Minato questioned through his amusement.

"She and Shun were my first grandchildren! So I spoiled them rotten! In the end though, only Tsuna picked up my gambling habit." Grandfather explains.

I just chuckled. "Well, to be honest, your great granddaughter also picked up the gambling habit." I explained sheepishly.

He bellowed out a laugh. "I see! Where is she, then?"

My gaze lowered. "Enough of that," Tobirama scolded his brother. "Who would've thought the jutsu I devised would be used to carelessly."

"It's not a complex jutsu." Orochimaru hummed. "However, you should not have created it in the first place. Lord Second. Many of your policies and jutsu that you developed ended up causing problems later down the line. Even now."

"Why you!" Tobirama growled. 

"Are you planning on attacking the Leaf again?! I took away your jutsu in exchange for my own life." Hiruzen exclaimed. "Yet you still-- And this time you revived me, your former master, to pit me against the Leaf!"

Grandfather sighed. "Conflict, no matter what the era. It certainly cannot be called that great a jutsu. Tobirama, that's why I told you to that time to--"

"Will you be quiet, big brother?" Tobirama snapped. "I am trying to talk to this stripling right now."

"But I--"

"Shut up!" Tobirama cut him off, causing him to sulk.

"Please do not misunderstand." Orochimaru hummed. "I don't have any more leanings in that direction. Haven't you noticed that I'm not suppressing your personalities?" I hum as I gaze at Orochimaru. "There are certain circumstances at play this time. I'm merely creating a stage for discourse per his strong desire."

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha and I want to ask you Hokage something." Sasuke spoke firmly.

Hiruzen hummed in surprise. "Is that you, Sasuke?"

"You belong to the Uchiha?" Tobirama questioned. "Of course you'd stick with a scoundrel."

"Don't be so rude, Uncle." I hum lightly.

"You're just as soft as he is!" Tobirama scolded.

"Never mind me." Sasuke cut in. "Lord Third... Why did you make Itachi do what he did?"

"So, you've learned of what happened." Hiruzen hummed.

"I... killed Itachi to avenge the Uchiha clan. Afterwards, I learned the truth from Tobi and Danzo. And I leaned towards swearing vengeance against the Leaf. However, I want to hear it straight from your mouth. Everything regarding Itachi."

"So... it came to that." Hiruzen sighed. "Not only did I have him kill his brethren... I also had him bear the false charge of traitor.... and keep tabs on the Akatsuki all by himself. From the time he was a small child, Itachi paid attention to the teaching and signs of our predecessors that no one else gave heed to. He was a sensitive child who understood our village's past and our shinobi. And perhaps due to that, the trappings of a clan never bound Itachi. He was able to think ahead about the future of shinobi and of the village. And constantly had misgivings regarding those futures. Even at the age of seven, he thought like a Hokage. We left everything to Itachi in his hands alone... and he executed his missions perfectly. He killed his entire clan and stopped a revolt. Prevented a coming war all by himself. He even infiltrated the Akatsuki as a spy to protect the village. On the condition that I protect you within the village."