"In that case… it couldn't be better."

Relieved by Gojo Kaigetsu's promise, Gonbee sighed. Although the brush in his hand felt heavier than Kirigakure's very ninja way, he resolutely signed his name on the alliance treaty scroll and stamped it with Kirigakure's official seal.

Despite the heavy price, Kirigakure's strategic objectives were essentially achieved.

Kirigakure had schemed in secret, unnoticed by Konoha – one win!

The loyal Kekkei Genkai ninja, Terumi Mei, was sent to Konoha to learn, and the lecherous Gojo Kaigetsu remained unsuspecting – two wins!

Kirigakure only sacrificed one Kekkei Genkai ninja and some money in exchange for Konoha's ninja support in defense and the revival of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura – three wins!

This negotiation… wasn't a loss at all; it was a complete victory!

A ninja's mind was truly flexible. Such was the life of a shinobi; by changing perspectives, the same situation could lead to completely different conclusions.

Really… a happy ending for everyone!

Gojo Kaigetsu also took a brush, signed his name on the scroll, and then, with practiced ease, stamped it with the Hokage's official seal.

Voilà, the alliance treaty was finalized!

He leisurely rolled up the scroll, intending to hand it over to the publishing house for printing ten thousand copies upon leaving the building, announcing to the entire shinobi world that Kirigakure and Konoha had formed an alliance.

"Um… Advisor Gojo, now that Konoha and Kirigakure are allies, when do you plan to remove the Flying Raijin seal in our village?"

"Ah, about that~ Don't worry. We'll have our Hokage go over and erase the mark shortly."

"Konoha would absolutely never betray an ally. You can rest assured about that."

"That's good, that's good." Gonbee sighed in relief once more. Although the negotiations had been difficult, the Konoha advisor was surprisingly agreeable afterward.

"Now that the negotiations are concluded, there's no need to rush off, is there?"

"Hmm… I suppose not. The village is busy with reconstruction and repairs, and there's not much we can do to help back home." With the weight lifted from his shoulders, Gonbee's mind began to wander.

Although he was a confidant of the Mizukage's advisor, he still adhered to all the rules, living a restrictive life akin to an ascetic monk.

Having finally left the village and arrived in the flourishing and vibrant Konoha, he naturally wanted to enjoy himself before returning.

The younger ninjas accompanying him nodded in agreement.

Kirigakure's environment was indeed suitable for cultivating emotionless ninjas who were like killing machines, but such ninjas lacked a sense of belonging to the village.

Despite their earlier bluster, after signing such a humiliating treaty with Konoha… they felt indifferent. What did the village's matters have to do with them as individual ninjas?

As long as it wasn't explicitly forbidden, it was permissible. So, after completing their mission, indulging in some leisure in Konoha shouldn't be a problem!

Let the fun times in the Land of Flowers begin!

"In that case… Konoha should fulfill its duty as a host."

Clap!

Gojo Kaigetsu clapped his hands. "Kakashi, come out!"

Within three breaths, Kakashi appeared behind Gojo Kaigetsu. "Advisor Gojo, what are your instructions?"

"Arrange for your men to entertain the Kirigakure ninjas. Take them to the… appropriate… places and let them relax. Before they leave, remember to give them some Konoha specialties."

"Ah…" Kakashi froze for a moment, quickly grasping the underlying meaning in Gojo Kaigetsu's words.

Konoha specialties… based on his experience as Gojo's secretary, the term "specialties" was likely a double entendre. Considering Gojo Kaigetsu's usual behavior, a ludicrous yet plausible answer surfaced in his mind.

'Erotic books. The specialties Advisor Gojo is referring to are erotic books, aren't they?!'

Kakashi's heart sank.

Gojo Kaigetsu only needed to issue ambiguous orders; as his secretary, Kakashi had to consider the implications.

Correctly interpreting the advisor's intentions would naturally elevate his status, gradually becoming a confidant and gaining access to more ninja resources. However, if he misinterpreted… the consequences would fall solely on him.

Even if the matter came to light and the erotic books were exposed, Kakashi would be the one to take the blame.

"Yes, Advisor-sama!"

Kakashi stood at attention, ready to make arrangements, but Gojo Kaigetsu stopped him again:

"Not so fast~"

"Delegate those tasks to your subordinates. As for you… I recall there's still quite a bit of money left from what Ai gave me for the house purchase. Use it to acquire a private residence for Lady Mei."

"Remember, the two houses shouldn't be too close, nor too far apart. The place should be spacious, the environment pleasant, and the surrounding area free from anyone I know, or any unsavory individuals."

"You… understand?"

Money?

An ominous premonition arose in Kakashi's heart. He had handled the previous house purchase for Gojo Kaigetsu. If he remembered correctly, only about one hundred thousand ryō remained.

So, did this mean… he was expected to cover the remaining expenses out of his own pocket?

Kakashi's visible eye rolled upwards in exasperation. He replied listlessly, "Yes! Advisor-sama."

…

…

Soon, the reception room fell silent once more, leaving only the new-generation Konoha F4 exchanging glances.

Danzo remained huddled in his seat, silent and speechless.

"Eh? Minato, my memory isn't what it used to be. I seem to recall making a wager with someone earlier… but I can't quite remember who it was."

"Could you help me jog my memory?"

Gojo Kaigetsu clutched his temples dramatically, his acting clearly exaggerated.

Minato covered his face, chuckling and shaking his head. At times like these, it was better to let Elder Danzo admit defeat himself. As the Hokage, it wasn't appropriate for him to get involved in such matters.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

A Hokage should maintain a certain decorum!

Although he still had many questions for Gojo Kaigetsu, he decided to cede the stage to him for now.

"Gojo Kaigetsu, there's no need for your sarcasm."

"You're not yet worthy of making me go against a wager made in public."

Hook, line, and sinker. Danzo took the bait as expected. He tapped his cane in annoyance. "I have no problem handing them over. However, before that, you need to answer me… how do you plan to utilize those two Kekkei Genkai ninjas?"

"That's none of your concern, Elder Danzo."

"I'll arrange for them to be adopted by an Konoha family, or perhaps placed in the orphanage I established."

"When they reach the age of three… or five, they'll be enrolled in the Konoha Ninja Academy and trained like any other Konoha ninja."

This was the most politically correct answer.

Of course, whether he would privately use Kimimaro's flesh and blood for some atavistic experiments… Gojo Kaigetsu couldn't say for sure.

The Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku, all in one place.

'The bloodlines of Hamura and Hagoromo Otsutsuki gathered in Konoha. Controlling the bloodlines of aliens… feels pretty good~'

Danzo's face darkened.

Indeed, in Konoha, bathed in the Will of Fire, Gojo Kaigetsu's proposal was undoubtedly the most appropriate course of action. No one could find fault with it.

Even in the shinobi world, no matter how talented a ninja, at the age of one, they lacked self-awareness. Raising them as pure Konoha ninja was perfectly acceptable.

However, Danzo still felt that this approach was far too mediocre!

Rescued and brought to Konoha after their clan's annihilation, they undoubtedly possessed the "darkness in their hearts" that he often spoke of.

Recruiting them into Root for specialized training would be the ideal solution!

Indoctrinating them from a young age with the belief that Kirigakure was their enemy would ensure that upon reaching adulthood, they would relentlessly target Kirigakure, becoming valuable assets against them… Perhaps, under such darkness, they could even inherit his mantle, becoming the successors of Root's will.

Unfortunately, it was not to be.

Openly, he had lost the opportunity to obtain the two Kekkei Genkai ninjas.

But… what about secretly?

Danzo's eyes narrowed, a sinister plan quickly forming in his mind.

He and Orochimaru had numerous clandestine collaborations. He would hand the children over to Gojo Kaigetsu for now, and once the current situation calmed down… he would have Orochimaru abduct them. Then, using his authority within Root, he would provide Orochimaru with the necessary assistance.

'Hmph, what's mine will ultimately be mine. No one can take it away.'

Having formulated his plan, Danzo no longer dwelled on the present matter. He stood up. "I'll send them to you. Do as you please."

"However… your accusation of me leaving a Flying Raijin seal in Kirigakure in front of the Kirigakure envoy… I haven't forgotten that. If you do it again, I won't let you off so easily."

Danzo, his face cold, attempted to salvage his dignity, turning to Minato to lecture him. "And Fourth Hokage, Gojo Kaigetsu has been using an ANBU captain as his personal secretary."

"Just listen to the tasks he's assigned Kakashi! This is abuse of authority, a blatant act of misconduct!"

"Please, Fourth Hokage, don't show favoritism."

With that, Danzo, along with Mitotomen, left the Hokage Tower without looking back.

Only Gojo Kaigetsu and Minato remained in the meeting room.

"Phew… that troublesome old man is finally gone." Gojo Kaigetsu slumped back into his chair, casually picking a purple grape from the fruit platter on the table and popping it into his mouth.

"So, Kaigetsu-kun, what was that about the 'Top Ward'?"

"Does such a ward actually exist in Konoha Hospital?"

The two tacitly ignored Danzo's nagging and moved on to the real issue.

Gojo Kaigetsu replied nonchalantly, "Of course not. It was just a ruse to get Kirigakure to send their Mizukage to Konoha."

Minato pondered for a moment, then reminded him seriously, "Then… what about Tsunade-sama? Kirigakure is willing to pay, but only after seeing Tsunade-sama. Also, that Kirigakure ninja, Terumi Mei, will be sending regular reports. And, are we really going to have Tsunade-sama treat the Fourth Mizukage?"

"Kaigetsu-kun, I know you love money, but this involves a Kage-level shinobi. We can't simply weigh the pros and cons based on monetary value."

Having spent considerable time with Gojo Kaigetsu, Minato was no longer the naive, bright-eyed young man he once was.

His past self might have genuinely celebrated this as a step towards world peace, a new dawn of harmony descending upon Konoha.

But now, tainted by experience, he understood that peace treaties were often empty words, merely a pretext for Konoha and Kirigakure to extract resources and benefits from each other.

When the time was right, Kirigakure would inevitably retaliate!

From this perspective, the true meaning behind the treaty's clauses – opening trade routes, ceding affiliated islands, dispatching ninja garrisons – became crystal clear.

Gradually eroding Kirigakure's power, weakening them in secret, until they realized they had been bled dry by Konoha. Like a frog in slowly boiling water, by the time Kirigakure reacted, it would be too late to escape Konoha's fangs.

Even if war did break out, the damage to Konoha would be significantly reduced.

Perhaps the catalyst for renewed conflict between Kirigakure and Konoha would be the Fourth Mizukage's recovery, his power returning to its peak.

That was a scenario Minato desperately wanted to avoid. Before that happened, either Kirigakure had to be completely crippled, or the Fourth Mizukage had to remain unconscious.

Hearing Minato's words, Gojo Kaigetsu smiled warmly, like a proud father. "My teachings haven't been in vain, Minato. You've grown."

"Tsunade probably won't return unless the one lying in the 'Top Ward' is me. But it's alright. Whether it's hair color or… physique, Ai is quite suitable."

"Have her pick out one of Tsunade's old outfits from the Senju compound; that should be enough to fool them."

"It's been years since Kirigakure had any contact with Tsunade. Their impression of her is probably still stuck in the Second Shinobi World War era."

Minato gasped, a shiver running down his spine. Through rumors, he knew that Kaigetsu-kun had a close relationship with the person his sensei secretly admired.

However, no matter how close they were, having another woman impersonate Tsunade… Minato, with his limited experience with women, subconsciously imagined Kushina in the same situation.

He shuddered violently.

If Tsunade-sama found out… Kaigetsu-kun would probably suffer a gruesome death.

Another unremarkable Chunin corpse would be added to the Sannin's list of victims.

"Kaigetsu-kun… are you sure you'll be alright?" Minato asked worriedly. "Will Tsunade-sama really allow this? Elder Danzo might actually send Root ninjas to report this to her."

"Relax. If something like that happens, Tsunade will definitely side with me in public. At worst, I'll get a beating in private." Gojo Kaigetsu waved his hand dismissively. "Now, about your second point."

"Minato, you don't understand the human heart. You didn't see Mei's reaction when she was pushed forward."

"Tsk tsk, that look in her eyes was intense. Apathetic, desolate, and despairing. Perhaps she still holds a sliver of loyalty to Kirigakure. But after I… adjust her, she'll be lucky if she doesn't actively feed me false information."

The renowned beast tamer, Gojo Kaigetsu, once said, there was only one true path to a kunoichi's heart. Everything else – village, loyalty, conviction, faith – was superfluous!

"As for your concerns about the Fourth Mizukage…"

Gojo Kaigetsu paused, gathering his thoughts.

Logically, considering the current state of Kirigakure, there were only two possible reasons for Yagura's coma. Either Obito or Madara had intervened, shattering Yagura's sanity with their Mangekyo Sharingan.

However, this seemed unlikely. There was no reason for him to suddenly lose control after being controlled for so long.

The other possibility was… an ambush by Kisame Hoshigaki using Samehada, taking Yagura down before he could even activate his tailed beast transformation. Although it was a sneak attack, being defeated by a peak Jonin suggested that Yagura's threat level wasn't that high.

Even if he did awaken and recover in Konoha, and then colluded with Kirigakure ninjas using some secret technique to unleash the Four-Tails within Konoha, creating a human-shaped nuclear bomb…

A mysterious smile played on Gojo Kaigetsu's lips. "Konoha also possesses methods of controlling the Fourth Mizukage."

"He might even cooperate willingly, helping us drain the last of Kirigakure's resources."

Control? Methods?

Minato was confused, sensing that Kaigetsu-kun was talking about something significant.

Did this mean the Fourth Mizukage had been under someone's control all along? Who? The elders? Putting himself in Yagura's shoes, Minato felt a pang of sympathy for the Fourth Mizukage, a Kage controlled by his own village elders.

No… Konoha clearly had no influence within Kirigakure's council of elders. So, the control Kaigetsu-kun referred to must be… genjutsu control!

How did Kaigetsu-kun know such information? If it were true, did a ninja capable of controlling a Kage-level shinobi with genjutsu truly exist?

Moreover… from Kaigetsu-kun's tone, it seemed Konoha possessed such a ninja as well?

Minato felt a surge of unease.

If one day he were also controlled by a genjutsu ninja… well, there wasn't much to worry about. Even if he were controlled, with Kaigetsu-kun managing political affairs, Konoha would never become a twisted regime like Kirigakure.

Even in the worst-case scenario, if he, Minato Namikaze, died in the line of duty, with Kushina still in Konoha, the village wouldn't face utter ruin.

Minato's tense muscles gradually relaxed.

No one knew better than him who the true number one in Konoha was.

His wife, the master of martial prowess, and his best friend, the master of strategy. From this perspective, even if he were to fall, he had no worries.

Minato solemnly patted Gojo Kaigetsu's shoulder, as if entrusting the Will of Fire to him.

"My wife will assist you, have no fear!"

Gojo Kaigetsu: "???"

Minato, you bright-eyed, yellow-haired fool, did you even hear what you just said?!