Starting Over As Minato

Minato felt warmth in his heart as he looked at Rukia standing before him. With a gentle smile, he patted her head and then turned to Kakashi, Mitarashi Anko, and the others who had just arrived.

"It's over. Let's go!" he said.

Without another word, Minato took Rukia and Naruto and vanished in an instant. Seeing this, Kakashi addressed the group.

"Check on your students. I still need to find Uchiha Sasuke and Sakura."

Before anyone could respond, he disappeared with a few swift jumps. Sarutobi Asuma, holding a cigarette between his lips, exhaled and said casually, "Let's head back too."

With that, the shinobi made their way back to the village.

As night fell, Minato led Naruto and Rukia through the village streets in search of a meal. The moment they stepped into the public eye, the whispers began. Villagers cast disdainful glances at Naruto, murmuring insults under their breath. Though they spoke in hushed tones, Minato's keen senses picked up every word.

His expression darkened. How foolish had his predecessor been? A great kunoichi like Kushina had sacrificed herself for this village, yet they repaid her son with hatred. As someone who knew Naruto's suffering over the past twelve years, Minato found it utterly unacceptable. His son had been treated worse than an orphan in a rundown shelter.

He turned to Naruto, whose small face was cast in shadow, his blue eyes devoid of their usual brightness. Seeing his son walk with such loneliness made something inside Minato snap.

In an instant, his chakra flared violently. The ground beneath them cracked, spiderweb fissures spreading outward. A suffocating killing intent swept through the street like a tidal wave, causing the nearby villagers to stagger back in terror. Faces turned pale, legs buckled, and some collapsed entirely, their minds reeling as if staring into the abyss of death itself.

Minato had earned his name as the Yellow Flash on the battlefield, carving a path through countless enemies. His killing intent, honed in the Third Great Ninja War, was no empty threat. If not for Naruto's presence, he might have truly made an example of these people.

Just as the villagers teetered on the brink of a breakdown, a small hand tugged at the hem of Minato's sleeve. He looked down to see Naruto gazing up at him, eyes wide.

"Dad, it's okay. Let's just go eat," Naruto said quietly.

Minato turned to see Rukia smiling gently and nodding in agreement. With a sigh, he retracted his chakra, and the suffocating pressure vanished. The fallen villagers gasped for breath, their bodies drenched in cold sweat. Minato shot them an indifferent glance before walking away with Naruto and Rukia.

As they disappeared into the distance, the shaken civilians glared at Minato's retreating figure, gritting their teeth in resentment.

"Damn Fourth Hokage... The Third Hokage never cared about these things!"

Had Minato heard their thoughts, he would have laughed coldly. Of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't care—he was the very architect of Naruto's suffering. And alongside him, his old comrade, the so-called "Shadow of the Leaf," Danzo Shimura.

---

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room, Hiruzen sat quietly, puffing on his pipe. Around him were three figures: his former teammates, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, and Danzo, his old war ally and the head of Root.

After taking a long drag, Hiruzen exhaled slowly and spoke.

"Minato is back. What do you make of this? And something about his resurrection doesn't sit right with me."

The other three remained silent, prompting him to continue. "He feels different—not just resurrected, but sharper, more resolute than before."

Homura and Koharu exchanged uncertain glances. It was understandable—Minato had been trapped in the belly of the Shinigami for years. If he had changed, wasn't that to be expected?

Danzo, who had been resting his eyes, finally opened his single remaining eye. His voice was low and deliberate.

"You focus on trivial matters. The real issue is this: according to Root's surveillance, Minato single-handedly defeated the One-Tailed Shukaku in the Forest of Death."

A heavy silence followed. Koharu's face paled, and she hastily asked, "What should we do? We can't allow Minato to simply reclaim power. I've barely enjoyed my time as part of Konoha's ruling council!"

Over the years, the position of Elder had granted Koharu and her family immense influence. She had no intention of relinquishing that power, especially not to Minato, whose return could upend everything.

Hiruzen sighed deeply. The situation had become far more complicated than he had anticipated.

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