The night was late, but the Hokage's office remained gently lit—its warm glow spilling across piles of scrolls and mission reports stacked like weary sentinels around the desk.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat behind his desk with heavy shoulders and tired eyes. The weight of leadership—especially in recent days—pressed upon him more than ever.

In his wrinkled hands, he held a freshly delivered Anbu report.

He didn't need to read far.

Standing silently before him was the man at the center of it—Hatake Kakashi.

The silence between them lingered, not with tension, but with something more contemplative. There was a comfort in Kakashi's presence, one that stirred a quiet sense of relief in the old Hokage's heart.

Hiruzen finally spoke, his voice soft but firm, weathered by years of command and compassion.

"Kakashi… The Anbu reported that you voluntarily visited Uzumaki Naruto today?"

Kakashi's response was simple. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

Then, with careful hands, he drew a short blade from his side and gently placed it on the desk.

The soft light from the desk lamp reflected along its polished edge, a cold glint dancing across the steel.

Hiruzen's brows lifted ever so slightly.

"…This blade…"

He leaned forward, eyes narrowing with recognition. He hadn't seen it in years, yet it still carried the same quiet menace and pride.

"That's… Sakumo's blade, isn't it?"

Kakashi nodded slowly, his single visible eye filled with a rare and quiet reverence.

"Yes. The blade of the White Fang."

There was a beat of silence before he continued.

"Now that I've regained some mastery over my Sharingan… I can finally close it at will. And with it, I've regained clarity. Balance."

He looked down at the blade, then back at Hiruzen.

"I can finally lift this again… Not just as a weapon—but as my father's will."

Hiruzen exhaled slowly, leaning back in his chair. For all his decades of experience, moments like this—when a man reclaimed himself—still moved him.

"It must have taken a great deal of pain and time… to reach this point."

Kakashi offered a small nod. "It did."

Hiruzen's gaze softened as understanding dawned.

"So… picking up that blade reminded you of Minato, didn't it?"

"Yes." Kakashi's voice lowered, carrying the weight of memory. "Of him… and the child he left behind."

Uzumaki Naruto.

Another silence passed, this one heavier, quieter. Hiruzen's hands clasped before him, his face shadowed by guilt.

"I have failed that child, Kakashi…" he said quietly. "I thought I could protect him by sealing away the truth, but in doing so, I left him vulnerable to cruelty, neglect… loneliness."

Kakashi's expression didn't waver.

"You don't need to carry all the blame, Hokage-sama. The village has failed him as a whole. But…" he paused, his voice resolute, "that child bears the Will of Fire stronger than most adults I know."

"Even in isolation, he shines."

There was conviction in Kakashi's tone now, a quiet fire that even Sarutobi could feel.

"Someday," Kakashi continued, "that spark in him will ignite something far greater… and light the entire village."

The words struck a chord in Hiruzen's chest.

But what he didn't catch—or perhaps chose not to hear—was the pause Kakashi allowed in the middle of his speech. The subtle hesitation. The small measure of doubt that still lingered in Kakashi's mind about whether the boy would even get that chance.

Still, Hiruzen smiled faintly.

"Your words carry the heart of someone who's learning to see beyond the immediate. That's the vision of a Hokage."

Kakashi didn't flinch at the statement. He only bowed his head slightly.

"That's why I intend to be there for him. To guide him. To help him form bonds… real ones. The kind that won't abandon him when it matters."

At the mention of the word 'bonds', Hiruzen's eyes twitched slightly.

He'd once believed in those same connections, once trusted in them to keep the peace after the Nine-Tails attack. And yet…

How easily bonds could fray.

"You understand the importance of connection," Hiruzen said at last, his voice thoughtful. "Naruto will need someone like you if he's to endure what lies ahead."

He let the weight of the moment settle in before continuing.

"You were Minato's student. You've carried that legacy—its pain and its strength—longer than anyone. If there's someone suited to walk beside Naruto now… it's you."

Kakashi bowed slightly again. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"From this day on, I intend to do more than just watch from the shadows. I'll guide him. Teach him. Protect him."

He placed a gloved hand over his chest.

"And I'll carry both your trust… and my sensei's."

Hiruzen smiled, proud and wistful all at once. He reached across the desk and placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"The road ahead will test you, Kakashi. There will be moments where the path seems hopeless. But if you hold fast to your belief in that boy… and in yourself…"

His grip tightened slightly.

"You might just help save this village from itself."

Kakashi nodded once, resolute.

"I won't let you down."

Just as Kakashi and Hiruzen Sarutobi were still conversing, a sudden rush of footsteps echoed from outside the Hokage Office.

Bang!

The door burst open, and several cloaked figures appeared, dropping to one knee.

"Hokage-sama!" an Anbu captain spoke urgently, his voice tight with unease.

Hiruzen's gentle expression vanished in an instant. His sharp gaze swept across them. "Speak."

The lead Anbu didn't hesitate. "Uchiha Sasuke... has disappeared."

"What?" Hiruzen's voice sharpened, the weight of the words sinking in. His eyes narrowed, his brows furrowed in deep alarm. "Explain. Where was he last seen?"

The Anbu immediately responded. "Konoha Hospital. He was still in his recovery ward. We've swept the entire area. There were no signs of struggle, no forced entry, no chakra residue—"

Another added grimly, "It was as if he vanished into thin air."

The words hung in the air like poison.

Hiruzen's fingers curled slowly around his pipe, now forgotten in his grip. His mind was already racing.

Kakashi remained quiet at his side, but his silence said more than words. His gaze lowered. So Obito moved...

He hadn't expected it to be so soon.

Still, it was perfect.

A blade in the dark had struck—while the blame still pointed elsewhere.

Hiruzen's mind snapped back into focus. "That Masked Man..." he muttered.

The Anbu glanced up.

"That space-time user," Hiruzen continued darkly. "The one who ambushed Kakashi... Only someone with that ability could infiltrate Konoha undetected. Do we have any updates on his movements?"

"No, Hokage-sama," the Anbu replied. "The last confirmed sighting remains the failed abduction attempt on Kakashi. Since then... nothing."

Hiruzen's expression turned grim. First the Uchiha Massacre… then Incoming Asteroid Crisis… and now this.

His thoughts flickered to the promise made with Itachi—the fragile balance they'd all agreed to maintain. And now, that balance was on the verge of collapsing.

Kakashi finally broke the silence. His voice was quiet, but firm. "There's a strong chance... the Akatsuki are behind this."

Hiruzen looked at him sharply.

Kakashi continued, eyes hidden beneath his forehead protector. "Jiraiya's intel already hinted that they've begun targeting Jinchūriki and powerful bloodline users. If they're growing desperate, abducting Sasuke could be part of a larger plan. Perhaps they intend to use him against Itachi."

The Third's eyes narrowed. "That is a troubling thought..."

Kakashi's misinformation was deliberate, carefully designed. He knew Obito had severed ties with Akatsuki—but if he could convince Hiruzen otherwise, he might fracture any budding talks between Konoha and their potential allies. Delay was his goal. Confusion was his weapon.

A moment later, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally issued a solemn command: "Intensify the search efforts. We must do our best to find Sasuke's whereabouts."

However, with the Ninja World crisis approaching, Konoha could not commit too many resources.

If he could not be found, the matter would temporarily have to be shelved until the situation became clearer.

"Kakashi, go to the Hidden Rain Village and contact Jiraiya... Sasuke should have been taken to the Akatsuki..."

After dealing with these matters, the Third Hokage glanced at some documents in his drawer... His expression instantly became very bitter...