78

The welcoming euphoria of Konoha's return ceremony had only just begun to settle. Afternoon sunlight poured through the sprawl of the Hidden Leaf Village, dappling the stone streets and wooden eaves in a soft golden radiance. Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing near the freshly trodden village square, straightened his ceremonial white cloak and swept his gaze across the dispersing crowd—villagers, ninja, children, all drifting back to daily routines now that the initial awe had faded.

At his side, Minato Namikaze hovered close, his face a delicate mask of discipline tinged with exhaustion. The mission, the march through the border woods, and the high-stakes return had all taken their toll, yet Minato's blue eyes remained clear. The Hokage clasped his hands at his back and addressed him with the calm of command and the edge of calculation.

"Minato, take our esteemed guest to a suitable place to stay." Hiruzen said—a touch too formal, but every word measured. He kept his eyes trained ahead, away from the villagers who still lingered nearby, their curiosity barely restrained.

Minato nodded, his mind already turning to logistics, trying to picture the battered map of the village and the dozens of residences scattered about.

'The war's eaten through so many of the usual accommodations… Most clan homes are either housing the wounded, filled with refugees, or under repair thanks to raids and sabotage. The commercial hostels are gone. Where could we possibly ask a man like Radahn to stay…'

"Right now, except for some of the clan compounds, most housing is unavailable due to the war—either still damaged or occupied by the wounded." Minato murmured. He kept his voice low and private, the words meant only for Hiruzen's ears. The Hokage's eyebrows arched in sparse amusement.

For a moment, the air crackled with decision—then Hiruzen's eyes glinted, a flash of slyness cutting through his usually serene features.

A plan clicked into place. Hiruzen's tone turned almost playful:

"Oh? Then take him to the Senju Residence-" Hiruzen offered, the words delivered as if he'd just chosen the most logical and considerate option. 

"Appoint Kakashi to show him around the village and answer his questions—and perhaps… you could tag along as well, Minato, at least for the first day. It would be… prudent."

Minato hesitated, half turning—he wanted to object, thoughts of Tsunade flashing sharp and immediate in his mind.

"B-but—" Her legendary temper, her possessiveness of the Senju grounds, even when she was rarely there… it seemed ill-advised to risk her wrath.

Hiruzen waved away Minato's apprehension, his voice gentle, but carrying the steel of absolute decision.

"Do not worry, Minato. Due to the war, there are hardly any pure-blooded Senju left—barely three or four, including Tsunade herself. Most are away, helping with the reconstruction and the field hospitals. I'll handle any objections about Radahn-dono staying in their compound. For now, he needs a place deserving of his contribution, at least until we find permanent arrangements."

Minato nodded, not entirely convinced, but he trusted the Hokage's judgment and political instincts—the same instincts that had led the Leaf through darkness again and again.

'If anyone can convince Tsunade-sama, it's Hokage-sama.…'

Behind the conversation, towering above the departing crowd, stood Radahn. His massive silhouette shimmered in the warm afternoon sun, golden armor glowing, shoulders relaxed but intentional.

As villagers filtered down the main avenue, Radahn's gaze wandered—not with arrogance, but a quiet, precise awareness. His attention roamed rooftops, alleyways, crowds—seeking not threats, but knowledge.

Yet a pinprick of malice caught his focus, a thread of killing intent so sharp that no shinobi, no matter how subtle, could conceal it from him.

Radahn's eyes darkened, fixing on a narrow street where Kakashi stood with Rin, who laughed freely, the tension of the morning already easing beneath her optimism. To most bystanders, the assassin's intent—a targeting so cruel—remained undetectable. But to Radahn, it was as plain as a shouted insult.

'A snake in the garden. For me— for her…'

His golden gaze snapped upward, tracing the wicked intent to its source: a ninja, face hidden in shadow, knelt on a tiled rooftop above the square.

His hand hovered over a scroll, eyes fixed coldly on Rin below.

A second, fainter killing intent seemed to watch for his signal nearby.

In that instant, Radahn's spirit surged—a silent tidal wave, the shape of malice shattered beneath his will.

The would-be assassin jolted, his body seizing in a sudden, horrifying spasm. He managed only a single strangled gasp—

"G—aaah!"—before his heart stopped and he slumped backward, lifeless, over the tiles.

No bystander noticed more than a shadow's flicker.

A hawk perched on a chimney flew off in fright.

The second source of intent blinked, panicked, and vanished into the city in a blur.

Radahn's attention returned to the street below.

No sign of the chill or the intent now—only the vibrant rays of sunlight, Kakashi's soft banter, and Rin's laughter spilling like spring water through the lazy afternoon.

He let out a small, quiet breath.

'This is their world. Kind faces, soft words, cheerful honours—all to hold me in place, bind me to this village by gratitude, by comfort, by the illusion that I am free. They wish for me to be on their side, nothing more. But I know the truth beneath these smiles. And for now… I will-'

Across the street, Hiruzen's gaze darted once in Radahn's direction, as if searching for some sign that his offer—a home, a guide, a touch of trust—had been accepted with gratitude and not suspicion.

The Hokage's lips curled in a slight, secret smile.

In the moments that followed, ANBU melted away from their posts.

The sun crawled lower in the sky, casting long shadows across Konoha's broad streets. Life gradually resumed: vendors hawked sweet dumplings, injured jonin hobbled from clinic to inn, children played beneath the blooming cherry trees, their laughter unconcerned with the secret wars that played out above their heads.

Radahn stood motionless in the square, gaze thoughtful, as Minato raised his hand and gestured softly.

"Come with me, Radahn-dono. Your home for now awaits."

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