"Wow!"
Kushina couldn't help but exclaim as she took in the sight before her.
Minato stood before her, clad in the hokage robe, yet the garment did not seem cumbersome on him at all. On the contrary, it fit him perfectly, accentuating his tall and lean frame.
His yellow hair, his bright blue eyes—Minato was undoubtedly handsome. Gone was the unreliable and slightly awkward boy she had first met as a child. The man standing before her now exuded a calm strength, his gentle demeanor belying the fearsome reputation he had earned across the ninja world.
The name "Konoha's Yellow Flash" struck terror into the hearts of shinobi across the five great nations. And yet, for those who knew him personally, Minato's presence was warm and reassuring, a stark contrast to the intimidating legend that surrounded his name.
But now, with the addition of the Hokage robe draped over his shoulders, he carried an air of quiet authority. The once-gentle aura he possessed now bore a subtle, unshakable majesty.
Yet, rather than making him feel distant, this change only seemed to deepen the sense of trust one felt in his presence.
"What's wrong?"
Minato tilted his head slightly, puzzled by Kushina's lingering gaze.
She curled her lips playfully and teased, "Fourth Hokage, if you go around dressed like this, I'm afraid you're going to attract a lot of girls."
Minato, now the leader of Konoha, was still only twenty-two years old—a man in his prime. His youth and charisma would undoubtedly make him a popular figure, not just as a leader but among admirers as well.
Seeing the amused glint in Kushina's eyes, Minato let out a chuckle. "I never thought you'd be the type to worry about something like that, Kushina."
"What do you mean by that?!"
Her face flushed immediately, her fiery temper flaring up in embarrassment.
Minato smiled at her reaction and, in a rare moment of boldness, reached out and gently cupped her cheek. His touch was warm, his voice soft as he said, "Actually, if you dressed up a little, Kushina, I'm sure plenty of people would fall for you too."
Kushina wasn't the type to fuss over her appearance, but that did little to hide her natural beauty. Even without trying, she was breathtaking.
"Hmph! I don't care about that! I wouldn't even look at another man—only you, Minato!"
Her words came out in a rush, and by the time she realized what she had blurted, she felt her face heating up even more.
Minato's blue eyes softened as he gazed at her. "And for me, there is only you. In my eyes, Kushina, you are the most beautiful woman in the world."
His words carried no hesitation, only sincerity.
He leaned in, their foreheads nearly touching. They could feel each other's breath—so close, so intimate.
For a moment, the world around them disappeared.
"Yeah..." Kushina's lips curled into a sweet smile, her crimson eyes filled with happiness.
Their earlier playful banter no longer mattered. In this moment, there was only them.
"It's almost time, we should go," Kushina suddenly said, glancing at the clock. The Hokage succession ceremony was about to begin.
"You're right."
Minato nodded, his hand tightening around hers. And with that, they vanished from the house, reappearing amid the crowd of people gathered in front of the Hokage Building.
At the same time, in another part of the village, a solitary figure stood before two gravestones in Konoha's shinobi cemetery.
Kakashi Hatake.
"Rin, I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice quiet. "I've been busy these past few days. I should have come sooner."
His gaze lingered on the carved name before him. The girl who had once been his teammate, his friend—now just a memory engraved in stone.
After a long pause, he turned to the next tombstone.
"Obito..." Kakashi's voice wavered slightly. "Today is the day Minato-sensei becomes Hokage. If you were here, you'd be happy, wouldn't you?"
He exhaled, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"Being Hokage was your dream too."
Some distance away, hidden within the foliage, a shadowed figure stood silently.
Beneath a black cloak and mask, a pair of scarlet Sharingan eyes flickered with emotion.
"Hokage?"
The figure's voice was low, almost unreadable.
"Heh… Hokage…"
His fingers curled into a tight fist.
"Even if you've become Hokage, you're still just a loser…"
His voice was cold, filled with disdain—yet beneath it, there was something else. Something unspoken.
The air around him twisted in a vortex of space-time, and in the next moment—he was gone.
A few green leaves fluttered to the ground in his wake.
Hearing the faint rustling sound, Kakashi glanced sideways, eyes narrowing slightly. But when he saw nothing, he simply let out a sigh.
"It's time."
He cast one final look at the gravestones and whispered, "I'll come visit again tomorrow."
Then, without another word, he turned and vanished from sight.
By now, the entire village—both shinobi and civilians—had gathered beneath the Hokage Building.
Excitement buzzed through the crowd, their eyes frequently drifting upwards. The top of the Hokage Building was already lined with Anbu operatives, stationed at different points.
As time passed, the anticipation in the air grew stronger.
Then, finally—
The Third Hokage and the three Konoha elders stepped forward.
At the same time, Kakashi arrived, weaving his way through the gathered shinobi. He looked up just in time to see the moment everyone had been waiting for.
Swish!
With a flicker of movement, Minato appeared atop the building, his white robe fluttering in the breeze, the fire cloud pattern vivid against the fabric.
The crowd erupted.
"Is that the Fourth Hokage?!"
"He looks so young!"
"So handsome!"
"I never thought I'd see him in person!"
Although Minato was widely known as Konoha's Yellow Flash, most of the villagers had never seen him up close. His fearsome reputation as a shinobi painted a picture of a ruthless warrior, one who had carved his legend into history with the blood of enemy shinobi.
Yet, standing before them now—Minato was nothing like they had imagined.
He was young. He was composed. And he carried himself with the quiet confidence of a true leader.
Then, a voice rang out, cutting through the crowd's whispers.
"The Hokage succession ceremony officially begins!"
Instantly, all chatter ceased.
Minato stood alongside the Third Hokage and the village elders. Under the watchful eyes of countless spectators, Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward, removing the conical hat from his head.
The hat bore a single, powerful word—"Fire" (火). A symbol of the legacy passed down from the very first Hokage.
Hiruzen's hands trembled slightly as he turned to Minato.
"From this moment onward, Konoha is in your hands… Yondaime!"
A heavy silence fell over the village as Minato stepped forward, taking the Hokage's hat with steady hands.
He placed it on his head, his blue eyes gleaming with unwavering resolve.
"I am willing to give everything for this village."
The cheers that followed shook the very foundations of Konoha.
"Yondaime!"
"Yondaime!"
The voices of thousands rose in unison, their cries echoing across the village.
And so, a new era for Konoha began.
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