"Sensei..."
Early the next morning, Hiruzen Sarutobi hurried toward the Hokage Building in a frantic rush.
He knew it!
He knew that after seeing Hashirama Senju acquire Sage Mode, a guy like Kakashi would definitely set his sights on the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!
The only thing Hiruzen hadn't expected was for Kakashi to act so fast!
He didn't give an old man like him any time to react at all!
Heaven have mercy, he was already getting up there in years, yet he still had to drag himself out of bed bright and early just to run over and pay his respects to Tobirama Senju.
Couldn't young people show a little consideration for the elderly?
The moment he arrived at the Hokage Building, Hiruzen ignored the surprised looks of others and charged straight toward Meeting Room 3.
"Kakashi!"
Accompanied by the loud bang of the door being thrown open, the first thing that greeted his eyes was Tobirama Senju's deadpan face.
"Monkey. It's been a while," Tobirama Senju said calmly, holding a stack of Sealing Jutsu documents in his hands.
"Sensei, it has been a long time."
Having already dealt with Hashirama Senju previously, Hiruzen felt much calmer facing Tobirama Senju this time around.
"You're getting old; don't let your temper run so hot."
"Sit."
Tobirama said, pointing to the empty seat next to him.
"Sensei, you..."
Hiruzen's eyes were filled with hesitation. Looking at Tobirama Senju beside him, whose reanimated body was covered in cracks, he opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
He wanted to pour out his heart and tell his long-lost mentor everything he had been through over the years, but he didn't know where to start.
"You've worked hard all these years, Monkey."
"Being Hokage must have been very difficult for you."
Hearing Tobirama speak like this, Hiruzen felt that all his efforts over the years hadn't been in vain.
"The Fifth Hokage told me about the Danzo situation."
"Although you were too lenient, it is understandable."
Tobirama set down the documents in his hands and looked at his disciple, who now showed every bit of his advanced age.
"Sensei..."
Seeing this, Hiruzen was overcome with a complex mix of emotions. Compared to Hashirama Senju, who was his teacher in name, the Tobirama Senju before him was the one who had truly mentored him.
And that single sentence from Tobirama was an acknowledgment of everything he had done as the Third Hokage over the years.
"Sensei, where is Kakashi?"
Moving past his sentimentality, Hiruzen looked around, realizing that the man he had come to settle a score with was nowhere to be found.
"Hmph. The Fifth Hokage you chose!"
At the mention of Kakashi, Tobirama's face twisted in profound annoyance.
Summoning him right at his own grave to research some so-called new jutsu was one thing.
But now, leaving him here all alone first thing in the morning under the guise of "going home to see his wife"?
?
If you care so much about your wife's feelings, did you ever consider my feelings when you yanked me out of the Pure Land?
Damn it all!
"Uh, heh heh, perhaps Kakashi has some urgent business?"
Seeing Tobirama like this, Hiruzen instinctively defended Kakashi, even though he had no idea what had transpired between the two of them.
After all, he was the one who had pushed through all opposition to make Kakashi the Hokage in the first place.
Little did he know, his words only made Tobirama even more irritated.
Hatake Residence
"Naruto!"
"It's getting cold out, put on an extra layer!"
Kakashi sat at the dining table eating breakfast, while Hikari chased after Naruto with a sweater, trying to force the disobedient brat into it.
"No way! If I wear that much, my neck will be all tight and uncomfortable!"
Naruto tried to make a run for it, but Hikari grabbed him firmly by the back of his collar. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't escape her clutches.
"Brat, if you don't want to die, you'd better be a good boy and put this sweater on right now!"
Hikari leaned in close to Naruto's ear, sweater in hand, her tone dripping with menace.
"Yes, big sister Hikari," Naruto replied, his face turning a shade of green as he immediately stood at attention.
It was obvious that while Kakashi wasn't home, Naruto had already experienced Hikari's methods firsthand.
Back in Hikari's era, the solution for disobedient children was a healthy dose of "tough love."
Even the most mischievous of brats had no choice but to obediently surrender.
"I'm off to the Academy!"
Having obediently put on the sweater, Naruto seized a moment when Hikari was distracted, grabbed his backpack, and bolted out the door.
"Breakfast! Your breakfast!"
Hikari shouted after him, but Naruto completely ignored her, disappearing around the corner in the blink of an eye.
"Look at your wonderful son!"
Seeing Naruto run off, Hikari immediately turned her glare onto the silently observing Kakashi.
"Well, he's just a kid."
"If he doesn't want to eat, let him go hungry. When he gets hungry enough, he'll eat anything."
Kakashi was surprisingly Zen about the whole thing.
"Honestly... I don't even have a son of my own yet, and I'm already playing mom," Hikari grumbled, taking a seat across from Kakashi with a huff.
"Also, what have you been up to lately?"
"I went over to Kurenai's place to check, and you weren't there either."
Hikari's words made Kakashi pause for a moment before he feigned nonchalance and said:
"Nothing much. I've just been researching a new jutsu lately. If you're interested, you can come take a look."
Kakashi's response piqued Hikari's interest.
"A new jutsu?"
"Can I really?"
Hikari looked at Kakashi with anticipation.
Although Hikari was incredibly strong, her expertise was strictly limited to combat. When it came to the theoretical knowledge required for jutsu research, she was actually quite lacking.
After all, she had been sealed away when she was only twelve years old.
"Of course you can," Kakashi nodded.
That was exactly why he had come home in the first place.
He still remembered that the formula used to seal Hikari all those years ago was a Sealing Jutsu unique to the Uzumaki Clan, one that utilized Natural Energy to keep her contained.
While Hikari wasn't an expert in this field, having been sealed by Natural Energy for five hundred years meant she might just possess a unique aptitude for it.
Furthermore...
There was no way that someone who, at the mere age of twelve, had forced the Senju, Uzumaki, and Sarutobi clans to join forces just to seal her away could possibly be a fool.
If Hikari were foolish, she wouldn't have even been qualified to teach Kakashi about the nature and shape transformation of Fire Style chakra.
The only pity was that the Uzumaki Clan had long since perished in the flames of war, with their vast amount of precious research materials plundered by the Hidden Cloud, Hidden Mist, and Hidden Stone villages.
"Then let's hurry up and eat so we can go!"
Compared to Kakashi's casual demeanor, Hikari looked genuinely excited.
"Researching this new jutsu is quite difficult. I specifically used the Reanimation Jutsu to temporarily resurrect the village's former Second Hokage to help. He's from the Senju Clan," Kakashi cautioned her carefully.
"What's that supposed to mean? Do I look like the kind of person who takes their anger out on others?"
Hikari caught on immediately and shot Kakashi a displeased glare.
Since waking up, she hadn't even gone looking for trouble with the Uchiha Clan. Yet Kakashi was actually worried she might go pick a fight with a Senju?
"No, I'm just giving you a heads-up."
"Of course, if that guy provokes you first, you don't need to hold back. Just put him in his place."
Kakashi wasn't worried about Hikari causing trouble for Tobirama Senju; he was worried about Tobirama Senju causing trouble for Hikari.
???
Hearing Kakashi's words, a metaphorical question mark popped up over Hikari's head.
Hikari was fairly well-versed in Kakashi's lineage of mentors.
Kakashi's teacher was the Fourth Hokage, the Fourth's teacher was Jiraiya, Jiraiya's teacher was the Third, and the Third's teacher was the Second.
Logically speaking, Kakashi ought to show a bit more respect to this patriarchal figure of his lineage.
But judging by his tone... it sounded like Kakashi had some sort of beef with the Second Hokage?
In the next second, Hikari tossed the confusion to the back of her mind, feeling immensely satisfied with how protective Kakashi was being of her.
Senju this, Senju that, she didn't care. As long as this Second Hokage didn't start anything, she, Uchiha—ahem, Hikari Hatake—was not an unreasonable person.
After making quick work of their breakfast, Kakashi brought Hikari along and headed for the Hokage Building.
"Good morning, Lord Hokage."
"And to you, Lady Hikari."
The staff inside the Hokage Building greeted Kakashi and Hikari as they walked in.
Although Hikari didn't come here often, many of the staff had long since committed the Hokage's wife's face to memory. It would save them from the utter embarrassment of running into her on the street and not recognizing her—that would be far too disrespectful.
"Morning, everyone," Hikari replied to the working staff one by one with a light smile.
By the time they reached Meeting Room 3, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already deep into researching the new jutsu data with Tobirama Senju.
"You're here, Third," Kakashi greeted Hiruzen with a smile.
"Sir Hiruzen," Hikari also greeted the Third Hokage with utmost politeness.
Because strictly speaking, Hikari was not a Konoha shinobi; she had merely married Kakashi. Thus, she wasn't required to address Hiruzen Sarutobi as "Lord Third" like the rest of the Konoha ninja.
"Hikari, it's been a while."
Hiruzen first greeted Hikari with a smile, but the moment his eyes shifted to Kakashi, his gaze darkened drastically.
He wanted to scold him, but considering Kakashi's wife was standing right there, he forcefully swallowed the words back down.
"You're here quite early."
Hiruzen decided he wasn't going to look at this bratty kid anymore.
Seeing this, Hikari couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.
Ever since Hikari had entered the room, Tobirama Senju's gaze hadn't shifted anywhere else; it remained firmly fixed on her.
Having dealt with the Uchiha for his entire life, he was far too familiar with their clan.
Even before Kakashi had the chance to introduce Hikari's maiden name, Tobirama could tell with a single glance.
Hikari was an Uchiha of the purest blood.
This guy... as the Hokage, he actually went and took an Uchiha as the Hokage's wife?
Couldn't he have married someone from the Uzumaki Clan, just like his older brother Hashirama Senju did?
Tobirama, who was already irritated with Kakashi, subconsciously let a complicated expression slip onto his face.
"Let me introduce you. My wife, Hikari Hatake."
Kakashi gave Tobirama Senju a measured, unbothered look.
"Hmph."
She was Kakashi's wife, after all. No matter how dissatisfied Tobirama felt inside, he had no choice but to endure it.
Hikari cast a thoughtful glance at Tobirama Senju.
So this is the Second Hokage that Kakashi resurrected with the Reanimation Jutsu.
Sure enough...
Sure enough, he's an inherently evil Senju brat.
He reeked of the Senju Clan from head to toe.
"What are you looking at me for?"
Faced with Hikari's stare, Tobirama asked in annoyance.
"Nothing."
Meeting Tobirama's gaze, Hikari kept the light smile on her face and looped her arm through Kakashi's, almost as if silently striking back at Tobirama's words.
You hate me?
Then come hit me.
The corner of Tobirama Senju's eye twitched at the sight.
This wife of Kakashi's was just as obnoxious as Kakashi himself.
————
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