My brother is called Uzumaki Naruto

Ever since Minato officially became Hokage a month ago, Yue's daily routine changed from two points to three.

Every day, he had to return home half an hour early for lunch, then take the bento prepared by Kushina to the Hokage's office for Minato.

Every time Yue pushed open the office door, he would always see Minato buried in paperwork at his desk, as if he had no time to rest.

But today, when Yue entered the office, Minato wasn't the first thing he saw—his view was blocked by a figure.

Kakashi…?

The figure was a boy around thirteen or fourteen years old. Even from behind, he exuded an air of lifelessness. Combined with his signature white hair, it wasn't hard to guess who he was.

"What do you think of my proposal, Kakashi?"

Yue thought about waiting outside for a bit, but he quickly decided against it. He was curious about what they were discussing.

After all, he was just a four-and-a-half-year-old child, and the Hokage's son at that—no one would mind his presence.

He walked over, placed the bento on Minato's desk, and stood by the window, acting like a transparent observer.

"I have no objections, Lord Hokage."

"Then head back for now. Report to the Anbu tomorrow morning—I'll take care of your enrollment procedures."

Minato sighed, clearly helpless in the face of Kakashi's lifeless demeanor.

"Yes."

Once Kakashi left, Minato adjusted his mood and picked up the bento Yue had brought, deciding to eat before getting back to work.

"Yue, do you need something? This is the first time you haven't left right away after bringing the bento."

For the past month, Yue would always leave immediately after delivering lunch unless Minato specifically asked him to stay. But today, Yue remained, so Minato figured he had something on his mind.

"I'm just curious about Kakashi."

"Kakashi, huh…"

Minato paused, his expression slightly troubled.

"Yue, you know what the Anbu is, right?"

"Yes. The Special Assassination and Tactical Squad. Their main duties are protecting the Hokage, preventing enemy infiltrations, gathering intelligence, and carrying out assassinations. Their missions are usually either extremely dangerous or monotonous."

"That's right. So, what do you think about me assigning Kakashi to the Anbu?"

Perhaps because he recognized Yue's intelligence, or maybe because he had some free time, Minato asked for his opinion.

"My thoughts? Why are you assigning him there, Father?"

"I want to save him. You know what happened to my other two students—Kakashi is drowning in pain and torment every day, like a walking corpse. I hope that life in the Anbu will help him move on."

Yue found this strange. He couldn't understand Minato's logic.

If someone was already trapped in darkness, how could forcing them deeper into it help them escape?

The Anbu specialized in assassination, sabotage, and protection. Members had to wear masks and conceal their identities, even using code names instead of their real ones. To put it bluntly, Anbu operatives were like sewer rats, never seeing the light of day.

How could such an environment possibly save someone suffering from severe psychological trauma?

"Father, were you ever in the Anbu?"

"The moment I put on a mask, I was an Anbu squad captain. The moment I took it off, I was the Yellow Flash."

"Then what do you think of Anbu members?"

"They silently protect the village from the shadows, asking for nothing in return. Their names and identities remain unknown, yet they give their all to safeguard us. They are heroes who have inherited the Will of Fire!"

"…"

Yue suddenly understood why the ninja world was always full of tragedies.

It wasn't just because they were foolish or overly muscular—it was also because of their bizarre way of thinking…

"Doesn't the village have psychologists?"

"Psychologists? Doctors who treat the mind? I've never heard of that, but it sounds like a good idea."

"In any case, I don't think sending Kakashi to the Anbu is a good idea. The Anbu already operates in darkness, and Kakashi's heart is dark enough as it is."

"Is that so…? You have a point, Yue. But I don't have any other solutions right now. Let's give it a try for six months—if it doesn't work, I'll reassign him."

"There's actually a practical solution. What about Obito and Rin…? Do they have any remaining family? Maybe Kakashi could spend more time with them."

"They don't… Both of them were war orphans raised by their grandmothers. But after they died in battle, their grandmothers passed away from grief."

Yue had no other ideas. At this point, he figured it was best to leave things to fate.

"Let's talk about something else. How's your training going, Yue? Any difficulties you need my help with?"

"I'm following my routine—everything's going smoothly. But do you have any training materials for Lightning Release chakra? I'd like to try combining it with Ryūsen."

"Lightning Release, huh… It pairs well with taijutsu and kenjutsu, but training its nature transformation can be harmful to the body."

Minato was worried that Yue was still too young for such training. Even though he had inherited the Uzumaki clan's resilience, he was only four and a half.

"Don't worry, Father. Mom and Lady Biwako Sarutobi checked my health the other day—I'm completely fine. If the training ever harms me, I'll stop."

Minato hesitated. Even if Yue wouldn't insist, Minato couldn't bear to refuse him outright.

"Alright, I'll copy the scroll for you later."

"Thank you, Father."

Minato smiled and began eating. A few minutes later, he told Yue to wait and left to prepare the scroll.

While Minato was gone, Yue couldn't help his curiosity and walked over to his desk, casually flipping through some documents.

Is this what the Hokage does?

Yue usually had a neutral expression, but after reading a few of Minato's files, his face twisted slightly.

One document requested the purchase of new kunai for the Ninja Academy. Another was a petition from a villager asking to install cable TV. There was even one about planning a new road—and another about how to distribute piglets after a sow gave birth…

Yue quickly realized the problem. Konoha only had departments related to ninja affairs—Intelligence, Cryptography, Tactical Operations—but none dedicated to civilian administration.

No wonder the villagers adored the Hokage so much. He really was their provider and caretaker…

No wonder he's always too busy to go home for meals.

After skimming a few more files, Yue lost interest. He recalled how Kushina always guided him toward becoming Hokage—he could only respond with a silent heh…

Not long after, Minato returned, holding two scrolls. Yue noticed right away—seemed like he was getting a bonus today.

"This one is for Lightning Release nature transformation. And this one… I'm giving it to you as well. I think this technique suits you perfectly. But you must be cautious while training—both of these jutsu have certain risks. The name of this technique is Shadow Clone Jutsu."

"Shadow Clone?"

______________________________________________

If you want 15 chapters ahead, check out my Patreon: 

patreon.com/PureParadox