Things had taken a turn.
Ryujin Kenichi had heard of the butterfly effect, but he never thought he would one day become the butterfly flapping its wings, causing such a massive shift in the course of history.
"The Fourth Hokage is dead. In that respect... he was, indeed, a Hokage," Orochimaru said as he looked at the grieving villagers of Konoha and the body of Minato Namikaze lying in a coffin. Even he couldn't help but sigh.
He had never truly believed Minato Namikaze was a qualified Hokage. The man's strength, while exceptional, didn't seem to surpass Orochimaru's in his eyes, and his leadership experience was limited. Yet, last night, Minato—Konoha's Yellow Flash, the newly appointed Fourth Hokage—sacrificed everything.
For the sake of the village, he had given his life. Not only his own, but that of his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
Konoha was plunged into grief. The casualties from the night the Nine-Tails attacked filled a long list, each name representing a life lost. The scrolls listing them were thin, but the weight of their contents was crushing.
But the village's high-end combat strength had taken a hit as well.
"Sensei... why… why is the Third Hokage missing an arm?" Kenichi's voice trembled. Shock was no longer a strong enough word for what he was feeling.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, mourning the death of his wife, Biwako Sarutobi, stood silent. But Kenichi couldn't take his eyes off the fact that the old Hokage's left arm was gone.
That wasn't supposed to happen.
In the history Kenichi remembered, Biwako had died—yes—but Hiruzen had survived unscathed. He had even resumed the Hokage position with all his limbs intact.
Now, he was incomplete.
"Last night, the Fourth Hokage was wounded during battle with a masked assailant… and then—" Orochimaru began, recounting the events of the previous night. Kenichi hadn't been strong enough to witness the battle himself, so this was all new to him.
Minato had been injured fighting the masked man—Uchiha Madara… or rather, someone claiming that name. It was during that brief moment of delay that the Nine-Tails released another Tailed Beast Ball.
Hiruzen had charged forward, trying to deflect it before it hit the center of the village.
But in the chaos, the masked man had reappeared, clashing with the Third Hokage—and in that fight, severed Hiruzen's left arm before disappearing under the combined assault of both the Third and Fourth Hokage.
The Tailed Beast Ball was diverted. The village was saved... but at a cost.
The rest of the story unfolded mostly as Kenichi remembered. Minato had used the Reaper Death Seal to seal half of the Nine-Tails into himself and the other half into his newborn son, Naruto. He had died alongside Kushina to protect the village and their child.
"Then... sensei, what happens now? Who becomes Hokage?" Kenichi asked, blinking slowly. He felt like this world was actively rejecting his presence. With Hiruzen injured, could he really resume the title of Hokage?
"I don't know," Orochimaru said, eyes narrowed with thoughts unknown.
Kenichi gave his teacher a strange look. Could Orochimaru... be thinking of becoming Hokage?
No way.
And yet, with the Third Hokage missing an arm, Orochimaru's chances didn't seem so far-fetched anymore. After all, among the current high-level ninja left in the village, who else could step up?
Jiraiya was out of the village. That alone puzzled Kenichi. It didn't make sense—Jiraiya should have been there for the birth of his student's child. For such a monumental event... his absence was glaring.
Then again, the events of the Nine-Tails' night had always been messy, even in the original timeline. Some things only became clear much later, dug out through layers of foreshadowing and hidden details.
"Sensei, what about Lord Jiraiya?" Kenichi finally asked.
"He was… conveniently not in the village," Orochimaru replied, his lips curled into something between disdain and amusement. "Had he been here… perhaps Minato wouldn't have died."
Kenichi's mouth twitched. So this was fate? A fixed point in time that could not be altered?
"Lord Orochimaru." A voice cut through the tense atmosphere.
Kakashi Hatake approached them. Kenichi's expression grew stiff.
Kakashi was still alive—and, as far as Kenichi could tell, hadn't yet realized his eye had been replaced with Obito's Sharingan. But Kenichi couldn't look at him without discomfort.
He was always on edge, worrying that Kakashi might sense something was off.
"What is it?" Orochimaru asked casually, glancing at Kenichi from the corner of his eye. He caught the subtle tension in his student.
Something about Kakashi…?
Orochimaru's expression darkened slightly, thoughts beginning to churn.
"Lord Third asked me to inform you to go over," Kakashi said respectfully. Despite the calmness in his tone, the faint glow of the Sharingan in his left eye betrayed the storm brewing within him.
Even now, he still maintained a measure of respect for Orochimaru—his former senior in the village and one of the Legendary Sannin. But Kakashi's red eye told another story. His mood was anything but composed.
Kakashi had always carried the weight of tragedy. First, he lost Obito, who gifted him the Sharingan. Then Rin... forced him to make an unthinkable choice. Now, his sensei—Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage—and Lady Kushina were gone too, casualties of the Nine-Tails' rampage.
If Kakashi had been a full-blooded Uchiha, perhaps he would have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan by now.
"Understood," Orochimaru said with a subtle smile. Without another word, he turned and left—showing no intention of calling Ryujin Kenichi to join him.
Kenichi inhaled deeply. His gaze fell on Kakashi, who stood silently by his side, his presence heavy with grief. For a moment, Kenichi didn't know what to say.
"Kakashi… my condolences," Kenichi finally offered, his voice low and solemn. Inside, though, he was preparing himself—this was a test of his ability to deceive.
He was certain Kakashi didn't know what had truly transpired the night before. More accurately, Kakashi hadn't seen the truth—Kenichi had struck him down before he could turn around.
"Kenichi… what happened yesterday?" Kakashi asked, his Sharingan dimming slightly. "I remember… a blur. Then I blacked out."
Kenichi exhaled quietly, relieved.
"I'm sorry," he said, bowing slightly. "I saw a dark figure rush past me. Then everything went black. If it weren't for the Fourth, I don't think I'd be standing here." His face showed a blend of guilt and helplessness.
Kenichi wasn't stronger than Kakashi. If Kakashi hadn't seen clearly, it was only natural that someone like Kenichi would've been taken down instantly. That's what he was counting on.
"I'm glad you're safe," Kakashi said quietly, his voice thick. His eye narrowed slightly as he turned and walked away.
Kenichi watched him go. He noticed Kakashi's chakra surge briefly, concentrated around his face.
Was he... wiping away tears?
Kenichi wasn't sure.
All around them, villagers and shinobi mourned their losses—friends, comrades, families shattered by the Nine-Tails' attack. Kenichi took another breath and silently followed after Chōza Akimichi, the head of the Akimichi clan.
As Orochimaru's personal disciple, Kenichi held a unique status—positioned just below Konoha's elite clans. It allowed him to participate in this private, early memorial for the fallen Hokage.
A final chance to see the Fourth.
He stood before the coffin, his expression unreadable. Gently, his hand brushed along its edge. Then, discreetly, he reached down and closed his fingers around a single strand of golden-blond hair—Minato's hair—and slipped it into his palm.