If he was talking about the sucker-punching introduction, Kakashi had a different word for that.

"I heard about that,” Minato said, with a dry glance at Sagara. “Though you didn't precisely describe it as 'making nice,' as I recall.” He turned, rubbing the back of his neck. “I want our best analysts on that corpse, Sagara. Forensics and Intel, classified at S-level. I want every contact he made, every mission he took, every thought he had since he graduated from the Academy. Double village security until further notice. As for the Trials...”

“You can’t cancel Trials,” Kakashi said.

Every face in the room, masked and bare, looked at him. He pushed himself to his feet.

“I assume you have a reason?” Minato said, eyebrows raised.

“Because there’s no point. If it is Orochimaru, the surprise is gone, and he’s not stupid enough to go up against this many ANBU, plus the candidates, and the Yellow Flash without an army at his back—which we’d feel coming. If I’m wrong, or Akiyama lied, then the threat’s already neutralized. And if he had a different partner—” Kakashi shrugged. “They can’t be worse than Orochimaru, so the first argument stands.”

Minato’s mouth twitched. “How about an argument for why I shouldn't disqualify you anyway?”

“We're not dead,” Ryouma said.

Minato looked at him, surprised. He wasn’t the only one.

Ryouma was stark pale behind the blood, but he set his jaw and lifted his chin. “Death disqualifies you. You said it wasn't an invitation, Hokage-sama, but if it's a rule, we haven't broken it.”

“What he said,” said Kakashi.

The crescent mask ANBU providing shoulder support for Ryouma spoke for the first time. “Can I raise the point about poisoned and injured? Because that seems slightly crucial if there’s a risk of major attack.”

“Thank you, Namiashi,” said Minato dryly. “So does the diversion of sixteen jounin and almost as many ANBU, if this were meant to distract us from a pincer attack on Konoha itself.”

Kakashi hadn’t thought of that.

He should have thought of that, he realized, feeling like an idiot — what better way to get Minato out of the village than to attack Kakashi’s Trial directly, when the whole shinobi world knew Minato had a soft spot for him?

“You need to get back to Konoha,” he told Minato. “Right now. I should never—”

Have called for you, he meant to say, but Minato cut him off.

"We're all going back to Konoha,” Minato dug in his vest, pulling out a handful of slim scrolls, and tossed them to Hajime. “The proctors may regret having their fun cut short, but I doubt any of the candidates will be sad to skip the mountains and Mamushi Swamp. Bring them in as quickly as you can." Turning to Sagara, he added, "We'll hold the third stage tomorrow, if Konoha is still standing."

“Orochimaru can try,” she said dangerously. A flicker of killing intent unsheathed like a claw, barely coloring the air before she slid it away again.

Minato smiled, then turned to Ryouma. “Take a good hold, Tousaki,” he said, voice gentling. “I'll try not to be as rough this time.”

The Hyuuga withdrew her hand from Ryouma’s wrist, transferring the grip to his unbraced shoulder. “I can help,” she said.

On Ryouma’s other side, the crescent moon ANBU—Namiashi—nodded. At Kakashi’s back, Shiranui stepped closer.