"I'm glad to hear it," Minato said quietly.

Something had changed in Kakashi's eye, in that long moment of soaking and thought; the wet washcloth clung to a jaw more resolute, and his shoulders had squared up, as if he'd found a better way to balance the world's weight. Had killing a demon together made so much difference, after all?

He couldn't source demon-killing missions for all his problematic ANBU teams. Youkai and chakra-spirits were an occasional problem in remote villages and smaller towns, like bandits or crop failures; it was even odds whether the locals requested help from Konoha or from the Fire Temple and its priests. Demons like the one Kakashi had shown him were on another scale entirely, vastly more dangerous than garden-variety youkai. Though still nothing like the Kyuubi's rampaging force of nature.

Only one woman had ever killed a Tailed Beast—and she'd died to do it. They'd known, even then, that it wouldn't last. The Kyuubi might be driven out of the world of the living for a few years, sealed out by Kushina's death, but it would find its way back. What if this new outcropping of demons prefigured its return?

Would Kushina come with it?

"So how soon is this mission?" Kakashi stirred, stretching his legs out along Minato's hip. "Taishin's lord's death is probably already making ripples. If you want surprise, it's slipping by the day."

"And making your job more dangerous, I know." Minato dragged his thoughts back together. "Nobunori's name was the only one we knew, when we set out. He didn't cover his tracks well enough; one of the traitor guards recognized the vassal who brought payment to their barracks as a Taishin man. Shibata's had eighteen more hours to work since then, though, and I brought him back a few of Nobunori's higher-ranking vassals from Taishin. They'll know more names. I'm looking for a list by this afternoon."

"I think you mean Sagara-san is," Kakashi said dryly. "Since you will be sleeping this afternoon."