Konoha Camp.
"I say, you two, can you stop looking at me like that?"
Ren's mouth twitched slightly, and he scratched his hair with both hands, looking awkwardly at the shina couple who were circling him.
"Ahem, sorry."
Shina, realizing, blushed and pulled shinchi next to her as she retreated, signaling him to rein it in.
"Unbelievable…"
Shinchi was still a little lost, muttering as he stroked his chin.
After all, from their perspective at the time, Ren was thought to have sacrificed himself to help them retreat.
After all, the reputation of the Mist Hidden Tracking Unit was too great; few who were targeted by them managed to escape.
Now, not only was Ren standing there, but he only looked a little weak all over, completely different from the severely injured and comatose state they had imagined.
Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and two figures entered one after another. Noticing the newcomers, Ren immediately stepped forward and greeted them respectfully.
"Minato-nii!"
"Teacher Kosuke!"
"Mm."
Maruboshi Kosuke nodded, a smile playing on his lips, and said softly,
"This time, you did well."
On the way here, Minato Namikaze had already given him a rough description of Ren's plan.
From infiltrating the enemy country alone to meeting with the inside contact, and then quickly formulating a plan and seizing the opportunity to act within a very short time. Whether it was disguising himself as an injured Anbu to escape the scene or using a pre-prepared Sealing Jutsu to hide the Tailed Beast container.
Kosuke asked himself, even if it were him, he didn't think he could have done better than Ren.
What pleased the former most was Ren's subsequent performance. He could have let the Shina couple attract the enemy's attention to cover his safe passage with the mission objective, but he volunteered to draw away the enemy to help his companions escape. Wasn't this the best embodiment of the fire will?
"Hehehe, Teacher Kosuke, you're too kind. Without the help of these two older siblings and Fujiwara-san, I'm afraid I'd still be lurking in Hidden Mist Village collecting intelligence."
After all, these three indeed helped him a great deal this time. Fujiwara Katsuma helped him enter and exit Hidden Mist Village and provided cover for him and his team. The various pieces of intelligence from the Shina couple played a crucial role.
It could be said that if any of these three were missing, this matter would not have proceeded so smoothly.
"Little brother, you're too modest. In this operation, we only contributed a small effort, it's not worth mentioning."
Shinchi took a step forward and said cheerfully.
After all, the two of them could truly say that Ren had saved their lives later on, and Ren's performance in this operation was indeed impeccable.
Since his wife and he had returned to the Land of Fire, they were very willing to befriend Ren, a genius with whom they had shared life-or-death experiences.
"Brother shinchi, just call me by my name from now on. My name is Hoshimi Ren, you can call me Ren."
Ren said with a smile. He was also very willing to accept the friendly signals released by the couple.
The other party's strength was not weak, and he had years of meritorious service and experience lurking in the Hidden Mist Anbu. Coupled with the current war, he believed that the two would be promoted in a short time. There was no harm in befriending them now.
"Alright, alright, you two can talk about these things later."
Minato took two steps forward, glanced at Ren, then shifted his gaze to the Shina couple, his expression serious.
"You two go rest first. Your arrangements will be made very soon. It's been hard on you all these years."
"It's our duty, it's all for the Village. Then we'll take our leave first."
After Shinchi finished speaking, he turned and walked out with Shina. With their intelligence, they naturally understood the other party's meaning; the following conversation was not for them to participate in.
Watching the two walk out of the tent, Minato turned his gaze back to Ren, took a package from his pocket, and handed it to Ren, while instructing him.
"I've already deciphered all the positioning and tracking Sealing Jutsu on it, and I've added two more seals to prevent the Tailed Beast from causing a riot."
"Thank you, Minato-nii!"
Ren took the package and carefully put it into his bosom. This was his precious treasure now; he couldn't afford any mistakes.
"So, have you still decided?"
Minato looked at Ren, somewhat hesitant to speak.
"Ah, I've decided. Whether it's to become stronger or to protect everyone, I need this power."
Ren raised his head, his eyes burning as he looked at Minato, and said in a deep voice.
"…I understand."
Minato said no more; he had already gotten the answer from Ren's gaze.
"Wait, what are you two talking about?"
Kosuke stood aside, looking at the two of them somewhat bewildered. From their conversation just now, he seemed to have gotten some incredible information.
"Elder Kosuke, we're talking about Ren becoming the Three-Tails Jinchuriki."
"What?!"
As soon as Minato finished speaking, Kosuke immediately cried out, then looked at Minato with an angry expression, and shouted in a low voice.
"Minato, why didn't you tell me about such a big matter? Ren is still young and doesn't know any better, but why are you also messing around?!"
"Uh…"
A thin layer of sweat appeared on Minato's forehead. Looking at the clearly enraged Kosuke in front of him, he could only brace himself and say,
"Elder Kosuke, actually…"
"I don't want to hear your explanation. The Three-Tails should be reported to the Village and then left for Hokage-sama to decide. Not for you two to act so recklessly. You'll harm Ren like this!"
Kosuke directly interrupted Minato, saying in a serious tone.
In his opinion, Ren wanting to become a Jinchuriki was just a whim; perhaps he didn't know what being a Jinchuriki meant, which was why he was so bold.
A Jinchuriki, considered a strategic deterrent to other nations, a walking natural disaster.
While possessing great power, they would also face discrimination from everyone in the Village. Because as long as a Jinchuriki loses emotional control, the Tailed Beast Chakra will leak out and turn the Jinchuriki into a monster that only knows how to kill.
The darkness suffered in that way was definitely not something Ren should bear at his age. The malice constantly surging from all directions could very well destroy this child!
"Teacher Kosuke, this has nothing to do with Minato-nii; it was all my own idea!"
"Hmm?"
Kosuke's face visibly darkened, and he looked at Ren expressionlessly, saying,
"Do you know what you have to endure to gain great power as a Jinchuriki? Let alone you, even people like us could very well fail to endure it and fall into darkness!"
"…"
Ren looked at Kosuke in front of him, opening his mouth as if to say something.
"Enough, Elder Kosuke!"
Just then, Minato took two steps forward, stood in front of Ren, and met the other's gaze without showing any weakness.
"What you're saying, the so-called pain of a Jinchuriki, I know it even better than you do!"