"Pfft—"
Blood gushed profusely from the Iwa ninja's neck!
"Aaah—!!"
Wherever the Yellow Flash passed, all that remained were the dying screams of enemies!
Everyone standing in the Konoha ranks was frozen in place, witnessing this one-sided massacre.
Even Zabuza, who had killed all his peers during the graduation exam, was shocked by the stark contrast in that man's power!
He had appeared so gentle and polite when they met earlier!
Yet on the battlefield, he was a god of slaughter?!
Compared to Obito, Kakashi, and Rin, who had experienced the horrors of war at a young age, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had never seen a battlefield like this!
And how could they have ever witnessed a fighting style like Minato Namikaze's?!
Apart from Sasuke, who had witnessed the Uchiha massacre, Naruto and Sakura had always been sheltered by the village, rarely even seeing a dead body!
In that moment, they couldn't even tell if the trembling inside them was from fear or the exhilaration of awe toward a true warrior!
Not a single one of the dozens present dared blink!
Every pair of eyes was locked on the one-sided slaughter unfolding just ahead, pupils sharply constricted!
The man who had just called Minato Namikaze's decision reckless was now left speechless!
He had assumed that with over fifty elite Iwa ninja, a single Konoha jōnin would be surrounded and overwhelmed?!
And the result?!
The result was that Minato Namikaze of Konoha had surrounded over fifty Iwa ninjas!
'Whoosh!'
Minato returned to their side, having wiped out every enemy.
Not a single drop of enemy blood had stained his body!
Injured? Not at all!
Standing too close, Naruto stumbled backward, losing his balance and landing on his rear.
The god of slaughter, who had just faced down the enemies, smiled faintly and asked,
"Sorry, did I scare you?"
Naruto froze for a moment, then shook his head vigorously.
He wasn't scared, of course. He just never imagined that the usually gentle and polite Fourth Hokage could be this strong.
No wonder he could seal the Nine-Tails! Protect the village!
The Hokage... Truly formidable!!!
At this moment, Naruto was certain! The trembling he felt came from excitement!
Sasuke stared intently at the man who, in the blink of an eye, had slaughtered over fifty enemies and returned to their side!
If it were him...
If he had that kind of power...
Perhaps he could defeat Itachi and make him tell the truth!
"Amazing! That's incredible, Minato-sensei!!"
Obito lunged forward!
He knew his teacher was powerful, but witnessing a battle where fifty enemies were wiped out in an instant was something neither he, Kakashi, nor Rin had ever seen before.
Minato didn't particularly care for the looks of admiration and envy.
At heart, he was a shy person.
His decisive slaughter of enemies was driven by his desire to protect Konoha, protect the village, and protect the people within it…
And that one person who held a special, profound place in his heart.
Whenever he thought of Kushina, Minato felt a sense of resolve and confidence that made him believe he could accomplish anything, even the most impossible tasks, in the most desperate situations. It was as though his entire being was charged with energy!
Yet, tragically, for Konoha's sake, he still failed to protect her and their child.
The moment Minato heard the name Naruto Uzumaki, he realized that Naruto didn't carry the Namikaze surname and likely had no idea that Minato was his father.
He raised a hand and ruffled Naruto's hair, drawing surprised glances from the others.
"I've made too many enemies in this great war…"
Naruto tilted his head, not quite understanding the meaning.
He could only sense a sorrowful emotion in the Fourth Hokage's gaze.
Minato looked deeply into Naruto's clear blue eyes.
"Because I killed too many people. While I protected Konoha, I also took the lives of warriors from other villages, leaving their families without sons, husbands, and fathers. This has caused endless hatred and made countless enemies."
"But there was no choice. This is war."
"I had my position. Once on the battlefield, I had to protect my comrades and the nation behind me, to completely eliminate the enemy."
I'm sorry you couldn't bear the Namikaze name.
Living in hiding, never knowing you were the son of the Fourth Hokage.
And I'm sorry you had to grow up alone.
...
"Minato!" Hamaki Mimura suddenly called out!
It turned out that everyone, including Minato Namikaze, was gradually becoming transparent!
Zabuza and Haku were the same.
They were returning.
Everyone understood.
Hamaki Mimura and the others didn't know what these people had been through or how they had suddenly brought a large group of Kiri ninja here.
But the fact that so many of their own troops had survived was undoubtedly thanks to these individuals.
Those still able to move had found many comrades lying on the battlefield, unconscious but unharmed! After counting, the casualties were surprisingly light!
This was nothing short of a miracle, a gift from the heavens!
Minato Namikaze: "The details are difficult to explain, and I can't say when we'll return. This isn't something we can control. If our next return is delayed, please inform the Third Hokage for me."
Hamaki Mimura's expression grew serious: "Understood."
"Thank you."
Everyone disappeared completely.
Team Minato and Team Kakashi returned directly to Old Man Tazuna's house.
"Huh?! Where did all the Kiri ninja go?!"
Obito: "I was at their base. Because of that mission, I was brought back to our time along with them."
"So, they're still at the base?"
"They should be."
"By the way, Minato-sensei," Obito turned to Minato Namikaze, "I overheard something from Zabuza."
"Hmm?"
"The Fourth Mizukage's personality, as you remembered it, Minato-sensei, differs greatly from what Zabuza described. While I was on that A-rank mission, I managed to extract some information..."
The others looked at Obito.
Obito: "Zabuza said the person you described was the real Yagura Karatachi. The one who strikes fear into the hearts of Kiri ninja... but it seems someone took control of the real Fourth Mizukage and impersonated him to carry out his ambitions against Kirigakure!"
"!!!!"
"Is that true?!"
"Impossible!" Sakura exclaimed. "Controlling the Mizukage and seeking revenge against Kirigakure? It sounds utterly unbelievable."