Shindai, who had already undone the Mind Body Sand Manipulation Technique, had remembered everything.
But now, Shindai was truly scared.
Minato, one of the top Shinobi renowned throughout the Ninja World!
If Minato wanted to kill him, a mere flick of his pinky finger would be enough.
Although Shindai was forced to become an undercover agent, it was his first time, and he had no experience, nor did he know what to do next.
The Third Kazekage said that after the plan succeeded, he should consider himself a Konoha person, and then gather intelligence, Ninjutsu, secret techniques, and so on from Konoha.
To consider himself a Konoha person, it sounded simple, but it was difficult to do. He now felt like a thief caught in the act of stealing, completely unable to consider himself a Konoha person; his psyche wasn't that strong yet.
As for gathering intelligence, Ninjutsu, secret techniques, and so on from Konoha, he would first need to enter Konoha to gather them, and they hadn't even said he could join Konoha.
Shindai suddenly felt lost.
He had originally thought being an undercover agent was better than going to the battlefield, but now it seemed going to the battlefield was better than being an undercover agent.
Shindai's psychological pressure was too immense. His life was not in his own hands, and he was directly facing an extremely powerful being. The pressure was now so great that it almost caused Shindai's brain to crash, making him almost unable to think.
Minato had been observing Shindai, and seeing Shindai's appearance, Minato's eyes narrowed slightly.
There seemed to be a rather large contrast in Shindai's demeanor now.
Just moments ago, he was vigorously begging for mercy, but after Yamanaka Soichi probed his memories, he suddenly appeared at a loss and very nervous.
Minato spoke up, asking, "Are you alright?"
When Shindai heard Minato ask if he was alright, he glanced up with a guilty look and stammered, "I, I'm alright."
Minato narrowed his eyes at Shindai, then smiled and said, "It's good that you're alright."
Minato took out his Kunai, cut the ropes on Shindai, and unbound him.
Minato said to Yamanaka Soichi, "Soichi, report this matter to the Sandaime immediately."
"Yes, I'll go right away!"
Yamanaka Soichi dared not delay and immediately left, eager to report this great fortune, almost like a pie falling from the sky, to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After Yamanaka Soichi left, Minato asked, "What's your name?"
"Shin, Shindai."
"Shindai, huh? I think you already know, you've become a sacrifice for the alliance between Sunagakure and Iwagakure, and you've been intercepted by our Konoha. What are your thoughts on this?"
Minato asked for his thoughts, and Shindai tried to calm himself down to think of a reply.
After a pause, Shindai replied with a 'vexed' expression, "I'm furious! So angry! I can't believe Sunagakure treated me like this! Since Lord Minato saved me, I want to ask Lord Minato to take me in! I don't want to go back to that inhumane Village, Sunagakure!"
Minato was now very certain that Shindai definitely had a problem.
Shindai's expression was too stiff, and his words were too flat, even though he deliberately added a few emphatic tones, there was no sense of anger at all.
So... Shindai's anger was feigned.
Although he didn't know how he managed to deceive Yamanaka Soichi's mind-reading Ninjutsu, Shindai might be carrying out a mission for Sunagakure, intending to enter Iwagakure to execute some task.
However, there was one thing Minato couldn't figure out.
That was the meeting location for Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
Why did they choose the Land of Rivers?
To the left of the Land of Rivers is the Land of Wind, and to the right is the Land of Fire.
If they were to trade with Iwagakure, choosing the Land of Birds, which connects the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, should be safer.
Minato thought of another possibility: Shindai might not be trying to enter Iwagakure to execute some mission; his target might actually be Konoha!
The very intelligent Minato's analysis was already very close to the truth.
Shindai was now feeling uneasy.
Because during the time Minato was silent, Minato's expression had changed several times.
Now, Minato was suddenly looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze again, making Shindai's heart tremble.
Could it be... he couldn't join Konoha?
But didn't that mountains clan member just say that he was of great value to Konoha?
Even with such great value, it's still not enough? Is it that strict?
Shindai, who didn't even know he was about to be exposed as an undercover agent, was now restless.
After a long moment of silence, Minato showed a gentle smile and said, "There's no rush to join Konoha. After all, you were a Shinobi from Sunagakure before, and the procedures to join Konoha are very complicated. People from other Villages must have made some contribution to Konoha and require a guarantor.
By the way, Soichi said you are very skilled in Magnet Release. Can you demonstrate it?"
Shindai's delicate body trembled.
Could it be... Minato wanted to see his strength and then send him to the battlefield to make contributions?
No way! He became an undercover agent precisely because he didn't want to go to the battlefield!
If Minato were to send him to the battlefield, wouldn't he be both on the battlefield and an undercover agent?
What was the point of him coming here then?
He might as well have revealed his strength in front of the Third Kazekage and just gone to the battlefield back then.
However, because Yamanaka Soichi had read his memories, Minato already knew that his strength was not weak, and he couldn't deceive Minato.
Shindai was on the verge of tears, saying with a crestfallen face, "Lord Minato, I am a technical talent, not suited for combat. My Ninjutsu are all superficial, they look powerful but are actually very weak, they can't kill anyone!"
Minato could now confirm that Shindai's current display was genuine emotion, and he was even more certain that the memories Yamanaka Soichi had read from Shindai were true.
The memories Yamanaka Soichi had read from Shindai showed that Shindai was very afraid of combat, fearing that the Third Kazekage would learn of his talent and strength and make him fight on the battlefield, so he had always hidden it.
It seems the Third Kazekage indeed didn't know about Shindai's talent, which is why he was willing to let a very talented but completely inexperienced Shindai carry out a certain secret mission.
Because if Shindai were a Shinobi with extremely poor talent, his death would not cause any loss to Sunagakure.