"Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique!"
Boom—
The ground trembled as a small wooden building rose from a secluded corner of the camp. Though not large, it exuded an elegant charm.
"Whoa! That's amazing! Wood Release has such practical ninjutsu?" Nawaki gasped, his face alight with excitement. Mikoto looked equally impressed, as if witnessing something entirely new.
"As the First Hokage's grandson, you should know more about this," Minato said. "Wood Release is incredibly versatile." He then turned to Shirakumo Fūta, who was gazing at the house with awe. "Senior, please invite your teammates inside to rest."
"Oh? We'll be imposing!" Shirakumo Fūta's face lit up. Though he felt slightly embarrassed, the relentless rain in the Land of Rain had worn them down.
Minato and his companions entered the house first. In the center of the room stood a brick-built hearth with a stone chimney above it.
Given the battlefield setting, Minato had refrained from creating tatami mats, so the floor remained packed earth.
Minato casually planted some potatoes and corn, then conjured a pile of dry firewood. He lit the hearth, and before Nawaki and Mikoto's astonished eyes, he retrieved a kettle, teacups, and even crafted a few rocking chairs.
Nawaki glanced out the window. "Right, this is a battlefield, isn't it? Why does it feel like we're on vacation?"
"Ever since teaming up with Minato, I can't stand the thought of working with anyone else," Mikoto said, settling into a rocking chair beside him with a contented sigh.
Minato, who was tending the coals, gave her a peculiar look.
For some reason, her words gave him an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
"Um, Minato-kun?" Mikoto began hesitantly. "Could I take off my shoes? They're soaking wet from the rain, and my feet are really uncomfortable—"
"Sure, go ahead," Minato nodded, shifting slightly to allow her to warm her feet by the fire.
Seeing this, Nawaki plopped down on the other side of Minato. "Then I should too—"
Before he could finish, Minato shook his head. "Not you."
"Why?"
Nawaki's eyes widened in disbelief that Minato would refuse him.
"Male feet just feel... gross," Minato said calmly. "Stay away from my roasted potatoes."
Nawaki stared in shock. "You can say something so discriminatory with such a straight face!"
Mikoto's cheeks flushed slightly, but she gently kicked off her shoes. Her pale, delicate bare feet, still slightly damp and glistening with moisture, cautiously approached the fire.
Minato instinctively glanced down, and Mikoto's face turned even redder. Her ten toes curled up nervously, looking utterly adorable.
"Um, my feet don't smell!" she quickly insisted.
"It's fine," Minato replied. Seeing Mikoto's flustered explanation, a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. "Even if they did, no one would blame you."
Realizing the teasing in his tone, Mikoto puffed out her cheeks. "Hmph—Minato-kun, you're so mean!"
Tsk!
Watching them, Nawaki put on the expression of an elderly person on a subway phone. "Maybe I should just go stand out in the rain instead?"
He sensed a slightly ambiguous atmosphere between the two of them, which made him feel like an outsider.
Fortunately, this strange atmosphere didn't last long. As Shirakumo Fūta and the others arrived, the room filled with people, and the atmosphere inevitably became lively, dispelling the earlier tension.
It wasn't until sunset that the support troops finally arrived at the front line, and everyone emerged from the room.
"Huh? Sister?"
Spotting a familiar figure in the crowd, Nawaki quickly waved. "Sister! Over here!"
Tsunade turned at the sound of his voice and smiled upon seeing the energetic Nawaki and Minato, who stood beside him with a gentle smile.
She wove through the crowd and hurried over to the three of them. Behind her followed two more familiar figures: Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
"Teacher," Minato said warmly, "what brings you to the front lines?"
"Of course, to see you!" Tsunade said with a grin, ruffling Minato's hair. As her words fell, the faces of everyone present twisted into a range of expressions.
A flicker of surprise crossed Orochimaru's eyes; he hadn't expected Tsunade to be so bold.
Jiraiya's mouth dropped open in shock. Just as he was about to speak, Tsunade's voice rang out again.
"We're running low on the herbs needed to prepare the antidote. Only your Wood Release Bloodline Limit can guarantee a steady supply."
Of course, that was just one of many reasons.
Tsunade's fingertip brushed against Minato's cheek, a sly glint in her eyes. "So you might be very busy for the next little while."
"Phew—you scared me to death."
Hearing this, Jiraiya let out a long sigh of relief.
"Heh—"
Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya and smiled enigmatically.
"Teacher!"
Seeing Orochimaru, Mikoto stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Hmm? Orochimaru, you've actually taken a disciple? And such a beautiful girl? Does that mean I'm the only one without a disciple now?"
Jiraiya was surprised to hear Mikoto address Orochimaru as "Teacher."
"One must pass on one's knowledge to the next generation."
Orochimaru said calmly, "If you're envious, you could take on a disciple of your own."
"What's there to be envious of? The Great Toad Sage once prophesied that my disciple would be the Child of Prophecy who saves the Shinobi World!"
Jiraiya beamed with pride, then turned to Nawaki. "How about it, Nawaki? Want to become my disciple? I see great potential in you!"
"No, I want to become Big Brother Orochimaru's disciple!" Nawaki shook his head, his eyes wide as he looked at Orochimaru. "Big Brother Orochimaru..."
"Hmm, very well. I'll take you on."
Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya, who was hopping mad beside them, and let out a low chuckle.
"Yay!" Nawaki cheered, thrilled that Orochimaru had agreed to take him as a disciple.
"Damn it!" Jiraiya's face darkened. "What makes that Orochimaru guy so much better than me?"
"Maybe it's because he's so... perverted?" Tsunade teased, giving him a sidelong glance. "I thought you might have matured after returning from Mount Myōboku, but you're still so impatient. Don't tell me you've been using 'training' as an excuse to go peeking at women again?"
Jiraiya hastily waved his hands. "Whoa, whoa, don't spread such rumors! Ever since Minato called me out that time, I haven't done anything like that again!"
"Really?"
Not only Tsunade, but even Orochimaru cast a skeptical glance at Jiraiya.
"Really—"
Jiraiya paused, his face flushing slightly, and he nervously looked away. "—I just go to brothels now."
The others: "—"
Well, that's fair trade. Better than peeping.
Dropping the matter of Jiraiya's peeping, Minato turned to Orochimaru. "Senior Orochimaru, why are you at the front lines? Is Root alright?"
"To be honest, Minato-kun, I came here to find you as well."
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "I can't discuss the specifics here, but your team will be assigned to my command from now on. You won't need to return to the outpost."
At these words, Nawaki's eyes lit up with excitement!
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