Just as Danzo Shimura passed by Aokawa.
His footsteps paused slightly, and he suddenly spoke: "Do you know..."
"Why has the Hyuga Main Family always opposed the branch families learning Ninjutsu outside of the Gentle Fist?"
Aokawa had a vague answer in his heart upon hearing this, but he remained calm, waiting for Danzo's next words.
"Because..."
"The attack range of some Ninjutsu far exceeds the release range of the 'Caged Bird Seal'!"
"..."
Aokawa stood quietly in place, saying nothing.
He watched the direction in which Danzo disappeared, his face still maintaining that unruffled expression.
It wasn't until that cold aura completely dissipated from the woods that Asuma Sarutobi and the others seemed to have all the strength drained from their bodies, each gasping for breath.
"Is it over?"
Shiranui Genma's voice was dry, carrying the relief of surviving a disaster.
Ebisu simply sat down on the ground, the clothes on his back already soaked with cold sweat.
The overwhelming Root Ninja from just now had each emitted an aura that made them feel suffocated.
Anko Mitarashi wasn't quite as pathetic, but the way she looked at Aokawa now held a hint of unprecedented gravity.
"Hey, idiot Senior," she spoke in a low voice.
"What did that old man mean by what he said at the end?"
Asuma Sarutobi's expression changed upon hearing this, and he was about to say something.
But Minato Namikaze spoke first, a gentle smile still on his face.
"Alright, is everyone okay?"
He looked around, his gaze lingering on each person for a moment before finally resting on Aokawa.
"Aokawa-kun, you did very well."
"Only, next time you face Elder Danzo, try to exercise more restraint."
Minato Namikaze's voice was very soft.
"Some people's words are like poisoned seeds; if you hear them, don't let them sprout in your heart."
He didn't mention 'Caged Bird Seal', nor did he ask about the deeper meaning of Danzo's words.
But Aokawa understood the meaning behind his words.
Aokawa looked up at the man hailed as the "Yellow Flash" and nodded slightly.
"I understand. Thank you, Minato Senior."
"Haha, no need to be so polite, just call me Minato," Minato Namikaze smiled and waved his hand.
"Let's go, we'll head back to the Main Camp first."
...On the way back, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.
Shiranui Genma and Ebisu followed at the very back, occasionally stealing glances at Aokawa's back with awe-filled eyes, whispering to each other.
Anko Mitarashi was uncharacteristically quiet, just walking silently beside Aokawa, seemingly lost in thought.
Asuma Sarutobi opened his mouth several times, wanting to say something to Aokawa, but looking at Minato Namikaze walking in front, he swallowed his words back down.
He knew that some things were not suitable to be said here.
Only Minato Namikaze acted as if nothing had happened, chatting with everyone about some interesting anecdotes from the Front Lines to try and lighten the mood.
Soon, the group arrived at the entrance of the Konoha Main Camp.
"Alright, I'll leave you here," Minato Namikaze stopped and said to everyone with a smile. "You can go to the Mission Officer to submit your mission. I have other matters to attend to."
"Minato-sama!" Seeing Minato Namikaze turn to leave, Aokawa hurriedly stopped him.
After being disrupted by Danzo, he had almost forgotten the main business; he only remembered when Minato mentioned the mission.
"Minato-sama, during our mission, we encountered people from Iwagakure!"
"Iwagakure?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Asuma Sarutobi and the others also realized they needed to report this immediately.
"Those bastards actually disguised themselves as Konoha Ninja, planning to blow up the Kumogakure warehouse to frame us..." The group chattered as they reported the matter in detail to Minato Namikaze.
Minato Namikaze's expression turned grave, but when he heard that Aokawa had turned their own game against them and diverted the trouble, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Since Ōnoki wants to frame us, he certainly wouldn't have sent just this one team. Aokawa's move to turn their scheme against them will make Kumogakure suspicious of the framing by other teams as well, which is very beneficial to us."
He looked at Aokawa: "Aokawa-kun, I will report your performance truthfully to Hokage-sama."
After saying that, he prepared to leave in a hurry.
"By the way," Minato Namikaze added, as if remembering something.
"In Konoha, the sun always lasts longer than the shadows."
As his voice fell, he waved to everyone, and with a flash, he disappeared from the spot.
Asuma Sarutobi looked thoughtful upon hearing this.
Aokawa narrowed his eyes slightly.
He knew that Minato Namikaze's last sentence was meant for him.
It was telling him not to worry too much about Danzo.
It was also a silent promise.
However, Aokawa didn't care; after all, no one was reliable except for one's own strength.
He withdrew his gaze and spoke to the others who were still dazed.
"Let's go, submit the mission."
...Hidden Cloud Village, Raikage's Office.
The atmosphere was as oppressive as the eve of a storm.
"Bastard!"
The Third Raikage, A, slammed his fist onto the desk.
Boom!
The solid wood table, along with the mountain of documents on it, instantly turned to dust, wood chips flying everywhere.
Lightning flickered on his body, and his violent Chakra made the air in the entire room turn thick.
"Those despicable fellows from Konoha!"
"Pretending on the negotiating table while sending people to attack our supply lines!"
"Do they really think my Kumogakure is easy to bully?!"
Several high-ranking Kumogakure officials in the office were silent as cicadas in winter, even their breathing becoming light.
Just then.
An intelligence Ninja rushed in with a panicked expression and knelt on one knee.
"Raikage-sama, emergency intelligence!"
"The transit station in the valley on the border of the Land of Frost has... has also been attacked!"
The Third Raikage snapped his head around, a fierce light in his eyes.
"Speak!"
"According to the battle reports sent back from the front, although the attackers wore Konoha uniforms, during the battle... they used Iwagakure's Earth Release: Hardening Technique and Rock-Shattering Taijutsu!"
The intelligence Ninja finished in one breath and held a scroll high.
The Third Raikage snatched the scroll and quickly unfurled it.
When he saw the description of the battle details on the scroll, the fury on his face instantly turned into a complex expression mixed with suspicion and rage.
Iwagakure?
He flew into a rage again, the Lightning Release Chakra around him almost becoming physical.
"Ōnoki! You old bastard who refuses to die!"
"While allying with us against Konoha, you're stabbing us in the back!"
"Is your brain full of shit?!"
Dodai, standing to the side, also frowned at this moment.
He took a step forward and said in a deep voice.
"Raikage-sama, this does indeed seem like something Ōnoki would do."
"Being double-dealing and trying to benefit from the conflict between others is his style."
The Third Raikage's chest heaved violently, clearly livid.
He waved his hand, his voice like a thunderclap.
"Send a letter to question Ōnoki! Make him give an explanation!"
"Pack up those corpses as well and throw them at the gates of Iwagakure!"
"I want to see where he's going to put that old face of his!"
...
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