bookbashuk Chapter 110 A haggard Minato Namikaze, Iwagakure takes advantage of the situation.
Chapter 110 A haggard Minato Namikaze, Iwagakure takes advantage of the situation.
Chapter 110 A haggard Minato Namikaze, Iwagakure takes advantage of the situation.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the large windows of the Hokage's office, but it couldn't dispel the oppressive atmosphere that hung in the air.
At the desk, Minato Namikaze pinched the bridge of his nose, a deep weariness shadow in his eyes.
The pile of documents felt like a silent reproach weighing on my heart.
In the heavy, still air, the office door was quietly pushed open.
"Senior, you really came back." Minato raised his head, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible relief.
He saw that familiar figure—Ichigen Takuya, who walked in with a determined gait despite being covered in dust.
Gen Takuno's gaze swept past the pile of battle reports and landed directly on Minato's excessively haggard face.
He didn't immediately inquire about the battle situation, but instead frowned, his concern evident in his eyes, "Minato, are you alright? You look terrible."
Minato Namikaze paused almost imperceptibly, then forced a smile, trying to put it on, but it was stiff and bitter. "Hmm? I'm fine, senpai."
This response seemed weak and ineffective.
Gen Takuno took a few steps closer, and a mirror made of water materialized in his hand, which he placed in front of Minato Namikaze.
Minato Namikaze was a little stunned when he looked at his reflection in the water. He knew he wasn't in good shape, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad.
"If you can't manage, don't force yourself. Go and rest for a while. No matter how much the village needs the Hokage, we can't let the Hokage's affairs drag us down," Minamoto Takuno advised.
Minato let out a heavy breath, as if to expel all the pent-up frustration in his chest, and slowly shook his head.
"It's not because of these things—" he hesitated, his voice growing weaker, the words swirling in his throat before finally being swallowed back down.
Yuan Tuoye noticed this hesitation and tentatively asked, "Is it because of problems at the front?"
Minato fell silent, and the air in the room seemed to grow even heavier, broken only by the occasional calls of birds returning from outside the window.
He did not refute, and his silence was a form of admission.
After a moment, he changed the subject, as if trying to shake off the heaviness, "Senior, you've come back this time—"
"Are you planning to go to the battlefield to provide support again?"
Yuan Tuoye straightened up, nodded solemnly, and stared directly at Minato with unwavering determination. "Yes, they need me over there."
"Then—I'll leave it to you, senpai." Minato's words were filled with deep gratitude, and also revealed a sense of relief.
He understood that the battle between Konoha and Kumogakure had reached a fever pitch, with casualties rising every day. The return of a top-tier medical ninja like Gen Takuno to the battlefield was undoubtedly a shot in the arm.
He quickly summoned the secret service and arranged for Gen Takuno to lead an elite squad to the front lines immediately.
Before leaving, Yuan Tuoye stopped again before stepping out of the office door, turned back to look at Minato, who still looked unwell, and solemnly comforted him.
"Please rest assured, Hokage. With Jiraiya in command at the front and the clan leaders of so many ninja clans working together, we will never lose."
Yuan Tuoye's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, and the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance.
Minato stood there, staring at the empty entrance, a helpless, bitter smile on his face.
The inner torment he was experiencing was now more clearly revealed, revealing his utter mental exhaustion, which stemmed from this deep hesitation.
Should he go to the battlefield himself? This thought tore at his heart day and night.
As the Fourth Hokage, the sacrifices of the soldiers on the front lines were like red-hot irons, constantly searing his conscience and plunging him into an inescapable vortex of self-blame.
Every report of the wounded, every name of the fallen, tore at his heart, as if he had failed in his duty.
But another voice was equally strong: if he left Konoha, Kushina Uzumaki and her newborn baby Naruto would be exposed to deadly risks.
That elusive masked man with bizarre spatial ninjutsu was always a Damocles' sword hanging over his head.
His wife's safety and his young son's life were burdens he could not bear.
It was this extreme conflict between loyalty and kinship that pushed him into an invisible abyss, gnawing away at his energy.
Lost in thought, time slipped by, and dusk settled outside the window.
With heavy steps, Minato finally embarked on the path home.
The moment he pushed open the door, a warm, milky scent enveloped him, pulling him back to reality.
Under the bright lights, his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, was humming a soft lullaby and gently patting the swaddled baby in her arms.
Her lowered eyes radiated an intense, unyielding maternal glow, a light so warm and sacred that it almost instantly washed away some of the gloom in Minato's spirit.
"Minato, you're back." Kushina looked up at the sound, a gentle and serene smile blooming on her face, like snow melting in spring.
"Yes, I'm back." Minato replied with a natural smile.
At this moment, seeing the two people I cherish most in my life safe and sound, the ever-present weariness seemed to be infused with magical vitality, and I felt much more relaxed.
Kushina gently placed the sleeping Naruto into the cradle, tucked him in, and closed the door.
Then, with that gentle smile on her face, she slowly walked towards the water gate.
However, this smile made Minato's heart tighten suddenly. It was too gentle, so gentle that it seemed a little deliberate.
He knew his wife too well; a sense of foreboding crept up his spine, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Kushina?" he called out cautiously, his voice slightly hoarse.
As expected! Kushina's gentle smile vanished like a sudden summer rain.
Instead, a violent surge of chakra erupted from her body like a volcanic eruption!
A blinding crimson chakra aura rose and swayed like flames, and her signature long, fiery red hair moved wildly without wind, exuding a menacing aura!
"This is—Red Pepper Mode!" Minato's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart almost skipped a beat.
He never expected that his wife would suddenly unleash such a destructive state at such a peaceful moment!
Kushina flashed away, leaving a blur behind her.
Minato Namikaze, known as the "Yellow Flash," possesses the fastest speed in the ninja world. However, at this moment, caught off guard and overwhelmed by the overwhelming aura of his wife, which was a mixture of rage and determination, he was caught off guard and had his ear precisely grabbed!
"Minato!!!" Kushina's roar was like a thunderclap, almost lifting the roof off. It was filled with a mixture of exasperation and sorrow, a deep disappointment in her subordinates. "I truly never expected this! When did you become like this?! Ah?! So many comrades are bleeding and sacrificing themselves on the front lines! So many families are being torn apart!! And you're hiding in Konoha like a coward?! Are you going to let those subordinates who trusted you die in vain?!"
Every word and phrase resonated deeply, like a heavy hammer striking the heart of the water gate.
"No! Kushina, listen to me—" Minato was about to explain his inner struggle and his worries about them.
"Shut up!" Kushina interrupted sharply, her grip on her hand remaining firm. The rising crimson chakra stained her eyes with a blood-red hue, revealing a resolute light.
"I know! You're just afraid that bastard with the whirlpool mask will come back, aren't you?! You're afraid my body will be weak after giving birth to Naruto, afraid I can't protect the child, right?! Who do you think you're underestimating?! I am the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—Uzumaki Kushina!"
Her words were like a burning flame, scorching and burning: "Let me tell you! I've recovered now!"
Even if I really run into that bastard, if he dares to come back, believe me, I'll use the power of the Nine-Tails to smash that ugly mask to pieces! I'll crush his bones too!
Her surging anger and fighting spirit even caused the surrounding air to distort slightly.
Looking at his wife's face, flushed with excitement, and her eyes burning with anger and defiance, Minato Namikaze felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.
He understood his wife's strength, but the fear of "what if" still clung to him like a venomous snake, making it hard for him to let go.
A bitter look appeared on his face. "I'm just—worried—"
Kushina looked at his pained and conflicted expression. His rage seemed to have subsided slightly, but his determination remained unwavering.
Her tone remained firm, even carrying a hint of desperation, "Fine! You're so worried!"
Minato, since you're too scared to go to the battlefield—then I'll go!
Her gaze suddenly sharpened, as if piercing through the roof and pointing directly at the distant, bloody battlefield. "Anyway, isn't what the Hidden Cloud Village is clamoring about their Eight-Tails Jinchuriki?"
"I'm carrying a genuine Nine-Tails inside me! Eight-Tails? Hmph! Leave that to me! I'll personally go to the front lines and beat that stinking octopus all the way back to its home in Kumogakure!"
This declaration carried her characteristic confidence, yet it was utterly devoid of any sense of humor.
This sudden announcement struck a nerve with Minato, and he almost cried out, "Kushina!"
The voice rose in pitch due to anxiety.
Startled by the shout, Kushina paused slightly, and the boiling crimson chakra also froze a little. She turned back to look at her husband, her eyes filled with anger but also with undeniable concern and responsibility for the village.
Minato was also staring at her, seeing the determination burning in her eyes. This was no longer simple anger, but her choice and her responsibility.
This courage and determination, like a torrent, breached the dam of hesitation in Shuimen's heart.
A clear thought replaced all his entanglement, and his usual gentle smile reappeared on his face, but this time, it was free of hesitation and filled with an unwavering strength.
"I understand." Minato's voice was deep and clear, carrying a sense of relief followed by solemnity. "I will go to the front lines. You're right."
He did not elaborate further.
The terrifying aura surrounding Kushina receded rapidly like a tide, the crimson chakra light disappeared, and she transformed back into the sassy woman with flowing red hair.
But her expression remained incredibly serious. "Hmph! Good thing you know!"
Then she turned her head away, her tone leaving no room for argument, "As for Naruto and me, you don't need to worry. I'll take him and hide him in the most secluded and heavily guarded place in the village. Until you return, I will not allow Naruto to be threatened in the slightest!"
"Not just Naruto, but you too," Minato Namikaze said gently.
Kushina Uzumaki paused for a moment, then nodded.
Minato Namikaze looked at his wife's resolute expression, as if she had made all the necessary preparations, and a thousand words stuck in his throat.
The woman before him was not only a powerful ninja, but also his strongest support and warmest haven.
In the end, all words seemed superfluous, turning into a heartfelt whisper that gathered all the unspoken emotions, guilt, and deep love.
"Thank you, Kushina."
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, sat behind his desk, which was shrouded in shadow.
His signature, large red nose wrinkled slightly as he looked at the intelligence from the distant battlefield.
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A newly printed scroll lay open on the rough wooden tabletop, its prominent symbols indicating the movements of both Kumogakure and Konoha.
"The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki—" His deep voice echoed in the silent room, tinged with a chilling surprise, "He's actually been sent to the front lines against Konoha? Kumogakure, what a grand gesture!"
His rough fingers rubbed the paper, making a soft rustling sound, as he continued to examine the report in his hands line by line.
The casualty figures in Konoha skyrocketed dramatically after the Eight-Tails was deployed, which was expected.
However, the information not mentioned in the intelligence report was like a sharp thorn, piercing Ohnoki's keen senses.
"The battlefield is scorched earth, and Konoha's casualties have skyrocketed—but where is the Golden Flash, Minato Namikaze?"
Onoki's brows furrowed even more.
The newly appointed Fourth Hokage of Konoha, the "Yellow Flash" who was famous throughout the ninja world, has made no move whatsoever.
He pinched his sparsely stubbled chin, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Could it be that the Yellow Flash became more afraid of death after becoming Hokage?" The advisor next to him suggested a possibility.
"Hmph! Cheap as a mouse? What a joke!" Onoki scoffed.
He knew better than anyone else Minato Namikaze's importance; he was definitely not a coward hiding in a greenhouse.
"This guy must be entangled in something he can't escape! An invisible shackle is tightly binding his hands and feet—"
Onoki leaned forward slightly, his narrowed eyes seeming to hold the rolling of cold rocks.
What is the truth? He doesn't need to dig deeper.
For him, the assessment that he was "unable to go to the battlefield" was enough.
A dangerous, golden opportunity was secretly tempting him through the flames of war between Kumogakure and Konoha.
"How can Iwagakure sit idly by and watch Kumogakure devour this feast?" A flame of ambition ignited in his turbid eyes.
The sleeping behemoth that was Yanyin had already sharpened its claws and waited patiently in the shadows since the beginning of the Cloudwood War.
At this moment, the golden sword that had once terrified the entire ninja world, hanging overhead, seemed to be restrained by invisible threads.
This is an opportunity! A golden chance that Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village) cannot afford to miss!
Onoki's withered fingers suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white.
"Summon all Jonin!" His aged voice suddenly rose, carrying an unyielding, iron-willed tone. "Convene a war mobilization meeting immediately!"
However, blinded by intelligence, Onoki could not have foreseen that within just a few days of making this determined decision, Minato Namikaze, whom he thought was "locked up," had already broken free of his restraints and was heading headlong into that meat grinder-like battlefield!
If this shrewd and calculating Tsuchikage had known this rapidly changing moment earlier—the bitter regret he would have felt would have been far heavier than his current decision.
The cool morning light had just begun to bathe the Hokage Building in a soft glow, but the offices were already filled with a somber atmosphere before a major battle.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was making final preparations. He was about to personally go to the battlefield in Kumogakure, and the daily operations of Konoha had to be properly entrusted to him.
As he stroked the stacks of files, Minato Namikaze was filled with emotion.
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Having suffered a devastating blow in the Shimura Danzo incident, the Third Hokage, who was already showing signs of great power, completely retired from public life, making it difficult to persuade him to return to lead the overall situation.
When his gaze fell upon the two advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, a sense of relief welled up within him. Fortunately, these two experienced seniors had not retired with the third generation.
As pillars of Konoha who have experienced numerous ninja wars and assisted the Third Hokage, the two advisors are not only living history, but also a tremendous asset.
In Minato's view, their intricate network of connections, their decades of experience in handling the village's complex affairs, and their steady and reliable methods were the most solid support for Konoha's stability at this moment.
This reliability, forged by time, is indeed something that other young executives can hardly match.
Perhaps they didn't abdicate together because they craved power, but so what? As long as they can still play a role and don't hold others back, that's enough.
"My two seniors," Minato Namikaze said, facing them with an extremely solemn expression. His voice was soft but each word carried immense weight. "While I am away from the village, I entrust Konoha to you."
Sensing the heavy trust in the Hokage's words, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado exchanged a knowing glance; their years of cooperation had made them understand each other perfectly.
Koharu Utatane, representing the two, straightened her back and replied, "Fourth Hokage, rest assured. While I dare not boast that I can handle unbelievable events like the masked man's attack, I can certainly maintain the village's daily operations, allocate logistical resources to fully support the front lines, and handle internal and external affairs involving coordination among various tribes."
Her tone was one of unwavering certainty: "Leave it to us, and we will ensure that Konoha operates normally and remains orderly."
Mitomon Homura nodded and replied, "We will protect the village so you can have no worries."
With his heart finally at ease, Minato Namikaze was about to activate the Flying Thunder God Seal and rush to the front line of the fierce battle with Kumogakure when the office door was suddenly kicked open with a loud "bang"!
A ninja from the intelligence department, dusty and tired, rushed in, not even bothering to catch his breath. He held a scroll wrapped with a vermilion seal indicating the "highest level of emergency."
His voice was hoarse from tension and exhaustion, "Lord Hokage! It's extremely urgent! Top-level emergency intelligence!"
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A chill ran down Minato's spine. Had something happened at the front lines? How could that be? With Jiraiya there, even if the Eight-Tails or the Fourth Raikage were present, they couldn't possibly have been defeated so quickly!
He quickly took the scroll and forcefully tore open the sealing rope with his fingertips.
As his gaze swept rapidly across the ciphertext, his usually gentle and calm face suddenly became extremely solemn, his eyebrows furrowed tightly, and finally turned into a cold, dark cloud.
"Fourth Hokage?! What happened?" Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's hearts jumped into their throats instantly. Namikaze Minato's suddenly changed expression was like a silent alarm, and an ominous premonition gripped the hearts of the two advisors.
Minato Namikaze remained silent, simply handing the heavy scroll to the two advisors.
The two senior advisors practically snatched the scroll, their eyes scanning the text with lightning speed.
In just a moment, their weathered faces simultaneously displayed immense shock and disbelief.
Mitokado Homura exclaimed in shock, "This—this is impossible! Iwagakure?! How could they be here at a time like this—"
The information on the scroll was like a thunderclap: the main force of Iwagakure was launching a fierce attack on the other side of Konoha's defenses with lightning speed!
The ferocity of their offensive and the sinister intent behind it are crystal clear!
"Seven or eight out of ten of the village's elite troops have been transferred to the front lines of Kumogakure to fight, leaving the defenses vulnerable—" Minato Namikaze's voice was terrifyingly low. He walked to the huge French windows and looked down at the peaceful village that was awakening in the morning light, unaware of the impending great crisis.
"It will be very difficult to organize a defensive force on short notice to deal with such a large-scale invasion by Iwagakure."
Mitokado Hō and Utatane Koharu faced each other in silence, both seeing deep worry and urgency in each other's eyes.
Iwagakure's opportunistic attack at this critical juncture is almost fatal to Konoha's already depleted military strength.
"My lords," Minato Namikaze's voice broke the silence, carrying an unwavering resolve. He whirled around, his gaze sharp as a sword, "I urge you both to act immediately! In the name of the Hokage, urgently summon all available ninja forces from the entire village! All combat-ready clan forces! Quickly!"
The two advisors instantly understood Minato Namikaze's meaning: he was gathering his last strength for a desperate last stand!
"Fourth Generation, do you intend to—" Koharu Utatane's voice was filled with shock and a hint of understanding.
"That's right!" Minato Namikaze nodded emphatically, his gaze returning to the window, but this time it was no longer worried, but filled with a resolute determination to face the storm. "The situation allows no room for hesitation. I'll leave this to you two to oversee and coordinate the front lines at Iwagakure, while I'll lead the remaining forces of Konoha to deal with this!"
After exchanging a glance, the two advisors understood that Konoha had no other choice at the moment, so they quickly nodded and began to take action.
At this critical juncture, not a single moment can be wasted!
In the blink of an eye, a team composed mainly of the remaining Konoha ninjas assembled in front of Minato Namikaze.
His gaze swept across the crowd, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
Among the crowd before them, some exuded the calm and composed aura unique to Jonin, standing like pillars in the midst of the tide.
However, the vast majority of ninjas revealed an undeniable naivety and weak strength, undoubtedly a consumable replenishment force composed of genin and chunin.
A silent sigh swirled in his heart.
However, Minato Namikaze clearly recognized the reality.
After sending most of their main forces to the battlefield in Kumogakure, the fact that the various ninja clans of Konoha could still muster such a force was almost their limit.
He deeply understands the difficulties behind this, so how can he demand that they empty their entire savings and bet all their cards?
His gaze instantly hardened. Minato Namikaze straightened his posture, his voice steady and penetrating, delivering a brief but powerful pre-battle pep talk to the silent team.
Without lengthy preaching, a few words ignited a spark in everyone's hearts—the determination to protect their homeland overcame the fear of the unknown future.
Without hesitation, he waved his arm and led this hastily assembled team, burdened with heavy responsibilities, resolutely heading towards the war-torn northwestern border.