Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. Minato truly had the thinking of a qualified Hokage, he… had not chosen the wrong man.
He said calmly, "That's right. As long as we blow up Kanabi Bridge and cut off Iwagakure's most important logistics supply line, even if they don't want to retreat, they'll have to."
"In this way, the war can no longer continue."
Minato felt a bit emotional. Although he had indeed carried out this mission before, in the future Obito spoke of, this mission was the beginning of his entire squad's misfortune.
He had thought the timeline had already been changed, that perhaps he wouldn't need to execute this mission again.
Unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, everything returned to the starting point.
'Is this fate?'
Minato thought it over. Perhaps it was just an inevitability once the Third Shinobi World War reached its later stages.
He said quietly to Sarutobi Hiruzen, "I will carry out this mission properly."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, "Speed is crucial in military action. You will depart for the frontlines tomorrow. I appoint you as the overall commander of the Fire–Earth battlefield."
Pausing, Sarutobi Hiruzen continued, "Actually, blowing up a single bridge is not difficult. A three-man squad would suffice. What is difficult is maintaining pressure against the Iwa-nin forces on the front lines during the process. That is your primary mission."
Minato smiled faintly, "I understand."
The Third felt reassured and waved his hand, "Then go and do it. As for other matters, after the war is over, I will hand them over to you bit by bit."
"Yes, I will take my leave now," Minato answered, and then flickered away in an instant.
Only after Minato had left did Sarutobi Hiruzen return to his desk and take out his pipe.
He drew in a heavy puff.
———
The next day, Namikaze Minato set out with Kakashi, heading for the Fire–Earth front at the Land of Grass.
Obito and Rin, however, followed Sara's suggestion and stayed behind in Roran, planning to slack off for a few days before going back.
———
That day, the guards at Roran's city gates suddenly saw, through the blowing sand, two figures wearing black cloaks patterned with red clouds, faintly visible as they walked straight toward them.
As they drew closer, it became clear, one was a man, the other a woman.
The man had bright red hair and wore a forehead protector of Amegakure.
The woman had brown hair and wore a Sunagakure forehead protector, but with a slash across the middle, marking her as a rogue ninja.
When the two reached the gate of Roran, a guard immediately stepped forward and blocked their path.
"Beyond here is Roran. Shinobi are forbidden to enter."
Nagato and Pakura, who had come along with him, exchanged a glance. Then Nagato took out a letter from his robe and handed it over.
"This is a pass issued by your queen. It guarantees us free entry and exit in Roran."
The guard accepted the letter. With just one look, he could tell it was very likely genuine.
His tone instantly became more respectful, "So you are guests of the Queen. Please wait here. The Queen herself will come to confirm this."
Even so, he still stood firm at his post, showing no sign of stepping aside.
Pakura was stunned.
"Are you sure your queen will come? But I… didn't see anyone go to notify her."
The guard smiled, "The Queen's letter itself is the best notification."
At this, Pakura couldn't help but turn her head toward Nagato.
Nagato closed his eyes and began carefully sensing.
After a while, he opened them again and said in awe, "The guard is right. I sense a vast chakra that blankets all of Roran, similar to my Rain Tiger at Will Technique."
"Moreover, this chakra permeates without gaps, more deeply than my technique. I never thought Queen Sara could achieve this. The pass she gave us also carries the same chakra fluctuation."
"So, the moment we enter the bounds of Roran, she can naturally sense it."
Pakura nodded, with a trace of curiosity flashing in her eyes.
She had already heard many versions of the legend of the Purple-Robed Dragon Queen. How she, with the power of one person and one city, repelled the armies of Kumogakure and protected her homeland.
Her reputation in the Land of Wind was illustrious, even comparable to the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
No, in fact, after Rasa was captured alive at Kikyo Mountain by Namikaze Minato, his prestige had declined somewhat, likely already beneath that of the Purple-Robed Dragon Queen.
Pakura had long wanted to meet this legendary queen.
But she had thought she would do so as a representative of Sunagakure, meeting her with the same heroic title of "Pakura of Scorch Release."
Who would have thought that time would change things so much, she had now become a rogue ninja of Sunagakure.
And even more unexpectedly, this famous Purple-Robed Dragon Queen turned out to be a member of Akatsuki, a comrade she had never met.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but ask, "Nagato, since she's also a member of Akatsuki, do you know this Queen well?"
Nagato thought for a moment and said frankly, "I haven't met her many times, so I can't say I know her well."
"But… her personality is gentle and kind, approachable. Even Konan likes her a lot, often pulling her into discussions about things like nail polish colors."
Pakura's expression turned strange.
Nagato always used these kinds of descriptions to introduce each Akatsuki member.
The Asura of the Ninja World, Uchiha Madara, was described as "a strict elder with a sharp tongue but a soft heart."
The infamous bounty hunter Kakuzu, killer of countless people, was "an old man who likes guarding the treasury and is harmless as long as you don't touch the operating funds."
The trigger of the Third Shinobi World War, Sasori, who turned the Third Kazekage into a puppet, was "a shy little boy who spends all day researching puppets."
Pakura seriously doubted whether the "gentle and approachable Queen" he described belonged in the same category as those above.
From the perspective of someone like her, a shinobi of a great nation, this group of people were nothing less than lawless terrorists.
Of course, she herself had now become one of them too.
While she was still thinking this, a strong chakra fluctuation appeared in the distance of Roran, growing closer and closer.
Then, Pakura saw a streak of purple light rapidly approaching them from afar.
Sara shed her Perfect Dragon Vein Jinchuriki Mode, looked at Nagato, and asked doubtfully, "Wasn't it said that Lord Madara himself would be coming? Why is it you in the end, and… who is this?"
That last sentence was directed at Pakura.
Since Pakura had only recently joined Akatsuki, Sara had never met her.
Nagato explained, "Lord Madara said he had to handle some matters at the Mountain's Graveyard, and didn't have time for other things. So he sent me instead. He said my presence was deterrence enough."
Pausing, Nagato looked at Pakura and introduced, "As for this one, she's our new member of Akatsuki. You should have heard of her, she is Pakura."
"Pakura? Scorch Release Pakura?", As a native of the Land of Wind, Sara had naturally heard of Pakura, the hero who had performed outstandingly in the Wind–Water conflict.
She had single-handedly destroyed Kirigakure's plan of secret coastal infiltration.
She looked at Pakura curiously, blinking her eyes, "I heard you died at the hands of the Iwa-nin. I even felt regret, that a hero would fall just like that."
"I never expected that you were still alive, and even joined Akatsuki?"
Pakura's expression dimmed, and a bitter smile touched her lips, 'So, in their story, I died at the hands of the Iwa-nin.'
'In that case, should I thank them, for leaving me a shred of dignity?'
'Heh… I wonder what their reaction will be when they see me again.'
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