Outside the Sand Village in the Land of Wind,
"Halt!"
A guard ninja called out from the narrow mountain pass, stopping Jiraiya and his companions. His eyes were especially wary toward Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze.
There was reason enough—these two had extremely distinctive appearances.
Anyone with even a little experience could recognize them.
After all, Minato Namikaze had only been dead for eight years, and Jiraiya had long been a legendary figure in the Ninja World—idolized by countless male ninja.
Their presence here was indeed strange.
To avoid unnecessary conflict, Jiraiya and Minato exchanged glances, then simultaneously adopted non-threatening stances, allowing those sand ninja wearing headwraps to surround them.
Naruto felt nervous, but under Minato's gentle reassuring gaze, he gradually calmed down.
"Isn't Minato Namikaze supposed to be dead?"
"This doesn't seem like the Transformation Jutsu."
Murmuring among themselves, the Sand ninja kept their kunai raised toward the three newcomers, eyes alert as they exchanged uneasy glances. One of them nodded seriously before rushing toward the Kazekage's building.
"Lord Kazekage, Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze request an audience."
Upon hearing his subordinate's report, Rasa paused in surprise.
Jiraiya alone wouldn't have been unusual—but Minato Namikaze, a dead man? Had time somehow reversed?
Seeing his expression, the reporting ninja added, "They also have a boy with them whose chakra reserves are unusually vast."
"Bring them in," muttered Rasa after a pause, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Soon, Jiraiya and company were escorted by Sunagakure Anbu into Rasa's presence.
That neither Jiraiya nor Minato resisted showed their calm dispositions—another man might have barged in, taken out a few ninja to send a message, then sat down to talk with Rasa without batting an eye.
Meeting Rasa's confused gaze, Minato took the initiative to speak, recounting everything Sarutobi Hiruzen and Jiraiya had told him—about Kaguya Otsutsuki, the powerful enemy from the future; the crisis threatening the jinchuriki; and how Konoha, Kumogakure, the Country of Hot Springs, and the Country of Frost were now under Kaguya's control...
Rasa listened in stunned silence. After quite some time, he finally murmured, "So what you're saying is... we should cooperate with you to retake Konoha and Kumo?"
Rasa's mood darkened with doubt.
Of course, he couldn't fully wrap his head around everything they had just said. Without seeing it himself, how could he fully believe this future threat Minato described?
Right now, he simply suspected that Jiraiya—a ninja stripped of his Konoha citizenship—wanted to reclaim authority over the Hidden Leaf Village. As for the other nations like Kumogakure, truth or fiction—who really knew? Perhaps it was just another excuse.
These people from Konoha truly had curious ideas—actually teaming up with outsiders to attack their own villages, Rasa mused inwardly.
Minato nodded, then shook his head slightly. "Not only the Sand Village—it should include the three great ninja villages excluding Konoha and Kumo."
Understanding dawned upon Rasa.
If that were truly the case—if they were to ally with other villages to take on Konoha and Kumo—it could escalate into a war on the scale of the past Great Ninja World Wars.
How many ninja should Sunagakure send? And assuming victory, how should the rewards be divided?
These were matters a Kage needed to consider.
Seeing Rasa fall into silence with no obvious interest, Jiraiya requested to meet the One-Tail's jinchuriki.
"Fourth Kazekage, the One-Tail can sense Kaguya Otsutsuki's presence..."
Before he could finish speaking, Rasa had already politely shaken his head with a smile.
No matter Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze's true intentions, their strength was undeniable.
If they harbored ill intentions, Gaara would be too easy for them to abduct...
Clearly, Rasa did not trust them, nor believe their words. Sensing this, both Jiraiya and Minato inevitably felt some disappointment.
Yin Kurama, sealed within Minato, and Kurama inside Naruto simultaneously let out a cold snort.
Under the gazes of the Sunagakure ninja, Jiraiya and the others left the Kazekage's building.
After exiting the village, Minato Namikaze looked back at Sunagakure one last time, then firmly said to Jiraiya and Naruto, "Teacher Jiraiya, I entrust Naruto to your guidance. As for persuading others, please leave that to me."
"I've got a tailed beast inside me too—I can detect anyone connected to Kaguya Otsutsuki. Please believe me!"
"Alright." Jiraiya nodded, then continued walking with Naruto.
Naruto seemed eager to speak yet hesitated, his steps faltering.
"Naruto, it's not like we're parting forever. There's no need for this; we'll see each other plenty more times," sensing what he was thinking, Minato smiled gently. "When you grow stronger, you'll be able to help everyone more."
Naruto could only follow after Jiraiya's retreating figure.
-----------------
Sunagakure's environment was dominated by yellow tones—even the houses where people lived were made from yellow sand.
In a blink, something brighter than yellow suddenly flashed before one's eyes.
A short, black-circled-eyed boy with red hair sat idly in his room, marked with the kanji 'Love' on his forehead, looking carefully ahead.
A young man with short golden hair and a warm, cheerful smile—Minato Namikaze—had somehow appeared before him.
At first, that gentle expression made Gaara feel nostalgic, but soon disgust rose from deep within him, murder shining in his eyes.
Such eyes, such a smile—Yashamaru once wore that look too, and in the end, he tried to kill him...
While observing this sensitive teenager closely, Minato silently communicated with Yin Kurama, "Kurama, can you talk to the One-Tail?"
Yin Kurama turned over lazily, unwilling to respond.
Meanwhile, *Shukaku*, sealed within Gaara, sensed Kurama's presence and began growing restless.
"Ugh—it's that one again... What a revolting stench..."
"KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" Gaara could not escape the echoing voice within his mind, his bloodlust intensifying as his eyes gradually took on a beast-like appearance.
*Shukaku*'s chakra started seeping out drop by drop...
"The sealing methods used on him are far too crude—this child has truly suffered," Minato sighed inwardly, activating [Flying Thunder God]. Before Gaara's very eyes, Minato vanished.
Gaara burst out in a wild frenzy. With the enhancement of Tailed Beast Chakra, his speed was incomparable to that of ordinary ninja.
His slightly frenzied state and the leaking One-Tail's Chakra once again drew attention from the Sand ninja.
"Oh no, Gaara is going berserk again."
Several panicked ninja gave chase, while others rushed off to report to Rasa.
"Kazekage-sama, Gaara has lost control again!"
By the time Rasa arrived, Gaara had already transformed halfway into the Tailed Beast form.
Minato Namikaze stood calmly before Gaara.
The Sunagakure ninja trembled from a safe distance, surrounding the two warily.
"What exactly are you trying to do, Minato Namikaze?"
Rasa roared angrily.
Could this guy actually be targeting Gaara? That so-called Kaguya Otsutsuki must just be a fabrication! I think the real threat here is none other than you — the Jinchuriki!
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