"It is truly an honor for our village to receive a visit from the Hokage-sama!"
Despite his youthful appearance, Yagura's heart was anything but immature. He quickly adjusted his mindset and spoke with courtesy.
"There's no need for such formality, Mizukage-sama," Minato Namikaze replied.
Upon seeing Yagura's baby-faced features, Minato's expression briefly flickered with surprise, but he quickly regained his composure.
After all, the ninja world was full of extraordinary individuals and events; one could not judge a person's capabilities by appearance alone.
Minato casually surveyed the surroundings, ignoring the wary and fearful gazes of the nearby Mist ninja.
When his eyes landed on the sealing platform, his interest was piqued. "This sealing formation is quite impressive!" he remarked.
"It seems specially designed for the Three-Tails, isn't it?"
"Oh, not at all..."
Yagura immediately denied it. "This crude sealing technique is nothing worth mentioning. If it were truly effective, Elder Karatachi wouldn't have had to travel all the way to Konohagakure to invite you here!"
Minato didn't press further. After observing the weary Three-Tails slumped against the earthen wall for a moment, he asked directly, "Since you've already captured the Three-Tails, do you want me to seal it directly into the Jinchūriki, or should we first store it in a sealing vessel?"
"The Jinchūriki has already been prepared. We would be grateful if Hokage-sama could seal the Three-Tails into them directly."
"After all, our village's Tailed Beast sealing techniques have many flaws. I've personally suffered quite a bit because of them..."
Yagura spoke with a smile, then suddenly waved his hand.
A tall Mist ninja with deep blue hair and a shark-like appearance stepped forward from the rear.
His expression was solemn, and his shark-like pupils were calm, devoid of any fear.
"Mizukage-sama, your village truly produces remarkable talent!"
"It seems that before long, you'll have another formidable warrior among your ranks."
"I hope we can use this power together to maintain peace, foster development, and curb the ambitions of those with sinister intentions..."
Minato's gaze fell on the chosen Jinchūriki candidate. He recognized this peculiar-looking individual.
When Elder Karatachi had visited Konohagakure, this man had stood among his guards.
Even then, Minato had sensed the immense Chakra within him, almost comparable to that of a Tailed Beast.
If the Three-Tails were sealed within him, it would indeed be a tremendous enhancement.
"Rest assured, Hokage-sama. Elder Karatachi has already emphasized this to me," Yagura replied sincerely.
"With Hokage-sama's magnanimity in setting aside past grievances, I can guarantee that as long as I remain Mizukage, Kirigakure will be Konohagakure's most reliable ally!"
After speaking, Yagura extended his right hand toward Minato with genuine intent.
"Good!"
"With Mizukage-sama's promise, I am reassured!"
A delighted expression appeared on Minato's face as he firmly shook Yagura's hand, his grip as strong as his commitment to their alliance.
"Let's begin, then."
"Kisame, step forward to the Three-Tails!"
After the handshake, Yagura signaled the surrounding Mist ninja to step back. Kisame followed Minato to the location of the Three-Tails.
The faces of the Mist ninja were filled with curiosity and anticipation. For most ordinary ninja, Jinchūriki were figures to be both revered and avoided.
After all, if a Jinchūriki failed to tame the Tailed Beast within, the resulting rampage would be like an enormous, unpredictable bomb with catastrophic power.
However, if a Perfect Jinchūriki emerged, it would be a completely different matter.
The Mist ninja were well aware of Kisame's strength. Among the younger generation, his mastery of Water Release techniques was unparalleled in Kirigakure.
If even Kisame couldn't subdue the Three-Tails, a Water Release Tailed Beast, then the village had no better candidate.
Today, they finally had the chance to witness the grand spectacle of sealing a Jinchūriki with their own eyes.
This would be a story to boast about for years to come...
And it was none other than the Yellow Flash himself performing the seal...
In the Land of Water, at the foot of a tranquil mountain.
The mountain was shrouded in mist, with winding paths resembling a ribbon cascading from the clouds. Small patches of white clouds dotted the path like scattered pearls, slowly drifting upward.
At the mountain's base stood a spacious courtyard. The courtyard's design was simple and rustic, adorned with various exotic flowers and plants. A stream flowed through the yard, originating from the mountain above.
The gentle sound of flowing water, the chirping of birds, and the fluttering of butterflies painted a vibrant spring scene.
Inside the house, two elderly men sat leisurely playing a game of Go.
Whoosh!
A masked Anbu appeared at the foot of the steps.
Kneeling on one knee, he spoke with utmost respect, "Elder Karatachi! Master Genshi!"
"The Hokage of Konohagakure has arrived and is preparing to seal the Three-Tails!"
The white-haired Elder Karatachi kept his eyes fixed on the Go board, merely waving his hand without looking up.
The Anbu bowed his head in acknowledgment before vanishing in a flash.
"Young people these days are full of ideas!"
"If it were me, I might not have had the courage to make such bold decisions."
"But you're doing the right thing. Right now, for Kirigakure to survive in this chaotic ninja world, we must act decisively!"
The elderly man on the left spoke slowly. He was extremely aged, his eyebrows and facial hair completely gone. His eyelids drooped as if his eyes were permanently closed.
Beside him was a peculiar staff with a grotesque face carved at its top. The face's eyes seemed to be inlaid with two red gemstones, and its mouth was filled with sharp teeth, giving it an eerie appearance, as though it might speak at any moment.
"Oh, stop teasing me!"
"Just look at my white hair and beard—how could I still be called young?"
Elder Karatachi picked up a Go piece but hesitated to place it.
"To me, you're all still young!"
"Young people represent ambition, vitality, and... hope!"
Master Genshi smiled kindly, his wrinkled face filled with warmth as he looked at Elder Karatachi.
"You're absolutely right!"
"This match is yours. I've lost again!"
"No matter how many years pass, I've never been able to beat you!"
Elder Karatachi sighed deeply as he finally placed his piece, knowing the game's outcome was already decided.
"Heh..."
"You've already won in many ways!"
"The more you think, the more you worry. Politics and Go are not the same..."
"A Go board is confined to its small space, with limited possibilities. One wrong move leads to a cascade of mistakes, hard to recover from."
"But our world is ever-changing, filled with endless surprises. Sometimes, a bold gamble can carve out a path to survival!"
Master Genshi glanced briefly at the board but refrained from making another move, instead offering his profound insight.
"Indeed!"
"I've done my best. Retirement life is much better—fishing with you, tending to flowers, sipping tea, and discussing the ninja world's politics..."
"Relaxing! Peaceful!"
"Our role is to pave the way for the younger generation, hand over power to them, and then... trust them to take it from there!"
Elder Karatachi gazed serenely out the window.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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