Hokage Office – Konoha Village
Just stepping inside, Yun paused in surprise. Glancing at Kakashi and another man in a tight-fitting green suit, he asked, "I thought I was coming to hear about my next assignment... but judging by this setup, is there a major mission?"
Smiling from behind his desk, Minato replied, "Indeed, there's an important mission I need to entrust to you. Due to the nature of the situation, the team must be strong enough to handle it."
"Don't worry, Lord Hokage! No matter how difficult the mission, I will complete it perfectly! Because I am Konoha's proud Blue Beast, Might Guy!"
He spun twice, gave a thumbs-up, and his teeth gleamed with a blinding shine.
Yun glanced at Might Guy beside him and couldn't help getting goosebumps.
'The anime version wasn't so bad, but seeing him in real life? Seriously cringe.'
'And to think there'd be a younger guy in the future just like him, and not even his son.'
Kakashi exchanged a glance with Yun and shrugged as if to say, You'll get used to it.
Minato cleared his throat and then turned serious. "The Hidden Cloud Village of the Land of Lightning has signaled interest in forming an alliance with Konoha. So, I'm assigning you three to deliver an alliance treaty, signed by me, directly to the Fourth Raikage."
"Once you return, they will send an envoy to Konoha to formalize the agreement. Given the implications for peace, this mission is not to be taken lightly."
"The three of you will go, with Kakashi as team leader. I'm entrusting Konoha's hope for peace to you, please, bring it back."
Kakashi received the scroll from Minato. Scratching his head, he asked, "Should Yun and I both go? And with Guy too, this seems like a bit... much."
Minato shook his head gently. "This isn't Konoha's first time forming an alliance with the Hidden Cloud. Back when the Second Hokage was alive, he led a team to the Cloud personally."
"And that time... the Second Hokage was ambushed on the way back by the Cloud's Kinkaku and Ginkaku forces. He sacrificed himself to allow the others to escape."
Kakashi's gaze sharpened. "So what you're saying, sensei, is that this alliance might not be genuine?"
Minato smiled faintly and turned to look out the Hokage Office window.
"No alliance between villages or nations is ever truly reliable. But a signed treaty still holds some value, it reflects a village's credibility. If you tear up enough treaties, you become isolated."
"None of the Five Great Nations wants to be isolated. Because once you are, you're vulnerable to being divided and conquered."
Minato turned back and smiled. "Regardless, I hope peace will last. So I leave this mission to you."
"Absolutely! Leave everything to me!"
.....
Outside the Hokage Office
Just as they left, Kakashi said to the others: "Go prepare your gear and supplies. We'll regroup at the village gate in one hour. Dismissed!"
Swish!
In a flash, the three of them disappeared.
At Yun's Home
Yun packed his ninja gear and grabbed a few rations.
'An alliance with the Hidden Cloud, huh?'
'The timing lined up perfectly, two months from now, round trip and some delays included, would place the Hidden Cloud envoy's visit to Konoha at just the right moment.'
'The Uchiha clan's current alignment with the Fourth Hokage wasn't strong enough. Instead, Uchiha should align with the major bloodline and secret technique clans of Konoha. That's where true influence lay.'
After a brief goodbye to his mother, Yun stepped out.
Konoha's Main Gate
Swish!
Yun arrived and looked around. "Kakashi, Guy's not here yet?"
Kakashi shook his head. "Normally I'm the last to arrive for regular missions. But for important ones like this, Guy usually takes that honor."
He checked his watch. "We're halfway through the hour. He should be here in about ten minutes."
He then turned to Yun. "I heard from sensei that during a mission half a year ago, you had a run-in with the Hidden Cloud's Eight-Tails jinchūriki, Killer Bee?"
Yun nodded. "A brief exchange. In peacetime, no village's ninja dares risk an all-out fight that could lead to war."
"It was more a coincidence, we ran into him while he was holding some sort of kids' rap competition. Two little brats were handing out flyers everywhere, almost messed up our mission."
Kakashi thought for a moment. "They say the Hidden Cloud has a perfect jinchūriki. What was your impression?"
Pointing to his eyes, Yun replied, "Through these eyes, I could tell, his coordination with the Eight-Tails was excellent. Far better than average jinchūriki. The moment I cast a genjutsu, the Eight-Tails disrupted his chakra flow and freed him instantly."
"He's a master of the 'Eight-Blade Style' and has tons of combat experience. But more importantly, I heard his teamwork with the Fourth Raikage is what makes them truly formidable."
Kakashi rubbed his forehead. "Let's hope this mission goes smoothly. Otherwise, it could get messy."
Yun smiled. "We're just delivering a treaty, nothing to stress about."
"Exactly. If things go smoothly."
Kakashi pulled out a custom kunai with the inscription Blade of Shinobi Love. It was marked with Minato's Flying Thunder God formula.
"Before we left, sensei gave me this and also had me summon Pakkun and Shiba to stay with him. Clearly, he doesn't fully trust the Cloud's intentions."
Yun scratched his head. "With the Fourth Hokage this prepared, we shouldn't have much to worry about."
Just then, a figure dashed toward them from within Konoha's gates.
The cloud of dust he kicked up left the two gatekeepers choking. They glared at him as he reported in.
"Ah... burn, youth! Boil, youth!!"
Boom!
Might Guy skidded to a dramatic stop, kicking up more dust. With a gleaming smile, he gave a thumbs-up to Kakashi and Yun.
"Thank you for waiting, my friends! Let's head out in the name of youthful passion!"
'...Uh…'
Yun glanced at Kakashi. "I have a feeling… we're not going to get a moment of peace the whole way there."
Kakashi gave a sheepish smile. "Yun… Guy's actually very reliable."
Watching Might Guy march ahead enthusiastically, Yun recalled that red-hot silhouette from memory.
'He probably hadn't reached Eight Gates level yet, but if he went all-out… he could probably kill the Fourth Raikage or the Eight-Tails.'
'And now, with the new powers I just obtained…'
'Phew...'
'Though most likely, they wouldn't be needed for this mission.'
...
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