Inside the Hokage Office in Konoha.
"Wow, Minato actually accomplished something this big?"
Kushina jumped up excitedly in front of the Hokage's desk, her bright big eyes curving into crescent moons.
Hearing about Minato's recent accomplishments from the Third, Kushina couldn't help feeling delighted.
She never expected that Minato's strength would not only surpass her expectations, but he also nearly saved everyone during the Suna Ninja ambush, becoming the most pivotal figure of this mission.
The Third nodded and said, "Therefore, the village elders have decided to promote that boy's rank to Tokubetsu Jonin."
"Tokubetsu Jonin!!"
Kushina's pupils contracted as she loudly exclaimed. For Minato to be promoted to Tokubetsu Jonin meant he had risen to the same rank as the captain of the Sixth Guard Unit she served in, Akai Shuji.
Minato had accomplished such remarkable feats in just under three months that they left her astonished.
Both of them had once dreamed of becoming Hokage—and judging by Minato's current rise, it might actually come true one day.
After all, being promoted from Tokubetsu Chunin to Tokubetsu Jonin in less than three months, and at an age under eleven years old—this was truly unprecedented in Konoha's history.
"Minato has performed so excellently that he definitely deserves this position," the Third said, narrowing his eyes slightly with a smile as he looked at Kushina. "And I think you wouldn't want to fall behind him so easily, right?"
"Of course not."
Kushina quickly replied, then immediately walked out of the Hokage Office to return to her post.
...
In the Land of Earth, inside a high-level meeting room of Iwagakure.
"The people from Konoha are indeed impressive. First, it was Hanzo, then Chiyo. Without the Third Hokage himself intervening, they still managed to handle both threats."
Inside the meeting room, a small old man floated midair, staring at those before him with a slightly deep voice.
It was Onoki of the Two Scales—the Third Tsuchikage!
When news first arrived of the complete annihilation of the Iwa Ninja Unit and Tsuchigawa's death on the battlefield, the Iwa elders were both shocked and enraged—except for this elderly man in his fifties, who remained calm.
He was even older than the Third Hokage of Konoha and Chiyo of Suna.
However, when news soon followed about Suna's failed ambush operation against Konoha, the expression on this Third Tsuchikage's face turned extremely grim.
Because these two consecutive battles made him realize...
Today's Konoha was no longer the struggling village it had been when the Third Hokage first became Hokage, experiencing a shortage of talents.
The Konoha Sannin, Sakumo Hatake... These younger generations who rose in this new era were all capable individuals who could stand on their own.
Even opponents like Hanzo and Chiyo, whom he himself had to treat seriously, were now being handled by these young generations.
Right now, Konoha was not a force to be trifled with...
With his sharp mind, he naturally realized the Third Hokage wouldn't let the matter drop easily from here on out. Among the Five Great Ninja Nations, one country must bear Konoha's wrath.
That country, unsurprisingly, was the Wind Country neighboring the Fire Country.
"We can no longer return to the Land of Rain. From now on, our enemies will no longer be the Fire Country and Wind Country,"
Ōnoki said. The aged but sharp-minded man turned toward the world map displayed in the conference room and pointed to a major nation beyond the desert lying adjacent to the Land of Earth.
The Land of Lightning!
As expected, inside the conference room of Kumogakure, the Hidden Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning, more than ten individuals had gathered. This group included not only high-ranking officials from Kumogakure but also elite ninja.
At the head of this group sat a muscular, dark-skinned giant—the Third Raikage!
Standing among them was none other than Ryo Yagura, who once dueled Sakumo Hatake several times in the Land of Hot Springs. Beside Ryo Yagura stood a young boy whose skin tone and facial features made him appear slightly older than he actually was.
In truth, he too was merely a seventeen-year-old teenager.
However, his strength was already sufficient for him to be selected as an elite Kumogakure ninja participating in the military operation specifically targeting an invasion of the Land of Earth.
This young ninja was none other than the son of the Third Raikage.
...
Two weeks of rest and reorganization passed. Members of Konoha's forces used supplies brought by the reinforcement squad to construct a sizable base on a mountainside in the Land of Rain—large enough to house hundreds.
Guard posts were established around the perimeter, with a ninja stationed approximately every dozen meters or so.
You could clearly see figures dashing between the trees on top of the mountain.
After surviving two earlier ambushes, the Konoha ninja remained highly alert—even if they probably wouldn't run into any really strong enemies again.
At the main entrance of the base stood hundreds of gathered ninja.
At the forefront were three figures: Tsunade, Sakumo Hatake, and Orochimaru.
Opposite them stood Jiraiya, Kai Uchiha, and over a dozen Konoha ninja, their expressions marked by visible frustration.
"This is so lame. They actually asked me to stay behind in the Land of Rain," Jiraiya complained.
Sakumo Hatake standing opposite him chuckled lightly.
"Hehe, until now we don't have a faster or safer method for conveying intelligence than summoning messenger toads from Mount Myōboku. Naturally, you've got to stay."
Though the situation in Amegakure had stabilized, it still required stationing a powerful ninja for security. Kai Uchiha alone seemed somewhat insufficient; adding Jiraiya into the mix would resolve this issue perfectly.
"Although you won't personally be going to the Wind Country, you've successfully trained a capable successor who can summon toads from Mount Myōboku. This time, your own student will go in your place."
Tsunade smiled. Jiraiya cast a disgruntled glance toward Minato, who stood aside from the group. Minato responded with a calm, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about me, Master."
Minato's attire had been adjusted slightly due to wartime conditions. With no standard-sized ninja uniform suitable for his small frame during wartime, he instead wore a chūnin vest—a privilege normally reserved for those promoted to tokubetsu jōnin. Even Yan Uchiha and Nawaki, both special chūnin, hadn't earned that honor yet.
The two boys, Ren and Leo, were also among the group following Minato. Yan Uchiha, who had always enjoyed rivaling Minato, still stared at him, though that familiar air of arrogance in his gaze had all but vanished.
Minato's actions—practically saving the entire Konoha force—had clearly won over even the surviving ninjas… including Yan Uchiha himself.
Yet he had not abandoned his pursuit of Minato.
Jiraiya simply nodded at this. Even though Minato hadn't turned eleven yet, his skills and ninja training were already more than solid.
"Enough chatter. We just set off."
Tsunade, who had been waiting far too long, cut their conversation short.
Sakumo and the others exchanged uneasy smiles.
Then, led by Tsunade and the other two commanders, hundreds of Konoha ninjas dashed toward the southwest of the Land of Rain.
Their target: the Land of Wind—a desert nation known for its fierce shinobi.
...
...(to be continued.)
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