"All of this… is real?"
Late at night, inside the Konoha camp.
After listening to the full mission report, Jiraiya stared wide-eyed at Namikaze Minato in front of him.
Especially when he saw his own disciple nod seriously, Jiraiya found it hard to keep his composure.
That Uchiha Haori… he really knew how to stir things up.
This mission had succeeded—and could even be called an overwhelming success.
In particular, both Haori's squad and Kakashi's team had been brought back by Minato. One could say Konoha had won big.
Of course, there were losses.
Aside from these two squads, the other teams that had infiltrated deep behind enemy lines could basically be considered wiped out.
But how could there be war without losses?
Compared to what Konoha had gained, those sacrifices were honestly insignificant.
What truly left people speechless, however, were the details of this operation—especially Haori's astonishing performance as a squad leader. Even Jiraiya didn't know what to say anymore.
"Jiraiya-sensei, I know you're surprised. To be honest, I'm even more surprised than you are."
Minato shook his head with a wry smile as he looked at the slightly dazed Jiraiya.
"But we really underestimated Haori's capabilities.
I spoke with him afterward, and I can say with certainty that from the moment he received the mission, he already knew what our true objective was."
"So that's why he accelerated the plan and directly raided a large supply depot—and that depot just happened to be stocked with a massive number of explosive tags?"
Jiraiya rubbed his head helplessly.
"Yes."
Minato nodded. He had already questioned Guy and Aoba, and their answers were completely consistent.
Haori's original intention was simply to raid the outpost to draw Iwagakure's attention. No one expected that place to be storing so many explosive tags.
If luck hadn't been on their side, Minato himself might have been blown to pieces there.
And the impact of that massive explosion truly accelerated the course of the war.
It sent a crystal-clear message to every Iwa-nin on the front lines:
Your rear areas have been infiltrated, and we can wreak devastating havoc at any time.
Admittedly, that explosion also brought misfortune to other squads—Kakashi's team included.
But for the front lines, the effect was entirely positive.
It greatly boosted Konoha's morale, dealt a heavy blow to Iwagakure's confidence, and secured Konoha a major victory.
"Though their actions weren't flawless—they may have taken my presence into account during their escape and ended up drawing quite a few enemies toward Kakashi…"
Minato hesitated for a moment, then continued frankly.
"But there's no denying that their actions also saved Kakashi's team.
And afterward, they killed Kari, rushed to the Kannabi Bridge in time, eliminated more than ten Iwa-nin guarding it, and ultimately completed the mission."
"So even Kari is dead… and they took out that many people too…"
Jiraiya understood what Minato meant, but his mind was still replaying everything Haori had done.
Jiraiya was well aware of Kari's reputation. That Iwagakure elite had caused Konoha no small number of casualties.
And now he'd been killed by Haori.
Not only that—Haori had also wiped out over a dozen Iwa-nin at the bridge.
It could even be said that without Haori, the bridge demolition wouldn't have gone nearly so smoothly.
The realization left Jiraiya deeply moved.
"It's only natural that he went looking for you."
Though filled with emotion, Jiraiya knew there were still other matters to handle—especially something Minato had mentioned earlier.
He looked up at Minato, then smiled.
"He already figured out the mission details. If he ran into serious trouble and wanted to lean on you a bit, that's no big deal.
But there's no need to write that guess into the report. Just say he encountered Kakashi by chance while evading Iwagakure's pursuit."
"I understand, sensei."
Minato smiled at once.
"You little brat, trying to play tricks right in front of me."
Jiraiya shot him an annoyed look, then laughed.
"Alright, spread the word about the mission's achievements. Let everyone share in the good news.
Haori did so much—someone like that shouldn't be buried.
The Uchiha are also Konoha's ninja. Our job is to handle battlefield matters.
As for the other headaches… let the people who should have headaches deal with them."
"Yes, sensei."
Minato's smile grew even brighter.
He had always known that although his teacher often seemed unreliable, when it came to serious matters, there was no one more trustworthy.
——
The first light of dawn spread across the land.
In a camp deep within the forests of the Land of Grass, Haori sat up on a crude wooden bed.
Looking around at the simple yet clearly man-made surroundings, he took a deep breath.
A sense of relaxation instantly washed over his entire body.
"It's finally over…"
It had only been a few short days, and he had to admit that the danger he personally faced wasn't all that extreme.
But living in an environment where enemies could appear at any moment was truly exhausting.
And now, his thoughts inevitably drifted back to yesterday's battle.
That fighting experience had been exhilarating—the feeling of having everything under control lingered vividly in his mind.
He now somewhat understood why Uchiha Madara's battles were often described as art itself.
Setting aside Madara's brutal Warring States upbringing that honed his unbelievable taijutsu, the power of the Sharingan had played an indispensable role.
The Sharingan's might was truly beyond imagination.
Madara could dance amid tens of thousands with just the three-tomoe Sharingan.
And Haori, having only reached three tomoe for a few days, was already able—when fully driving his eyes—to move freely among dozens of ninja.
That kind of power was astonishing.
More than ever, Haori looked forward to what heights these eyes could reach as he continued to evolve them.
Beyond that, he also yearned for the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
After all, looking toward the future, only Mangekyō-level power could truly be considered a baseline for self-preservation.
"Still… yesterday was a bit reckless."
Despite his excitement, Haori remained calm.
Thinking back on the battle, a cold sweat crept up on him even now.
He wasn't worried about the Iwa-nin themselves—but Minato had been genuinely fighting the Five-Tails.
Thankfully, Minato had restrained it well, preventing the Five-Tails from firing a Tailed Beast Ball in their direction.
And he'd pulled them out before it could even try.
Otherwise, Haori really would have kicked the bucket and achieved worldly detachment.
"I'll need to be more careful in the future."
Haori stood up. After sufficient rest, he felt full of energy—and had no intention of lying around any longer.
"Haori, you're awake?"
Just as he got up, a voice sounded behind him.
"Oh, it's you two—Rin, and Kakashi?"
Haori turned around and smiled, nodding.
"Not going to rest a bit longer?"
Rin asked with concern, while Kakashi quietly nodded beside her.
Haori's performance yesterday had left an indelible impression on Kakashi.
That elegant, almost artistic fighting style was unforgettable.
And it was precisely because of Haori's timely support and overwhelming strength that the mission had been completed successfully.
"I'm feeling great right now. No desire to lie around."
Haori almost said 'Why sleep so much when you'll sleep forever after death', but thought better of it.
After all, in this world, with Edo Tensei around, death didn't necessarily mean eternal rest.
"Going out for a walk is fine then—but Haori, you'd better be prepared."
Rin thought for a moment, then smiled.
"Right now… everyone knows about you."
Haori froze for a second as he looked at her.
"…Huh?"
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