"Get the hell out of here! Do you really think Hatake Sakumo and I are that stupid? Letting you play out the drama of abandoning the mission to save comrades again? Do you take everyone for idiots?"
Minato knew exactly what idea Shimura Danzō was hatching, and he didn't care; he exposed it directly.
There was no need to save face for him.
"Namikaze Minato, what does Hatake Sakumo's matter have to do with me? You should know that slandering an Elder without evidence is a serious crime."
Shimura Danzō was startled. He had done this very secretly; how could Namikaze Minato know?
"Shimura Danzō, stop pretending. Whether there is evidence or not is useless to me. In Konoha, besides you, no one else would harm their compatriots for their own ambition."
Since the window was open for plain talk, Minato simply laid the matter out in the open.
"Hmph, if you continue to spout nonsense, don't blame me for getting rough."
Shimura Danzō's face was gloomy. This Namikaze Minato simply didn't play by the rules.
"Get rough? Try it if you have the ability. Believe it or not, I can slap you flying with one palm. Don't forget you sent people to hunt me down back then; I still remember that debt."
"And don't let me find evidence, or I'll be the first to kill you, and no one can stop me. If you walk at night often enough, you'll eventually meet a ghost. Be careful that your base doesn't get blown up again one day."
A threat, a naked threat.
Shimura Danzō had to compromise again, because he really couldn't withstand another base explosion.
Damn Namikaze Minato, don't let me catch an opportunity, or I'll make you die without a burial place.
After giving Minato a fierce look, Shimura Danzō flicked his sleeves and left, not tangling with him any longer.
That old fogey Sarutobi obviously wouldn't help him; he was isolated now.
But just wait and see, I won't give up like this. One day, I will return everything to you, Namikaze Minato!
After watching Shimura Danzō leave, Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head with a bitter smile. "Sigh, you really didn't give him any face."
"This kind of person doesn't need face. Everyone knows what he did; it's just that without evidence, he can't be brought to justice."
Minato said helplessly. He wasn't the Hokage, so he had to act according to the rules.
Wait until he became Hokage, then we'd see how arrogant Shimura Danzō could be.
"Alright, I'll add Kushina and Mikoto's names to the mission scroll. Pay more attention to Kushina when you're outside, after all, she is..." Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't finish the sentence.
"Haha, don't worry." Minato didn't explain. As for Kushina becoming friends with Kurama, only Minato and Mikoto knew about it so far.
Watching Minato's retreating back, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in relief. Konoha had a worthy successor; nothing made him happier than this.
He just felt slightly apologetic towards Sakumo. Regarding the position of Hokage, between Sakumo and his disciple or grand-disciple Minato, he ultimately partially chose the latter two.
As soon as he got home, Minato didn't delay. He dragged Mikoto and Kushina out to buy all sorts of things, then threw them into his portable space. Of course, there were also various cooked foods.
Things wouldn't spoil in the space; they would come out exactly as they went in.
Along the way, they wouldn't have to eat dry rations and other unpalatable things.
Just for Ichiraku Ramen, Minato bought 20 bowls of each flavor, tiring Teuchi until his hands almost cramped.
There were also plenty of BBQ and sushi.
Of course, a large bed and blankets couldn't be left behind.
Having a portable space was truly convenient to the extreme.
No one would believe they were going on a mission; it was more like a vacation.
Along the way, Minato and the others didn't slow down. With the strength of three Kage-level ninja, there was no need to go slowly.
That's right, three Kage-level ninja. Of course, Kushina had Kage-level strength relying on Kurama's power.
As for Mikoto, after a few years of familiarization, her strength had also risen from the Jōnin level before activating the Mangekyō Sharingan to her current Entry-level Kage status.
With this trio, the ninja world was vast enough for them to go anywhere.
Well, as long as they didn't provoke that old immortal Uchiha Madara.
A week later, the group arrived in the Land of Iron and found Mifune.
"Welcome, honored guests from Konoha."
Minato's arrival was personally welcomed by Mifune, giving him plenty of face.
"Have the people from Kumogakure arrived?"
Minato was primarily concerned about the Kumogakure matters.
"Yes, but only a little earlier than you."
Mifune's intelligence was good. At least he knew about Sanzō's affairs, while Sanzō knew nothing about Mifune's.
This also showed the gap in strength between the two sides.
This was also the reason Sanzō invited people from Kumogakure to assist in the battle.
"When does the duel start?"
Minato asked the key question.
"The official duel is the day after tomorrow, so your timing is perfect. Rest tomorrow to recover to your best state, and we can start the day after tomorrow."
Mifune introduced the plan.
Minato nodded, then went to rest in the luxurious room prepared for them under Mifune's lead.
As for the Kumogakure ninja, he didn't care. The Third Raikage wouldn't come personally, so aside from the Third Raikage, it didn't matter who came; they were going to win anyway.
Mifune's treatment was very thoughtful; even the three meals were personally delivered to the room.
However, this was also because he was afraid of alerting the enemy, so he didn't let them go out to eat.
Time passed quickly, and the day of the duel arrived.
Minato and the others used the Transformation Jutsu and followed behind Mifune.
This was to hide their strength.
When Minato and the others followed Mifune to the duel venue, they found the opponents had arrived.
The leader looked like a villain at first glance.
"Mifune, today you will be driven out of the Land of Iron. From now on, the leader of the Land of Iron will only be me."
Sanzō spoke with full confidence because he hadn't expected Kumogakure's strength to be so powerful this time.
Of course, he had paid a considerable price for this, but in his view, it was worth it.
As long as he controlled the Land of Iron, those things were just a drizzle.
"Hmph, anyone can talk big. Let's see the truth under our hands."
Mifune didn't show any weakness and retorted stiffly.
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