"You want me to let A go?"
Garp lifted his eyelids slightly. The pupils exposed to the air gave off an unfathomably deep impression.
It was impossible to tell whether he was angry or calm.
"Yes!
This is no longer just a matter between you and the Cloud Village.
A has already become a fuse. One wrong move, and it could ignite a war that spreads across the entire shinobi world.
That would be a catastrophe even more terrifying than the Third Great Ninja War.
I beg you to consider how hard-won peace truly is, and to spare A.
Even setting aside peace in the shinobi world, let's talk about Konoha.
It was founded by your old friend, Hashirama, and it was once under your guardianship.
Lord Garp, you were willing to come out of retirement for the sake of your old friend's descendants, surely you wouldn't want Konoha to be reduced to ashes, its people slaughtered, disappearing entirely into the flames of war because of a moment's anger on your part."
Minato nodded.
"Are you finished?"
Garp stared at Minato.
"Yes…."
Minato nodded, a little nervously.
Under Garp's gaze, he gradually felt an indescribable pressure.
The man in front of him was lounging casually on a beach chair, not releasing even the slightest killing intent or aura.
Yet just meeting his eyes alone was enough to make Minato feel an overwhelming weight pressing down on him.
"Let A go… bwahaha…. Are you teaching me how to do things, blond brat?"
As Garp spoke, he slowly closed his eyes, not sparing Minato another glance.
"Th-that… Lord Garp, I don't think Minato meant it that way…"
Although Garp was laughing, Hiruzen and Jiraiya both felt cold sweat uncontrollably bead on their foreheads.
Afraid that Minato might truly anger Garp, the two hurried forward to explain.
"I may be getting on in years, but I'm not so senile that my hearing's gone bad. Brat, since you've said so much to me, then I have a question for you as well."
Without even lifting his head, Garp cut off Jiraiya and Hiruzen.
"Please speak, Lord Garp…"
Seeing Hiruzen and Jiraiya frantically shooting him warning looks, signaling him not to keep talking recklessly, Minato could only grit his teeth and continue.
The words had already been spoken, there was no taking them back now.
"After I came out of retirement, I've made a total of four moves.
The first time, I wiped out several hundred shinobi from the Hidden Stone.
The second time, I beat up the Third Raikage and conveniently dealt with over a hundred Hidden Cloud shinobi.
The third time, I dealt with that brat Rasa, along with Chiyo and Ebizo.
The last time, I took care of Byakuren and the Third Mizukage.
All four times, I was fighting wars. None of it had anything to do with peace. So why didn't you come out and grab me then?
Why didn't you step forward and dare to say a few words? Why didn't you come out and teach me how to do things?
Just like you did right now, telling me, for the sake of peace, not to kill shinobi of the Hidden Stone, Hidden Cloud, Hidden Sand, or Hidden Mist?"
Garp's tone wasn't harsh. On the contrary, it was almost gentle.
Yet those gentle words struck Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Minato like thunder, making their heads ring and their ears buzz.
"..."
Minato's face turned slightly pale.
Whether it was because he didn't know how to refute him, or because wave after wave of pressure surged through his heart like a raging sea, even his breathing gradually grew heavier.
"When I was out there, with you following behind picking up the benefits, you didn't jump out then… Why?
Because you were one of the beneficiaries. The entire Konoha was a beneficiary.
Now that the Four Kage have formed an alliance, mobilized thirty thousand troops, and are coming straight for me, you suddenly want to teach me how to do things… Why?
Because you're afraid I won't be able to withstand the Four Kage, won't be able to withstand the black hand behind the scenes, and that you'll stop being a beneficiary, that Konoha will stop being a beneficiary as well."
The moment Garp said this, the expressions on Jiraiya and Hiruzen's faces could no longer be described as pale. They looked utterly bloodless, filled with fear and trepidation.
"Lord Garp, please calm your anger. Minato, and all of us, absolutely did not come here with that intention today."
Hiruzen no longer dared to give Minato any chance to speak.
At this moment, he deeply regretted bringing Minato here.
Originally, he had wanted Minato to become familiar with Garp, to leave a good impression. Now, that familiarity had gone far too far.
It might even end up dragging him down as well.
Before this, he had been extremely satisfied with Minato, believing that Jiraiya had taught a fine disciple, a perfect inheritor of the Will of Fire.
Now he realized that it was indeed perfect… but perhaps too perfect, to the point that even he felt he could no longer fully grasp him.
"Minato, hurry up and apologize to Lord Garp."
Jiraiya's brows were tightly furrowed. He didn't even dare breathe too loudly.
"I…"
Minato opened his mouth, but in the end, he still didn't say the words of apology that Hiruzen and Jiraiya wanted to hear.
Clearly, he didn't believe he was in the wrong.
"I don't care whether you said all this purely for Konoha, or because of that red-haired girl behind me.
But there's one thing you'd best make clear.
In the shinobi world, when I do things, no one gets to teach me how to do them.
Hashirama couldn't. Madara couldn't. And as for you… you're still a brat."
After saying that, Garp no longer paid Minato any attention.
Minato's reckless words hadn't angered him in the slightest. If anything, Garp found them somewhat amusing.
He hadn't expected that at his age, he'd still end up involved in something like jealousy and rivalry, and with Minato, of all people.
In his eyes, Minato was just like the Third Raikage when they first met, a kid who hadn't fully grown up yet.
Just a few sentences, and not even particularly unpleasant ones. Naturally, he wasn't about to lower himself to argue with a child who hadn't finished growing up.
...
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