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"If I'm not wrong, Kumogakure probably thinks that you have practiced the Eight Inner Gates Formation (Hachimon Tonkō)!"
Namikaze Minato stated the reason for Kumogakure's retreat.
Then he added: "They are likely worried that you will trade your life to defeat the Third Raikage!"
Akira Tsubaki rubbed his chin, feeling that Kumogakure's paranoia was excessive.
Just because of his strong physical skills? Just guessing?
Of course, Minato-sensei was also guessing; it wasn't necessarily the truth.
Noon.
Village support arrived.
Team Minato and the other teams cremated the corpses of their comrades, then began the journey back to Konohagakure.
Along the way.
Rin pulled Yūgao Uzuki to Team Minato and found Akira Tsubaki.
"Akira."
"Um?"
"Before Hayate Gekkō died, he asked you to take care of Yūgao."
"How do you know?" Akira Tsubaki looked suspicious.
Only I read that letter. Did Rin secretly read it too?
"Now, see for yourself."
Rin pulled out a piece of paper.
Akira Tsubaki was speechless.
So, Hayate Gekkō wrote two letters?
He had a lot of time.
After receiving the letter, he quickly scanned the content.
[Yūgao, I was careless. I didn't dodge, and my internal organs were destroyed by the Detonating Tag trap.]
[I can't survive. But I hope you live.]
[I entrust this hope of protecting you to Akira Tsubaki.]
[He has a big public bath. Obito said that bath is worth at least hundreds of millions.]
[Although I am going to die, I still hope that you can find someone to protect you.]
[I will bless you and Akira Tsubaki from underworld.]
[My blood is running dry...]
After reading the content, Akira Tsubaki remained expressionless.
He felt that the key point of Hayate Gekkō's letter was in the last line, and the rest was all emotional nonsense.
Unaffected by the letter, Akira Tsubaki walked up to Obito and slapped his good brother on the shoulder.
Boom! Plop!
Without any warning, Obito was instantly knocked to the ground.
"Akira? What are you slapping me for?" Obito was stunned, spitting dirt from his mouth.
"Think about it for yourself."
Leaving that statement, Akira Tsubaki walked away.
"Sigh~~ If you don't keep your mouth shut, that's the consequence," Anko put her hands in her pockets, implying that Obito's gossip about the bathhouse was the cause.
"Dango-face! I've tolerated you for too long!" Obito got up and rolled up his sleeves.
But he realized Akira Tsubaki wasn't there, so he thought better of it.
"I'll let you off this time!"
"Oh~~"
Konohagakure Village.
The atmosphere in the village was completely different from the outside world.
The streets were lively, and there was no sign of war at all.
As soon as he returned to the village, Akira Tsubaki was stopped by a masked Ninja.
"Lord Danzō is looking for you."
"Um?"
To be honest, Akira Tsubaki had almost forgotten that he was Danzō's undercover agent.
And so, Akira Tsubaki was taken away by the Root Ninja under the strange gazes of others.
"Minato-sensei, will Akira Tsubaki be okay?" Rin anxiously asked Namikaze Minato.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine."
Namikaze Minato was certain that Danzō was looking for Akira Tsubaki to seek information about himself.
Pity. Danzō's judgment is truly poor, choosing Akira Tsubaki as an undercover agent.
The Barbeque Shop Box.
Slices of barbecued meat sizzled, and the aroma filled the air.
"Come, sit!"
Danzō's tone was unusually gentle—not normal for Akira Tsubaki.
"I already know all the information about this mission," Danzō spoke first.
"You know everything?" Akira Tsubaki looked astonished.
The mission hasn't been reported yet. How did Danzō know?
"I'm looking for you this time because I need your help with something!" Danzō took a piece of meat and placed it on the plate in front of Akira Tsubaki.
"Wait a minute! Lord Danzō! I have something I need help with too!"
Akira Tsubaki hastily spoke, ready to make the other party contribute first.
"Oh? Tell me."
"I plan to let Yūgao Uzuki join Team Minato."
"Add another person?" Danzō frowned.
If he remembered correctly, there were already five people in Team Minato.
"If you add another person, Team Minato will have six people. That's very complicated," Danzō shook his head.
"Is that so."
Akira Tsubaki sighed and continued.
"Yūgao Uzuki is too weak, and no one will form a team with her! How about letting her join Root?"
Hearing this, Danzō's mouth twitched.
If the strength is poor, just join Root? Does he think Root is a repository for weaklings?
But thinking of the next matter, Danzō chose to appease him temporarily.
"This will be the last addition to Team Minato! Six people is the limit."
"Thank you, Lord Danzō!" Akira Tsubaki was satisfied.
Regardless of his character, vision, or morality, Akira Tsubaki thought Danzō was quite effective when he wanted to be.
"Alright, next, it's time for you to dedicate yourself to Root."
"Huh?" Akira Tsubaki was taken aback.
"Root is short of funds recently. For the sake of the village, you must uphold the spirit of dedication and hand over your bathhouse to Root," Danzō tapped the table and said.
Give the bathhouse to Root?
Danzō, Danzō! You don't know how to write the word 'death', do you?
Akira Tsubaki hesitated.
This made Danzō's face suddenly darken.
"What? You don't want to?"
"No!"
Akira Tsubaki shook his head.
"You're too late. The bathhouse has already been given to Kushina-senpai."
"Sure enough!" Danzō looked disappointed.
A few days ago, he had sent Root to investigate the Happy Hot Springs, and found it had become a women-only bath.
Initially, Danzō thought it was Akira Tsubaki's idea, but now it seemed that Uzumaki Kushina had deceived him first.
"Damn Namikaze Minato!"
Naturally, Danzō attributed the entire incident to Namikaze Minato. Because Namikaze Minato and Kushina are lovers!
How utterly despicable to lie and steal your own student's property.
Losing interest, Danzō waved his hand, signaling Akira Tsubaki could leave.
"Then I'll be leaving first~~ Don't forget about adding the new member."
Before leaving, Akira Tsubaki did not forget to remind him.
As soon as he left the barbeque restaurant, Akira Tsubaki first walked around the street a few times. Finding no one following him, he rushed to Namikaze Minato's residence.
"You want me to turn in the bathhouse, don't you?"
"Then next, you can't blame me for being unrighteous."
With some emotion, Akira Tsubaki knocked on Minato-sensei's door.
"Oh, that's right! Minato-sensei should be reporting the mission now!"
"No hurry, I'll wait for him at home."
Thinking this, he gently removed the barrier on the door and walked in.