The next morning, Tsunade looked visibly sleep-deprived.
Minato, however, was brimming with energy. With his physique, he could go days without sleep without any ill effects.
That little brat...
Watching Minato lightly tap his ninja tools, preparing to depart on a mission, Tsunade gritted her teeth inwardly.
Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the previous night, but through their Chakra Connection, they had exchanged many unspeakable thoughts. The sheer audacity of those thoughts—if exposed—would have been enough to socially kill her. Being sent to the eighteenth level of hell after death wouldn't have been too harsh—
Tsunade had never imagined that she, with her notoriously fiery temper, would have acted so submissively, as if she had lost herself, shamelessly seeking to please him without any boundaries.
And her gentle, generous, and polite disciple had behaved so... aggressively.
It had left her feeling as unsettled as the weather in the Land of Rain—
"Teacher, we're leaving."
"Mm, stay safe."
Before departing, Minato and Tsunade exchanged a few words.
Their tones were perfectly natural, yet both knew that their relationship—even their positions—had been irrevocably altered.
Rustle, rustle, rustle—
After leaving the Konoha Camp, Minato, the fastest of the group, took the lead to scout ahead. Mikoto and Nawaki guarded the flanks behind him, while Orochimaru brought up the rear. The four of them sped toward Amegakure.
About half an hour into their journey, a whistling sound suddenly pierced the air.
Minato flicked his wrist, sending several shuriken flying. They struck the incoming kunai, deflecting them.
"Konoha ninjas!"
A squad of Rain Ninja Village ninjas appeared on the road ahead, eyeing the group warily.
"There's been a misunderstanding. We are envoys from Konoha."
Minato stepped aside, allowing Orochimaru to advance. "I am Orochimaru, a disciple of the Third Hokage. By the Lord Hokage's command, we seek to negotiate with Lord Hanzō."
"Envoys?" The lead Rain Ninja frowned, looking at the three young figures beside Orochimaru. "You send just a few children? Isn't Konoha being rather arrogant?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "You misunderstand. These are my subordinates and disciples. This only proves our sincerity. After all, I wouldn't bring three children on a suicide mission, would I?"
"Hmph, you have a point." The Rain Ninja examined the scroll, confirming it contained only ordinary documents. His suspicions eased, and he returned the scroll to Orochimaru. "Follow me."
With a Rain Ninja Village guide leading the way, the journey proceeded uneventfully.
Soon, they arrived at the outskirts of Amegakure.
Amegakure, located deep within the Land of Rain, received far more rainfall than the border regions.
Unlike the dreary, clinging drizzle at the Konoha Camp, the downpour in Amegakure was wild and unrestrained, as if the sky had been pierced and water was gushing through the hole.
The city was dominated by towering steel structures connected by elevated skybridges, their exteriors crisscrossed with massive drainage pipes.
Neon signs of all colors lined the streets, and under the gloomy sky, the entire city exuded a cyberpunk atmosphere.
The group was led to a guesthouse for foreign visitors. After waiting for about half an hour, they finally met Hanzō.
His appearance matched the descriptions in the original texts: a gray ninja vest and a gas mask covering his face.
In the council hall, Orochimaru cupped the scroll in both hands and stepped forward slowly, his demeanor neither subservient nor arrogant. "Lord Hanzō, this is the negotiation document personally signed by the Third Hokage—"
"Put it down."
Hanzō's voice, muffled by the gas mask, was deep and cold. He didn't even bother to look at the scroll, merely waving his hand dismissively.
Orochimaru paused briefly, then gently placed the scroll on the long table.
"Lord Hanzo, wouldn't you like to examine its contents first?"
Orochimaru raised his golden vertical pupils, his tone still calm, though with a subtle edge.
"And if I read it, will Konoha withdraw from the Land of Rain?" Hanzō shot Orochimaru a cold glance, his voice laced with sarcasm. "The First Shinobi World War ended long ago, yet the conflict between Konoha and Sunagakure has never ceased."
"You wage war on the soil of the Land of Rain, destroying villages and trampling our fields, treating Amegakure as nothing more than a pawn. Is this the first time I've protested your actions?"
"With every clash, I've sent envoys to both sides, demanding you halt your military operations within our borders. How have you responded?"
"Now that the situation has worsened and the flames of war threaten to engulf your own lands, you finally come to negotiate?"
Hanzō sneered, tossing the scroll back to Orochimaru. "Negotiate? Hmph. To Konoha, these surrounding small nations are nothing more than buffers."
"Tell that Sarutobi Hiruzen of yours to drop the pretense of righteousness. Sunagakure is indeed the aggressor, but Konoha is hardly a paragon of virtue."
Hearing this, Nawaki immediately grew furious and instinctively moved forward to argue, but Minato placed a hand on his shoulder to restrain him.
Noticing their movements, Hanzō let out a soft snort and lingered his gaze on Minato, the youngest of the group.
"You've sent a child as an envoy? Has Konoha run out of competent people? Or do you think this naive face will sway me?"
"They are my subordinates and disciples. We came only to broaden our horizons. But after hearing Lord Hanzo's words, it seems there's no need for negotiations."
Orochimaru chuckled, showing no anger at Hanzō's refusal. In truth, he had expected this outcome all along.
This trip was merely a task assigned by the Hokage.
Personally, he would have preferred war.
After all, peaceful times offered far fewer materials for his experiments.
"If you truly wish to negotiate, withdraw all your forces from the Land of Rain immediately. Otherwise, there's nothing more to discuss."
Hanzō said coldly, then waved his hand. "Show them out!"
As the words fell, two Amegakure ninjas emerged from the shadows, positioning themselves on either side of the council hall door and gesturing for them to leave.
Orochimaru didn't press the matter further, merely nodding slightly. "In that case, we shall take our leave. However, Lord Hanzo, the battlefield is constantly shifting. I urge you to reconsider."
With that, Orochimaru turned and walked toward the door, Minato and the other two following closely behind.
Hanzō watched Minato's retreating figure and suddenly felt something was amiss.
Only then did he realize that the young man with the lingering baby fat and bright yellow hair seemed far too calm. The two children beside him showed varying degrees of emotion, and even Orochimaru carried a faint sense of wariness.
Yet the yellow-haired youth's expression was terrifyingly serene.
No anger, no disappointment, not even a flicker of emotion—as if he were observing something completely unrelated to himself.
Would a child his age normally be so composed?
As this thought struck him, a sudden chill ran down his spine.
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