The Grass Village's leader, Akihiko Kusano, stood before them. The Konoha ninjas regarded him with a mixture of caution and respect.
In today's ninja world, the name of the Grass Village's leader was widely recognized. He had brought an end to the chaos in the Land of Grass, overseen its reconstruction, and even engaged in battles on par with a demi-god of the ninja world. While suspicions had arisen due to the alliance between the Rain and Grass villages, there was no doubt that this leader was an imposing figure.
However, the fact that he had a demi-god of the ninja world by his side indicated that his strength was far from ordinary. It was important to remember that this demi-god was a figure who had stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world. Even though the demi-god had aged and his strength might have waned, nobody dared to underestimate his abilities. The fact that such a formidable individual would collaborate with Akihiko only underscored that the Grass Village leader possessed extraordinary abilities.
In the present scenario, the Grass Village's leader had demonstrated unwavering resolve in the face of threats from the Sand and Mist villages, further bolstering the impression that this remarkable ninja wielded unparalleled power.
The ANBU ninjas assisting Minato in their pursuit of Uchiha Obito exchanged glances before one of them stepped forward and addressed Akihiko respectfully, "Leader Akihiko, we sincerely apologize for any disruption. However, we have a situation involving a rogue Konoha ninja who has entered the Land of Grass. We believe it is in the best interests of both our nations to cooperate and apprehend this ninja, as their presence also poses a security risk to your land."
Akihiko's countenance shifted to one of seriousness as he responded, "Is that so? The infiltration of a rogue Konoha ninja into the Land of Grass is indeed a matter of great concern."
The ANBU ninjas collectively let out a breath, relieved that the Grass Village's leader appeared amenable to cooperation. However, Akihiko's tone took an unexpected turn as he continued, "As you are well aware, the Grass Village and Konoha share a close alliance, with a history of mutual support and cooperation."
A sense of déjà vu washed over everyone present, leaving them momentarily stunned. Before anyone could react, Akihiko pressed on with his statement.
Akihiko sighed deeply before he began, "The fact that such a grave rogue ninja from Konoha was allowed to infiltrate the Land of Grass raises concerns about the safety and well-being of our nation. It's our duty to protect our people and ensure they feel secure."
He then placed a hand on his chest and continued, "However, I want to assure you that the issues faced by Konoha are not isolated from the Grass Village. We will extend our full support to capture the rogue ninja. Rest assured, you won't be burdened with exorbitant expenses, and we won't charge you ten times the cost for damages, as some other villages might do. We will stick to a fair and reasonable compensation. The responsibility of resolving this matter will fall upon the Grass Village, and we promise to assist in bringing this individual to justice."
Silence hung in the air. The onlookers had now come to a realization that the Grass Village leader was indeed the shrewd and resourceful figure they'd heard about, capable of turning any situation to his advantage. He even broached the topic of compensation before the rogue ninja had been captured.
The ANBU ninjas exchanged uneasy glances among themselves and nodded slightly. Their mission was clear, as they had received direct orders from the Hokage. Their primary objective was to retrieve the rogue ninja, regardless of the circumstances.
The leader of the ANBU team began to move forward in response to Akihiko's comments, but he was halted by a hand extending from his side.
Minato, with a grave expression, shook his head. The ANBU leader was about to express his confusion, but Minato calmly spoke up. "Take a look around."
It was then that the other ANBU members also became aware. They noticed a dense gathering of shinobi blocking their path on the border of the Land of Grass. Were these ninjas here to prevent them from entering the Land of Grass, or did they have other intentions?
"Let's head back for now," Minato declared with firmness. "I'll personally deliver a report to the Hokage."
Upon hearing Minato's words, the ANBU team leader fell into a momentary silence. He glanced at the Grass shinobi who were blocking their path and released a resigned sigh. He then gave Minato one last meaningful look. Since the start of this mission, he had a peculiar sense that Minato was intentionally allowing Obito and Rin to escape. The situation felt far more intricate than it seemed.
After a pause, he said slowly, his gaze still fixed on Minato, "Minato-sama, I'll compile a comprehensive report regarding this mission for the Hokage."
Minato chuckled, brushing off the hidden implication in the ANBU leader's words. "Haha, I didn't expect Obito to have become this formidable. Even his own teacher can't catch up with him!"
He then turned his gaze toward the Grass Village leader, his emotions mixed. With a respectful bow, Minato addressed him, "I apologize for the disruption, Leader Akihiko. Please rest assured, Konoha has no intention of recklessly provoking a conflict."
"Of course, you needn't worry. The relationship between Kusa and Konoha runs deep, spanning many years," Akihiko replied, gazing at Minato with seriousness. "I believe Konoha is not the sort of ninja village that bullies its weaker allies."
His words left everyone present momentarily speechless. They couldn't believe the audacity of this man. The Konoha ninjas exchanged glances, but ultimately, they obeyed Minato's and their captain's orders without hesitation. They prepared to return and report to Hokage-sama that the capture mission had failed.
However, just as they were about to depart, Akihiko suddenly called out, "Namikaze Minato!"
When Minato heard someone calling his name, he immediately turned around, arching an eyebrow with a puzzled expression as he looked at Akihiko.
Akihiko extended his right hand in a peculiar invitation gesture and left-hand behind his back and spoke sincerely, "If you ever find yourself unable to endure being in Konoha, you're welcome to come to my village." He accompanied this statement with a half-smile as he gestured towards Land of Grass. "The gates of my village are always open to you."
The Konoha shinobi were left utterly flabbergasted. Could this man truly be so brazen as to openly attempt to poach him from Konoha in front of them? Even Minato was left momentarily dumbfounded. He raised his hand to stop his subordinates from responding and offered a wry smile as he replied, "Thank you for your generous offer, Leader Akihiko, but I have a deep love for my village."
With that, he turned away without further delay and departed with the ANBU team. It had been an eventful day, and there was much to report, including Obito and Rin's defection and the Grass Village's bolstered border defenses against the Land of Fire.
Minato navigated through the forest with a heavy sigh, his thoughts weighed down by the events of the day. He idly touched on the 'Talent Acquisition Plan of the Grass Village' pamphlet he had come across earlier in the mission in his pocket. It was a secret he hadn't shared with anyone and the reason he had sent Obito and Rin to the Grass Village. In these turbulent times, he had hoped they could find refuge there, and perhaps, in the future, he could bring his students back.
Minato crumpled the paper and let it drop from his hand. He affectionately tousled Kakashi's hair, who was lost in his own contemplation of the day's events. Offering a bittersweet smile, Minato muttered to himself, "Well, for now, let's focus on how to respond and manage this situation when we return to the village."
…
Meanwhile, on the other side, as Minato and his team departed, the Three Youngsters watched their sensei, Akihiko, approach with perplexed expressions. They couldn't help but recall how Akihiko had scolded them in the past for trying to recruit individuals from the Rain Village while in the presence of Rain Village ninjas. Yet, now, he appeared to be openly extending an invitation to Konoha ninjas right before their own Konoha ninjas. It seemed like everything they had learned about ninja ethics had been contradicted by their own teacher.
Akihiko casually tousled the heads of the three young ninjas, who were regarding him with a mix of confusion and surprise. He seemed unfazed by their reactions as he turned to address Obito and Rin, who were surrounded by the Three Youngsters. With a warm smile, he reassured them, "No need to be anxious. There's an elderly man in the Grass Village who wants you to study diligently!"
Obito, upon hearing this, was momentarily taken aback. His initial anxiety began to recede, replaced by a surge of excitement. "Is it Madara-sensei?"
Akihiko, however, appeared utterly stunned by this address. Madara-sensei? He found it rather unusual. Why would Obito use such a formal way of addressing him? Shouldn't he simply refer to Madara as Madara, or perhaps Uchiha Madara, or even Madara-sama? Why the 'sensei' honorific?
Despite his inner perplexity, Akihiko calmly nodded in confirmation. "Indeed, it's him."
Obito's eyes welled up with emotion upon hearing Akihiko's words. "I can't believe they all still remember me," he murmured, his voice trembling. "And Madara-sensei... This time, I'll make sure to take good care of him. I'll support him in his old age, even if I have to collect trash together with Zetsu. I won't give up!"
Akihiko couldn't help but stare at Obito with a bewildered expression. What on earth had Obito been through after being saved by Madara? It was far from what he had expected.
The three youngsters beside them were filled with curiosity, especially when it came to Obito. His name was renowned as a hero of the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, a legend that echoed far and wide. Yet, they hadn't expected him to look so... young.
Yahiko blinked and commented, "He still needs to study? Hasn't he already graduated from Konoha and even received the title of a hero? Speaking of Which, He's only thirteen years old but he's already a hero!" He turned to look at Nagato and sighed, "What were we doing when we were thirteen?"
"We?" Nagato paused for a moment, deep in thought, then nodded and added, "Back then, our 'homework' probably weighed fifty pounds."
Obito and Rin exchanged puzzled looks, completely baffled by the conversation. Did the Grass Village have such an unusual academic system that they measured homework in terms of weight?
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