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Upon receiving Onoki's orders, Rasa's brows furrowed slightly.
He glanced at the Sand Shinobi below and murmured to himself in a low voice.
"At this point, the Tsuchikage is still able to hold back. The closer we get to the crucial moment, the more cautious he becomes. As expected of someone who has survived since the First Great Ninja War."
He looked at the Sand Shinobi below and spoke in a deep voice.
"Everyone, rest where you are. When night falls, prepare for battle!"
Upon hearing Rasa's words, the Sand Shinobi below responded in unison.
"Understood, Captain Rasa!"
By this time, Rasa had already established considerable authority among the Sand Shinobi due to his exceptional strength. Moreover, with the support of Chiyo, Rasa was seen as one of the best candidates to inherit the title of Kazekage.
Standing silently on a thick tree branch, Rasa's eyes, surrounded by dark circles, held little emotion. He quietly observed Konoha in the distance and murmured softly.
"So, this is the strongest village, Konoha. After tonight's battle... will Konoha still be able to maintain its former status?"
A gentle breeze swept past, carrying his murmurs away into the wind, dispersing them into nothingness.
As time passed, the sun gradually set, hanging on the edge of the sky like a large red disk, emitting a crimson glow that wasn't harsh to the eyes.
The last light of the sunset shone upon the lush forest, casting a unique glow over the green leaves.
Under this melancholic twilight, a group of ninjas dressed in tight outfits took advantage of the last bit of time to rest deeply.
Beside them, some older ninjas sat with tense expressions, looking somewhat anxious.
They occasionally glanced at the sleeping young ninjas with a bitter smile, envying how they could sleep so soundly.
However, the thought of following the Tsuchikage into the greatest battle in Iwagakure's history that night made even these battle-hardened veterans feel a surge of excitement.
But for now, with nothing yet started, they could only anxiously await the beginning of the final battle.
___
Inside Konoha Village.
The last rays of the setting sun spilled onto the streets, casting shadows on the mottled walls.
Some shops were opening, preparing for the night's activities. After all, Konoha was a prosperous village.
A group of children, hand in hand, hopped and skipped on their way home, their faces filled with innocent smiles of happiness.
At that moment, a young man walked down the street.
His clothes were a bit dirty, as though he had just gone through some intense activity, covered in dust.
Under the setting sun, his golden hair glimmered.
Seeing the smiling children holding hands, he stopped in his tracks, watching them.
His large blue eyes were filled with nostalgia and contentment.
At that moment, one of the girls in the group, a little girl with twin ponytails, noticed his gaze and turned around to look at him with a puzzled expression.
However, upon seeing his kind eyes, her face flushed slightly, and she smiled at him.
Seeing her smile, he gently nodded and returned a warm smile.
The children beside the girl noticed this and glared at him warily before quickly pulling the little girl along, muttering as they walked away.
They were likely warning her not to interact too much with strangers who looked odd.
Seeing this, the young man with golden hair awkwardly scratched his nose, amused at how children nowadays seemed to have such vivid imaginations.
At that moment, a teasing laugh reached his ears.
"Idiot Minato, why are you staring at little girls like that? You'll cause misunderstandings!"
Hearing the voice, the young man froze for a moment, then turned excitedly toward the source.
There, a young and beautiful woman with long red hair stood, arms crossed, glaring at him.
Seeing her, Minato's face lit up with joy, and he happily exclaimed.
"Kushina! I didn't expect to run into you here!"
Kushina raised an eyebrow, giving him a once-over, her tone suspicious.
"Really? Where have you been? Why do you look so messy?"
At her words, Minato glanced at himself, his face reddening slightly as he scratched his head awkwardly and stammered.
"Because... I was trying to train a new jutsu... so... so…"
Before he could finish, Kushina understood what he meant. Her eyes widened slightly as she said softly.
"So, you ended up looking like this because you were training a new jutsu?"
Minato quickly nodded, then looked at her and asked.
"Kushina, what about you? Where are you heading?"
Hearing his question, Kushina sighed, glancing at him with slight annoyance.
"Of course, I'm getting food for dinner. Or do you want me to starve?"
Minato was momentarily taken aback, and then memories came to his mind.
He remembered that Kushina had always lived alone.
This thought stirred something within him, and he said softly.
"If it's alright, how about we eat together today?"
Kushina's face flushed slightly at his words, and she quickly waved her hands, embarrassed.
"Why would I cook for you? What gave you that idea!?"
Minato quickly slapped his forehead and explained.
"No, that's not it! I meant I'll treat you today. How about we go to Ichiraku Ramen?"
Upon hearing his explanation, Kushina's expression softened a bit.
Thinking about how, if she went home, she'd have to eat her own poorly made food, she hesitated for a moment before eventually agreeing.
Seeing her agree, Minato smiled warmly and said.
"Let's go."
"Mm."
The two walked side by side toward Ichiraku Ramen.
Evening in Konoha was lively, and as night approached, Ichiraku Ramen was buzzing with activity.
As they entered the shop, Kushina quickly noticed a figure with white hair sitting in a corner.
Minato hadn't noticed yet, but Kushina nudged him and whispered.
"Hey, isn't that your teacher?"
Hearing her, Minato looked over and was also a bit surprised, nodding.
He glanced at the scene and whispered to Kushina.
"That's Jiraiya-sensei, alright. Sitting across from him is Tsunade-sama, one of the legendary Sannin. It looks like they're discussing something."