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Yesterday's heavy rain had passed, but today, most of the sunshine remained hidden behind the clouds. Though there were no signs of further rain, the sky remained overcast.
Two figures crouched on the street.
One was silently weeping, while the other looked at the weeper with eyes full of sympathy.
The villagers who had previously been gossiping about Ye Zi now watched this scene in silence. Some of the women automatically imagined it as part of some grand drama.
On top of a nearby building, Jiraiya and Tsunade stood side by side, watching their two younger comrades on the street below.
Tsunade frowned, rubbing her temples in frustration. The sudden news of death had surprised her, and she hadn't expected that her strong-willed disciple would be reduced to such vulnerability.
"Ye Zi... he's really gone," Tsunade said, her tone slightly melancholic. As one of the first people to know Ye Zi, she regretted and mourned his death.
That day, Ye Zi had uncharacteristically come to say goodbye, not realizing it would be a final farewell.
"People die eventually, each in their own way. As shinobi, death could come at any moment. It's not surprising," Jiraiya said, his arms crossed, also showing signs of regret. Ye Zi had been one of the juniors he held in high regard. He had hoped that Ye Zi and Minato would one day stand side by side as pillars of Konoha, taking on the responsibilities they now carried.
Tsunade sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Orochimaru has been acting strangely these past few days."
Jiraiya was silent for a moment before he responded, "He cared deeply about Ye Zi."
Tsunade said nothing more, her eyes resting on Kushina. She didn't go over to comfort her, instead letting her grieve openly in the street. Tsunade knew Kushina's character—strong-willed and resilient. She was certain that Kushina would eventually find the strength to overcome her sorrow.
"The old man... he's not the same as he used to be," Jiraiya remarked suddenly, his eyes still on the two figures below.
Tsunade glanced at him and said calmly, "You're not in his position, so you can't understand the reasons behind his decisions."
"Whether his decisions are right or wrong, this is still incredibly unfair," Jiraiya replied in a serious tone.
"Indeed." Tsunade couldn't argue against that. Regardless of who had initially started the rumors, the situation had always been hurtful. Ye Zi might not have paid much attention to the gossip, but his indifference didn't justify allowing such slander to go unchecked. Now, even after his death, he continued to bear the weight of these damaging words despite his sacrifice for the village.
As Tsunade thought it over, Jiraiya's words began to influence her thinking. Perhaps the once-great teacher in their eyes really had grown old. Perhaps he was no longer as decisive, now swayed by the village's interests, hesitating when faced with difficult choices. These subtle inconsistencies were starting to show.
She suddenly thought of Dan. Maybe it was time for their teacher to step down, to allow the younger generation to take over the position and continue to protect Konoha.
Tsunade wasn't the only one with these thoughts.
Jiraiya, too, had considered the future. While he had a favorable opinion of Dan, he believed Minato was the best choice for the position of Hokage.
To him, Minato was the most qualified shinobi in history. Despite his gentle nature, Minato had an iron will. Over the years, Jiraiya had done everything he could to pave the way for Minato, helping him grow stronger.
Orochimaru had had to rely on Danzo's help to access the Forbidden Scrolls, but with Jiraiya's support, Minato had been able to access the scrolls effortlessly. This demonstrated Hiruzen's high regard for Minato.
Jiraiya had worked tirelessly to ensure Minato would one day become Hokage.
On the street below, Kushina had finally stopped crying. She slowly stood up, ignoring the people around her, and began walking toward her home.
"Kushina," Minato called out as he followed her.
Kushina walked as if she hadn't heard him, her steps unsteady and her mind still reeling from the news of Ye Zi's death. The rumors and gossip in the village had filled her with anger and frustration.
Seeing that Kushina didn't respond, Minato remained by her side, quietly walking alongside her. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew that words wouldn't help. All he could do was be there for her in silence.
After a while, Kushina suddenly said, "Stop following me."
Minato paused, momentarily confused, then spoke with concern, "I'm worried about you."
"I'm fine. Just go," Kushina stopped walking.
Minato stopped as well, hesitating for a moment before nodding slightly. "Alright. If you're tired, go home and get some rest."
Without responding, Kushina continued walking.
Minato watched her go, sighing softly.
Once her figure had disappeared from view, he turned and headed toward the village's forest, where he had his own training spot.
He didn't understand why the village had allowed the rumors to persist against Ye Zi. All he could think about now was gaining the strength to become Hokage as quickly as possible, so he could show everyone that Ye Zi was a hero who had saved his comrades.
He also didn't want to see Kushina so heartbroken.
Minato made his way into the woods, arriving at a secluded clearing surrounded by trees. In the middle of the clearing, there was open space, and scattered around the trees were eight wooden dummies.
Minato stood in the center of the clearing, looking around at the dummies' positions. After taking a deep breath, he pulled eight strange-looking kunai from his pouch. The kunai resembled small daggers, each with intricate seals written around the handle.
Holding four kunai in each hand, he prepared to train.
Not far from the clearing, Jiraiya quietly approached and leaned against a tree, watching Minato. A glint of admiration appeared in his eyes.
"This time, eight kunai, huh?"
He observed Minato's movements with admiration.
Minato's eyes grew serious as he swiftly threw the eight kunai, each flying toward the trees behind the wooden dummies, embedding themselves in the trunks. Immediately, Minato pulled out another kunai, and in the blink of an eye, his figure vanished. In the next moment, he reappeared behind one of the wooden dummies, slashing it with the kunai. Then, he disappeared again, reappearing behind another dummy to strike once more.
The sound of the kunai cutting through wood echoed rapidly as Minato's figure flickered from one dummy to another, leaving behind faint yellow afterimages. In a matter of moments, all eight wooden dummies had been struck.
Jiraiya was stunned as he watched the display. What incredible speed, and what an astonishing technique.
In just a brief moment, Minato had successfully slashed all eight dummies and returned to his original position. The technique had been executed flawlessly.
Minato smiled faintly, satisfied with the result.
"You truly are my disciple. Amazing!" Jiraiya said, stepping out from his hiding spot and looking at Minato in amazement. "I never thought you'd refine this technique so much."
"Sensei," Minato replied humbly. "It's mostly thanks to the Second Hokage's work. I just made a few small improvements."
"Don't be modest. Your ability to develop and refine jutsu might even surpass the Second Hokage someday," Jiraiya said, patting Minato's shoulder. He was incredibly proud of his student.
Minato shook his head slightly. He had studied the Forbidden Scrolls and knew that the Second Hokage's talent for creating jutsu was unmatched.
Looking at the seals on the kunai, Minato said earnestly, "I'm going to become Hokage."
"You will," Jiraiya replied with a soft smile, full of conviction.
The dawn of the Yellow Flash had begun to emerge.
Where there is light, there is also darkness.
That's the law of cause and effect.
But where does that darkness reside?
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Currently on Chapter 204 - Chains of the Past