Kakuzu's lips twitched as he watched Reiki handle the situation. Reiki stepped forward, holding Iron Tower's heart, and approached the large figure kneeling before him. Even at 1.6 meters tall, Reiki barely reached Iron Tower's chest, even when the massive man was on his knees. Iron Tower, towering over two meters tall, had clearly trained hard to achieve his immense physical prowess.
"ROOM!" Reiki released his ability again, returning the heart to Iron Tower.
"If you now recognize me as your leader, then we need to understand each other better," Reiki said, his voice steady but commanding. "And if any of you have more questions, ask Kakuzu. He and I once fought, and he knows what I'm capable of."
After giving his instructions, Reiki vanished, reappearing alongside Namikaze Minato and the others. The mercenaries collectively exhaled, the tension draining from their bodies. Just standing before Reiki, they felt an overwhelming sense of pressure that confirmed his power.
"Is this kid really only nine years old?" Kana muttered, exchanging glances with the others. It was clear that the ninja world would soon have to contend with a formidable new force.
Kakuzu smirked as Kana questioned him. "I warned you to be cautious," he said. "I originally joined him because he defeated me in direct combat. That was the first time I'd been bested in years. And back then, he didn't even use the move he just demonstrated."
The mercenaries' eyes widened in disbelief. A story began to form in their minds, painting Reiki as a prodigy even more impressive than they'd thought.
Meanwhile, back with Namikaze Minato's team, Minato raised an eyebrow at Reiki. "Reiki, did you hire those people we saw earlier?"
Reiki nodded without hesitation. "Yes, Minato-san, I did."
Minato's eyes narrowed in thought. "We could have handled those attackers ourselves. Relying on others might hinder the team's combat experience," he began, only to be interrupted by Reiki's calm voice.
"Brother Minato, I'm a medical ninja," Reiki said pointedly.
Minato blinked, momentarily stunned into silence. He almost forgot—Reiki's primary role was as a healer. Still, this healer had more combat experience than most.
Reiki continued, "Our mission is to secure Rouran. Using professionals to handle minor threats allows us to focus on our objective and complete the mission faster. Isn't that more efficient?"
Minato couldn't argue with that logic. "You're right, but be careful. Dealing with mercenaries could tarnish your reputation."
Reiki laughed, his eyes bright with mischief. "Brother Minato, reputation isn't that important to me."
Minato gave up trying to convince him and signaled for the team to move. By evening, they reached a cliff overlooking Rouran.
Minato pointed out the city below. "Rouran lies ahead, built near this oasis. Are we moving tonight?"
Reiki shook his head. "No, tomorrow is the Queen's speech. It's the perfect opportunity to slip into the city and locate the Dragon Vein and An Lushan. We can take them down simultaneously."
Minato nodded. "Understood. During the speech, you three—Kakashi, Obito, and Rin—will be on crowd control and protection duty. Ensure that any fighting doesn't harm the civilians. After that, you're cleared to engage."
"Reiki, will that work for you?" Minato asked.
"No problem," Reiki agreed, then added, "Brother Minato, can I borrow one of your special kunai? I want to see if I can make any improvements."
Minato looked curious but handed him the specially marked kunai. "Sure, but be careful with it."
Reiki took the kunai, already contemplating how to enhance it to better suit Minato's techniques.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 590 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
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