Chapter 406: Sasori's Backhand

The next morning, Minato stood outside the town, facing the forest that had been consumed by fire overnight. Tsunade was beside him, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon.

"Minato, you can remove the formation now," she said.

Minato nodded, and with a wave of his hand, his four clones disappeared in unison. The Four Purple Flame Arrays dissipated, revealing the scorched and smoldering remains of the forest. Thick, billowing black smoke rose into the air, a grim reminder of the events from the night before.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Wind Release: Wind Wave!"

Minato performed several wind-style jutsu in quick succession, sending powerful gusts of wind sweeping through the area. The black smoke dispersed, thinning out and ascending high into the sky.

"At this rate, the toxicity should clear in about half a day," Tsunade said, her voice steady as she analyzed the situation. She turned her gaze to Minato, a note of admiration creeping into her tone. "Maintaining a barrier of that scale for an entire night… your chakra capacity has surpassed even Jiraiya's."

Minato gave a modest chuckle, brushing off the compliment. The truth was, his chakra reserves had grown to astonishing levels, thanks to the influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra constantly mixing with his own. Such feats were well within his capability now.

Turning back to the group of Hot Spring Village ninjas gathered behind them, Minato's expression softened. "I'm truly sorry for all the trouble this incident caused," he said, bowing slightly. "Sasori came seeking revenge on me, and the civilians of Hot Spring Village were nearly caught in the crossfire."

The leading ninja of the Hot Spring Village ninjas, Akimoto Yama, shook his head. A rugged, serious man, his voice was firm but understanding. "This isn't solely your responsibility, Minato-san. We were unaware that someone so dangerous had entered the Land of Hot Springs. That failure lies with us."

Beside him stood Kato Mion, a striking woman in her thirties with a calm, authoritative demeanor. She offered Minato a gentle smile. "If anything, we owe you a great debt. Without your intervention, the civilians in this town would have faced unimaginable disaster."

As she spoke, she and the other Hot Spring Village ninjas bowed deeply to Minato and Tsunade.

"You're too kind," Minato replied, trying to dissuade them.

Mion continued, "On behalf of the Leader, I convey Hot Spring Village's heartfelt gratitude to you and the Konoha ninjas."

Minato accepted their thanks with a humble nod, but Akimoto Yama's voice grew grim. "The Red Sand Sasori will face justice for his crimes. We'll issue a wanted notice for him immediately. That monster must be stopped."

Minato agreed silently, but he knew Sasori wouldn't be easy to catch. Tsunade, sensing the tension, spoke up. "Let's leave the cleanup to Hot Spring Village. Minato and I need to return to Konoha to report. We'll take our leave now."

The Hot Spring Village ninjas bowed again in respect as Minato and Tsunade departed. The journey back to Konoha was somber, each of them reflecting on the near-catastrophe they had averted.

________________________________________

Hokage's Office, Konoha

"Is everything settled?" Hiruzen asked, standing from his seat as Tsunade and Minato entered.

"Yes," Tsunade replied succinctly.

Minato, however, wore a troubled expression. He stepped forward and bowed his head slightly. "Hokage-sama, I must take responsibility. I failed to apprehend the Red Sand Sasori and allowed him to escape."

Hiruzen waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense. The mission I assigned to you was completed successfully. You uncovered Sasori's conspiracy, protected Kakashi and the others, and ensured the safety of Hot Spring Village's civilians. That's more than enough."

Minato's brow furrowed. "But if I had eliminated Sasori when I had the chance, this wouldn't have escalated."

Hiruzen shook his head. "Killing him wouldn't have resolved the danger. The poison he left behind outside the town was like an invisible bomb. Without time to counter it, many more lives could have been lost."

Tsunade chimed in, her tone contemplative. "That boy… Sasori… He's far more dangerous than I anticipated. To kill the Third Kazekage at his age, and with such precision… it's terrifying."

Hiruzen's face darkened. "Chiyo raised a prodigy, but her methods clearly twisted him. Sasori's existence is a threat not only to Konoha but to the entire ninja world."

Tsunade nodded, adding, "The Sunagakure paid the price for their own mistakes. Losing both the Third Kazekage and Sasori is a devastating blow to their village. They've weakened themselves more than anyone else could."

Minato frowned. "Even so, issuing a wanted notice for Sasori won't be simple. If Sunagakure doesn't officially acknowledge his crimes, Hot Spring Village's actions could be seen as a provocation. With tensions already high, that could have dangerous consequences."

Hiruzen sighed deeply, his expression thoughtful. "The ninja world is on the brink of a storm. The Third Kazekage's death may be the spark, but this war has been building for years. The interests of the Five Great Nations were bound to clash again."

Minato remained silent, his mind racing. He understood the larger picture. The Third Great Ninja War would be far more brutal than the last, but he was determined to change Konoha's fate.

________________________________________

Sunagakure, Several Days Later

"Bang!"

The door to a small room in a Sunagakure hotel flew open, slamming against the wall. Several Sunagakure ninjas stormed inside, their leader barking orders.

"Search everywhere!"

The ninjas combed through the room, overturning furniture and checking every corner. One of them crouched to inspect the underside of a table. His sharp eyes caught something unusual.

"Senior, over here!" he called out.

The leader approached, and the ninja flipped the table over, revealing a string of intricate black markings etched into its surface. The markings glowed faintly with an eerie energy.

"Flying Thunder God Jutsu…" the leader murmured, his voice tinged with anger.

The room fell silent as the realization sank in. The markings were time-space coordinates, left behind by none other than Namikaze Minato during a covert operation in Sunagakure ten years ago.

Fury burned in their eyes as they stared at the proof of Konoha's past infiltration.

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