Chapter 181: Gojo Kaigetsu and Minato Plan—Conscience or Strategy?

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Gojo Kaigetsu sipped his tea, a satisfied smile playing on his lips as he reviewed the intelligence report. "Sunagakure's intel is—surprisingly valuable."

"How so?" Minato asked, curious. "This—Hiruzen, isn't he just an ordinary Jonin?"

(Hiruzen is the Suna Missing-nin!)

Since Konoha's declaration of vengeance against the missing-nin, the other villages had responded with varying degrees of—enthusiasm.

The general consensus was: 'We support your—endeavor, Konoha. But you have plenty of Shinobi. Handle it yourselves.'

Iwagakure had provided a few names of Chuunin-level missing-nin and made a token effort to shut down some underground exchanges.

This wasn't surprising, given their—rumored involvement in funding the bounty Shinobi networks. Having them target their own—assets was a bit much. Forcing Onoki's hand was—a victory in itself.

Kumogakure was—preoccupied with internal affairs, hunting down those responsible for Elder Advisor Arai's death. They'd also demanded the return of Yugito Nii, an end to the border conflict, and—substantial compensation before considering further cooperation.

Kirigakure, under the current Mizukage, had been more forthcoming, providing the name of the assassin who'd targeted Yagura: Kisame Hoshigaki.

Konoha, in turn, had expressed their—gratitude, opened a hotline for concerned citizens, and assured everyone that progress was being made.

Konoha's vengeance was—selective.

Sunagakure, however, had been the most—cooperative.

The Fifth Kazekage, Baki, eager to secure his position and gain external support, had practically—groveled before the Hokage.

But this—excessive deference made Gojo Kaigetsu uneasy. The more Baki groveled now, the harder he'd bite later.

If Minato summoned Baki to Konoha, Gaara might end up performing a sand dance in the meeting room, asking Kushina and Minato to be his—adoptive parents.

Gojo Kaigetsu was—familiar with such tactics.

Baki's performance was—meaningless. He'd already labeled Gaara a "rebel," Temari a "loyal vassal," and Yugito—a wild card.

He'd accept Baki's offerings, but he wouldn't—trust him.

Baki, eager to please, had actively targeted the Land of Wind's underground exchanges and even provided intel on a politically significant missing-nin: Hiruzen.

"Hiruzen—I seem to recall he caused—quite a bit of trouble during the Second War," Minato said, scratching his head. "Though I was—young then."

Minato, a master of space-time ninjutsu, felt a flicker of—recognition as if sensing a ripple in the time-space continuum.

"Who Hiruzen is—isn't important. What matters is his connection to Rōran," Gojo Kaigetsu said, getting to the heart of the matter. "If Sunagakure's intel is accurate, this is a request for Konoha to—intervene in Rōran's affairs."

"Rōran?" Minato repeated the name, a memory surfacing. "Kushina mentioned it. A—city-state on Sunagakure's western border."

"Rōran possesses a—unique and powerful chakra source, the Ryūmyaku (Dragon Vein). And its—subterranean deposits contain the purest chakra metal in the Shinobi world."

"The Second Kazekage, Shamon, wanted to weaponize the Ryūmyaku. To preserve peace, Rōran's king requested Uzushiogakure's help. The Uzumaki sealed the Ryūmyaku, sacrificing their own—economic interests to prevent further escalation."

Minato recounted the—forgotten history.

Since the establishment of the Five Great Villages, countless smaller nations have been—lost to time.

Like Rōran. Like the Sky Ninja Village...

If not for this—counter-terrorism initiative, if not for Baki mentioning Hiruzen and Rōran, he might never have remembered.

He felt a pang of—shame.

If Shamon had succeeded in weaponizing the Ryūmyaku, the Second War would have been far more devastating.

Even he, Minato Namikaze, might have been—cannon fodder.

There would have been no—peace, no Hokage, no Will of Fire.

And Rōran, having sealed the Ryūmyaku, had suffered for it, trapped behind Sunagakure's—blockade.

And he, Minato, had—forgotten them.

"I should—reflect," he murmured.

"So—Baki's invitation—it's not just about Hiruzen, is it?"

"Perhaps." Gojo Kaigetsu leaned back, his hands behind his head. "He specifically requested me, a mere Chuunin, when he has a Konoha ambassador right there in Sunagakure. Why, Minato? Why do you think he did that?"

"Because—you're—like the Hokage?"

"Yes, as a Konoha Elder Advisor, I have—authority."

"Baki's likely planning to—use my conscience against me. He'll show me the suffering of the Rōran people, trapped behind that wall, and then—he'll make his demands."

"He'll ask for Temari's return, for a share of the Konoha-Suna Trade Route's profits, for Konoha's help in unsealing the Ryūmyaku, claiming it's for—peaceful energy production. And if I refuse—he'll accuse Rōran of harboring Hiruzen, label them all missing-nin, and—eliminate them. He'll use their deaths to—damage my—Shinobi way."

It was—a plausible scenario.

Baki was ruthless. He'd do anything for Sunagakure.

Minato's face hardened.

"So—what will you do?"

"Honestly? It doesn't—matter to me. I don't have a—conscience. Rōran is a small nation. Their fate won't—affect the Shinobi world. And they don't have any—interesting Kekkei Genkai. Their Shinobi are—mediocre."

Minato's silence was—heavy. He had to—save Rōran. They owed them.

"Kaigetsu-kun, we have to help them. We can give them the Ryūmyaku. Sunagakure isn't a threat. A single dragon vein won't—change that. They saved Konoha once. Now, it's our turn."

Gojo Kaigetsu looked at Minato's determined expression and smiled. "Don't worry, Minato. I'll—handle it. I'll—save them."

"I'll go myself."

Minato's motives were pure. He wanted to help.

But Gojo Kaigetsu's—were more complex.

The Ryūmyaku was a mystery.

According to the law of chakra conservation, chakra couldn't be—created or destroyed.

A Shinobi's chakra came from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. The Ryūmyaku's massive chakra reserves—they shouldn't exist.

Besides regular chakra, there was also dark chakra, natural energy, and—Hidan's—unique—chakra.

Each type granted different abilities.

Dark chakra enhanced physical strength and regeneration.

Natural energy, combined with physical and spiritual energy, allowed a Shinobi to enter Sage Mode, granting immense power and enhanced senses. It could even harm the Ten-Tails.

If chakra was an alien power, natural energy was—The World's gift to the Shinobi world, a weapon against the invaders.

But The World's methods were—inefficient. Only a handful of Shinobi, true geniuses, could master Sage Mode.

Perhaps—The World preferred—individual heroes, not—armies of empowered Shinobi.

Naruto and Sasuke had defeated Kaguya, but they'd needed—time to recover. And when she returned—they'd be ready.

And if the Shinobi world couldn't defeat the Ōtsutsuki? Then a select few would—ascend, joining the Sage of Six Paths. Or, if it were up to Gojo Kaigetsu, they'd build a—giant—planet-moving device and—leave.

And then there was Hidan's—unique chakra, granting immortality and the ability to use—curses. Only sealing jutsu could silence him.

And beyond the known world, there were—other beings. Outer gods, demons…

The Ryūmyaku wasn't—natural. Gojo Kaigetsu had to understand it.

Its origins, its properties. If it could—manipulate space-time—could he harness that power?

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