Chapter 119: Shock to the Supreme?

"Beiruho, huh..." 

Hanma's eyes flickered with a hint of recollection. It had been more than ten years since he had heard that name since he graduated from the ninja academy, long enough to have forgotten a primary school classmate.

With a serious expression, Minato detailed the situation at the time: 

"His height is around 1.75 meters, pale skin, suspected to have the ability to harden his skin, but overall, he's just an ordinary Jōnin-level ninja." 

"A month ago, he tried to infiltrate the Uchiha clan's residential area but was discovered by the protective barrier. I went to investigate and was directly attacked by him. During the encounter, I cut off his left arm, but he was rescued by Root ninjas who came for support." 

"Afterward, Elder Satsuna went to negotiate with the Third Hokage, who branded him a rogue ninja and issued a wanted notice." 

"At this point in time, who else would dare to strike against the Uchiha clan? It can only be the Third Hokage and his faction..."

Hanma pondered and slowly said, "I don't think it was instructed by the Third Hokage. I just had a meeting with Uzumaki Mito and him. The current consensus is to use Danzo as the Jinchuriki, and everyone seems quite satisfied with not using Kushina as the vessel." 

Minato heaved a sigh of relief, his tense face relaxing and returning to his usual lazy, handsome demeanor. 

If the Third Hokage forced Kushina to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, he had planned to take Hanma and start killing...

Having tasted the thrill, he didn't want a fox observing or even pointing fingers during his training with Kushina; that would be too strange. 

More crucially, it might harm Kushina's lifespan. According to Kushina, even Uzumaki Mito, who had mastered the Yin Seal, had already lost vitality on the surface of her body. 

This led to the speculation that even the Uzumaki clan, who could suppress the tailed beasts with their bloodline, would still suffer adverse effects from the Nine-Tails as Jinchuriki.

In Minato's mind, anyone with ill intentions toward Kushina and Hanma was his sworn enemy. 

Glancing at Minato's quickly changing expression, Hanma continued, "As for Beiruho, this person was my classmate in the ninja academy. Based on the current situation, it should have nothing to do with the Third Hokage or Uzumaki Mito." 

"If Danzo took him in, he must have joined forces with him. I'll visit the root tonight and ask the Hokage's assistant what he means..." 

Initially, Hanma held Beiruho in high regard, thinking of befriending him during their academy days. 

After all, in another timeline, a Hyūga boss with the Tenseigan used the technique Beiruho created, the Chimera Technique, to ascend to the highest position. 

But after interacting with him at the academy, Hanma discovered that not only did Beiruho lack talent, he was also extremely sensitive and fragile, responding to Hanma's kindness like a hedgehog, deeply insecure and resistant. 

After studying the timeline, Hanma found that Beiruho would defect during the Third Great Ninja War, and the complete Chimera Technique would not appear until Naruto's era. So, he put him aside for the time being. 

After graduation, Hanma entered the Anbu, eager to establish himself in the ninja world and accumulate foundational terms. He had little time to deal with a peripheral figure like Beiruho. 

As it turns out, Hanma's guess was correct. Beiruho's combat power was still very limited, having no chance against a sixteen-year-old Minato, losing his left arm in one encounter.

Surprisingly, Danzo seemed to have partnered with Beiruho, developing some sort of hardening skin ability. It looked like the Chimera Technique was already taking shape...

"In that case, I'm relieved. But can Danzo handle the power of the Nine-Tails? Wouldn't it backfire?" 

Minato joked, hearing that Danzo might become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He never liked the bandage-wrapped, pretending-to-be-disabled Hokage advisor since childhood.

"Uzumaki Mito is currently the ninja world's highest authority in sealing techniques. With her help, the Nine-Tails won't have any room for resistance." 

"Moreover, Shimura Danzo is still in his prime and has Kage-level strength. Being a vessel shouldn't be difficult..." 

"But how much of the Nine-Tails' power he can wield, and whether he can borrow its strength, is another question entirely..." 

Regardless of how profound Uzumaki Mito's sealing techniques are, there's no way she can allow Danzo to draw large quantities of chakra from the Nine-Tails. If he can don the Tailed Beast Cloak, it would already be impressive.

Considering Danzo's strength and combat style, even if he had a hundred times more chakra, it would still be like meat on a cutting board for Hanma, to be seasoned at will. 

"What's the situation in Kirigakure? Rope Tree has been missing for half a year now. What are he and Orochimaru up to?" 

Minato's explanation of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was overly thorough, arousing Hanma's curiosity.

"Kirigakure now should be riddled with Orochimaru's infiltration. Even the intel about the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the direct troops of the Mizukage, is so heavily leaked..."

"When Rope Tree first arrived in Kirigakure, he nearly lost a leg due to his rashness. Orochimaru was furious and slaughtered many Kirigakure ninjas, then took Rope Tree for special training." 

"The training involved participating in some of his experiments and killing people he normally wouldn't, aiming to instill in him the cold, cautious qualities of a ninja..."

Hanma nodded knowingly, acknowledging Orochimaru's actions. While he had tried to teach Rope Tree about the harshness of the ninja world through words, reality was far more effective.

Rope Tree's naive and passionate personality, although endearing, was too immature for a seventeen-year-old ninja and needed correction. 

Orochimaru's educational standards were second to none in the ninja world, and he wouldn't skimp on resources for Rope Tree, likely injecting him heavily. 

In the original timeline, even Sasuke, who couldn't even defeat the weakest of Sound Four, managed to hold his own against Uchiha Itachi after Orochimaru's training, showcasing his teaching prowess.

Seeing Hanma's approving look, Minato couldn't help but smirk. 

"As expected of Brother Hanma, who loves these brutal trainings. Just wait, Obito, your teacher will inherit this fine tradition from our lineage..."

Imagining a comical scene of Obito yelling, Minato continued with a strange smile, elaborating on the Kirigakure situation: 

"Frankly speaking, Kirigakure is even more rotten than Konoha. Without their advantageous geographical position, isolated overseas, they might have crumbled long ago..."

"Their system is chaotic, with the Mizukage and an elder named Genji holding equal power, openly clashing. To consolidate his power, the Mizukage's so-called Blood Mist Village purge has become increasingly rampant, almost reaching madness."

"Orochimaru has already recruited quite a few Kirigakure ninjas, including those with Ice and Dark Release abilities."

"Before I returned, he was negotiating with the Taketori clan. However, these battle-maniacs possessing Shikotsumyaku are not easy to deal with..."

With that, Minato handed a confidential letter to Hanma. "Orochimaru asked me to bring this back. It seems to detail the next step of his plan." 

Hanma nodded, taking the letter, then lamented: "In the Warring States period, the Taketori clan's reputation was quite similar to the Uchiha clan's, known for their strength and love of battle, resulting in a negative reputation."

"For such a ninja clan, reasoning and presenting benefits should come later. The first step should always be to beat them thoroughly. Then they'll be more amenable."

Hanma's remarks were delivered with practiced ease and an air of experience. Growing up in the Uchiha clan and now being the clan leader, he deeply understood the importance of physical persuasion.

Minato chuckled, sarcastically saying: "Absolutely right... it seems the ultimate secret of being a clan leader is to thrash the clansmen and even the previous clan head once, maybe even twice."

"If the Third Hokage could manage to knock you down, Brother Hanma, perhaps he could truly lead Konoha to become the strongest in the ninja world?"

Exchanging glances, Hanma and Minato burst into laughter as if ridiculing an old man smoking his pipe...