52. You Have The Appearance Of Hokage

After Sora left, Namikaze Minato stood still for a long time.

Minato's thoughts swirled in confusion. No matter how much he tried, he just couldn't understand Sora's perspective.

"Minato."

Jiraiya appeared in front of him, his expression serious. He had overheard the entire conversation between Minato and Sora moments ago.

"Jiraiya-sensei," Minato began, his voice tinged with doubt. "Am I wrong? I don't think I am. Those are our companions. I want them to live, and I've never shown mercy to my enemies. So... why does it feel like I failed?"

Jiraiya placed a reassuring hand on Minato's shoulder and said gently, "Minato, you're not wrong. And Sora isn't wrong either. But this is war. In war, there are always sacrifices. There's no way to achieve the best of both worlds."

He paused, his gaze turning thoughtful. "Sora is a lot like Orochimaru. Both of them are rational to the point of detachment. They make decisions based solely on the most advantageous outcomes, disregarding emotions. If the benefits outweigh the losses, they'll accept those losses without hesitation.

"But you... you're different. You remind me of myself. You refuse to abandon your comrades, not until every last option has been exhausted. You want to see everyone make it home alive."

Jiraiya's tone softened yet carried a note of sadness. "But Minato, this is the battlefield. You've been here long enough to know—there's no such thing as a war without sacrifice. Sometimes, we have to set our emotions aside and act rationally.

"We're all fighting for Konoha. You don't need to doubt yourself. And Minato, you're better than Sora. When I say that, I'm not talking about strength."

Minato's head lifted, his blue eyes searching Jiraiya's for meaning. "What do you mean, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya smiled warmly. "You've inherited the Will of Fire, Minato. The Will of Fire is about selflessness—about caring for Konoha and seeing everyone in the village as your family. You want to protect the people of this village with all your heart."

He sighed, his expression growing sombre. "Sora, on the other hand, is like Orochimaru—indifferent, distant, and prone to extreme actions. He's a loner, incapable of truly connecting with others.

"People like Sora can serve as the 'general' in a game of shogi, making tactical decisions from the front lines. But someone like you, Minato—you're the 'king,' the one who leads and inspires the generals.

"In other words, you have the qualities of a Hokage."

Minato froze, stunned. He hadn't expected Jiraiya to say something so profound, let alone suggest he could one day be Hokage.

Blushing slightly, he said humbly, "Jiraiya-sensei, I'm nowhere near ready for that."

Jiraiya threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Of course, you're not ready yet! But that's why you need to keep working hard—so you can become the 'king' who leads the generals."

Abruptly, Jiraiya leaned in closer, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret. "Speaking of which, don't you want to pursue even greater speed? I talked to the old man and pulled some strings for you. I got permission for you to learn a jutsu from the Second Hokage.

"It's a space-time ninjutsu from Konoha's sealed archives called the Flying Thunder God Technique. If you master it, Minato, you'll become the fastest shinobi in the entire ninja world!"

Minato's eyes widened, and he felt a swell of emotion. "Jiraiya-sensei... thank you."

Jiraiya clapped him hard on the shoulder, grinning. "I'm your master, Minato. It's my job to support you. Now, get some rest. Tomorrow night's going to be tough, and if we want to avoid unnecessary sacrifices, we'll need to give it everything we've got. Let's work hard to lighten the load for everyone else."

With those words, Jiraiya turned and strode away, leaving Minato deep in thought—his heart both heavier and lighter than it had been moments before.

The next day.

All the Konoha shinobi stationed in the Land of Hot Water had gathered.

There were fewer than a hundred of them now.

Originally, Konoha had sent about 150 shinobi to the Land of Hot Water, but many had fallen in battles against the Kumogakure forces.

Orochimaru's piercing, snake-like eyes scanned the crowd before him.

For most, being under Orochimaru's gaze was an unnerving experience. His cold and calculating demeanor often inspired discomfort, even fear.

But not this group.

The shinobi standing before him were energized, their spirits reignited. Defeat after defeat over the past few days had left them feeling crushed, their morale at an all-time low.

Now, with Orochimaru and Jiraiya—two of the legendary Sannin—leading the charge and preparing a counterattack against the Kumogakure forces, the tide of emotions had shifted. Their frustration could finally be channeled into action.

How could they not feel excited?

Orochimaru's voice cut through the air, commanding and authoritative. "Form up according to the nature of your primary ninjutsu."

The shinobi began to move, forming lines based on their elemental affinities.

The majority specialized in Fire Release ninjutsu.

Next were the Earth Release and Water Release users, their numbers roughly equal.

Following them were the shinobi proficient in Lightning Release.

The smallest group consisted of Wind Release users.

Finally, a few stood apart—five genjutsu specialists and three sensory-type shinobi.

Orochimaru surveyed the organized ranks before announcing, "As you all know, tonight we will launch a surprise attack on the Kumogakure stronghold in Yugakure Village. The success of this operation will determine the fate of our campaign here in the Land of Hot Water."

His voice grew sharper, leaving no room for doubt. "Every one of you has a critical role in this mission. I will now outline the plan. Once the operation begins, you are to follow my orders to the letter.

"First, before the assault begins, our sensory-type shinobi will scan the current situation in Yugakure Village.

"Next, Jiraiya and I will lead the initial attack, infiltrating Yugakure Village and striking at areas with the largest concentration of enemy forces.

"Once we've drawn their attention, the Earth Release shinobi will move in immediately, using Earth Release techniques to divide the battlefield and prevent the Kumogakure and Yugakure shinobi from regrouping.

"After the battlefield has been sectioned off, the Earth Release and Water Release shinobi will work together to create mudslides to hinder the enemy's movements.

"Fire Release users will then form teams and collaborate with Wind Release users to unleash flame-enhanced winds throughout Yugakure Village.

"The remaining Fire Release shinobi will focus on ranged attacks, bombarding enemy positions to divert their firepower.

"Lightning Release shinobi will act as mobile reinforcements, providing immediate support to any team that finds itself struggling.

"Genjutsu specialists will move with the Lightning Release shinobi, disrupting the enemy with illusions and supporting as needed.

"The goal of this operation is not to occupy Yugakure Village. Our primary objective is to eliminate the Kumogakure stronghold in Yugakure and drive their forces out. Once this is accomplished, we'll have secured a significant advantage in the Land of Hot Water."

Orochimaru's tone sharpened further. "Each team will select a leader. Jiraiya will provide every leader with one of his toads. These toads will relay updated mission objectives directly to the leaders, who will then inform their squads of any changes in plans."

He paused for a moment, scanning the group. "You have one hour to prepare. Begin now."

The gathered shinobi broke into discussions, working to decide their team leaders and organize their formations.

As the crowd bustled, Orochimaru approached Sora.

"Sora," Orochimaru said, his voice cold but confident, "your mobility and combat ability are exceptional. I want you to act alone and infiltrate their command centre. Your mission is to assassinate their commander."

Sora nodded solemnly, his face steady. "Understood, Lord Orochimaru!"

At that moment, Jiraiya stepped forward. "Minato's speed and skill are also top-notch. Let's add him to the assassination mission. Two skilled operatives will increase the odds of success."

Orochimaru's snake-like eyes shifted toward Minato. He gave a faint nod. "He's your disciple, Jiraiya. You can make that decision."

Jiraiya turned to Minato. "Minato, do you have the confidence to carry out this task?"

Minato glanced at Sora, his blue eyes steady and resolute. "Yes, I'm confident."

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