Chapter 458: Returning to the Coastal Border

This time, the mission was somewhat unique, which was why it was classified as a super S-rank mission.

After all, the target of the mission was none other than the Third Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village.

That night, Yagura and his entourage quietly left Konoha, just as they had arrived—without drawing anyone's attention.

It wasn't until they were far from the village that the accompanying Anbu returned to Konoha.

Since they had to wait for news from Yagura's side, Takuya and his team didn't need to rush to their destination.

Early the next morning, at the village gate, Sakumo Hatake, dressed in sharp combat attire, smiled and said:

"I thought we wouldn't get a chance to team up again, but here we are so soon."

"If I had the choice, I wouldn't want to make this trip," Takuya replied with a faint smile.

Minato rolled his eyes.

You're really daring to say that!

If Minato had said something like this—especially in broad daylight—Tsunade would have made sure he regretted it.

"What's with the eye roll? Did your girlfriend comfort you already?"

Minato had only recently returned from a mission and barely had time to rest before being sent out again for this special task. For someone like Minato, deeply in love, this separation felt particularly harsh.

After all, young couples are often inseparable.

Go to hell! It's just an eye roll, isn't it?

Why drag my personal life into this?

Watching Takuya and Minato banter, Sakumo Hatake smiled and said, "Ah, youth is such a wonderful thing."

Since the mission didn't require additional personnel, the three registered their departure at the village gates and left Konoha, heading toward the frontline encampment.

There was no urgency in their schedule, and Takuya didn't ask Minato to assist with faster travel.

The trio walked at a leisurely pace. After all, Yagura likely hadn't even reached the coastline yet. Rushing to get there would serve no purpose.

The mission wouldn't begin until Yagura returned to the Hidden Mist Village and reported to the elder council.

As for the risk of being spotted by spies from other villages, the three weren't concerned. Even if discovered, it would appear as though they were heading to the frontlines as reinforcements.

As they walked, Takuya sensed something unusual.

The conversation had started off normal enough. They shared amusing anecdotes, discussed combat strategies, and occasionally teased Minato about his relationship. But before long, the conversation veered into Kakashi's upbringing.

Takuya couldn't help but think, You truly embody the role of a worried father.

Becoming a parent really changes a person—Sakumo's focus was entirely on his son.

By nightfall, the three reached the frontline encampment.

The good news was that Chiyo, the elderly advisor from the Sand Village, wasn't at the camp. She had taken the Sand shinobi to various battlefields.

"Never thought Chiyo could be so considerate. At least she doesn't act like the center of the universe."

"After a brief period of familiarization, Chiyo began leading her forces to support other battle zones. I have to admit, their presence has significantly eased our burden."

Chiyo knew that lingering at Konoha's camp wasn't appropriate, even as an ally providing reinforcements.

Staying too long would undoubtedly lead Orochimaru to find a way to send her packing.

To save everyone the trouble, Chiyo voluntarily left for the battlefield, sparing Orochimaru the effort of scheming.

Reinforcements were temporary. Neither side trusted the other enough to share sensitive information completely.

The only thing they could provide was resources.

Because of the Third Hokage's concessions, Konoha had to cover the resource costs for the Sand Village's reinforcements.

This arrangement had been in place for some time, but every time Takuya thought about it, he felt a herd of mythical beasts stampeding through his heart.

Orochimaru, as always, spoke with a calm and collected demeanor, as if he had never been involved in the plots against Sakumo Hatake.

Though he had only been an accomplice, Orochimaru bore some responsibility for the schemes targeting Sakumo.

"Did the old man stay out of the negotiations this time?"

Jiraiya asked, visibly concerned.

The negotiations between the Third Hokage and Chiyo had left many people stunned.

Jiraiya feared that if Hiruzen Sarutobi got involved again, the resulting terms would once again disadvantage Konoha.

Having been burned once, everyone was wary.

It was a classic case of once bitten, twice shy.

Takuya burst into laughter, while Minato couldn't suppress his chuckles. Sakumo smiled and replied:

"The Hokage was present, but Tsunade made the final decisions. You can rest assured there won't be any terms that harm the village."

"That's a relief."

Jiraiya exhaled, grinning as he pulled exaggerated faces.

Orochimaru, observing him, silently cursed in his heart: Idiot.

"I'm just worried the old man might mess things up. At his age, he should rest and let Tsunade handle things. She's doing a great job, so now I can finally relax."

Neither Jiraiya nor Orochimaru asked about the specifics of the agreement.

When the time came, they would be informed. Until then, it was better not to pry.

Whether it was Takuya's imagination or not, he felt Orochimaru's complexion had darkened, as though he'd been out in the sun too long.

Orochimaru handed them a few mission scrolls and said:

"Since you didn't hide your arrival, take on a few missions and patrol the battlefield. That way, spies from other villages will believe you're here as reinforcements."

"Minato and Sakumo can handle that. I've got something else to do," Takuya said, making a quick exit.

This kind of work was better left to Sakumo and Minato.

Takuya wanted to seize the opportunity to check on the Uchiha clan—primarily on his wife, Mikoto.

As for the rest of the Uchiha? They were secondary.

"Uh…"

Before anyone could react, Takuya had bolted, leaving Minato and Sakumo momentarily stunned.

Jiraiya burst into laughter, slapping the table repeatedly. He was curious to see how Orochimaru would respond after being snubbed.

Unfortunately for Jiraiya, he was overthinking it.

Orochimaru didn't mind Takuya's defiance and instead teased with a smirk:

"It seems Takuya-kun and Mikoto Uchiha have a very close relationship."

Jiraiya: "…"

Minato: "…"

Sakumo: "…"

Orochimaru, you're not who I thought you were!

The Uchiha had suffered significant losses in the war. The survivors carried an intense aura of hostility, driven by grief and rage.

Thankfully, Mikoto Uchiha wasn't among those overcome by bloodlust.

Seeing Takuya visit, Mikoto was genuinely happy.

"Because of the prolonged war, many of our clan members have fallen on the battlefield. The mood among the survivors has been heavily affected," Mikoto explained with a bitter smile.

Unlike her, many Uchiha had become noticeably more irritable.

Takuya could only shrug. This behavior was typical of the Uchiha, likely tied to their bloodline limit, the Sharingan, which was deeply influenced by emotions. It was no wonder they were often jokingly referred to as the "Insane Clan."

Of course, the nickname was more of a jest, referring to how the Uchiha were easily swayed by emotions. It didn't mean they were truly insane.

If anyone deserved the title of "crazy," it was the Kaguya clan from the Hidden Mist Village.

Those people were the real lunatics.

Losses were inevitable. Even the Sarutobi and Shimura clans had sent many shinobi to the battlefield, suffering heavy casualties.

Compared to them, the Uchiha's loss ratio wasn't as severe.

At least the Uchiha's strength gave them an edge. The ones who truly suffered were the civilian shinobi.

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Giving 500 power stones within 24 hours seems difficult, so the next goal is to aim for 800 power stones, which means you only need to give 200 more. Once we reach that, I'll release 5 chapters. What do you think?

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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 550+ at Patreon com/ Emik01.