Chapter 11: Regaining Memories

Shindai had been knocked out by Minato Namikaze and was now held in his hand.

Kakashi had already searched through the bodies of all the Sand and Rock ninjas.

Obito's wounds had been treated and bandaged thanks to Rin Nohara's Medical Ninjutsu.

Minato Namikaze's team reunited once again.

Obito curiously looked at Shindai, who was hanging unconscious in Minato's hand. "Sensei, who is he?"

Minato glanced at the unconscious Shindai in his hand and replied, "He is our main target for this mission—a bearer of the Magnet Release kekkei genkai. Sunagakure traded him to the Rock ninja in exchange for an alliance with Iwagakure."

Rin Nohara looked incredulous. "Huh? Trading people like commodities, even their own village ninja?"

Minato speculated, "It seems that the impoverished Sunagakure couldn't offer anything valuable enough to Iwagakure to establish an alliance. That's why they decided to trade a rare kekkei genkai bearer instead, as leverage for the alliance.

"Users of kekkei genkai possess unique abilities highly valued by major nations and Hidden Villages. Some kekkei genkai can even influence the outcome of battles. For example, the Hyuga clan of Konoha possesses the Byakugan, which enables vision of everything within a one-kilometer radius.

In other words, no person or activity within that range can remain hidden. We can see exactly what the enemy is doing and formulate battle plans accordingly, greatly increasing our chances of victory.

As for the Magnet Release kekkei genkai, its user can manipulate naturally occurring iron or metal particles in sand using magnetism. Oh, the Third Kazekage also possessed this kekkei genkai. He was known throughout Sunagakure as [The Strongest Kazekage].

Even after hearing Minato's explanation, Rin still found it hard to accept treating people like trade goods.

Looking at Shindai, someone around their own age, Rin felt a pang of pity.

Minato turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, did you find anything on them?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Not much—just some basic ninja tools. Nothing useful."

Minato announced, "Then let's take those six scrolls storing military supplies and evacuate this place."

Kakashi picked up the six scrolls containing military supplies—the Rock ninja's traded goods—while Minato carried Shindai. Together with Obito and Rin, they left for Konoha's base camp.

...

Two hours later.

Shindai gradually regained consciousness. He glanced around and realized he was inside a tent.

He clearly understood—he had been captured.

Feeling utterly wretched and helpless, Shindai had no tears left to shed. What did I even do to deserve this?

As Shindai cursed his rotten luck, he suddenly heard two sets of footsteps approaching.

Instantly, he closed his eyes tightly.

Minato Namikaze looked at Shindai lying on the ground and said, "You can stop pretending. I know you're awake. Your breathing is all over the place."

Shindai immediately held his breath, continuing to feign unconsciousness.

Minato Namikaze and Aoi raised their eyebrows simultaneously.

This kid... doesn't have much upstairs.

Minato Namikaze and his companion simply stood there, watching Shindai silently.

As time passed second by second, Shindai, deprived of oxygen from holding his breath, grew red-faced and lightheaded.

Minato warned him, "If you keep holding your breath, you really will faint again. It's pointless. You're within Konoha's base camp territory—you won't be able to escape. Just cooperate with us, and we won't harm you."

Already nearing his limit, Shindai heard Minato promise that if he cooperated, he wouldn't be harmed, and immediately started gasping for air.

Once he'd caught his breath, Shindai screamed desperately, "I'll cooperate! I'll totally cooperate! Starting today, I'm renouncing evil for good—screw Sunagakure! I was loyal to them all along, yet they knocked me out and dragged me here to trade me like six boxes of junk to those Rock ninja!"

From now on, I'm your little follower. If you say east, I won't go west. If you tell me to jump, I won't ask how high—just don't kill me! I'm super useful! It'd be such a waste if you killed me!"

Minato gave Shindai an awkward expression.

It was obvious Shindai was both furious and terrified.

Turning to the man beside him, Minato asked, "Yamanaka Aoi, are you free right now?"

"Free? You want me to probe his memories, right, Minato?"

"Yeah, exactly. We should double-check just in case."

Yamanaka Aoi was a ninja of the Yamanaka clan.

Aoi nodded and said, "Alright, shall I start now?"

Minato replied, "Do it now."

Shindai stared fearfully at Yamanaka Aoi. This guy was going to read his mind?

Before Shindai could even beg for mercy, Aoi had already formed a hand seal and placed his hand on Shindai's head.

[Ninjutsu: Mind-Reading Technique!]

Shindai felt his thoughts freeze as Yamanaka Aoi began reading his mind.

Half an hour later, Aoi exited the technique.

The moment he pulled away, the Subconscious Brain-Control Sand Technique on Shindai automatically deactivated. The needles disappeared, and his missing memories returned.

Shindai blankly stared at Minato Namikaze and Yamanaka Aoi.

Slowly digesting the fact that he had originally been a mole.

Excitedly, Yamanaka Aoi told Minato, "Minato, I think we've found something incredible!"

Minato asked doubtfully, "What happened?"

Yamanaka Aoi explained, "This kid—he's a genius!"

"He taught himself Magnet Release just by studying technique scrolls, without any guidance. His proficiency in Magnet Release is exceptionally advanced. Although I don't fully understand the Puppet Technique, the puppets he creates seem to surpass those of the puppet masters in Sunagakure!"

Minato Namikaze, however, frowned: "Yamanaka Aoi, what you said sounds odd. Why would Sunagakure let such a talented individual go so easily?"

Yamanaka Aoi smiled and said: "Hear me out—I was about to continue. This kid seems very afraid of fighting. He's terrified that his uncle, the Third Kazekage, will discover his talent and force him onto the battlefield, so he kept everything hidden.

Because of this, the Third Kazekage might have mistaken him for a failure, which is why he was offered to Iwagakure as an exchange for military supplies and an Alliance Contract."

After listening to Yamanaka Aoi, Minato's frown eased as he looked over Shindai, who seemed lost in thought: "If that's the case... then this kid we've intercepted from Iwa could prove extremely valuable to Konoha."

Aoi nodded firmly: "Exactly. In fact, Sunagakure has suffered a tremendous loss by letting this child slip away. For us Konoha ninja, his value is absolutely enormous!"

Regaining his composure, Shindai quietly bit his lip upon hearing their conversation.

Sounds like… everything went through pretty smoothly.

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