"Kakashi, you're already a Jonin. I've decided to let you lead a team on missions."
Kakashi nodded silently, accepted the assignment, and departed.
Minato Namikaze watched his student's retreating back and sighed inwardly.
War still raged. He didn't have the luxury of time to comfort his disciple.
Fortunately, the conflict was nearly over. When peace came, there would be plenty of opportunity.
"You must be Shisui. Can you walk me through what happened?" Minato turned to the young Uchiha.
About Kakashi's age, he noted. Perhaps even younger. Yet he's already made a name for himself on this battlefield. Truly worthy of the Uchiha clan.
"Yes, Lord Minato." Shisui began recounting the scene he'd encountered.
"No aura could be detected. No chakra sensed. Yet he killed three Jonin, five Special Jonin, and four veteran Chunin—including two sensory specialists?"
Minato's expression grew solemn.
Just imagining such an enemy made clear how difficult they'd be to handle.
After reviewing all relevant intelligence, he immediately led his team out.
They soon approached the location where the Hidden Mist elite squad had vanished. Minato's face hardened. He stopped abruptly.
Shisui and the elite ninjas behind him halted instantly, going on high alert.
"Lord Minato, what is it?"
"There's a barrier here. Anyone who enters will be detected."
Though not a sensory ninja, Minato's exceptional space-time talent and extensive knowledge of Sealing Jutsu allowed him to perceive what others couldn't.
"A barrier?" The team members started, scanning their surroundings. None of them could detect anything.
Shisui activated his Sharingan, carefully examining every detail.
Branches. Trunks. Ground. Canopy.
No traces of chakra anywhere.
Then his gaze froze. A figure.
"Someone's there!" He gripped his short blade, voice low and tense.
Minato looked immediately.
On a small path through the adjacent woods, a powerfully built man approached.
He wore ordinary clothes. His footsteps made no sound. His body emitted no aura whatsoever—not even a whisper of chakra.
Without direct visual contact, they never would have sensed him at all.
"The moment fighting starts, all of you retreat immediately." Minato stepped forward, placing himself between his team and the stranger. "This one is dangerous."
Shisui opened his mouth to protest, but teammates grabbed his arm.
They understood Minato Namikaze's combat style. Staying would provide no benefit—only burden.
"This is private territory." Toji Fushiguro's deep voice rang out. "Leave immediately."
His gloomy eyes, combined with the scar at the corner of his mouth, gave his face a ferocious edge.
Yet his half-lidded gaze and flat tone made him seem almost disinterested.
"A primeval forest? Since when did it become private territory?" Minato replied with a faint smile.
"Of course you wouldn't know—Konoha ninja from the Land of Fire." Toji spoke lazily. "This is the Land of Bears. You're the outsider."
"I'm aware of where we are. A few months ago, an elite Hidden Mist squad was operating in this area. I wonder if you encountered them."
Minato didn't rise to the provocation, maintaining his calm tone.
Behind him, his teammates slowly retreated, eyes locked on Toji—terrified of losing track of him for even an instant.
Toji didn't answer. He merely sized up Minato continuously.
Though his self-will had only recently awakened, his memories contained the trajectory of an entire lifetime.
Some personality traits naturally carried over.
"Are you strong?" A grin spread across Toji's face.
"It seems you don't know me." Minato's guard rose internally, though his smile never wavered.
"Oh?" Toji's grin widened as he stepped forward. "So you're a powerhouse with quite the reputation."
He flexed his fingers slightly. Not having a weapon was somewhat inconvenient.
But this body had gained several new abilities. Perfect opportunity to get familiar with them.
The corners of Toji's mouth split into a savage smile—and he vanished.
Soundless. Traceless. Not even a whisper of displaced air.
Multiple specially marked kunai flew outward as Minato disappeared from his position.
A large hand grabbed empty air. Toji's expression showed faint surprise.
"Impressive reaction speed and observation."
Appearing instantly on the opposite side, Minato felt genuine surprise at the comment.
"You're actually the first person who didn't praise my speed after seeing the Flying Thunder God Technique."
"Speed?" Toji withdrew his hand dismissively. "No matter how fast a technique is, without the observation and reaction skills to match, it's worthless."
"Only with those can its true power emerge."
It was the first time Minato had encountered someone who could perceive the essence of his abilities so clearly on first contact.
"I came here without hostile intent. I simply want to retrieve the remains and spoils of war belonging to the Konoha ninja Might Duy."
"He killed members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, but his body and the blades all vanished. Surely those don't belong to the Land of Bears."
While speaking, Minato calculated how long it would take his subordinates to reach safety at their current pace.
This was supposed to be reconnaissance. He hadn't expected direct combat. If he'd known, he would have come alone.
"The ninja you mentioned only killed four of the Seven Swordsmen before dying himself." Toji's voice remained flat. "If you want answers, ask the surviving three."
"Hidden Mist has no word of any survivors. They're all dead."
"Even so, that's Hidden Mist's concern. What does it have to do with you?"
"That's only your version of events."
"And yours isn't?"
They drifted closer as they spoke. Toji suddenly glanced past Minato's shoulder.
"Your subordinates are far enough away now." His grin returned. "We can fight properly."
The instant the words left his mouth, Toji blurred forward like a phantom.
His fist struck empty air.
Minato appeared behind him. Throwing a kunai with one hand, he simultaneously formed a Rasengan and thrust it forward.
Surprised by his opponent's reaction speed, Toji nevertheless matched it perfectly.
He spun into a back kick, dodging the hidden weapon while counterattacking in a single motion.
Minato flickered again, reappearing behind Toji. Another marked kunai flew as the Rasengan drove forward.
Toji sneered savagely. He'd been anticipating this from the start.
He pivoted and threw a punch directly at the spiraling sphere.
The two collided—but the expected roar never came.
The Rasengan didn't explode. Instead, it began shrinking rapidly.
Seizing the opening, Toji grabbed forward.
Rip.
A torn strip of blue cloth dangled from his fingers.
Minato had already vanished.