The smell of charred wood lingered in the air, mixing with the fresh scent of the earth that had just come alive in the wake of Arashi's power. The clearing was a mess where burned bodies, shattered tree trunks, and scorched earth marred what had once been an untouched section of the forest.
Minato stood in the center of it all, kunai still loosely held in his hand. His sharp blue eyes studied Arashi, watching the way the young man remained completely at ease despite the devastation around them.
Most shinobi, even elite ones, would be shaken or proud after revealing that kind of power.
But Arashi just smirked, arms casually folded behind his head as he leaned back against the tree trunk, as if none of it mattered.
Minato had fought monsters before. He had seen men driven mad by power, shinobi who wielded devastating jutsu without care for the destruction they left behind.
But Arashi was different.
He hadn't just unleashed destruction, he had managed to control it.
There was zero hesitation is his actions. No wasted movement or unnecessarily large jutsus, just complete command of the roots and vines.
Minato, being one of, if not the smartest shinobi in Konoha, knew an opportunity when he saw one.
"Come back with me to Konoha."
The words left his mouth before he had fully decided to say them. But he meant them.
Arashi blinked. His sharp green eyes flickered with amusement before he let out a soft chuckle. "Huh. That's a first."
Minato arched a brow. "First what?"
Arashi stretched, cracking his neck before tilting his head at him. "First time someone's tried to recruit me instead of trying to kill me after seeing all that."
Minato wasn't surprised. Power like his wasn't something that went unnoticed. If the wrong people found out… well. The very best case scenario would be that he'd be locked in some lab, forced to be studied, dissected, controlled with the full force of a village behind the actions.
Minato wasn't that kind of person though.
And the truth was, something about Arashi intrigued him. He wasn't just powerful, he was skilled. Experienced in a way that didn't quite add up especially considering his bright red hair and slight resmblence to Kushina.
He said he was a wanderer, someone untethered to anywhere specific. Arashi had always been someone who had never belonged anywhere, which is why Minato's offer intrigued him.
Arashi rolled his shoulders, shaking his head with a smirk. "Tempting, but I don't really do the whole 'village' thing."
Minato didn't push the issue. He simply met Arashi's gaze, keeping his stance open but firm. "You wouldn't have to swear loyalty to Konoha. But I think you'd be… an interesting addition."
Arashi laughed at that, short and amused. "Yeah? What, you short on wild cards?"
Minato allowed himself the smallest smirk. "You could say that."
For a moment, Arashi seemed like he was going to decline outright. He opened his mouth, clearly ready to brush it off, when something flickered across his expression.
However, Minato caught it, the brief pause and the slight moment of hesitation.
At the same moment, the thought crossed Arashi's mind, and for the first time since he'd seen this blonde shinobi, he actually looked like he was considering a genuine response.
"…Man, I really have been out here by myself for a long time," Arashi muttered under his breath.
Minato said nothing, waiting.
Arashi sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Really, you have no idea how much time I've wasted talking to squirrels out here."
Minato blinked. "…Squirrels?"
Arashi waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. And birds, deer, trees—" He paused. "Okay, maybe not exactly talking to all of them, but still. Point is, it gets boring after a while."
Minato wasn't sure if Arashi was joking but he was also beginning to suspect that he wasn't.
Arashi groaned, ruffling his own hair. "Damn it. Now I actually kinda want to see what all the fuss is about. Might as well check it out, right? Nothing better to do."
Minato took that as a victory. He knew it probably wasn't the best idea to try and make Arashi commit to anything.
But if he was coming back to Konoha, even just for just a brief stint, then that was enough.
"You won't regret it," Minato said simply.
Arashi snorted. "I already regret it." But there was no real irritation in his tone. In fact, he looked oddly entertained by the whole thing.
With a lazy stretch, he nodded toward the path leading out of the clearing. "Lead the way, Goldy Locks."
Minato sighed but didn't argue.
As they moved through the forest, Minato took note of the way Arashi interacted with his surroundings. He walked with an ease that most shinobi lacked, it wasn't just stealth, but an actual connection to the land. The trees, the wind, even the faint rustling of leaves seemed to move in rhythm with his movements.
It was actually a little unsettling if you asked Minato.
"How long have you been out here?" Minato asked, keeping his tone casual.
Arashi let out a thoughtful hum. "As long as I can remember. Time's kind of weird when you're not counting missions or village schedules. If I had to guess though, I think I've seen roughly 13 summers."
Minato nodded. As he thought about his age. 'So that would place him around Kakashi's age assuming that he doesn't remember the first couple of years of life.'
They continued to walk in silence for a while, the quiet only broken by the sound of their footsteps and the occasional distant call of wildlife. Minato used the time to think. If Arashi really did come to Konoha, there would be questions. A lot of them. His abilities, his past, his allegiances—the Third would demand answers, maybe not in front of the young man but they would come.
"I get the feeling you don't like being tied down," Minato observed, glancing at him. "But you stayed in the forest for years, away from civilization. Why?"
Arashi smirked, but there was something distant in his eyes. "Not much choice really, just that some places don't let go that easily."
"And now?" Minato asked. "What changed?"
Arashi sighed dramatically. "You, apparently. Damn you, Blondie, for being moderately interesting."
"Moderately interesting? I'll take that as a compliment coming from a person that can morph into actual animals," Minato threw a sidelong grin towards Arashi.
Arashi gave a snort and smile in return as they continued to walk along the path back to Konoha. "Whatever you tell yourself to sleep at night."