After the matter with Hiruko was settled—Kiyosuke killed him and reported to Tsunade—the tense standoff dissipated. The Sixth Kazekage, Gaara, returned as well, resolving the issues with Sunagakure.
The other Four Great Nations also withdrew their hostility once Kiyosuke handed over Hiruko's carbonized corpse.
Whether they could actually identify it was another matter. From a charred body like that, it was hard to say how much information could be gleaned. At the very least, the Chimera Technique was gone for good.
Of course, that wasn't something Kiyosuke needed to concern himself with. If things got out of hand, he'd simply fight his way through.
Because of the recent unpleasantness, Sunagakure specifically requested Kiyosuke and his team's help in capturing one of their top-class missing-nin: Mukade.
...
Hokage's Office
"This mission will include not only Kiyosuke but also you, Yamato. Since Kakashi is unable to move right now, you'll be in charge of leading Team Seven."
Tsunade gave the order.
Kakashi had overused Kamui in battle, leaving his body weakened. He was now confined to a hospital bed, with Hanare taking care of him closely. Very closely.
"Yes!"
Everyone nodded.
"Good."
Tsunade nodded back. Shizune then brought forward a set of short blades, handing them out one by one.
"These are chakra blades developed in Sunagakure. They can sever puppet strings. As long as you channel chakra into the weapon, you'll be able to cut them. The man you're going after—Mukade—is a top-class puppeteer. These were provided by Sunagakure to support this mission."
Cutting the chakra threads meant the puppets could no longer function. These blades were designed specifically for that purpose—a gesture of Sunagakure's sincerity.
Puppet masters were a vital part of Sunagakure's military strength, and their chakra threads were the core of their techniques.
In truth, crafting puppets wasn't especially difficult. The real skill lay in manipulating the chakra threads.
Without them, a puppet was just dead weight.
So, the fact that Sunagakure was willing to hand over blades capable of severing those threads showed that they truly regarded Konoha as a friend.
After all, no one would ever gift a weapon that could destroy them to an enemy.
That would be arming the opposition.
But for a friend—it was different.
Naruto tested his blade, channeling chakra into it. Instantly, a shimmering blue chakra edge flickered into existence along the weapon, startling him.
"According to Sunagakure's intelligence, Mukade has been active around the ruins of Rōran in the Land of Wind. You are to investigate there. Based on our alliance, it's our duty to help them capture their missing-nin. Kiyosuke, Yamato—I'm entrusting this mission to you."
"No problem."
"Understood."
The two seasoned shinobi accepted the mission. Kiyosuke turned to Naruto with a grin.
"Naruto, you're in for a little surprise on this mission."
If he remembered correctly, Mukade would trigger the Dragon Vein's seal in Rōran, pulling Naruto back into the past—into the ancient kingdom itself—where he would meet the young Fourth Hokage, Minato. Father and son would even form a Rasengan together.
"What kind of surprise?"
"Haha, you'll find out when the time comes. If I told you now, it wouldn't mean much."
Kiyosuke chuckled.
"Let's head out. I'm looking forward to this one. Come on, mission time."
Kiyosuke laughed heartily, throwing an arm around Yamato's shoulders as they headed out.
The group packed up their gear and entered the Land of Wind.
...
On the road, Kiyosuke spoke.
"Over ten years ago, the ruins of Rōran were once a lush paradise, hailed as the 'Jewel of the Desert.' But one day, the kingdom vanished overnight. All that remains now are ruins—silent proof of its former glory."
"Overnight? Was it some kind of natural disaster, Senpai?" Yamato asked.
Could it have been an enormous sandstorm, powerful enough to bury the entire ancient kingdom?
Yamato couldn't help his curiosity. Back then, he was still a child—or rather, soaking in one of Orochimaru's nutrient tanks.
"It wasn't a storm," Kiyosuke said. "It was man-made. I remember—shortly after I graduated, Konoha dispatched a team to Rōran. When they returned, they reported the kingdom's destruction."
"And that team was…?"
"It was led by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."
"My dad?!"
Naruto spun toward him in shock. Even Sakura and Sasuke looked over in surprise.
The truth was, although Naruto was respected as the son of the Fourth Hokage, it had more to do with Kiyosuke's influence than Minato's legacy. After all, the Fourth was long dead. Konohamaru, as the grandson of the Third Hokage, had more presence in that regard.
Being the son of the Fourth Hokage didn't really amount to much.
"That's right. Kakashi was part of that mission too. I still remember—the day Ichiraku Ramen first opened, we went there and ran into them. Orochimaru and Jiraiya-sensei were there as well."
Kiyosuke chuckled. "I remember Jiraiya had just learned Minato's Rasengan, and I slapped him down with it right away."
Thinking back, those memories still felt fresh, as if they had happened yesterday—like a dream.
"Kakashi-senpai too? But then… why did Rōran fall right after the mission? Wasn't there a record of it?" Yamato asked.
"No. Or rather, even that team couldn't figure it out at the time. They reported the situation as it was. All I know is that Minato set up a sealing barrier there."
"Why was Kakashi-sensei included in that mission?"
Sakura tilted her head.
"By then, Kakashi had already been a shinobi for years. He graduated from the Academy at five, became a Chūnin at six. I had only just graduated myself—there's no way I could have been on that mission. Didn't you know that?"
"F-Five years old?!"
Naruto and Sakura's jaws dropped, eyes wide in disbelief. Only Sasuke remained composed.
So that white-haired guy had been that much of a prodigy?
"Doesn't that make him like Itachi?" Naruto asked.
He knew Itachi had graduated early, but he hadn't expected the same of Kakashi.
"Exactly. Think about it—while you were still playing in the dirt at six, Kakashi was already a Chūnin. That's the difference. That's what it means to be a genius."
"Then why didn't you graduate early too?" Naruto asked.
"Because back then, I wasn't considered a genius."
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
"No way!" Kiba exclaimed. "Kiyosuke-sensei, if you weren't a genius, then who is?"
If even he didn't qualify, who possibly could? Was there any point left in living?
"Back then, I was timid on the battlefield, always running from Chiyo. It wasn't until the Kirigakure front that I finally started to stand tall."
Kiyosuke scratched his cheek sheepishly.
"Don't look at me like that. You're the true future of Konoha!"