Orochimaru's pupils were already unnaturally shaped, and having just returned from the battlefield, his gaze naturally carried a subtle aura of pressure—one similar to what Sakumo once had.
This powerful ninja, destined to later be known as one of the Legendary Sannin alongside Jiraiya, was staring at Minato with serpentine eyes.
If it were an ordinary child, they might have burst into tears under such a gaze.
Yet Minato met it calmly, his expression completely calm, without the slightest ripple.
If this were his former self, before awakening his memories, he would surely have been unable to withstand Orochimaru's oppressive presence.
But now, whether Orochimaru was still young and far from reaching his peak power, or had already become the Legendary Sannin, Minato wouldn't feel even the slightest fear.
Clearly, there was still a significant gap between Minato's current strength and that of Orochimaru. Yet when it came to battle-hardened aura cultivated on the battlefield, Minato was more than a match.
The Yellow Flash, feared by leaders of every nation, had long bathed his hands in the blood of countless enemy ninjas.
That title "Flash" was not only a reputation—it was a terrifying name recognized throughout the ninja world.
"This brat..."
Initially, upon hearing Minato was Jiraiya's disciple, Orochimaru hadn't thought much of it. But now, after Minato seemed to openly oppose him, he finally started paying attention.
The blond kid before him held his gaze without flinching.
Truthfully, Minato had intentionally held back his stare—if he'd let it loose, even Orochimaru wouldn't have remained composed.
"What do you think you're doing, Orochimaru!"
At this moment, Jiraiya stepped in between them, blocking their line of sight. His face darkened with fury.
Even Tsunade, who had only just met Minato for the first time, frowned prettily and said, "Orochimaru, shame on you for being a jonin—you couldn't debate with a child, so you resorted to intimidation."
Jiraiya and Tsunade both knew well how normal people couldn't endure the kind of gazes they sometimes carried back from the battlefield.
Orochimaru, whose personality made him disinclined to explain himself to Jiraiya and Tsunade anyway, hadn't detected even the slightest trace of fear from the boy's eyes just now.
Ignoring them, Orochimaru shifted his gaze and asked, "Kid, what's your name?"
Though Minato never particularly liked Orochimaru, he was still Jiraiya-sensei's teammate and contemporary.
Therefore, Minato politely replied, "Greetings, Lord Orochimaru. My name is Minato Namikaze."
"I'll remember you." With these words, Orochimaru turned and left immediately.
Minato understood that Orochimaru's temperament was unpredictable; they had once competed together for the position of Fourth Hokage (village leader).
Yet from his understanding, Orochimaru didn't seem particularly interested in becoming Hokage.
This senior, who made outstanding contributions during both the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, should have been respected by many younger generations—including Minato himself.
However, his peculiar way of conduct continued to drive many people away.
After he became Hokage, he had even taken precautions against Orochimaru—not necessarily because they once competed for the Hokage title.
Rather, based on his understanding, Orochimaru's thinking was somewhat extreme. If left unchecked, it might lead to unpredictable consequences.
Even the Third Hokage agreed with this view.
In truth, since his younger days, he had already shown such tendencies.
Minato couldn't change his senior, but he also couldn't just stand there and let him spread those ideas to others.
Orochimaru's sudden departure naturally upset Jiraiya and Tsunade greatly, but over the years, they had gradually grown accustomed to his behavior.
Then Tsunade turned her gaze toward Minato. Suddenly, she let out a soft laugh. "Jiraiya," she said, "the disciple you took in isn't bad at all."
"Of course! He is, after all, the disciple of great Master Jiraiya!" Jiraiya proudly laughed.
Tsunade gave Jiraiya a sidelong glance before adding, "This kid seems far sharper than you, and much better-looking too."
Jiraiya twitched his lips but could only endure whatever words she threw his way while standing in front of her.
"And most importantly, his mind works far quicker than yours ever did—you were like a total idiot back then."
Tsunade hadn't known how to counter Orochimaru's previous words, yet this boy—who looked even younger than Nawaki—came up with an answer right away.
Whether as a child or now as an adult, Jiraiya never had a brain like that.
"Hey, Tsunade," Jiraiya muttered, "at least leave me some dignity in front of my student."
Finally unable to bear it any longer, Jiraiya pouted, his eyes drooping downward in an expression filled with grievance as he stared at Tsunade.
His face edged closer and closer. Dark lines seemed to appear on Tsunade's forehead as she clenched her fists, visible veins popping across her knuckles.
Instantly intimidated, Jiraiya vanished behind Minato with a speed so fast even Minato couldn't fully track it.
He figured since Minato had just kept Nawaki from falling under Orochimaru's influence, Tsunade probably felt a bit more kindly toward him. Therefore, hiding behind Minato, he assumed she wouldn't act recklessly.
Indeed, Tsunade restrained herself with effort.
"Minato, thank you. You're right."
Meanwhile, Nawaki—who had been lost in thought—slowly rose to his feet. He wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve, determination returning to his gaze, that same resolute look Minato had seen before.
"This village—it belongs to the legacy of the First Hokage and his wife. I must inherit their will and protect it!"
Nawaki was naturally pure-hearted and simple-minded, quite similar to the First Hokage's character.
"Yeah, me too. Let's work hard together!"
Minato smiled while silently making up his mind—to protect the village and help Nawaki realize his dream with his own hands.
I definitely must prevent him from dying during the Second Great Ninja War.
"Looks like your Ninja Academy doesn't have class today. Why don't you two join me for lunch at my place?"
Nawaki then invited them both. Minato hesitated slightly but immediately considered Jiraiya-sensei's feelings toward Tsunade. He decided to accept, hoping to create a chance for the two of them.
"No need for that. It's been a long time since my teacher and I last met, and we still have some things to discuss." Minato didn't expect his teacher to outright reject Nawaki's request.
Tsunade shrugged nonchalantly nearby and said, "You better not regret this later."
"As a real man, I can certainly take on this responsibility."
Jiraiya lightly smiled before taking Minato, who looked slightly bewildered, away from the scene.
...
The two walked onto Konoha's streets. Looking puzzled, Minato asked Jiraiya, "Master Jiraiya, aren't you... interested in Tsunade-sama?"
"That's right, I do like Tsunade. However, if the opportunity to get close to her comes only because of my disciple's connection, wouldn't that make me look even more incapable as a master?"
Minato was momentarily stunned. Seeing how serious Jiraiya appeared, he gradually began to understand his teacher's feelings.
If their roles were reversed—Kushina in Tsunade's place and vice versa—he probably would've done the same himself.
At this moment, Jiraiya became serious again before saying, "There is something important that every one of my disciples must know. Previously, you were still too young, but now that you've returned and matured so much, it's time for me to finally tell you..."
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