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Hearing Sawara Kiri's voice, Minato Namikaze was momentarily unsure how to respond.
Or rather, he found it difficult to even confirm whether the person in front of him was truly the familiar face from his graduating class.
The two headless corpses on the ground, the pervasive scent of blood, the cratered earth, and Sawara Kiri standing there completely unscathed—
Every observable detail pointed to the danger posed by this young man who appeared to be his own age.
Not to mention, in Minato Namikaze's perception, the intense Chakra reaction emanating from the other party's body, burning fiercely like a torch.
After a long hesitation, Minato Namikaze leaped down from the rooftop and slowly approached.
However, his voice still carried a hint of doubt:
"You are Sawara-kun."
"Right?"
However, compared to Minato Namikaze's caution, Sawara Kiri seemed to have anticipated this. He slightly spread his hands, making his movements as non-threatening as possible, and said gently:
"Yes."
"Jonin Class, Intelligence Department Processing Office, Second Class Councilor."
"Sawara Kiri."
Before Minato Namikaze could ask further questions, he had already stepped back half a pace, revealing the S-rank intelligence sealed box and the two other corpses on the ground, and reminded him:
"However, before that."
"Please retrieve the important Village secrets first."
Sawara Kiri turned his head and gestured into the distance: "In a little while, many people should be arriving."
"As for the rest, I will personally report to Lord Third."
...
"Alright."
Upon hearing this, Minato Namikaze gave him a deep look.
As an Anbu, he understood that some matters were not for just anyone to inquire about.
Therefore, even though he was extremely curious about Sawara Kiri at this moment, he forcibly restrained himself, not showing any intention of asking questions.
Then, he quickly searched the bodies of Kira and Hara Tsuchi, retrieved the Tsunade mission intelligence tucked into their clothes, and placed it into the violently opened S-rank sealed box.
In just this short time, the large contingent behind them had already arrived at the scene, guided by several Hyuga Ninja.
Uchiha Megumi and her police force members were the first to leap down from the rooftops, rushing towards them.
It was only when they saw the two gruesome corpses on the ground that they slowed their pace slightly.
However, her two-tomoe Sharingan gazed at Minato Namikaze, who was holding the S-rank sealed box, with a hint of apprehension.
Evidently.
She had misunderstood.
Just as Uchiha Megumi was hesitating, unsure whether she should step forward to take over, due to her scruples about the other party's Anbu identity.
Her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of Sawara Kiri standing in the corner.
"Kiri?!"
Almost instinctively, Uchiha Megumi rushed to his front, subconsciously tugging at his sleeve, which had burst open from his punching, and tightly gripped his shoulder, her voice urgent:
"You, why are you here?!"
"Are you hurt?!"
Although he had acted decisively and cleanly during the fight, the blood that splattered from Hara Tsuchi's beheading and Kira's spraying still stained half of Sawara Kiri's clothes, making him look as if he was on the verge of fatal injury.
Minato Namikaze turned to look at them, his eyebrows under the mask twitching imperceptibly.
"It's nothing, it's nothing."
Sawara Kiri waved his hands repeatedly, reassuring her gently: "See? I'm perfectly fine."
After quickly checking him over and confirming that the bloodstains were indeed from others, Uchiha Megumi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat afraid, and whispered:
"Honestly."
"After curfew, you should just stay home. How dangerous it is to be out at this hour..."
"I also ran into those people on my way home from work," Sawara Kiri explained softly.
"Anyway!" Uchiha Megumi's tone was firm, and her gaze swept over the gradually gathering crowd, then she said decisively, "You won't be needed here in a bit. When you leave, rest for a night in our police department's lounge, and go home during the day."
As if afraid Sawara Kiri wouldn't understand the implications, Miss Megumi specifically explained: "These people committed a major crime tonight. Tomorrow, the entire Village will likely undergo a 'major cleanup'."
"You came into contact with the criminals today. If you're taken away by the Anbu and Interrogation Department during the strict investigation, the Police Department won't be able to interfere... I can't say what those perverts might do to you."
Clearly, Miss Megumi was determined to protect him before the interrogation process even began.
Hearing Uchiha Megumi say this, even though Sawara Kiri was indeed a mole, his heart couldn't help but warm.
However, he still let out a low sigh of helplessness and gently declined:
"Sorry, Megumi."
"In a little while, I might have to go see Lord Third."
"Eh?"
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Minato Namikaze stood quietly in place, holding the box.
In just a short while, several figures in dark uniforms landed beside him.
The person at the forefront was different from the surrounding Anbu; he wore no mask and was in civilian clothes, with only his silver hair gleaming faintly in the moonlight, a short sword at his waist, and a Hokage half-coat over his shoulder.
He merely glanced at the corpses on the ground and recognized that both had been killed by extremely fast Taijutsu and a short-range Ninjutsu with incredibly strong explosive power.
When he turned to look at Minato Namikaze, his gaze involuntarily showed a hint of approval.
"Minato, is this a newly developed Ninjutsu?"
"That strike to the chest and abdomen completely broke through the Earth Release's defense, directly shattering the chest and abdomen."
"Truly impressive destructive power."
"Even I would have to be careful against such an attack."
Hearing such praise from the person in front of him, Minato Namikaze's face, hidden beneath his mask, couldn't help but show a trace of awkwardness. He quickly and softly corrected him:
"Lord Sakumo."
"These two spies were not killed by me."
"It was that person."
Sakumo Hatake was stunned by his words and turned to look in the direction Minato Namikaze was pointing.
Then, he saw the young man, half-stained with blood, meet his gaze with those clear blue eyes.
As if sensing the surprise in his eyes, the other party nodded gently to him.
An unfamiliar face.
"He is...?"
Sakumo Hatake was also somewhat puzzled.
A young man of this age with such strength, by all accounts, he shouldn't have never seen him before.
Minato Namikaze then got to the point, saying seriously: "Regarding this matter, I need to inform you of the entire process I witnessed and relay it to Lord Third as soon as possible afterwards."
"Please keep it confidential for now."
Hearing him say this, Sakumo Hatake's expression also immediately turned solemn.
An hour later, Hokage Building.
The Hokage Building, which had been bombed into a dangerous structure by large-scale Ninjutsu not long ago, was completely repaired in a very short time thanks to the combined efforts of many Earth Release Ninja.
However, the miscellaneous items in the Hokage Office could only be temporarily cleared out.
At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been urgently woken from his sleep, was sitting at a newly moved desk downstairs, flanked by Hokage Advisor Danzo Shimura and Lord Third's most favored disciple, Orochimaru.
On the desk in front of him was a Ninja file, clearly having been reviewed several times, recording Sawara Kiri's entire life experiences and academic results from childhood.
Standing before them were Sakumo Hatake, Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Megumi, and Sawara Kiri.
Minato Namikaze was giving a concise and precise report, narrating the full story of the incident.
Although he had just been woken up, the current Sarutobi Hiruzen was not the old and decrepit self he would be twenty years later.
Whether in official duties or combat, he possessed ample energy.
At least for now, his title of 'Ninja Professor' remained well-deserved.
Soon.
After listening to the comprehensive reports from the Anbu and Police Department, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned his head to look at Sawara Kiri, who was standing on the far right with a remarkably faint presence, and a look of surprise involuntarily appeared on his face.
However, he did not hastily make any judgments based on this single clue. Instead, he spoke with a generous tone:
"Sawara-kun."
"It is my dereliction of duty as Hokage that, despite seeing you daily in the Hokage Building, I failed to discover a talent like you for so long."
"Now that you have rendered great service to the Village, the proper rewards will certainly not be lacking."
"However, before that..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone suddenly shifted. As he activated his immense Chakra, even his gaze carried an extremely heavy pressure.
For a moment, the entire room seemed to faintly vibrate.
Only his voice remained as calm as ever:
"During such a critical time of war."
"Why did you conceal your strength?"
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