Opening the next episode, the camera focused on Matsukata Seikō, showing the audience what Naraku had not experienced.
Not only were Minato and Jonin Kazama Resshou guarding the area, but Ishikawa was also present, along with the Matsukata family's own ninja and samurai, making the defenses surrounding the entire courtyard impenetrable.
Just as everyone was on high alert, a clamor erupted from all directions.
Additionally, a red fireball lit up in the sky, indicating an enemy attack.
Due to the large number of enemies, Kazama Resshou was responsible for holding the position, while Minato used the Flying Thunder God to put out fires everywhere, helping to clear out the attacking rōnin.
He had just teleported to the second young master's courtyard when another signal flare rose.
It was in the direction of the eldest young master's residence.
Minato immediately used the Flying Thunder God to rush over, teleporting directly to the secret room's entrance, where he was met with a brutal scene.
The secret room's door had been violently broken open. The ninja and samurai guards were scattered, dead or wounded, blood staining every inch of the floor red. The Matsukata family's eldest young master, the object of protection, had also been killed with a single strike.
Beside his body, two Chunin wearing Konoha headbands also had their necks twisted, dead.
Some of the outer servants and maidservants were lucky enough to survive, but their emotions had already collapsed; they were either cowering on the ground, trembling, or crying and screaming while clinging to those who had rushed to check on the situation.
This was not a B-rank mission at all.
Minato gritted his teeth, thinking to himself.
[So fierce, they killed everyone in such a short time??]
[How strong is this assassin?]
[Silent, every strike fatal—this is what ninja assassination is about.]
[Such a powerful enemy, and you're telling me this is something you encounter on a B-rank mission?]
[Those two Chunin died so tragically; they were completely outmatched by the enemy.]
[It's over. We said the mission's configuration was luxurious before, but now it seems utterly insufficient.]
[Minato: Calling Konoha! Konoha! Where are my teammates? Save me!]
Without time for extra emotions, Minato immediately began to search every Flying Thunder God mark again, re-checking all important areas of the Matsukata residence in just a few breaths.
Until he saw the same scene again in the third young master's courtyard.
Another complete wipeout.
But this time, he personally saw the culprit.
It was a tall, strong man with grayish skin, his face covered by a mask and his eyes glowing faintly green, as he pulled a kunai from the chest of the already deceased third young master.
With the kunai no longer blocking it, blood gushed out from the wound, rapidly staining the luxurious clothing red.
The next moment, Minato's shuriken spun rapidly towards the opponent, and he himself charged after it.
In the air where he had been, a green signal flare was burning.
[Marararara, it's the second one!]
[Who is this guy?]
[Holy crap, it's a ghost.]
[Matsukata Seikō: My sons are dead? (Faints)]
[Look on the bright side, old man. At least you still have that fourth son Tenten always chokes.]
[Minato: I once had a job.]
[Kazama Resshou: So did I.]
The man parried several shuriken with his kunai and exchanged a few taijutsu moves with Minato; neither could gain the upper hand for now.
However, Minato was very fast, so it wouldn't be easy for the man to shake off his pursuit.
The shuriken just now carried Wind Release chakra, so... The man thought for a moment, formed a few hand signs, and three to five thick, long lightning spears appeared around him, shooting towards Minato.
Minato immediately dodged. The lightning spears grazed his clothes, embedded themselves in the ground, and after dissipating, left behind extremely deep, dark holes.
[I feel like this enemy's strength is much greater than an elite Jonin.]
[Lightning Needle Plus — Lightning Spear.]
[Good heavens, if you get hit by that... the hole would be transparent, right?]
[Minato, you're so brave.]
[Actually, Minato just lacks a high-damage finishing move; otherwise, why would it be so troublesome to fight?]
[Exactly, with a divine technique like Flying Thunder God, adding a high-damage ninjutsu would make him invincible.]
[The Old Thief, hurry up and buff him; Minato is the protagonist after all!]
A large number of Matsukata family ninja and samurai arrived, following the light of the signal flare, surrounding the courtyard.
But this mysterious enemy completely disregarded the rabble; in his eyes, only the blond ninja was truly troublesome.
It wasn't until Kazama Resshou arrived with Might Duy and joined the fight that he felt the pressure increase sharply.
Might Duy instinctively knew the enemy was formidable and consecutively opened the Third Gate of Life. While Minato and Kazama Resshou used large-scale ninjutsu to restrain the opponent, he unleashed a Konoha Great Whirlwind, slamming the enemy heavily into the ground, creating a large crater.
The surrounding ninja also kicked him while he was down, unleashing their strongest ninjutsu, or pulling out several exploding tags and continuously throwing them into the bottom of the pit, the explosions merging into a continuous roar, making the ground rumble.
[Uncle Dai is mighty!]
[Awesome!]
[Blow him up for me!]
[Let him know what saturation bombing is, yeah!]
[Oh no, smoke without injury!]
In the silence after the smoke cleared, a slightly eerie and terrifying BGM began to play, and the man's limbs had all deformed, with countless slender, writhing tendrils emerging from the seams, which seemed to be what had absorbed the damage.
He scanned his surroundings, judged that it was not advisable to stay long, and chose a suitable direction for a breakthrough.
[Holy crap!]
[What a monster!]
[What kind of demon is this!]
[Fahai, save me!]
[Monster! Take my Great Heavenly Dragon!]
[Help! Why are there tentacle monsters in the ninja world? Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!]