Without waiting for the main force, Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to the camp ahead of them.
Seeing Minato return safely, Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief. "The support troops have already been dispatched. What's the situation on the front lines?"
"It's over," Minato replied. "They're on their way back."
"That's good—" Tsunade paused. "The Sensor Unit just reported a massive, instantaneous disappearance of Chakra on the Iwa front. Was that you?"
Minato nodded. "Ōnoki tried to ambush me with Dust Release. I was a little annoyed and decided to return the favor."
Mitokado Homura snorted. "That old fool Ōnoki was indeed targeting Minato."
"So you repelled the Third Tsuchikage?" Tsunade asked, studying Minato with astonishment. She knew he had surpassed her in strength, but she hadn't expected him to have reached such a level.
"I cut off one of his arms, but his subordinates saved him with Earth Release. I didn't bother chasing after him; it seemed like too much trouble."
Minato spoke calmly, as if cutting off the Tsuchikage's arm were no more significant than dealing with some minor, insignificant character.
"You cut off his hand? Whose hand? That old fool Ōnoki?"
Hearing this, Jiraiya stared at Minato as if he'd seen a ghost. The other strategists and Sensor Ninjas in the tent also looked at Minato in shock.
"Who else could it be?" Tsunade snapped, startled by Jiraiya's outburst.
Then she suddenly burst into laughter, patting Minato's shoulder with undisguised pride. "Hahaha! Well done! Just as I expected from my disciple!"
Mitokado Homura also stared at Minato in astonishment, his heart filled with awe.
He knew the boy was strong, but he never imagined he was this strong!
How terrifying! How terrifying indeed!
Danzo died without injustice—
Mitokado Homura picked up his teacup, intending to take a calming sip.
Just then, Minato continued, "Oh, by the way, the Third Kazekage was responsible for cutting off the front lines' retreat route. I killed him."
Pfft!
Mitokado Homura sprayed tea everywhere, sputtering and coughing violently.
He looked up abruptly, his face splattered with tea and astonishment. "The Third Kazekage? You killed the Third Kazekage?"
Inside the command center, a deathly silence hung in the air.
The shock from the previous revelation had barely faded when a fresh wave of impact struck.
Everyone's expressions froze on their faces. Tsunade's mouth hung open as she stared blankly at Minato.
"Strictly speaking, he committed suicide when he realized escape was impossible," Minato explained. "I only injured him. He wanted to sacrifice his life to let his subordinates escape, and out of respect, I granted his wish."
Slap!
Jiraiya suddenly slapped himself, his cheek burning instantly.
"I'm not dreaming—"
Jiraiya stared blankly at Minato, his impression of him still stuck in the days of the strength assessment.
In just three years, while Jiraiya had barely had time to make a name for himself, Minato had already become someone capable of killing a village's Kage.
And the Third Kazekage was a legendary figure, known as the strongest Kazekage!
To force such a formidable opponent to commit suicide, there could only be an absolute disparity in power!
Yet in reality, among the Five Kage, while certain Ninjutsu might create mutual counters, their overall strength was roughly equal.
Even the Third Hokage couldn't have achieved such a feat, let alone with two Kage-level experts present.
Soon, as the front-line troops returned, news spread rapidly through the camp that Minato had severely damaged the Iwagakure Unit, and the Kazekage and Tsuchikage had suffered one death and one injury.
"The Iwagakure troops seemed endless at the time, and the Third Kazekage cut off our retreat route. I thought I was going to die on the battlefield, but then Minato suddenly appeared!"
In the medical tent, a ninja who had just finished bandaging wounds was vividly recounting the battle.
He animatedly described Ōnoki's surprise attack, Minato severing Ōnoki's arm, and the Kazekage's suicide.
"Minato just raised his hand and pointed, Biu! An explosion erupted, and the Third Kazekage surrendered!"
"No way! That's too exaggerated—what kind of ability is that?"
A skeptical ninja interjected, "I thought Minato only had the Wood Release Bloodline Limit?"
"Not at all, Minato has a Double Bloodline Limit!" Nawaki, who was assisting the Medical Ninja, casually boasted.
The surrounding ninjas were startled by Nawaki's words, turning to look at him with astonished gazes.
"I never expected he'd have a Double Bloodline Limit," one ninja said hesitantly. "Is it really okay to just blurt it out like that?"
Nawaki waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine. He never tried to hide it; no one just cared to look. After all, his other Bloodline Limit is Wood Release."
"Speaking of which, Minato is Lady Tsunade's disciple. You must know him well, right?" a ninja asked curiously. "What's he like?"
"You've come to the right person!" Nawaki's face lit up, his earlier sulk over being left out of the mission vanishing instantly.
News of the front lines spread rapidly through the camp, boosting morale to unprecedented heights. Minato became the camp's most prominent figure. Wherever he went, people greeted him with enthusiasm or reverence, some already addressing him as "Lord Minato."
"Lord Minato, have some tea~" Mikoto smiled as she poured him a cup of fruit tea in the wooden hut. "You must be exhausted from the battle."
"Don't be like that, Mikoto," Minato said, accepting the tea with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"Hmph~" Mikoto tilted her chin, looking like a proud little cat. "Someone's the village's great hero now! I bet you'll have plenty of admirers after this, right?"
As she spoke, her peripheral vision kept darting toward Minato, a hint of barely perceptible tension in her eyes.
After Minato's battle achievements spread through the camp, her initial joy for him had quickly turned into a tension akin to facing a formidable enemy.
She knew all too well how crazy Konoha's fangirls could be.
With such terrifying achievements, she could only imagine how insane those fangirls would become. That's why she had been so eager to test Minato's reaction.
"How could that be?" Minato chuckled softly, gently taking Mikoto's soft hand.
Feeling the warmth of his palm, Mikoto's cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn't even offer a token resistance, letting him hold her hand.
"With a beauty like you by my side, how could I possibly be interested in those common women out there?"
"Really?" Mikoto's eyes lit up.
Minato nodded repeatedly. "Absolutely!"
"I don't believe you—you two-timing, fickle bastard!" Mikoto huffed haughtily, but the corner of her mouth couldn't help but curl into a smile, her heart gradually relaxing.
Watching Minato's gentle smile, Mikoto pursed her lips, took a sudden deep breath, and leaned in, leaving a warm kiss on his handsome cheek.
The kiss was fleeting, carrying the sweet scent of fruit tea.
Minato touched his cheek, looking at Mikoto with slight surprise. Flushed, she lowered her head.
"But... I don't hate it either."
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