Tsunade went upstairs, pushed open the door, and turned on the light; a spacious and clean bedroom appeared before her eyes. The furnishings in the bedroom were very simple, consisting only of a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, and a small bookshelf. The bookshelf held some books and various colored scrolls; outside the bedroom window, there was also a small terrace for drying clothes.
She threw herself onto the clean and tidy small bed. The fresh bedding carried the scent of sunlight, and Tsunade let out an involuntary sigh of satisfaction. Too much had happened today. She had just left Konoha during the day, and at night Minato and the others encountered an assassination attempt, leaving her mentally exhausted.
Damn Danzo!
I finally made up my mind to leave for a while, so doesn't this make me reluctant to leave again? Although Danzo was the only rotten person among the Higher-ups, after such an event, she didn't dare to leave easily anymore. Forget it... it seems this is heaven's will! In that case, no matter how the future develops, at least it won't be entirely my fault, right?
Tsunade thought silently, her mind in a whirl, and she eventually drifted into a deep sleep. Perhaps due to the comfort of the bed, she slept very, very soundly...
The next day, at school.
"Yakushi Nonou, do you have a moment to chat privately?"
At noon, Minato waited at the corner of the school corridor, his gaze quietly fixed on Yakushi Nonou, who had just walked out of the classroom. The gentle voice made Yakushi Nonou pause. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes; she hadn't expected Minato to suddenly seek her out.
She didn't yet know the news that Danzo had been taken out. After all, he was the hokage assistant. Such a prominent figure is difficult for ordinary people to even meet once, so how could he just die so easily? So, facing Minato's sudden approach, her heart rate accelerated for a moment. There was shyness and anticipation, but more than anything, there was tension and wariness.
Guessing Minato's intentions, Yakushi Nonou nodded gently. The two went to the roof of the Teaching Building; it was deserted. According to the romance books Danzo had bought, many confession scenes happened on the rooftop of the Teaching Building! Yakushi Nonou peeked at Minato's profile, trying to see something in those azure blue eyes. Could Minato be about to confess? At the thought, she felt her cheeks growing slightly warm. No, no, no, stay calm, Yakushi Nonou, don't lose your composure...
"You... you were sent by Danzo, weren't you?"
Just as Yakushi Nonou's mind was wandering, Minato finally asked softly. His words shattered all her fantasies and pulled her back to reality. I've been found out... Yakushi Nonou was momentarily stunned, but her brain instantly regained its logic. Her romantic thoughts were immediately suppressed, and her poker face appeared incredibly calm.
What should I do? Should I come clean? Yes! In less than an instant, she made her decision. When Minato looked at her before, his eyes held scrutiny. Now that he chose to be blunt, it was very likely he had found clear evidence. He wasn't asking a question; he was approaching her with the answer. Stubbornly denying it would only make him trust her less. Now that her identity was exposed, regardless of what happened to her later, this was probably her only chance to free the Orphanage from Danzo's threat!
"I'm sorry..." Yakushi Nonou lowered her head slightly. "I had no choice, but please believe me, I had no intention of harming you."
"Don't be so nervous, I'm not blaming you." Seeing Yakushi Nonou admit it frankly, a hint of a smile appeared on Minato's calm face. "Is it convenient to tell me the reason?"
"I... I'm from the Orphanage." Minato's peaceful attitude made Yakushi Nonou feel a quiet sense of relief. Great, he's not angry! Minato really is a very considerate person...
"Six months ago, Danzo came to inspect the Orphanage, saying he wanted to select talented children for special training. In the end, he chose me. Because he didn't look like a good person, I originally didn't want to agree." As Yakushi Nonou spoke, her small face darkened. "But he is the hokage assistant. With one word, he could cut off the Orphanage's funding. Everyone was already struggling to eat; if the funding was cut off..."
"I see..." Minato nodded. This was similar to what he had guessed; Danzo only had these kinds of tricks. "What was the mission he gave you?" Minato asked again.
Yakushi Nonou glanced at Minato cautiously. "Can I use this information to make an exchange with you?"
"What do you want to exchange for?" Minato chuckled inwardly; he could probably guess her request.
Yakushi Nonou said without hesitation, "I want to exchange it for Lady Tsunade's protection of the Orphanage! Don't let Danzo take action against the Orphanage!"
"That's all?" Minato confirmed.
This time, Yakushi Nonou hesitated. She actually hoped Tsunade could help the Orphanage a bit, at least so everyone could have enough to eat and wear. But on second thought, there were so many mouths to feed in the Orphanage; it probably wasn't something one person could support alone.
"If... if I add another piece of information, can everyone in the Orphanage have enough to eat?" After agonizing for a long while, she asked embarrassedly.
"Yes." Minato agreed without any hesitation. "Can you tell me now?"
Yakushi Nonou looked up in surprise. Minato had agreed so readily that she couldn't help but doubt the truth of his words. But now she had no other choice and could only resign herself to fate, praying that Minato would keep his word.
"The mission Danzo gave me was... to gain Minato Namikaze's favor." As she spoke, she lowered her head in embarrassment, her ears turning slightly hot. "He only gave me this one mission, but I've been making excuses to delay it. Don't misunderstand, it's not that I don't like... no, I mean... I think this isn't right; feelings should be something purer."
"I understand." Minato nodded. "And the other piece of information?"
"I suspect that Danzo might act against Kushina, or even against you. Although I'm not entirely sure, I think it's necessary to be on guard. From my previous contacts, it seems Danzo has a very strong obsession with becoming Hokage and indiscriminately hates anyone who might stand in his way." Yakushi Nonou looked at Minato uneasily. This information was originally her last trump card, in case he didn't care about the Orphanage.
"I see..." Minato paused, then suddenly cleared his throat and said solemnly, "Then... Student Yakushi Nonou, thanks to the intelligence you gathered while undercover, the Rogue Ninja Danzo Shimura was Executed last night!"
Yakushi Nonou was stunned. "Eh?"
"It means that bastard has been taken out, along with the Root." Minato chuckled. "Speaking of which, it's all thanks to the information you provided."
"How... how can that be?" Yakushi Nonou stammered. "He was the hokage assistant! Was it the Hokage... also, I didn't provide you with any information before..."
"Who said so? Didn't you tell me with your eyes, and I just happened to read your meaning perfectly?" Minato winked and said in a light tone. "I can't tell you the specific details, but Danzo is indeed dead."
"Then... does the exchange for everyone to have enough to eat and wear still count?" Yakushi Nonou asked tentatively. After speaking, she felt she was being too shameless and lowered her head in shame.
"Well... I have no choice, since I already promised, right?" Minato laughed lightly, his sunny smile seeming to warm the cold air around them by several degrees.
Yakushi Nonou stared blankly at the boy in front of her, a thousand thoughts swirling in her mind. In a daze, a sudden warmth welled up in the corners of her eyes, her vision blurred, and tears fell uncontrollably down her cheeks. After all, she was still just a $5$ year old child. When the recent grievances and pressure were suddenly released, Yakushi Nonou could no longer control her emotions and burst into tears. Fortunately, although she couldn't control her emotions, she could still control her body. Before her tears could hit the ground, she threw herself into Minato's arms.
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