"How is the village doing?"
Slowly spreading out another blank scroll, Minato Namikaze picked up the brush beside him, dipped it in ink, and asked.
"There have been no abnormalities. It's just that Lord Chiba has been frequently traveling between the Engineering Corps' camp and the village, and has visited those six elderly scholars many times."
At that moment, a voice faintly came from the shadows behind him.
"Mm... I understand. As for Chiba, let him move freely as much as possible. I believe everything he does has its reasons. If he needs your help with anything, follow his arrangements as well."
Minato Namikaze nodded at this, harboring no suspicion whatsoever toward Chiba's actions.
He had applied for medical equipment last time and had been visiting the elderly scholars so often. Was he researching some new medicine again?
It seemed the Engineering Corps had stabilized by now.
That child truly never rested. Whenever he had spare time, he liked tinkering with new things.
Such a rather indulgent thought crossed his mind. Not only did he have no suspicion of Chiba's actions, he greatly approved of them.
"Yes, we will do our best to cooperate with Lord Chiba."
Hearing the Hokage say this, the ninja in the shadows had no doubts either and answered readily.
"Mm, very good. Then what about the two advisors and Mr. Danzo? How are things with them?"
Clearly quite satisfied with the ninja's forthright answer, Minato Namikaze moved past the subject and asked his next question.
It seemed he no longer needed to consider Chiba's identity as the "son of a criminal." The Anbu's response clearly showed that they trusted and acknowledged Chiba. Combined with the shift in the village's attitude toward him, Chiba had already gained the most basic foundation of public support.
Even as