Elsewhere, in the Hokage Building's reception room.
"Please."
Minato Namikaze gently set the hot tea in his hand before the young man who had just removed his conical hat and taken a seat, then sat down across from him.
"Thank you."
The young man had been about to look around the simple yet tasteful reception room when he saw the hot tea before him and heard the Hokage's voice. He paused slightly before replying.
Was the Fourth Hokage really such an easygoing person? As he spoke, his gaze was drawn to the blond young man seated properly across the low table—the Hokage himself. The other man wore a gentle smile. Though he sat formally, he appeared quite relaxed, without the tense, official posture that made people feel constrained.
Before he knew it, even his own posture had eased.
"You must have had a difficult journey. Extremely sorry—we did not expect the Fourth Kazekage to visit in person, so we failed to receive you properly. Please forgive us."
As he spoke, Minato Namikaze briefly sized up the Kazekage before him, who appeared to be about the same age as himself, and immediately offered an apology.
Appointed in a crisis, yet still able to stabilize a village that had just suffered a crushing defeat. With Sunagakure essentially withdrawn from the battlefield, he had also arranged its defenses in impeccable order. Even our ninja were unable to reliably get information out. This Kazekage was probably not pushed into the position merely because the Land of Wind had no other choice.
He truly had talent.
Perhaps Sunagakure's decline would turn into prosperity under this Kazekage's governance.
That thought passed through his mind.
"No, we were the ones who acted too abruptly. Please do not take it to heart, Lord Hokage."
The young man—Rasa, the