Vanished into Thin Air

Grand Minister Jiu Hui's throat sprayed blood, which splattered across the floor and gleamed with a peculiar amber hue in the candlelight.

A Root ninja defeated Hyuga River and charged inside.

The Root ninja stared at the dead Grand Minister, his shoulders rising and falling continuously, whether from exhaustion or rage.

After briefly surveying the scene, the Root ninja concluded that the clown had killed the Grand Minister.

The humiliation of failing the mission drove the Root ninja to raise his hand and attack the clown.

After the clang of metal striking metal, Minato appeared before the clown, using a kunai to block the Root ninja's short blade as he said:

"It's over! Whoever you are, you will not be allowed to lay a hand on the Bumper Guard General of the Land of Fire!"

The Root ninja froze. He knew about the situation on Bumper Guard Road. His gaze passed over Minato's shoulder and fell upon the clown.

The Bumper Guard General had returned?

The Guardian Ninja outside shouted:

"The traitorous minister Jiu Hui has been slain! The Bumper Guard General has returned to the Capital City! Everyone, put down your weapons!"

Seeing Jiu Hui's corpse within the main hall, the generals and samurai completely lost the will to resist.

Hyuga River removed his mask, revealing his Byakugan.

He held an extremely special position within Bumper Guard General Manor. Wherever he was, the Bumper Guard General would be.

One of the Guardian Ninja took a towel and swiftly wiped away the clown's face paint, revealing the Bumper Guard General's face.

A continuous clatter of swords falling to the ground rang out in the courtyard. The generals and samurai discarded their weapons, watching dejectedly as other samurai rushed in through the entrance of the Grand Council Hall.

It was already too late for the Root ninja to do anything else.

The Root ninja gathered together. Looking at Hyuga River, Minato, Hizashi Hyuga, and the other Konoha ninja, they gritted their teeth and said:

"You destroyed a Root mission without the village's authorization! Lord Danzo will not let you get away with this!"

Danzo won't let me get away with it sooner or later anyway. What difference does it make whether he comes after me now or later? Minato thought.

If events followed the original plot, after Minato became Hokage, he would have to face the powerful council of advisors. Danzo was the most hardline among them and would never relinquish his authority.

Danzo's obsession ran deep. Even if he died, he would die pursuing the position of Hokage. Until he achieved his goal, he would neither give up nor yield.

"Hyuga River! Do you have mission authorization from the village? Why did you come interfere with a Root mission?"

Under normal circumstances, all missions had to be reviewed and issued by the Hokage Building Mission Department. The review existed to prevent mission conflicts.

If Party A hired Konoha ninja to assassinate Party B, while Party B hired Konoha ninja to protect himself, then the ones dying would all be Konoha ninja. Wouldn't that be a complete mess?

The Root ninja definitely had a Konoha mission document, while Hyuga River, Minato, and the others had been operating independently.

The Bumper Guard General promptly spoke up, resolving Hyuga River and Minato's predicament:

"You are Root ninja from Konoha Village? Fine, I'll remember that name.

Go back and tell Konoha Village—of course, I will also formally send Konoha Village a letter—that Hyuga River, Minato Namikaze, and the others were carrying out a mission I issued.

Whenever Konoha ninja see the daimyo or nobles of the Land of Fire in danger, they have an obligation to render emergency aid. This was an important agreement negotiated with the daimyo when Konoha Village was founded.

On the other hand, why did you interfere in the affairs of Bumper Guard General Manor? Why did you aid a tyrant in his wrongdoing? Why did you help the traitor Jiu Hui?

State your ninja identification number. I am the nineteenth Bumper Guard General, and I now demand an explanation from you!"

The Root ninja swallowed with difficulty. Root had chosen the wrong side this time.

The young Bumper Guard General possessed such boldness that he had directly led people to kill the Grand Minister. Jiu Hui, whose power had been even greater, had collapsed completely in a single assassination attempt.

"I am a Root ninja, codename 'Ren.' All my actions came from Root missions. I am only responsible for carrying them out and do not know the reasons behind them. Root will answer all questions for you later."

With that, the Root ninja vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

As for the two Root ninja who had died beneath the side wall, no one knew whether Root would pursue the matter.

The Bumper Guard General walked toward his younger brother, holding another kunai in his hand.

Minato frowned, unable to bear the sight.

"What's a child writing for? It's so tiring. Here, have a toy. This is called a kunai. It's very useful—far more useful than a writing brush."

The Bumper Guard General's younger brother was not killed. Clutching a kunai as long as his arm, he was taken away by the Bumper Guard General.

By the time the Bumper Guard General had washed up, changed into a robe, and returned to the courtyard, the rebellion had already been suppressed.

After issuing numerous orders, the Bumper Guard General summoned the nobles and officials of the city, holding a grand banquet in the Grand Council Hall to admire the full moon.

The Bumper Guard General appointed Nan Song as the new Grand Minister.

Nan Song bowed as he listened to the Bumper Guard General's whispered instructions, then carried them out one by one.

Grand Minister Nan Song first executed Jiu Hui's confidant, the Major General of the Left Guards, then announced the candidates for the long-vacant positions of Minister of the Left and Minister of the Right.

He became the busiest person in the Grand Council Hall during the latter half of the night.

Fireworks soared into the night sky one after another over the Capital City, blooming in dazzling splendor as every trace of Grand Minister Jiu Hui was swiftly erased.

The dancing girls danced, Nan Song busied himself, and the banquet grew increasingly boisterous. After seeing off the newly appointed Major General of the Left Guards, the Bumper Guard General looked toward Hyuga River at his side and behind him.

"Hyuga River, I appoint you captain of my Guardian Ninja Twelve. I will fill all twelve positions as soon as possible."

Hyuga River hurriedly bowed. He had earned his position as captain.

He was the captain of the Guardian Ninja, but every single Guardian Ninja had been personally recruited by the Bumper Guard General.

Unlike other ninja, the Hyuga Clan had witnessed plenty of struggles among nobles. The clan had long since placed its bet on the Bumper Guard General. As long as the Bumper Guard General did not die, and as long as he could grow up normally, the Hyuga Clan would definitely emerge as winners.

The Bumper Guard General continued:

"I will revoke Jiu Hui's unlawful orders, including the document demanding the Hyuga Clan's Three Towns Land.

"The Hyuga Clan was already a ninja clan within Bumper Guard Road during the Warring States era, and was also a noble family recognized by generations of daimyo.

"Although the Hyuga Clan eventually joined Konoha Village, the Hyuga Clan will always have the friendship of the Bumper Guard Clan."

Hyuga River bowed deeply again. This was what he wanted most. "Thank you, Bumper Guard General! The Hyuga Clan will continue safeguarding your safety!"

The turmoil targeting the Hyuga Clan vanished into thin air with the Bumper Guard General's promise.

The Bumper Guard General continued:

"Actually, the Bumper Guard General Manor was also used as a weapon. The scheme against your Hyuga Clan's lands was a plan that killed two birds with one stone.

"First, it was naturally meant to drive a wedge into the long-standing relationship between the Bumper Guard Clan and the Hyuga Clan, weakening the guards around me.

"Second, I believe it was aimed at the new Kyoto Advisor, Senju Takeoto.

"You can remind Konoha Village's Kyoto Advisor that I helped her resolve a troublesome problem this time. Otherwise, whether the Bumper Guard Clan or the Hyuga Clan suffered in the end, the one left resented by both sides, unable to please anyone, would be her."

Hyuga River nodded. Even he had not considered that connection.

The Bumper Guard General glanced at the several ninja farther back, including Minato, Hizashi Hyuga, and Akimichi Jirokuma, then asked, "Captain, do you think Minato Namikaze would agree to become my Guardian Ninja?"

Hesitation appeared on Hyuga River's face as he said:

"My apologies, General. Though you are indeed noble, I do not think it is likely.

"You still do not fully understand Konoha Village's internal relationships. Minato Namikaze is the disciple of Jiraiya, one of the Three Ninja, and the grand-disciple of the Third Hokage. His future will certainly be within Konoha Village, not outside it."

"Oh? No wonder he is so formidable. So he is the Hokage's grand-disciple." The Bumper Guard General said, "Go invite Minato Namikaze over. If I remember correctly, what reward did he ask for? Does he really want to farm?"