Pot King Shifting Blame

"You call this the best doctor you have?! Get lost!"

A scar-faced man cursed outside a clinic. He had visited every clinic in the two towns of River Country, yet not a single doctor could save Kushina.

After examining her, every one of them had merely told him to seek someone more skilled.

It made Minato Namikaze want to punch someone.

But punching them was useless. If the doctors could not do it, they could not do it.

"Minato, don't make things difficult for these doctors. This only proves that the poison is extremely potent! Go to the Black Market right away and post a mission to find Gambling Big Sheep."

"Anju! Don't joke around. We're looking for a doctor right now. What are you looking for Big Sheep for? Can she save Kushina?"

"You know what? In the entire Ninja World, she's the best doctor!"

"Alright! I'll listen to you!"

Minato Namikaze picked up Kushina and used Flying Thunder God to arrive at a tavern in the city. Without another word, he tossed the Bartender a bag of Silver Coin. "I need to post a mission. Where do I go?"

"Brother, I don't post missions here. There's no use looking for me."

The Bartender was terrified when he saw Minato Namikaze's tall build and scarred face. One look told him this was a ruthless man; it was best not to provoke him if possible.

At that moment, a short, shifty-eyed man walked up to the bar.

He reached out and pocketed the money. "Brother, come with me."

Minato Namikaze did not hesitate. He pressed a kunai to the little man's neck. "Where? Otherwise, I'll make your head change places."

"Two li outside the western gate, beneath the Small Pier."

Minato Namikaze grabbed him, supported Kushina with one arm, and directly took the little man to the western city gate.

"Show me the way, or you're dead!" Minato Namikaze's tone was foul. Over the past two days, the pale purple area on Kushina's foot had spread considerably, yet there was nothing he could do.

Now that someone had finally appeared claiming to know the Black Market, he had to seize the opportunity.

The little man watched in terror as, wherever he pointed, the scar-faced man threw a dart before instantly moving them to where it landed.

By the time they reached the pier, the little man's pants were already wet.

He had clearly pissed himself. In his eyes, a ninja openly displaying such ninjutsu before him meant he was as good as dead.

But Minato Namikaze did not harm him.

Once they descended through the hidden passage beneath the pier, Minato Namikaze immediately met the person in charge.

A bald man, not even a ninja.

"What mission does this lord wish to post?"

Minato Namikaze did not waste words. He stated his request and set down Ten Million Ryo as payment.

The entire Black Market outpost immediately erupted.

That bounty would have been enough to assassinate an ordinary jonin. Yet now, a mere piece of information was worth so much. It was terrifying!

Minato Namikaze no longer cared about the cost for Kushina's sake. He knew the price was outrageous.

Kushina would have needed to complete ten S-Rank missions to earn that much.

But Minato Namikaze was not worried about money at all.

He knew Kushina had One Hundred Thirty Million Ryo saved in Konoha.

They could save more money later after spending it. As long as she was alright, that was all that mattered.

Only a day later, Minato Namikaze brought Kushina Uzumaki back into the Black Market, and the Black Market's manager came looking for him.

Money really could make ghosts grind millstones. Information on Gambling Big Sheep quickly came back.

Tanzaku Street, in the southwest of the Land of Fire!

Minato Namikaze did not delay and immediately set off with Kushina Uzumaki.

As for the payment, it had already been handed over to the Black Market when he posted the mission.

Once the Black Market personnel in Tanzaku Street spotted Big Sheep, the money would enter the informant's pocket.

Minato Namikaze also had Flying Thunder God markers within the Land of Fire, greatly reducing his travel time.

By the time Minato Namikaze arrived at Tanzaku Street, only six hours had passed.

While Minato Namikaze was searching for a doctor, the atmosphere inside Konoha's Hokage Office had become somewhat grave.

"Danzo, did your subordinate really see the Masked Man from several years ago save Kushina with his own eyes?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen had a headache as well.

The Masked Man had posed no small threat to the Five Great Ninja Villages back then. They had even specially formed a squad to intercept him.

Only after the Masked Man stopped appearing was the squad disbanded, and the Five Kage abandoned their alliance agreement once more.

And now Danzo suddenly told him that Kushina Uzumaki had been saved by the Masked Man. Wasn't that complete nonsense?

That Masked Man was the chief culprit behind the Nine-Tails' Rampage and Minato Namikaze's death—his useful tool. And now Danzo was telling him the Masked Man knew Kushina?

Why not just say the Masked Man was Kushina's old lover, who had specifically gotten Minato Namikaze, his romantic rival, killed?!

"Hiruzen! You have to believe me! It's true! That damned Nine-Tailed Demoness must be in league with the Masked Man! Otherwise, how could it have been such a coincidence? He suddenly appeared inside the Sealing Array and even saved Kushina."

"Our plan was extremely secretive. How did that Masked Man know the mission was a trap?"

Utatane Koharu was equally puzzled. In arranging the matter involving Kushina, she had expended a great many talismans, and some of the sealing scrolls had also been supplied by her.

"None of that matters now. It's already happened. If Kushina comes back, how are we supposed to handle it?" Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Mitokado Homura.

"Don't worry, Third Hokage. The nobleman in River Country who issued the mission died suddenly three days ago."

Shimura Danzō spoke up at that moment.

"Hiruzen, Kushina may not be coming back. My subordinates reported that one of their senbon struck Kushina. It was coated with Sunagakure's newest poison. There's no antidote available on the market. She's bound to die!"

"Danzō, you need to understand that the Masked Man is also a major threat.

If Kushina dies and the Masked Man takes his anger out on us, that will be another huge problem. So we still need to be on our guard."

"Hiruzen! Of course I understand that.

But unfortunately, my subordinates reported that the Masked Man's Sealing Jutsu is also exceptionally difficult to counter.

According to the intelligence my men sent back, this Sealing Jutsu can seal ninjutsu, destroy seals, and restrain people. It's practically all-purpose!

The only way to break the deadlock is to make another ninja village take the blame. We cannot let the Masked Man conclude that Konoha was responsible."

After Shimura Danzō finished speaking, he took out a scroll and handed it to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "This scroll contains the details of the private transactions between that nobleman from River Country and Sunagakure. It is enough to prove that Sunagakure is the true mastermind behind this."

Sarutobi Hiruzen had not expected his old companions to have truly taken care of everything.

The man was dead, the blame had been pinned elsewhere, and the responsibility had been shifted away. Heh, it seemed Konoha had been deceived too.

"Good. You may leave now." Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand, and the advisors all departed.

Sarutobi Hiruzen then pressed the bell beneath his desk, and an Anbu entered the Hokage Office.

"Go to the Anbu immediately. Send a squad to River Country and inform Kushina that the mission has changed!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen handed a scroll to the Anbu, who promptly departed as well.

"I hope everything goes smoothly."

Sarutobi Hiruzen turned his gaze toward the window of the Hokage Office. Konoha outside was peaceful and tranquil, leaving him deeply moved.

"Only with me as Hokage can Konoha grow ever more prosperous and powerful!"