The more he saw this, the more Minato's heart ached for the child. He looked six or seven years old, an age when he should have been laughing and playing at his parents' side.
Instead, he was living all alone.
"It's all right. Come with us."
As he spoke, Minato took the child by the hand and brought him back to their lodging.
The proprietress was not surprised at all when she saw them.
"Get him a room, one with a bath."
"Certainly, honored guest. How many days?"
"Three days. We'll settle the bill when we check out. Send up three meals a day as well."
The proprietress agreed at once. She knew these people were not short on money.
She then had a maid take the little boy to his room.
Torikaze and the other two returned to Windcloud Mountain's room.
"Minato, what are you planning? Are you taking this child back to Konoha?"
Minato nodded. "That's what I had in mind. I'll arrange for him to stay at Konoha's Orphanage."
"He'll have a place to live and be able to study. Whether he learns a trade or chooses another path in the future, at least he'll have a way forward."
Torikaze nodded. "If that's the case, then make the decision yourself."
Minato was Konoha's Hokage. He could naturally decide such matters as he pleased, and Torikaze would not interfere.
"You can also check whether the child has talent as a ninja. If he does, that would be even better."
Minato truly had not considered that. "All right, I'll go check in a bit."
The child could still retain his innocence because he had only recently left the Orphanage.
If he continued growing up like this, he would most likely become one of those bandits or thieves in the