Who Are Partners, and Who Are Enemies?

"Are we really just going to stand by and watch?"

Yahiko clenched his fists.

In his eyes, Kyoichi had no understanding of the suffering of small countries. He stood on the side of the great nations and criticized them from above, which made Yahiko loathe him.

Kyoichi shook his head, not dwelling on the topic. "You said you're trying to achieve peace. What's your method?"

"The conflicts between the great nations leave our small countries with nowhere to live. With Amegakure's strength, if we unite the smaller villages, we can form a force capable of persuading the great nations to cease hostilities."

Yahiko spoke.

"Why would they?"

"Huh?"

"Why would the small countries listen to you? Why would Hanzo listen to you? Why would the great nations listen to you?"

Kyoichi spread his hands.

Naive.

Akatsuki wanted to change the balance of power, yet with only this much military strength, they thought they could unite the smaller countries and intimidate the great nations...

The idea was good.

Unfortunately.

It could probably only be realized in a dream—or if Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan became as powerful as Hashirama and Madara.

Then again.

With that kind of strength, why would they need the support of the small countries or Hanzo?

They could just charge in and settle everything.

"This benefits all the small countries, so why..."

Yahiko stopped halfway, stunned. For a moment, he could not continue.

As he answered, he suddenly realized that something was wrong.

"You think it benefits them, but does everyone think the same way? Take Takigakure, for example."

"This..."

Yahiko was dumbfounded.

Back then, Takigakure had been given a tailed beast.

Among the small countries, if one asked which was the strongest apart from Amegakure, the answer would certainly be Takigakure.

But.

Would Takigakure listen to him?

Those small countries that were vassals of the great nations received considerable support every year. As long as they had a ninja village within their borders, they could maintain a certain degree of peace.

Furthermore.

Each small village might harbor ambitions of accumulating strength and developing until one day it could surpass the great nations. Takigakure was exactly that kind of village.

Everyone had complicated motives. How could they unite?

He could not say a word.

"Let me ask one more thing. Once the small-country alliance is formed, who will be in charge—Hanzo or you? It's obvious that you aren't on the same side as that demigod."

"..."

Yahiko was stumped again.

Who would lead?

Himself?

Following Kyoichi's reasoning, that was clearly impossible. The small countries would never agree.

But.

If they did not unite, how could they stand against the great nations?

"Do you know what the other small countries want? Look at you. You haven't even figured out who your allies and enemies are, yet you think you can achieve peace. Give it a rest. This will only hurt others and yourself."

After speaking, Kyoichi put away the Thunder God Sword.

Minato could not find a response.

Kyoichi's words...

They were astonishing!

Even he had been stumped, let alone the three of Yahiko.

"That's all I have to say. As for this boy, Senior Minato, you can decide what to do with him. I'm only a newly promoted Jonin. I don't know how to handle this sort of thing either."

After speaking, Kyoichi's body immediately turned into foam.

The familiar Body Flicker Technique.

Minato fell silent.

You had just unleashed a barrage of words, then ran off without a second thought.

What about me?

I'm only a Shadow Clone!

He looked toward Yahiko and Konan. Fortunately, neither of them seemed intent on making a move.

"Wait!"

Yahiko finally came to his senses.

Kyoichi had escaped too quickly.

By the time he reacted, the person in front of him was already gone.

He looked at Minato, then at Konan and Nagato, who lay unconscious in the distance. After thinking it over again and again, he gritted his teeth and said, "Senior Minato, could you let Konan take Nagato away while I go with you? I want to ask that Jonin for guidance again."

"This..."

Minato was somewhat troubled.

Kyoichi's questions were too profound. He had brought up numerous contradictions, and those contradictions could not be resolved in a few words. Otherwise, the shinobi world would not have remained in chaos until now.

Besides.

For the moment, he did not know how to deal with Yahiko.

But after thinking it over, Nagato seemed to possess some special ability, while Konan's paper techniques combined with Explosive Tags posed a greater threat to the children. Yahiko, on the other hand, would be the easiest to deal with if he brought him back.

That was because Yahiko was rational enough.

Yahiko knew perfectly well what could and could not be done—apart from trying to use the strength of the small countries against the great nations.

Although he was naive, Minato understood that peace was Jiraiya's dream, their dream, and even his own. He currently had no idea how to achieve it, while Yahiko and the others had at least begun taking action.

There was nothing to ridicule.

He believed that mocking them had not been Kyoichi's true intention either.

"I know. Earlier, I was very excited, thinking that my efforts could bring peace to the shinobi world. But now I'm completely lost..."

Yahiko sighed deeply.

Peace?

Forget the shinobi world. Going by what Kyoichi had said, Yahiko might not even be able to deal with Hanzo.

Although Nagato and his subordinates trusted him deeply, that very trust made it even more impossible for him to make such a rash decision—especially after someone had pointed out the flaws in his plan.

Minato, however, was pondering something else. If Kyoichi's squad had not arrived, he would never have given chase, and he and Yahiko's group would naturally have missed each other.

So.

The current situation was truly the result of a chain reaction.

Squad One had carried out its mission, discovered a band of wandering bandits, and interrogated them to learn that a ninja force had appeared in the Land of Rivers.

They had come to provide support and discovered Yahiko.

Minato sorted through his thoughts, scratched his head, and wore a troubled expression.

Kyoichi had left him with a difficult problem, then run away himself.

"All right. Come with me. Konan, take him back so your people won't worry."

Minato thought it over.

It was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. At present, Konoha did not have the ability to provoke Amegakure, much less the strength to wipe out this group of ninjas.

Besides.

Yahiko and the others had not done anything. There was no need to exterminate them.

"Thank you!"

Yahiko bowed deeply.

He knew.

This put Minato in a difficult position, especially since he was now asking Minato to take him back...

But.

Minato had still agreed, which filled him with pleasant surprise.

"Yahiko, this..."

"Konan, take Nagato back. Don't worry about me. I'll be back soon."

Yahiko comforted Konan.

"Be careful."

Konan's feelings were complicated.

Unlike Yahiko, she did not think about so many things. She only wanted to live peacefully with Yahiko and Nagato, but Yahiko had his own pursuit—peace.

It had been born from their experiences as children and nurtured by the wish Jiraiya had taught them.

Akatsuki itself had been founded for that reason.

But.

Those few words from Kyoichi had nearly overturned all of Yahiko's ideas.

Konan had no answer to give him. She could only let Yahiko seek one for himself. Besides, she knew that Akatsuki would have to explain this operation to Konoha.

Otherwise, perhaps Hanzo would truly do as Kyoichi had said and move against Akatsuki.

She wrapped Nagato in paper and watched Yahiko leave with Minato.

After leaving that area, Kyoichi quickly headed toward Asuma and the others.

From far away, he heard the commotion.

However.

The fighting should have ended. Most of what he heard now were voices begging for mercy.

The Minato there was only a clone, so Kyoichi was not worried about that side. Minato was, after all, the Yellow Flash who would later become famous throughout the shinobi world. If he could not even handle these bandits, it would be a tremendous embarrassment.

"Teacher is back!"

Kurenai Yuhi sensed Kyoichi approaching and immediately brightened with joy.

Although Minato Namikaze had treated them well, it always felt as though something was missing when their teacher was not there.