Still have the nerve to protest?

"What?"

The leading Cloud Ninja had sharp instincts. Though startled by the hand emerging from underground, he twisted his body at the last critical moment, his ninja blade slashing fiercely toward the ground.

It only kicked up a cloud of dust. The hands had already vanished without a trace.

When he looked again, only one dead and one wounded comrade remained in the clearing. Kushina and that Namikaze Minato were nowhere to be seen.

Sensing trouble, he didn't dare linger. Abandoning the corpse without hesitation, he grabbed his teammate with the severed hand and prepared to retreat.

As he turned, his peripheral vision caught a figure moving through the trees. Someone in Anbu uniform walked out slowly, their attire identical to the "captain" who had appeared earlier.

The newcomer recognized them as members of the Cloud envoy delegation. Seeing their disheveled state, he stepped forward to ask what had happened.

Before he could speak, the Cloud Ninja's eyes went bloodshot. He raised his ninja blade and charged with a roar:

"Don't push it! You think I'd fall for that trick again?"

"Brother Yoru. When did you use the Clone Technique?"

After successfully rescuing Kushina, Namikaze Minato finally couldn't contain his curiosity and asked the somewhat distracted Namikaze Yoru beside him.

From tracking them out of the village to the skirmish with Cloud, he'd only seen Yoru use the Transformation Technique to disguise himself as the Anbu Captain. He hadn't noticed any use of the Shadow Clone Technique at all.

"Think you can keep up with a pro's hand speed?" Namikaze Yoru deflected vaguely, then shifted the topic. "Those two moves of yours were decisive. You're going to be an incredible ninja someday. When you become Hokage, remember to look out for your big bro."

Namikaze Minato scratched his head at this, smiling sheepishly with some embarrassment.

"But remember, if you ever fight Cloud ninja, try not to pick nighttime," Yoru added, his tone dead serious. "We're naturally at a disadvantage in night battles."

"???"

Minato was caught off guard by the random remark. Before he could think it over, the topic had already been derailed.

Namikaze Yoru breathed a quiet sigh of relief. If pressed further, his whole plan would have been exposed.

As for when he'd used the Clone Technique?

Naturally, from the moment he'd met Minato at Kushina's door, that "Namikaze Yoru" had already been a Shadow Clone. The one who finally emerged from the earth at the battle's end was the real body, having sprinted the whole way and barely arrived in time.

Originally, Yoru had plenty of ways to avoid those blocking Anbu ninja. He'd only struck so boldly because he feared missing the timing.

After all, if the Shadow Clone had suddenly popped mid-mission, the consequences would have been disastrous. Fortunately, everything had gone as planned.

Watching Minato still soothing the startled Kushina, Namikaze Yoru inexplicably felt like a single dog taking critical damage.

Even if playing matchmaker for them was his intention—after all, the future was full of uncertainty, and it was entirely possible he'd derail the plotline as a "butterfly" one day.

But if possible, Yoru still wanted to lie low until the plot began. Only then could he maximize the advantage of his foreknowledge. For now, he needed to set his pieces carefully.

"Ahem... I hate to interrupt, but I'm still here..."

Seeing the two already practically radiating pink bubbles, Yoru cut in at an inopportune moment. Kushina seemed to realize the situation belatedly, her face flushing bright red.

And Namikaze Minato remained his usual sunny, cheerful self, making Yoru wonder if what he lacked was that kind of "naturally charming" thick skin.

Otherwise, why was it that he was also a "blondie" with looks no worse than Minato's, yet he'd never triggered any romance flags during his academy days?

But clutching the scroll in his arms, Yoru was in high spirits. The smile never left his face.

The three of them no longer hurried. Under the cover of night, they strolled unhurriedly back toward the village.

Konoha, Hokage's Office.

"Still nothing?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's furious voice echoed through the Hokage's Office. If he didn't need to hold the fort at headquarters, he'd have wanted to go himself.

The atmosphere in the office was heavy. The advisors Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were both present.

"Hiruzen, we're short on ninja right now. Everyone we could send has been sent."

Utatane Koharu thought Hiruzen was overreacting, but as a Hokage Advisor, she knew Konoha needed to show resolve.

"This is Konoha. The strongest ninja village, founded by Senju Hashirama and my teacher, Tobirama Senju!"

Bang. Hiruzen Sarutobi's palm slammed heavily onto the Hokage's desk. The aura of the "Hero of the Shinobi" burst forth.

"And now you're telling me someone assassinated their descendant right here in Konoha? How am I supposed to face my teacher? How am I supposed to face the First Hokage?"

Mitokado Homura remained silent. He knew any words now were futile. They could only wait for the search results below.

Suddenly, a message arrived from Anbu. Hiruzen read it, froze for a moment, then his face turned iron-gray with rage.

"Cloud's trying to make trouble for me too?"

Taking the intelligence report, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged glances.

Cloud had taken advantage of the chaos to kidnap an Uzumaki clan member, only to have her rescued by a genin and a student from the village. Cloud had even suffered casualties in the process and was now protesting the Anbu's "excessive use of force."

In normal times, Konoha might have "raised it high and set it down light" as a formality. But right now, no one had the energy to deal with it.

"Drive them all back to the Land of Lightning. These dark-skinned bastards think they can do whatever they want!"

"Homura. Isn't this somewhat inappropriate? After all, the Treaty was just concluded..." Mitokado Homura, who had remained silent until now, offered a cautious admonishment.

"Then send a squad to 'escort' them back!" Hiruzen Sarutobi bit heavily on the word "escort."

"By daybreak, I don't want to see a single Cloud Ninja in Konoha!"

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's attitude, the two advisors found it hard to say more, especially since even they felt the Cloud Ninja's behavior was truly sickening.

"And what about that boy from the Namikaze clan who knocked out the ANBU and killed the Cloud Ninja delegation? How should he be dealt with?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag from the pipe in his hand, pondered for a moment, then said:

"Kushina is now a Konoha ninja. And ever since news of the Land of Whirlpools' fall arrived, Lady Uzumaki Mito's body... hasn't much time left. We need to reward them, to make Kushina truly acknowledge Konoha and become a suitable vessel for the next Jinchuriki."

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi had already made his decision, the two nodded in agreement. After all, matters involving the Jinchuriki could not be handled without the utmost caution.

If, over such trivial issues, the next Jinchuriki became estranged and disaffected, it would be a difficult mess to clean up.

But they never imagined that the very Namikaze Yoru they intended to reward was also the mastermind behind this massive Konoha manhunt.

All of this was a carefully laid scheme of his.

And at this moment, this "hero" was leisurely strolling back to the village, teasing the young man and woman beside him while meticulously reviewing in his mind: In this grand performance, had he left any flaws exposed?