Return to the Konoha Camp

"Sorry," Minato Namikaze said apologetically. "When I learned that your parents had died in battle, I was very worried about you. Unfortunately, the battlefield couldn't do without me."

Yueguang Han said coldly, "Big Brother Minato, even in the middle of this war, you're still so sentimental! I prefer the sunny you, like a little sun. Big Sister Kushina fell for that side of you—that's why she got together with you! You don't need to feel sorry for me. The ones who killed my parents were the Sand Shinobi."

With that, Yueguang Han raised a hand and tossed something to Minato.

Minato caught it. It was a specially made Three-Pronged Kunai. Though it did not bear the Flying Thunder God Technique, it had his signature on it. Yueguang Han had once shamelessly pestered him for it and even made him sign it.

"Yueguang Han, you're still as smart as ever. Come back to camp with us!" Minato Namikaze said, flashing a sunny smile. What he had said earlier had been sincere, but it had also been a test. Yueguang Han had changed far too much, both in strength and personality. Yet the conversation just now, along with the kunai in his hand, confirmed Yueguang Han's identity. Though he had changed greatly, Minato was certain this was Yueguang Han himself.

"Mm." Yueguang Han gave a quiet acknowledgment. "One Sand Shinobi escaped earlier. We can't keep lying in ambush here, and my information has been exposed. It really is time to head back."

"Do you know who that Sand Shinobi was?" Minato Namikaze asked with a smile.

"I don't know, and I'm not interested in knowing. I'll gather my spoils first. Big Brother Minato, have the others come out. There's no need to hide anymore." Yueguang Han spoke coldly as he continued collecting the forehead protectors from the dead Sand Shinobi.

"Whether you're interested or not, you're about to become famous—very famous. The Sand Shinobi who escaped was their hero, an Elite Jonin: Yakura of the Scorch Release." Looking at Yueguang Han's small figure as he searched through the Sand Shinobi corpses, Minato said with a smile, gesturing toward the distant forest.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...!"

"Lord Minato!"

At Minato Namikaze's signal, the nine Konoha Shinobi hidden in the forest immediately rushed out and came to his side. They stared in astonishment at Yueguang Han, who was searching through the Sand Shinobi corpses, their hearts filled with disbelief. He was clearly just a student who had recently graduated from the ninja academy!

"He is Yueguang Han, a shinobi of Konoha. He only graduated this year and is a Genin, not an enemy," Minato Namikaze told the others.

The hell? He's a Genin? Upon hearing Minato Namikaze's words, the other Konoha Shinobi did not know what expression to make. What village had a Genin capable of single-handedly killing more than a hundred Sand Shinobi and forcing Sand Shinobi hero Yakura to flee? Was he some out-of-control Jinchuriki?

"He really is a Konoha Genin who just graduated. I've known him for several years already," Minato Namikaze explained with a smile when he saw their expressions.

The other Konoha Shinobi looked at one another, and all at once, they felt as though they had lived their lives like dogs.

"Enough. We'll discuss Yueguang Han after we return to camp." Seeing their expressions, Minato Namikaze continued with a smile. "For now, everyone help inspect the bodies!"

"Yes!" The nine Konoha Shinobi immediately answered, suppressing their curiosity as they began cleaning up the battlefield.

"Han, once we return to camp, I'll vouch for you." Minato Namikaze came to Yueguang Han's side and helped search through the Sand Shinobi corpses as he spoke. "After Yakura of the Sand Shinobi escaped this time, the Sand Shinobi will definitely take your information seriously. From now on, they will surely target you on the battlefield. You must be careful."

"I know." Yueguang Han checked the belongings on the Sand Shinobi corpses as he spoke. "Stifling the geniuses of other ninja villages has always been something every ninja village takes pleasure in. Compared to death, I'm more afraid they'll hide from me."

His parents' deaths dealt Han too great a blow, Minato Namikaze thought. After a moment of silence, he said, "Han, you weren't like this before. I don't want my friend to be consumed by hatred."

"Consumed by hatred?" Yueguang Han shook his head. "When news of my parents' deaths reached me, the colors of my world had already vanished. Now, only gray and white remain."

"Han, besides your parents, you still have your kindred spirit, Guy. You have Kushina, you have me, and you have other friends and classmates. You also have other relatives in your clan. And I believe your parents wouldn't want to see you like this either." Minato Namikaze continued, "Everyone hopes you can leave that gray-and-white world behind soon and see the colorful world again."

"I'm about done collecting." Yueguang Han did not respond to Minato Namikaze's words. After stuffing the Explosive Tags he had found on the Sand Shinobi corpses into his clothes, he stood and walked toward the place where he had hidden the Sand Shinobi forehead protectors, wrapping all his spoils in a large cloth bundle.

"Sigh." Watching Yueguang Han walk away, Minato Namikaze let out a sigh. He knew it would take a long time to persuade Yueguang Han. It took a long time to console anyone who had suffered such sorrow. In the end, Yueguang Han himself would have to walk out from beneath his grief and hatred.

"There are actually so many Sand Shinobi forehead protectors!" When Yueguang Han took out all the Sand Shinobi forehead protectors, the Konoha Shinobi other than Minato Namikaze all widened their eyes. There had to be around two hundred of them! Yueguang Han had killed far more Sand Shinobi than they had imagined. Moreover, they had already found the corpses of eight Sand Shinobi Jonin among the pile of bodies. Konoha had truly produced another terrifying genius.

No one spoke along the way. Although the others from Konoha wanted to get closer to Yueguang Han and make his acquaintance, his coldness made them feel somewhat awkward. After hearing Minato Namikaze's explanation, however, none of them blamed or resented Yueguang Han. Instead, they all tried indirectly to cheer him up.

The returning group occasionally shared a few jokes. Yet throughout the journey, Yueguang Han never showed the slightest smile. No matter what was said, his voice remained cold and detached.

"Han, wait here for me a moment. I'll go report the mission first." After returning to camp and walking for a short while, Minato Namikaze spoke to Yueguang Han outside a simple wooden hut.

Since Yueguang Han was not from this camp, he had nowhere to go, and his situation also needed to be reported. It was not appropriate to bring Yueguang Han along while reporting the previous mission, so he could only have Yueguang Han wait first.

"I'll wait here, Big Brother Minato." Yueguang Han nodded. He casually found a spot and sat down. He had less than four hundred Energy Points left in reserve. If he rationed them carefully, they should barely be enough to support him through a hard battle. He needed to find a way to replenish more energy.

(Although he had expended energy while ambushing the Sand Shinobi, he had also replenished it. Besides basking in the sun, Yueguang Han could use Lightning Style ninjutsu to replenish his own Energy Points.)

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