At some point, Minato had appeared beside Uchiha Shingen, staring coldly at the Third Raikage.
Kakashi stood warily beside him, gripping his kunai tightly, but the sweat dripping from his forehead still betrayed his fear.
He knew exactly how sharp Uchiha Shingen's blade was, which made him all too aware of what kind of monster the Third Raikage had to be to hold the Remnant Flame Sword so easily in his hand.
Whether anyone in Konoha could stop the Third Raikage before them was an open question!
Silence fell, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere weighing on everyone present.
With a hiss, Kotetsu's blade cooled. Uchiha Shingen pulled it from the Third Raikage's hand, but instead of sheathing it, he kept it in his grip.
His fighting spirit had not diminished in the slightest. If anything, it boiled even more fiercely!
This old bastard is the real obstacle to my life of slacking off!
I won't rest easy until I cut him down!
As for whether Minato would abandon him, the question had never even crossed Uchiha Shingen's mind.
"I refuse!"
Minato's voice rang out, as firm as ever, without the slightest hesitation or concession.
The Third Raikage was hardly surprised. A hint of mockery even entered his eyes. "You may be the successor Hiruzen Sarutobi favors, but you're still only his successor."
"You have no authority to make this decision."
"Send word back to Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi will give me the answer I want."
The Third Raikage did not know Minato, but after decades of fighting the Third Hokage on multiple occasions, he understood that man well enough.
Compromising, yielding, indecisive, softhearted-these were labels the Third Hokage could never shake.
It was not hard to guess what decision such a man would make in this situation.
"Using a tactic like that