To keep Uchiha Obito from continuing to jinx himself and prevent the story from taking an unexpected turn, Uchiha Aoba hurriedly stopped him from saying anything else and focused on eating.
Once the two had finished their ramen and paid, they headed for the Konoha Gate together.
By the time they arrived, others were already waiting, including Namikaze Minato, who was leading the group.
Seeing Uchiha Aoba arrive with Uchiha Obito, Namikaze Minato nodded for them to come over. Kakashi and Nohara Rin arrived soon afterward.
Seeing that Uchiha Obito had arrived even earlier than he had, Kakashi couldn't help making a sarcastic remark. "Well, looks like Minato-sensei was absolutely right. Someone has to keep an eye on you."
"Hmph! What's that supposed to mean?"
Uchiha Obito put his hands on his hips, displeased. "Even without Aoba, I could've gotten here early this time."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that."
Kakashi scoffed.
Uchiha Obito felt a surge of anger. "Damn you, Kakashi, you—"
"Okay, you two, stop arguing."
Nohara Rin was used to the two of them picking fights the moment they met, but she had to step in now. This wasn't the time for them to fool around.
As the saying went, there was always someone who could keep you in check.
When Nohara Rin showed her displeasure, Kakashi and Obito both fell silent.
Watching from the side, Uchiha Aoba found it amusing. He gave Nohara Rin a thumbs-up to show his admiration.
She looked at him, a lovely smile spreading across her face.
For a while, they stood silently behind Namikaze Minato, watching him quickly write on a sheet of paper as more and more shinobi arrived to assemble.
About forty minutes later, Namikaze Minato put down his pen. That meant all the shinobi had arrived, both those from the various clans and the civilians who had been drafted.
He wasted no time on unnecessary words or a pre-battle speech.
They were better off using that time to cover more ground.
Namikaze Minato swept his hand forward. "Move out! We must reach the front-line camp within three days!"
"Yes, sir!"
The thousand-strong group answered in unison.
Their voices were so loud that half of Konoha could hear them clearly.
The journey passed without incident.
The third day after their departure arrived quickly.
At the front-line camp, Jiraiya received word that Namikaze Minato and his troops had arrived. He immediately left his tent and went out to greet them.
Under normal circumstances, Jiraiya shouldn't have done that.
Setting aside their difference in status, the fact that Jiraiya was Namikaze Minato's teacher made the gesture seem even more unusual.
What teacher would go out to greet his student? It was completely backward.
Then again, Jiraiya had never been one to stand on ceremony. On top of that, he had been under immense pressure from the war lately.
In private, he had often complained that the old man, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was being unreasonable.
They had barely finished fighting Sunagakure before Sarutobi Hiruzen sent him to the Iwagakure front to fight another war. He was being treated like a workhorse. So when Namikaze Minato arrived, Jiraiya was delighted to go and welcome him.
"Jiraiya-sensei."
Seeing Jiraiya, Namikaze Minato hurried over, greeting him happily.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
"By Lord Hokage's orders, I've brought a thousand people to reinforce you. Here's the roster."
"You've had a long journey."
Jiraiya took the list and happily slapped Namikaze Minato on the shoulder.
"Now that you're here, I can finally breathe easy."
"Come, let's go to my tent first. I'll bring you up to speed on the situation at the front."
"Of course, sensei."
Namikaze Minato smiled and nodded, then added, "Please wait a moment."
He turned to face the group.
"Everyone, disperse here. Go to the Logistics Department to collect your supplies, then take a little time to rest and recover."
He then addressed his four students. "Kakashi, Obito, Rin, you should go rest too."
"Aoba, come with me to the tent."
Once he had finished giving his instructions and everyone had agreed, he turned back to Jiraiya. "Sensei, let's go."
Not long afterward, the three of them entered the main tent.
Jiraiya didn't immediately explain the situation at the front. Instead, he asked curiously, "Minato, you haven't introduced me to this Uchiha boy yet. Who is he?"
"Sensei, I was just about to tell you."
Namikaze Minato put a hand on Uchiha Aoba's shoulder. "He's my newest student, Uchiha Aoba. He may only be thirteen, but he already has the strength of an elite jonin."
Jiraiya looked over in surprise.
An elite jonin at thirteen, and a member of the Uchiha Clan, no less.
Then, as if he'd thought of something, the surprise on his face gradually gave way to warmth. "If he's your student, then he's no stranger. By extension, that makes him my grandstudent."
"That's true enough."
Namikaze Minato scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
Uchiha Aoba was speechless. By the usual reckoning, even without his connection to Namikaze Minato, Jiraiya was indeed two generations above him. Still, hearing it said so plainly made him feel rather uncomfortable.
Whatever he thought, he remained polite on the surface and greeted him. "Hello, Lord Jiraiya."
"Mm."
Jiraiya nodded. Along with what he had said earlier, that made it clear he fully accepted their connection.
"Now, down to business."
At that, Uchiha Aoba and Namikaze Minato immediately grew serious.
Jiraiya took out a map and explained the situation at the front, pointing things out as he spoke.
"The situation isn't looking good. After that old rascal Ōnoki won the battle against Kumogakure using sheer numbers, he began sending more and more troops to our front. It's as if he won't stop until he wins this war."
"So we have to be ready for Iwagakure to launch a surprise attack at any moment, or we could be caught completely off guard."
"Of course, we can't just sit back and defend."
"With the thousand people Minato brought, our numbers are now nearly on par with Iwagakure's. I'm going to teach them a painful lesson."
Jiraiya paused, giving Uchiha Aoba and Namikaze Minato a moment to absorb what he'd said. Then he pointed to a spot on the map.
"Also, look here."
"Kannabi Bridge."
"Normally, it's an unremarkable place, but now it could be the key to turning the tide of the war."
"According to detailed intelligence from Danzo's Root, Kannabi Bridge is now an indispensable part of Iwagakure's supply route."
Danzo? Root?
The two words Jiraiya had let slip unintentionally drew Uchiha Aoba's attention away.
He didn't hear a single word of the conversation between Jiraiya and Namikaze Minato that followed.
Only one thought remained in his mind.
That old Danzo had finally done something decent.
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