Rōran

Outside Konohagakure, in a dense forest.

A group of five sped between the trees.

As they moved, Namikaze Minato explained the mission. "According to the intelligence, an enormous, unusual mass of chakra lies deep beneath the Country of Roran. It serves as an energy source that keeps the country running."

"They call this energy the Dragon Vein."

"However, not long ago, the Dragon Vein began to run wild. After investigating without success, the current Queen of Roran, Sara, requested help from Sunagakure to prevent anything bad from happening in the town. The mission was classified as A-rank."

"Now that Sunagakure has been defeated, the mission has been assigned to us in Konoha."

"Since this is a mission across national borders, Lord Hokage raised its rank to S."

"Our job is to investigate the cause of the Dragon Vein's disturbance. If necessary, we can seal it. During the mission, everyone also needs to watch out for one thing: Sunagakure may attack us out of revenge."

After hearing Minato's briefing, everyone's expressions grew solemn.

Uchiha Aoba was no exception, though he was only putting on an act. From what he knew, this trip to Rōran would be a mission with no real danger.

Besides, even if you gave Sunagakure a hundred times the nerve, they wouldn't dare attack a team that included Minato.

The Yellow Flash's reputation was well earned.

After a day and a half of forced marching, the five reached the border of the Land of Wind.

They stood atop a tall cliff.

Minato gazed down at the distant Country of Roran and began planning their operation.

After a while, he finally spoke.

"Choza, Aoba, and I will head into the Country of Roran to investigate."

"Shibi, your insects can warn us of danger, so you'll stay here on guard. Kakashi, help him out."

"If you spot any Sunagakure ninja, launch a signal flare immediately."

"Understood."

Shibi Aburame and Kakashi answered in unison.

Uchiha Aoba relaxed. He had been genuinely worried that Minato would make him and Kakashi stay behind.

He'd finally gotten the chance to take part in an S-rank mission. He didn't want to end up doing nothing and calling it a day.

Fortunately, Minato hadn't made that choice.

So Aoba followed the two of them straight into Rōran.

Half an hour later, the three entered the city.

Looking at the tall buildings that rose all around them, Minato's expression flickered. He seemed to have noticed something—or perhaps he was simply surprised that such a well-developed country existed on the border of the Land of Wind.

At that moment, Uchiha Aoba's expression changed.

His Three-Tomoe Sharingan focused on the pipes connecting the buildings, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

When he'd watched the movie in his previous life, he hadn't thought much of it.

Seeing it with his own eyes now, he couldn't help but marvel at the lengths Mukade had gone to in order to control the Dragon Vein.

"What's wrong?"

Choza Akimichi noticed his reaction and asked.

"Did you find something?"

Minato asked as well.

Aoba raised a hand and pointed at the pipes. "Lord Minato, Senior Choza, these pipes connecting the buildings are all conduits for chakra."

"Through my Sharingan, I can see that they spread across the entire city like a spiderweb."

"They run from the surface all the way down underground."

"If I'm not mistaken, the Dragon Vein is down there."

Minato's expression turned grave.

"Then it seems the Dragon Vein's disturbance really was caused by someone. This could get tricky."

"Aoba, you'll lead the way. We'll follow the flow of chakra and investigate further."

But then—

A massive explosion suddenly rang out in the city.

"Boom!"

All three turned toward the sound.

After a brief moment of thought, Minato put on a mask and hurried toward the explosion. Aoba and Choza followed close behind him.

A moment later—

A blond-haired boy in a yellow outfit, with a Konoha Forehead Protector on his head, appeared before them.

Several strange puppets were chasing him, and he dodged their attacks in a desperate, disheveled scramble.

"Why are there other Konoha ninja here?"

Minato narrowed his eyes and thought, Lord Hokage shouldn't have sent anyone else.

"Who is that boy?"

"Minato, should we help him?" Choza asked.

Minato nodded.

"I'll look for a chance to rescue him. Choza, Aoba, you two deal with the puppets."

"Let's go."

By then, the blond boy had been blasted underground by an energy cannon fired by the puppets.

Minato vanished in a flash.

No matter how suspicious the boy seemed, as long as he wore Konoha's Forehead Protector, he was one of the village's own. Minato would never stand by and watch him face danger.

The team leader had given the order, so Aoba and Choza naturally didn't object.

When they plunged underground, they saw Minato wrap an arm around the waist of the blond boy, who was desperately swinging his Kunai to fend off the attacks. Then Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the two disappeared.

The four puppets in midair pulled back their attacks, then tried to give chase.

Choza landed and used Partial Expansion Jutsu. His enlarged right hand slapped two of them to pieces.

Before Aoba even touched down, he drew the long sword at his waist, fed chakra into it, and slashed at the Chakra Threads controlling the puppets. He severed their connection to the pipes in one stroke.

The two puppets went rigid, then broke apart and fell to the ground.

Afterward, Aoba sheathed his sword and looked up.

The blond boy Minato had rescued was sitting cross-legged on a platform, looking confused as he said something.

Aoba didn't pay much attention to that. Instead, the system's notification made him frown.

According to the system's judgment—

Each puppet only increased his fusion progress by 0.1%, so two of them amounted to just 0.2%.

So one puppet was worth one Genin?

Aoba clicked his tongue in annoyance. Given how strong Rōran's puppets were, how could each one be worth only 0.1%? He seriously suspected the system was deliberately suppressing his power.

If that was the case, then he'd have to rely on sheer numbers to bring about a qualitative change.

After all, there were plenty more puppets in Rōran.

Once he'd sorted out his thoughts, Aoba left the underground area and appeared beside Minato. He looked at the blond boy, who was staring blankly at them and sizing them up, and couldn't help finding it amusing.

But the next second, he stopped smiling.

The blond boy exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Big bro, why is there a kid on your team?"

"And why are you all wearing masks?"

"..."

"Who are you calling a kid?" Aoba demanded coldly.

"How is twelve young? How many years older than me are you?"

"Hahaha."

Minato laughed at the boy's words. Seeing the hostility radiating from Aoba, he hurried to explain, "He only looks young. He's a bona fide Jonin."

"Eh!?" The blond boy was astonished.

"All right, but more importantly..."

Minato looked at the wound on the blond boy's left leg, which was still bleeding.

"We should treat your injury first."