Minato Namikaze froze on the spot.
Yes, he was utterly dumbfounded.
Who could have imagined that Might Duy, a seemingly unremarkable genin, concealed enough strength to rival a Kage? It sounded like a joke.
But on second thought, Yan Uchiha had no reason to lie to him about something like this.
The corner of Minato Namikaze's mouth twitched. The Uchiha had snapped up such a powerful ninja just like that. In the end, wasn't it the Hokage's faction that had failed to recognize his worth and let all that fighting strength go to waste?
"All right."
"I won't tell anyone about Duy. But he's kind by nature, so you'd better treat him well."
"There aren't many ninja that pure left these days."
Minato Namikaze's voice was full of feeling as he said this.
He had once thought the village's ninja were all decent people. But after Yan Uchiha opened his eyes, he suddenly realized they were all like parasites clinging to the village and sucking its blood.
The fact that he hadn't flown into a rage on the spot was already proof of his good temper.
Now that he had met a ninja like Might Duy, who devoted himself entirely to training with no ulterior motives, Minato couldn't help feeling a certain fondness for him. If Yan Uchiha hadn't discovered him first, Minato might well have recruited him himself.
The two chatted briefly, then called everyone else over.
Once everyone had gathered, Yan Uchiha spoke first.
"Everyone, my real mission has arrived."
"From this point on, I can't continue traveling with you."
"When Minato isn't around, Shisui will handle all arrangements, with Kakashi assisting him."
He paused when he mentioned Kakashi.
"Kakashi, don't hold it against me. Your beliefs have taken too heavy a blow. It'll be hard for you