"Minato-sensei!"
In the mountain hollow, Rin suddenly ran into Minato's arms and began to sob, her body shaking.
Beside them, Kakashi and Obito felt their noses sting as they watched Rin finally release her emotions.
They had been apart for less than half a month, yet Team 7 seemed to have already endured a trial of life and death.
Looking at the travel-worn Liumu and the other three, Minato smiled faintly and reached out to pat each of them on the head.
Liumu had always been quite well known in Konoha.
Both his status as Jiraiya's disciple and the rumors of his breaking the records for Chunin and Special Jōnin had brought him great fame.
Now that both the Yellow Flash and Konoha's greatest genius had gathered on the main battlefield, confidence immediately filled the ranks of Konoha's ninja.
Liumu told Minato about the battle in the mountain ravine earlier, then looked up toward the distant Iwagakure position and asked, "How are things here?"
Minato shook his head at the question.
"Although we're at a stalemate for now, what worries me most at the moment is that group of Mist Shadow ninja who appeared in the dense forest."
Everyone knew that the Iwagakure ninja had launched a surprise attack on Konoha, but the Mist Shadow ninja had appeared suddenly, then vanished without a trace after the battle in the forest.
They were like lurkers, waiting for Konoha's forces to make a mistake.
What could be seen was not frightening. What was frightening was those eyes hidden in the dark.
Minato understood that well, but the Iwagakure ninja were currently keeping him occupied, leaving him no time to investigate Kirigakure's whereabouts.
"This is bad. Could they have already gone around the front to attack Konoha's supply lines?"
The possibility suddenly