The night was deep.
In the central plains of the Land of Earth, the wind howled.
This was the most important grain-producing region of the Land of Earth, the very heart of its supply system.
Dozens of giant granaries stood like small mountains, casting heavy shadows under the moonlight.
Around the granaries, security was extremely tight.
More than five hundred Iwa shinobi were divided into multiple patrol teams, sweeping every inch of land without rest.
From the tall watchtowers, beams of searchlights crossed back and forth, leaving no suspicious corner unchecked.
This place had become a fortress. Not even a fly could get in.
However.
Within this seemingly impregnable defense line, a golden flash appeared without warning in the shadow of a granary.
Minato materialized silently.
He crouched low, his golden hair swaying slightly, his blue eyes calmly assessing the surroundings.
Only a few minutes ago, he had been at the Konoha border, thousands of kilometers away.
Now, he had infiltrated Iwa's most protected area using the Flying Thunder God Technique, relying on markers pre-placed by Kakashi and the others.
"Kakashi and the team did well," Minato thought silently.
He sensed at least a dozen Flying Thunder God markers nearby, positioned around different granaries.
Beyond that, dozens more were set up for mobility, allowing tactical retreat or pursuit.
Minato did not move immediately. He observed quietly, memorizing patrol timing and searching for the best opening.
Minutes passed.
Then finally.
A brief gap appeared when two Iwa patrol teams crossed paths.
Now.
Minato acted instantly, taking out dozens of explosive tags inscribed with special formulas.
His figure flickered through the night.
Each flash brought him to another granary.
Each appearance left several explosive tags attached.
Every movement was smooth and extremely fast.
The Iwa guards on watch, half-asleep, had no idea someone had slipped right past them.
In less than a minute.
Every granary was loaded with enough explosive tags to blow them apart.
"Done."
Minato reappeared at the edge of the plains, far from the cluster of granaries.
He formed hand seals. "...Game over."
"Explode."
Boom.
Deafening explosions tore through the night sky.
Dozens of giant granaries were engulfed in flames and shockwaves at once.
Columns of fire shot up into the sky.
The ground shook violently.
Burning fragments of wood and what should have been grain scattered hundreds of meters into the air before falling like embers.
"Enemy attack!"
"What happened?"
"The granaries! The granaries exploded!"
Sirens and panicked shouts rang out across the burning camp.
Iwa shinobi rushed from their barracks, staring in disbelief at the inferno that moments earlier had been their supply base.
Minato stood in the distance, watching the destruction he had caused.
There was no joy on his face.
His brows tightened.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The explosions were far weaker than he expected.
And... there was no scent of burning grain. Instead, a pungent smell filled the air.
Like scorched stone.
A terrible thought surged to the surface.
Minato jumped instantly, arriving at the ruined granary closest to him.
By the light of the flames, he saw it clearly.
No grain.
Not a single grain.
The giant granaries were filled entirely with stones.
Large and small rocks crackled inside the flames.
"I was tricked."
Minato's expression darkened.
A trap.
Realizing this, he turned at once and prepared to teleport away using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
But it was already too late.
"Hehehe... Konoha's Yellow Flash, you finally came."
"This old man has been waiting for you."
Onoki's aged voice echoed from every direction.
"Since you're here, why leave so soon?"
"Earth Release, Super Added-Weight Rock Technique."
Rumble.
The earth trembled and churned violently.
The ground beneath Minato rose as if alive.
Massive earth walls surged upward, sealing off every escape route and forming an enormous cage around him.
A seamless stone prison enclosed him completely.
At the same time.
Figures appeared atop the walls.
Hundreds of cold gazes locked onto Minato.
A net, closing from all directions.
Floating in the sky was a short old man with a large red nose.
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.
Behind him were hundreds of elite Iwa shinobi, each releasing powerful chakra.
"To welcome such an important guest, this old man did not even go to the front lines," Onoki said smugly, looking down at the trapped Minato.
"You knew I would come?" Minato asked. His voice held no fear.
Even surrounded, he maintained the calm of a true Kage.
"Naturally," Onoki huffed.
"Since Minato became famous, his specialty has been sneaking behind enemy lines with the Flying Thunder God Technique to destroy key targets."
"Did you not blow up Iwa's Kannabi Bridge during the Third Ninja War?"
"Did you think we would not learn?"
"It is difficult for a person to change their habits." A mocking glint flashed in Onoki's eyes.
"From the moment this war started, this old man calculated that Konoha would repeat this tactic."
"And you, Minato, were the obvious choice."
"So this old man moved the real granaries long ago."
"Here, what I prepared for you is something... special."
Onoki's explanation made Minato's heart grow heavy.
Kakashi and the others had likely been allowed to infiltrate on purpose, all to lure him in.
And Iwa had predicted correctly.
"It seems leaving will not be easy today."
Minato stood straight, gripping his Flying Thunder God kunai.
"But just a few hundred people. That underestimates me."
Battle intent surged in his eyes.
Even surrounded, he was still the Yellow Flash, the man feared across the nations.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)