Generally speaking, bounty hunters are not people who can be brought to the forefront.
But there are also those powerful ninjas and samurais who do not belong to the National and Ninja Village system, engaging in Underground Black Market work.
Clearly, the Nokizaru Group is such a team.
"Yes."
Minato also sighed.
His teacher Jiraiya, who is one of the Sannin and one of the top ninjas in the Ninja Realm, might have underestimated something, but being able to defeat Jiraiya shows some problems.
The Nokizaru Group is no ordinary ninja mercenary.
The combined strength of the five members surpasses that of the Sannin.
It's the first time Minato felt that the Underground Black Market is indeed full of hidden masters. Such powerful bounty hunters like the Nokizaru Group are rare but not uncommon.
"Furthermore, compared to Jiraiya-sensei, I'm more worried about Kakashi's safety now."
Minato frowned, the shadow of concern lingering.
"Kakashi? What happened to him?"
"To ensure Jiraiya-sensei's safe escape, Kakashi led away the Nokizaru Group's pursuers alone, and there's still no news."
Minato replied.
Hiruzen and Tsunade fell into silence.
If Jiraiya was heavily injured and unable to fight, having Kakashi lead away the pursuers to ensure that the rest of Anbu could safely escort Jiraiya back to Konoha was indeed the best choice.
But that's a formidable enemy that even Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, could be defeated by, and with Kakashi's strength, the likelihood of survival is slim.
Unlike Tsunade's sigh, Hiruzen's face was not only filled with sighs but also guilt.
Konoha and he himself owe the Hatake clan far too much.
Before long, the Anbu returned, bringing ninjas from the Hyuga Clan and the Aburame Clan.
Hyuga Hizashi and Aburame Shibi were the Hyuga and Aburame ninjas brought by the Anbu.
Tsunade took the two inside and began the follow-up surgery.
After seeing Tsunade and the others enter, Minato was left alone in the hallway with the Third Hokage Hiruzen, apart from the Anbu providing security around.
"Third Lord, I have some matters I'd like to discuss with you, could you come over?"
Minato made a decision and said to Hiruzen.
"Uh? Of course."
Hiruzen was stunned for a moment, then followed Minato away from the hallway outside the operating room and stopped in a secluded area.
"You can speak here, Minato."
Hiruzen was curious about what Minato wanted to say to him.
Minato did not speak immediately but took out a scroll from inside his robe and placed it in front of Hiruzen.
"This is the intel brought back by Jiraiya-sensei and the Anbu, and I've already sent people to conduct a field investigation at the marked location, and I believe there will soon be results."
Minato's seemingly nonsensical comment left Hiruzen feeling even more puzzled.
He could only take the scroll and open it to read the contents inside.
At first, his expression didn't change much, but after a while, Hiruzen's face turned ashen and he fell silent.
The surroundings fell into dead silence, and the atmosphere quickly froze.
Finally, Hiruzen trembled as he closed his eyes, clenched the scroll with his fist tightly.
"I don't want to meddle in the affairs of the Root, but I think Elder Danzo needs to be restrained a bit."
The meaning is that if Hiruzen is sentimental and unwilling to act, then as the Fourth Hokage he will serve the purpose.
At that time, it wouldn't be a simple reprimand but rather letting Danzo spend his later years in prison, stripped of all political power.
Minato's intention couldn't be clearer.
Hiruzen took a deep breath and said to Minato, "No need. Leave this matter to me, and I'll give you a satisfactory answer."
He knew that Minato would gradually consolidate power but didn't expect it to be so swift.
Moreover, after obtaining enough evidence, instead of handling the Root himself, he handed it over to him, the former Hokage.
Hiruzen smiled bitterly in his heart.
He had underestimated him.
Minato is more outstanding than he imagined.
But his other talents are obscured by his exceptional strength.
◎
After bidding farewell to Minato, Hiruzen immediately led all his Anbu towards the Root's base.
In the lowest space of the Root base, researchers wearing white medical uniforms and white masks continued Wood Style experiments inside a laboratory loaded with research equipment.
The experimental subjects in this laboratory are gifted infants and children with a probability of awakening Wood Style.
Danzo stood in front of a transparent cylinder filled with Wood Style solution, staring intensely at the boy with long hair inside.
Aged around eleven to twelve years old.
In the entire Wood Style experiment, he is currently the closest to becoming a mature Wood Style user.
Even Orochimaru doesn't know of this child's existence, as Danzo purposely concealed and kept him for himself.
It's no longer worthwhile for Orochimaru since he missed out on becoming the Fourth Hokage; if Orochimaru knew there was a mature experimental subject, unpleasant events might occur.
After all, he still needs Orochimaru's intellect to cultivate more Wood Style ninjas temporarily.
When they're no longer needed, they'll be kicked aside.
In critical moments, even the Sannin are mere stepping stones for his ascent as Hokage.
And he believes the realization of this goal is not far off.
Hiruzen is already old, and Namikaze Minato, though powerful, is merely a puppet positioned by Hiruzen.
As long as he undermines Hiruzen, Konoha will fall into his hands.