At this moment, one of the Mist Ninjas stationed at the entrance of the village suddenly tensed up, his sharp gaze locking onto Minato.
"A sensory-type ninja?"
Minato's expression darkened as he whispered to himself, his heart sinking.
Why were ninjas from Kirigakure appearing this deep within the borders of the Land of Fire?
The last major battle on the coastline had tilted in Konoha's favor after Uchiha Yoruki awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, dealing a devastating blow to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. However, what Minato was witnessing now told him that the tide of war had shifted once again.
"There are Konoha ninjas here!"
The sensory ninja from Kirigakure immediately alerted his companions.
The Mist Ninjas all turned toward Minato in unison, their postures shifting into combat stances, muscles tense and ready for battle.
"Where did he go?"
However, as they scanned the area, they saw nothing.
The Kirigakure ninja who had first detected Minato was just as bewildered. A moment ago, the figure of the enemy had been right before his eyes. Yet now, he had vanished without a trace.
But Minato had not disappeared.
His sheer speed was simply beyond what their eyes could perceive.
In the next instant—
"Agh—!"
One of the Mist Ninjas' eyes widened in shock, his body stiffening as a cold shiver ran through him. His voice trembled, and his pupils lost focus.
Before the others could react, a second Kirigakure ninja also froze in place, unable to comprehend what was happening to him.
Minato's expression was grim as he moved through them like a ghost, his strikes precise and lethal. He showed no mercy, for in his piercing blue eyes, he could see the flames consuming the village behind him.
He could sense it—there was no trace of life left in that village.
The people who had lived there had been wiped out.
The ones responsible were the enemy ninjas standing before him.
Minato's hands had been stained with blood before. This was war. To protect his country and his village, he had been forced to eliminate many foes.
But this—
This was different.
These Kirigakure shinobi had not fought enemy soldiers. They had slaughtered innocent civilians—helpless men, women, and children who had no means to defend themselves.
That was something he could not forgive.
The Mist Ninja beside the fallen ones felt his heart pound as his comrades collapsed one after another, yet he still could not find a trace of their attacker.
Fear crept into the eyes of the remaining two Mist Ninjas. They immediately leaped backward, their hands moving in unison as they hurled kunai tied with explosive tags in every direction.
"Boom! Boom! BOOM!"
The detonations roared through the night, flames surging into the sky. The shockwaves sent debris flying, but even amidst the destruction, there was no sign of their enemy.
A moment later—
"Bang!"
Before they could comprehend what was happening, they were struck with such force that they collapsed to the ground, their bodies going limp.
A faint rustling of fabric reached their ears.
Swish!
The golden-haired figure finally appeared before them.
The two Mist Ninjas, still conscious but utterly helpless, raised their eyes with difficulty. Under the flickering glow of the fires, they saw a man standing over them, his expression as cold as steel.
And then, recognition dawned.
Their pupils shrank in terror.
"You… You're—Konoha's Yellow Flash?!"
Far from the battlefield, on the edge of an island within the Land of Water, a woman concealed beneath a mask stood watching the horizon. Her delicate features, hidden under the fabric, tightened with unease.
"There shouldn't be any enemy forces stationed on the nearby islands."
Her voice was calm, but there was a trace of tension in it.
"In that case… this might be the only opportunity to get those two children out of here."
Her eyes flickered as she reached into her tool pouch, pulling out a uniquely shaped kunai. She stared at it for a long moment, her fingers tightening around the handle.
"Senior Minato, these are your students. I trust you'll keep them safe."
Her resolve hardened. Without hesitation, she turned and disappeared into the shadows, swiftly moving toward the depths of the island.
Inside a damp, dimly lit cave, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the silence.
Both Kakashi and Rin stirred, their eyes snapping open simultaneously.
The woman had arrived.
Before either of them could react, she moved with practiced ease, flipping a kunai into her palm.
Kakashi's breath caught. His muscles tensed instinctively, but his body did not move.
Rin's eyes widened in alarm, a muffled protest escaping her throat.
Both of them were gagged, unable to speak.
Was this it? Was Kirigakure finally going to execute them?
It had been so long since they were captured, yet no interrogation had taken place.
Just as Kakashi was beginning to question the situation, the woman abruptly swung the kunai—
And sliced through the ropes binding his feet.
Kakashi's breath hitched.
For a moment, he thought he had imagined it.
The woman didn't hesitate. She moved fluidly, cutting the restraints around his wrists as well.
Kakashi immediately tried to stand, but the moment he moved, his legs buckled.
"You've been tied up for too long. Even as a ninja, your blood circulation isn't immune to the effects."
Her voice was surprisingly gentle. If it had been an ordinary person, they might have lost all function in their limbs from being restrained for so long. Even shinobi, with their superior physical conditioning, needed time to recover.
Without another word, the woman turned to Rin and freed her as well.
Kakashi, now regaining some feeling in his arms, quickly pulled off the gag from his mouth.
"Why are you helping us?"
His sharp gaze locked onto the masked woman. His mind raced with possibilities, but none made sense. She was an Anbu of Kirigakure—an enemy.
The woman hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Then, as if expecting the question, she reached into her pouch again and retrieved a kunai.
A very specific kunai.
Kakashi's eyes widened.
"This… This is Minato-sensei's kunai!"
The woman chuckled softly.
"Then there's no doubt… You truly are his students."
Kakashi stared at her, baffled.
"You… know Minato-sensei?"
The woman tilted her head slightly, her voice laced with nostalgia.
"Of course. Many years ago, in the Hidden Mist, he saved my life."
Kakashi frowned slightly. The very idea that Minato-sensei had been inside Kirigakure was a classified secret. Only a handful of people in Konoha knew about that mission.
"So, since you are Minato-senpai's students, I couldn't just stand by and watch."
With that, she reached up and removed her mask, revealing a delicate, breathtaking face beneath.
Both Kakashi and Rin found themselves momentarily speechless.
Then, the woman offered a small smile.
"My name is Mei Terumi."
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