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  Gojo Kaigetsu sipped his tea, a satisfied smile pying on his lips as he reviewed the intelligence report. "Sunagakure's intel is—surprisingly valuable."

  "How so?" Minato asked, curious. "This—Hiruzen, isn't he just an ordinary Jonin?"

  (Hiruzen is the Suna Missing-nin!)

  Since Konoha's decration of vengeance against the missing-nin, the other vilges had responded with varying degrees of—enthusiasm.

  The general sensus was: 'We support your—endeavor, Konoha. But you have plenty of Shinobi. Ha yourselves.'

  Iwagakure had provided a few names of in-level missing-nin and made a token effort to shut down some underground exges.

  This wasn't surprising, given their—rumored involvement in funding the bounty Shinobi works. Having them target their own—assets was a bit much. F Onoki's hand was—a victory in itself.

  Kumogakure reoccupied with internal affairs, hunting down those responsible for Elder Advisor Arai's death. They'd also demahe return of Yugito Nii, ao the border flict, and—substantial pensation before sidering further cooperation.

  Kirigakure, uhe current Mizukage, had been more forthing, providing the name of the assassin who'd targeted Yagura: Kisame Hoshigaki.

  Konoha, in turn, had expressed their—gratitude, opened a hotline for ed citizens, and assured everyohat progress was being made.

  Konoha's vengeance was—selective.

  Sunagakure, however, had been the most—cooperative.

  The Fifth Kazekage, Baki, eager to secure his position and gaiernal support, had practically—groveled before the Hokage.

  But this—excessive deference made Gojo Kaigetsu uneasy. The more Baki groveled now, the harder he'd bite ter.

  If Minato summoned Baki to Konoha, Gaara might end up perf a sand dan the meeting room, asking Kushina and Minato to be his—adoptive parents.

  Gojo Kaigetsu was—familiar with such tactics.

  Baki's performance was—meaningless. He'd already beled Gaara a "rebel," Temari a "loyal vassal," and Yugito—a wild card.

  He'd accept Baki's s, but he wouldn't—trust him.

  Baki, eager to please, had actively targeted the Land of Wind's underground exges and even provided intel on a politically signifit missing-nin: Hiruzen.

  "Hiruzen—I seem to recall he caused—quite a bit of trouble during the Sed War," Minato said, scratg his head. "Though I was—young then."

  Minato, a master of space-time ninjutsu, felt a flicker nition as if sensing a ripple iime-space tinuum.

  "Who Hiruzen is—isn't important. What matters is his e to Rōran," Gojo Kaigetsu said, getting to the heart of the matter. "If Sunagakure's intel is accurate, this is a request for Konoha to—intervene in Rōran's affairs."

  "Rōran?" Minato repeated the name, a memory surfag. "Kushiio. A—city-state on Sunagakure's western border."

  "Rōran possesses a—unique and powerful chakra source, the Ryūmyaku (Dragon Vein). And its—subterranean deposits tain the purest chakra metal in the Shinobi world."

  "The Sed Kazekage, Shamon, wao ohe Ryūmyaku. To preserve peace, Rōran's king requested Uzushiogakure's help. The Uzumaki sealed the Ryūmyaku, sacrifig their own—eiterests to prevent further escation."

  Minato reted the—fotten history.

  Sihe establishment of the Five Great Vilges, tless smaller nations have been—lost to time.

  Like Rōran. Like the Sky Ninja Vilge...

  If not for this—ter-terrorism initiative, if not for Baki mentioning Hiruzen and Rōran, he might never have remembered.

  He felt a pang of—shame.

  If Shamon had succeeded in onizing the Ryūmyaku, the Sed War would have been far more devastating.

  Even he, Minato Namikaze, might have been—on fodder.

  There would have been no—peao Hokage, no Will of Fire.

  And Rōran, having sealed the Ryūmyaku, had suffered for it, trapped behind Sunagakure's—blockade.

  And he, Minato, had—fotten them.

  "I should—reflect," he murmured.

  "So—Baki's invitation—it's not just about Hiruzen, is it?"

  "Perhaps." Gojo Kaigetsu leaned back, his hands behind his head. "He specifically requested me, a mere in, when he has a Konoha ambassadht there in Sunagakure. Why, Minato? Why do you think he did that?"

  "Because—you're—like the Hokage?"

  "Yes, as a Konoha Elder Advisor, I have—authority."

  "Baki's likely pnning to—use my sce against me. He'll show me the suffering of the Rōran people, trapped behind that wall, and then—he'll make his demands."

  "He'll ask for Temari's return, for a share of the Konoha-Suna Trade Route's profits, for Konoha's help in unsealing the Ryūmyaku, g it's for—peaceful energy produ. And if I refuse—he'll accuse Rōran of harb Hiruzehem all missing-nin, and—elimihem. He'll use their deaths to—damage my—Shinobi way."

  It usible sario.

  Baki was ruthless. He'd do anything for Sunagakure.

  Minato's face hardened.

  "So—what will you do?"

  "Holy? It doesn't—matter to me. I don't have a—sce. Rōran is a small nation. Their fate won't—affect the Shinobi world. And they don't have any—iing Kekkei Genkai. Their Shinobi are—mediocre."

  Minato's silence was—heavy. He had to—save Rōran. They owed them.

  "Kaigetsu-kun, we have to help them. We give them the Ryūmyaku. Sunagakure isn't a threat. A single dragon vein won't—ge that. They saved Konoha onow, it's our turn."

  Gojo Kaigetsu looked at Minato's determined expression and smiled. "Don't worry, Minato. I'll—ha. I'll—save them."

  "I'll go myself."

  Minato's motives were pure. He wao help.

  But Gojo Kaigetsu's—were more plex.

  The Ryūmyaku was a mystery.

  Acc to the w of chakra servation, chakra couldn't be—created or destroyed.

  A Shinobi's chakra came from Kaguya ōtsutsuki. The Ryūmyaku's massive chakra reserves—they should.

  Besides regur chakra, there was also dark chakra, natural energy, and—Hidan's—unique—chakra.

  Each type granted different abilities.

  Dark chakra enhanced physical strength and regeion.

  Natural energy, bined with physical and spiritual energy, allowed a Shinobi to enter Sage Mode, granting immense power and enhanced senses. It could even harm the Ten-Tails.

  If chakra was an alien power, natural energy was—The World's gift to the Shinobi world, a on against the invaders.

  But The World's methods were—ineffit. Only a handful of Shinobi, true geniuses, could master Sage Mode.

  Perhaps—The World preferred—individual heroes, not—armies of empowered Shinobi.

  Naruto and Sasuke had defeated Kaguya, but they'd ime to recover. And wheurhey'd be ready.

  And if the Shinobi world couldn't defeat the ōtsutsuki? Then a select few would—asd, joining the Sage of Six Paths. Or, if it were up to Gojo Kaigetsu, they'd build a—giant—p-moving devid—leave.

  And then there was Hidan's—unique chakra, granting immortality and the ability to use—curses. Only sealing jutsu could silence him.

  And beyond the known world, there were—other beings. ods, demons…

  The Ryūmyaku wasn't—natural. Gojo Kaigetsu had to uand it.

  Its ins, its properties. If it could—manipute space-time—could he harhat power?

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