Konan's voice was resolute. Aoba could see, through the memories of the gatekeeper ninja, that Konan genuinely wanted to stay in Konoha.
This made him realize why she appeared at Ichiraku Ramen: Konan was determined to find a way to remain in the village.
But why? Aoba wasn't sure.
Was it because of the books she had read?
Was it the peaceful atmosphere of Konoha?
Or something else?
Regardless, one thing was certain: Konan truly wanted to stay in Konoha, which is why, even after the Akatsuki trio had split up, she still sought to remain in the village.
Now that Aoba understood this, he knew how to proceed.
This knowledge was gained thanks to the gatekeeper ninja's memories.
With this insight, Aoba felt much more confident. It was a reminder of the power of information.
The mind-reading system had never let him down.
Aoba continued reviewing the gatekeeper ninja's memories, knowing he was approaching the key moments related to why Minato had sought him out.
Meanwhile, they had already left the area of the Anbu dormitory and were walking toward the busy streets of Konoha, nearing Ichiraku Ramen.
Aoba knew he needed to speed up his review of these memories, or he might only finish after they reached Ichiraku.
But even if he didn't manage to see everything, what he had learned so far would help him make decisions.
These were valuable insights.
With the memories from this gatekeeper ninja, it was easier to understand the situation's specifics.
Given the chaos of the moment, relying on the guards' recollections wouldn't have been as effective, especially given the subtleties of the conversations, expressions, and reactions involved.
Aoba was the only one capable of understanding the full picture.
Through these memories, he could see everything that had happened and make accurate judgments based on that knowledge.
In the memory, Konan watched the others leave and then turned to gaze toward Konoha.
At that moment, the gatekeeper ninja met her gaze.
"Why haven't you left yet?" the gatekeeper asked, confused after witnessing the trio's split. He didn't fully grasp what had transpired.
"I'm not leaving," Konan replied, shaking her head. Her words stunned the gatekeeper and the other guards, who couldn't understand what she meant.
"What do you mean by that?" the guard asked, clearly perplexed.
"I'm staying," Konan repeated. "I'm going to Ichiraku Ramen."
"Ichiraku Ramen?" The guard was even more confused, unable to fathom the meaning behind her statement.
"I want to eat a bowl of ramen," Konan said calmly. "I came all this way to Konoha just for Ichiraku Ramen. Unlike them, I didn't travel here for nothing. Surely, you won't deny me entry just for wanting to eat ramen, will you?"
"This…" The guards exchanged glances, unsure how to respond. Their faces were full of confusion.
"I can't make that decision," the gatekeeper sighed, clearly conflicted based on the tone conveyed in his memory. "But I'm not going to bother Lord Minato again for this."
"You should go back. You can come back another time for ramen."
Aoba could tell from the guard's voice that he didn't want to let Konan in. Minato had already ordered them to send the Akatsuki members away, and as subordinates of the Hokage, they couldn't disobey.
While Aoba couldn't read the guard's mind directly, he could deduce his thoughts through the memories.
The guard had been bewildered by the entire situation.
Were you traveling to Konoha for ramen? It sounded ridiculous.
But, thanks to the gatekeeper ninja's memories, this curious exchange was now clear to Aoba.
He once agreed with Konan that if she needed to contact him, she should go to Ichiraku Ramen.
Aoba realized now that Konan wasn't there for ramen. She was signaling to him that she needed help.
It seemed… Konan wanted help staying in Konoha.
Through these memories, Aoba could see Konan's actions clearly and understand why she headed to Ichiraku Ramen.
However, Aoba still wondered how Konan had convinced the gatekeeper ninja to let her in.
If he were in the gatekeeper's shoes, knowing what had transpired, there was no reason to allow her entry into Konoha.
Letting her in would be like planting a time bomb.
Indeed, when Minato discovered it, the guard had no defense—it was obvious that he had acted against orders.
Of course, it was unfortunate that the gatekeeper's luck ran out as soon as he let Konan in. She went to Ichiraku Ramen and coincidentally ran into Minato, who also came for ramen.
Aoba could already tell this, even before fully viewing the memories. He had sensed Konan's and Minato's chakras at Ichiraku Ramen and initially thought they had arranged to meet. But now, he realized it was merely a coincidence.
"Interesting," Aoba murmured, his lips curving into a mischievous smile. This situation was filled with unexpected twists, more than he could have anticipated.
The gatekeeper, watching Aoba closely, was perplexed when Aoba suddenly spoke.
"???????"
A string of questions popped up in the gatekeeper's mind. He had no idea what was happening or what Aoba found "interesting."
What was interesting?
What was this person even talking about?
The gatekeeper's curiosity was overwhelming, but he dared not ask Aoba. Seeing Aoba return to his calm demeanor, the gatekeeper pretended nothing had happened.
In the memory, Konan didn't back down after being refused entry.
Her purple eyes locked onto the gatekeeper, her gaze unwavering.
"Minato only said we couldn't stay in Konoha," Konan began. "He didn't say I couldn't go in for ramen."
"I just want to eat a bowl of ramen."
"I learned about Ichiraku Ramen from Jiraiya-sensei."
"If you won't let me in for that…"
"Then I'll inform Jiraiya-sensei about this."
"And whatever happens next, I won't be responsible for."
Konan's words came one after another, invoking Jiraiya's name.
"Smart," Aoba remarked with admiration.
This was the same tactic he had used earlier: Jiraiya as a bridge between them and Minato.
Jiraiya held an esteemed position in Konoha.
He wasn't just one of the Sannins but also the disciple of the Third Hokage and the future teacher of the Fourth Hokage, Minato.
His name alone was not one to be trifled with.
By this point, Aoba understood why Konan had been allowed into the village. Using Jiraiya's name had left the gatekeeper with no choice.
They couldn't afford to offend Jiraiya.
Through the memories, Aoba saw how Konan's mention of Jiraiya put the gatekeeper in a tough spot.
"You won't be troubled by this," Konan suddenly said, her voice pulling everyone's attention toward her.
"I just want to eat a bowl of ramen."
"I'll leave as soon as I finish."
"You can watch me the whole time."
"I won't cause any trouble for you or your duties."
Konan's words were calm but full of conviction, making it hard for the gatekeeper to refuse.
Aoba knew at this point that the gatekeeper wouldn't be able to turn her away.
Not when Jiraiya's name was invoked.
Sure enough, in the memory, the gatekeeper hesitated only briefly before deciding to escort Konan into the village.
He led the way while Konan followed, a scene very much like what Aoba was experiencing now with the current gatekeeper ninja.
Both pairs had the same destination: Ichiraku Ramen.
Aoba's smile widened.
So, that's how Konan got to Ichiraku Ramen!
By this point, Aoba had pieced together the situation. Minato called on him because of Konan's presence in Konoha, but he was unsure how to handle the situation.
It was a stroke of bad luck for the gatekeeper ninja. He had brought Konan into Ichiraku Ramen only to have Minato show up moments later.
How could he explain that?
It was a situation where he was bound to take the blame.
Soon, Aoba and the gatekeeper ninja arrived at the entrance to Ichiraku Ramen. Aoba quickly skimmed through the remaining memories, confirming his suspicions.
Just as he thought, Konan had calmly eaten her ramen after sending her signal to Aoba. The scent of the ramen had enticed her, and she enjoyed a second bowl while waiting. Then, Minato had arrived.
Having exhausted himself mentally, Minato sought comfort in a ramen bowl. But before he could relax, he saw Konan sitting there—the person he had just ordered away from the village gates.
What followed was a series of questions from Minato, filled with suspicion, but Konan simply explained that she was there for the ramen.
The gatekeeper ninja was utterly dumbfounded and unable to explain what had happened. In the end, Minato sent him to fetch Aoba.
"Understood," Aoba said, his eyes regaining their sharpness as he stood at the entrance to Ichiraku Ramen, his gaze filled with clarity.