After Aoba said those words, his whole demeanor cleared up, and he returned to his normal self.
The gatekeeper ninja had been closely watching Aoba. When Aoba muttered to himself earlier, the gatekeeper had been covered in goosebumps.
Aoba's behavior had seemed odd—he had been absorbed in reading memories, paying no attention to what was happening around him or the path he was walking. He wasn't even aware of the gatekeeper ninja beside him.
However, the gatekeeper ninja had been watching Aoba closely the entire time.
Now and then, Aoba would express amazement at what he saw in the memories.
This wasn't because Aoba wasn't cautious—he didn't view the gatekeeper ninja as important. In Aoba's mind, since Minato had sent this ninja to fetch him, it meant Minato trusted him.
Thus, acting too normally would seem suspicious. It was better to behave strangely to ensure the gatekeeper wouldn't overthink things.
As Aoba expected, the gatekeeper ninja's view of him was constantly shifting, increasingly seeing him as a mentally unstable person.
After all, why would a "normal" person stay in the ANBU, especially in the interrogation unit, where they were known for torturing people? Not to mention, Aoba had survived the deadly war—something almost unheard of.
Any of these experiences would be overwhelming for an ordinary person, but for Aoba, they stacked up like buffs.
With these "buffs," Aoba seemed to carry an aura of immense power and mystery, radiating an intimidating energy.
The gatekeeper ninja felt increasingly uncertain about how to interact with Aoba. Whenever Aoba made any sound, the ninja's body would tense, filled with a chilling fear.
He couldn't deny it—Aoba was terrifying.
The gatekeeper was eager to reach Ichiraku Ramen, hoping that he would no longer have to be in Aoba's unsettling presence once they arrived. Even if Minato punished him later, he would prefer that over continuing this uncomfortable walk.
He couldn't explain why, but despite Aoba's seemingly ordinary appearance and lack of chakra fluctuation, an eerie coldness clung to him, even in the warm sunlight.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance to Ichiraku Ramen.
The gatekeeper ninja quickly pulled back the curtain and entered first, immediately bowing before Minato.
"Lord Minato, I've brought him as you requested."
The gatekeeper ninja breathed a sigh of relief. Being in Minato's presence felt much more comforting than walking with Aoba. The tension that had gripped him since meeting Aoba finally eased.
Terrifying. Terrifying. Aoba and "fear" had become synonymous in the ninja's mind.
Hearing the gatekeeper speak, Minato, Konan, and Teuchi turned their attention toward the entrance.
Besides Minato, both Konan and Teuchi were curious about the identity of this person Minato had called upon.
Aoba stepped inside, lifting the curtain and entering Ichiraku Ramen. He deliberately acted like he hadn't noticed Konan, maintaining the facade that he didn't know her.
"Minato, I heard you're treating me to ramen," Aoba said with a cheerful smile, greeting Minato casually. His demeanor was that of a close friend, without the slightest trace of formality, despite Minato's upcoming promotion to Hokage.
Minato's face immediately lit up with a warm smile.
This was exactly the kind of relationship he cherished.
Minato and Aoba shared a unique bond—they had been classmates and close friends, and Aoba had helped Minato many times along the way.
Now that Minato was about to become the Fourth Hokage, he noticed that many of his peers had started treating him with more formality and admiration, viewing him as a leader rather than a friend.
But Aoba was different.
Minato appreciated this. He valued having someone who could remain by his side without being influenced by his changing status.
"Take a seat!" Minato invited Aoba warmly, gesturing for him to sit. Minato, too, adopted a casual attitude, showing none of the formality expected from a Hokage-to-be.
Konan watched this interaction between Minato and Aoba, her mind briefly wandering.
There was a time when she and Nagato shared such camaraderie, but after Nagato's rise in power, their relationship had fractured.
Seeing the natural friendship between Minato and Aoba made Konan feel a twinge of envy. If Nagato hadn't changed, they could have been like this, too.
As Konan shifted her gaze to Aoba, she became increasingly curious about who he was. What kind of person could earn Minato's trust so completely?
She observed Aoba closely but found him unremarkable, without any distinctive traits.
No, it's impossible!
Konan mentally corrected herself. There must be something special about him. There's no way Minato would be so close to someone so ordinary.
She started examining Aoba again, carefully scrutinizing him. As she stared, a flicker of familiarity crossed her mind.
"Hmm?"
A brief flash of recognition crossed Konan's face. For a split second, it felt like she had seen Aoba before, but she was certain this was their first encounter.
That fleeting feeling disappeared quickly, though, and she dismissed it.
Could he be connected to the Otsutsuki clan?
Konan briefly entertained the idea. The last significant figure she had encountered was Otsutsuki Shiren, and the vague familiarity might have stemmed from him. However, she couldn't be sure, as there was no apparent connection between Aoba and the Otsutsuki.
Besides, she could tell that Minato and Aoba were long-time friends, not something that could have been formed quickly.
With this reasoning, Konan set aside her suspicion. After all, this situation was still unfolding, and the outcome likely depended on the man who had just entered.
She focused on observing Minato and Aoba, believing their conversation might be key to resolving the situation.
"Teuchi-san, I'll have a bowl of ramen. Put it on Minato's tab," Aoba said casually, sitting beside Minato. Since he was already at Ichiraku Ramen, it would be a waste not to enjoy a bowl. Plus, keeping things light and casual would make him seem unaware of the situation, allowing him to respond naturally once Minato revealed the issue.
Had Aoba been overly serious or tense, it might have made Minato suspect something was off.
Now that Aoba understood the crux of the situation, he could address it confidently without appearing fazed by anything.
"Right away," Teuchi responded with a smile. He had already guessed that Minato had called for Aoba, and seeing Aoba now confirmed his suspicion. Knowing Aoba had arrived, Teuchi felt relieved. He was confident that Aoba could handle whatever issue had arisen.
"Hey, Aoba, I need your help with something," Minato said, wasting no time as he dove into the matter. His time was limited, and Konan was still sitting there. This was the perfect moment to discuss things before Teuchi finished making the ramen.
"Go ahead," Aoba replied, resting his chin on his hand, completely relaxed. Then, he glanced toward Konan and smirked slightly. "Is this about her?"
"Yes," Minato confirmed without hesitation. There was no point in hiding it since Konan was the reason he had called for Aoba.
"Here's the situation," Minato began, explaining. "This woman is named Konan. She's a ninja from the Land of Rain and a former disciple of Jiraiya-sensei. She asked to stay in Konoha earlier, but I refused. Now, she's suddenly here, saying she just wants to eat a bowl of ramen."
Minato took a deep breath before continuing, "Given the timing, I find it suspicious. Can you help me figure out what's going on?"
Minato spoke earnestly. He truly believed there was more to Konan's visit and trusted Aoba's abilities as a former interrogation specialist to uncover the truth.
"She's here for ramen?" Aoba pretended to be confused, glancing at Konan with a neutral expression as if he were analyzing her for the first time.
"That's right," Minato confirmed, "She claimed Jiraiya-sensei told her about Ichiraku Ramen, but the timeline doesn't add up. Ichiraku wasn't even around when Jiraiya left for the Land of Rain. I think there's more to her story."
Minato exhaled slowly, laying out all his concerns. There was no need to hold back with Aoba—Minato trusted him completely as if they were comrades on the same side.
"What exactly happened?" Aoba asked, keeping up the facade of being uninformed. He needed Minato to explain the situation in detail before making any conclusions, as that would be the natural response of someone hearing about this for the first time.
"On the way here, I asked her, but she didn't say much. So, I don't have a lot to go on right now," Minato explained, glancing at the gatekeeper ninja, realizing that Aoba didn't know the full context yet.
Now that Aoba had a clearer understanding, he nodded thoughtfully. He already knew most details from the gatekeeper's memories but decided to keep up appearances for now. Maintaining the illusion that he was simply deducing things from the information Minato provided was important.
"She's claiming Jiraiya-sensei recommended the ramen?" Aoba asked again, playing the role of someone skeptical but still gathering all the facts.
"Exactly," Minato replied. "But the timeline doesn't fit, and I'm convinced she has some other motive for coming here."
Minato spoke seriously, expressing his concern. Though Aoba already knew the truth, he still needed to tread carefully to avoid raising suspicion.