Minato looked at Aoba with a face full of confusion. After listening to Aoba's words, he realized that aside from releasing Konan, there seemed to be no other viable options.
Before Aoba arrived, Minato had thought of several ways to handle Konan. But after Aoba's analysis, he found himself helpless, with no solution.
It wasn't that Aoba was making excuses — on the contrary, Aoba's reasoning made sense from Minato's perspective.
Minato was about to take on the role of the Fourth Hokage, and any risky action, no matter how small, could have serious consequences for him. As Aoba had pointed out, if Minato acted against Konan without solid evidence, it could allow the Third Hokage to create a scandal. Minato remembered how Orochimaru and Danzo had previously exposed various secrets, likely backed by the Third Hokage's influence, demonstrating their skill in manipulating public opinion.
Given the situation, Minato understood the gravity of the problem. Even though he had initially considered other approaches, Aoba's arrival had forced him to realize the potential dangers of acting rashly.
"Does that mean we have no other option?" Minato asked, still hesitant. He openly discussed how to handle Konan right before her, not treating her as an outsider.
His expression grew more doubtful as he pondered the situation.
Konan, too, was puzzled. She wasn't fully aware of Minato and Aoba's conversation earlier in the ANBU dormitory, so she was left wondering what they were so concerned about. While she couldn't figure out exactly what they were worried about, she could tell that they were being cautious — and caution meant she had more room to maneuver.
Konan understood that the less she did, the better. She decided to let them devise their solution, as it might work in her favor.
Aoba looked at Minato, his calm and measured gaze suggesting a rational approach.
"I think we should let her go," Aoba said, surprising Minato and Konan.
"Let her go?" Minato's lips twitched as he processed Aoba's unexpected suggestion. Of all the solutions he had anticipated, this was the last thing he expected. It completely overturned his understanding of how Aoba might handle the situation.
Minato had always believed that the Akatsuki trio's presence in Konoha was inherently suspicious, especially since Konan had managed to enter Ichiraku Ramen unnoticed.
Minato felt the need to discuss this further with Aoba.
"Aoba, I think there's still room for discussion here," Minato said. He wasn't ready to release Konan, as doing so would signal to her — and whoever might be pulling the strings — that he was out of options.
"We found Konan inside Ichiraku Ramen," Minato continued. "If I hadn't come here to eat, we wouldn't have seen her. Who knows what she could have been doing instead? This could pose a risk, or there could be other motives involved — I can't say for sure. But what I do know is that if I hadn't come here, I would've missed her and never known she was in Konoha."
Minato's concerns extended beyond Konan. He began worrying about Nagato and Yahiko, wondering if they were hiding somewhere within the village.
Minato compared the situation to winning a lottery — just because he had drawn a lucky number with Konan didn't mean there weren't more hidden dangers lurking around.
Sitting beside Aoba, Konan remained silent, though she watched him intently. She found it strange that Aoba, whom Minato had called upon for advice, had suggested releasing her.
Konan knew her actions would have been intolerable to Minato, especially as the future Hokage. She had anticipated a more aggressive response, and Minato's calm approach to calling for help had initially impressed her. However, when Aoba suggested letting her go, it caught her off guard.
She couldn't believe Aoba would recommend such a strategy.
For a brief moment, Konan even wondered if Aoba was secretly working for her.
Minato, too, was bewildered by Aoba's suggestion and asked for further clarification.
"What do you mean by releasing her?"
Konan, meanwhile, saw an opportunity. She realized that as long as she maintained her position as Jiraiya's disciple, no one in Konoha would dare act rashly against her. She decided to use this to her advantage.
"Aoba," Minato said, still looking puzzled. "There's got to be more to this."
"Strictly speaking," Aoba began, "I think releasing her is the best option."
The calmness in Aoba's voice suggested that he had carefully thought through the situation. Though Minato and Konan were both stunned by his words, Aoba continued.
"Think about it," Aoba said, "If we don't know everything about Konan's situation, and we act hastily, it could backfire. What if we're wrong? The consequences could be worse than we think."
Aoba's reasoning made sense, and Minato realized that jumping to conclusions could put him in a precarious position, especially with the Hokage succession looming.
"But what if I'm walking into a trap?" Minato asked, his mind racing. He felt as if there were unseen hands manipulating events behind the scenes. "What if the whole thing was staged, and Yahiko and Nagato are still hiding somewhere in the village?"
Konan remained quiet, though her gaze sharpened as she listened. Aoba's reasoning, though surprising, was giving her more leverage. She could sense that Minato's doubts were mounting, and she decided to remain patient.
Aoba then turned his attention to the gatekeeper ninja, pointing at him as he continued.
"We don't know everything about Konan yet, but we do know about him," Aoba said, indicating the gatekeeper.
This statement caught both Minato and Konan off guard. They couldn't understand what Aoba was getting at, and even the gatekeeper looked confused.
"What are you suggesting?" Minato asked, perplexed. "Do you think he's involved somehow?"
The gatekeeper, suddenly feeling the weight of suspicion, began to panic.
"No, no, I'm not a mole!" the gatekeeper exclaimed, immediately dropping to his knees, trembling with fear. He knew that being labeled a traitor would spell the end of his career as a ninja, especially with Minato soon to become the Fourth Hokage.
"I'm not a traitor!" he pleaded desperately, terrified of the consequences.