"Yes," Minato nodded.
Just as he was about to negotiate, suddenly, several figures emerged from the surroundings.
In the next moment, a series of wind blades came whistling toward them.
Against such wind blades, the Water Wall technique wasn't very effective, but—
The four of them instantly retreated.
Kyohiko was the fastest.
His figure flickered, and in the blink of an eye, he was beside one of the enemies, his blade swiftly unsheathed.
Clang!
The opponent blocked with a kunai, and then several kunai were manipulated to come flying at him.
However.
In the next second, Kyohiko drew a short sword from his waist with his left hand, infused it with chakra, and the blade, like flowing water, slashed forward rapidly.
At that moment, a puppet rose in front of him.
The blade slashed through.
Crack!
Chakra erupted, and a swirling vortex shattered the puppet's core. Taking advantage of the enemy's momentary shock, Kyohiko released the hilt of his right-hand sword and formed a one-handed seal.
In an instant, a clone took the sword and instantly slashed forward.
The Sunagakure ninja died!
At the same time, Might Gai and Kakashi joined forces to kill another person.
"Go!"
Minato threw out several explosive tags.
Then—
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
A massive amount of chakra was poured into the technique, and a fierce gale howled, whipping up sand, stones, and leaves, blowing the explosive tags toward the Sunagakure ninja.
Immediately.
Iron spikes extended from the ground, quickly forming a large wall.
Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall.
Boom!
After a loud explosion, the Third Kazekage turned back, his eyes filled with anger. "Who allowed you to act on your own?"
"Kazekage-sama, that guy is the son of the White Fang!"
Chiyo's face was grim, her eyes like a hawk's as she stared at Kakashi and the dog beside him.
It was all too familiar!
If Kakashi were a bit older, she would have mistaken him for the White Fang himself.
But.
That didn't stop her from wanting to kill him. Moreover, these people had come here for her grandson. How could she not fight with everything she had?
"Elder Chiyo," the Third Kazekage frowned.
"He's the son of the White Fang! Wielding the White Fang's weapon, and that damned dog..."
Chiyo's eyes gleamed with murderous intent as she quickly pursued.
Around them, more Sunagakure ninja appeared, numbering over a dozen. It was hard to tell how many were jonin or chunin.
They all gave chase.
The Third Kazekage weighed the situation for a moment, then continued the pursuit, but in a low voice, he said, "Remember, we are here representing the village, not for personal reasons!"
Chiyo remained silent.
Iron sand gathered behind the Third Kazekage, forming a pair of wings. In the next moment, the Third Kazekage flew into the air, heading toward Minato and the others.
Soon, the Third Kazekage caught up to Minato, who was at the rear of the group.
"Does Sunagakure want to start a war?"
Minato's expression was serious as he stepped back.
Regardless of whether the other side had malicious intentions, the current situation left no room for peaceful negotiation.
Minato had expected Sunagakure to send people.
But.
He hadn't anticipated that they would send so many.
The Kazekage, Chiyo, and over a dozen ninja.
Such a force, if they suddenly attacked the border, would be more than the few squads stationed there could handle.
Minato knew they couldn't escape.
He gathered chakra within his body.
"I'll summon Gamabunta. When I do, you all run."
"I can also summon one," Kyohiko said in a low voice.
Though the Gamadaikiri wasn't as large as Gamabunta, it was still strong and could help in the current battle.
The two exchanged a glance.
Then...
Summoning Technique!
Both bit their fingers.
Moments later.
Boom!
One large and one small toad appeared on the battlefield, dust swirling around them.
Gamabunta and the Gamadaikiri stood between the two sides.
Gamabunta took a puff of his pipe.
Minato and the others were now hanging onto him, while Kyohiko stood on the Gamadaikiri's back.
The Gamadaikiri glanced around and said, "Quite the commotion!"
"So, Sunagakure, you want to fight?"
Gamabunta drew the blade from his waist.
He wasn't afraid of a fight!
The Third Kazekage narrowed his eyes slightly, then calmly said, "Stand down!"
"Kazekage-sama..."
"Stand down!" the Third Kazekage barked.
The Sunagakure ninja had no choice but to retreat.
He flew in the air, looking at Minato on Gamabunta's back. "Konoha ninja, we are here to pursue a rogue ninja. We have no intention of starting a conflict with you."
"Additionally, based on our investigations over the past few days, Sasori has likely already left this area."
With the Third Kazekage present, the Sunagakure ninja naturally didn't dare to continue the pursuit.
Minato scanned the area.
"We have two ninja who went missing after being attacked by him. No matter what, we must retrieve their bodies. We cannot let our village's heroes be left unaccounted for."
He spoke firmly, unyielding even in the face of the Third Kazekage.
The Third Kazekage looked around, then turned his gaze to Chiyo, who had caught up and was standing on a tree below.
Then, an iron pillar rose, lifting Chiyo up.
Chiyo said, "We didn't see any bodies, nor any remains. By the time we got there, many traces had already been cleaned up. We searched the area and found some clues."
"What clues?" Minato immediately asked.
Chiyo's face was filled with reluctance, but she took out a piece of cloth and a puppet arm.
"These are things we found at the scene."
The Third Kazekage took the piece of cloth.
Then, he slowly walked toward Minato. When he was about a dozen steps away, he extended an iron spike from his hand, reaching it out to Minato.
"We're not sure if these were left by Sasori, but perhaps they can provide you with some information," the Third Kazekage said.
Minato didn't dare to be careless. He wrapped the cloth in another piece of fabric and handed it to Kakashi.
The dog sniffed it, confirming it wasn't poisoned...
Only then did they accept it.
"Sunagakure has no intention of clashing with Konoha. Sasori defected last year, and we've been tracking him ever since. His poisons and puppet techniques are formidable, and they could cause you casualties. If you have any leads, please contact us."
The Third Kazekage was rational, and his words weren't arrogant.
More than anything.
He still hoped to find Sasori.
"We understand your concerns. If we find any information, or if we recover the bodies of your ninja, we will certainly return them through proper channels."
"Thank you, Kazekage-sama," Minato replied politely, then watched as the other side left.
He let out a long sigh of relief.
Next, he thanked Gamabunta and the Gamadaikiri, and Kakashi also thanked the dog.
The three of them dismissed their summons.
Only then did Minato fully relax.
"Thankfully, Gamabunta was here. Otherwise, we would have been in serious trouble."
The tension in the air eased.
However.
Then, he added, "Chiyo harbors a lot of hostility toward us. It's best not to follow the same path as them. I plan to regroup with Shikaku-senpai first. What do you all think?"
"I also think we should head back first," Kyohiko agreed with Minato's decision.
With the Third Kazekage present, moving forward would be like walking on a bed of nails, always at risk of being stabbed in the back. It was better to play it safe and retreat.
After all.
Anyone who fell into Sasori's hands was as good as dead. All they were after was the body.
It wouldn't be worth it to risk their own lives for that.
...
"Kazekage-sama."
"Chiyo, you were too impulsive," the Third Kazekage said.
Then, he sighed softly.
He was aware of the grudge between Chiyo and Hatake Sakumo.
Sasori's current state was indeed closely tied to Hatake Sakumo, but at the moment, there was no war between Konoha and Sunagakure. As the Kazekage, if he were to truly take action, it would mean the start of a war.
However.
Chiyo had contributed greatly to Sunagakure. Her family had sacrificed themselves for the village. How could he be too harsh on her?
The Third Kazekage sighed again, then furrowed his brow. "Did you notice their strength?"
"That blond-haired one is very strong. He's likely the Konoha prodigy Namikaze Minato, who has gained quite a reputation over the past year or two. As for the other three..."
Chiyo hadn't paid much attention.
At the time, her focus had been entirely on Kakashi and Minato. She hadn't noticed Kyohiko.
"Hmm... let's take a look at the bodies," the Third Kazekage said, walking toward the two corpses.
The two of them approached.
From the sword marks, the style and technique were completely different.
But.
Even those three kids were quite strong.
The Third Kazekage closed his eyes, recalling the scene.
"There was a black-haired one who was skilled with a sword. Did you notice him? His speed and sword technique were even more terrifying than the Hatake boy's. It was more like he was Hatake Sakumo's disciple, but strangely, he could also summon Jiraiya's toads."
The Third Kazekage couldn't figure it out.
Sakumo's sword style, Jiraiya's summoning contract.
Since when did Konoha's teaching become so casual?
"Whether he's Sakumo's disciple or not, I will kill him and the Hatake boy!" Chiyo's eyes turned bloodshot.
That damned man had even taken on a disciple and passed down his sword techniques?
And what about her!
Her family was destroyed, and her grandson had defected from the village. She had been searching for him for a year without success.
Her heart was anything but calm.
Chiyo gritted her teeth, hating the fact that they had summoned Gamabunta, forcing them to hold back. Otherwise, she would have definitely killed all four of them right there!
She thought back, then suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, that kid's Water Release was very fast, almost like the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama's!"
"Water Release, sword techniques, toads..."
The Third Kazekage frowned.
Why was this getting more and more complicated?
Suddenly, he recalled a piece of information.
"Hasn't Konoha recently had a prodigy named Ryoho Kyohiko, who performed exceptionally well in the Chunin Exams in Takigakure?"
"It's him!" Chiyo also remembered.
She and the Third Kazekage exchanged a glance.
Skilled in swordsmanship, ninjutsu, and taijutsu.
A true prodigy!
If they could eliminate him, it would be worth the risk of starting a war.
After all.
Once war broke out, there would be no shortage of people targeting Konoha.
The Third Kazekage felt a pang of regret.
Unfortunately.
It was too late now.
He thought for a moment, then said, "Sasori is Sunagakure's most outstanding prodigy. Konoha's previous squad suffered heavy losses against him, and this time won't be any different. Let them search for him. There will still be opportunities, and..."
If Sasori had the chance to kill the son of his enemy, perhaps it would bring him back to the village and make him a pillar of Sunagakure in the future.
Sunagakure desperately needed talent!
The Third Kazekage sighed inwardly but didn't share his thoughts with Chiyo.
"Yes!"
...
At the border of the Land of Fire.
Kyohiko's squad returned to the Land of Fire, waiting and resting there, not rushing to search for Sasori.
"Minato-senpai, should we send a message back to the village first?"
"Yes, I've already sent one," Minato nodded.
Hearing this, Kyohiko breathed a sigh of relief.
Minato was always reliable, except when it came to last-minute rescues. He didn't need to worry about anything else.
For a moment, everyone was silent.
The mission had started off on the wrong foot, and now they were all at a loss.
Kyohiko thought about the map.
They were in the middle of the Land of Rivers, and based on the direction Sunagakure was coming from, it seemed like they had swept north from where Hizashi and the others had fought.
So, where had Konoha's previous squad been searching?
They would have to wait for the Ino-Shika-Cho squad.
They had arrived earlier for support and might know more.
After a while, the toads brought back a message.
Konoha's stance was to wait for Nara Shikaku at the border.
In the evening, the sun set, and the moon rose.
Chirp!
At that moment, a bird's cry rang out.
Kyohiko looked up and saw a black crow circling in the air.
"They might be here."
"Huh?"
The others immediately woke up.
Minato looked at Kyohiko in surprise.
"How do you know?"
"That bird is observing us, and I heard three sets of footsteps."
In the quiet of the night in the mountains, sounds carried far.
Even with the mountains around, Kyohiko could clearly hear the "swish" and "swish" of movement.
Soon, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio arrived. Kyohiko had met Shikaku and Choza before, but this was his first time meeting Inoichi.
At the moment, Inoichi formed a hand seal to disperse the crow.
The bird in the sky quickly flew away.
"Shikaku."
"Minato, you're here? I saw the marks you left along the way. What happened?"
"We ran into the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure..."
Minato recounted the situation.
Kyohiko added some details.
After they finished sharing the information, Shikaku also revealed what they had gathered.
During this time, they had searched south from the previous location but hadn't found much. The ninja there had mostly withdrawn, and on the way back, they saw the signals Minato's team had left.
The two groups sat down.
Around the campfire, they discussed their next steps.
"So, we should head north?" Choza popped a soldier pill into his mouth.
Shikaku pondered for a moment, then looked at Minato and Kyohiko with a smile. "You're probably wondering whether to continue the mission, right?"
"Yes," Minato took out Jiraiya's handwritten letter. "This is Konoha's response."
Shikaku glanced at it, his mood heavy.
This effectively handed the decision-making authority to him.
"What do you think?"
"Sunagakure's stance is unclear. We can't be sure if they're really here for Sasori. I think we shouldn't leave," Minato said.
Shikaku nodded.
He agreed, but what should they do if they stayed?
That was the question.
After thinking for a moment, Shikaku had some ideas. He was about to share them when he noticed Kyo out of the corner of his eye and had a thought. "Kyohiko, do you have any ideas?"
"Minato-senpai is right. We can't leave. If we do, who knows what Sunagakure will do next?"
Kyohiko then shared his thoughts. "I think we should send an elite squad with speed and reconnaissance capabilities to follow them. If they return to the Land of Wind, we'll escort them back. If they find Sasori, we'll wait until it's resolved and then demand an explanation."
Finding Sasori wasn't just about recovering their comrades' bodies. It was also about Sasori himself.
Sasori's poisons and puppetry posed a significant threat to Konoha, and Konoha still wasn't entirely clear on his motives for attacking Hizashi.
Capturing Sasori would provide answers.
"Following them..."
Shikaku's eyes lit up as he listened.
What he had in mind was—
Waiting at the border for opportunities, occasionally sending out a reconnaissance squad to monitor Sunagakure's movements.
Clearly, Kyohiko's approach was more effective.
Escorting them would leave Sunagakure with no room for complaint, but the premise was that the "elite squad" Kyohiko mentioned could truly handle reconnaissance and quick retreats.
"Our two squads will act together!" Minato said.
Shikaku waved his hand. "No! I, Choza, and... who will stay behind from your side?"
"Me," Might Gai raised his hand.
He forced a smile and said, "Kyohiko has excellent hearing, Kakashi can summon ninja dogs to help track, and I wouldn't be much help."
Everyone fell silent for a moment, then—
"Alright."
Before Minato could speak, Kyohiko responded first. "If we run into trouble, we'll need you to cover and support us quickly."
"Definitely!" Shikaku nodded with a smile.
Gai was momentarily stunned, then nodded firmly.
The four of them set out to track them that night.
The next day, the Sunagakure ninja quickly noticed that two more people were tailing them.
The other side wasn't even trying to hide.
"They're pushing their luck!" Chiyo trembled with anger.
Yesterday, she had been too impulsive, but by today, she had calmed down somewhat and understood that she couldn't directly kill Minato and the others.
However.
These people had left and then come back with two more, openly following them, which was more than she could bear.
The Third Kazekage manipulated his Sand Eye.
After a while.
"There are at least two more behind them, possibly even one or two squads."
"What is Konoha trying to do?" Chiyo frowned.
She was skilled in poisons and medical ninjutsu, but in this area, she was far inferior to her brother, Ebizo.
The Third Kazekage thought for a moment, his brow furrowing.
Their opponents were tough!
At this distance, it was safe for both sides.
Neither side was hiding, which meant there was no intent to ambush or assassinate. Whoever made the first move would be the one to start a war.
Although Konoha had just gone through a major war and hadn't fully recovered, Sunagakure was in the same.
The Third Kazekage considered his options further.
"Such a distance ensures mutual safety."
Neither side was concealing their presence—a clear sign that neither intended to ambush or assassinate. Whoever struck first would be the one provoking war.
Though Konoha had suffered greatly in the last war and had yet to fully recover, Sunagakure was no different. Worse still, the Land of Wind was far less prosperous than the Land of Fire, meaning fewer missions and funds flowed into the village. Sunagakure's current strength was undoubtedly inferior to Konoha's.
Unless he was willing to risk war with Konoha now…
The Third Kazekage's thoughts turned toward retreat.
"They're waiting for us to find Sasori first—either to demand concessions or to strike him down themselves."
"Wishful thinking!" Chiyo scoffed.
"Elder Chiyo, my suggestion is this: let us return to Sunagakure for now. Let Konoha search for Sasori themselves."
The Third Kazekage spoke calmly. "I have faith in Sasori's abilities. Konoha won't be able to defeat him so easily."
"But…"
Chiyo hesitated.
After finally finding a lead on Sasori, she couldn't bring herself to give up.
After a long silence, she clenched her teeth.
"Kazekage-sama, if you would permit me, I request a small team. I will track them myself. If I find Sasori, I will bring him back to the village!"
She paused, then declared firmly, "And when I do, I will leave his fate entirely in your hands!"
"Sasori is a genius. His defection caused no real harm to the village." The Third Kazekage's voice softened slightly. "I give you my word—if he returns, all past transgressions will be forgiven."
Chiyo exhaled slowly, her anger subsiding.
"Thank you, Kazekage-sama."