Sunny and cheerful Konoha Genin

"what!"

The White Zetsu, who had not yet completed the possession, let out a scream and was blown away like a leaf in the wind.

However, even though the possessed White Zetsu was dealt with, the Anbu's condition still had not recovered.

His Anbu mask was broken, revealing an ordinary and pale face, as if he had lost a lot of blood at once.

"Are you ok?"

Namikaze Minato supported him with some concern, then turned around: "Ito, come and check on his condition."

"it is good!"

Toru Ito was not vague and came over to take his pulse.

Finally, his expression suddenly became solemn.

"How about it?"

Minato Namikaze's heart skipped a beat.

"Not good. His body is being assimilated, and it's consuming his own chakra."

Ito Toru shook his head slightly: "It's been too long, I can't stop it."

"..."

"Ahem! Go tell the Hokage!"

The Anbu finally caught his breath and said, "The enemy calls himself Afei and wears a spiral mask. He can use Wood Release and Five Elements Ninjutsu. He also has the Sharingan. I don't know if he is from the Uchiha clan or if his eyes were taken by an outsider."

"what?!"

This huge amount of information shocked Minato Namikaze for a moment.

"And...and..."

The Anbu had a lot to say, but his vitality no longer supported him to say more. His eyes widened, and his consciousness suddenly sank into darkness.

"The man named A Fei should not have left yet!"

Ito Toru ran forward quickly: "Minato, now is not the time to hesitate!"

"Ok!"

Minato threw the Anbu to the ground and followed Ito Toru forward at high speed!

It didn't take long before the two arrived at the initial gathering place of the Konoha ninja clans.

"Such amazing destructive power..."

Minato's pupils shrank.

The exaggerated traces of destruction left by the Wooden Man Technique and Five Elements Ninjutsu by A Fei were still there.

Moreover, a group of people fell on the ground. At a quick glance, he recognized many ninja leaders.

"Why are they gathering here?"

A flash of doubt flashed through Minato Namikaze's mind.

"It seems that guy has left. We are a step too late."

After checking the surroundings, Toru Ito walked back slowly.

"But fortunately, at least we prevented the situation from getting worse."

"Now it's time to report back to Hokage-sama about what happened here."

"Take these guys back with you."

He glanced at the ninja leaders on the ground and shook his head slightly.

I felt a little sorry.

This kid A Fei was quite alert. When he saw that the situation was not good, he ran away!

But did this happen in the original novel?

This is not a plot that I am familiar with.

Toru Ito realized that the changes caused by the flapping of his wings as a butterfly had already begun.

"……it is good."

Namikaze Minato's expression was solemn.

The scene before him made him feel that a storm was gathering!

……

Hokage Building, the Third Hokage's office.

"Is this kind of thing actually happening?"

After receiving the report, Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped smoking and looked at Namikaze Minato in front of him in shock.

"Yes. Later, Ito and I searched the area again. We didn't find the bodies of the two Anbu, but we did find their broken masks."

Namikaze Minato stood opposite him and handed what he found and the scroll to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"That's it..."

A flash of sadness flashed across Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes.

"Thank you for your hard work, but why doesn't Ito come?"

"He said his teacher is currently under investigation. If he were to report this, it would inevitably cause controversy, so it would be better for me to report everything."

Minato Namikaze said this neither humbly nor arrogantly, and added one more sentence.

"Hokage-sama, from what I have seen, it is very likely that Lord Orochimaru was framed by this unknown force."

"The investigation into him should be concluded as soon as possible."

"Well, I'll consider that."

The Third Hokage did not give a positive answer.

In fact, Orochimaru was censored because he deliberately allowed it to happen.

It's not aimed at Orochimaru, I just want to see how he will react when faced with this situation.

after all……

He thought back to when he first met the kid.

Unlike Tsunade and Jiraiya, Orochimaru's eyes were burning with surging ambition and indifference to life.

At that time, Sarutobi Hiruzen did not think that this child could inherit the will of fire.

However, because Orochimaru's talent was so extraordinary, he still accepted him as his disciple.

I hope I can influence him through what I see and hear.

Now is the time to verify.

As a Hokage, it is inevitable to encounter some difficult decisions.

Sarutobi Hiruzen often felt this way.

So he wanted Orochimaru to experience this treatment in advance.

Without going through the trials of darkness and the tempering of suffering, it would be impossible for him to grow into a qualified Hokage.

Now, he couldn't say that Orochimaru's performance made him very satisfied, but he was not too disappointed either.

Because Orochimaru just stayed there obediently and chose to do nothing.

This was not what Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to see.

In comparison…

His eyes fell on Minato Namikaze in front of him, and he felt a little more admiration for him.

Isn't it the will of fire that is burning on this young man?

It's what he wants to see.

"Eh? Why are you looking at me like that, Hokage-sama?"

Namikaze Minato scratched his head.

"Is there anything I can ask you for?"

"Hehe... nothing much, let's put these aside for now."

Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up the cigarette again and began to smoke slowly. At the same time, he stood up from the desk and sat on the sofa next to him.

"Come."

He called Namikaze Minato: "Sit down, I remember you are Jiraiya's disciple, and you have been doing quite well in recent missions, why?"

"Ah, that..."

Namikaze Minato also sat on the sofa with a bright face: "That's to accumulate the expenses of living with Kushina, so I can only do more tasks."

"I see. I remember you were promoted to Chunin as the first place in the Chunin Exam?"

"Yes."

"Um……"

Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his cigarette and looked into the distance thoughtfully.

Namikaze Minato didn't say anything. He had a feeling that the Hokage was going to say something important.

"Are you interested in becoming a jonin?"

After a brief silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke.

"Ah? I become a jonin?"

Minato Namikaze was a little surprised and pointed at himself in disbelief.

"Yes, you can become a jonin right now if you want."

"But... this is against the rules. Everyone has done so many hard tasks to get promoted with great difficulty."

Namikaze Minato was very tempted, but still shook his head and refused: "No, Hokage, this is not fair to others."