The group from Konoha finally reached the entrance of Uzushio Village within the Land of Whirlpools. Kushina stood still and looked at the familiar gates, her eyes showing a clear trace of nostalgia. She had known from Minato for a while that the client for this mission was her own home, Uzushio Village, and at this moment, she couldn't help but feel a bit of the trepidation that comes with returning home.
Wow! So many redheads! Nawaki exclaimed in amazement as he looked at the Uzumaki Clan members filling the streets. He immediately pointed to a red-haired woman not far away and said with a grin, When Kushina grows up, she'll probably look like that, right?
Probably? She looks very beautiful! Mikoto curiously observed her surroundings; this was also her first time visiting another Ninja Village. Missions issued by other Ninja Villages like this weren't very common, even within the Five Great Ninja Villages.
You must be Ninjas from Konoha, right? Are you here for a mission? A red-haired Ninja approached them. He wore a Ninja vest similar in style to Konoha's and looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. He asked in a friendly tone.
Nice to meet you. My name is Minato Namikaze. We've been commissioned by your Village to perform a mission here. Minato stepped forward and nodded politely. He maintained a warm, gentle smile, though his blue eyes remained sharp and observant, cataloging every exit and potential threat with cold efficiency.
Oh—Your Excellency is the rumored yellow flash? You're as young as the rumors say! I thought you looked familiar when I saw you just now; it really is you! Hearing Minato's name, the other's eyes immediately lit up. Nice to meet you, I am Uzumaki Hiroshi, I'm a fan of yours!
Eh? Minato was startled by this enthusiastic attitude. He found the hero worship slightly irritating, but his face never lost its friendly, humble mask.
Follow me, I'll take you to see the Clan Chief right away! Uzumaki Hiroshi said, leading them into the Village.
Soon, they met the client for this mission, the current Clan Chief of the Uzumaki Clan.
Nice to meet you, Minato-Your Honor. I am the leader of Uzushio Village and the current Clan Chief of the Uzumaki Clan, Uzumaki Hikonami. Uzumaki Hikonami was a middle-aged man with fiery red hair. Upon seeing Minato, his attitude was very respectful, and he did not look down on Minato because of his age.
Greetings, Your Excellency. Minato greeted him politely; after all, the man was essentially Kushina's elder. Behind his polite bow, Minato analyzed the man's posture, noting the tension in his shoulders that betrayed the dire state of the village.
Seeing how polite Minato was, Uzumaki Hikonami showed a smile, and then his gaze turned to Kushina. It's been a long time, Kushina. It seems you've been doing well in Konoha.
Um—it's been alright. Kushina puffed out her cheeks. Initially, she didn't know she had been sent to Konoha as a candidate Jinchuriki. To be honest, after learning the truth, she felt a sense of betrayal by her clansmen. Although she had the resolve and sense of duty to become a Jinchuriki, being proactive and being forced were never the same thing. Even now, she still felt that way. Fortunately, she met Minato. So, while there was a slight grudge in her heart, she didn't harbor any resentment because of it. Besides, the Village had given her a lot of compensation; for example, she held almost the entire Fuinjutsu Legacy of the Uzumaki Clan in her hands. The Uzumaki Clan's compound and ancestral hall in Konoha would also be handed over to her in the future. This kind of treatment was almost equivalent to letting her start a branch Family.
The Family wronged you regarding what happened back then. Seeing Kushina's attitude, Uzumaki Hikonami sighed slightly.
Forget it, it's all in the past! Kushina grabbed Minato's arm. I was young then and don't remember much. As for the future—I will always be with Minato. Nothing else matters.
Uzumaki Hikonami nodded with relief. Then let's talk about the mission—Recently, various nations have repeatedly harassed our Uzushio Village, mostly attacking from the sea. The ones who come most often are the Hidden Mist and Kumogakure. The Yugakure, Takigakure, and Grass Ninja have also launched several attacks against us.
Nawaki was puzzled. Grass Ninja—aren't they Konoha's allies? Why would they attack you?
A friend's friend isn't necessarily your friend, especially since the alliance between Grass Ninja and Konoha is more of a necessary choice under the threat of the Land of Earth. Minato explained. As fellow Konoha allies, Konoha naturally finds it difficult to take sides. Even if Konoha is willing to act as a mediator, Grass Ninja might not be willing to compromise. If they are truly pushed too far and defect to Iwagakure, it would be a huge headache for Konoha. Minato's mind raced through the political implications, realizing that these smaller villages were like vultures circling a dying beast, waiting for Konoha's grip to loosen further.
That's exactly right. Although Your Excellency is young, your insight is very sharp. Uzumaki Hikonami praised. Speaking of which, the reason these Ninja Villages are so unscrupulous is that Konoha's frontline forces are pinned down. If it weren't for Minato-Your Honor's timely achievements, I'm afraid the situation would be even worse. Because the numerical disparity is too great, and to prevent our forces from being spread too thin and allowing the enemy to penetrate deep, the Village's power has been completely retracted. We really can't spare enough manpower. The reason we commissioned Your Excellency is also in the hope of using your name to deter these petty troublemakers.
You are too kind. Minato said politely. Leave this mission to me. After all, this is also Kushina's hometown. Deep down, Minato felt no real loyalty to this village, but the prospect of testing his abilities against multiple foreign nations was a necessary step in his growth.
Hehe— Hearing Minato's words, the corners of Kushina's mouth couldn't help but rise.
Haha, then I shall trouble Your Excellency. Uzumaki Hikonami took out a map and discussed the patrol range with them.
After a while, the group took a boat to the northern waters of the Land of Whirlpools. To show his respect for Minato, Uzumaki Hikonami specifically chose a very luxuriously equipped small steamship and arranged for Uzumaki Hiroshi to serve as their guide. Knowing he could go on a mission with Minato, Uzumaki Hiroshi appeared very happy. Along the way, he talked incessantly about the customs and history of the Land of Whirlpools, but he was very mindful of boundaries and didn't pry into Minato's group's business, which earned him some favor from Minato.
Among them, Nawaki and Hiroshi chatted the most enthusiastically. Both had warm and straightforward personalities, and since Nawaki didn't want to get involved in the lovey-dovey atmosphere of Minato's trio, he became good friends with Hiroshi in no time.
Is Hiroshi-older brother a Chunin?
Ah! I was just promoted recently. But don't look down on me just because I'm a Chunin, I'm actually very strong! Speaking of strength, Hiroshi couldn't help but feel a bit proud, but then thinking of Minato's presence, he quickly added. Of course, that's only compared to ordinary people. After all, it's well known that our Uzumaki Clan has huge Chakra reserves. As long as we practice Chakra control well, we won't be too weak. My Chakra reserves are considered quite outstanding even within the entire Uzumaki Clan. It's just that I'm not very good at Chakra control, so it took me a lot of time to be promoted to Chunin.
I see— Nawaki was somewhat envious. Speaking of which, I have the Bloodlines of both the Uzumaki and Senju clans, yet my Chakra reserves are quite average.
Uzumaki Hiroshi was surprised. Oh? Could you be a descendant of Lady Mito?
Yes, my grandmother is Uzumaki Mito, and my grandfather is Senju Hashirama. Nawaki nodded heavily, then said with some disappointment. But my Chakra reserves... forget about comparing to Minato, even Kushina has more Chakra than I do. Minato remained silent, his mind calculating the efficiency of his own energy usage. He didn't need massive pools of energy if his 100% precision and light-based speed could end a fight in a single second.
Uh— Uzumaki Hiroshi's expression was a bit hard to describe. In his perception, although Nawaki's Chakra couldn't compare to his as an Uzumaki, on a scale of ten, it would still be an eight. Even a normal Jonin might not be stronger than him. For someone Nawaki's age, it could be said to be an incredible talent. But do you have to compare yourself to those two monsters? One has the Wood Release Bloodline Limit, and the other is an Uzumaki Genius. Look at their setup—don't they look like your grandfather and grandmother?
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion