Chapter 75: Sunagakure’s Benchmark—The White Fang!

At the border of the Land of Wind, the Third Kazekage turned back. He closed one eye, extending his chakra to control a floating iron sand eye in the air. The Konoha ninja had "escorted" them all the way from the Land of Rivers back to the Land of Wind. Leaving like this felt somewhat unsatisfying. The Third Kazekage glanced around and then said, "Wait here." "Kazekage-sama!" The group was shocked. Was the Kazekage planning to return and confront Konoha? But if so, why were they being told to wait here? The Third Kazekage offered no explanation. Iron sand gathered on his back, and he flew forward at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance. However, he didn’t immediately attack. "Konoha ninja, we’ve returned to our own border. This should prove we have no intention of invading your country, right?" "Thank you for your understanding, Kazekage-sama." Namikaze Minato remained composed, though the Kazekage’s actions were indeed beyond reproach. Withdrawing from the Land of Rivers and maintaining restraint benefited both sides. But why had he returned now? "What does he want?" Yamanaka Inoichi couldn’t figure it out. As a direct subordinate of Sarutobi Hiruzen, he had always worked for the Hokage. This mission was no different. The primary goal of finding Sasori was to determine whether Sunagakure had any ties to him, to confirm whether Sasori had truly defected or if he was acting under orders, like some of Danzo’s so-called "rogue ninja." From the current situation, it seemed Sunagakure had no connection to Sasori. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent their Kazekage personally, leading to this awkward standoff. The Third Kazekage’s retreat was a rational and correct decision. When Nara Shikaku agreed to Kyohiko’s plan, he had anticipated that the Kazekage wouldn’t linger in the Land of Rivers. But now— Things seemed to have taken an unexpected turn. The group quickly retreated. Kyohiko looked up at the sky. The Third Kazekage moved unhurriedly, with no reinforcements or ambushes in sight. It didn’t seem like he intended to attack. "Could he be testing our strength?" Kyohiko pondered. Yamanaka Inoichi nodded thoughtfully. "It’s possible." Above, the Third Kazekage spoke. "Konoha’s young talents, I’d like to spar with you." "Spar?" Namikaze Minato stopped. "Yes, just a friendly match," the Third Kazekage said with a smile. Minato scanned the area. This terrain was unfavorable for retreat. If Sasori were to intervene during the spar... "Don’t worry. I still have some authority, and Sunagakure is in no position to start another war with Konoha. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have retreated this far before proposing it." The Third Kazekage saw their hesitation. Then, he chuckled and unleashed a barrage of iron sand needles, raining down on them. At the same time, he descended from the sky, his wings dissipating. There was no room for refusal! Magnet Release: Iron Sand Rain. The needles, as if alive, targeted the four of them, while the Third Kazekage moved effortlessly among them. The strongest Kazekage in history... Kyohiko weaved through the needles, his eyes fixed on the Kazekage’s movements. The group dodged swiftly. But— The needles were magnetic! Kyohiko and Kakashi’s blades were drawn toward them. However, the moment the Third Kazekage landed, Minato closed the distance. Then— Great Rasengan! The massive spiraling sphere slammed into the Third Kazekage. Boom! Iron sand quickly formed a defensive barrier. But— Sssss! The sound of iron sand and Rasengan colliding was sharp and piercing. Minato’s right hand formed another Rasengan, and in the next instant, he vanished. So fast! The Third Kazekage was stunned. He had never seen such speed—even his iron sand couldn’t keep up. Immediately, he formed a small iron sand shield. But— He sensed someone approaching rapidly. Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Order! Iron spikes erupted from him, spreading in all directions, forming a small forest of steel in moments. In such a short time, they couldn’t grow dense enough. For most ninja, this would be overwhelming. But his opponents were no ordinary ninja! In an instant, Minato evaded most of the iron sand, while Kyohiko closed in. He avoided most of the spikes but couldn’t dodge them all, suffering some cuts. But— This sacrifice created an opening— A punch! Superhuman Strength tecnique sent a shockwave toward the iron sand shield. The shield’s spikes were sharp, but the technique wasn’t physical—it was a chakra shockwave, requiring no direct contact. Instantly, the iron sand was blown aside. For ninja like Minato— Life and death were decided in moments. Unless the Third Kazekage’s iron sand could fully envelop him like armor, it was meaningless. Kyohiko had created this opportunity, and Minato couldn’t let it go to waste! Then— Minato’s figure flickered. Rasengan! The Third Kazekage’s iron sand armor couldn’t withstand the Rasengan’s force. In moments, he was sent flying dozens of steps, the iron sand shattering. "Go!" Minato didn’t linger. He grabbed the injured Kyohiko and retreated. His speed was unmatched! The Third Kazekage was struck in the shoulder, coughing blood as he struggled to rise. "Kazekage-sama!" "Kazekage-sama... Chiyo-sama, the Kazekage is injured!" "What?" Chiyo, who had just arrived to assist, was stunned. She immediately rushed over. After some treatment, Chiyo frowned. "Fortunately, the attack hit near the shoulder. If it had been slightly lower, near the heart, the consequences would have been dire. And if not for the iron sand defense..." The attack had been too sudden. No one had expected the Third Kazekage to be countered so quickly. Moreover, the technique’s true danger wasn’t the surface damage—it was the internal shockwave that affected his blood vessels and organs. If it had been closer to his heart, the damage could have been far worse. The Third Kazekage’s will was strong. Despite the pain, he remained conscious. Under Chiyo’s treatment, he gradually recovered, gritting his teeth as he sat up. "Namikaze Minato’s speed is incredible—comparable to the White Fang in his prime. And Kyohiko... that strength..." "I suspect it’s Tsunade’s technique." The Third Kazekage frowned. The Second Hokage, the White Fang, Jiraiya, Tsunade... Kyohiko’s abilities were a mix of too many influences. And— Each was executed flawlessly. That punch had been perfectly timed, leaving him no room to evade Minato’s Rasengan. Still, he wasn’t entirely defenseless. If Minato had tried to kill him, he could have fought back. But such speed was a significant threat to Sunagakure. He looked at Chiyo. "Chiyo, do you still want to go?" The Third Kazekage’s gaze was serious. Chiyo was his elder, and he understood her desire to bring Sasori back. But their opponents were no ordinary ninja—even he had been caught off guard. As a puppeteer and medical ninja, Chiyo was exceptional. But the Third Kazekage doubted she could handle Minato and Kyohiko, even with a squad. Against speed-focused ninja, one needed overwhelming techniques or a body strong enough to withstand their attacks. Chiyo had neither. Chiyo understood his intentions and was deeply moved. She hesitated for a long time... Finally, she clenched her teeth. "I still want to go!" The Third Kazekage’s eyes showed disappointment. He had fought to test their strength, hoping Chiyo would reconsider or retreat. But even now, she insisted on pursuing Sasori... The Third Kazekage fell silent. Finally, he sighed. "Then go." He stood. "We’ll wait for you at the border." Chiyo bowed deeply, her gratitude unspoken. "Yes! I will bring Sasori back and make him serve the village!" "Don’t force it." The Third Kazekage spoke earnestly. Then, he waved his hand. "Pakura, take a team and assist Chiyo. Ensure her safety." "Yes!" --- "Impressive!" From a distant hillside, Might Gai and the others watched as Kyohiko and Minato sent the Third Kazekage flying. Even Choza and Shikaku were stunned. That was the Kazekage! The Third Kazekage, hailed as the strongest in Sunagakure’s history— Though there had only been three so far. But now, he had been outmaneuvered by Minato and Kyohiko. While the extent of his injuries was unclear, they were certainly serious—otherwise, his team wouldn’t have rushed to his aid instead of pursuing. "Of course!" Might Gai was beaming with pride. "Kyohiko is our pride! He’ll lead us in protecting Konoha and become Hokage!" "Oh? He wants to be Hokage too?" Nara Shikaku couldn’t help but laugh. "So, in your squad alone, two people aim to be Hokage. Who do you think will win?" "Two?" Might Gai was confused. Choza chuckled. "Minato’s goal is also to be Hokage. And his wife, Kushina, wants to be Hokage too..." "Ah?" Might Gai scratched his head. "Is becoming Hokage really that common?" "Hahaha!" Nara Shikaku laughed, but his smile soon faded. If we’re talking about becoming Hokage... Previously, he thought Minato had a slim chance. After all, Minato was Jiraiya’s student, a prodigy who had become a jonin at a young age. With enough achievements and influence, he might have had a shot. But now— The situation had changed. Tsunade had returned, and her momentum suggested she was determined to take the position. If Tsunade became Hokage... The Fifth Hokage’s succession would be uncertain. Shikaku thought for a moment, then shook his head. Why worry so much? The Fourth Hokage hadn’t even been decided yet. It was too early to think about such things. He looked up as Kyohiko, Minato, and the others returned. "Minato, you..." "First, let’s treat the injuries." Mystical Palm Technique was highly complex. While fleeing, Kyohiko couldn’t focus his chakra for healing, enduring the pain. He wanted to treat himself first. But— After a glance— Minato was in worse shape! His arm had been cut, and carrying Kyohiko had worsened the wound. His leg was also bleeding heavily. "Senpai, let me treat you first." "Thank you." Minato didn’t refuse. Kyohiko formed hand seals. Mystical Palm Technique! The area fell silent as Yamanaka Inoichi caught a bird, using Mind Body Switch to scout. Nara Shikaku and Choza stood guard, keeping an eye on the surroundings. Such mastery of the Mystical Palm Technique! Is there anything this kid can’t do? The three, unfamiliar with Kyohiko, were utterly shocked. But looking at Kakashi and Might Gai... Well. To them, this seemed like a regular occurrence. Nara Shikaku didn’t know what to say. He stroked his chin, recalling the scene he had witnessed from afar. Once the treatment was done, Kyohiko healed himself, depleting most of his chakra. The Mystical Palm Technique was too chakra-intensive! But the upside was that it healed injuries thoroughly, ensuring they wouldn’t affect combat. "How did you end up fighting the Third Kazekage?" Nara Shikaku finally asked. Minato explained, "He forced us into a spar. His intentions weren’t clear." "Inoichi-senpai, did they take any further action?" Kyohiko didn’t answer directly. Inoichi returned to his body and said, "They’ve returned to the Land of Wind, but I think I saw some staying behind. It’s too far to be sure." "Could they be planning to do the same as us?" Kyohiko countered. "You mean..." Nara Shikaku pondered. If so, things could get complicated! "Let’s observe for now. At least one thing is clear—Sunagakure’s ties to Sasori aren’t strong. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent the Third Kazekage. I think his pursuit of Sasori is more for Chiyo’s sake." Chiyo’s status in Sunagakure was akin to Tsunade’s in Konoha. Her poisons, medical ninjutsu, and puppetry were Sunagakure’s finest. Her value to the village far exceeded Sasori’s at this point. But she was old, while Sasori was young. Nara Shikaku thought for a moment. "Let’s retreat and regroup. We’ll move along the border, tracking clues. As long as we ensure Sasori doesn’t attack our ninja, that’s enough." "Agreed." Minato nodded, willing to cooperate. --- After escorting the Third Kazekage out of the Land of Rivers, both sides withdrew, neither advancing further. Chiyo had intended to follow Konoha’s movements, but Konoha didn’t move. At least, not visibly. Her efforts felt like punching cotton, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave. At this point, Sasori himself wasn’t the main concern. Konoha’s goal wasn’t necessarily to recover the bodies. Finding them would be ideal. But risking their own lives wasn’t worth it. Even so, the two squads didn’t withdraw from the border, and neither did Sunagakure. The standoff continued. Ten days later, near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers, Kakashi suddenly stopped, waving from a hilltop. Might Gai rushed over. Whoosh! Gai and Kyohiko landed simultaneously. In front of Kakashi, a rock had been shattered, and the area was in disarray, as if a battle had taken place. But— This didn’t look like the work of Sunagakure’s puppetry. Instead, it resembled the destruction caused by Iwagakure ninja. This area bordered the Land of Rain, and reaching it required passing through that country. "Kyohiko, what do you think?" "Sasori specializes in puppetry and poison. He doesn’t have this kind of destructive power." Kyohiko crouched to examine the scene. "This definitely wasn’t Sasori’s doing. It doesn’t look like ninjutsu either—more like brute force!" He studied the damage closely before sharing his conclusion. The scene looked like the aftermath of a rampaging beast, and ahead... "Over there!" Kyohiko moved forward. Soon, the three found trees snapped in half, the breaks clearly marked by fist imprints. Someone had punched through them! Kakashi was stunned. "Who could have such strength? Kyohiko, could you do this?" "No." Kyohiko shook his head. Even with his chakra-enhanced strength, he couldn’t cause this level of destruction. And if he tried, his chakra reserves wouldn’t suffice. He considered a possibility. Could this be the work of someone with a cursed seal, like Jugo? "Let’s wait for Minato-senpai and discuss this further." Kyohiko stood. The situation ahead was unclear, and the three of them rushing in wasn’t a good idea. "Agreed."