Naruto: Amongst the Whirling Tides: Chapter 15

Hi all, here's the next chapter.

Naruto battles the new girl, and Danzo introduces his new squad to the public.

Chapter 15

"I'd like to spar," Hikari said.

Naruto’s head tilted. “I don’t understand.”

The girl crossed her arms. “I wish to compare my strength with yours.”

Was this girl for real? He had just met Hikari, but she seemed to have already formed a negative opinion of him. Even though he was indifferent to it, given that he had grown accustomed to people disliking him, they at least had some justification, no matter how absurd it might be. Maybe Jiraiya has been bad-mouthing him?

“I have no reason to accommodate your request,” Naruto said. “It looks like you are itching for a fight. I don't know what’s got your undergarments in a twist, but that is not my problem.”

Hikari stepped into his space, her face close to his as she stared into his eyes. “Spar with me.”

Naruto glanced over at Mei. “Your daughter is a little high-strung.”

“It is my fault,” Mei said, stroking her daughter's hair. “But it was for the right reason.”

What was that supposed to mean? Naruto sighed. He didn't think he could convince Hikari to give up on the idea of a spar. Would it be better for him to give in to her request and get it over with?

He used his Adamantine Sensing Chains on her to get a read on her emotional state. But she appeared to have had the same training as her mother and was hard to read.

“Naruto will love to spar with you,” Jiraiya slapped his godson’s back. “Right, Naruto?”

"It will not happen," Naruto grumbled. “There is no reason for me to spar with her."

“Then I will give you a reason,” Hikari raised her fist, but Mei grabbed her before she could follow through with her strike.

“How about I teach you a new jutsu in exchange?” Jiraiya asked hastily, trying to defuse the situation.

“Finally, you are speaking my language,” Naruto said. “Let’s get this over with.”

They made their way to the training grounds, with what seemed like the entire village in tow, looking forward to seeing the fight. Naruto and Hikari entered the training grounds, positioning themselves twenty feet apart, their gazes locked on each other.

“Why are we doing this?” Naruto asked, stretching his body to loosen up. “Is there anything I did to offend you?”

“I will tell you the reason if you defeat me,” Hikari said.

“Well, that’s an excellent motivation to beat you,” Naruto grinned. “Don’t worry. Since it’s our first time together, I will be gentle.”

“Bastard,” Hikari growled.

“Now, there is no need for hostility,” Jiraiya called from the side. “This is a friendly spar. If I think you are taking it too far, then I will stop the fight.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his godfather. Did he even understand what the word restraint meant? Wasn't he the same guy who threw him off a cliff, so Naruto could tap into Kurama's chakra?

“Beat her up big brother!” Kushina yelled.

Because his little sister demanded it, he needed to fulfil her request. The last thing he wanted was to look weak in front of her.

Naruto was curious about her fighting style. Did she take after her mother? If she possessed both Lava and Boil Release and was highly skilled with them, it would present a significant challenge.

Hikari retrieved a storage scroll and spread it out on the ground. Naruto observed her with curiosity, only to be astonished when a massive weapon materialised from the scroll. Hikari lifted the weapon with ease and held it in a firm grip. She took a few practice swings, before resting it against her side.

“What the hell?” Naruto cried. “This isn't what I signed up for. What have you been feeding this wild beast, Mei? Who wields a sledgehammer in a fight?”

“I have no say in how she fights,” Mei sighed. "She has adopted such a brutal style that lacks any semblance of elegance."

“Amazing!” Tenten shouted from the crowd. “You’re using a sledgehammer?”

“Are you ready?” Jiraiya asked. “Perform the Seal of Confrontation.”

They performed the seal, then got into their fighting stances.

“Fight!” Jiraiya shouted.

Hikari performed a series of hand signs, and a red glow appeared on her hand. When she ran it over the hammerhead, scorching flames enveloped it.

“Sure, make the weapon even more dangerous,” Naruto said.

He summoned five shadow clones. He sent them forth to engage her and test out her capabilities.

Hikari swung her hammer in a wide arc and destroyed three of the clones in one go. The fourth ducked the swing, then attacked her blindside. She drove the handle into the clone's sternum, causing it to pop. Four down. The fifth clone slipped inside her reach, but she lashed out with a kick that destroyed it.

“I think I have seen enough,” Naruto murmured. “She wields the sledgehammer so effortlessly. Utterly ridiculous.”

Hikari dashed toward Naruto before leaping into the air, holding the hammer in an overhead grip, before swinging the hammer down.

Naruto leapt backwards. The hammer hit the ground and instantly cratered it. A spurt of fire erupted from the hammer, which sizzled as it touched the ground, He eyed it with caution. It was not a normal fire, but lava. How could the hammer handle such a scorching substance without melting?

Naruto grabbed some shuriken from his pouch and threw them, as he retreated further out of her range. She held the hammer across her body to intercept them and evaded the rest.

Hikari sprinted forward with the hammer raised. Naruto executed a series of hand signs. He thrust his hand out, unleashing a powerful burst of wind that surged toward Hikari.

Hikari brought her hammer swinging down, the power it generated cutting the wind in half before it could reach her. Seizing the opportunity, Naruto rushed forward and summoned two clones simultaneously. Hikari grasped her hammer and rose to her feet. He unleashed a flying knee strike at her head as she was attempting to stand.

Hikari was forced to let the hammer go and raised her arms to protect her head. The force of the strike pushed her back. As soon as the clones appeared beside her, they unleashed a volley of attacks on her. Naruto joined them, putting her under more pressure, and she backed away as she tried to shield her body.

Naruto delivered a roundhouse kick to her sternum, and she went flying backwards, hitting the ground with a thud.

“You lost your sledgehammer,” Naruto said as he approached her. “Why don’t we call this spar a tie?”

Hikari didn’t answer. She grabbed something from her pouch and threw it at him. Naruto dodged the object, only to be engulfed in smoke.

“Watch out, boss! ” The clones called out a warning.

Naruto threw himself backwards. A hissing sound reached his ears, as a billow of steam emerged from the cloud. His eyes widened.

“Boil Release? Wasn't this supposed to be a spar? It looks more like she is trying to really hurt me."

Hikari appeared at his side in a burst of speed, two kunai’s gripped in her hand. She unleashed a flurry of slashes, but Naruto nimbly dodged them all.

If she was going to go all out to defeat him, then he would do the same. Naruto remained on the defensive, waiting for a chance to counteract her attack.

Eventually, an opportunity presented itself. Naruto dodged a slash and trapped her arm against his body with his arm. As she attempted to slash him with her kunai, he countered with a forceful punch to her chest. His blow landed on her first, and she gasped, stumbling backwards.

Before she could recover, Naruto summoned a swirling ball of chakra in his hand. He quickly dashed forward, preparing to thrust the ball into her stomach.

“Stop!” Jiraiya yelled.

Naruto's Rasengan was inches from Hikari's stomach by the time he stopped it.

“That’s enough,” Jiraiya said. “Naruto won this spar because his attack would have taken Hikari out of the fight. Perform the Seal of Reconciliation.”

Naruto cancelled the jutsu and executed the seal. Hikari did so as well, albeit reluctantly. It seemed as if she hadn't accepted the loss.

The audience applauded after seeing such a good fight.

"That's right! There is no one who can beat Big Brother!” Kushina cheered.

“That was a great fight,” Naruto grinned. “That sledgehammer is scary.”

“I could say the same about that last attack of yours,” Hikari said. “You defeated me so I will answer your question from before. My mother got together with Jiraiya to arrange a marriage between the two of us. That is why I was so angry with you—although it’s them that should be the target of my anger.”

“What the hell?” Naruto spun around and looked at the two adults. “Jiraiya is definitely going to be punished for his cheek.”

Jiraiya and Mei approached them, appearing completely at ease, as if they had done nothing wrong.

“After our spar, I am convinced of your strength. Although I'm not keen on my mother choosing my partner for me, I will abide by her decision. Also, I have no desire to remain unmarried like her.” Hikari added that last part for her mother to overhear.

“Do you think I won’t burn you to ashes just because you are my daughter?” Mei glared at Hikari.

“You do not have to sound so enthusiastic,” Naruto said to Hikari, ignoring the exchange. “Have you become a genin yet?”

“Of course,” Hikari exclaimed.

“In that case, you are already an adult. There's no need to listen to them."

Jiraiya frowned. “We did this for the sake of the village. Having a marriage between the two faction leaders' kids is a great way to ensure peace.”

"I'm not your child, but nice try," Naruto retorted. "I am too young to consider marriage, anyway."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Hinata had heard enough.

As she approached Naruto to offer her congratulations on winning the spar, she couldn't help but overhear the conversation about an arranged marriage. She clenched her fists. The thought that a complete stranger could simply swoop in and take Naruto away from her bothered her immensely. This girl did not know who Naruto really was, unlike her.

Perhaps she could spar with her as well. If she wanted to teach the girl a lesson, what would be the best way to go about it? What about cutting off her chakra supply and damaging her internal organs so much that she would not recover for months? Or she could throw her into the sea and see if she can swim without her chakra.

Her anger towards the girl was so intense that she unconsciously exuded a hint of killing intent. That caught the attention of the group and they looked at her in surprise.

“Are you okay, Hinata?” Naruto asked.

Hinata blinked, returning to her senses. Embarrassment washed over her as she realised what she had done. She blushed and averted her gaze, unable to meet Naruto's eyes.

“I am fine, Naruto,” Hinata whispered.

“Hello,” Mei raised a hand to her mouth to conceal a smile. “Who might you be?”

“I am Hinata,” she replied, bowing. “Please excuse me for my rudeness.”

“It’s fine,” Mei waved her hand dismissively. "As a female myself, I can understand your actions. Someone was trying to steal your boyfriend, so you came to fight for him."

Hinata's face became even hotter. Right now, she just wanted to die on the spot because it was surely better than the embarrassment she was experiencing.

“He is not my boyfriend,” Hinata blurted.

“Hinata, I’m crushed,’ Naruto said, slinging an arm over her shoulder. “Here I thought we had a beautiful…oof.”

Hinata elbowed Naruto in the side, causing him to let go of her.

“Tell me, Hinata,” Mei said. “What do you think of arranged marriages? Do you not think that the positives outweigh the negatives? For the good of the village.”

Hinata lifted her head, her gaze steady. “Such thinking is outdated and lazy. It is a kind of thinking I have seen firsthand. The Hyuga clan has a tendency to resist change and cling to our traditions but not for a good reason. Because trying something different is scary, fraught with uncertainty of the unknown. We arrived in this village intending to be different, seeking refuge from the tumultuous Shinobi world. So let’s build something different.”

“Well said, Hinata,” Jiraiya said with a smile.

“Yeah, I couldn't have said it better myself,” Naruto said. “Jiraiya, you can forget about the arranged marriage ever happening, as I can choose a wife on my own.”

A smile crossed Hinata's face, a wave of relief washing over her. She might not be ready to confess her feelings to Naruto just yet, but she was determined to stay by his side until the day she could find the courage to do so.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

After the brief interruption, the tour of the village began. Naruto and Jiraiya led Mei and her group through the small village. Naruto and Hikari engaged in friendly conversation as if they hadn't been at odds with each other a few minutes ago. She displayed no visible disappointment over her cancelled wedding. While it bruised his ego a little, Naruto felt relieved that he wouldn't have to go through with it.

“I see you have started building some infrastructure,” Mei noted as she saw the skeletons of the buildings under construction.

“That’s right,” Jiraiya said. “Living out of a tent is getting tiresome. Since we have the mist surrounding the island, we can build up the village as long as we are careful.”

“That is something I wanted to bring up. Why does the mist continue to linger over the island, even though it didn’t appear until after the village’s destruction? It’s not the same as Kiri.”

"I don't know," Jiraiya replied, averting his gaze. "It's definitely a mystery."

“Hmm,” Mei narrowed her eyes but dropped the subject. “So far, I like what you are building here, but it needs a lot of work. How many supplies do you bring with you? Is it necessary to find a supplier to purchase more goods? ”

“I brought a lot of storage scrolls filled with supplies with me. It got our village started,” Jiraiya answered. “Though we are building infrastructure to become self-sufficient, we will need more supplies, especially if your faction is going to join us.”

“We have plenty of our own,” Mei said. “But if we want the village to prosper, then we need access to a supplier at some point. I am acquainted with someone in Kiri, but given the current situation there, I am hesitant to rely on their help.”

“Why not become pirates?” Naruto suggested.

“What do you mean?” Mei raised an eyebrow.

“There are a lot of pirates operating off the coast of the Land Of Fire. We can do a good deed by getting rid of them and getting their supplies as our reward for our efforts,” Naruto said righteously. “We can do it without attracting too much attention, as long as we exercise caution.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Jiraiya said, rubbing his chin. “We currently have three ships watching for anyone approaching the island. I am sure that we can spare one of them so we can plunder a pirate ship.”

“Don’t forget that we have a ship as well,” Mei said, her brow furrowed as she considered the matter. "It would benefit the more adventurous Shinobi who prefer not to remain in the village and take part in missions about building infrastructure."

“Sometimes, I surprise myself with how smart I am,” Naruto said with a smile.

“There is still a lot of logistics to figure out,” Jiraiya cautioned.

Mei nodded. “Indeed. Before we even consider this idea, I would like to address the formation of a government and a clear chain of command. You cannot continue with the current disorganised approach to leading the village.”

Jiraiya groaned. “Do we have to?”

“If my faction is going to join you, then it's necessary,” Mei stated.

“Well, at least Naruto will get to suffer alongside me,” Jiraiya said. “I would like him to….”

Jiraiya turned to see that Naruto and Hikari had disappeared.

“How dare that brat run away!” Jiraiya exclaimed. His shoulders slumped as led her back toward his tent. “We can discuss this in further detail in my office.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

“Big brother, I finished my laps,” Kushina huffed, collapsing to the ground next to him.

Naruto looked up from where he was writing on the scroll. Jiraiya assigned him his first Fuinjutsu project, which was to create a storage seal. It was fortunate that he had set himself a proper foundation by practising his calligraphy since it would be a lot harder without it. Unlike creating seals in the middle of battle, he could take his time with these, but it didn't mean it was any easier.

“Good girl,” Naruto praised her, before gesturing to the ground. "Please do thirty push-ups for me. Keep the correct form.”

“Meanie,” Kushina sighed but followed his instructions.

Naruto grinned. Teaching proved to unexpectedly satisfying, particularly the aspect of pushing an individual until they reached the point of complete exhaustion. Maybe he had a masochistic streak?

There was no need for him to worry about Kushina. The girl had a lot of stamina, and she could push herself pretty far before burning out. Since they woke up this morning, she had been training for over two hours, and was only just reaching her limit now. Maybe it was a good time to help her unlock her chakra?

Naruto returned his attention to the scroll and continued to write the seal. He had been reading up on them, and realised that his assumptions on how they worked were way off base. He assumed the items were safe in a separate spatial dimension, but that wasn't the case. Storage scrolls instruments that merely transported things, so the items needed to be physically stored somewhere so they can be retrieved.

There were different storage scrolls, each suited to a different purpose. A common use for them was to store objects, and the seals used to make them depended on the object's size and quantity. Chakra can stored in them as well, but they were more volatile and harder to make. Before tackling them, he would need to have some experience under his belt.

Every Fuinjutsu user had their own unique style they added to their creations, which meant that there were no two that were alike. Already, he could see that his own was developing and looked distinctively different from Jiraiya's.

“Just wait, Hisashi,” Naruto said. “I will gain some proficiency in Fuinjutsu and then you will have to spill your secrets.”

He still had to read his father's letter. Maybe it was time to dispel the seal and see what his father had to say.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Standing on the steps of the Hokage Tower, Danzo surveyed the gathering of Konoha citizens gathered before him. Considering today's important announcement, he had made it mandatory for everyone in the village to attend, with a few exceptions.

His eyes narrowed when he spotted the Sarutobi clan standing near the front of the crowd. Ever since he assumed the role of Hokage, they had been constantly causing him trouble. They undermined his decisions and attempted to rally support from the prominent clans. They desired to remove him from his position as Hokage, but they could not take direct action because of the risk of it being perceived as challenging the Daimyo's authority.

They were like a persistent thorn, firmly embedded into his side and impossible to pull out. Although he would have liked to get rid of them, he would face enormous backlash if more Shinobi from a prominent clan disappeared. The clan also enjoyed a great deal of popularity among the populace because of Hiruzen's legacy. He would need to consider how to bring them under his control.

“It’s time to start,” Homura advised from beside him. “We still have to meet with the Jonin Commander and complete the details of the operation.”

“Very well,” Danzo nodded. “Is the squad ready to make their appearance?”

“They are waiting for you to give the signal. I believe they will leave a powerful impression on the citizens.”

Homura was a valuable advisor to have by his side. After years of perseverance, he had earned the man's loyalty and trusted him with some of his secrets.

“We are gathering here for a historic occasion,” Danzo said, raising his voice above the crowd's noise.

The crowd hushed, wanting to listen to their Hokage's words.

“Just recently Otogakure and Sunagakure combined forces to invade us,” Danzo said. “As a result of the invasion, we unfortunately lost the Third Hokage.”

He scanned the citizen's faces to gauge their mood. Most of them looked angry at his words. Good. If they were angry, they would accept his announcement more easily. While he didn't require their approval, having it would certainly make things easier. It is the ordinary citizens who are the backbone of any society, and they need a certain level of contentment to keep them from revolting.

“I have been in talks with the Suna Council,” Danzo continued. “Even though they were the ones to invade our village, they have the temerity to demand concessions. I cannot excuse their actions because Orochimaru manipulated them. What are your thoughts on this matter? Are they being shameless?”

The crowds roared in agreement.

“That is why Konoha will declare war against Suna.”

That crowd instantly silenced the crowd, but they quickly erupted into an angry murmur. One sentence had completely turned them against him. It did not surprise him There was no way he could such an announcement without making waves.

Danzo raised his hand to grab their attention. "I understand your concerns. We have recently faced an invasion and had a portion of our military strength reduced because of craven cowards, but you do not need to worry.”

Danzo gave the signal.

Figures dressed in grey uniforms appeared in front of Danzo as they Shunshin into the square. The crowd screamed as they appeared, thinking they had been invaded. It was understandable that they thought that way, aswere under attackk like any shinobi from Konoha. They wore masks on their faces like the Anbu, butSinstead of animal masks, theirs were a lot more creepy. They wore masks with different skull patterns on them.

Danzo slammed down his cane on the ground. “I would like to introduce you to the Akuma squad. A group of Shinobi that I have trained in secret for several years. They will be a major force that will wage war on Suna.”

Some of the crowd clapped politely, but many others appeared uneasy with the individuals. The men stood still as statues and were completely silent. The Akuma had a passing resemblance to the Anbu, but they seemed different somehow, but couldn’t identify why they felt that way.

“They will head out tonight to invade Suna. Now, I do not intend to slaughter and pillage their village, but to absorb them into our own, as long as they cooperate. This village will become a city unlike any other. It will be the glorious capital of the United Elemental Nations!”

=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=

Danzo met with the Jonin Commander and some of his personnel in the Hokage’s office. There was a map of Suna on the table, and they were finalising the battle plans they would use to conquer the village. Even though they didn’t foresee any difficulties, considering the sheer power of the Asuma squad, they wanted to finish the battle with as few losses as they could. If any of the Asuma squad's bodies were near indestructible, then that didn’t hold true for their other Shinobi.

“Was it wise to announce our plans to the public?” The Jonin Commander questioned. "It's likely that word will reach Suna before we reach their village."

Daisuke Nara was the Jonin Commander. A retired Jonin and one of his oldest Root operatives. He didn’t lose out much in terms of ability to Shikaku and had a wealth of experience. His only fault was that his thinking was too rigid sometimes. He would lead the Asuma squad and the other Shinobi in the upcoming operation.

“It’s fine,” Danzo replied. “I want to give them some time to think, and although it’s unlikely, they may choose to surrender before the battle begins. Even if they resist, they won’t have enough time to change the outcome.”

“Of course,” Daisuke replied. He leaned over the map and pointed to a section of the village wall. "Our interrogators extracted some information from the Suna representative. Our best entry point is here."

Three times they reviewed the plans before they considered them complete, and now it was time for the army to leave Konoha. To avoid the heat during the day, they will travel through the desert at night. Daisuke left to go make the final preparations and Danzo sat behind his desk, not addressing the four men remaining in the room.

Shortly thereafter, Orochimaru and Kabuto arrived, concealed in disguises. Now that he installed the Root operatives in the Hokage Tower, there was less chance of them being discovered. But it was important to exercise caution. If word got out that he was collaborating with Orochimaru, it would lead to a considerable amount of turmoil.

“Quite the spectacle you put on,” Orochimaru hissed. “I wonder what your citizens would think of you if they knew what you were really doing.”

“They don’t need to know,” Danzo said, his jaw set. “I called you here to discuss whether there are any issues with the summons. This is a critical period, and I cannot afford any mishaps.”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Orochimaru dismissed, before glancing at Kabuto beside him. “In fact, my brilliant associate has been helping me make improvements.”

“Is he speaking the truth?” Danzo asked.

Kabuto adjusted his glasses. “It is an amazing creation, but it still has its flaws. There are a few areas in which I can improve it.”

“Kabuto is also using the technique to increase the number of summons we can control,” Orochimaru explained.

Danzo nodded stoically, concealing his displeasure with that revelation. It was because of his own actions that he could not trust Kabuto, even less than Orochimaru.

“What is their level of freedom? Is there a chance that they could escape from the seal?” Danzo asked.

“They are under our total control,” Orochimaru hissed, angry about the Hokage questioning his competence. “We have explicitly instructed them not to escape, so it is irrelevant whether they have discovered a means to do so.”

He turned to address the man standing in the corner. “What do you think? Your creation is turning out to be more useful than I could have ever imagined. A reincarnated summon is the ideal weapon for warfare. Their bodies are not only near indestructible, but they also can use a nearly limitless amount of chakra.”

Tobirama straightened. “I never would have thought I would regret creating the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu.”

Danzo smiled as he surveyed the collection of Hokages under his command. Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze.

He had revived them to do his bidding. Although they were far from their full strength, their knowledge and experience would compensate.

“You have gone too far, Danzo,” Hiruzen frowned. “How many lives did you sacrifice to create this squad?”

"Their sacrifices will herald a new era for the Elemental Nations," Danzo stated.

"Your plan is pure folly," Hashirama said. "Do you truly believe that the other villages will not respond to your acts of aggression? You should work with the other villages to foster peace."

"You have no right to speak about peace, Hashirama," Danzo chided. "By capturing the tailed beasts and distributing them among the five hidden villages, you fostered nothing but discord. How could you believe that such an approach would bring about peace? Despite being the First Hokage, you were naive and driven by unrealistic ideals."

Hashirama stared at the ground, choosing not to respond.

“How did you overcome the limitations of the jutsu?” Hiruzen asked, glancing at Minato. “There are two of us here that you shouldn’t have been able to summon us because of our souls being trapped in the Shinigami’s stomach.”

Orochimaru chuckled. “It’s thanks to the Hokage’s generosity that I could overcome that limitation.”

Danzo gave Orochimaru a scroll that contained a seal from the Uzumaki clan. It was a forbidden jutsu that would allow him to release people's souls from the Shinigami's stomach. Orochimaru had journeyed to the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple in order to conduct the ritual. Only the Hokage knew where it was located, so Orochimaru hadn’t known about it before.

It was one incentive that he had been holding in reserve to ensure Orochimaru’s compliance. In order to maintain his loyalty, he would need to distribute the remaining incentives judiciously; at least until he no longer had any need for him.

"How did you let this man gain power?" Tobirama scolded his student. "You must have gone senile in your old age, you fool. I taught you better than that."

Hiruzen's shoulders slumped at his former mentor’s words.

“Why haven’t you said anything, Minato?” Danzo asked.

The entire time Minato had been standing there, he had kept his eyes closed, ignoring the others in the room.

Minato’s eyes snapped open, a smile spreading across his face. “I finally remembered the hand seals.”

Danzo felt a frisson of alarm at the Fourth Hokage’s words.

Minato quickly executed a sequence of hand seals, before saying, “release.”

Danzo rose from his seat. “Stop him!”

“Thanks for returning my kunai to me,” Minato declared. "I am going to look for my son. Farewell."

Minato Namikaze disappeared in a flash.

Danzo roared. He looked at Orochimaru, a vein pulsating in his forehead. "You told me they were incapable of making an escape attempt."

Orochimaru stared at the spot where Minato had vanished. “It seems the Fourth Hokage has a way of countering our command. Look at the others. Even though they saw the hand signs, they are not trying to escape.”

“Who was in control of the Fourth Hokage?” Danzo watched them like a hawk. "Was it you, Orochimaru, or Kabuto?"”

So, what do you think? Danzo has the Hokages under his command, although he didn’t foresee Minato getting away. Will Minato be able to find Naruto?

Thanks for reading.