[Chapter Size: 2400 Words.]
Third Person POV
Konoha, Year 42.
...
...
Minato reappeared, stomping his feet against the surface of the sand with force on that beach, as the sea breeze quickly rushed into his nostrils. His next stop after leaving Nawaki was none other than his secret place, used since many years ago. As he looked curiously at the sea to the south, he remembered that this was not only the place where he trained and developed the Rasenshuriken, along with the powers of the Light Fruit, but also where he met a strange fish, his friend of years whom he had found by chance on this very beach. And Minato was there precisely because of him. After all, contact between the two had resumed in the last year after almost two years of barely speaking due to the war and Guren undergoing a journey exploring the sea to become stronger.
"Minato!!!"
Unsurprisingly, an explosion burst from the sea. The fish soared out of the water, rushing toward the beach at an astonishing speed. He could simply accelerate in the air with his tail, beating it rapidly and with such impressive force that it generated an air explosion, before returning to the water. Then, he jumped again, crossing dozens of meters at high speed.
"Guren! It's good to see you!" Minato smiled, brightened.
The blue fish, with horns and a strangely articulated speech, belonged to the fish clan. Besides reasoning like any intelligent animal, they had special abilities.
"I felt your presence the moment you appeared on the beach. I'm easily a powerful sensor, as you call it." Guren replied.
He had an incredible sensory ability. It wasn't based on chakra, but on the purest spiritual presence—something similar to Observation Haki, which Minato possessed, but at the same time, it wasn't the same ability, despite being similar.
Minato approached, smiling even more upon seeing his old friend. His mood improved as he walked on the water, moving toward the fish who now waited, still, in the shallowest part of the beach. Guren was visibly much larger than before, with half of his body out of the water.
"It's good that you arrived. I was in my clan over the past month... and the Trial of the Waterfall will happen soon." Guren said, his voice deep.
Minato had come there before but hadn't found him this month. Now the fish explained why, while Minato listened attentively.
"That's good. Are you ready for it?" Minato asked.
"Obviously, Minato. I'm strong enough for it." Guren responded, waving his right fin.
Minato still didn't exactly know what happened to Guren or the other members of his clan after the so-called Trial of the Waterfall. Guren only explained that everyone, at some point, had to face it. Those who failed would remain in the clan, in the sea, for the rest of their lives. On the other hand, those who managed to reach the top of the waterfall somehow... disappeared. No one heard from them again. However, everyone knew they had achieved what they desired.
Minato didn't even know if they died or transcended to somewhere else—he couldn't understand anything about this clan. But, for some reason, Guren always said that everyone in his clan was born with this immense will in their hearts: to reach the top of the waterfall. There, they would evolve.
"Well... seeing that, you'll need to be even more prepared... shall we train a bit?" Minato asked.
Guren nodded in agreement. They spent the late afternoon training together. Minato helped him. Even with the somewhat strange friendship—after all, it was a talking fish—he considered him one of his most trustworthy companions.
Quickly, the battle began, making the waves of the water stir, as the fish charged against Minato. He leapt as well, activating Armament Haki in his fist, which advanced rapidly forward. The fish responded with his tail, striking forcefully against Minato's fist.
Immediately, a sonic explosion occurred between the two, and the sea seemed to recede from that point.
Minato was always stunned by the strength Guren had achieved by growing so much in recent years. He was capable of shattering rocks and even producing cutting winds with his movements. Minato had no idea that the horned fish clan possessed such capabilities. Besides the growth, the blue scales were harder than steel, creating a natural armor around the fish.
Guren didn't have that before, and Minato had never seen any other member of his clan, so witnessing that evolution in the fish was overwhelming.
Even though he didn't need to use the full power of his Haki, Guren had become so strong that just fighting with Minato's regular body wasn't enough to match the fish's current strength. That's why he coated his fist with Armament Haki to withstand the impacts.
Guren, in a strong tone, explained more about the strength of his clan. He himself could leap from the water and soar more than a hundred meters in the air. It was said that even the most powerful members of his clan—those who didn't pass the Waterfall—could fly up to two hundred meters in a jump from the sea, with enough force to devastate an entire beach, with the intensity of an A-rank jutsu, using their tails or even spitting a water jutsu, from what Minato had heard.
"Great, let's raise the intensity of this!" Minato said, using this as a way to further refine his Armament Haki while exchanging blows with the fish.
Guren could also use Geppo, an ability Minato had recently taught him. Even without having a One Piece-style body like the blond, Guren managed to master the technique, using the force of his tail's impact in the air.
Duy could also potentially master Geppo too, according to Minato's expectations, but he would first need to fully master the seventh gate—something he was still developing at the time.
Either way, the two continued fighting for a few hours, until the sun began to set.
"I think it's time I head back to Konoha. It's already getting dark." Minato said.
Guren nodded, but then called out to him.
"Wait, Minato. I wanted to talk to you about something."
Minato looked at him curiously. "What is it?" he asked.
"You think I'm strong, don't you?" Guren asked, looking at him with a strange expression.
Minato was surprised by the question from the fish, but answered sincerely. "Yes. You're very strong. I'd say you're at the level of an elite jounin." Minato had to admit.
The speed at which Guren struck the air with his tail, being able to fly, generate pressure and wind attacks, in addition to his brute strength... not to mention his special attack, another trait of his clan, using his horns that could emit electricity, made him truly formidable, able to create lightning jutsu.
"So... I was thinking." Guren continued, seeming a bit embarrassed. "You've told me before about the toads you can summon to fight alongside you. I'd like to do the same. When you need my help... I want you to summon me. And I'd also like to take you to the fish clan." Guren finished, surprising Minato.
"You want to make a summoning contract? Are you sure about that? Wait... you want me to go to the fish clan too?" Minato asked, somewhat incredulous, but curious.
Guren just nodded. "Of course. Didn't I say many years ago that I wanted you to take part in the trial I was going to do? So... you won't be able to reach the clan at the bottom of the sea. But a summoning could bring you there," he said.
Minato scratched his chin, thoughtful about it. He didn't want to simply stop seeing his companion after he passed the Waterfall trial, since there was a rumor that those who did so simply disappeared. Even so, this was Guren's will. His life mission was to go through that Waterfall, and Minato didn't try to stop him, even with the information he had heard.
"Alright. We can make a contract, although I could use my teleportation seals, I believe a summoning would consume less chakra... But give me a few days... since I'll have to create it." Minato said, knowing he could make the summoning scroll thanks to his knowledge in fuuinjutsu.
However, it was a complex process. It wasn't just signing a scroll with blood—he would have to develop the entire vocation and structure of the contract. That would take a few days, and he would even ask Kushina for help, but still, he agreed.
"That's great!" Guren nodded enthusiastically. "I'd like to see your home. And also, if you need me in a battle... I will help, Minato." He said with satisfaction.
Minato simply nodded to that.
"Anyway, I'll be going now. Goodbye, Guren. Take care. I'll have a few more days off and I'll return here so we can continue training." He said.
Guren nodded, and Minato vanished.
Once again, he spent the night with the girls at Kushina's house. However, he seemed thoughtful. He interacted less than usual with his fiancées. But Minato hadn't been much of a talker in the past year. He preferred to let them talk among themselves while he thought about everything that was going on.
With so many things happening at the same time, he was a bit worried about what to do next.
The next day, Minato took Hanabi, Mikoto, and Tsuna and left the village in secret, heading to the beach once again—something he had decided the night before.
"Why did you bring us here? That fish came back?" Tsuna asked, curious.
"Guren is here. He'll probably appear once he senses our presence... But that's not exactly why I'm here. I want to talk about something serious that might sound like treason, and I didn't want anyone else to see." Minato began.
"And what would that be, then?" Hanabi murmured, seeing Minato's serious expression. She already suspected something important was coming. The night before, he had clearly been deep in thought, but said nothing. They respected the silence.
"I want to talk about my possible departure from the village... And I'll probably be treated as a traitor." Minato began, leaving all of them wide-eyed.
"I can't force you into this, because I wouldn't want any of you to be called traitors. However, I'm obligated to take Kushina with me... Even so, I intend to defy the village if my plans to remove the elders' power go wrong... And I wanted to know if you're willing to do the same... And bear the weight of being called traitors along with me." Minato said openly.
They were surprised at first, but not completely. They already knew some things. That wasn't the first time this kind of conversation came up. Ever since Minato started planning how to prevent the destruction of the Uzumaki clan, after recognizing what had been done against them, he had shared some of his concerns with them.
"You're still asking, you idiot? Of course we'll be on your side!" Tsuna said, crossing her arms. "If you say that defending my great-grandmother's clan is important, obviously you don't even have to ask—I'll be with you..." she added firmly.
"Yes. We'll leave the village. Minato, there's nothing keeping me here anymore." Hanabi said, while Minato gave a sincere smile.
"You think you can get rid of me that easily, Minato? Of course I'll be with you." Mikoto said, with a sparkle in her eyes.
Minato looked at them, feeling confident upon hearing the words of the women he loved, and smiled as he looked at the three.
"Very well... but it won't be easy." He said seriously. "Anyway... Tsuna, you have a summoning contract with the slug Katsuyu, right?" he asked, turning to her.
Tsuna nodded, and Minato continued.
"You need to go to the Shikkotsu Forest. I'd like you to learn Sage Mode with Katsuyu over the next few months. I know it's risky... but it will be necessary." Minato explained, while she sighed, already anticipating the effort it would require.
"Alright. I'll have to ask for a leave from the hospital... but I'll do it." She replied.
Tsuna remembered that her mother hadn't been able to master the Sannin Mode, but she herself could try. And now, more than ever, she would need it.
"I'll need something from you two as well..." Minato said, turning to Mikoto and Hanabi. "But we'll talk later. For now..."
He stepped away from them a bit, bit his thumb until it bled slightly. Then, he began forming hand signs, preparing a summoning.
In an instant, a large cloud of smoke covered the entire beach. The girls quickly stepped back, trying to shield themselves from the wind and impact of the summoning. The heavy sound of a colossal creature landing on the sand echoed throughout the area.
"Minato! Why did you summon me here? Where's the enemy?" Gamabunta's deep voice boomed as he looked down, seeing Minato standing before him.
"There are no enemies now, Gamabunta. But I'm here to ask you something." Minato said firmly.
"Hm? And what would that be?" the giant toad asked, looking at him curiously.
"I want you to return to Mount Myōboku and pass along my request to the Toad Elders. I'd like to go to the mountain—I want to make a request to them." Minato said, determined.
That was the next part of his plan.
-------------Nexts Chapters ----------------
Chapter 238 - Learning the Hatake Swordsmanship.
Chapter 243 - Heading to Mount Myōboku.
Chapter 253 - It's Time to Begin the Plans.
Chapter 262 - Plans and Problems in the Southwest.
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