"Eight or nine Jonin and so many Chunin and Genin are enough to start a small war, yet it was resolved by just one person. The ninja world hasn't seen such a talent in many years. This guy will become famous in the ninja world sooner or later."
"Shuiyou, don't dwell on such thoughts. What we are doing now is extending the goodwill of Hidden Waterfall Village."
And if they come to understand the effects of the Hero's Water, they will naturally choose to stay if they desire it.
With that thought, the Takikage turned and silently examined the latest intelligence report on the table. The sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the scroll with the words "Intelligence Analysis" vaguely visible. In the opened corner of the scroll, there were photographs of Okamoto Dousuke and several others…
Without exceptional talents, when will Hidden Waterfall Village ever become a great ninja village? Can we only rely on mediocre individuals like you who always bow their heads? Unseen by the Takikage, Shuiyou's face beneath his breathing mask twisted into a grimace as he stared at the Takikage's back.
The group of young ninjas returned to their room and gathered in the living area.
"Damn it, that old man actually managed to hit me like that," Obito grumbled, still clearly annoyed.
"Obito, you need to learn to respect those who are strong," Okamoto Dousuke said, shaking his head slightly, hoping this experience would bring about some change in the Uchiha.
"So, what's the next step for us?" Nohara Rin asked, gently bouncing Fu in her arms, eliciting a happy giggle from the child. She tilted her head and looked at Kakashi and Okamoto Dousuke.
"Although we are reasonably certain that the Takikage harbors no ill intentions towards us, it's still best for us to remain inside the house and wait for Minato-sensei to arrive before we make any further plans," Kakashi said, leaning back in his chair and gazing up at the ceiling.
"What Kakashi said makes sense. Let's just wait patiently for Senior Brother Minato to join us," Okamoto Dousuke agreed.
Calculating the time, considering last night and this morning, even if Minato Namikaze wasn't moving at top speed, he should have already entered Hidden Waterfall Village.
After lunchtime, no one declined the lavish meal that was delivered to their doorstep. They all ate heartily.
Following lunch, Fu fell into her usual deep sleep.
Okamoto Dousuke and the others also patted their full stomachs and slowly settled down on the tatami mats. The warm afternoon sun streamed into the room, making them feel drowsy.
Just as several of them were about to drift off to sleep.
Knock, knock.
The sound of the knocking instantly woke everyone. Kakashi sat up and called out, "Who is it?"
"Gentlemen, there is a ninja from Konohagakure here who claims to be your teacher. Lord Takikage has instructed me to bring him to you."
Hearing this, Kakashi, Obito, Rin, and even Okamoto Dousuke became visibly excited.
Okamoto Dousuke activated his Water Release: Instantaneous Body Technique and arrived at the door in a flash.
As he opened the door, he saw Namikaze Minato, wearing his green Jonin vest and with his signature short blond hair, standing behind Shuiyou. Minato's eyes met Okamoto Dousuke's as the door opened.
"Hi, Dousuke, are you all alright?" Namikaze Minato raised his right hand, his eyes crinkling into crescent shapes as he greeted them with a warm smile.
Okamoto Dousuke opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Thump, thump, thump.
Kakashi appeared next to Okamoto Dousuke, closely followed by Nohara Rin.
Finally, a figure came crashing over to Kakashi and Okamoto Dousuke, and Obito squeezed his head between them, shouting, "Minato-sensei, you're finally here!"
"Sir Minato Jonin, I will take my leave now," Shuiyou said, observing the joyful reunion, and addressed Minato Namikaze by honorifics.
Minato Namikaze had arrived at Hidden Waterfall Village, having properly reported his presence as the Konoha senior ninja, Minato Namikaze, to the guards and the village higher-ups.
"Thank you for your assistance, Jonin Shuiyou," Namikaze Minato said, bowing slightly in gratitude to Shuiyou.
"You are most welcome, Minato Jonin. If you require anything further, please do not hesitate to inform the village patrol, and they will notify me," Shuiyou replied before turning and walking towards the village office building.
Namikaze Minato smiled at the group still partially blocking the doorway. "Well, aren't you going to let me in?"
Okamoto Dousuke and the others quickly moved aside, eagerly welcoming Namikaze Minato into the house.
Obito rushed forward and embraced Minato Namikaze in a tight hug.
Nohara Rin's eyes also welled up with tears of relief.
Minato gently patted Obito's head. "Alright, alright, let go now. You're already a capable ninja, standing on your own two feet."
With that, he stepped into the house and found a place to sit down.
"After I left, did you all have a smooth journey to Hidden Waterfall Village?" Minato Namikaze asked, looking at his students who had gathered around him.
Minato Namikaze listened silently to Kakashi, Okamoto Dousuke, and the others recounting what had transpired after their separation.
"So, Fu is the current Takikage's daughter?" Namikaze Minato glanced at Fu, who was still fast asleep.
"Teacher, wasn't Takikage there to greet you when you arrived?" Kakashi asked, feeling that as a senior ninja from Konohagakure, Namikaze Minato should have been acknowledged by the Takikage.
"I did meet with the Takikage, but he didn't mention anything about Fu. He simply thanked me for returning Fu to Hidden Waterfall Village."
"If what the Takikage said is true, then Fu must be his child," Okamoto Dousuke explained.
"Teacher, regardless of whether Fu is the Takikage's child or not, she is the Jinchuriki of Hidden Waterfall Village. The Seven-Tails Jinchuriki has been safely returned to Hidden Waterfall Village, so we should prepare to leave," Kakashi said to Minato Namikaze.
"Kakashi, how can you say that? Fu is a living, breathing person. What if she doesn't want to stay in Hidden Waterfall Village?" Obito stood up abruptly, his fists clenched in protest.
"But she is also a Jinchuriki, the Jinchuriki of Hidden Waterfall Village," Kakashi retorted with a cold glance.
Obito's clenched fists gradually relaxed, and he sat back down weakly.
Watching Obito slowly settle back down, Okamoto Dousuke spoke directly, "Brother Minato, we should leave tomorrow. Our mission is complete. The rest is not our concern."
Looking at Okamoto Dousuke and Kakashi, Namikaze Minato said, "Then we will depart tomorrow. You should all get a good rest tonight."
In the evening, Shuiyou once again brought the chef to deliver a lavish dinner.
"Can consuming this type of food over a long period actually increase a person's chakra?" Minato Namikaze asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
As you know, in the ninja world, chakra extraction is a combination of physical and spiritual strength. I've never heard of a way to truly increase it.
Even the Chakra Pills only stimulates the body to accelerate chakra extraction.
"I examined it, and it doesn't contain any toxins. The specific mechanism would likely require specialized testing to fully understand."
"And after eating lunch today, I could indeed sense a slight increase in the chakra within my body. If I wasn't extremely sensitive to chakra, I probably wouldn't have noticed it."
The added chakra was incredibly subtle, almost undetectable. If it weren't for Okamoto Dousuke's heightened senses, no one else would have noticed it.
However, if one were to consume this kind of food consistently over time, the effects would likely accumulate.
"This substance must be extremely precious to Hidden Waterfall Village. I will analyze the composition of this Hero's Water when we return," Okamoto Dousuke thought to himself. He had long desired a method to increase chakra, and now that an opportunity had presented itself, he couldn't let it pass easily.
After dinner, Nohara Rin took Fu to bed, while Kakashi and Obito slept in their clothes beside them, ready for anything.
Minato Namikaze was alone in the living room. He prepared a makeshift bed on the floor and lay down to rest.
Okamoto Dousuke walked quietly towards Minato's bed, a small medicine bottle in his hand.
Even with the utmost care in his movements, a slight sound still echoed in the quiet room.
Minato Namikaze opened his eyes and saw Dousuke Okamoto, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, standing beside his bed.
"Dousuke, is there something I can help you with?"