Going shopping was, of course, nothing more than an excuse. Kyoichi had no real interest in wandering around Konoha's streets and alleys. In fact, just on the way to the Hokage Building, they had already passed the most bustling part of the village—and even the famous "Ichiraku Ramen" had already gone by.
Aside from that,
There really wasn't anything in Konoha that was worth making a special trip to see.
The reason he said "strolling around"
was simply because he wanted to keep an eye on Mizushiro.
Even on the journey from Kirigakure to Konoha, he hadn't found any signs of Mizushiro being trapped in a genjutsu, nor did he see any obvious mistakes or odd traces. But… that strange, abnormal feeling around Mizushiro hadn't disappeared. And along the way, Ringo Ameyuri had once again commented that the lively, energetic Mizushiro was "like a dead man."
Of course,
She said this casually while chatting with Kyoichi, and Kyoichi hadn't told a third person.
In short,
Because of these little oddities here and there, he had been watching Mizushiro closely the entire way. If Mizushiro was perfectly fine—everything normal—then naturally Kyoichi didn't need to say or do anything. They could simply behave themselves and complete their mission properly. After all, Mizushiro hadn't done anything outrageous yet.
But if Mizushiro did have a problem and was preparing to cause trouble…
Then as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Kyoichi believed he had a responsibility to uphold the principle of "fulfilling the duties of one's position." He couldn't allow the guy to ruin their mission and drag Kirigakure's reputation through the mud.
His clan had already taken root in the "garden" that was Kirigakure.
If someone wrecked that garden, the Koeda Clan would suffer too.
While these thoughts ran through his mind,
The group arrived not far from the base of the great mountain carved with the Hokage faces. The red, upside-down-bucket-shaped Hokage Building soon entered their view. The distance from the village gate to here wasn't short, but with a shinobi's pace—even without running—they arrived quickly.
Upon entering the Hokage Building,
The group immediately split into two.
Naturally, not everyone could meet the Hokage. If all six remaining members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist went up together… no way would Konoha accept that. In the past, the Second Hokage and the Second Raikage had been ambushed during a peace conference by the Kumogakure's traitorous Gold and Silver Brothers. The Second Raikage died on the spot, and the Second Hokage sacrificed himself covering his students' retreat.
With such a painful precedent,
Konoha was always extremely cautious when receiving ninja from another village during a summit.
Even if—
This was Konoha, their own home turf.
But this wasn't a problem. The Kiri delegation had sincerely come to negotiate and definitely hadn't planned anything like assassinating the Hokage. So Oniyuzu Anjō readily had most of the group remain downstairs. Only—
"Minato, having one person accompany me shouldn't be an issue, right?"
Anjō asked.
"That's fine."
Minato answered naturally.
As long as it wasn't dozens of people storming in together, having two or three extra visitors wasn't a problem. "Elder Anjō, you can bring two people if you'd like."
"No need. I'm not worried about safety. It's just that going alone looks bad—I need someone with me to maintain appearances."
Anjō said it bluntly, without any tact.
Minato pressed his lips together, deciding not to comment.
"Kyoichi, you'll come with me."
After sweeping his gaze across the group, Anjō pointed at Kyoichi.
"Yes, Elder Anjō."
Kyoichi accepted immediately.
The others had mixed expressions. Clearly, they each had their own opinions about Anjō's choice. But after Zabuza's earlier incident—where he had spoken "out of line"—this rather unprofessional diplomatic team wisely chose silence. Nobody questioned why the elder didn't choose someone closer to him.
"Jūzō, wait here. It shouldn't take long."
Anjō instructed Kubikiribōchō-user Jūzō.
"Elder Anjō, don't worry! I'll keep an eye on that brat Zabuza. I guarantee he won't cause any trouble."
Jūzō promised.
Zabuza lifted his head at being called out, glanced briefly at Jūzō, then lowered it again—silent as always. The bandages on his face hid whatever expression he might've made.
But truly,
There was nothing to worry about.
This was Konoha—specifically, the Hokage Building. Unless someone wanted trouble, no one would dare cause an incident here.
After giving his instructions,
Anjō and Kyoichi followed Minato upstairs to meet the Hokage, while Anjō's students remained behind to watch over the other Kiri-nin.
On the way up,
Minato couldn't help but glance at Kyoichi several more times.
"Kyoichi-kun, is something the matter?"
Kyoichi naturally noticed.
"I'm just a little surprised that you're held in such high regard in Kirigakure," Minato said honestly.
Originally,
He had thought that even if the Koeda Clan wasn't outright ostracized, it would still take at least two generations for them to truly integrate into Kirigakure. But that expectation was overturned.
Elder Anjō of Kirigakure hadn't chosen Jūzō, a veteran Swordsman, nor had he picked Mangetsu, the prodigy of the Hōzuki Clan. Instead, he chose Kyoichi—a newcomer who had joined Kirigakure not long ago.
That level of trust
was genuinely unexpected.
"That's only because the Mizukage-sama and Elder Anjō have a discerning eye."
Kyoichi replied with an easy smile.
And that reply
was decidedly immodest—completely unapologetic.
While praising the Mizukage and Elder Anjō, he also subtly elevated himself instead of feigning humility.
Minato choked for a moment, temporarily unsure how to respond.
"Haha! Kyoichi isn't wrong. Talents like him—we in Kirigakure can't get enough of them."
Elder Anjō let out a hearty laugh, standing firmly in Kyoichi's corner.
"…That's true. No matter the village, someone like Kyoichi deserves to be valued."
Minato paused for two seconds, then smiled as well, matching their words.
A moment later,
They stopped before a certain door. Minato raised his hand and knocked lightly.
"Hokage-sama, Elder Anjō of Kirigakure and Koeda Kyoichi of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen have arrived!"
The next second—
"Come in."
A steady, powerful voice answered.