"Minato Namikaze."
"Disciple of Kawakaze Hatake—I've heard of him."
Ōnoki was annoyed but didn't let it show. He knew how to conduct himself when seeking assistance. Otherwise, he wouldn't have invited Nawaki for a discussion; he would've simply assigned him an assistant.
"Haha, so you've heard of him."
"That kid's amazing."
Nawaki wasn't the least bit jealous that Ōnoki knew of Minato but not him. In fact, he was filled with pride when talking about Minato.
"I hadn't paid much attention to you all before."
"But last night, we received intelligence from the border. If not for Minato Namikaze, we wouldn't have been able to keep Akatsuki's forces at bay."
Ōnoki was being honest—though perhaps he was also wary of upsetting Nawaki.
While Nawaki and Minato had long been on the radar of various intelligence networks, they hadn't yet reached a level that demanded Ōnoki's personal attention. It was understandable that he hadn't been familiar with them before now.
"That's good to hear."
Nawaki remained expressionless, but in his mind, he was already grinning at the thought of Minato and Nagato both "holding back" in their fights.
"In any case, we appreciate your assistance."
Ōnoki personally refilled Nawaki's tea—an honor unheard of in Iwagakure.
"You're too kind."
"Konoha has always been a peace-loving village. The thing we despise most are invaders like the Kumo ninja and Akatsuki."
Nawaki spoke with such righteous conviction that even Ōnoki almost believed him.
"If you're not keen on having an assistant, we'll drop the subject."
"If there's anything else you need help with, just let me know."
Ōnoki put on an air of generosity, though in reality, he was just being polite.
If anyone deserved gratitude, it was Tsunade—not her younger brother sitting across from him.
"Since you brought it up, there actually is something I could use your help with."
Seizing the opportunity, Nawaki played dumb, pretending he hadn't caught Ōnoki's subtle attempt to move on.
"Cough, cough… Speak."
Ōnoki had a sinking feeling—maybe inviting this kid was a mistake.
"Well, I've been practicing the Light-Weight Rock Technique, but I'm still struggling with some aspects of it."
"I was wondering if you could help clarify a few things for me."
The moment Nawaki spoke, Ōnoki felt a pang in his heart.
Just thinking about how Kawakaze had once extorted Iwagakure's secret techniques made his blood pressure rise.
"…Of course."
Ōnoki forced himself to stay calm. He had already offered—there was no backing out now. Otherwise, he'd just be embarrassing himself.
Besides, the secret technique had already been given away. With this kid's talent, it was only a matter of time before he mastered it anyway. Might as well use this as a chance to build some goodwill.
"Alright, so when I try to use it, I keep feeling like…"
Nawaki didn't waste time and immediately listed all his issues.
"That's normal. I ran into the same problem back in the day."
"All you need to do is…"
Having mentally prepared himself, Ōnoki held nothing back and shared his decades of experience with the Light-Weight Rock Technique.
"Thank you, thank you."
"Your insights have been invaluable."
"Here's a toast—with tea in place of wine."
Ōnoki's knowledge was not something to be taken lightly, and Nawaki knew how to appreciate quality teachings.
"No need for all that."
"Just train hard. The best way to repay me is to take down the AB combo next time."
Ōnoki smiled. Teaching a bright student was always satisfying.
If only Nawaki had been an Iwagakure shinobi…
Unfortunately, life rarely goes the way one wishes. In the end, Nawaki was still Konoha's ninja.
"Don't worry. Next time, I'll take things more seriously."
Nawaki's words, while indirect, were an admission of his earlier carelessness.
Ōnoki nodded in approval.
"Well then, if there's nothing else, I won't keep you."
Ōnoki drained his tea, signaling that it was time for Nawaki to leave.
"Actually… I do have one more request, but I'm not sure if it's appropriate to ask."
Nawaki was halfway out of his seat when he suddenly sat back down, looking hesitant—like a shy boy mustering the courage to confess his feelings.
"Go ahead."
Ōnoki sighed inwardly.
You already know it's an unreasonable request, and you're still going to ask?
"The thing is… I feel like I'm still a bit lacking when it comes to fighting the AB combo."
"I was wondering if you had any ninjutsu that could enhance my combat abilities?"
Nawaki phrased it carefully, leaving the decision in Ōnoki's hands.
If Ōnoki chose to brush him off with some low-level ninjutsu, then he couldn't blame Nawaki for slacking off in the next battle.
"What kind of ninjutsu are you looking for?"
Ōnoki, a seasoned veteran, instantly saw through Nawaki's ploy.
The Light-Weight Rock Technique? That was just an appetizer. This was the real ask.
"I noticed your Dust Release—it's incredibly powerful."
"Even my brother-in-law says it's one of the strongest offensive jutsu in the ninja world."
Nawaki shamelessly pushed his luck, aiming high right from the start.
"…Dust Release?"
Ōnoki stared at him in disbelief.
Does this brat seriously have the nerve to ask for Dust Release?
That's not something you just hand over to a foreign shinobi!
Even among Iwagakure ninja, only the Tsuchikage's successor was eligible to learn it.
"Well? Is it possible?"
Nawaki nodded enthusiastically, his expression full of excitement—so convincing that even an actor would struggle to match it.
"You should already know how difficult Kekkei Tōta are to master."
"This isn't something you can turn into an immediate combat asset."
"You'd be better off choosing something else."
Ōnoki took several deep breaths to keep himself from snapping.
"What a shame. I was really looking forward to learning Dust Release."
Nawaki switched to a disappointed expression, his acting flawless.
"Don't take it the wrong way."
"Simply put, Dust Release is a jutsu reserved for the Tsuchikage."
"As a Konoha ninja, you cannot be taught."
Ōnoki's response was firm—there was no room for negotiation.
"Alright."
"In that case, I noticed you have a technique where you spit out a rock golem—it's both offensive and defensive. That one looks pretty decent too."
Nawaki dialed back his request, smoothly transitioning to his actual target.
He knew full well that asking for Dust Release was a pipe dream, but an Earth Release jutsu? That was fair game.
"'Pretty decent'?"
"…Fine. I'll write it down for you."
Ōnoki nearly choked in frustration, but compared to Dust Release, the Golem Technique was indeed "pretty decent."
"Thank you, Lord Tsuchikage."
"I'll never forget your generosity."
Nawaki was all politeness now—so much so that if there was alcohol, he'd probably toast three bottles on the spot.
"Here. Take it."
Ōnoki wrote quickly, every stroke on the scroll feeling like he was carving away a piece of his soul.
Teaching Nawaki meant teaching Konoha. The thought made his heart ache even more.
Anyone associated with Kawakaze Hatake was bad news—every last one of them.
"Now get out."
Ōnoki didn't wait for Nawaki to say another word—he was already ushering him toward the exit.
If this kid stayed any longer, Ōnoki might actually punch him.
Nawaki, having gotten what he wanted, didn't linger. He carefully stashed the scroll away and walked out, his steps noticeably lighter.
Not long after, he heard a loud crash from inside the tent.
The grin on his face only grew wider.