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"Lord Hokage, you called us?"
Shiranui Genma, Iwashi Tatami, and Raidō Namiashi entered the Hokage's office.
Kakashi, upon seeing the three of them, instantly understood what Lord Jiraiya was planning.
This was the former escort team of the Fourth Hokage—also known as the Flying Thunder God Genma Team!
Now, they also served as bodyguards for the Fifth Hokage, Lady Tsunade.
Tsunade nodded to the three and said, "It's Jiraiya who's looking for you. He needs your help with something."
The three glanced at each other before Shiranui Genma, acting as the representative, stepped forward and said, "What are your orders, Jiraiya-sama?"
They had a strong impression of Jiraiya. After all, they had served as guards for the Fourth Hokage, and it was the Fourth who had taught them how to utilize the Flying Thunder God Technique to some extent. Without that connection, they would never have had such special status.
Moreover, Jiraiya was the master of the Fourth Hokage and had a close relationship with Tsunade, so they were more than willing to obey his orders.
Jiraiya stepped forward and said seriously, "I want you to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to move me to Amegakure."
Shiranui Genma was stunned. "But... Amegakure doesn't belong to Konoha..."
Jiraiya nodded. "It's alright. You must have seen what Naruto did at Konoha's gate. Hasn't your view of him changed?"
Shiranui Genma was caught off guard by the question.
Indeed, at the gates of Konoha, Naruto had blocked the enemies who had tried to invade the village. That was not the behavior of a rogue ninja. It was clearly the action of someone who still held Konoha close to his heart.
Shiranui Genma frowned. "I can't fully understand Naruto's behavior... but I believe he still cares deeply for Konoha."
Jiraiya pressed, "Then, do you still consider Naruto our comrade?"
Without hesitation, Shiranui Genma said, "Of course! From the moment he stood at the gate and saved his fellow villagers, Naruto was still the same child I once watched growing up."
Raidō Namiashi and Iwashi Tatami exchanged glances and smiled, sharing the same sentiment.
Kakashi and Might Guy were pleased. Throughout the village, fewer and fewer people were rejecting Naruto. Especially among the jōnin, more were beginning to understand Naruto's actions as the world grew more chaotic.
Some even began to suspect whether Naruto's departure had been secretly orchestrated by the Hokage's senior leadership to ensure Konoha's long-term stability amid the turmoil.
"But," Shiranui Genma hesitated, "in Amegakure, we don't have any Flying Thunder God Formula marks."
Jiraiya chuckled, crossing his arms. "Actually, you should feel it carefully. There are quite a few Flying Thunder God marks scattered across the entire shinobi world!"
He grinned. "And not just elsewhere—right here in the village too!"
The three looked at each other, confused, before forming a small circle. They quietly focused their chakra to detect spatial coordinates left by the Flying Thunder God Formula.
The next moment, all three were utterly stunned.
How could this be possible???
Throughout Konoha—no, even the outskirts and distant locations—Flying Thunder God marks were scattered everywhere!
Jiraiya watched their stunned faces and laughed. "Surprised?"
Shiranui Genma was dumbfounded. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he exclaimed, "Wait... could it be that Naruto also...?"
Jiraiya nodded. "Exactly. Naruto has mastered the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique. The markings are identical to the Fourth's."
Raidō Namiashi muttered in disbelief, "But... the Fourth Hokage never passed down the original Flying Thunder God seals. Only the three of us received part of it, and we had to work together to replicate it. We never even wrote the full formula down!"
Iwashi Tatami nodded urgently. "Yeah! Where would Naruto have learned it?!"
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a knowing smile before Tsunade said, "There are no outsiders here. This secret was protected by the Third Hokage for years. It's time for you to know the truth."
Kakashi smiled faintly. He had already known for some time.
Jiraiya declared, "Naruto is the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."
Shiranui Genma, Raidō Namiashi, and Iwashi Tatami were left in complete shock!
Suddenly, memories from that day at Konoha's gate clicked into place for Shiranui Genma. That feeling of familiarity—the blonde hair, the aura—he hadn't been imagining it!
No wonder!
Like father, like son!
The Rasengan, the Flying Thunder God—Naruto's mastery of them suddenly made perfect sense. If they were Minato's techniques, it was only natural his son could inherit and learn them!
Jiraiya continued, his tone heavy with emotion. "Back then, the Fourth Hokage foresaw the chaos that might envelop the shinobi world. To protect the future, he sealed half of the Nine-Tails' Yang Chakra into Naruto's body and entrusted his son to Konoha's care.
But Minato also prepared a backup plan. According to Naruto, Minato left a fragment of his chakra inside Naruto to help him when the time came—guiding him to master the Nine-Tails' power, teaching him the Flying Thunder God Technique, and safeguarding his heart."
As Jiraiya spoke, tears welled in the eyes of Shiranui Genma, Raidō Namiashi, and Iwashi Tatami.
The Fourth Hokage had treated them like his own children.
Strictly speaking, Minato was their teacher too.
Not only had he taught them a portion of the Flying Thunder God Technique, but he had also passed on numerous other combat skills.
And for the sake of Konoha, Minato had sacrificed his own son to become a jinchūriki. How great a burden... how deep a love!
When they thought about how badly Naruto had been treated growing up—scorned, isolated, and hated—and how they, the very people who should have protected him, had done nothing to help...
The guilt crushed their hearts.
By rights, Naruto should be calling them "uncles."
Yet, what had these uncles done for him?
Nothing.
Worse, they had once looked at him with suspicion and resentment—blaming him for something he had no control over.
No wonder Jiraiya-sama, despite all the opposition he faced, insisted on making Naruto his apprentice.
It all made perfect sense now.
Shiranui Genma wiped his eyes and looked firmly at Jiraiya. "Jiraiya-sama, let's go. We will take you to Amegakure!"
Jiraiya nodded, stepping into the circle formed by the three.
Tsunade called out anxiously, "Be careful on the road, Genma Team! Protect Jiraiya no matter what!"
Shiranui Genma saluted. "Understood, Hokage-sama. Please rest assured!"
Jiraiya grinned. "Don't worry. We're heading to Amegakure, Naruto's stronghold. It'll be fine."
The three activated their chakra, preparing the teleportation.
"Jiraiya-sama, please place your hand into the circle. We're not very familiar with the coordinates of Amegakure," Shiranui Genma said.
Jiraiya nodded, reaching out and infusing chakra into the circle. Immediately, scenes from Shiranui Genma's perspective opened up to him—countless spatial coordinates shimmering across the map of the shinobi world.
He quickly pinpointed the one corresponding to Amegakure.
Jiraiya injected chakra to highlight the destination. "This one!"
The trio nodded. With swift, practiced movements, they activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In an instant, with a whoosh, they disappeared from the Hokage's office.
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