Chapter 33: Chapter 33
Three days later, in the territory of the Land of Fire.
Yusuke commanded the Konoha ninja army camp.
Wearing a dark mask, Minato Namikaze, who had taken over Yusuke's former position as the captain of the Anbu, led his subordinates and handed over the signed letter from Sarutobi Hiruzen to Yusuke.
Ever since Yusuke withdrew from the Anbu, his position as the captain had become vacant. Minato, only 15 years old, had been chosen to fill the role. Though not as young as Itachi Uchiha, who became an Anbu captain at 13, Minato was undeniably a prodigy.
In the main camp, Minato handed the letter to Yusuke. Despite the mask covering his face, his sunny demeanor was apparent. "Yusuke-sama, this is a handwritten letter from Hokage-sama to you."
Yusuke took the letter, and after a few seconds of silence, he tossed the envelope directly into the campfire.
This action left Minato and his subordinates stunned.
"Yusuke-sama, this is Hokage-sama's handwritten letter!" Minato exclaimed.
"I don't need to read it to know what's inside," Yusuke said, reclining on the main seat covered with tiger skins. "It's probably a demand for immediate action against Iwa, right?"
Minato was taken aback. The other subordinates remained silent, wary of Yusuke's formidable reputation.
"Tell them I'll take Onoki's head and deliver it myself. Until then, they can stay in the village and enjoy their tea," Yusuke said bluntly.
Minato bowed and left the camp with his subordinates.
As they departed, Yusuke called out, "Minato."
"Yes, Yusuke-sama? Is there anything else you need?" Minato asked, pausing.
"Don't just blindly follow orders from above. Make sure you know who you're really serving," Yusuke advised.
Minato was puzzled but nodded in understanding before leaving with his team.
Outside the camp, an Inuzuka riding his dog, remarked, "That's really something. Burning Hokage-sama's letters without a second thought—he's bold beyond measure."
"What will we do about this with Hokage-sama?" he asked.
"We'll convey Yusuke-sama's message to Hokage-sama and leave out the part about burning the letters," Minato decided. "It's better to avoid unnecessary trouble."
The team agreed, understanding the potential ramifications of reporting such an act.
Three days later, Minato returned to Konoha and met with the Konoha Elder Four-person group led by Sarutobi Hiruzen. He reported, "Yusuke-sama understands Hokage-sama's message. He promised to bring back Onoki's head and requested more time."
Hiruzen's frustration was evident. "How can he make such promises and then not act? Doesn't he realize the trouble he's causing by letting the enemy penetrate deep into our territory?"
Koharu was particularly angry. "Doesn't he understand the severity of the situation?"
Minato, only a teenager, was caught off guard by their reaction but held his ground.
"Should we consider replacing him?" Homura Mitokado suggested.
"It's risky to change leaders in the middle of a war," Sarutobi replied, frowning. "If Yusuke is confident in his abilities, it's best to wait."
Danzo, ever the opportunist, added, "You're already under scrutiny from the Fire Country's Daimyo due to the Nine-Tails incident. If things go wrong, maintaining your position as Hokage could become even more difficult."
Despite the pressure, Sarutobi decided to let Yusuke continue, recognizing that changing leadership during a critical time could be disastrous. Yusuke, though unconventional, had so far kept his promises.
A month later, Sarutobi could no longer remain passive. Under continuous attacks led by Kitsuchi, the son of the Third Tsuchikage, and Roshi, the Four-Tails' Jinchuriki, Yusuke had retreated again. The Iwagakure army had advanced deep into the Fire Country, launching an attack just 200 miles from Konoha!
Weekly Power Status
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