Minato stood there, completely stunned, still trying to wrap his head around what he had just seen.
His eyes kept shifting between Haruki's calm expression and the lifeless bodies of the Sand ninja scattered on the ground.
It was hard to believe that the same man who wiped them out in an instant was now standing there so casually, as if nothing had happened.
But what really caught Minato's attention were Haruki's words. His curiosity immediately kicked in.
"Sensei, what was that just now? You were moving so fast, and that blue sphere...it was insanely powerful! Are you really going to teach me those techniques?" Minato asked, his eyes filled with excitement.
Haruki smirked and ruffled Minato's hair. "Of course. You're my student, aren't you?"
"Ah, not this again, Sensei!" Minato quickly ducked and sat down, shielding his head before Haruki could mess up his hair any further.
Haruki chuckled and shook his head. "Alright, let's get going. I'll explain everything on the way." He turned and started walking.
Minato wasted no time catching up, listening carefully as Haruki began explaining.
Soon, Minato learned the names of the techniques.
The Flying Thunder God Technique, an S-rank jutsu developed by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
He already knew that anything ranked S-level was considered highly advanced.
But more importantly, it was a rare space-time technique.
Then there was Rasengan, an A-rank technique.
Minato was shocked to hear that it was based on the Tailed Beast Bomb.
Just the thought of learning techniques this powerful sent a thrill through him.
Haruki smirked, feeling amused by Minato's reactions, After all, these were the techniques that would eventually define Minato's legacy.
"Minato, I counted. You've looked at me more than thirty times since we started walking," Haruki teased.
"If you have something to ask, just say it," he added with a grin.
Minato rubbed the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "Haha, Sensei....It's just that I always thought you were just a medical ninja." His tone was noticeably more respectful than before.
For the first time, he truly saw Haruki as his teacher.
Haruki smirked. "Well, if medical ninjutsu is enough to handle a situation, why would I need to step in personally?" He turned to Minato and added, "Or do you think I am just avoiding the fight?"
"No, no! Of course not!" Minato shook his head quickly, waving his hands in denial.
Haruki chuckled. "In my eyes, it's just a way to make my enemies underestimate me." He smiled mysteriously.
The enemies he was referring to weren't just those on the battlefield, but people like Hiruzen, Danzo, and others in the village. If he openly displayed a combat level on par with Tsunade, he would probably meet the same tragic fate as Sakumo.
A simple medical ninja wouldn't be seen as a threat to the Hokage's position.
Minato opened his mouth to ask something but hesitated. He was sharp enough to notice something was off.
Instead, He asked, "....Sensei, this isn't the way back to the village, is it?"
"Well, let's head to the Oshima Chamber Of Commerce" Haruki said with a satisfied smile, pleased with how quickly Minato was catching on.
"Oshima Chamber Of Commerce?" Minato frowned, trying to remember where he had heard that name before. After a moment, it clicked, it was the place that had issued the B-rank mission.
"But shouldn't we head back to the village to collect our reward first?" Minato asked, looking confused.
"Normally, yes. But this mission was a private commission," Haruki explained with a smirk, already anticipating Minato's reaction.
"Huh? Sensei, doesn't that technically go against village rules?" Minato was taken aback, his smile turning a little hesitant.
"If you don't say anything, and I don't say anything....who's going to find out?" Haruki shot him a teasing grin. "Are you going to snitch on me?"
"Of course not!" Minato shook his head quickly.
"Rules exist to be broken, especially the unreasonable ones." Haruki casually threw out a line from his past life.
Before Minato could respond, Haruki pointed ahead. "We're here, the town where Oshima Chamber of Commerce operates."
Minato turned to look at the lively street ahead.
Unlike the desolate battlefield they had just left, this place was thriving, untouched by war. Nearly every shop on both sides of the street had wooden signs with Oshima written on them. Even though he didn't know much about the company, it was obvious from the scene in front of him that Oshima Trading Company was a major force in the region.
"Their main business is grain trading," Haruki explained as he noticed Minato's curious gaze.
"They made a fortune during the Second Great Ninja War and are now well-known across the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain."
"In addition to regular food supplies, they also developed these things called compressed biscuits, cheap, long-lasting, and good quality. Civilians love them." Haruki added with a small smile.
"Compressed biscuits? Are they like the Three-Colored Pills?" Minato asked.
"Not quite," Haruki replied as they continued walking. "Those pills are made specifically for ninjas and are more like medicine, but..."
Before long, they arrived in front of a grand, traditional-style mansion.
Stopping at the entrance, Haruki straightened up and spoke in a formal tone. "I'm a Jonin from the leaf village"
The guard at the gate glanced at Haruki's forehead protector and immediately straightened up with respect. "Please wait a moment, sir."
After a short while, the guard returned. "Please follow me, sir."
Haruki and Minato were led into a spacious hall, where a wealthy-looking middle-aged man immediately stood up to greet them.
The moment he saw Haruki, his face lit up with a warm smile. "Master Haruki, what an honor it is to have you visit my humble home in person!"
"The bandits have been taken care of. Since it wasn't too far, I figured I'd drop by," Haruki said casually.
Oshima gave him a thumbs up before turning his attention to Minato. "And who's this little guy?"
Haruki smiled proudly. "His name's Minato. He's my student."
"Nice to meet you," Minato said politely, giving a small bow.
Oshima nodded in acknowledgment before shifting back to business. "Master Haruki, would you like to come with me to collect your payment?"
Haruki patted Minato's shoulder. "You wait here."
"Got it, Sensei."
Leaving Minato behind, Haruki followed Oshima to a quiet room at the back.
As soon as he stepped in, his gaze landed on someone sitting inside, someone who looked exactly like him.
A Wood Clone.
Unlike Yamato's diluted version, Haruki's Wood Release was much closer to Hashirama's, the only major difference being the lack of Sage Arts.
Wood Clones were more durable and much more lifelike than regular Shadow Clones. This one had been stationed here for convenience, both for communication and security.
After all, Oshima Trading Company wasn't just a business. It was his creation, built from the ground up three years ago. Like the orphanage he funded in Konoha, this company took in war refugees and stray ninjas, giving them a new purpose.
Under his guidance, they trained ninjas, improved farming techniques, and even used chakra to boost crop production.
Oshima poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of him. "As per protocol, I'll need the password."
Haruki picked up the cup and calmly responded, "A spark can start a wildfire."
Satisfied, Oshima nodded. "Alright, Sir, let's get to business. What do you need?"
"I need a group of ninjas to enter Konoha," Haruki said, his tone completely serious.
Oshima leaned forward, paying close attention. "Any specific requirements?"
"They need to have clean backgrounds, people who can pass Root's investigations without raising suspicion. Ideally, they should be capable enough to infiltrate the Anbu or Root itself. If that's not possible, they can come find me at the Ninja Academy."
Oshima nodded. "Got it. I'll make sure to pick candidates with strong mental resilience."
"Good." Haruki let out a breath, satisfied. "How's everything going on your end?"
Oshima's expression shifted into one of a sharp businessman. "Things are going great."
"You really took a risk using chakra for farming, but I have to admit, the results are incredible. In terms of crop quality alone, our chamber of commerce is leagues ahead of the competition."
Haruki took another sip of tea before asking, "Has Hidden Rain or Konoha caught on yet?"
"No." Oshima smirked. "Your strategy worked. A while back, Hanzo sent people to investigate, trying to figure out who was supplying food. But when they arrived at the village we set up, they didn't know every single person there was one of ours."
Haruki chuckled. "Good."
"One last thing," he continued. "Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan have founded the Akatsuki organization."
"They're gathering quite a force, especially highly skilled ninjas. It might be worth working with them. They're in desperate need of food, and you need reliable protection."
"If things go well, we could end up controlling the entire economic backbone of the Land of Rain."
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