Though, as Minato had warned, the power remained unchanged, the shop price had dropped by a thousand.
Motivated by the reward, Black Cat became far more diligent than before.
Of course, they weren't just training; they were also patrolling the border, checking for any signs of danger.
If trouble arose, their team was to provide immediate support.
This was to prevent Kirigakure and Kumogakure from making any sudden moves.
Training and patrolling simultaneously made the time pass quickly, though their minds weren't fully focused on the patrol.
They were about to head back when they reached the northern border.
As they prepared to turn back, suddenly...
"Meow! Someone's fighting!" Raj warned, raising a paw and pointing toward the Land of Iron in the distance.
"How far away is that?"
"Pretty far. It's hard to even hear the sounds clearly."
Minato pondered thoughtfully.
The location was at the border between the Land of Iron and Kumogakure, but it was also a small bay with a sizable port.
This port served as a crucial trading hub for the Land of Lightning, the Land of Iron, and the Land of Water.
In essence, it was a strictly neutral zone.
If Raj could hear the commotion from that distance, it meant this was no ordinary trade dispute...
Minato was curious, but the Land of Iron was a neutral nation, and crossing its borders directly would be problematic.
"Should we investigate?"
"If we approach from the coast, we shouldn't violate any territorial boundaries. At worst, we can use the Transformation Technique to disguise ourselves. Besides, you all know the Flying Thunder God Technique..."
Obito and Kakashi were both eager to see what was happening.
Minato considered it for a moment, then turned to Raj.
"Meow!"
Raj nodded slightly.
Though he didn't know exactly what was happening there, he hadn't yet visited the Land of Lightning.
This was a perfect opportunity to explore the area, far better than returning to the main camp.
The camp offered little entertainment; going back would mean either sleeping or being summoned by Tsunade for various tasks.
With their consensus reached, they sprinted along the coastline toward the source of the commotion.
To avoid potential conflicts, they used the Transformation Technique to disguise their appearances.
However, as they approached the area, the noise had ceased.
Instead, they were met with the overwhelming stench of blood and a landscape littered with corpses.
"Kirigakure Assassination Squad," Minato murmured.
"The Kirigakure Assassination Squad?" Obito paused, puzzled.
The term sounded familiar, like something he'd heard in class, but he couldn't quite recall its meaning.
Kakashi glanced at him and explained, "The Kirigakure's Anbu. They're responsible for hunting down missing ninja."
"So, there's a missing ninja here?" Obito turned to Minato.
Minato nodded slightly, but what he didn't mention was that not all missing ninja warranted such extreme measures.
Only S-rank missing ninja would provoke the Kirigakure Assassination Squad to disregard the rules of neutral cities and directly invade.
Judging by the situation, the assassination attempt had likely failed.
"Meow~ An old acquaintance, Kishimaru of the Kirigakure."
Raj crept forward, sniffing the air near the battlefield.
Finally, he looked up, his gaze fixed on the distance.
Judging by the lingering scent, Suigetsu Hozuki hadn't fled far.
"Kishimaru?" Minato asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
According to intelligence gathered from Ao's mind, Suigetsu Hozuki was the leader of this operation.
It seemed highly unlikely that such a figure would choose to defect.
Yet, upon further reflection, the possibility couldn't be dismissed entirely.
Hozuki's plan had crumbled completely with the arrival of Tsunade, Minato, and Raj.
Not only had countless ninja perished, but he had also lost one and a half Ninja Swords.
Returning to Kirigakure would likely mean facing a fate worse than death.
The question now was: should they pursue him?
The path ahead led into the Land of Lightning, Kumogakure territory...
Minato deliberated for a long moment before sighing and saying, "Let's withdraw."
Kumogakure hadn't yet attacked Konoha, and the village certainly didn't want to provoke another powerful enemy.
Minato's caution was understandable.
But Raj wanted to investigate.
'That was Samehada! Samehada could absorb Chakra and use it for its own purposes. Against this blade, virtually any Ninjutsu would be greatly diminished or even rendered useless. With such a weapon, one's strength would undoubtedly double.'
'But how to persuade Minato? He would never agree to let them follow...'
Raj fell into deep thought.
After a moment, he suggested, "How about this, meow? I'll go ahead and see if I can get my paws on that sword.
If it doesn't work, I'll come right back."
"I'm going too!" Obito's eyes lit up.
"Absolutely not!" Minato glared sternly at them.
This time, he was unusually serious, refusing to let Obito and Kakashi fool around.
'But Raj... Hmm, Konoha does have Root, after all.'
After a moment's consideration, he finally said, "Disguise yourself, grab the sword, and leave immediately. Do not engage in combat."
"Meow!" Raj nodded slightly.
"We'll return the way we came and set up an ambush at the Land of Fire's border. If you succeed, use the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport back. If you fail, you must return by midnight tonight, or I'll have Rin summon you back."
'Damn, he's been waiting here all along. No wonder he's a Jonin-he leaves nothing to chance.'
Raj inwardly scoffed, but under Minato's stern gaze, he could only nod meekly.
'What else could I do? Minato was the Captain, and Konoha couldn't afford the consequences of a joint attack by Kumogakure and Kirigakure. Besides, Konoha had treated him well enough; there was no need to escalate things over Samehada.'
He waved his paw to indicate understanding, then darted into the forest.
After only a few steps, Raj stowed his forehead protector and began tracking by scent.
Kishimaru had fled in such haste that he hadn't fully concealed his trail, leaving faint traces behind.
Later, however, likely after eliminating many Kirigakure Assassination Squad members and reducing the number of pursuers, Kishimaru grew more methodical, meticulously erasing his tracks and scent.
But by then, scent tracking was no longer necessary.
Raj cautiously entered the forest, careful to muffle his footsteps.
Though the scent had been erased, faint traces of Chakra lingered in the air.
Though faint, the lingering Chakra signature was enough for Raj to pinpoint its target's location.
The fact that the Chakra remained meant the target hadn't gone far.
Raj moved cautiously through the forest, leaping silently from tree to tree.
At that moment...
"Lord Raikage hasn't come?"
"You're not worthy of my father's attention. Besides, let me be clear: you're nothing but a liability to Kumogakure. Your only value lies in the sword you carry."
Another male voice echoed from the distance.
Judging by the tone, it was likely the Fourth Raikage.
'This timing... He must have already inherited the name "A" and become the Raikage candidate. That means Killer Bee is likely nearby as well,' Raj thought to himself.
'Fourth Raikage A is here.'